Arlington Magazine Mar/Apr 2026

Guiding clients through complex financial decisions.

We are a dedicated team of financial professionals committed to guiding you through life’s significant financial decisions. With a client-centric approach and decades of experience, we provide personalized solutions that align with your unique goals, ensuring your financial journey is both successful and fulfilling.

At D’Orazio Wealth Advisors, we evaluate each of your financial decisions through three areas of expertise for every client of every size, every year…at no additional cost. We offer a flat fee structure, making all our services accessible to every client, much like a multi-family office.

FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND YOU

We’d love to help you create the outdoor space you’ve always dreamed of. We understand the impact of the building process on your busy lives, so we’ll make it easy for you — we take care of everything, with guaranteed timelines and pricing. Call us today so we can find out what’s important to you. Together, we can design a custom space that fits you perfectly.

SCHEDULE YOUR EXPERT CONSULTATION WITH GROFF

CHAMPION

IMAGINATIVE.

CURIOUS. PURPOSEFUL.

At Goodwin House Seminary Road, the arts shape everyday life. Whether you’re creating in our studio spaces, or using our concierge service to catch the best performances across the D.C. area, this is senior living that lets you champion your passions and embrace what’s possible—while exploring what comes next.

CON TENTS

■ FEATURES

HOME & GARDEN

52 Great Makeovers

What a difference new furnishings can make. These room refreshes involved zero structural changes, and the results are dramatic.

64 For the Birds

To attract more feathered friends to your yard, heed these do’s and don’ts from master gardeners and naturalists.

COMMUNITY

88 Where the Sidewalks End

Pedestrian safety is an ongoing concern in Arlington, but getting a sidewalk installed on your block is easier said than done.

REAL ESTATE

98 Top Real Estate Producers

Looking to buy or sell a house? Here are the top-producing real estate agents and teams in our area.

ON THE COVER: A playroom-turned-luxelounge in Country Club Hills by Erica Peale Design. Photo by Mary Pat Collins.

See a board-certified physician, 7AM - 11PM, 7 days a week. Another way we’re here for you, for life, wherever and whenever you need us—in just one tap.

Scan QR code or visit vhchealth.org/virtualurgentcare

CON TENTS

156 Places to Eat

Our dining guide includes bite-size write-ups on more than 250 area restaurants and bars.

Get your Irish up, plan those Earth Day observances and treat yourself to a timetraveling indie rock musical.

22 Big Picture

If you love anime, superheroes and any excuse to nerd out, these are your people.

24 Familiar Faces

They wanted a weekend home in the Virginia countryside. They accidentally bought a vineyard.

26 My Life

The house of his youth has been torn down, but the memories remain.

124 Great Spaces

For a busy family with kids, a mudroom/ pantry forms the first line of defense against household clutter.

126 Prime Numbers

Where are homes selling the fastest and commanding the highest prices? Our expanded real estate guide compares home sales data in more than 350 neighborhoods.

150 Restaurant Review

Chef George Rodrigues blends Spanish traditions with globally inspired ingenuity at El Mercat Bar de Tapas.

Home Plate

Killer sandwiches, a new neighborhood hangout and where to celebrate Pi Day.

176 Driving Range

Find serenity at a gorgeous lakefront ecolodge in the Pennsylvania Wilds.

182 Get Away

Not ready for ski season to end? Hop on a direct flight to Vail, Colorado, and enjoy the last few weeks of powder.

184 Back Story

Once upon a time, Arlington needed a hospital. Civic groups delivered.

At Evermay, we know that managing personal finances can take time away from the demands of running your business. We also know that your personal success and your business success go hand-in-hand. Our experienced financial advisors will create and guide you through a wealth management strategy tailored to you, designed to provide balance and perspective. With the right plan in place, you get to dedicate your energy to what you do best—growing your business. Let’s start the conversation.

letter from the publisher

Where the Streets Have No Sidewalk

MY WIFE, MAUREEN, and I bought our house in TaraLeeway Heights 20 years ago last summer. The neighborhood was filled with mature oaks back then, and the limbs formed a vibrant green canopy over portions of our street. With a toddler and an infant, we were a bit concerned about the lack of sidewalks, but our block felt more like a quiet country lane than a busy suburban street.

After a year or so, I casually wondered aloud to one of the elder statesmen on our street why we didn’t have sidewalks. He informed me that someone had tried and failed to get the requisite support of the neighbors. He also shared that the process would take years and then warned, somewhat ominously, that I’d make enemies if I pushed for it. I had a lot on my plate with a busy job and little kids, so I dropped the idea.

Given that sidewalks are, well, a given in many communities, we decided to explore why so many of our streets in Arlington don’t have them, why they often seem to start and stop, and what’s required of residents to get one on their block. Unless you’ve been through the process or know someone who has, I think you’ll be surprised by the amount of time, effort and hassle involved. The story starts on p. 88.

A few springs ago, we hosted our daughter Katherine’s pre-prom gathering in our backyard. Parents were invited. One of the dads, who had earned his Master Gardener certificate, remarked that we had done a pretty good job introducing native plants, but that we had a few shrubs that ought to go, including two large nandinas. Their bright red berries, while beautiful, are highly toxic to birds, yet you see them all over Northern Virginia. Wait, what? We love birds. That’s why

59 million of us feed them and spend $4 billion on bird seed each year, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The choices we make in our yards can help— or hurt—the avian population.

In this issue, writer Amy Brecount White details how we can turn our yards into havens for birds. You can do it over time by making incremental changes. However, given that the U.S. has lost an estimated 25% of its bird population since the 1970s, it seems like we should try and do our part. “For the Birds” starts on p. 64.

Speaking of flight, you may notice a change in our Get Away travel column. Up until now, we’ve focused on locations within driving distance for an easy escape. But with the launch of new carriers and the big airlines offering new routes with direct flights, we decided to extend Get Away’s reach. Our new travel columnist, Tim Ebner, outlines a quick spring skiing trip to Vail and Beaver Creek, with tips on dining, lodging and other fun on p. 182.

I hope you enjoy our March/April Home & Real Estate issue. As always, thank you for being a reader or an advertiser. We can’t publish the magazine without you. If you are not a subscriber, please consider becoming one. Visit ArlingtonMagazine.com and use the code HAD326 for a discount. You also will find terrific content on our website that isn’t published in the magazine. If you like what you see, sign up for our free email newsletter. As always, I can be reached at greg.hamilton@arlingtonmagazine. com. Feel free to reach out.

Greg Hamilton Publisher & Owner

A LITTLE ABOUT MY WORK

Hi there, I’m Gabrielle Witkin, a real estate advisor with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. I live in North Arlington, I raise my family here, and I care deeply about the experience my clients have when they decide to make a move.

I specialize in advising discerning sellers in North Arlington & McLean, helping them position their homes for exceptional outcomes through honest guidance, elevated marketing, and a strategy rooted in how high-end buyers actually think.

My approach is calm, clear, and deeply local. I don’t believe in chaos or pressure I believe in preparation, intention, and presenting a home in a way that reflects its value and the lifestyle it offers

Mary Pat Collins

LIVES IN: Falls Church

IN THIS ISSUE: Photographed the airy lounge featured on the cover and in our story on beautiful home makeovers.

DESIGN STYLE: “I’m drawn to the ‘secret retreat’ movement—homes with hidden passageways, speakeasy-style rooms and discreet storage nooks that reward curiosity and invite a quiet escape.”

FEELING AT HOME: “I feel most at home surrounded by indoor plants and meaningful art or artifacts from around the world—pieces that carry history, culture and an adventure or story worth telling.”

CURRENTLY WORKING ON: “Dramatic strobe lighting techniques to elevate the quality of my client work. I’m also developing an educational course for new mothers who want to build photography businesses.”

FUN FACT: “I lived in Southern India and Bolivia for two years, and also completed short humanitarian photography projects focusing on rural schools in Haiti, Vietnam and Colombia. It’s a chapter of my life I hope to return to down the road.”

ONLINE: marypatcollinsphoto.com @marypatcollinsphoto

Tim Ebner

LIVES ON: Capitol Hill in D.C.

IN THIS ISSUE: Joining us as our new Get Away travel columnist, he writes about the allure of spring skiing in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado.

TRAVEL BUCKET LIST: “St. Lucia for island time, Australia’s wine region, and any host city for the World Cup (but first I need to find tickets!).”

DESIGN STYLE: “Historic-industrial—one of the benefits of living in a 100-year-old row home with exposed brick.”

FEELING AT HOME: “When traveling, I always bring a copy of the HillRag newspaper to catch up on Capitol Hill’s local news.”

ADVENTURES IN DINING: Ever in search of fantastic food finds, Ebner has also written for Eater, Bon Appétit, The Washington Post, Thrillist and Edible DC

CURRENTLY WORKING ON: “EATERLAND, a cookbook collaboration between Eater and Abrams Books exploring America’s regional foodways, with recipes collected from more than 300 restaurants nationwide. It debuts on April 28.”

ONLINE: timothyebner.com, @ebnert

PUBLISHER & OWNER

Greg Hamilton

EDITOR

Jenny Sullivan

ART DIRECTOR

Laura Goode

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Danny Ryan

DIGITAL EDITORS

Stephanie Kanowitz, Helen Partridge

WEB PRODUCER

Erin Roby

DINING CRITIC

Warren Rojas

COPY EDITORS

Sandy Fleishman, Barbara Ruben

CO-FOUNDER

Steve Hull

WRITERS

Amy Brecount White, Tim Ebner, Nigel F. Maynard, Mike Moriarty, Kim O’Connell, Pat Padua, Eliza Tebo

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Mary Pat Collins, Anna Cook, Constance Gauthier, Lisa Helfert, Sam Kittner, Christy Kosnic, Deb Lindsey, Rey Lopez, Zach Miller, Donna Owens, Robert Radifera, Angela Newton Roy, Hilary Schwab, Michael Ventura, Oxana Ware, Samantha Joan White, Stephanie Williams, Evan Zimmerman

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Traci Ball, Kristin Murphy, Lori Reale

FINANCE & CIRCULATION MANAGER

Julie Rosenbaum

ARLINGTON MAGAZINE is published six times a year by Greenbrier Media LLC © 2026

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AROUND TOWN

by Stephanie Kanowitz

This biographical portrait of the Queen of Rock’n’Roll is set to the soundtrack of her greatest hits, including Proud Mary and What’s Love Got to Do With It. Performances are 7 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; and noon and 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets begin at about $80. Capital One Hall, 7750 Capital One Tower Road, Tysons, capitalonehall.com

PERFORMING ARTS

MARCH 3-APRIL 12

Safety Not Guaranteed

Signature Theatre

Darius, a journalist, is determined to find the writer of an intriguing want ad seeking a companion to go back in time—and bring their own weapons. Set to indie-rock tunes, this funny, offbeat musical invites audience members to rethink their own paths. See website for performance times.

Tickets begin at $47. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington sigtheatre.org

MARCH 13-29

Twelve Dancing Princesses: Doce Princesas Bailarinas

Creative Cauldron

The princesses are locked in a room each night, but every morning their dancing shoes are worn out, as if they’ve been boogying into the wee hours. The king says anyone who solves the mystery may marry one of them. Performances are Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets begin MARCH 20-22

Appreciate the vibrant lives of Native peoples.

Plan your trip today and enjoy the museum’s upcoming events and new exhibitions.

Plan your trip today and enjoy the museum’s upcoming events and new exhibitions.

Women’s History Month: Honoring Polly Cooper

Women’s History Month: Honoring Polly Cooper

Saturday, March 7 | 11 AM–4 PM

Saturday, March 7 | 11 AM–4 PM

The Art of Quillwork

The Art of Quillwork

Saturday, March 14 | 11 AM–4 PM

Saturday, March 14 | 11 AM–4 PM

Celebrating “Water’s Edge”

Celebrating “Water’s Edge”

Saturday, April 18 | 11 AM–3 PM

Saturday, April 18 | 11 AM–3 PM

Living Earth Festival

Living Earth Festival

Saturday and Sunday, April 25–26

Saturday and Sunday, April 25–26

AmericanIndian.si.edu | @SmithsonianNMAI

AmericanIndian.si.edu | @SmithsonianNMAI

Truman Lowe (Hoocąk, 1944–2019), Feather Canoe, ca. 1993. National Museum of the American

at $15. 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church, creativecauldron.org

MARCH 21-22

Zarna Garg

The Barns at Wolf Trap

Prepare to laugh as Garg paints a hilarious picture of how she launched her comic career in her mid-40s after 16 years as a stay-at-home mom. Performances are at 4 and 7 p.m. Tickets begin at $60. 1635 Trap Road, Vienna, wolftrap.org

APRIL 5, 8 P.M.

All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Capital One Hall

In this play by Tony Award-winner Rupert Holmes, the notorious RBG chronicles the milestones of her life, from her days as one of only nine women studying law at Harvard to becoming a champion of women’s and civil rights on the bench— and holding a plank well into her 80s.

COVER UP

APRIL 24, 9:30 P.M.-1:30 A.M.

Bansy

The DMV band of childhood friends has been performing covers since 2012. Expect an eclectic setlist spanning a range of artists, including Chappel Roan, Taylor Swift, The Killers, Weezer and Queen. The Renegade, 3100 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, renegadeva.com

Tickets begin at $42. 7750 Capital One Tower Road, Tysons, capitalonehall.com

APRIL 30-MAY 2

Tiffany Haddish Live

Arlington Drafthouse

The Emmy-, Grammy- and NCAAP Image Award-winner brings the laughs in this onewoman show. Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and

Saturday. Tickets are $60. 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, arlingtondrafthouse.com

MUSIC

MARCH 14, 5 P.M.

Reflect

Arlington Chorale

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday through song. Composers set to music

Langston Hughes’ poem Let America Be America Again and Michael BussewitzQuarm’s US. Tickets begin at $25. Westover Baptist Church, 1125 Patrick Henry Drive, Arlington, arlingtonchorale.org

MARCH 17-29

I’m Here: Black Broadway

Signature Theatre

Powerhouse vocalist Awa Sal Secka

pays homage to the Black singers who revolutionized New York’s theater scene,

THROUGH MAY 31

2026 SOLOS at MoCA

D.C. native James Stephen Terrell is one of four artists to win a spot in the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington’s 2026 SOLOS exhibitions program. His vibrant mixed media collages are meant to transport viewers to another world. MoCA Arlington, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, mocaarlington.org

belting out songs by Juanita Hall, Pearl Bailey, Ben Vereen, Audra McDonald, Lilias White and other greats. See website for performance times. Tickets are $53. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, sigtheatre.org

MARCH 21, 8:30 P.M.

Tribute to Billy Joel State Theatre

Sing a song with the piano man as a sixpiece band led by sound-alike crooner and MIX IT UP

APRIL 18, 8 A.M.

Arlington Bunny Hop 5K

Find that spring in your step and hop, skip, walk or run 3 miles to raise money for local charities. A post-race block party includes music, face painting and other fun.

Runners of all ages are welcome. Registration is $50, $25 for ages 6-17. Clarendon United Methodist Church, 606 N. Irving St., Arlington, arlingtonbunnyhop.org

fellow Long Islander Mike Santoro pays tribute to Billy Joel with fan favorites (New York State of Mind, Vienna, My Life) plus tunes by other famous folks, too. Tickets begin at $25. 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church, thestatetheatre.com

APRIL 11, 7:30 P.M.

Musical Gems of Ecuador: A Violinist’s Journey

National Chamber Ensemble

Acclaimed Ecuadorian violinist Jorge Saade joins NCE to perform a selection of works in the classical traditions of Latin America. Tickets are $45 ($25 for students). Marymount University Ballston Auditorium, 1000 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, nationalchamberensemble.org

APRIL 15-16, 8 P.M.

Micky Dolenz

The Barns at Wolf Trap

Hey, hey, he was a Monkee, and he’s celebrating 60 years of the band’s music with two performances of hits such as I’m a Believer and Daydream Believer, plus stories from life on the road. Tickets begin at about $100. 1635 Trap Road, Vienna, wolftrap.org

APRIL 19, 7:30 P.M.

Los Lobos

The Birchmere

The 52-year-old, Grammy-winning MexicanAmerican rock group will play the music that sold millions of albums and made them a global sensation. Tickets begin

at $69.50. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, birchmere.com

APRIL 24-26, 7:30 P.M.

10,000 Maniacs

The Birchmere

Natalie Merchant and the crew celebrate 45 years of musical collaboration with a three-night stop at The Birchmere. Their best-known songs include Like the Weather and Trouble Me. Tickets begin at $59.50. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, birchmere.com

APRIL 25, 8 P.M.

David Wilcox

Jammin’ Java

The folk singer-songwriter will share music from his 2025 album, The Way I Tell the Story, as well as older tracks dating back to the start of his musical career in the late 1980s. Tickets are $30. 227 Maple Ave., E., Vienna, unionstagepresents.com/ jammin-java/shows

AUTHORS & BOOKS

MARCH 21, 11 A.M.-NOON Story Time with Jen Fier Jasinski

Bards Alley

The local children’s author will read from her upcoming picture book, Because of You, I’m a Sister, a celebration of siblinghood. This event is intended for kiddos ages 3-8. Free. 110 Church St. N.W., Vienna, bardsalley.com

MARCH 25, 6:30-8 P.M.

Arlington Reads: Priya Krishna

Arlington Public Library

Arlington Reads is celebrating its 20th year with a series focusing on food. Cookbook author Priya Krishna, a former restaurant critic and food reporter, will discuss her career and books, including Indian-ish. Free. 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, library.arlingtonva.us

APRIL 21, 6:30-8 P.M.

Arlington Reads: Francis Lam

Arlington Public Library

Journalist and food writer Francis Lam joins former Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema for a discussion about cookbooks through the ages. Free. 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, library. arlingtonva.us

APRIL 25

Northern

Virginia Indie Bookstore Day Crawl

One More Page Books and Fonts Books & Gifts

The local booksellers join more than a dozen area stores offering fun activities and prizes in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day. Fonts Books, 6262 Old Dominion Drive, McLean; One More Page Books, 2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington, onemorepagebooks.com

APRIL 30, 7 P.M.

Sarah Glenn Marsh

One More Page Books

The Richmond author will discuss her first adult novel, Our Rogue Fates, a male/male romantic fantasy, in conversation with D.C. romance author Chip Pons. Free. 2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington, onemorepagebooks.com

Thrifty CHURCH

Whether you’re planning to build a new home, age in place, or pass your real estate legacy to your loved ones or favorite charity, the skilled Trusts & Estates Attorneys at Arlington Law Group are ready to help.  Call us today at (703) 842-3025 for assistance with real estate contracts, commercial leasing, investment properties, estate planning, asset protection, tax planning, probate and trust administration. Join us Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Donations welcome during store hours. tcm@thefallschurch.org | 703-241-0441

SEASONAL

MARCH 11, 7:30 P.M.

St. Patrick’s Party with the Seán Heely Celtic Band

Jammin’ Java

Take a musical trip to Ireland with upbeat session music and soulful ballads performed by Gaelic singer and champion fiddle-player Seán Heely. Tickets start at $30. 227 Maple Ave., E., Vienna, unionstagepresents.com/jammin-java/ shows

MARCH 14, 9 A.M.

Four Courts Four Miler

Ireland’s Four Courts

Race to beat the leprechaun in this beloved (and hilly) St. Paddy’s-themed road race. Get those steps in and enjoy a beer at the finish line. Registration is $45 before March 9. 2051 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, runsignup.com/Race/VA/ Arlington/IrelandsFourCourtsFourMiler

MARCH 21, 5-10 P.M.

Fiesta del Sol

McLean Community Center

Celebrate all things Latin American and Caribbean with an evening of food, live music and artisan exhibitors—and pick up some new dance moves while you’re at it. Free. 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, mcleancenter.org

APRIL 4, 10 A.M.-NOON

Spring Fest

McLean Community Center

Welcome warmer weather and the change of seasons with spring-themed arts and crafts, entertainment and photo ops with the Easter Bunny. Free. 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, mcleancenter.org

APRIL 11-12

Art Blooms Mosaic

Mosaic District

Presented in collaboration with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, this perennially popular street fair

features a sprawling makers market, live performances, spring-themed selfie stations designed by Merrifield Garden Center, and a host of vendors selling fresh produce and snacks. Free. 2910 District Ave., Fairfax, mosaicdistrict.com

APRIL 26, 11 A.M.-5 P.M.

Earth Day Every Day Festival

Langston Boulevard Alliance

The fifth annual festival and Earth Day celebration returns to the Lee Heights Shops with live music, kids’ activities, an artists market, eco exhibits and local food and drink vendors. Admission is free. 4500-4550 Cherry Hill Road, Arlington, earthdayonlangston.com

Got a calendar event we should know about? Submit it to editorial@arlingtonmagazine.com

big picture ■ By Pat Padua | Photo by Donna Owens

Freak Flags Welcome

This free-spirited comic con is all about inclusivity.

BLERDCON DRAWS ITS NAME from a portmanteau of “Black nerd,” but the unconventional convention isn’t just for Black nerds. And it’s not your typical pop-culture con.

Created as a safe space for people of color and LGBTQ nerds, the annual Arlington gathering is a place where geeks of all stripes can express themselves in a broad way, even if that expression runs counter to canon, says event co-founder Hilton George. While attendees of other cons might look askance at cosplayers who don’t faithfully adhere to their characters as created, in this atmosphere the sky’s the limit.

“They’re throwing that spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks,” George says, referencing the personal stamp attendees put on iconic characters—like the fan who molded his dreadlocks into horns to portray a Black Loki, or another who incorporated kente cloth into a Sailor Moon outfit. For Naomi and Jamal Purvis (pictured), the 2025 gathering was just the occasion to channel their favorite villains from Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece manga series.

Blerdcon has grown considerably since its 2017 debut and now fills two hotel venues—the Hyatt Regency Crystal City and Hilton Arlington National Landing—drawing thousands of enthusiasts to join in costume contests, gaming, panel discussions and concerts. A 21+ zone is where F-bombs fly, comedians go blue and a “Blerdlesque show”

features the occasional adult film star, but other programming is family-friendly.

Face time with celebrities is a big draw. Last year’s headliner was Janelle Monae; this year brings comedian Godfrey and Carl Jones, creator of Cartoon Network’s Black Dynamite series, to town. “We provide the atmosphere and maybe some of the accelerant for [participants] to create their own experiences,” George explains.

Creative garb aside, music and food feed the vibe. George says the event boasts what may well be the largest food truck rally of any con in the nation, with nearly 30 vehicles serving grub ranging from banh mi to gumbo. Last year, a vendor hailing from North Carolina squeezed “a whole soul food meal inside of a calzone,” dubbing its gut bomb the “Slap Yo Mama.”

If you obsess over anime or the Marvel universe, but you’ve been hesitant to let your inner nerd show, George says Blerdcon is for you. Maybe it’s especially for you—no matter what color you are or how you roll.

“A lot of people only go to one, maybe two conventions a year,” he reasons, “and they may wear khakis and polos in a corporate environment the other 360 days of the year. This is just an explosion of expression, fandom, enthusiasm and community connection.” Everyone’s invited.

Blerdcon 2026 (blerdcon.org) takes place March 6-8 in National Landing ■

familiar

The Accidental Vintners

An Arlington couple’s impulse purchase of a vineyard led to a new local wine label.

IN 2020, AS THEIR world narrowed and the Covid lockdown dragged on, Leila Nowroozi and Reynolds Wilson felt like the walls of their Clarendon townhouse were closing in on them and their two teens. They looked westward, toward the wide-open spaces in the Blue Ridge foothills, for an escape. Wilson dreamed of buying a plot of land they could use as a camping spot. Nowroozi added “cute log cabin”

to their Redfin searches for a 10-acre property within an hour and a half drive of Arlington.

The cabin that popped up on her screen one day was “oozing curb appeal,” she says. Toll Gate Farm, as it was known, had once served as a toll collection point on a dirt road that extended from Front Royal to Richmond in the late 18th- and early-19th centuries. The red-painted dwelling on the property—whose prov-

enance dates back to 1750—was actually two log cabins that were combined at some point for a total of three bedrooms and three bathrooms, including a sleeping loft accessed by a spiral staircase. While the original rough-hewn logs and chinking were still visible, the structure had been renovated and updated. This was a relief since their budget didn’t include much wiggle room.

In fact, the 30-acre property in Flint Hill had more than they bargained for, including a pond tucked amid its pretty rolling hills. That’s not all. “Reynolds is looking past the cabin, saying, ‘What is all that stuff they’ve got planted?’ I just see green,” Nowroozi recalls.

As it turns out, those fields of green were a 6-acre vineyard. Undeterred, the couple sized up the line of cars they encountered at the open house and made the winning offer in July of 2020. “Candidly, we spent more time researching a Dustbuster than we spent thinking through the purchase of this property,” Nowroozi says.

“She’s not wrong,” Wilson confirms. “We normally sort of overthink, but this was not one of those situations. We just saw it. We loved it. We had not a clue what we were doing.”

Prior to their impulse purchase, the couple—who met as undergrads at UVA in 1992—always had a full wine rack at home. That was the extent of their oenophilic knowledge.

Toll Gate’s previous owner had grown and harvested four varieties of grapes on the property, selling them to other winemakers for wine production. This wasn’t an option for Nowroozi and Wilson, both of whom are tied to desk jobs during the day. (She’s a marketing executive and he’s a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.) They hired a small, seasonal crew to tend the vines that first summer and quickly realized their grape-growing operation was losing money.

Though they weren’t in a position to become farmers, what they could do as a side hustle was become winemakers. If any profit was to be made, they realized, it would be from selling bottles of wine, not just grapes.

They stopped selling their yield and partnered with the Walsh Family Winery in Purcellville to begin producing wine under a new label, Toll Gate Farm & Vineyards. Walsh now handles the processing, pressing and bottling while Nowroozi and Wilson manage marketing, sales and branding. They’re still waiting to break even, but both say they’re enjoying the journey.

Wilson designed the wine’s label, a drawing of the original log cabin with a scrawling typeface that looks like colo-

nial handwriting. “It was fun. It used a completely different part of my brain than my day-to-day life,” he says.

The hand-drawn X on the back of the bottle is a nod to his New Orleans roots. Known as the “Katrina cross,” it resembles the marks rescuers painted on houses that were cleared during rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina left its path of destruction in 2005.

Today, the X is a symbol of resilience in the face of steep odds. Wilson’s parents survived Katrina and still live in The Big Easy.

Nowroozi, who grew up in Norfolk, is learning the ins and outs of distribution, finding humor in the moments that belie her naivete—like the day she arrived at the Walsh farm to pick up their inaugural vintage, assuming she could just transport the wine in the back of her Subaru.

“There were maybe 50 cases, and I pull up and there’s a forklift with them,” she says, laughing. “The guy helping me was saying, ‘Um, do you have a truck coming?’ I had no clue.”

The venture has also turned them into amateur meteorologists, fretting over a late season Mother’s Day frost, or summer deluges from tropical storms.

Figuring out how to sell wine without running afoul of Virginia’s alcoholic beverage laws was another step in the learning curve. In 2024, they sold to individual customers via their website, using a Virginia ABC license. But by 2025, they were producing more wine than they could sell online

and deliver locally—about 3,500 bottles—and realized they needed to work with a distributor. They now use the Virginia Winery Distribution Co., a nonprofit under the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which provides wholesale wine distribution to state farmers at a lower fee than commercial distributors.

Nowroozi is a pavement pounder. She diligently sends cold emails to area restaurants and shops with hopes they will agree to carry the Toll Gate Farm label. About one in 10 get back to her. “I totally stress about it, and [Wilson] has to walk me off the ledge,” she says, “but I’ve come to embrace the stress. I think of stress as motivational, inspirational energy.”

She’s still trying to make inroads with major retailers such as the Clarendon Whole Foods, but is pleased to report that Three Whistles cafe across the street carries their wines. So do Lyon Hall, Fire Works Pizza and The Brew Shop in Arlington.

Farther afield, they sell at the Sperryville farmers market on Saturday mornings. Their repertoire includes cabernet franc, rosé, sparkling rosé, viognier and sparkling viognier.

A particular point of pride is that their wines are made exclusively with grapes from their property. Virginia rules state that in order for a wine to be called “Virginia wine,” at least 75% of the grapes must be grown in state.

Five years in, they’re still in growth mode. “It’s been mishaps and accidental learnings. We honestly are bumbling our way through,” Nowroozi says. “One of the reasons we are able to do this is that everyone in the grape and wine industry has been the sweetest, kindest, most helpful person. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished. Give us a try.” Cheers to that. ■

Barbara Ruben has written about historic houses and farms throughout the DMV.

Mike Moriarty

Requiem for a Teardown

Once upon a time, that pile of rubble in Falls Church was my childhood home.

RECENTLY, A FRIEND sent me a oneword text—“Whoa!”—along with a seemingly nondescript photo of a silt fence, a pile of rubble and a tall tree reaching high into a pale blue sky. There was no street sign, no house number painted on the curb that might give away the location, yet I understood what the heap of concrete in the picture represented. It was a funeral pyre waiting for a match.

My friend moved to the City of Falls Church only a decade ago, so she couldn’t have known that the enormous tulip poplar in the photo once had two equally majestic siblings along the edge of a half-acre lot that gently rolled like a fairway. In the mornings, those tow-

ering centenarians provided shade for two horses nibbling grass in a paddock across the road. Come afternoon, their swaying canopies dappled the house of my youth—a white stucco split-level with a curved sidewalk leading to a front door that was usually open.

Dogwoods and fruit trees formed an understory on our corner lot. In early summer, my brothers and I would tie a canvas hammock between two pear trees. In the fall, my dad would climb an apple tree and shake its limbs, precipitating a hailstorm of fruit that we bagged and carried inside like sacks of loot to my mother, who sliced it up for pies and cooked down the rest for applesauce.

If the side yard along Great Falls Street formed an orchard, our backyard was a playground. I only vaguely remember my little brother sitting in a sandbox, but I vividly recall pushing the limits of an old swing set like a 6-year-old Icarus. My dad added a basketball hoop, and for years my brothers and I scuffed the grass and pounded the ground into a hardpacked dirt court, just right for a quick game of H-O-R-S-E.

A gnarled old mulberry in the corner yard is where Dad built the finest treehouse in the neighborhood as a birthday gift for my little sister. She would have been about 8 or 9. Dad ran electricity to the hideaway and installed a light so she could escape for some peace and privacy—the kind the only girl in a house full of boys probably struggled to find.

When I think of that yard and the home it surrounded, I remember feeling safe. All sorts of things were added (two little brothers! a sister!), but rarely was anything taken away.

My first experience with loss came at age 5 or 6. I was outside with my brothers, petting our big German Shepherd, Wotan. My dad had gotten him as a puppy before I was born, so the dog was as much a part of my world as the trees and my parents.

Dad didn’t tell us where he was going as he led Wotan through the gate and into the back of our red Ford Galaxy station wagon, but I remember the sadness I felt. I somehow knew that Wotan was going away and would not be coming back. It would be another 40 years before I took my own old dog on a oneway trip to the same Falls Church vet and understood what Dad had done, and endured, that afternoon.

Over time, our property evolved—

sometimes slowly and naturally, other times suddenly and shockingly. I returned home from college one weekend around 1980 and was stunned to find that VDOT had chopped down the twin poplars as part of a project to widen Great Falls Street. What had been a narrow, two-lane road was now a four-lane ramp to a bridge spanning the new and long-contested interstate highway that had gashed our neighborhood behind our back fence.

My sister’s treehouse could have served as a crow’s nest to watch the highway construction, but the demolition of those familiar surroundings left us in no mood for a bird’s eye view of the march of “progress.”

As she does, when given sufficient time, Mother Nature healed the yard (and maybe us, too), with help from my father and mother. Dad took cuttings of forsythia and rose of Sharon from the side yard along Great Falls Street and

cultivated a hardy hedge that lent privacy to our reconfigured property. Mom added bulbs, day lilies and Lenten rose to create a lush embankment.

With the poplars gone, an abundance of newfound sunlight gave rise to a small tulip magnolia that grew a little bigger each year, eventually dominating the front yard with not only a broad canopy, but an exquisite fragrance that my mother would invite indoors by opening all the front windows at the first sign of spring.

Around the same time that I-66 was built, a hurricane took down a weeping willow that had shaded our patio. Dad responded by planting wisteria, which he trained up and over an arbor he’d built as an elegant setting for al fresco family dining.

When another storm felled a companion willow on the opposite side of the house, Mom and Dad cultivated a rose garden in its place. In 1985, they

“ALL THE CHORES AND THINGS THAT USED TO MAKE ME GROAN AND GRIND, HAVE VANISHED . ”

Craig , Westminster at Lake Ridge

Resident

capped that garden with a white rose bush to memorialize my sister, whom we lost suddenly and tragically that year.

To our friends, our home must have seemed impossibly full. We were a family of six when we moved to Falls Church in September 1961 (I was eight months old), and we topped out at nine with my youngest brother’s arrival in 1966. While a vacant room was rare, the house never felt crowded to me. Sure, the galley kitchen was tight, but the living room was large and the dining room felt even larger—even when nine of us squeezed around a table built for eight.

Over 19 years, that table was the setting for countless anniversaries and birthday celebrations. I was a teenager when we feted my grandfather’s 75th. Two decades later, I was a new dad when we marked my father’s 70th trip around the sun.

Today, I am halfway through my own seventh decade. The milestones

that once felt foreign—and the perspectives that accompany them—are no longer unimaginable. They are virtually inescapable.

The late afternoon light on the pile of rubble in my friend’s photo suggests stillness and silence. But for me, it doesn’t evoke sadness. Rather, the image brings to mind the stump at the conclusion of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. The lush yard, the house and my parents, both of whom quietly passed away there, gave all they had to make 6710 Hallwood Avenue a warm refuge from a larger world that—as life has taught me (and, I suppose, teaches us all)—can sometimes seem cold or uncaring.

Were I not living in Charlottesville these days, I might have been inclined to dig through that pile of rubble, to unearth a few red bricks, knowing I’d found what remained of the chimney. In the early 1960s, my dad framed the hearth with built-in bookshelves, and

for a few days each year, we draped our Christmas stockings there. Otherwise, the space was perpetually laden with artwork, figurines, greeting cards and photos—first of children, then grandchildren and, later still, great-grandchildren. The mantel and the bookshelves were always overflowing, but never so much that there wasn’t space for another portrait, another birthday card.

By now, the pile of rubble in the photo is surely gone, never to return— like old Wotan, like the trees and the rose garden, like my parents and my sister. But my memories endure. They are warm and sustaining. And like birthdays celebrated around an old wooden dining room table, they are crowded with abundant gifts of love. ■

Mike Moriarty is retired and lives in Charlottesville. He has been published in C-VILLE Weekly, the Pittsburgh PostGazette, SwimSwam, and Substack.

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Fairlington Dental

MICHAEL ROGERS, DDS

“Dental health isn’t confined to aesthetics,” says Dr. Michael Rogers. “It’s deeply connected to overall wellness, with periodontal health as the foundation.” Prioritizing periodontal health ensures that his patients not only smile confidently but also enjoy vitality throughout their body. He designs solutions that align with each patient’s history, needs and goals.

Rogers graduated with honors from Harvard and attended dental school at UCLA. He has had training in oral surgery, plastic surgery, anesthesiology and emergency medicine.

In his tireless pursuit of evolving dental knowledge, Rogers keeps current with

emerging technologies and techniques to ensure he can provide his patients with the best options for cosmetic dentistry, implants, sleep apnea, orthodontics, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and safe amalgam replacement.

In private practice in Northern Virginia for more than 30 years, his interest in dentistry—and his empathy—developed at an early age when a childhood illness left him with weak tooth enamel and staining from antibiotics.

“I find the most satisfaction in helping patients with intricate issues, many of which I have also experienced,” says Dr. Rogers. “I have twice been treated with

“I find the most satisfaction in helping patients with intricate issues, many of which I have also experienced.”

orthodontics, have had TMJ treatments and cosmetic dentistry, and have worn an oral device for sleep apnea. I can relate.”

During his TMJ residency, he made an appliance for himself and, as a side benefit, it alleviated his back pain. “It unraveled the intricate tapestry of interconnected bodily health for me,” says Rogers, “giving me the understanding that a seemingly isolated dental issue could echo through the body.”

4850 31st St., Suite A Arlington, VA 22206 703-671-1001 www.fairlingtondental.com

Boone & Sons Jewelers

In 1966, French Boone embarked on a journey to create a jewel in the heart of Washington D.C. His vision was simple yet profound: to establish a family business that offers exquisite jewelry at competitive prices, coupled with unparalleled customer service. This vision gave birth to Boone & Sons Jewelers, a name that has since become synonymous with quality and trust.

Over the years, Boone & Sons Jewelers has expanded beyond its original location. The family business ventured into new territories, opening stores in Chevy Chase and McLean in the 1970s. Despite this growth, the company has

remained true to its roots, preserving the intimate, family-oriented atmosphere that sets it apart from larger corporate jewelers.

“At the heart of our business lies a commitment to trust,” says Erik Boone, vice president of Boone & Sons and G.I.A. Graduate Gemologist. “Each piece in our collection is a testament to our dedication to excellence, assuring customers that their jewelry is crafted with precision and care.” Boone hand selects both gemstones and diamonds with superior quality, ensuring that every piece reflects the brilliance and beauty that his clients deserve.

“Each piece in our collection is a testament to our dedication to excellence, assuring customers that their jewelry is crafted with precision and care.”

Boone & Sons proudly meets all of their customers’ jewelry needs with quality and service, offering a range of on-site services and exquisite gifts for any occasion. Services include jewelry repair, watch repair and appraisals. Jewelry is a symbol of style and significant moments. Boone & Sons’ collection offers pieces from modest elegance to luxury, catering to all budgets.

1320 Old Chain Bridge Road McLean, VA 22101

703-734-7997

www.booneandsons.com

Congressional School

Congressional School’s specialty is young learners. The co-ed infant through 8th-grade community provides the perfect setting for children to gain a solid foundation, launching them on a lifetime of adventure and success. Their teachers are experts in the age group they teach, and the school’s facilities and resources are designed specifically for young learners.

Congressional’s diverse student body and faculty represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and the school embraces them all. Sharing and celebrating their differences brings them together, while teaching and modeling values like integrity, kindness, respect,

perseverance and responsibility further strengthen their sense of unity.

“We are dedicated to preparing young students for a life of leadership and character, intellectual curiosity and service to their communities,” says Dr. Edwin P. Gordon, Head of School. “Congressional is a community defined by academic excellence, creative collaboration and a shared commitment to an inclusive, innovative environment for students and faculty alike.”

For more than 85 years, Congressional has challenged inquisitive young minds through its research-based curricula with a clear and consistent focus on each stu-

“At Congressional School, children aren’t just students; they are at the very heart of everything we do.”

dent’s needs. Offering a personal, diverse learning environment where kids can be kids and parents can be involved, learning is more than test-deep at Congressional. The goal is for students not just to seek answers, but to retain and apply knowledge and to continue adapting and learning. The result is a vibrant learning space dedicated to unlocking the unique potential within every child.

3229 Sleepy Hollow Road Falls Church, VA 22042 703-533-1064

admission@congressionalschool.org www.congressionalschool.org

Vinson Hall

Trends come and go, but certain things are built to last. Vinson Hall is one of those. In 1959, the Naval Officers’ Wives’ Club of Washington, D.C. had the vision of creating a community for their widowed members that was “secure, companionable and dignified.” Two years later, the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation was formed to support the endeavor, and in 1969 Vinson Hall opened its doors.

Throughout its history, Vinson Hall has adapted and embraced change. The community, originally intended exclusively for widows of naval officers, gradually opened up and now has no military

eligibility requirement. It has grown to include assisted living and skilled health care at Arleigh Burke Pavilion, assisted living memory care at The Sylvestery and independent living apartment homes in Willow Oak and Heritage Hall.

“We’ve evolved and changed,” says Stephanie Lawrence, Vinson Hall’s Senior Director of Marketing. “We strive to be an organization people want to be part of.”

Today, Vinson Hall is embarking on an expansion of their community while ensuring that the traditions that have shaped their residents’ lives are preserved. This undertaking, Project RISE— which stands for “Redevelop, Inspire,

“We’ve evolved and changed. We strive to be an organization people want to be part of.”

Strengthen, Evolve”—represents a bold reimagining of Vinson Hall: a thoughtfully planned expansion that will add 126 new independent living residences, enhance community spaces and create the vibrant gathering places that define exceptional retirement living.

Vinson Hall’s secret to standing the test of time? Celebrating the legacy that makes this historic treasure in McLean unique—and embracing change.

6251 Old Dominion Drive McLean, VA 22101 703-536-4344 www.vinsonhall.org

Sleep & TMJ Therapy

DR. JEFFREY L. BROWN

“Our success is due to the fact that we are able to help so many people either improve or regain their lives.”

A general dentist for 20 years just “dabbling” in temporomandibular disorder (TMD), Dr. Jeffrey L. Brown realized he was not happy just fixing teeth—he craved something more rewarding. He found that focusing on TMD fit the bill. For him, enabling someone to return to work after years of disability, helping a spouse stop snoring and return to sleeping in the same bed with their “better half,” or watching a young woman go from being curled up in pain every afternoon to becoming a teacher in a private school made each day worthwhile.

“I believe our success is due to the fact that we are able to help so many people either improve or regain their lives,” says Dr. Brown. “Most people we treat are not able to function well, cannot work or simply are in so much pain they cannot enjoy life. Many of these people improve so much that they can re-enter society and regain their happy family life. This is why we are successful.”

Dr. Brown also treats patients who have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. He finds that many cases of back pain, headache and neck pain are associated with TMJ. He also treats sleep-disordered breathing and counsels on how the head/neck correlates with TMJ disorders, helping his patients understand why it is so important to treat all the problems simultaneously. “Seeing a patient’s tears of joy when they tell me how I have made their life better is easily the most satisfying part of my job,” he says.

2841 Hartland Road, Suite 301 Falls Church, VA 22043

703-821-1103

www.sleepandtmjtherapy.com

Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh

Attorneys (from top left):

Bob Brant, Shareholder

Tim Clewell, Shareholder

Tom Colucci, Shareholder

Nicholas Cumings, Shareholder

Emma Goetzman, Associate

Mark Goetzman, Managing Shareholder

Mike Kieffer, Shareholder

Jessica Kraus, Associate

Antonia Miller, Shareholder

Bailey Morris-Rondeau, Associate

Andrew Painter, Shareholder

Cathy Puskar, Shareholder

Allison Reynolds, Shareholder

Lauren Riley, Associate

Katherine Schlinke, Associate

Peyton Smetana, Associate

Kathleen Smith, Shareholder

Lynne Strobel, Shareholder

Emily Stubblefield, Associate

Kathy Taylor, Shareholder

Susie Truskey, Shareholder

Jessica Washington, Associate

For more than four decades, Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh has provided comprehensive legal services to clients navigating the complexities of commercial real estate and development throughout Northern Virginia. The firm represents developers, landowners, businesses and institutions on land use and zoning, urban planning, real estate transactions and litigation matters that are central to the development process.

Walsh, Colucci’s attorneys and planners are widely regarded among the region’s foremost professionals, with decades of experience working within Northern Virginia’s local jurisdictions.

The firm’s attorneys counsel clients from the earliest evaluation of development and zoning feasibility through contracts, entitlements, development documents, subdivisions, condominiums, permitting and leasing. In addition to their core land use and real estate practices, the firm has long provided services in complex commercial and business litigation, business transactions, eminent domain, and estate planning and administration. This breadth allows them to deliver coordinated, practical legal guidance informed by a deep understanding of the regulatory, economic and community considerations unique to the region.

Walsh, Colucci’s client experience is defined by deep regional knowledge, collaboration and long-term partnership. Their attorneys and planners are widely regarded among the region’s foremost professionals, with decades of experience working within Northern Virginia’s local jurisdictions. This familiarity allows them to anticipate challenges, navigate processes efficiently and deliver results grounded in real-world insight.

With offices in Arlington, Prince William, Loudoun and Winchester, the firm fosters a collaborative environment where principals and associates work side-byside, ensuring responsive communication and efficient staffing. Beyond legal work, their team is actively engaged in civic and community organizations throughout the region, reinforcing their understanding of the local landscape.

2200 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 1300 Arlington, VA 22201

703-528-4700

mgoetzman@thelandlawyers.com www.thelandlawyers.com

Marymount University

Founded 75 years ago on the belief that education should open doors to opportunity, leadership and service, Marymount University continues to offer programs that meet workforce needs while remaining grounded in its Catholic values of dignity, community and ethical leadership.

Marymount’s student experience is defined by access and engagement. In programs like nursing and cybersecurity, students benefit from practical training, up-to-date curricula and close connections to regional employers in healthcare, technology and government sectors.

Marymount University’s credentials are reflected in national recognitions that affirm both academic quality and long-term student outcomes. In U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges Rankings, Marymount reached its highest-ever position among National Universities, rising to No. 273 and earning the distinction of No. 1 among Virginia private institutions.

2807 N. Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22207 703-522-5600 www.marymount.edu

Sher, Cummings and Ellis

Mark Cummings is a distinguished advocate recognized for his legal excellence. His storied portfolio includes representing iconic figures such as W. Mark Felt—“Deep Throat” of the Watergate scandal. However, his practice is fundamentally anchored in the pursuit of justice for the catastrophically injured.

Specializing in wrongful death and personal injury, Mr. Cummings is defined by high-stakes advocacy and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. He has secured multi-million-dollar awards for families devastated by catastrophic collisions. Beyond the verdict, his impact is far-reaching. Recognized by George Mason University with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award, he is a celebrated legal educator, mentor and philanthropist who champions diversity. His career is a testament to the power of the law while upholding the highest ethical standards of the profession.

3800 Fairfax Drive, Suite 7, Arlington, VA 22203 703-525-1200 | www.shercummingsandellis.com

TriVistaUSA Design + Build

MICHAEL AND DEBORAH SAURI, CO-FOUNDERS

In an industry defined by everchanging trends, economic cycles and evolving client expectations, longevity is its own measure of success. For more than two decades, Michael and Deborah Sauri, co-founders of TriVistaUSA Design + Build, have stood the test of time by cementing their company’s reputation as a resilient and forward-thinking remodeling firm.

As TriVistaUSA approached its 20th anniversary, they saw the milestone as an opportunity to rethink the client experience. The result is a new design center, an intentional space created to make the complex, decision-heavy remodeling

process more engaging, inspiring and enjoyable. “Great design should feel exciting, not overwhelming.”

Michael Sauri was (is!) a musician and works with clients the way he approaches music, by listening first. Deborah Sauri has a background in the arts that encourages their designers to think bigger, take smart risks and trust the process. Both careers bring creativity, vision and passion to the firm. And much-needed fun, too.

While proud of their award-winning work in the Northern Virginia region, the couple is looking ahead. Mentors who create opportunities for young talent, Michael and Deborah care about their

As TriVistaUSA approached its 20th anniversary, they saw the milestone as an opportunity to rethink the client experience. The result is a new design center.

employees as much as they care about their clients.

“We embrace our roles as educators and coaches for our team by sticking close during every step in the process,” says Michael, who serves as a strategic advisor for The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, and president of the Professional Remodeling Organization, where he shares his insights on the U.S. remodeling industry.

3103 N. 10th St., Suite 200 Arlington, VA 22201  703-243-3171

info@trivistausa.com

www.trivistausa.com

Tech Painting Co.

“Tech Painting Co.’s longevity is measured not just in years, but in homes cared for, trust earned and relationships built over time.”

Forty years ago, Scott Burr and Jim Nicolson started Tech Painting Co. in Washington, D.C., shortly after graduating from college. What began as a small, hands-on operation was rooted in a simple idea: deliver outstanding craftsmanship and a positive experience built on trust.

In the early days, Scott and Jim were on jobsites themselves, working in neighborhoods throughout Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. They got to know homeowners one conversation at a time, listening closely and earning confidence through their work. Business grew organically through word of mouth, with neighbors recommending Tech Painting Co. to neighbors, families calling back years later and homeowners passing along a name they trusted.

Homes are deeply personal and knowing how to work within them with care and respect has always been essential. That perspective shaped the company’s approach and helped build relationships that have lasted for decades. As the years passed, neighborhoods evolved, families grew and homes changed hands. Through it all, Tech Painting Co. remained a familiar presence, adapting to changing styles and needs while holding to the values it was built on. The company expanded, bringing in skilled craftspeople who shared respect for homes and the people who live in them.

Today, four decades later, Tech Painting continues to serve the communities that supported it from the start. Its longevity is measured not just in years, but in homes cared for, trust earned and relationships built over time. Standing the test of time means honoring homes and community, together always.

5150 Eisenhower Ave. Alexandria, VA 22304

703-684-7702

office@techpainting.com www.techpainting.com

State Department Federal Credit Union

“State Department Federal Credit Union helps global members build their dynamic lives, so they can live boldly and bank with confidence.”

For 90 years, State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU) has stood as a steadfast financial partner to the Department of State community and its global network. What began in 1935 with eight State Department employees seeking reliable, accessible banking solutions has grown into a trusted institution shaped by the unique needs of members living and working around the world. These founders recognized the challenges of managing finances across borders—limited access to funds, inconsistent foreign banking practices and restrictive currency exchange options—so they established a cooperative grounded in accessibility,

security and shared purpose.

Today, SDFCU remains unwavering in its commitment to deliver innovative, secure and convenient financial solutions that empower members to live and bank globally with confidence. Whether navigating life overseas, relocating between assignments or managing their finances within the United States, members can rely on SDFCU for seamless, modern banking. Offerings such as international bill pay, integrated Wise fund transfers within Digital Banking, credit cards with no foreign transaction fees and personalized financial guidance demonstrate SDFCU’s continued dedication to meeting the

evolving needs of a dynamic, international membership.

Across generations, SDFCU has cultivated a reputation as a sophisticated, reliable financial partner for members at every stage of life. Its legacy of service and commitment to enabling members to live, work and bank boldly wherever they are continues to inspire the credit union’s vision for the future.

1630 King St. Alexandria, VA 22314

703-706-5000

sdfcu@sdfcu.org

SDFCU.org

Children’s House Montessori School

JAD TOUMA, M.ED., HEAD OF SCHOOL

“Seeing students become confident problem solvers is one of the greatest gifts to witness.”

Children’s House Montessori School (CHMS) is passionate about providing young learners with a high-quality Montessori education. Montessori classroom environments are captivating and fun spaces that nurture a lifelong love of learning in children. CHMS’s core values emphasize practicing personal safety, strengthening school community, developing individual character and adhering to Dr. Montessori’s educational principles.

The key to CHMS’s success the past 25 years rests on strong partnerships with parents, recruitment and development of dedicated, experienced Montessori trained educators, and thoughtfully prepared Montessori classroom environments. Montessori Guides work closely with families, staying attuned to each child’s growth and development as they prepare for elementary school. School-wide events further strengthen a sense of community and foster lasting connections among families. In the Montessori classroom, educators guide and encourage intuitive, self-directed learning through hands-on materials, offering both individualized and group lessons that ignite curiosity and build confidence. Toddlers focus on foundational life skills that promote self-expression and independence. Preschoolers explore lessons across eight diverse and dynamic curriculum areas, developing the skills to pursue challenges, celebrate achievements and grow into successful learners.

“There’s nothing I love more than observing children working through challenges to accomplish their goals,” says Jad Touma, CHMS’ Head of School. “Seeing students become confident problem solvers is one of the greatest gifts to witness.”

CHMS academic and enrichment programs include students ages 18 months to 6 years old. CHMS is open year-round and offers three pick-up options including all-day care. Apply at childrenshouse montessori.com/admissions-steps/.

Arlington Campus: 2425A N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22207

703-276-1360

Alexandria Campus: 104 Hume Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301 703-547-4423

www.childrenshousemontessori.com

Pond Roofing

PAT READYHOUGH, OWNER

Pond Roofing Company has been dedicated to serving the Northern Virginia area for 62 years—a testament to its unwavering commitment to quality, integrity and customer satisfaction. The company was founded by Bob Pond, a World War II veteran whose relentless pursuit of excellence laid the groundwork for decades of success. Bob’s daughter, Betsy, took the helm in 2000 to guide the business into the 21st century. In 2010, Pat Readyhough merged his roofing business with Pond Roofing via a handshake agreement. Betsy and Pat worked together to craft a vision for the future, ultimately leading to Pat assuming ownership two years later.

As Pond Roofing celebrates its 62nd anniversary, Readyhough reflects on over a decade of leadership that has seen the company grow while staying true to its roots. Specializing in exterior home remodeling, Pond Roofing offers services including roofing repair and replacement, gutters, siding, windows and exterior doors.

“We always put the customer first,” he says. “Whether they hire us or not, our goal is to empower homeowners with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their homes.” This customer-centric approach has fostered trust, with returning customers and

“We always put the customer first. Whether they hire us or not, we aim to help homeowners make informed decisions about their homes.”

referrals accounting for over 60% of the company’s annual projects.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the home improvement industry, Readyhough’s vision extends beyond business success. He is committed to improving the lives of customers and creating meaningful opportunities for his team, many of whom have been part of the Pond Roofing family for over two decades.

2985 Prosperity Ave. Fairfax, VA 22031

703-573-8000 pondroofing.com

Christine Dolan, MBA

C. DOLAN & ASSOCIATES

Thanks to busy lives, digital overload and a seemingly unending amount of paperwork and information, managing everyday financial matters can be overwhelming.

Christine Dolan is a business operations professional with a specialty as a daily money manager who assists clients who are very busy or have difficulty managing personal financial matters. Clients include high net worth individuals, seniors, adult children helping senior parents and professionals juggling careers and families.

“Right in your own home or remotely, compassionately and confidentially, we manage bills, budgets, record keeping, insurance, estate planning, taxes and more,” says Dolan, “giving peace of mind about financial wellbeing. We turn your piles into files.”

Dolan brings more than thirty years of experience spanning both startup environments and Fortune 500 firms, including PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte.

703-868-8664 christine@cdolanfinancial.com www.cdolanfinancial.com

Town & Country Movers

Town & Country Movers has been part of the DMV community since 1977. While it is the same family-owned company today, it has evolved far beyond the local moving crew of forty years ago. Traditional family values remain intact, while services have expanded to meet the times. As they enter the next generation, Town & Country has become a full-scale relocation partner, handling residential and commercial moving, full-service storage, home staging, and move management—all under one roof.

By blending decades of experience with a fresh, modern perspective, they provide a streamlined, highlevel experience that anticipates clients’ evolving needs. Proud of their history, they are even more excited about the future.

www.townandcountrymovers.com  1-800-683-6683

Cocozza Organizing + Design, LLC

HEATHER COCOZZA, PRESIDENT

“Cocozza Organizing + Design looks forward to kicking-off our third decade of providing high-touch customized solutions for home and office.”

Standing the test of time has meant growth and expansion for Cocozza Organizing + Design. President Heather Cocozza became an organization and time management expert, by necessity, while working and traveling for more than a dozen years with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM, including three years as a mother to two very young children. Deciding to start her own business, it was natural to want to share with others the lessons and skills she used to keep both her family and business life running smoothly.

Already a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), she also became a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®) to

be officially qualified to bring order to any overwhelming projects related to physical and digital organization in clients’ offices and homes.

Excellence in residential professional organizing earned trust, referrals and larger scale projects such as full preparation for a move. The company was chosen by Arlington Magazine’s readers as a Top Vote Getter for Best Downsizing Service every year it has been offered since 2022 in the Best of Arlington survey.

In addition, this level of excellence in providing customized organizing solutions led Cocozza Organizing + Design to a partnership with The Container Store’s

Arlington and Reston locations as an In­Home Organizer.

In four years, residential work led to commercial work, where her company gained expertise in records management and file organization. This evolved into multiple records management and archiving projects for clients such as the Smithsonian and the National Park Service. Time management coaching and consulting, for individuals and organizations, was the natural next specialty.

Arlington, VA 703-253-9447

hcocozza@cocozzaorgdesign.com www.cocozzaorgdesign.com

Dr. Greg L. LaVecchia, DMD, PC

GREG L. LAVECCHIA, DMD | LOUIS J. LAVECCHIA, DDS

“The legacy of our practice is the belief that exceptional dental care happens when old-fashioned service meets modern technology.”

For more than five decades, dentists Louis J. LaVecchia, DDS and his son Greg L. LaVecchia, DMD have served Arlington families with comprehensive dentistry. After Louis LaVecchia completed a tour of duty in the Vietnam War, he returned to Arlington in 1971 to open his private dental practice. At that time, he was also offered an appointment to the full-time faculty at Georgetown University in the Department of Operative Dentistry where he taught from 1970 to 1990. Now retired, many of the dentists in the area will say that they learned everything they know from Dr. Louis LaVecchia.

This certainly includes his son Greg who graduated from Temple University School of Dentistry, one of this country’s oldest dental programs. It has a longstanding tradition of comprehensive curricula that includes both academic and clinical training.

Greg and his experienced team continue the legacy of his father’s dental excellence with a belief that exceptional dental care happens when old-fashioned service meets modern technology. They offer comprehensive dentistry, including general, cosmetic, periodontal and implant dentistry. As providers of Invisalign Clear Aligners and CEREC same-day crowns, they use advanced technology to deliver a more comfortable experience and more precise diagnoses.

“We treat every patient as though they are part of our own family,” he says, “with care, respect and kindness. And we are proud that our staff has been with us for many years.”

1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 103 Arlington, VA 22209 703-528-3336

www.rosslyndentist.com

KW Beltway Homes

MARY ANTHONY, ALEX PACHEDZHIEV | LISTEN, UNDERSTAND, ACCOMPLISH

The secret to KW Beltway Homes’ success: experience and drive, and above all, integrity. Alex Pachedzhiev and Mary Anthony have over 50 years’ experience between them and a roster of preferred contractors and other professionals to assist in almost any situation. No less important, they have the backing of strong, experienced leadership in their Keller Williams office in McLean. They treat their clients as family and do what it takes to go above and beyond expectations.

Their specialties: Alex’s sweet spot is representing buyers or investors, especially Millennial move-up buyers,

accessing alternative financing or creative negotiations aided by his degree in psychology. Mary’s niche is serving Boomer-generation sellers or estates, with clean-outs, repairs and staging, informed by her days in Hollywood. Her past experience as a chief appraiser is invaluable to her clients.

“It all starts with understating what is current in today’s real estate market,” Anthony says. “The KW Beltway Homes team understands the D.C. Metro market, comparable sales and home values, and other considerations that need to be made to price your home right and get it sold for top price. It’s our responsibility

“It’s our responsibility to advise you how to prepare your home, give your property maximum exposure and help you get to closing stress free.”

to advise you how to prepare your home, give your property maximum exposure and help you get to closing stress free.”

In the end, KW Beltway Homes’ mission is you: they listen to your dreams, your long and short-term goals; they understand your concerns and intentions; and they accomplish all that is important for your long-term needs and financial security.

6820 Elm St. Mclean, VA 22101

703-636-7300 mary.anthony@kw.com www.Beltwayhomes.net

MLS Educational Consultants

MARY LOU SULLIVAN

“We work with students, parents and schools to produce a rhythm of work and learning, which builds self-efficacy, confidence and the strength to maximize academic achievement and test-taking.”

Mary Lou Sullivan first became interested in education as a youth, spending time with a cousin with severe autism. This led to her volunteering with special needs children, majoring in elementary and special education as an undergrad and emotional and behavioral disabilities in graduate school. She has furthered her studies at UVA, UCLA and Cal State LA, and has continued professional development in brain science, therapeutic interventions and other areas critical to best educational practices.

As founder and CEO of MLS Educational Consultants, Sullivan oversees passionate and talented educators who provide K-college tutoring, from beginning reading to multivariable calculus, test preparation and college application support. Sullivan and her team strive to help each of her students realize their full academic potential. MLS provides instruction in private and small group settings, and works collaboratively with families, teachers and health professionals to design a program that fits the needs of each student. This team approach fosters an integrated program to maximize student growth at all levels of education.

“Experience has shown us that a student’s success in school builds more success,” says Sullivan.

“Therefore, we endeavor to work with students, parents and schools to produce a rhythm of work and learning, which builds self-efficacy, confidence and the strength to maximize academic achievement and test-taking.” At this point in her long and distinguished career, Sullivan remains as passionate about her work as ever. “I love working with children and seeing them gain confidence, learning to understand and accept their learning style, and finding success,” she says. “I also love receiving graduation, wedding and even baby announcements from our past parents and students!”

6830 Elm St., McLean, VA 22101

703-356-0780

www.mlstutors.com

PMA Health

A PRIVIA MEDICAL PRACTICE

“It’s our job to make the healthcare experience enjoyable and effective, and facilitate an environment where people feel heard, validated, and not judged or rushed.”

Since 1959, commitment to continuity has been more than just a tagline for PMA Health; it’s reflected in the physicians who choose to build their careers here and the patients who stay for decades. Family physician Christopher Luk, MD, joined PMA in 2017 and was mentored by Dr. Steven Zimmet, who retired in 2022 after 50 years with the practice. Internist Ritu Cuttica, DO, has been with PMA for over 10 years and deeply values the time she spends with patients, building trust over years, not visits. The belief is simple: great medicine happens when doctors know their patients, not just their charts.

Today, PMA makes care easier to

navigate with a one-stop-shop model. With more than 35 providers across four locations in Falls Church and Arlington, patients can access primary care and internal medicine alongside specialties including pulmonology, critical care, sleep medicine, travel medicine and medical weight loss.

When life happens, PMA Immediate Care makes it easy to be seen quickly, with walk-in and virtual visits seven days a week in Arlington and Falls Church. Patients receive timely care from a team that listens closely, explains clearly and maps out follow-up steps. Andrew Hopkins, PA-C says, “It’s our job to make the healthcare experience enjoyable and

effective, and facilitate an environment where people feel heard, validated, and not judged or rushed.”

PMA is now accepting new patients. Schedule an appointment and experience trusted care rooted in the community and built for real life.

500 and 510 W. Annandale Road Falls Church, VA 22046

3301 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201

Virginia Hospital Center

1635 N. George Mason Drive, Suite 190 Arlington, VA 22205

703-521-6662 www.mypmahealth.com

Brush Arbor Homes

Brush Arbor Homes’ secret to longterm success in a competitive marketplace is relatively simple: they truly care about the people they build for and what they’re building. They don’t just construct houses; they create homes that reflect their clients’ lives and stories. In addition, their BuyOne BuildOne initiative allows them to give back with every home they build, so clients get their dream home while helping make a difference in someone else’s life. This combination of craftsmanship and purpose has kept Brush Arbor Homes going strong for two decades.

“We work with people who want a

home that feels truly theirs, not a cookie-cutter design off the shelf,” says Brush Arbor owner Jonathan Smith. “Our clients care about thoughtful design, smooth communication and a building process that’s actually enjoyable!”

Brush Arbor was the first to build a “modern farmhouse” in Arlington, combining rustic features like shiplap, painted brick, and hand-scraped wood floors and beam with modern touches such as Lucite and metal. While their designs continue to inspire other area builders, they want Brush Arbor homes to inspire you.

Brush Arbor Homes sees each proj -

“Homebuilding

is not a business for the faint of heart...I don’t remember anytime in these 20 years where I’ve felt like I could just “coast.” Putting relationships first is the key to longevity and success.”

ect as a team effort from day one. With their design and construction teams working together in-house, they can plan, avoid surprises and make the process feel smoother. The BuyOne BuildOne program is merely the cherry on top, allowing clients to get the joy of building their dream home while also helping families around the world. It’s a win-win that makes the journey feel a little extra special.

44121 Leesburg Pike, Suite 135 Ashburn, VA 20147

571-771-1765

brusharborhomes.com

Bill Page Toyota

CHINA ARBUCKLE

“The Page family has provided me a home to learn and grow.”

What is the secret to Bill Page Toyota’s long-term success in a competitive marketplace? For one, they have very low employee turnover, and therefore are able to maintain their customers’ loyalties. Bill Page’s customers like coming in and being greeted by the same faces.

One of those faces belongs to Bill Page president China Arbuckle, who has been with the dealership for more than three decades. In 1992, when the job market was very tight, a friend of Arbuckle’s was selling cars and suggested she try it. “I thought it was going to pay my bills until I found a ‘real job’,” she says.  “I ended up loving it, and from there, the Page family provided me a home to learn and grow.”

The Bill Page dealership is located in Falls Church, “the center of a melting pot,” as Arbuckle describes it. Having employees who speak multiple languages makes the process of purchasing a car much easier for non-English speakers.

Arbuckle has advice to offer those who are just starting out in the world of sales. “To become successful in any business, you have to believe in yourself and not fear failure,” she says. “Most people never reach their potential, not because they are not smart or don’t work hard enough, but because they are afraid of rejection. Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone.”

2923 Annandale Road Falls Church, VA 22042

703-532-8800

www.billpagetoyota.com

The Montessori School of McLean

Since 1973, The Montessori School of McLean (MSM) has been a paragon of Montessori education in Northern Virginia, growing from two classrooms to ten and now educating over 225 students ages 2-12. Augmenting the Montessori philosophy, students participate in enrichment programs including Spanish, art, outdoor classroom, science, technology, library, music, drama and PE.

Following the purchase of the entire four-acre campus at 1711 Kirby Road in 2023, MSM expanded its STEAM curriculum with its new Martlet Center for the Arts and Science. This upgraded space houses MSM’s robotics program, art, music, peace and STEM classes. Future renovations will include performance and community gathering spaces.

Providing an exceptional foundation to students requires a focus on the whole child, empowering each one to learn and grow at their own pace and preparing them to be kind, confident adults.

1711 Kirby Road McLean, VA 22101

703-790-1049 www.mcleanmontessori.org

Megan McMorrow, Realtor®

With 22 years in the business, Megan McMorrow prides herself on knowing how to adapt and pivot. No two transactions are exactly the same, the market has ups and downs, and so does the local economy. Through it all, her stability and success lie in her ties to the community and a proven track record.

“I regularly run into people I went to kindergarten with or swam with, and parents from my kids’ school days,” she says. It’s no surprise that most of her business is referral-based.

Megan combines her business expertise with a natural talent for storytelling. Whether highlighting the charm of a historic bungalow or showcasing a modern condo with city views, her thoughtful marketing makes each property stand out.

Megan@LNF.com 703-403-5543

4600 Cherry Hill Road Arlington, VA 22207 www.MeganKnowsArlington.com

Wendroff & Associates, CPA

BRIAN WENDROFF , CPA/PFS

“Advising entrepreneurs has always carried weight beyond the numbers.”

Wendroff & Associates, CPA is celebrating 20 Years in 2026. From its office in Shirlington, the firm has worked alongside entrepreneurs navigating ambition, uncertainty and change for two decades.

Serving Arlington has meant being immersed in the everyday rhythm and vibrance of the community—showing up for people building their futures here. Over time, those relationships have grown into lasting partnerships grounded in trust and accountability, shaped by a shared understanding of the pace, expectations and resilience that define Arlington’s business community.

For the firm, advising entrepreneurs has always carried weight beyond the numbers. Behind every balance sheet is a livelihood supporting families, teams and long-term goals, and the decisions business owners face are often deeply personal.

Wendroff & Associates approaches that responsibility with a focus on predictability, proactive planning and steady guidance, helping clients navigate change with a clearer sense of what comes next.

While the tools and technologies shaping the accounting profession continue to evolve, the firm’s approach remains rooted in its people, relationships and expertise. Tech innovations are adopted early to enhance the firm’s insight and service, not replace experience or connection. As managing partner Brian Wendroff puts it, “Helping entrepreneurs plan ahead, make informed decisions and feel supported through every step of their journey will remain at the heart of our work, now and into the future.”

2900 S. Quincy St., Suite 360 Arlington, VA 22206

703-553-1099

www.wendroffcpa.com

Great

Makeovers

What a difference new furnishings can make. These room refreshes involved no structural changes, yet the results are dramatic.

BY JENNY SULLIVAN

■ great makeovers

Party Central

The moment designer Carrie Armstrong walked into Hope Galley and Bill Kurpiel’s McLean home, it was clear they were entertainers. “They had disco ball cups and a wine fridge in the corner,” says the owner of Lapis Ray Interiors. “Hope was buying cowboy hats for her daughter’s birthday party. She’s a force. She’s an extraordinary host who goes all out and does everything with passion. But the design of their home didn’t re-

flect who she is. The furniture was all generic retail. There was nothing distinctive about it.”

The starting point for Armstrong’s 2024 redesign of the family’s dining and living areas was a sentimental object—a saddle (not pictured) that had belonged to Galley’s father. It became the impetus for a handful of subtle Western elements, including leather chairs, fringed suede ottomans and a “hide-on-hair

Dalmatian print” coffee table (see pages 52-53). “The hide is the star of the living room,” Armstrong says. “I knew her personality could handle that.”

The dining room, once a hodgepodge of bland furniture, is now anchored by a large, round table by Made Goods, with a dramatic Schumacher wallpaper on the ceiling and a close-up portrait of a horse. A functional, wall-mounted wine rack doubles as an architectural

element, and two buffets provide plenty of storage for party accessories.

The conversational living room features a particularly ingenious pet solution: custom console tables on either side of the fireplace that double as dog crates for the owners’ three pooches. “They had seen something like this but didn’t know where to source them,” Armstrong says. “Boulderbarks, a company in Colorado, made them for us.” lapisray.com

■ great makeovers

Levity and Light

Before Erica Peale entered the picture in 2023, this sun-splashed space in Country Club Hills was a no-frills play area for the owners’ three children. “They had gymnastics mats on the floor and a leftover sofa from their old house,” says the Arlington designer. “No one went in there except the kids and the dog.”

But once the littles weren’t so little anymore, the tumbling stopped and the

room became a blank canvas. Peale’s challenge was to transform it into a “ladies’ lounge” where the mom could have friends over or curl up with a book. “She said, ‘I want this space to be mine,’” Peale recalls.

Noting the room’s square dimensions, Peale eschewed the usual sofa and chairs, instead placing four plush Vanguard chairs around a vintage oc-

tagonal table (from Chairish) with Lucite legs and brass accents. A 4-by-6foot commissioned painting by D.C. artist Lanie Mann captures the client’s love of pink, while also incorporating blues that form a visual connection to the front door in the adjoining foyer. Eggshell walls with white trim create an ever-so-slight contrast, and a pastel area rug defines the seating area.

The room’s built-in shelves are now a gallery of sorts, displaying a mix of curated pieces and a Murano vase from the owners’ travels. “She didn’t want the shelves to be cluttered with books,” Peale says. “It’s more like a museum of beautiful objects in different shapes, colors and textures.” Turkish velvet ikat throw pillows provide additional pops of brightness. ericapeale.com

Family Time

When Samantha Demetriou and Michael Raumer bought their house in Pimmit Hills in late 2020, they moved in with a mix of hand-me-down furniture and budget items from their previous (and considerably smaller) starter home in Arlington.

They were expecting their first child in the fall of 2022 when they hired Rose Ramseur, owner of Primrose Design, to make their main level more cohesive and functional. “Was I in full-on nesting mode? Pretty much,” Demetriou says. “We had this big, open area that encompasses the kitchen, family room and front hallway, but we didn’t have the ability to visualize the space as a whole. We needed a pro.”

As a practical matter, the couple’s aging dog was slipping on the hardwood floors. Ramseur arrived to find a maze of yoga mats they had put down to give their pooch more traction.

The family room had some fun elements, including a textured stone fireplace and a coffered ceiling, but the espresso-stained floors that spanned the entire first floor made everything feel dark. “The main goal was to lighten and brighten,” Ramseur says.

She started with new floor coverings, including a 12-by-15-foot wool rug from Pakistan that is now a unifying element in the family room. Picking up on its calm colors, she introduced a light wood coffee table, a tan leather swivel chair and a sand-colored sofa in an easy-to-clean performance fabric.

Painting the inset parts of the ceiling an ethereal blue “made it more of a design feature,” adds the designer, whose studio is in Merrifield.

The casual dining area between the family room and kitchen is modern and simple, with wipeable pleather chairs from Moe’s Home Collection (a necessity in a household that now includes two young kids) and a sturdy oak table from Williams Sonoma Home. “The design is contemporary,” Ramseur says, “but also family- friendly.” primroseinteriordesign.com

New Orientation

It never occurred to the owners of this house in Arlington’s Williamsburg neighborhood to put their bed against a wall of windows—but reconfiguring the primary suite in this way made all the difference. “It became the focal point of the room,” says Suzanne Manlove, principal of Manlove Interiors, “with the button-tufted king-size bed and the windows becoming one big element.”

Floor-to-ceiling window treatments completed the effect by allowing the three windows behind the bed to read as one continuous wall of glass. With the revised layout, Manlove was also able to move the couple’s wall-mounted TV to a less conspicuous spot that isn’t visible from the hallway.

She left the existing wall colors and hardwood floors alone, introducing a

complementary palette of soft teals and neutral beiges with pops of orange—the husband’s favorite color.

The slender, brass-footed bench at the end of the bed is counterbalanced by solid wood bedside tables and dressers made in West Virginia. “We like to mix up the weight of furniture,” explains the Arlington designer. “Some things are leggy. Some are more solid and sculp-

tural. This makes the whole room feel balanced and not too heavy.”

A mixed-media painting by artist Vesela Baker from Anne Irwin Fine Arts in Atlanta ties it all together. The bedroom was completed in 2024 as part of a larger refresh that also included a firstfloor family room.

Prior to the makeover, an odd space between the sleeping area and bath -

room—too wide to be a hallway, but too narrow for much else—sat mostly empty. Now it’s a luxe sitting area with a love seat and textured ottomans. “It’s a comfortable place for the owners to relax, read a book or have a conversation at the end of the day,” says Mark Manlove, the firm’s VP of marketing and operations. “There’s lots of natural light.” manloveandco.com

Rhapsody in Blue

Neha and Anuj Vohra kept it simple when they built their custom home in Falls Church’s Merrill Park in 2018—white walls, white oak floors, black accents. But after a year in the house, they wanted more warmth in the way of soft furnishings and finishes. They called on Cindy Eyl of Jefferson Street Designs to redo their primary bedroom and dining room.

An existing area rug became the launch point for the dining room, where the millwork felt crisp and clean, but a little cold. “She wanted a bit of a bohemian feel and he wanted a chair with a pattern on it,” says the Arlington designer. “They had three little kids at the time, so a practical solution was to put wood chairs on the sides and upholstered chairs on either end of the dining table”—specifically, a live-edge walnut table made in Pennsylvania to fit the room’s dimensions.

“We have a lot of big dinner parties, and we wanted a table that could seat 10 people,” Neha explains. “We couldn’t find what we wanted in retail, so we went custom.”

The indigo pattern on the upholstered end chairs (Lee Jofa’s “Indian Zag”) references the owners’ Indian heritage. A light fixture by Detroit-based Regina Andrew is a nod to Neha’s home state and the couple’s alma mater (both are University of Michigan alumni). “We wanted something modern and not too chandelier-y,” Neha says. “We loved that the company is based in Michigan and is African American owned.”

The cream walls are an easy-to-clean vinyl grass cloth, while the recessed tray ceiling finds texture in a sumptuous woven raffia. Floor-to-ceiling drapes frame the oversize windows.

The project was 99% done in 2019, but one wall sat empty until the right piece of art came along. Eyl was poking around Verdigris Vintage in Alexandria (now closed) when she stumbled on the stunning and statement-making West African batik that now completes the room. “I sent my client a picture of it, and she said, ‘Yes, 100%.’” jeffersonstreetdesigns.com ■

Jenny Sullivan is the editor of Arlington Magazine and a former architecture and design writer.

FOR THE BIRDS

COOPER’S HAWK

Bird populations have plummeted in the last 50 years. Our landscaping choices can help revive them.

By Amy Brecount White | Photos by Samantha Joan White

Scouting the scene with his hefty telephoto lens, Kent Anderson looks like a photographer on safari. But the wild habitat in his camera’s viewfinder is his Arlington backyard—home to warblers, a Cooper’s hawk, woodpeckers, Swainson’s thrush and some bird species you wouldn’t normally see in the suburbs.

When Anderson moved from Hawaii to Virginia 12 years ago with his wife, Kendra, and their two daughters, their yard was “your typical Arlington manicured place,” he says, with a grass lawn, heavenly bamboo, Japanese spirea and non-native plants. Since then, he’s “slowly converted it over to native plants,” while keeping a grassy space for the family dog.

As a result, the birds visiting their property have diversified and proliferated. He used to see an occasional Carolina wren. Now there are “families of them.” Song sparrows, house wrens and catbirds have built nests in the trees and in brush piles he keeps out back for that purpose.

In addition to the elm tree out front and giant river birch in back, the landscaping includes understory layers of flowering native shrubs—New Jersey tea, button bush and St. John’s wort—and perennials such as ironweed, coneflower, asters and goldenrod, all of which provide food for feathered visitors year-round.

SINCE THE 1970 s , the U.S. has lost more than a quarter of its avian population—nearly 3 billion birds—according to a 2019 study published in Science magazine. Audubon’s 2025 State of the Bird report identifies 229 species requiring urgent conservation action, including 42 that are in danger of extinction. Eastern forest birds have declined by 27%, and grassland birds by 41% over the last half century.

“When we see declines like those, we need to remember that if conditions are not healthy for birds, they’re unlikely to be healthy for us,” says Amanda Rodewald, faculty director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Center for Avian Population Studies.

Keystone Plants

The vast majority of North American bird species rely on caterpillars as a primary food source for their young. Working in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy has identified “keystones”—native plant species that support the greatest share of caterpillars as host plants. According to the NWF, a full “96% of our terrestrial birds rely on insects supported by keystone plants.” These keystones top the list in our ecoregion:

TREES:

Oaks, river birch, native plum, native cherries, silver and sugar maples, chokecherry, box elder, Southern crabapple, Eastern white pine

SHRUBS: Native blueberry, cranberry, hawthorn, serviceberry, dogwood, bayberry, viburnum, prairie willow, black willow

PERENNIALS:

Goldenrods, asters, sunflowers, Joe

Pye weed, black-eyed Susans

Pesticides that destroy the food chain are also linked to cancer in humans, and habitat destruction caused by climate change is a problem for all living creatures, including people who live in disaster-prone areas.

Installing bird feeders is “one way to support birds,” says Rachael Tolman, an Arlington County conservation and interpretation manager, although not the most critical one. Here’s why: Mature birds subsist on seeds, berries and other foods that fill bird feeders, but their babies need a diet richer in fat and proteins. Some 96% of terrestrial North American birds feed their chicks insects—mainly moth and but-

terfly larvae in the form of caterpillars. Those insects, in turn, need native plants to thrive and reproduce.

A 2018 study of Carolina chickadees in the D.C. region, conducted by University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy and other scientists, determined that chickadee parents must gather between 390 and 570 caterpillars each day to support a clutch of four to six chicks. Multiply that by 16 days (the length of a chick’s progression from hatching to fledging), and the need amounts to between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars per clutch. At least 310 North American bird species consume caterpillars to survive.

Beauty and Birds

Native landscaping has at times gotten a bad rap.

“People previously assumed that native meant wild and crazy and unkempt,” says Caroline Ervin, a landscape designer in the D.C. area. But the truth is, many native plants combine beauty with ecological benefits. Ervin’s favorites include viburnum, American beautyberry, American holly, winterberry and sweet bay magnolias. She also recommends planting “something that’s evergreen and has dense branching where [birds] can make a nest or have for shelter in the winter.”

The problem is yards dominated by grass lawns and non-native plants are essentially “food deserts” for native insects—and thus for birds. Tallamy encourages homeowners to make landscaping choices comprising at least 70% native species, including trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcover.

“Reducing the area of lawn and replacing it with the plants that make bird food—that’s those caterpillars and berries—is a good thing to do,” he says. “Lawn doesn’t do any of those things.”

Creating a “soft landing zone” for caterpillars underneath host trees is another way to support this important food source. Caterpillars born in trees fall to the ground and wriggle under the soil to pupate. If the ground is hard or the grass roots are too thick to penetrate, they can’t wriggle very far, which makes them vulnerable to getting squished or picked off by predators.

To create a cushion, Tallamy and Minnesota-based conservationist Heather Holm suggest leaving fallen leaves in place, or adding a “green mulch” layer of understory plants such as wild ginger, ferns and carex (grasses). Also referred to as “living mulch,” these low-growing natives can offer the same weed suppression benefits as wood chips or straw, while preventing erosion, building soil health, and creating a soft habitat for caterpillars and other beneficial insects.

THE GREATER D.C. REGION

is part of the Atlantic Flyway, an East Coast migration path that birds follow yearly. Many winged travelers—rubythroated hummingbirds, warblers, hawks and sparrows among them— alight in our yards and green spaces to rest and refuel.

“We’re literally one mile from National Airport, and I’ve got all these

crazy birds,” says Aurora Hills resident Basil Kiwan. Visitors to his yard during the annual spring migration include orchard orioles, flickers and his favorite, the chestnut-sided warbler.

When Kiwan and his spouse, Mike Weber, bought their home in 2016, they inherited some landscaping challenges, including invasive English ivy and running bamboo. They removed the ivy, only to discover that the soil on their sloped property was dry and sandy.

After hiring a landscaper to create informal terraces with large rocks, Kiwan asked an ambassador from the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA)—the local chapter of the Audubon Society—to visit his yard and offer recommendations for making it more wildlife friendly. Although the lot was graced with large oaks, a native black cherry and pollinator-friendly perennials, the ambassador determined it needed a middle canopy of smaller native trees and shrubs.

Layering is an important part of bird-friendly landscaping, advises NVBA ambassador Alda Krinsman. Between the tallest treetops and the lowest groundcover is a lot of airspace that birds will frequent if given the means to do so.

Acting on that advice, Kiwan added a redbud, silky dogwood, arrowwood viburnum and American hophornbeam to provide additional shelter and nesting areas for birds. To prevent erosion, he planted the short native northern bush honeysuckle and false indigo. To attract hummingbirds, he hung a feeder, then built a vertical trellis of climbing native coral and trumpet honeysuckle. Today, the tiny, iridescent birds whiz around the trellis collecting nectar, and the feeder is almost unneeded.

CREATING AN IDEAL BIRD sanctuary also means avoiding practices that might harm birds, including mosquito spraying and other pesticides. Spraying for mosquitoes “literally is killing off

Bird-Watching

Spots and Apps

Looking to spy a magnolia warbler or pileated woodpecker? Seasoned birders recommend visiting these local parks, particularly during the migration season:

Fort C.F. Smith Park

Four Mile Run Park

Long Branch Nature Center

Glencarlyn Park

Potomac Overlook

Monticello Park

The Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA) and Northern Virginia Bird Club offer birding field trips in the area. Visit nvbirdalliance.org/birdwalks and nvabc.org/updated-fieldtrips for details.

Birding apps may also come in handy during your outings. With Birdcast (birdcast.info) you can type in your ZIP code and see if birds are migrating through your area. The numbers will fluctuate greatly with weather patterns. Cornell’s Merlin Bird ID app (merlin.allaboutbirds.org) allows users to identify birds by their calls. If you’re on eBird (ebird. org) use the “explore hotspots” feature to see what’s happening in your neck of the woods.

bulbs and will “exhaust themselves flying around outdoor lights,” expending the energy they should be using to reproduce, Tolman says, and lower reproduction rates mean fewer caterpillars to feed baby birds. Changing outdoor bulbs from white to yellow is a simple swap.

“Light pollution is one of the major causes of insect decline, and it’s particularly hitting nocturnal moths,” says Tallamy, the entomologist. “It’s the caterpillars of those moths that birds use to raise their young. So it’s indirect, but you’re helping the birds by saving their bird food.”

Excessive and misdirected external lighting can also harm migrating birds. Although birds use magnetic fields to guide their journeys, “they’re also reliant on navigating by landmarks and by the stars,” Tolman says. “When it’s hard to see the sky because of light pollution, that’s a problem.” Homeowners can help by installing motion-triggered lights that shut off when not in use.

Outdoor cats pose yet another threat. Tolman suggests keeping cats indoors and perhaps a installing a “catio” (an enclosed outdoor space or screened area that allows them to get fresh air without imperiling wildlife).

Window collisions cause a shocking number of bird deaths each year. More than 1 billion birds die as a result of flying into window reflections that look like trees or sky, particularly during migrations, according to the American Bird Conservancy. To avoid these scenarios, the organization has created a database of solutions for homeowners and apartment dwellers at abcbirds. org/products

the food source for what birds are feeding their young,” says Arlington conservationist Tolman. “The insecticides kill everything, not just mosquitoes. If the chicks don’t have enough food, we don’t have as many chicks.”

Outdoor lighting can be problematic, too. Moths are attracted to white

If you enjoy watching birds at your feeders, be sure to clean the feeders weekly to prevent mold (unscented dish soap and water does the trick), and avoid putting feeders in places that expose birds to predators. The ideal spot will be near a tree or shrub where smaller birds can escape to hide, versus

Spraying for mosquitoes

“literally is killing off the food source that birds feed their young.”

an exposed area that gives hawks an open flight path. Bird houses, including nesting boxes and gourds, should also be cleaned out after a nesting cycle; otherwise subsequent birds won’t reuse them.

PRIVATE

PROPERTY IS a human construct that means nothing to birds. Tallamy is co-founder of Homegrown National Park (homegrownnationalpark. org ), a nationwide movement that encourages homeowners to think of their yards not as private realms, but as part of a larger wildlife corridor and ecosystem.

Locally, the NVBA has launched a similar Stretch Our Parks program (nvbirdalliance.org/stretch-our-parks) that encourages residents to “stretch the positive ecological impacts of our parks beyond their borders” and combat habitat fragmentation. In Arlington, volunteers are working to extend a natural corridor from Upton Hills Regional Park to Bluemont Park, using private properties as connective waystations. Together they’ve removed invasive plants, introduced county-supplied native plants and caged saplings to protect them from deer.

Similar efforts are underway in the bird-rich area between Four Mile Run Park and Alexandria’s Monticello Park. Last year, NVBA recorded some 65 different bird species during its annual Monticello Bird-a-thon, including redstarts, 18 types of warblers and a yellow-billed cuckoo.

In Falls Church, Debi GuidoO’Grady’s journey to becoming “the restoration lady” for the Poplar Hill Rec-

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER

reation Association (PHRA) park began several years ago when she noticed invasive plants in the woods next to her Fairfax Terrace home. Located near the W&OD Trail, the 6-acre park is a popular spot for dog walkers and runners. It’s also “the last stand of trees in this area and a riparian buffer zone for a stream,” she says.

In 2023, Guido-O’Grady joined forces with a fellow dogwalker to host a series of habitat rescue days, enlisting volunteers to clear invasive plants and remove non-native vines that were stressing the trees. During the first cleanup, they discovered that residents and grounds workers had been dumping leaves into the park, which was further suppressing the growth of native saplings that support birds.

After removing non-native honeysuckle, porcelain berry and multiflora rose, and educating neighbors about the suffocating effects of leaf dumping, they saw the forest rejuvenate, with native sycamore, poplar, dogwood, American holly and pawpaw saplings. In 2024, 46 volunteers from PHRA and the community at large cut invasives off 89 trees and removed three dump trucks worth of invasive plants. Their efforts are ongoing.

PHRA has received two grants from NVBA, says Guido-O’Grady, now a Green Springs Master Gardener and a Fairfax County Tree Steward. That seed money “stimulated a huge amount of general interest and inspired the PHRA board to budget for invasive remediation,” she says, including allocating matching funds, educating landscapers about native plant care and hiring a

professional company to use herbicides on stubborn invasive plants. Today, the woods host a family of hawks, various species of woodpeckers and sapsuckers, and a pair of barred owls.

ARLINGTON RESIDENT

Kristin Kittredge wants birds to feel at home in the canopy surrounding her house in Aurora Hills. She’s been gardening accordingly. When she and her husband, Steve, moved here five years ago, their front and back yards were “bare patches of grass.” Now their property is lush with native flora, including redbud, black tupelo, river birch and native wisteria. Kittredge routinely trades native plants and know-how with her neighbors, and together they’re aiming to create a wildlife corridor teeming with biodiversity and birdsong. “That’s made it more fun to work in the garden and see what they’re doing and share what I’m doing,” she says. “It’s amazing what a transformation you can do in such a short amount of time.”

She, like others interviewed for this story—Anderson and Kiwan included— has undergone training to become an Arlington Regional Master Naturalist (ARMN). Organized by the local chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists, the semester-long program trains volunteers to serve as eco-stewards. Kittredge also volunteers as an NVBA ambassador. Her husband is her latest convert. “Steve was never into this,” she says, “but he knows the plants now. He’ll say things like, ‘Oh, the catbird was out on the blueberries.’ It’s fun to see as it starts to form and transform. That’s where it becomes addictive.” ■

Local park steward and Arlington Regional Master Naturalist Amy Brecount White is continually adding native plants to her yard. She fan-girls over Doug Tallamy and the Merlin app.

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Bowers Design Build

The Project

About Us

Since 1990, our on-staff architects, designers and construction professionals have created homes that respond thoughtfully to each client’s needs. Award-winning design paired with a disciplined construction process has earned the trust of generations of homeowners— reflected by our 100% GuildQuality recommendation rate. View more at BowersDesign Build.com.

When three generations chose to live together under one roof, this 1930s Arlington home was reimagined to foster connection while preserving its original character. A carefully planned rear addition transformed the main level into a shared hub where the kitchen, beverage center and adjacent family room work seamlessly together. The light-filled kitchen features generous island seating, a walk-in pantry and a custom range hood with stained wood detailing, while the beverage center offers a natural gathering point for family and guests.

Just beyond, the family room provides a comfortable space for everyday living and multi-generational gatherings. Architectural details were meticulously matched, so the addition feels timeless, cohesive and deeply rooted in the home’s legacy.

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TriVistaUSA Design + Build

The Project

About Us

Voted Best Remodeler in 2026 by the readers of Arlington Magazine and a top vote getter in the Best Kitchen & Bath Design category, TriVistaUSA Design + Build is celebrating its 20th anniversary of crafting unique, beautiful homes. Their team is equally exceptional, composed of talented designers, architects and seasoned craftsmen.

For this remodel, we transformed the kitchen and family room, the spaces where the family spends the most time, into a brighter, more functional hub for everyday living and entertaining. Located in a highly social neighborhood, they envisioned a layout that would better support gatherings with friends and family. We redesigned the kitchen to be larger and more open, incorporating additional storage, a spacious pantry and an island with seating for at least three. We focused on bringing in more natural light and creating a stronger connection to the backyard, helping the kitchen seamlessly integrate with the outdoor living area. The result is an inviting, airy and highly functional environment with expanded sightlines and a more open feel, exactly what the homeowners hoped for.

“We’re not just home builders,” says Michael Sauri. “We incorporate artistry into everything we do, all while having fun and thinking outside the box.”

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Alair Homes

The Project

About Us

Alair Homes is an award-winning custom builder with over 20 years of local expertise and offices in Arlington, Falls Church and Washington, D.C. We specialize in custom homes, additions and renovations. From small Arlington lots to historic D.C. rowhomes, Alair delivers exceptional results through a transparent, clientfocused process.

When the homeowners of this 1960s colonial in Arlington’s Dover-Crystal neighborhood decided to reimagine their home, they turned to Alair for craftsmanship they could trust. Designed to feel open, bright and connected, the renovation expanded the home with a rear addition and new space above the garage. Skylights and exposed wood beams bring natural light and texture to the open kitchen and family room. The expanded kitchen serves as the heart of the home with high-end appliances, a built-in pizza oven and a full-height quartz backsplash. Upstairs, the new primary suite offers a calm retreat with a spa-inspired bath featuring a freestanding tub, oversized shower and dual vanities. Thoughtful details throughout reflect a commitment to quality that will endure for years to come. “We were looking for two main traits when selecting a builder for our project: quality workmanship and integrity. Alair exceeded our expectations on both accounts.”

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DeFalco Home Design

The Project

About Us

Tripp DeFalco, AIA, NCARB, is licensed to practice architecture in Virginia and North Carolina. You’ll work directly with the owner and receive personalized attention for the life of the project. Winner: Arlington Magazine Best Architect, 2022, 2024 & 2026.

The Low Country style of the coastal Southeast is the epitome of “casual luxury.” Popular in the cities of Charleston, Savannah and Beaufort, details including board-on-board shutters, open-rafter porch framing and authentic Carolina brick define the exterior. The style prioritizes simplicity, functionality, elegance and outdoor living—creating homes that feel timeless, understated and deeply connected to the natural environment (think live oaks, Spanish moss, marshes and coastal breezes).

Inside, airy and light-filled living spaces are complemented by louvered cabinet doors, hand-joined oak beams and the limestone fireplace mantel. The design for this active family includes a golf simulator, batting cage, swimming pool and sport court.

Our Work

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Northern Virginia’s premier full-service builder since 2010, Classic Cottages delivers custom, semi-custom and move-in-ready homes with superior quality and dependability. Our refined, client-focused approach ensures a seamless experience across Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Great Falls, McLean and Vienna, providing total peace of mind for every homeowner.

Our vertically integrated approach simplifies the building journey by managing everything from architecture to warranty under one roof, ensuring a transparent experience that prioritizes both flexibility and efficiency. This commitment to quality is best seen in the Oakley model, a signature design crafted for the way modern families actually live. The layout is intentionally designed to enable a seamless entertaining flow through an open-concept gourmet kitchen and spacious living areas. To support functional living, the Oakley incorporates versatile spaces like a lower-level recreation room with a wet bar, a dedicated exercise room and private guest quarters. We focus on details that make a home feel truly custom, such as elevated finishing materials, en-suite bathrooms and flexible floor plans. By balancing refined simplicity with meticulous craftsmanship, we create personalized sanctuaries that are built to be timeless and “Built for Always.”

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GTM Architects

The Project

About Us

Founded in 1989, GTM Architects is an award-winning design firm, specializing in architecture, planning and interior design. With 60+ professionals across Washington, D.C., Bethesda and Frederick, MD, GTM has completed more than 10,000 projects in single-family and multifamily residential, commercial interiors, retail, restaurant and recreational design, earning more than 150 awards.

This new custom home blends contemporary style with timeless rural utilitarian-inspired traditional elements, designed to meet the client’s vision for a space that feels both authentic and modern. Defined by simple geometric forms, the architecture features intersecting gables accented with sleek steel C-channels, creating a visually dynamic silhouette. Oversized windows and extensive glass usher in natural light, offering indoor/outdoor connections that perfectly complement the home’s wooded setting.

Inside, the layout balances formal and informal spaces to support everyday family living and occasional entertaining. A two-sided fireplace divides the dining and living areas, and an open-riser staircase with steel stringers and floor-to-ceiling glass adds contemporary sophistication. The more informal rear wing features the kitchen and family room, opening to a screened porch and ground-floor landscape. The lower-level basement connects directly to the pool terrace and outdoor amenities.

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Arlington Designer Homes

Our Work

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Andrew Moore, Arlington resident and president of Arlington Designer Homes, has served his community as a translator at the Arlington Free Clinic, on public school planning commissions and as president of the Custom Builders Council. He is often recognized by Arlington County Green Home Choice awards and Gala awards by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA).

Arlington Designer Homes specializes in green, energy-efficient building for health, comfort and value. We work with our customers to help achieve their goals. This could mean remodeling their existing home or working with them to determine if a new build is the best approach. We have a proven process that walks our customers through the decisions that need to be made to determine the best path forward.

There are thousands of decisions that need to be made along the way to go from a blank sheet of paper to a new or newly remodeled home. Having completed more than 100 projects in Arlington, we know how to help our customers answer these questions. We understand what it takes to plan, permit, build and ultimately create a new home for you. We build for the way you live!

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ODE Design

703-534-2500 | ode-design.com | IG: @ode_design_

The Project

About Us

Under the leadership of Creative Director Yuri Sagatov, ODE Design (formerly Sagatov Design+Build) crafts sophisticated, unique homes through a holistic approach that seamlessly blends architecture, interior design, advanced technology and decades of construction expertise. Committed to excellence and innovation, we approach every project as a work of art and every client as a valued collaborator.

Jewel Box reimagines a modest WWII rambler as a modern, light-filled home with a warm Scandinavian palette. The new layout centers on the original fireplace and chimney, a unifying thread between past and present. Anchoring a two-story atrium, the fireplace is visible from every room as natural light floods through the heart of the house.

Originally 1,200 square feet, the home was expanded with a second floor beneath a distinctive butterfly roof, doubling its size to a modest 2,400 square feet. The result is a refined balance of efficiency, intimacy and connection—an elegant transformation within a restrained footprint.

Discover more of our work on our website or Instagram.

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James McDonald Associate Architects, PC

The Project

About Us

In 2026, JMAA celebrates its 17th year in business, providing unique client-oriented custom homes throughout Washington’s metro region and beyond. Our projects range from renovations and additions to small jewel box cottages and grand estate homes. Our expert team designs each home around our clients’ lifestyles and helps make many dreams a reality.

This home is a transitional French country home with coated brick, high contrasting windows and a large front porch. To appeal to today’s market of home buyers, the home’s clean architectural design includes an open floor plan with big windows and high ceilings. The windows and expanded doors also help fill the rooms with natural light. Multiple fireplaces, dormer elements and decorative beams add to the character of the house and create a luxurious contemporary feel. Some key features of this home include the gourmet kitchen, a screened-in loggia, a gorgeous outdoor kitchen and dining gazebo, and two play lofts in the attic that can be accessed through two of the kids’ rooms. In the main-floor owner’s suite, you’ll find a large ensuite bathroom, his and her closets, and a morning bar.

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Heartland Design & Remodeling

703-369-3000 | info@heartlanddesign.com | www.heartlanddesign.com

Our Work

About Us

Remodeling your home—your place of comfort, safety and everyday living—is more than just a project to us. It’s a privilege. For 40 years, Heartland Design & Remodeling has served Northern Virginia homeowners, building lasting relationships rooted in trust, care and craftsmanship.

“From the very first sales consultation, we knew we were in good hands. Every member of the Heartland Design & Remodeling team—from our sales consultant and in-house architectural designer to the project managers, carpenters and trades—were truly top-notch! A project manager checked in daily, and the entire process was transparent from start to finish, with clear scheduling and no-surprises pricing. If there was an issue, communication was immediate and open. The result is superb! We wouldn’t hesitate to hire Heartland Design & Remodeling again and have already recommended them to family and friends.” E. A.

Heartland Design & Remodeling delivers remodeled spaces that thoughtfully balance beauty, function and budget through a strong client partnership and precise collaboration between our design-build teams.

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703-734-9050 | bowa.com

Our Work

About Us

BOWA, an awardwinning design-build firm, specializes in luxury renovations from single-room upgrades to wholehome remodels. With over 80% of projects from referrals and returning clients, BOWA is a trusted name. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in McLean, the firm serves clients throughout the Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia region.

Arlington homes each tell a different story—from classic Colonials and bungalows to contemporary builds—and BOWA specializes in thoughtful renovations that honor a home’s original character while introducing beautifully modern living spaces, including standout kitchens and baths. Our team knows how to seamlessly blend new spaces into existing homes so they feel intentional, timeless and truly integrated.

With dedicated project managers who work in Arlington every day, we understand how to navigate local zoning, permitting and neighborhood nuances, helping projects move forward smoothly. Our expertise has earned recognition throughout the region, including being voted Best Kitchen & Bath Design 2026 by the readers of Arlington Magazine, which is a reflection of our commitment to craftsmanship, thoughtful design and a worry-free client experience from start to finish. Visit BOWA.com to learn more.

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Avanza Landscaping & Maintenance

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About Us

Whether you’re looking to enhance your home’s curb appeal, create a serene backyard retreat or design a vibrant garden, our team at Avanza Landscaping & Maintenance is here to bring your vision to life. Let us craft an outdoor space you will love coming home to.

Transform your backyard into a peaceful oasis, enhance your front yard’s curb appeal or create a stunning outdoor space for your commercial property. At Avanza Landscaping, we have the expertise to make it happen. From residential gardens and elegant outdoor living spaces to large-scale commercial landscapes, we handle projects of all sizes. Whether you envision a charming garden, a functional outdoor workspace or beautifully maintained grounds, our team is here to bring your ideas to life. We specialize in landscape design, installation, maintenance, hardscaping and more. We ensure your outdoor spaces remain beautiful, welcoming and well-maintained year-round.

Proudly serving the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Northern Virginia and Maryland, we are committed to delivering exceptional results that exceed your expectations. Let us help you create the perfect landscape for your home or business—contact us today!

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Denny + Gardner

www.DennyandGardner.com | IG:  Denny+Gardner

The Project

About Us

For 20+ years, Denny + Gardner has transformed homes throughout Northern Virginia and the D.C. area. The in-house design team develops the best solution for each individual project, from kitchens and baths to additions, whole house renovations and custom homes. Their experience, responsiveness and attention to detail help them consistently exceed client expectations.

Working closely with clients from the initial consultation to the final touches ensures each project is completed to the highest standards in a timely manner. A family in Northern Virginia with young children wanted to transform three separate rooms into one spacious, open kitchen connected to the new family-room addition we built during the first floor renovation. We removed walls between the dining room, kitchen and family room to open the space. A mudroom, laundry area and walk-in pantry directly off the kitchen creates a family-friendly layout that simplifies everyday living.

Terracotta ceramic tile at the coffee station and Gouache Nuage subway tile in a herringbone pattern complement the Calacatta Valentin backsplash at the stove and countertops.

Visit www.DennyandGardner.com for a full gallery of home renovations and featured projects.

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Our Work

About Us

Miller & Smith has been building distinctive designed homes for over 60 years that are known for quality craftsmanship, timeless architecture and communities that balance beauty, livability and lasting value.

This is it! Your opportunity to own a beautifully crafted brownstone designed for effortless living and elevated everyday moments. Birchwood at Brambleton is a 55+ active adult community where thoughtful design supports both comfort today and confidence for the future. Each brownstone includes a private elevator, offering easy access between levels and the ability to age in place with ease.

Open, light-filled interiors flow seamlessly from kitchen to living areas, creating spaces that feel welcoming for entertaining, quiet mornings or hosting visiting family. Designer finishes, generous bedrooms and flexible living areas reflect Miller & Smith’s signature attention to detail and livability. Outdoor living options and a low-maintenance lifestyle allow residents to focus on peace of mind. Set within the established Birchwood community, this offering brings together timeless design, thoughtful planning and a lifestyle that feels both refined and relaxed.

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Atlas Moran Construction

Our Work

About Us

Atlas Moran Construction is an award-winning Arlington design-build firm specializing in whole-house projects. We offer a full suite of custom home remodeling services and have the experience, technical capability and design sensibility to execute your dream project.

With our comprehensive evaluation, design development and production process, we collaborate closely with clients to transform their homes with precision and care. We prioritize their needs by focusing on innovative design and sustainable building practices, while leveraging the latest advancements in building science technologies.

Our skilled team of lead carpenters and designers works seamlessly with expert suppliers and tradespeople—many of whom have been trusted partners for over two decades. As a family-owned business founded by long-time Arlington residents, we take pride in our deep roots within the community. We grew up here, our families live here and we’re dedicated to transforming Arlington the right way. We are committed to responsible, high-quality design and construction practices, expecting nothing less than excellence in every project. Above all, our top priority is ensuring our clients are 100% satisfied— from concept to completion.

Pedestrian safety is an ongoing concern in Arlington, but getting a sidewalk installed is harder than you might think.

BY ELIZA TEBO

Where Sidewalks END the C

onnecting a three-block stretch of a leafy Arlington neighborhood near a couple of parks lies an unassuming sidewalk. Other than the young trees alongside it and the caution-yellow curb ramps, there’s nothing remarkable about this patch of pavement— except for the fact it was eight years in the making.

Pete Erickson’s vision for it began in 2012 when he moved to Tara-Leeway Heights with his wife, Sabrina, and their two young kids. Though they liked their new home, they were concerned about the lack of sidewalks along their street. In the years that followed, the county opened the new Cardinal Elementary School nearby and more children walked past their house. Erickson asked the county if there were any plans for a sidewalk on his block—a question that sent him down a years-long path lined with red tape.

“I had no idea about this process when I started,” he says.

Erickson was referred to his local civic association, which then connected him to the Arlington Neighborhoods Program (ANP) to facilitate his sidewalk proposal. As a newly minted “block captain,” he set out to gather buy-in, going door-to-door in 2017 with a clipboard, a petition and the hope he could garner support for a sidewalk from at least 60% of his immediate neighbors.

“We were so naïve,” he recalls. “We’re thinking, ‘Hey, wouldn’t that be great? Doesn’t everybody want to have a sidewalk on our street?’ No. We started to get a little hint that there was going to be some resistance.”

■ where the sidewalks end

A couple of years later, the project was ready for round-two approval. “That’s when things kind of got ugly,” he says.

Neighbors who opposed the sidewalk had concerns about the potential loss of trees or the possibility it would shrink their driveway footprint. A few accused Erickson of falsifying petition signatures and threatened to submit a FOIA request to the county for the records. Opponents distributed flyers urging fellow residents to thwart the effort.

Despite the pushback, the sidewalk was ultimately approved and built, with construction and landscaping wrapping up in October 2025. Last fall, Erickson was pleased to see Halloween trickor-treaters trotting down the sidewalk rather than walking in the street. But the project took a personal toll.

“There are neighbors who will not talk to us,” he says.

TARA-LEEWAY

HEIGHTS is a pocket of mostly single-family homes within walking distance of shopping hubs, VHC Health and several schools.

Like much of Arlington, it was rural when the first homes were built there in the 1930s. But as federal government jobs proliferated and new trans -

portation modalities connected Arlington to D.C., land that had been home to dairy and grain farms became suburbanized. Subdivisions sprang up around railroad and streetcar lines, and eventually, around roads fashioned for automobiles.

As developers courted prospective homebuyers, sidewalks were among the advertised “amenities” in certain neighborhoods, says Arlington County historian Lorin Farris.

“A way that [a development] boasted its difference to other neighborhoods was by saying it has paved roads, it has sidewalks, there’s water and sewer infrastructure, there is a central community park,” Farris says. “That would have been seen as very enticing, very exciting, to live in a neighborhood like that.” Demand for housing climbed during and after World War II, and Arlington’s population grew by 137% between 1940 and 1950, according to county records.

Some subdivisions featured sidewalks and other perks, but many were built with incomplete sidewalks, or none at all.

Today, pedestrian walkways are an ongoing topic of conversation in TaraLeeway Heights. In the neighborhood’s 2005 conservation plan (its most recent), residents identified traffic/speeding as its biggest drawback. Missing sidewalks were mentioned multiple times as a safety concern.

What developers a century ago pitched as nice-to-have are today considered by many to be a necessity, particularly as the county becomes more urbanized. According to the Federal Highway Administration, sidewalks can reduce collisions between vehicles and pedestrians “walking along roadways” by as much as 89%.

And pedestrian deaths are on the rise. A 2025 Washington Post investigation of fatalities nationwide involving pedestrians and cars showed a 70% increase in such incidents between 2010 and 2023.

In Arlington, 21% of county-maintained streets lack sidewalks, and another 15% are in “fair” to “very poor” condition, according to 2024 county data. The county’s Master Transportation Plan, adopted in 2007, sets a goal to “provide safe and convenient pedestrian access” on all Arlington roads. The plan defines pedestrians as a broad group, including people using walkers, wheelchairs and scooters for mobility.

“At some point, everyone is a pedestrian,” the plan states. “Almost every transportation trip includes a portion taken by foot or wheelchair, making pedestrian safety, access and mobility critical to [the] success of the entire transportation system.”

MIKE DOYLE SPENDS a lot of time thinking about pedestrian safety. In 2016, he was walking home from work in Old Town Alexandria when an SUV struck him in a crosswalk.

“The next thing I knew, I was on the ground,” he says. The impact of the collision left a dent in the hood of the vehicle, but the damage to Doyle was far

worse. In addition to broken bones and nerve damage, he sustained a brain injury that required three years of neurological rehabilitation and another year of cognitive recovery.

A few months after the accident, Doyle learned that the City of Alexandria had adopted Vision Zero, a program aiming to eliminate severe traffic injuries and deaths by 2028 via infrastructure improvements and other measures. Modeled after a Swedish initiative that debuted in 1997 with promising results, Vision Zero has since spread to municipalities across the U.S., including Arlington, which adopted its own version in 2021.

But Doyle bristled at the idea of waiting a decade to achieve safer streets. He joined a handful of friends to launch Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NVFSS), an advocacy group pushing for safety improvements that also provides workshops at area schools. NVFSS worked with graduate students in the urban planning program at Virginia Tech to create an online dashboard of dangerous and “near miss” locations for pedestrians in Northern Virginia, using crowdsourced and Virginia traffic records data.

Doyle sees sidewalks as a “critical” piece of the safety equation. NVFSS is currently assessing high-traffic areas with missing sidewalks, including several blocks near Columbia Pike.

Arlington’s Vision Zero program, meanwhile, has begun implementing “quick-build” safety measures such as median refuges (pedestrian islands) and signage in high-risk intersections. County statistics suggest these upgrades may already be helping. Critical crashes were down by 24% in 2024 versus the prior year.

Vehicle-on-vehicle crashes still account for the largest share of severe and fatal accidents in Arlington, but collisions involving cars and pedestrians are second. Of the 750 “critical” crashes that have occurred within county lines since 2013, 202 involved pedestrians. Wouldn’t sidewalks improve those numbers? Absolutely, says Vision Zero

program manager Christine Baker, but that’s a lot of terrain to cover. Installing a sidewalk on every county street would be “lovely,” she says, except that the cost of doing so is prohibitive.

SIDEWALKS BECOME AN equity issue when you consider that not everyone has a car. For folks who are hoofing it to work or the store (or walking from a Metro station or parking garage), sidewalks provide connectivity and safe passageways between neighborhoods and commercial districts.

In Arlington, a revised Master Transportation Plan slated to wrap up this summer establishes six goals—among them, ensuring that Arlington’s transportation system is “equitable and inclusive.” This is partly in response to a public engagement period, during which county residents identified “equitable access to transportation” as a core need, particularly for low-income people and those living in underserved areas.

According to a 2023 Arlington Vision Zero report, car crashes occur twice as often in places identified as “equity emphasis areas”—neighborhoods with lower incomes or higher non-white populations than the county as a whole—in part because of their proximity to congested arterial roads with vehicles moving at higher speeds.

The report also revealed that citizen requests for street improvements through the county’s Neighborhood Complete Streets (NCS) program were lower in equity emphasis areas—perhaps because the process is so opaque and time consuming.

NCS program manager Michelle Stafford says she receives a few dozen requests for neighborhood improvements in Arlington each year. Many are pleas for new sidewalks.

“They’re crucial infrastructure for people to travel in our county,” Stafford says. “Kids learn how to ride their tricycles on them. I think they provide a leveling [effect] in society for people who aren’t able to drive a car.”

However, the need is far greater than the county’s ability to deliver. “I

wish we could wave a magic wand and provide everybody with a sidewalk,” Stafford says, but there are funding limitations.

IN ARLINGTON, public sidewalks typically cost about $750-800 per linear foot, according to the county’s Department of Environmental Services (DES). Factor in design and elements such as curb ramps, gutters and utility upgrades, and Stafford says the cost of a new sidewalk spanning one block averages $700,000 to $800,000. Stormwater

requirements and other mitigating circumstances, such as the need for water main replacement, can send the price tag even higher.

For fiscal year 2026, Stafford’s program was allotted about $1.34 million. Of the 20 to 30 requests that cross her desk each year, NCS is able to greenlight only a couple with county board approval, although NCS isn’t the only channel for sidewalk-seekers.

Civic associations can also submit sidewalk proposals through the Arlington Neighborhoods Program (ANP), an

initiative launched in 1964 (then known as the Neighborhood Conservation Program), to empower residents to protect and improve the places they call home. Some of ANP’s earliest approved plans supported infrastructure upgrades in the historically Black neighborhoods of High View Park and Arlington View.

Today, ANP continues to offer a pathway to publicly funded sidewalks, streetlights and other neighborhood improvements, although its budget can’t possibly accommodate the backlog of requests from the 49 civic asso-

ciations (out of 61 countywide) that are ANP members.

“You can do a lot if you have the money...but if you don’t, you can only go so far,” says John Kirkpatrick, immediate past chair of ANP’s Arlington Neighborhoods Advisory Committee (ArNAC), which evaluates priority projects submitted by civic associations before presenting them to county staff and, ultimately, to the county board.

In addition to sidewalks, ArNAC also reviews requests for streetlights, traffic calming measures, ADA-accessible curb

ramps and bike lanes. Kirkpatrick says ANP funding for sidewalks can range anywhere from $1 million to $5 million in a given year.

According to DES, it’s nearly impossible to tease out how much the county spends annually on sidewalks, since pedestrian walkways are often part of larger transit projects or site plans for redevelopment.

“[For] a resident who wants a sidewalk, it’s kind of confusing right now for them to understand where to start,” Kirkpatrick says. ANP has a subprogram, Missing Link, focusing on small sidewalk extensions. Another county division handles sidewalk repairs and maintenance. Factor in Vision Zero and NCS, and the latticework of decisionmakers can be hard to navigate.

To avoid overlap, Stafford says NCS keeps tabs on proposals that have already been reviewed by ANP, but there is no formal connection between the two groups.

MONEY

ASIDE, the bureaucracy can drag a project out for years—if the sidewalk gets built at all.

Consider what’s involved when petitioning for a sidewalk through ANP. Residents must first connect with their local civic association to outline the project (meaning they must live in a neighborhood that has a civic association, and that association must be an ANP member). Next, the petitioners must gather approval from at least 60% of affected residents (homeowners who live on either side of the street where the project is proposed) via clipboard survey. Then comes a design round, after which they are required to gather at least 60% approval for the design, and obtain the civic association’s blessing as a “first-priority project.”

Civic associations may submit only one project to the advisory committee per funding round, and funding rounds occur twice a year. ArNAC evaluates priority projects using a point system and recommends select projects to the county board. Once a project is approved, ANP and county staff work

with the neighborhood on the remaining design and evaluation steps and, ultimately, construction.

But getting a go-ahead from the county board doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing. Proposed sidewalks are further subject to local, state and federal regulations, including mandated clearances for emergency vehicles. (The county does not manage interstate highways that pass through Arlington, or state routes, which are overseen by the Virginia Department of Transportation.) Add to that considerations around environmental preservation and parking supply. “We’re really constrained in a lot of ways,” says Dan Nabors, Arlington’s acting deputy director of transportation.

“One of the real challenges is, where does a sidewalk make sense, and where is it even possible?” says Stafford of NCS. “[Residents] just want a sidewalk. They don’t want to get into the nitty gritty of why it can or can’t work, [yet] we keep adding layers of regulation.”

Sidewalk proposals may also be stymied by neighbors who don’t want them. Kirkpatrick says it’s common for the opposition to grow more vocal during the final petition phase of the proposal process.

“That seems to be when you run into some speed bumps,” he says. “It’s not unusual for a few people to get very active against the sidewalk, whether it’s because they’re losing parking, they maybe have done some landscaping work too close to the street and they don’t want to lose that … or for whatever reason, they just don’t want it.”

It’s important to maintain policies that allow people to voice their misgivings, he says. “At the same time, we can’t let a few people sink a project that benefits many.”

Elizabeth Sheehy, a 25-year resident of Lyon Park, feels sidewalks are important on streets with heavy foot traffic, but she doesn’t want them on her quiet, tree-lined block. She says the absence of paved walkways makes the setting feel more “rural.”

Vehicles travel down her street more

■ where the sidewalks end

“I know neighbors who are not talking to each other anymore because of sidewalks being put in.”

slowly than on neighboring roads, she says, theorizing that drivers may be more cautious on streets without a barrier between cars and pedestrians.

Sheehy serves on the executive committee of her neighborhood citizens association. She views Arlington’s decentralized process for sidewalk approvals as inefficient, at best.

“They’re not doing it holistically,” she says. “They’re doing it to check a box and say, ‘If people want sidewalks, then they can petition for sidewalks.’ But they’re doing it one block at a time or two blocks at a time. So then it’s costing a fortune...and it’s putting a big burden on the community.”

She, too, has seen sidewalks and similar projects wreck friendships. “If a neighborhood decides they want to put a sidewalk in, then that’s great,” she says. “I know neighbors who are not talking to each other anymore because of sidewalks being put in, because of the burden on neighbors to come to consensus.”

Gathering buy-in is a major time commitment for sidewalk advocates who may also be busy juggling work and family responsibilities. Jon Ware, president of the Tara-Leeway Heights Civic Association, is all too aware of the time block captains spend answering questions from neighbors and trying to secure petition signatures.

“It’s a really significant time and emotional investment on the shoulders of one or two particular people on a block,” he says.

Ware has lived in his neighborhood for a decade and has served in his leadership role for about a year. He says he’s seen “extremes on both ends” of debates over sidewalk proposals. Managing disputes is an additional burden placed on block captains. “You’re the point person for the two extremes,” he

observes. “[It’s] difficult to keep going… when you can have some very intense feelings being thrown at you.”

IN RECENT YEARS, Arlington has taken a “multipronged approach” to pedestrian safety, according to Nabors, the county’s acting deputy transportation director. Tactical speed bumps and speed cameras have been introduced in school “slow zones” through Vision Zero, and hardened centerlines have been installed at intersections to effectively slow left-hand turns.

“A lot of it is piloting, testing new things and seeing if it works,” Nabors says. “If it does, great. If it doesn’t, then we try something else.”

The Vision Zero team is currently drafting its next five-year action plan, “doubling down” on the proven successes of quick-build projects, while also exploring new ones, says Vision Zero program manager Baker. “We know it’s not just one single thing that’s going to get us to a safer transportation system,” she says. “It’s the engineering, the enforcement, the behavior-change kind of work, the public health work, all coming together to give us the results we want to see.”

In 2024, NCS launched a pilot program testing the concept of “shared streets” in three Arlington neighborhoods with limited or no sidewalks— Arlington Ridge, Bluemont and Douglas Park. The pilot involved installing signs and pavement markings to remind drivers, walkers, runners and cyclists that the roads were meant to be shared. In a follow-up survey, pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders reported a boosted sense of safety, but drivers and transit riders said they felt less safe. Survey respondents asked for additional safety measures, including sidewalks.

Tara-Leeway Heights resident Erick-

son says one change that could make sidewalk approvals less cumbersome (and less perilous for folks reluctant to antagonize their neighbors) would be to shift the burden from residents back to the county, with county staff serving as block captains and shepherding projects to completion.

“There are neighborhoods where there’s a sidewalk and suddenly it stops,” he says, “because owners have the say in whether or not there’s a sidewalk in front of their house. If there was something happening that I didn’t want, but I didn’t have a say, maybe I would be upset. But when it comes to safety, I think we all owe it to each other to try to create a safer street.”

His suggestion could come to fruition. Last year, County Manager Mark Schwartz told the county’s pedestrian and bicycle advisory committees that he’d like to see a comprehensive sidewalk completion plan, which would potentially shift the legwork from residents to local government. “At the end of the day, if we’re going to be pedestrian-friendly…that has been an obvious missing piece,” Schwartz said.

Arlington has no immediate plans to amend its existing channels for sidewalk approvals and construction, says a DES spokesperson. Should the county choose to move in this direction, it would in most cases need to obtain easements to build sidewalks that cross private properties in residential neighborhoods.

In the meantime, Erickson and his family are enjoying their new sidewalk. He says the eight-year-long process was “worth it,” despite the tribulations.

“Improving neighborhoods takes effort,” he says, adding that he formed some new friendships along the way.

“The positive is, I know everybody who lives on the street now.” ■

Eliza Tebo is a writer, musician and podcast host covering creativity and culture in the D.C. area and beyond.

PRODUCERS TOP

Looking to buy or sell a house?

Here are the top-producing residential real estate agents and teams based on home sales in Arlington, McLean and Falls Church that occurred between Nov. 1, 2024, and Oct. 31, 2025. The data was provided by local real estate offices. If you are a real estate professional and your office did not receive the survey, please email editorial@arlingtonmagazine.com with “top producers” in the subject line.

Aaron Scruggs

Washington Fine Properties aaron.scruggs@wfp.com

Adam Skrincosky

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty askrincosky@ttrsir.com

Alexandra Fielding

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty afielding@ttrsir.com

Amanda Gibb FASS Results Group | eXp Realty Amanda.Gibb@FASSResults.com

Amy Zehner Compass amy.zehner@compass.com

Angie Chen

Samson Properties angiechen22@outlook.com

Ann Romer

Weichert, Realtors - McLean rltrann@aol.com

Anna-Louisa Yon Compass annalouisa.yon@compass.com

Anne Nouri KW McLean | Great Falls anne@annenouri.com

Ashleigh Wehmeyer Compass ashleigh.wehmeyer@compass.com

Austin Southern Samson Properties austin@monumentalteam.com

Barbara Johnson

Long & Foster, McLean bg.johnson@verizon.net

Barbara Spollen Weichert, Realtors - McLean barbspollen@gmail.com

Beth Sheehy

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty bsheehy@ttrsir.com

Bill Hoffman KW McLean | Great Falls bhoffmankw@gmail.com

Bob Johnson

Corcoran McEnearney bobjohnsonrealty@gmail.com

Brad Kintz

Long & Foster Alexandria Old Town brad.kintz@longandfoster.com

Brian Klotz

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty bklotz@ttrsir.com

Brian Blackburn

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty bblackburn@ttrsir.com

Brittany Lambrechts Camacho CENTURY 21 Redwood brittany@c21redwood.com

Brynn Runkel Compass brynn.runkel@compass.com

■ top real estate producers

AGENTS | $5,000,000 - $7,499,999

Camille Gemayel

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty cgemayel@ttrsir.com

Carole Pearson

KW Metro Center - Arlington carole@northstarresidentialgroup.com

Chris Pritchard

Corcoran McEnearney chris.pritchard@corcoranmce.com

Colin Middleton

Long & Foster Arlington Colin.middleton@lnf.com

Craig Mastrangelo Compass craig.mastrangelo@compass.com

David Abrams Compass da@compass.com

Dawn Wilson

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty dwilson@ttrsir.com

Deborah Neumann Samson Properties deborahnrealtor@gmail.com

Dilyara Daminova Samson Properties dilyararealtor@gmail.com

Dylan Maltz Compass dylan.maltz@compass.com

Ellen Ing RE/MAX Allegiance eing@thecollective.vip

Ellen Heather Long & Foster Arlington Ellen.heather@longandfoster.com

Eric Kutch

Corcoran McEnearney eric.kutch@corcoranmce.com

Erich Cabe Compass erichcabe@gmail.com

Eva Davis Compass eva.davis@compass.com

Francoise Campbell CENTURY 21 New Millennium f.campbell@c21nm.com

Gabriel Deukmaji

KW Metro Center - Arlington gabe@citysmartliving.com

Gary Dopslaff Washington Fine Properties gary.dopslaff@wfp.com

Gaylie Corens FASS Results Group | eXp Realty Gaylie@FASSResults.com

George Torres

KW McLean | Great Falls george@seenorthernvirginiahomes.com

Hania Dickson Long & Foster, McLean hania.dickson@longandfoster.com

Hannah Lynn DuCoffe Washington Fine Properties hannah.lynn@wfp.com

Jason Walder

Compass

jason.walder@compass.com

Jean-Pierre Lteif

KW Metro Center - Alexandria jplteif@hotmail.com

Jeddie Busch Compass jeddie.busch@compass.com

Jennifer Caterini

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty jcaterini@ttrsir.com

Jennifer Smira Compass jsmira@compass.com

Jeremy Browne

CENTURY 21 New Millennium jeremy.browne@c21nm.com

Jessica Fauteux

RE/MAX Allegiance jessica.fauteux@thefauteuxgroup.net

Jessica Richardson Compass jessica.richardson@compass.com

Joe Gunnerman

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty jgunnerman@ttrsir.com

John McNamara

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty jmcnamara@ttrsir.com

Joseph Dao Redfin joseph.dao@redfin.com

Joy Deevy Compass joy.deevy@compass.com

Katie Grieco

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty kgrieco@ttrsir.com

Katie Stowe Corcoran McEnearney katie.stowe@corcoranmce.com

Katri Hunter Compass katri.hunter@compass.com

Katrina Abjornson Compass katrina@compass.com

Kelsey Crittenden Corcoran McEnearney kelsey.crittenden@corcoranmce.com

Ken Trotter

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty ktrotter@ttrsir.com

Kenny Xian Samson Properties kxian1987@gmail.com

Kris Thomas KW United kristhomas@kw.com

Kristen Mason Coreas KW United kristen@homesbymason.com

Kristin Sharifi

RE/MAX Distinctive kristin.sharifi@gmail.com

Laila Rahman

KW McLean | Great Falls lailarahman@gmail.com

Laura London Compass laura.london@compass.com

Laura Nunley Corcoran McEnearney lnunleyrealtor@gmail.com

Continued on page 106

Proudly recognizes our Arlington Magazine

The Chrissy & Lisa Team

VA & DC

CHRISSYANDLISA.COM

703.372.9191 | INFO@CHRISSYANDLISA.COM

The Chrissy & Lisa Team is known for exceptional service, strategic expertise, and deep community roots.

Founded on a shared commitment to proven results and relationships, Chrissy O’Donnell and Lisa DuBois bring decades of combined experience and a hands-on, highly personalized approach to every transaction.

Recognized consistently among the top agents in the region, the team has successfully guided buyers and sellers across all price points. Their strength lies in thoughtful preparation, smart pricing strategies, and innovative marketing that positions each property for maximum exposure and strong outcomes. They act as true advocates for their clients and trusted advisors throughout the process.

When you work with The Chrissy & Lisa Team, you gain seasoned negotiators, proactive communicators, and partners fully invested in achieving your real estate goals.

Eli Residential Group

Eli Residential Group (ERG) provides end-to-end residential real estate services to clients in Arlington and surrounding DMV communities. Offering personalized attention to every client’s goals, using data-driven analysis and proven strategies, ERG sets itself apart with a client-oriented service in a way that is professional, informative, and genuine.

ERG is comprised of professionals who believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. We are here to offer you personal care, professional service, and expert advice in every facet of residential real estate. Our mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for home buyers and sellers across Arlington and the surrounding DMV communities through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.

DMV

703.200.3631 | CORAL@SELLWITHCORAL.COM

Coral isn’t just a real estate agent — she’s a thoughtful, steady problem-solver who genuinely connects with the people she works with. Known for her tenacity, curiosity, and loyalty, she brings high standards and clear thinking to every transaction.

LAURAKBIEDERMAN.COM

Having lived in Nevada, South Africa, Arkansas, Michigan, and California before putting down roots here in Arlington, Coral understands that moving is never just about real estate — it’s about emotion, timing, and trust. For more than 24 years, Coral has called Arlington home. She’s explored every corner — from neighborhood parks and trails to the nuances that make each community distinct. That deep local knowledge, paired with a calm, straightforward approach, has earned her consistent recognition from Arlington homeowners, including being among the top vote-getters in Best Real Estate Agent for 2026 by readers of Arlington Magazine. Real estate guidance rooted in experience, perspective, and trust. Proudly recognizes our Arlington Magazine Top Producer

Laura K. Biederman, Esq.

202.309.1350 | LKBIEDERMAN@GMAIL.COM

• Smart Strategy. Strong Negotiation. Personal Service.

• Over $300M in Real Estate Sold.

Buying or selling a home isn’t guesswork—it’s strategy. I bring a data-driven, detail-obsessed approach to your home sale or purchase. My legal background informs my expert negotiation

Lauren Baldi

Lauren is licensed in Virginia and lives in Arlington with her family (and their very sweet pup!). SELLWITHCORAL.COM

Lauren Baldi is known for her calm, steady guidance and her thoughtful, start‑to‑finish approach to both buying and selling. She understands firsthand what it’s like for a family to outgrow a home — a familiar story in Arlington — and she loves helping clients take that next exciting step with confidence and clarity.

Having lived in both South and North Arlington, Lauren brings a deep, well‑rounded understanding of the community and the neighborhoods that make it special. Whether preparing a listing or helping buyers find the right fit, she approaches every stage with patience, organization, and genuine care for the people she serves.

■ top real estate producers

AGENTS | $5,000,000 - $7,499,999

Lauren Longshore Compass Lauren.Longshore@compass.com

Lia Avedisian

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty lavedisian@ttrsir.com

Linda Murphy

Corcoran McEnearney linda.murphy@corcoranmce.com

Linda Wheeler KW United wheelerteam@kw.com

Margot Lynn

Washington Fine Properties margot.lynn@wfp.com

Maria Fernandez Moore Compass maria@buymoorehomes.com

Mark Middendorf Long & Foster Arlington Mark.middendorf@longandfoster.com

Martha Floyd Corcoran McEnearney martha@marthafloyd.com

Meghan Zimmerman

Washington Fine Properties meghan.zimmerman@wfp.com

Melissa Lango Compass melissa@teamkoki.com

Melody Abella

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty mabella@ttrsir.com

Michael Lorino

KW Metro Center - Alexandria mike@fidelispg.com

Mona Banes

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty mbanes@ttrsir.com

Natalia Simonova

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty nsimonova@ttrsir.com

Pat Cunningham Compass pat.cunningham@compass.com

Patricia Ammann Redfin patricia.ammann@redfin.com

Rebecca Weiner Compass rebecca.weiner@compass.com

Renneye Pike Corcoran McEnearney renneye.pike@corcoranmce.com

Rick Bosl

KW Metro Center - Arlington RickBosl@kw.com

Ross Vann

Compass ross.vann@compass.com

Sam Wardle Compass sam.wardle@compass.com

Sam Nassar Compass sam.nassar@compass.com

Sami Daamash Compass sami.daamash@compass.com

Scott Sachs Compass Scott.Sachs@Compass.com

Shane Canny

Long & Foster Arlington Shane.canny@longandfoster.com

Simon Sarver Compass simonsarver@compass.com

Sue Goodhart Compass sue@compass.com

Susan Hand Compass susan.hand@compass.com

Tara Butler Compass tara.butler@compass.com

Tonya Finlay

KW Metro Center - Arlington tmf110567@aol.com

Tracy Shively

Douglas Elliman Real Estate tracy.shively@elliman.com

Veronica Paz-Soldan Samson Properties vpzhomes@gmail.com

■ top real estate producers

AGENTS

| $7,500,000 - $9,999,999

Albert Dino Pasquali Redfin dino.pasquali@redfin.com

Alyssa Cannon

Corcoran McEnearney alyssa@alyssacannon.com

Andre Amini

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty aamini@ttrsir.com

Andrew Musser

KW United andy@themusserteam.com

Anthony Lam Redfin anthony.lam@redfin.com

Bob Adamson

Corcoran McEnearney bob@bobadamson.com

Carolyn Young

Samson Properties carolyn@carolynyoungteam.com

Casey Margenau

Casey Margenau Fine Homes and Estates casey@margenau.com

Cheryl Wood Redfin cheryl.wood@redfin.com

Christopher Owens

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty cowens@ttrsir.com

Conor Sullivan

Washington Fine Properties conor.sullivan@wfp.com

Debbie Shapiro

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty dshapiro@ttrsir.com

Eduardo Manus

KW Metro Center - Arlington eduardo@dcmetroareahomes.com

Elena Gorbounova

RE/MAX Allegiance elenaysc@gmail.com

Erin Johnson Compass erinjohnson@compass.com

Gabrielle Witkin

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty gwitkin@ttrsir.com

Jean Ropp

RLAH @properties Jean@EliResidential.com

John Seggerman KW United johnsegg@kw.com

Julie Hamilton

CENTURY 21 Redwood juliehamilton@c21redwood.com

Kate Karafotas Compass kate.karafotas@compass.com

Katie Hunter Compass katie.hunter@compass.com

Lauren Baldi

RLAH @properties marketing@laurenkolazas.com

Lauren Reardon RE/MAX Distinctive laurenjanereardon@yahoo.com

Lisa Joy Corcoran McEnearney lisa.joy@corcoranmce.com

Manavi Boeser

RLAH @properties manavi@theboesergroup.com

Matt Meyer

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty mmeyer@ttrsir.com

Matt Brownell Washington Fine Properties matt.brownell@wfp.com

Michael Gailey Compass michael.gailey@compass.com

Mike Burns RE/MAX Allegiance mike@burnshomes.com

Nikki Nabi RLAH @properties Nikki@NikkiNabi.com

Norm Odeneal

KW Metro Center - Arlington norm@callnorm.com

Phyllis Patterson

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty ppatterson@ttrsir.com

Renée McMahan

Compass renee.mcmahan@compass.com

Ricardo Iglesias Buck & Associates raiglesiasrealtor@gmail.com

Ted Gossett

Washington Fine Properties ted.gossett@wfp.com

Todd Delahanty Compass todd.delahanty@compass.com

Yvette Lawless Samson Properties sales@premierhomes.group

Buck & Associates 50 Anniversary th

As Buck & Associates marks 50 wonderful years in Arlington, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our past real estate clients—both residential and commercial. Your trust and support over the decades have meant the world to us. It has been an honor to help families find homes, businesses grow, and dreams come to life. We are grateful for the relationships we’ve built and the memories we’ve shared in this incredible community.

■ top real estate producers

AGENTS

| $10,000,000 - $14,999,999

Anne DiBenedetto Compass Anne.d@compass.com

April Myers RLAH @properties april@rlahre.com

Bethany Ellis

Long & Foster, McLean bethany.ellis@longandfoster.com

Billy Samson Samson Properties wpsamson21@gmail.com

Bret Brock Brock Realty bret@brock-realty.com

Darren Robertson Samson Properties darren@darrenrobertsonhomes.com

Dave Moya

KW Metro Center - Arlington dave@tsrhomes.com

Deborah Davis

RE/MAX Allegiance deborahsoldme@gmail.com

Ellen Cain Washington Fine Properties ellen.cain@wfp.com

Fenny Hurwitz

KW McLean | Great Falls fenny@kw.com

George Mrad

KW Metro Center - Tysons george@reddoormetro.com

Hunter Mcfadden Compass hunter.mcfadden@compass.com

Ian McVeigh Samson Properties ian@redstonegroupdmv.com

Jean Beatty Washington Fine Properties jean@jeanbeatty.com

Jeffrey Beall

RE/MAX Distinctive jeffrey@beallrehill.com

Jennifer Fang

Samson Properties jfangrealtor@gmail.com

John Moore Compass john@buymoorehomes.com

John Eric Compass johneric@compass.com

Julie Rice

KW United julie@thegaskinsteam.com

Justine Pope Compass justine.pope@compass.com

Kara Chaffin Donofrio Long & Foster, McLean kara@kcdrealestate.com

Karina Beltran Srebrow Beltran & Associates Realty karina@beltran-associatesrealty.com

Kathy Rehill

RE/MAX Distinctive kathy@beallrehill.com

Kathy Fong

KW Metro Center - Arlington kathleen.l.fong@gmail.com

Katie Loughney Compass katie.loughney@compass.com

Kristen Schifano RLAH @properties kristen.schifano@rlahre.com

Laura Biederman

RLAH @properties lkbiederman@gmail.com

Leo Lee

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty llee@ttrsir.com

Libby Bish Compass libby.bish@compass.com

Lisa Koch

Weichert, Realtors - McLean kochfamilyva@gmail.com

Marga Pirozzoli

Compass

marga.pirozzoli@compass.com

Margaretha McGrail Long & Foster, McLean MargsMcGrail@gmail.com

Maria Park

Douglas Elliman Real Estate maria.park@elliman.com

Marybeth Fraser KW Metro Center - Arlington marybeth@magnificentmanors.com

Michelle Doherty RLAH @properties mdoherty.realtor@gmail.com

Natalie Vaughan Compass natalie.vaughan@compass.com

Pat Derwinski

Weichert, Realtors - McLean patderwinski@hotmail.com

Patty Couto Compass patty.couto@compass.com

Peggy Richardson

Washington Fine Properties peggy.richardson@wfp.com

Saundra Giannini

Washington Fine Properties saundra.giannini@wfp.com

Toby Lim Compass toby.lim@compass.com

Tracy Williams

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty twilliams@ttrsir.com

Trevor Moore

Compass trevor.moore@compass.com

Victoria Zhao

Samson Properties vzvictoriazhao@gmail.com

■ top real estate producers

AGENTS | $15,000,000 - $19,999,999

Ann Wilson

CENTURY 21 New Millennium ann.wilson@c21nm.com

Blake Davenport

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty bdavenport@ttrsir.com

Caitlin Platt

RE/MAX Distinctive cait.e.platt@gmail.com

Chris Earman

Weichert, Realtors - McLean chris@earmanrealestate.com

Chrissy O’Donnell

RE/MAX Distinctive chrissy@chrissyandlisa.com

Christopher Wilkes

Washington Fine Properties christopher.wilkes@wfp.com

Daryl Judy

Washington Fine Properties daryl.judy@wfp.com

David Cabo

KW McLean | Great Falls david@davidcabo.com

Francesca Keith

Corcoran McEnearney francesca.keith@corcoranmce.com

Heidi Robbins Buck & Associates Heidi@heidirobbins.realtor

Holly Billy

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty hbilly@ttrsir.com

Holly Amaya

Brock Realty holly@brock-realty.com

James Corry

KW Metro Center - Arlington james.corry@kw.com

Karen Close

CENTURY 21 New Millennium karen.close@c21nm.com

Natalie Roy

KW Metro Center - Arlington natalieuroy@gmail.com

Pascale Karam

Long & Foster, McLean pascalekaram@gmail.com

Renata Briggman RLAH @properties renata@thearlingtonexpert.com

Sam Trump

KW Metro Center - Arlington sam@watsonhomesgroup.com

Sherif Abdalla Compass sherif@compass.com

Susan Tull O’Reilly Corcoran McEnearney susan.oreilly@corcoranmce.com

Susan Wisely Compass susan.wisely@compass.com

Tracy Dillard Compass tracy@compass.com

Tutu Mahmudova Compass turkan.mahmudova@compass.com

Melody Abella

Named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s “100 Best Agents” in the DMV in 2025, Melody is known for her calm, strategic leadership and trusted guidance in a highly competitive market. A Vice President with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and a member of The Reef Team, she delivers expert negotiation and a thoughtful, educationdriven approach to every client. Licensed in Virginia and Washington, DC, Melody has called the Arlington Ridge neighborhood home since 2002. She teaches a weekly Beer Yoga class at Port City Brewing and has a rescue-dog named, Kenzie. Learn more at MelodyAbella.com.

m +1 703 371 9219 mabella@ttrsir.com

The Alliance Group

The Alliance Group is the top-producing team of real estate professionals in the McLean, Virginia office of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. The team delivers an unrivaled level of customer service and proven results to clients at all price points throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan region. With an uncompromising commitment to understanding and fulfilling client real estate objectives, The Alliance Group serves as a trusted advocate and strategic partner at every stage of the real estate journey.

m +1 703 867 4309 alliancegroup@ttrsir.com

Andre Amini

As we begin 2026, I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful holiday season. The new year is a time to reset and move forward with purpose. My work is rooted in integrity, discretion, and a strategic approach to real estate, with a focus on clarity and longterm value. I’m grateful for the trust of long-standing clients and welcome new relationships built on shared goals. I look forward to supporting thoughtful real estate decisions with care and professionalism in the years ahead. My best, Andre

m +1 703 622 4473 aamini@ttrsir.com

Jennifer Caterini

Jennifer Boeke Caterini is a Vice President at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, bringing over 20 years of real estate experience in Washington, DC and Virginia, along with 45 years of deep local knowledge. Recruited to the firm in 2015, she represents buyers and sellers across the full spectrum of transactions, from condos to multi-million-dollar homes. With a background in government, law, and nonprofit leadership, Jennifer delivers exceptional negotiation, communication, and client advocacy—building trusted relationships and results that endure.

The Davenport Group

Behind every strong sale is a clear plan and a team that knows how to execute it. In 2025, our team helped 218 families successfully sell, buy, and transition into their next chapter. Many were doing exactly what Arlington homeowners are considering now, upsizing, relocating, or using their equity to create more flexibility for what comes next. Work with the #1 Team in Arlington for the third year in a row. m +1 703 350 8800 bdavenport@ttrsir.com

Alexandra Fielding

With 17 years of industry expertise and a lifelong resident of the Washington area, Alexandra offers her clients insight into the local markets. Driven by a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and meticulous attention to detail, she conducts her business with integrity and professionalism. Alexandra values the trust her clients place in her, as evident in the repeat business and referrals that form a significant portion of her clientele. Licensed in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland, Alexandra is dedicated to delivering exceptional service. m +1 202 579 5313 afielding@ttrsir.com

Sheri Grant

Move Beyond Your Expectations. It can be easy to assume that all real estate agents are the same. The truth is, we’re different—very different. In a world full of doing the minimum, I offer the alternative—where marketing and exposure matters, negotiation, and sales skills matter and where networks, a calm presence and good sense of humor matter. Being different isn’t for everyone, but to me, it is everything as I help my clients sell and buy their homes, as if they were my own. Let’s have a conversation about your real estate plans.

Senior Vice President | 2022-2025 Top Producing Agent in the TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Arlington Brokerage

m +1 703 405 1016 sgrant@ttrsir.com sherigrant.com

Beth Sheehy

Beth Sheehy proudly assists new and repeat clients with their real estate needs throughout the DC metro area. With over $300m in sales and voted one of Washingtonian Magazine Top 100 agents, Beth strives to make every transaction pleasant, professional and efficient. Beth is a long-time Arlington resident and proudly represents buyers and sellers in all of Arlington’s fine neighborhoods. Beth received her undergrad degree from Miami University (OH) and her Master’s degrees from George Mason and Georgetown University.

m +1 703 298 8143 bsheehy@ttrsir.com

Dawn Wilson

Dawn Wilson brings more than two decades of experience and deep local insight to Arlington real estate. Known for her disciplined approach, strong negotiation skills, and unwavering advocacy, Dawn guides clients through buying and selling with clarity and confidence. Licensed in Virginia, Maryland, and DC, her background in law and finance supports a thoughtful, detail-driven process tailored to each client’s goals. Dawn has been repeatedly recognized as a Top Producing Agent by Arlington Magazine, reflecting her consistent results, professionalism, and longstanding trust within the community.

m +1 703 217 4959 dwilson@ttrsir.com

■ top real estate producers

AGENTS | $20,000,000+

Aaron Probasco Samson Properties aaron.probasco@gmail.com

Albert Bitici KW Metro Center - Arlington albertb@kw.com

Ali Alasgar Farhadov Compass alasgar.farhadov@compass.com

Betsy Twigg Corcoran McEnearney betsy.twigg@corcoranmce.com

Carol Temple Coldwell Banker Realty carol@arlingtonhouses.com

Casey O’Neal Compass casey.oneal@compass.com

Coral Gundlach

RLAH @properties coral@sellwithcoral.com

Crystal Sheehan KW McLean | Great Falls crystal@sheehanteam.com

Dean Yeonas Yeonas & Shafran Real Estate dean@yeonas.com

Diane Lewis

Washington Fine Properties diane.lewis@wfp.com

Eli Tucker RLAH @properties Eli@EliResidential.com

Feven Woldu

RE/MAX Allegiance fevenrealestate@gmail.com

Jason Cheperdak Samson Properties jason@shepherdhomesgroup.com

Jennifer Thornett Washington Fine Properties jennifer.thornett@wfp.com

Kris Walker KW United kris@walkerteamrealtors.com

Laurie Mensing Long & Foster, McLean laurie.mensing@longandfoster.com

Lee Brady

CENTURY 21 New Millennium lee.brady@c21nm.com

Lilian Jorgenson Long & Foster, McLean lilian@longandfoster.com

Lisa Dubois-Headley RE/MAX Distinctive lisa@chrissyandlisa.com

Liz Lord Compass liz@arlvahomes.com

Marianne Prendergast

Washington Fine Properties marianne.prendergast@wfp.com

Mark McFadden Compass mark.mcfadden@compass.com

Mark Lowham

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty mlowham@ttrsir.com

Megan Fass

FASS Results Group | eXp Realty Megan@FASSResults.com

Micah Corder

Washington Fine Properties micah.corder@wfp.com

Michelle Sagatov

Washington Fine Properties michelle.sagatov@wfp.com

Mike Webb

RE/MAX Allegiance mike.webb3@verizon.net

Piper Yerks

Washington Fine Properties piper@yerks.com

Rob Ferguson

RE/MAX Allegiance rob.ferguson@rmxtalk.com

Roxanne Southern Samson Properties roxanne@monumentalteam.com

Sarah Picot Corcoran McEnearney sarah.picot@corcoranmce.com

Shawn Battle Real Broker

Shawn@thebattlegroup.com

Sheri Grant TTR Sotheby’s International Realty sgrant@ttrsir.com

Steve Watson

KW Metro Center - Arlington steve@watsonhomesgroup.com

Steve Wydler Compass steve.wydler@compass.com

Theresa Valencic Long & Foster, McLean theresa.valencic@gmail.com

Tim Pierson

KW United tim@piersonrealestate.com

Tori McKinney

KW Metro Center - Arlington Tori@ROCKSTARRealtyGroup.com

Will Thomas

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty wthomas@ttrsir.com

Will Prendergast

Washington Fine Properties will.prendergast@wfp.com

Will Gaskins

KW United will@thegaskinsteam.com

TEAMS | $10,000,000 - $24,999,999

Advisory (11) Compass advisory@compass.com

Ann Wilson Homes (2) CENTURY 21 New Millennium ann.wilson@c21nm.com

Anne & Nate (2) Washington Fine Properties nate.guggenheim@wfp.com

Bish Properties (4) Compass libby.bish@compass.com

CLOSE | CO (4) CENTURY 21 New Millennium karen.close@c21nm.com

Dianne Van Volkenburg (5)

Long & Foster, Great Falls sales@greatfallsgreathomes.com

Dopslaff + Scruggs (2) Washington Fine Properties gary.dopslaff@wfp.com

Doug & Mona Group (2) TTR Sotheby’s International Realty mbanes@ttrsir.com

Fox Homes Team (30) Samson Properties devon@foxhomesteam.com

Great Falls Great Homes (8) Compass Sales@GreatFallsGreatHomes.com

Hive Residential (2) Compass hiveresidential@gmail.com

Key Collective (5) Compass katie.hunter@compass.com

Mollaan Babbington Group - DC (16) Compass mbg@compass.com

Moore Homes - DC (3) Compass john@buymoorehomes.com

Nikk Nabi Team (2) RLAH @properties Nikki@NikkiNabi.com

Patty C Homes (2) Compass patty@pattychomes.com

Red Door Metro (4) KW Metro Center - Tysons clientcare@reddoormetro.com

SRG Real Estate Group (3) KW McLean | Great Falls monica.gibson@kw.com

Sullivan Brownell Partners (3) Washington Fine Properties sullivanbrownell@wfp.com

Team Koki (2) Compass koki@teamkoki.com

The AZH Group (5) Compass theazhgroup@compass.com

The Carolyn Young Team (45) Samson Properties carolyn@carolynyoungteam.com

Numbers

The Casey O’Neal Team (2) Compass casey.oneal@compass.com

The Casey Samson Team (14) Samson Properties casey@caseysamson.com

The Jean Beatty Group (3) Washington Fine Properties jean@jeanbeatty.com

The Kathleen Fong Group (2) KW Metro Center - Arlington kathleen.l.fong@gmail.com

The Lauren Kolazas Group (3) RLAH @properties Lauren@LaurenKolazas.com

The Lynn Team (2) Washington Fine Properties margot.lynn@wfp.om

The Mike Webb Team (3) RE/MAX Allegiance mike.webb3@verizon.net

The ONE Street Company (20) Samson Properties info@onestreet.one

The Pearl Team (3) RE/MAX Allegiance deborahsoldme@gmail.com

The Redstone Group (15) Samson Properties clientcare@redstonegroupdmv.com

The Roth Team (4) Washington Fine Properties ben.roth@wfp.com

The Shively Team (4) Douglas Elliman Real Estate tracy.shively@elliman.com

The Walker Team (4) KW United kris@walkerteamrealtors.com

The Wilkes Team (2) Washington Fine Properties christopher.wilkes@wfp.com

Treasury Homes of Compass (11) Compass toby.lim@compass.com

Experienced. Trustworthy. Knowledgeable.

SUSAN WISELY

With over 25 years of experience as a trusted realtor and luxury specialist, Susan Wisely brings exceptional expertise, integrity, and attention to detail to every client relationship. Since beginning her career on September 11, 2000, she has guided buyers and sellers through every market with a client-focused, results-driven approach. Renowned for her meticulous preparation and strong industry connections, Susan is known for her signature “how you live” and “how you sell” philosophy—helping buyers envision a lifestyle while strategically positioning homes to maximize value. She stepped into 2026 with renewed energy and passion, Susan remains dedicated to delivering seamless experiences, outstanding results, and meaningful impact for the communities she serves.

Buying or selling a home can feel overwhelming— especially at the start. We’re here to make that first step simple and strategic. With a thoughtful, proven approach, we guide our clients smoothly through every stage of the process, from the very beginning to final signature. With over 40 years of combined experience living and working in Northern Virginia, we don’t just know the area—we truly love it. Let us put our local insight and expertise to work for you and help turn your real estate goals into reality.

RENÉE MCMAHAN

RENEE.MCMAHAN@COMPASS.COM M. 571.9708175 O. 703.266.7277

Old Town Alexandria isn’t just a market — it’s home. Born and raised among its historic streets and timeless architecture, a deep appreciation for homes and neighborhoods developed early and continues to shape a career rooted in local expertise. Growing up in this closeknit community created an instinctive understanding of the area’s character, history, and lifestyle — insight that can only come from truly living it.

After marrying into a family of builders and designers, hands-on experience with renovations and new construction further sharpened an eye for a home’s potential. Today, as a real estate professional with Compass, buyers and sellers across Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. are guided with a strategic, detailoriented, and highly personalized approach. From first-time buyers to seasoned sellers, the focus is always on creating a smooth, informed, and rewarding experience — built on

trust, preparation, and a genuine love for the community that has always been home.

We couldn’t be more grateful and impressed with our experience with Renée! We are new to the Alexandria area and her local knowledge, expertise, and understanding of the market made our home buying very smooth. Renée is a genuinely wonderful person who deeply cares about customer satisfaction and finding the right spot for you. She negotiated on our behalf and we were thrilled with the home, the price, and everything in between. You would be hard pressed to find a combination of such strong personal character, passion for her field, and interest in other people. She is the absolute best!

– STEPH H. AND DAN B.

■ top real estate producers

TEAMS | $25,000,000+

Alliance Group (3)

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty twilliams@ttrsir.com

Andors Team (2)

KW McLean | Great Falls james@andorsgroup.com

Beall Rehill Team (3)

RE/MAX Distinctive kathy@beallrehill.com

Capital Area Homes (5)

KW McLean | Great Falls scott@caprealtors.com

Chrissy and Lisa Team (7) RE/MAX Distinctive lisa@chrissyandlisa.com

Eli Residential Group (5) RLAH @properties Eli@EliResidential.com

FASS Results Group (5) FASS Results Group | eXp Realty SOLD@FASSResults.com

Francis Real Estate Group (3) KW McLean | Great Falls tom@francisreg.com

Holly Amaya & Bret Brock (2) Brock Realty sold@brock-realty.com

Homes From DeHart (2) KW McLean | Great Falls jon@homesfromdehart.com

JD Callander & Ed Blanchard (6) Weichert, Realtors - McLean JDCallander@gmail.com

KS Team (40)

KS Team keri@kerishullteam.com

Marga + Justine (2) Compass margaplusjustine@compass.com

McFadden Partners (2) Compass mark.mcfadden@compass.com

ONE Residential (40)

KW Metro Center - Alexandria kim@oneresre.com

Prime Team (1) KW McLean | Great Falls mansoora.dar@ptdmv.com

ROCK STAR Realty Group (5) KW Metro Center - Arlington tori@rockstarrealtygroup.com

Shepherd Homes Group (40) Samson Properties info@shepherdhomesgroup.com

Talout International (4) Long & Foster, McLean fouad.talout@gmail.com

The Battle Group (4) Real Broker shawn@thebattlegroup.com

The Davenport Group (14)

TTR Sotheby’s International Realty blake@thedavenportgroupre.com

The Gaskins Team (4) KW United will@thegaskinsteam.com

The Gold Group (4) Washington Fine Properties michelle.sagatov@wfp.com

The Lewis Team (2) Washington Fine Properties diane.lewis@wfp.com

The Luxury Collective DC (3) Compass office@theluxurycollectivedc.com

The Monumental Team (6) Samson Properties austin@monumentalteam.com

The Prendergast Team (2) Washington Fine Properties marianne@theprendergastteam.com

The Robert Ferguson Team (2) RE/MAX Allegiance rob.ferguson@rmxtalk.com

The Sherif and Ali Group (6) Compass hello@sherifandali.com

The Yerks Team (4) Washington Fine Properties yerks@yerks.com

Thornett + Corder (2) Washington Fine Properties jennifer.thornett@wfp.com

Tim Pierson Home Team (3) KW United tim@piersonrealestate.com

Watson Homes Group (2)

KW Metro Center - Arlington steve@watsonhomesgroup.com

Wydler Brothers (12) Compass steve@wydlerbrothers.com

Your P&rtners (6) Compass yourpartners@compass.com

great spaces

Nigel F. Maynard

Storage For the Win

A small but mighty drop zone and pantry keeps the mess at bay.

THE KITCHEN IS USUALLY the hardest working room in the house, but Bess and James Mitchell say the combination mudroom/pantry in their Falls Church residence just might be theirs. This wasn’t always the case.

Built in 2020, the Mitchells’ Craftsman-style home had plenty of positives, but it lacked an efficient flow from the garage to the interior, with little space allocated for the odds and ends of an active family with sporty kids. The door from the garage “entered directly into the kitchen,” says Matt Lee, principal of Lee Design Studio, creating an abrupt transition.

The couple’s initial conversations with the architecture firm revolved around practical concerns. The home “had no dedicated mudroom or sufficient pantry storage,” Bess says, “so we needed to add both. When it came to design, we wanted to use natural materials for warmth and [to] create interest.”

Lee Design Studio addressed the family’s need for functionality by reconfiguring the entry sequence in tandem with Vienna-based BOLT Builders. Rather than spilling into the

Gauthier

kitchen, the garage now connects to a mudroom and pantry with open cubbies for sports equipment, hooks for coats and hats, and storage cabinets for food and small appliances such as coffeemaker, mixer and blender. As a bonus, each cabinet contains an outlet. Walnut countertops provide a durable work surface.

Luckily, the home’s preexisting layout was ideal for carving out this double-duty solution, says design coordinator Marie Payne. Now, “you walk straight into that area with all of that counter space. You can drop groceries, organize things in there and then move yourself into the living space.”

The checkerboard ceramic tile floor—the Mitchells’ very first design

choice—served as a launching point for other materials and selections, including a subway tile wall and striking blue cabinetry with black hardware.

Good looks aside, Bess describes their new utility area as a game-changer: “We don’t know how we lived without it,” she says. “Finally having a dedicated space for coats, bags and sports gear has greatly improved how the rest of our home functions, too. Our living room is no longer a cluttered mess!” ■

PROJECT CREDITS:

Architecture & Interiors:

Lee Design Studio, leedesign.studio

Builder: BOLT Builders, boltbuilt.com

Data provided by Bright MLS for Zillow as of Jan. 21, 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Home Sales Trends

In more than 350 neighborhoods

WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS in our area are seeing the highest turnover or rapidly rising home prices? Where are properties selling the fastest? The following chart tracks residential sales for single-family homes, condos and townhouses. You’ll find figures indicating the number of homes sold, average sale price and average days on market (DOM) in more than 350 neighborhoods in Arlington, Falls Church and McLean from 2021 to 2025. Condo buildings are typically listed as individual subdivisions. The neighborhoods included had at least 15 total sales during the last five years.

(However, the totals for each ZIP code reflect all sales in that ZIP code, not just the totals for the neighborhoods shown.) Because subdivisions entered into the MLS database are not required to follow a standard nomenclature, we have expanded the data set to account for misspellings and inconsistencies in many subdivision names. Real estate agents may also enter sales into the database retroactively. As a result, some of the historical data may vary slightly from the data in previous years’ charts. A designation of “NR” indicates that no sales were reported for that year.

22201 ARLINGTON

22202 ARLINGTON

22203 ARLINGTON

22204 ARLINGTON

22205 ARLINGTON

ZIP Subdivision

22206 ARLINGTON

22207 ARLINGTON

22209 ARLINGTON

22213 ARLINGTON

22101 McLEAN

22102 McLEAN

ZIP Subdivision

22041 FALLS CHURCH

22042 FALLS CHURCH

22043 FALLS CHURCH

22044 FALLS CHURCH

22046 FALLS CHURCH

About Bright MLS — The Bright MLS real estate service area spans 40,000 square miles throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. As a leading Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Bright serves approximately 95,000 real estate professionals, who in turn serve over 20 million consumers. For more information, visit brightmls.com

About Zillow — Zillow is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate app and website in the U.S., Zillow connects hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology, trusted agents and loan officers, and seamless digital solutions. With industry-leading tools and resources, Zillow supercharges real estate professionals so they can grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. Zillow’s professional solutions and programs include Zillow Pro, Zillow Preferred, Zillow Showcase, Zillow Media Experts, Follow Up Boss, ShowingTime, dotloop, Aryeo and more.

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

John Mentis, Realtor®

LICENSED IN VA, D.C., MD | LONG & FOSTER

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

John Mentis is a trusted Realtor® in Arlington and the D.C. area. Known for intelligence and strategy, he helps clients navigate change with confidence, promising, “Your Life is Changing. I Can Help!”®

Q: What makes you different from other real estate agents in the region?

A: Most real estate agents focus on the transaction. I focus on the transition. I don’t simply help people buy or sell homes. I help them move forward— thoughtfully, confidently and well advised.

Homes are not bought and sold in a vacuum. Every transaction sits at the intersection of career, family, finances, timing and emotion. My role is to understand that context—the whole story—and guide clients through it with clarity, discretion and sound judgment. Every recommendation I make is informed not only by current market data, but by an experienced sense of how today’s decision will age over time.

I work deliberately and analytically. I am selective by design, which allows me to give each client a high level of personal attention and strategic thought. My advice is candid, my process is structured and my standards are exacting. I am not interested in quick wins or volume for its own sake; I am interested in outcomes that are defensible, well-timed and aligned with a client’s broader life plans.

As a resident of the region since 1986 who is licensed in all three local jurisdictions and connected to nationwide and international networks of qualified real estate brokerages, I help people wherever they are and wherever they want to go.

4600 Cherry Hill Road Arlington, VA  22207 (o) 703-522-0500 | (c) 202-549-0081 www.JohnMentis.com

Veronica Seva-Gonzalez

VICE

PRESIDENT

| COMPASS | VSG HOMES

Born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, Veronica grew up around her parents’ real estate and construction business. Over 20+ years, she’s built a reputation for her work ethic, market knowledge and global network.

Q: What makes Veronica different from other real estate agents in the region?

A: She began her career as a labor lawyer at Deloitte, where she developed the analytical rigor and advocacy skills that now serve her real estate clients with exceptional insight and confidence.   Here’s what a recent client had to say:

“My husband and I worked with Veronica for nearly a year as we explored the Virginia market and weighed the pros/ cons of relocating closer to family. While we ultimately decided to move back to the South, our experience with Veronica was stellar. Veronica is a lawyer by training, a fact which I suspected long before she mentioned it. As a fellow lawyer, I was thoroughly impressed by her eye for detail and knack for analytical thinking. For example, Veronica came to showings equipped with a moisture meter to alert us to potential issues. She also has an excellent eye for property valuation. Perhaps most importantly, we never felt pressured to move forward with a home that did not work for us. ...When we ultimately decided to move, Veronica referred us to an excellent Realtor in Georgia who helped us find our dream home. I knew that if Veronica trusted our Georgia Realtor enough to make a personal recommendation, then we would be in good hands. Indeed, we were. My husband and I will forever be grateful to Veronica for her efforts. If you are looking for a realtor in the DMV, do not miss out on the opportunity to work with the best of the best!”

3001 Washington Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, VA 22201

M: 202-361-6098 | O: 703-266-7277

veronica@compass.com

VSGHomes.com

FB/IG: VeronicaLiveLoveVA

Steve Wydler

WYDLER BROTHERS OF COMPASS

For 20+ years, Steve and Hans Wydler have been among the nation’s topproducing real estate teams (over $3 billion in lifetime sales), integrating the judgment, preparation and fiduciary mindset expected from legal and financial advisors.

Q: What is your professional and educational background?

A: I graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College and earned my J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School, where I served as an associate editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. I began my career practicing law, which shaped how I think about risk, strategy and advocacy.

Q: What makes you different from other real estate agents?

A: I do not view real estate as a series of transactions. I view it as a strategic advisory role. Our mission at Wydler Brothers is to elevate the role of the real estate agent in our clients’ lives. We combine deep local knowledge, disciplined analysis and sophisticated negotiation with an unwavering commitment to service. We hold ourselves to the same standard of preparation and accountability that clients expect from their attorneys, wealth managers and family offices. Simply put, we do things differently because we believe our clients deserve a higher level of counsel.

Q: What is the most significant change in real estate during your career?

A: The most significant recent change has been the quiet shift of inventory off the public market. Ironically, as “organized real estate” (i.e., NAR, the MLS’s, Zillow, etc.) has pushed for more listings to appear online, more sellers are choosing discretion instead.

Today, the best opportunities are often privately exchanged through relationships, not websites. As one of the most connected teams in the region, Wydler Brothers gives clients access to a meaningful layer of off-market inventory, homes most buyers never see, through our network, our brokerage and relentless market hustle.

6849 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 400

McLean, VA 22101

Additional offices in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

703-348-6326

www.wydlerbrothers.com

Natalie U. Roy BICYCLING

REALTY

GROUP, KW

METRO CENTER, ARLINGTON

Awards & Honors

— Arlington Magazine Winner, “Best Real Estate Agent” & “Top Producer,” 2026

— Washingtonian, “The Face of Arlington Real Estate,” 2026; “Top Agent,” 2025

— Northern Virginia Magazine, “Top Producing Real Estate Agent,” 2025

— Virginia Living, “Top Realtor,” 2025

Q: How did Bicycling Realty Group come to be?

A: After years of running non-profit organizations, I found real estate a natural fit, since it is fundamentally a service industry. I love the challenge of helping people navigate the biggest financial decisions they’ll likely ever make. I brought my environmental ethic and energy into the business and, voila, Bicycling Realty Group was born.

Q: What makes you stand out in this crowded marketplace?

A: My team of highly motivated professionals offers clients a unique service: house-hunting by bicycle. There’s no better way to get to know a community than to bike or walk through it. But don’t worry—if you prefer to drive or take the metro, that works too! Most importantly, our energetic team is committed to getting every client to the finish line with a smile.

Q: What is the key to being a good Realtor?

A: Real estate is personal. It is all about relationships, meaning it’s critical to find the right fit, whether you’re house-hunting for that perfect neighborhood or choosing an agent to sell your home. I take that to heart in my business. I walk clients through what can seem a daunting process, answering questions: Will prices and interest rates keep increasing? Will inventory pick up? Am I better off waiting, or is now the right time? While all great questions, no one has a crystal ball. No two transactions are the same. That makes it especially critical to work with local experts like us, who offer personalized services tailored to our clients.

Licensed in VA, MD and D.C. 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1050 Arlington, VA 22201 703-224-6000 (o) 703-819-4915 (c) natalieuroy@gmail.com www.bicyclingrealty.com

Michelle Sagatov

GOLD GROUP WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES

Awards & Honors

— Real Trends Top 1 % of agents in America

— Arlington Magazine Winner, Best Real Estate Agent, 2024 — Arlington Magazine Top Producer, 2019-2025 — Arlington Magazine Top Vote Getter, Best Real Estate Agent, 2020, 2022, 2026  — Washingtonian Top Agent, 2019-2024

Q: What makes The Gold Group stand out amongst other real estate professionals?

A: The Gold Group is a top-producing real estate team with Washington Fine Properties, bringing together more than 50 years of combined real estate experience and over $600 million in closed sales across Northern Virginia. Known for our strong reputation within the industry, we work seamlessly as a team to deliver exceptional results and an elevated experience for every client we serve. Our collaborative approach ensures that buyers and sellers benefit from multiple perspectives, deep market knowledge

and a shared commitment to excellence at every stage of the transaction.

As true members of the communities we serve, we live in the neighborhoods where we work, have children in local schools, and share the sidelines, events, and everyday moments with many of our clients and colleagues. This local connection gives us a genuine understanding of the market and the lifestyle buyers are seeking. We proudly work with clients across all price ranges and understand what motivates buyers at every level, allowing us to position homes strategically for success.

The Gold Group is especially known

for strong, thoughtful marketing and detailed, customized plans designed for each property, resulting in low days on market and outstanding sales prices for our sellers. Above all, we are passionate about helping clients buy and sell real estate while providing the highest level of service, guidance and care. If you are considering buying or selling in today’s market, The Gold Group would be honored to help you achieve success.

4100 Fairfax Drive, Suite 250 Arlington, VA 22203

703-402-9361 Michelle.Sagatov@wfp.com www.GoldGroupDMV.com

Diane Lewis, Realtor®

THE LEWIS TEAM | WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES

Q: What are some trends you’re seeing heading into 2026?

A: Arlington remains a highly desirable market heading into 2026. With a more discerning buyer pool, success increasingly hinges on preparation and local expertise—understanding what today’s buyers actually value. We’re seeing a clear preference for movein-ready, thoughtfully updated homes: quality construction, timeless design and smart improvements matter more than ever. Buyers pay a premium for a turnkey house today. They are drawn to flexible floor plans that can adapt to how people

actually live, from dedicated home offices to fitness rooms, golf simulators and recreation spaces, to carefully designed outdoor living areas, including pools and entertaining spaces.

For sellers, pricing and preparation are critical. Homes that are strategically positioned, with the right updates, professional presentation and a well-executed launch plan, continue to attract strong interest and favorable terms. Properties that aren’t strategically prepared are taking longer to sell and often require adjustments as buyers become more selective.

“Diane

was amazing to work with both selling and buying. She handled everything, knew exactly what to do, was super responsive ... I can’t say enough great things about her!”

– Past client, Arlington

As longtime Arlington residents, we see firsthand how local insight and industry relationships can make a meaningful difference for both buyers and sellers, especially given the number of listings selling off-market. Arlington is a wonderful place to call home, and those who approach the market prepared, and with trusted local expertise, will have greater success in 2026.

1364 Beverly Road, Suite 100 McLean, VA 22101

703-973-7001 www.lewisteam.com

Karen Close

ASSOCIATE BROKER, ABA, CRS, E-PRO | CENTURY 21 NEW MILLENNIUM

Karen Close, owner of Karen Close & Company, embodies the professionalism, expertise and care buyers and sellers value most in a trusted real estate partner. Her career reflects sustained success across constantly changing market conditions.

Q: How would your clients describe you?

A: I think past clients can answer this best:

“Karen and I have established an amazing relationship buying and selling my homes. There are not enough words to describe her professionalism, drive, wit and utter dedication. She is insightful, intelligent and a joy to work with. Her leadership is above and beyond.”

“We’ve used Karen as both buyer and seller now on multiple transactions. She is proactive, pricing is at market, and follow-through on inspections and documentation is peerless. Nothing falls through the cracks!”

“We met Karen many years ago on the opposite side of a transaction. She impressed us with her skill and market knowledge, so we turned to her to sell a house we had been unable to sell. [A decade later], we turned to Karen again. She is a veteran agent and consummate professional, not to mention an incredibly decent and honest person.”

Q: What is your approach to helping clients?

A: My approach is grounded in trust, preparation and genuine advocacy. I am with you throughout your entire transaction—and what matters to you, matters to me. While information is at your fingertips, I change the game with my knowledge. I own the details. From deep expertise in local neighborhoods, pricing trends and current inventory to understanding nuanced buyer behavior, my market intelligence matters when decisions count. I navigate complex situations calmly and strategically, negotiating to protect your financial interests at every turn. Timely, clear and proactive communication ensures that you’re listened to and informed from start to finish.

5904 Washington Blvd. Arlington, VA 22205

703-517-9477

Karen.Close@c21nm.com www.karenclose.com

Sarah Picot, Realtor®

CORCORAN MCENEARNEY

Awards & Honors

— NVAR Platinum Top Producer — Top 1% Realtors in the country, 2025 Real Trends Verified ($30M in sales in 2025 with average sales price 103% above list price and 6 Days on Market average for detached homes)

Q: What is the one thing prospective clients should know about you?

A: To me, real estate is not a transaction—it’s a relationship. My business is built on referrals because my clients know I show up, stay involved and genuinely care about their outcome. Every client’s situation is different, and I take the time to understand their goals so I can support them with intention, strategy and honesty.

I treat every home as if it were my own. Presentation matters and I take great pride in ensuring each property is prepared and showcased at the highest level. I pay close attention to the details others overlook and proactively problem-solve to anticipate and navigate avoidable issues before they become stressful or costly. I never hand my clients a checklist and walk away—I act as the general contractor of the entire process, coordinating vendors, timelines and selecting the right materials and paint colors for any needed updates to get the home market-ready with as little stress on my clients as possible.

Q: What is your approach to helping clients looking to buy?

A: For buyers, I focus on education and strategy. I make sure my clients understand the market, their options and how to position themselves for success. Together, we adapt as conditions change, crafting competitive offers that align with both their goals and the realities of the market. My clients know they’re not just represented—they’re supported every step of the way.

3135 Langston Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 703-525-1900 www.sarahpicot.net

Renata Briggman

THE

ARLINGTON EXPERT | RLAH REAL ESTATE

Q: What do people underestimate about selling a home?

A: How much it holds. A home isn’t just square footage—it’s where the marriage started and may have ended, where the kids grew up, where someone rebuilt after loss. In Arlington, people put down real roots. Their homes hold whole chapters of life. Selling means letting go while managing dozens of decisions at once. Most people don’t need more information. They need someone to carry the weight—the decisions, the details, the deadlines—so they can grieve, breathe or simply move forward.

Q: What do you wish more sellers understood before they started?

A: That preparation is protection. The work done before listing—repairs, pricing strategy, presentation—determines how much control you keep throughout the process. Sellers who rush to market spend the next two months reacting, adjusting, compromising. Sellers who prepare get to choose. They enter negotiations with confidence and close without surprises. That clarity isn’t luck. It’s built long before the sign goes up, and it changes everything.

Q: What does it take to help someone let go of a house?

Awards & Honors

— Arlington Magazine Top Producer, 2019-2025

— Best of Washingtonian, 2015-2024

— Best of Northern Virginia Magazine, 2016-2025

— 5-star ratings on Google, Zillow and Yelp

A: Patience and respect for the moment. You’re not just selling a property; you’re standing with someone at a threshold. Some people are ready to run through it. Others need time to walk through each room one last time. I’ve stood at that threshold with hundreds of families. My job is to handle everything that can be handled so they have space to feel what they need to feel. The logistics are mine. The goodbye is theirs.

4075 Wilson Blvd., Suite 720 Arlington, VA 22203  703-217-2077 www.thearlingtonexpert.com

Shawn Battle

TEAM LEAD & ASSOCIATE BROKER | THE BATTLE GROUP AT REAL BROKER

For 21 years, The Battle Group has combined deep local expertise with creative marketing to make every listing stand out. We use our extensive experience to negotiate the best contract possible.

Q: What makes your client experience unique?

A: I don’t approach real estate like a typical “sales guy.” I grew up watching my dad run a construction company, where doing things the right way and standing behind your work mattered. That mindset shapes everything we do.

I’ve been business partners with Matt Leighton for over 11 years, a testament to the loyalty, trust and collaboration we’ve built. And we approach serving our clients with the same honesty, preparedness and genuine care. We don’t rush people or push decisions; we listen, educate and help clients feel confident at every step. Every listing is thoughtfully prepared, professionally staged and marketed with a clear plan. Clients don’t just get me, they get a team that’s organized, responsive and fully invested in the outcome.

Q: What makes you different from other real estate agents?

A: As an inherently creative person, I think outside the box when it comes to marketing and strategy. Matt and I also host a weekly real estate podcast, The Shawn and Matt Show (200+ episodes). Staying plugged into what’s actually happening in the market keeps us sharp, curious and informed. Having conversations about trends, challenges and their implications ultimately helps our clients make better, more confident decisions.

I lead with heart, and I expect the same from my team. We’re straightforward, honest and don’t sugarcoat things just to win business. I’d rather have open conversations than make promises I can’t keep. I love hearing, “You made this easier than we expected.” That tells me we’re doing our job the right way.

2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 700 Arlington, VA 22201

703-999-8108

Shawn@TheBattleGroup.com www.TheBattleGroup.com

Classic Cottages

JANET

MILLION

Q: What makes you different from other real estate professionals?

A: As a 20-year Arlington resident with a background in finance, I offer a level of strategic management and local market transparency that is rare in this industry. I see myself as more than a salesperson; I am a partner who understands the intricate logistical details of Northern Virginia homebuilding. Because Classic Cottages is a vertically integrated builder, we handle everything from land acquisition to architecture to construction in-house. This allows me to provide a seamless, stressfree experience and a level of flexibility that traditional agents simply cannot match.

Q: How would your clients describe you?

A: Most would say my greatest assets are knowledge, reliability and patience. My goal is to bring our brand promise of “Simply Timeless” to life by being a dedicated listener who understands each client’s unique needs. I pride myself on building enduring relationships that last long after the transaction is complete, ensuring that our “built for always” philosophy applies to both our homes and our client partnerships.

Q: What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

A: There is nothing more rewarding

“I’ve

worked with many agents, but Janet has impressed me most. She doesn’t just find a buyer; she masters the entire process.”

—Cherrydale Resident

than seeing a client move into a home designed with refined simplicity to enhance their modern lifestyle. I love helping people achieve tangible outcomes in one of the most significant decisions of their lives. Knowing I have helped deliver a high-quality, timeless home that will grow with an Arlington family for years to come is exactly why I chose this profession.

433 E. Monroe Ave. Alexandria, VA 22301 703-844-9936 sales@ccottages.com www.ccottages.com

Francesca Keith CORCORAN MCENEARNEY

Lilian Jorgenson

Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?

A: Helping clients navigate one of their most significant financial decisions and knowing I have made a positive impact on their lives is truly rewarding. I am honored by the trust clients place in me and never take that responsibility lightly. Much of my business comes from referrals and repeat clients, reflecting the lasting relationships I build and the personalized care I bring to every transaction. I serve clients throughout Northern Virginia across all price points because I believe everyone deserves exceptional service regardless of where they are in their real estate journey. What fulfills me most is knowing my guidance, integrity and commitment make a real difference in people’s lives, whether they’re first-time buyers, growing families or seasoned investors.

3135 Langston Blvd. Arlington VA, 22201 O: 703-525-1900 M: 703-628-6753 francesca.keith@corcoranmce.com www.francescakeithrealtor.com

Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?

A: Making a real difference during one of life’s most significant financial decisions.

“We have had the privilege of working with Lilian Jorgenson for over 30 years. As our buyer’s agent, Lilian provided comprehensive market analyses that helped us navigate competitive neighborhoods with confidence. She expertly guided us through every step—from financing and crafting strong offers to inspections and closing. As our seller’s agent, she offered invaluable advice on presenting our home at its best and pricing it strategically. Her marketing approach is sophisticated and targeted. Lilian is an exceptional real estate agent—professional, graceful and skilled at working collaboratively with all parties to ensure transactions close seamlessly and on time. We cannot recommend her highly enough.”

1355 Beverly Road, Suite 109 McLean, VA 22101

703-790-1990 www.lilian.com

Lauren Reardon

RE/MAX DISTINCTIVE REAL ESTATE

Q: What’s your secret to success in such a competitive market?

A: Honestly, I think it comes down to truly listening and building genuine relationships. I spend time getting to know my clients and understanding their immediate and future needs—and I know the neighborhoods inside and out. My extensive network of trusted industry professionals, from lenders to contractors, is a valuable resource for my clients. I also give them an edge by securing early access to desirable properties before they’re publicly listed and negotiating

assertively on their behalf. Above all, I never push anyone into a deal for the sake of closing. My priority is to support my clients during what can be a stressful process, protect their interests and help them make smart decisions they’ll appreciate for years to come.

Q: What’s the one thing your clients should know about you?

A: I’m here to offer honest, thoughtful guidance that helps my clients feel confident in their decisions. At every showing, I study the property as if I were the buyer—checking construction quality,

Awards & Honors

— RE/MAX Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement, Platinum Club

— RE/MAX Distinctive Top Agent for Volume — Arlington Magazine Top Vote Getter, Best Real Estate Agent 2026; Top Producer 2026  — Washingtonian Top Agent  — Northern Virginia Association of Realtors Lifetime Top Producer

considering the age of the HVAC system and appliances, evaluating the layout— scouring for any potential red flags. I want to make sure my clients know exactly what they’re getting into: not just the professional staging, but the home’s actual condition. My job is to provide you with all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.

6846 Elm St. McLean, VA 22101 703-731-2313 www.laurenreardon.remax.com

Tapas

Spanish-inspired dishes feature big flavors and creative twists at El Mercat Bar de Tapas.

I BURNED MY upper lip. A rookie mistake, to be sure.

That’s what happens when you are so eager to annihilate an army of small plates that you impatiently thrust a hunk of crusty bread into a bubbling cast iron skillet of molten goat cheese and immediately chow down.

I suspect George Rodrigues, the chef and co-owner of El Mercat Bar de Tapas, understands my unbridled enthusiasm, as he, too, is obsessed with Spanish gastronomy.

“My first trip to Spain was to Barcelona, where I immediately fell in love with Catalan cuisine,” he says. “Paella was the first dish that truly drew me in.”

The Brazilian-born restaurateur’s personal and professional lives have been intertwined with España ever since. He proposed to his now-wife and business partner, Wanessa Alves, at Barcelona’s famed Boqueria market (el mercat is Catalan for market) over a decade ago. Spanish cooking is the focal point of the flagship El Mercat Bar de Tapas, which the couple debuted in Rockville in 2023, and at the sibling establishment by the same name they opened in National Landing last fall.

Spanish fundamentals inform Rodrigues’ culinary endeavors, but only

World the

BY WARREN ROJAS

EL MERCAT BAR DE TAPAS

1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington 703-567-4369

elmercatbardetapas.com

HOURS

Monday through Thursday: 3 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

PARKING

There are two parking lots in the Westpost shopping complex: one behind the Harris Teeter and one behind the Walgreens/Planet Fitness. The meters in this zone offer one hour of free parking.

PRICES

Tapas: $3 to $34

Entrees: $22 to $38

Paellas: $16 to $48

to a degree. “I’ve always been intentional about not positioning El Mercat as strictly ‘traditional Spanish,’” he qualifies, not wanting to set “expectations that limit creativity.”

That baked-in wiggle room gives him leeway to draw on childhood memories, play with global flavors and tweak the techniques he honed while working in D.C. kitchens such as the Latin-Asian mashup Tico (now closed) on 14th Street NW, and a Penn Quarter spin-off

of Boqueria tapas bar. He likes to chase inspiration wherever it leads him.

I was tempted to cry foul when I spotted one such interpretation on El Mercat’s menu, billed as St. Louis pork ribs coated in cider glaze and mustard seeds. My first thought was, Why bring American barbecue into this?, presuming Rodrigues was trying to replicate a Carolina Gold-style mustard sauce or some other vinegary condiment.

Turns out, he was riffing on the tantalizing ribs he’d devoured while touring a cider distillery in Asturias, Spain, which he describes as “glazed in a sweet sauce and finished with sesame seeds.”

Putting his own stamp on the dish, he swapped the sesame seeds for a medley of yellow, brown and black mustard seeds (imparting notes ranging from “mild, mellow and slightly sweet-tangy” to “deeper spice, earthiness and pungency,” he says). So tender were these ribs that when the glaze adhered one of them to the serving plate, all it took was a tug and a twist to separate the bone from the succulent meat.

The chef’s take on ham croquettes is similarly engaging. The traditional Spanish version is filled with lusty

Jamón Serrano and onion-laced bechamel sauce. Rodrigues takes it a step further by folding in fruity quince paste.

“It’s a flavor that immediately brings me back to my childhood,” he says, referencing the guava- and cheese-filled pastries so familiar to Caribbean and South American palates. The two-bite treats are terrific, their crispy shells giving way to a buttery, salty filling complemented by pops of sweetness.

I’d be remiss not to mention the aioli-topped paella, which elicited squeals of delight from my dinner companion one night. “Rather than using aioli as a garnish, I treat it as a thoughtful pairing,” Rodrigues says, adding: “Eating rice with mayonnaise is very common” in Brazil.

His saffron-scented seafood paella (my favorite), is studded with calamari, clams, mussels and shrimp, while another, stained black from squid ink, is crowned with a garlic-spiked emulsion. A meatier version layered with roasted chicken, chorizo sausage and herby salsa verde also gets a saffron aioli glow-up.

The six paellas on the menu feature varying combinations of proteins and add-ins (including duck, lamb and a

vegetarian option) and can be ordered in two sizes (a small order is plenty for two people; medium can feed four or more). But all share one delectable thing in common: the crispy layer of toasted rice known as socarrat, which spreads across the bottom of the pan. Rodrigues achieves the crunchy, caramelized texture by cooking down the stock-absorbing bomba rice over a burner and then baking it in the oven, starting at a high temperature so the rice on the bottom forms that distinct crust.

The kitchen's pan con tomate was one adaptation that a former Madrileña (a friend who spent the past five years living in Madrid) and I both agreed was a hair off. The usual basis for this simple dish is pan de cristal, a bread known for its delicate crust and cottony interior. Rodrigues says sourcing authentic pan de cristal “can be challenging,” so he developed a ciabatta alternative with his bread supplier. The substitute is denser, but still good. It drank up the pulpy crushed tomato spread and olive oil drizzle, and proved a cozy bed for anchovy filets imported from Spain.

An order of house-made lamb meatballs missed the mark for me. Nearly half were noticeably dry, even though they were swimming in a rich tomato sauce, and there wasn’t enough melted Manchego to make up the difference.

Top sellers like gambas al ajillo (shrimp punctuated by smoky paprika and an abundance of fresh garlic) and spicy patatas bravas (spuds fried to a golden brown and smothered in zesty tomato sauce and garlic aioli) fly out of the kitchen at all hours, and with good reason. The patatas are perhaps the most addictive version of fries known to man. (At least this man.)

What about dessert, you might ask?

I meant to get around to it, but then a simple mishap resolved the oversight. The charcuterie board I ordered one night seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle as our meal was winding down. When my companion asked the waiter about it, he apologized profusely and said he’d have the kitchen assemble the promised meats, cheeses and pickled accoutrements, lickety-split.

Within minutes we were savoring my favorite French dessert—the cheese course—by way of Spain. The array featured two kinds of bread, including a rustic loaf and a raisin-nut variant, plus shaved ham, nutty Manchego, herb-spiked goat cheese, porky chorizo rounds, dulcet membrillo paste and tangy olives.

It was the carby-salty-sweet closer that sueños are made of. ■

WHAT TO DRINK

“Some nights, a simple glass of red sangria is all you need— especially when paired with something comforting like croquetas de jamon,” Rodrigues shares when I ask him about his own post-work routine. He’s not wrong. El Mercat’s house-made sangrias ($10 per glass; $40 per pitcher) are easy drinking. I prefer the red over the white. The sweet brandy is balanced with a slightly dry wine, while bits of tropical fruit lend freshness.

The bar also serves a rotating list of cocktails ($13 to $15) including classic old fashioneds and caipirinhas alongside house specialties and seasonal offerings.

The Andalusia is a pinkish cooler made with peach puree and grapefruit juice, although that marriage is overwhelmed by the base rye, which makes the drink more whiskey than sour. The Pineapple Smoke is a Mexican fiesta, blending smoky mezcal and aged tequila with spicy jalapenos and refreshing pineapple juice.

Beers ($7 to $9) include domestic brands (Lagunitas, Blue Moon) and imports (Modelo, Estrella Galicia).

Sullivan

Lunch Bunch

Take your noonday meal up a notch with these formidable sandwiches. You may end up with leftovers to carry you through the next day.

KIMCHI REUBEN

Celebrity Delly

Here’s a funky twist on a Jewish deli classic: This belly-filler ($21) from Will Thompson and Julie Rossler-Thompson’s Falls Church diner packs in a whopping half pound of housebrined corned beef but swaps the usual sauerkraut for tangy kimchi. The whole shebang is stuffed between slices of grilled pumpernickel with melty Swiss, provolone and Russian dressing. Half sandwiches are available for smaller appetites. The extra napkins you’ll surely need are gratis. celebritydelly.com

THE EARLY THANKSGIVING

Earl’s Sandwiches

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Courthouse sandwich joint founded by owner/operator Stephen Dugan in partnership with John Snedden (of Rocklands Barbeque fame) roasts its own proteins daily and makes just about everything inhouse from scratch. Turn any day into Thanksgiving with this savory-sweet combo ($11) featuring hand-pulled turkey, house-made stuffing, tart cranberry relish and gravy made from the bird’s pan drippings. It’s the real deal. earlsinarlington.com

THE MILANO

The Italian Store

Rivaling Philly’s finest, this hoagie ($10-$11) has been an Arlington fave ever since the Tramonte family opened their first shop on the edge of Lyon Village in 1980. Rolling up two kinds of Italian ham, provolone, genoa salami, sweet peppers, lettuce, onions and seasoning on a hard or soft Italian roll, it’s seriously habit-forming. Want to be the hero of a game day watch party? Order a sandwich board ($80-$100) piled with mini versions of this and two other Italian sandwiches for a slam dunk. italianstore.com

City Center

In December, the much-anticipated Stratford Garden opened on the site of the former Stratford Motor Lodge in the heart of Falls Church, with 16 taps dispensing German lagers, Belgian witbiers, Irish red ales, local IPAs and the requisite Guinness stout.

But this latest venture by brothers Arash and Afsheen Tafakor, their mom, Afsaneh Moradian, and partner David Birks (the team behind Brickhouse Butcher and Dominion Wine & Beer), isn’t just a taproom. It’s a come-as-you-are restaurant where raw bar selections, charcuterie boards and Iberian snacks of tinned fish roll out alongside burgers, truffle fries and chicken tenders for kids. Chef/GM

Cameron Cousin’s eclectic menu also includes seasonal salads, grilled seafood and locally sourced steaks from Burner’s Beef in Luray.

Add to that a proper wine selection (did we mention they own a wine shop?) and some mighty fine cocktails and it’s a party. Consider the Smokey Dove, made with mezcal, rosemary syrup and grapefruit juice, or perk up with an espresso old fashioned starring coffee-infused bourbon.

For the daytime crowd, an on-site café serves coffee, pastries and graband-go fare starting at 7 a.m.

Designed by Falls Church architect Matt Lee of Lee Design Studio with interiors by Francois Frossard Design of Miami, the building pays

Do the Math

homage to its predecessor with a few preserved elements—steel beams, stained wood, retro metal balcony— plus modern additions such as soundabsorbing roof decking for optimal acoustics. A large outdoor patio will open this spring with space for people and well-behaved dogs.

It’s not a theme-y place. “We are a neighborhood spot, and the clientele here is diverse,” says Arash Tafakor. So is the food. “We’ve got families, retirees, young people, people who want to watch a game and have a couple pints. We’re a small business, so we can pivot and be flexible. We don’t want to be pigeon-holed into serving one kind of cuisine. Menu items will change. Tell us what you like.” stratfordgarden.com

Pi Day is coming up on March 14, which also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. If ever there were a good excuse to geek out with a slice—be it pepperoni pizza or all-American apple pie a la mode—this is it. Sol Schott’s scratch-made sweets at Acme Pie Co. on Columbia Pike might even make that geometry homework a bit more palatable. Treat yourself to a serving of his sour cherry, apple or pecan-chocolate pie on this most perfect mathematical holiday for $3.14. acmepieco.com

places to EAT

ARLINGTON

1983 Chinese Cuisine

1101 S. Joyce St., 703-512-3089, 1983chinese cuisine.com. A destination for dim sum and other traditional Cantonese dishes. R L D G V $$

A Modo Mio Pizzeria

5555 Langston Blvd., 703-532-0990, amodomio pizza.com. Dig into authentic Neapolitan pies, house-made gnocchi, lasagna, spaghetti del mare and cannoli. o L D V $$

Aladdin Sweets & Tandoor

5169 Langston Blvd., 703-533-0077, aladdin arlington.com. Chef Shiuli Rashid and her husband, Harun, prepare family recipes from their native Bangladesh. L D $$

Al-Shami Restaurant

5216 Wilson Blvd., 703-373-0291, alshamiva. com. Dig into falafel, shawarma and other Syrian delights. Closed Mondays. L D G V $$

Ambar Clarendon

2901 Wilson Blvd., 703-875-9663, ambarrestau rant.com. Feast on Balkan specialties such as stuffed cabbage, mushroom pilav and rotisserie meats. O R L D G V $$

Andy’s Pizza

901 N. Pollard St. (entrance on Fairfax Drive), 703-552-4037, eatandyspizza.com. Andy Brown’s award-winning thin-crust pies fall somewhere between Neapolitan and New York-style. L D V $

Angolino Pizza

3125 Wilson Blvd., 703-760-3210, pizzaforpizza lovers.com. When it’s late and you need a slice, this Clarendon eatery hits the spot. L D V A $

Arlington Kabob

5046 Langston Blvd., 703-531-1498, arlingtonka bobva.com. Authentic Afghan fare includes kebabs, shawarma and lamb shank with rice. L D $$

Astro Beer Hall

4001 Campbell Ave., 703-664-0744, astrobeer hall.com. Jet to this space-themed brewpub for fried chicken, burgers, doughnuts and a retro basement billiards hall called 1969. o B R L D A $$

Bakeshop

1025 N. Fillmore St., 571-970-6460, bakeshop va.com. A tiny storefront whipping up cupcakes, cookies, icebox pies and vegan treats. B V $

Ballston Local

900 N. Glebe Road, 703-852-1260, ballstonlocal. com. Pair your local brew with a plate of poutine or a New York-style pizza. L D V $$

Banditos Tacos & Tequila

1301 S. Joyce St., 571-257-7622, banditostnt.com. Mexican street food, tequila, mezcal and sugar-skull décor keep the party going. o L D G V $$

Bangkok 54

2919 Columbia Pike, 703-521-4070, bangkok54res taurant.com. A favorite for Thai curries, grilled meats, stir-fry, noodles and soups. L D V $$

Bar Bao

3100 Clarendon Blvd., 703-600-0500, barbao-va. com. Find trendy dishes reminiscent of Chinese and Taiwanese street food, plus sake, soju and Asian fusion cocktails. L D V $$

Bar Chinois

244 19th Court S., 703-416-6769, barchinoisnl. com. Chinese small plates meet French-inspired cocktails and wine. O D G V $$$

Bar Colline

269 19th Court S., 703-567-4792, barcolline. com. French bistro fare, wine happy hours and Parisian-style sidewalk seating await.

O L D G V $$$

Barley Mac

1600 Wilson Blvd., 703-372-9486, barleymacva. com. Upscale tavern fare, plus more than 100 kinds of whiskey and bourbon. R L D A G V $$

KEY: Price designations are based on the approximate cost per person for a meal with one drink, tax and tip.

$ under $20

$$ $21-$35

$$$ $36-$70

$$$$ $71 or more

o Outdoor Dining

c Children’s Menu

B Breakfast

R Brunch

L Lunch

D Dinner

A

After Hours/Late Night

G Gluten-Free

V Vegetarian

s Best of Arlington 2025 or 2026 Winner

■ places to eat

Basic Burger

1101 S. Joyce St., 703-248-9333, basicburger. com. The homegrown eatery cooks with locally sourced, certified Angus beef and cage-free, antibiotic-free chicken. L D $$

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

1515 N. Courthouse Road, 703-243-2410, bayou bakeryva.com. Chef David Guas’ New Orleans-inspired menu includes beignets and gumbo. Breakfast all day on weekends. O C B R L D G V $

Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique 576 23rd St. S., 571-257-5873, beautycham pagneandsugar.com. Find sweets, small plates, wine and bubbly at this woman-owned bistro and market. Closed Mondays. L D $$

Bethesda Bagels

1851 N. Moore St., 703-312-1133, bethesdabagels. com. The popular DMV chain has an outpost in Rosslyn. Eat a sandwich! O L V $

Big Buns Damn Good Burger Co. s 4401 Wilson Blvd., 703-276-3032; 4251 Campbell Ave., 703-933-2867, eatbigbuns.com. Satisfy all your cravings with creative burgers, shakes, beer and booze. B L D $$

Bird’s Eye Thai 1651 Crystal Drive, birdseyethai.com. Order up a round of tiki drinks and khao soi noodles from this outdoor kiosk in National Landing. O L D $$

Bluefish Bistro Sushi & Kitchen

950 S. George Mason Drive, 703-270-0102, blue fishbistro.com. Try specialty rolls with names like Green Dragon and King Kong. Closed Tuesdays. L D G V $$

Bob & Edith’s Diner 2310 Columbia Pike, 703-920-6103; 539 23rd St. S., 703-920-2700; bobandedithsdiner.com. Founded in 1969, the 24-hour eatery whips up pancakes, eggs, meatloaf, and pie à la mode. C B L D A V $

BOE

2854 Wilson Blvd., 571-312-0130, theboexperi ence.com. Take a ride on the mechanical bull, then reward yourself with a fried chicken biscuit and a Bucking Bronco (a smokey riff on a whiskey sour). The rooftop tiki bar lives on in this former Whitlow’s space. O R D A $$

Bollywood Bistro Express

4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 571-3121071, bollywoodbistroexpress.com. Build your own bowl with fillers such as chicken tikka, paneer, chana masala and pickled onions. L D V $$

Bonsai Sushi at Crystal City 553 23rd St. S., 703-553-7723, crystalbonsai sushirestaurant.com. A go-to for sushi, sashimi, yakisoba, tempura, teriyaki. Closed Mondays. L D $$ Bostan Uyghur Cuisine

3911 Langston Blvd., 703-522-3010, bostanuyghur. com. The Uyghur Chinese dishes include kebabs, lagmen (hand-pulled noodles), manta (dumplings) and honey cake. L D $$

Brass Rabbit Public House

1210 N. Garfield St., 703-746-9977, brassrabbit pub.com. Pair lettuce wraps and crab BLTs with craft cocktails like the El Conejo, featuring tequila, carrot juice, ginger, lime and cilantro. O R L D V A $$

Bronson Bierhall

4100 Fairfax Drive, 703-528-1110, bronsonbier hall.com. Find German and regional beers, sausages, schnitzel and cornhole in this 6,000-squarefoot ode to Munich. O L D A $$

Bubbie’s Plant Burgers

1721 Crystal Drive, bubbiesburgers.com. Grab a plant-based or kosher burger, a fried green tomato sandwich or a plate of avocado fries at this outdoor kiosk in National Landing’s Water Park. O L D V $

Buena Vida

2900 Wilson Blvd., 703-888-1528, buenavida gastrolounge.com. Savor the flavors of Mexico and head to the rooftop for drinks. O R L D $$

Burger Billy’s Joint

3800 Langston Blvd., 703-512-0102, burgerbillys

joint.com. Order smashburgers made from locally sourced Angus beef (or plant-based), as well as hot dogs, wings and fries. L D V $

Busboys and Poets

4251 S. Campbell Ave., 703-379-9757, busboys andpoets.com. Known for its poetry slams, onsite bookstore and social justice programming, the café offers an eclectic menu with something for everyone. O C B R L D G V $$

Café Colline

4536 Langston Blvd., 703-567-6615, cafecolline va.com. The cozy French bistro in the Lee Heights Shops satisfies with paté maison, duck confit and chocolate pots de creme. O R L D $$

Café Sazón

4704 Columbia Pike, 703-566-1686, cafesazon. com. A homey Bolivian café specializing in dishes such as silpancho and empanadas. B L D V $$ Call Your Mother Deli

1671 Crystal Drive, 571-867-9983, callyourmother deli.com. The self-described “Jew-ish” deli serves its signature bagels, schmears and latkes from a kiosk in National Landing’s Water Park. B R L $

Capital Doner

1731 Wilson Blvd., capitaldoner.com. Try Turkish doner kebab, halal meats and house-made sauces in wraps, platters and rice bowls. B L D A $

Carbonara s

3865 Wilson Blvd., 703-721-3905, carbonarava. com. House-made pastas, eggplant parm, chicken cacciatore and the spirit of Sinatra sing at this oldworld-meets-modern Italian trattoria.

L D V $$$

Caribbean Grill

5183 Langston Blvd., 703-241-8947. Cuban preparations such as jerk-style pork, fried plantains and black bean soup are mainstays. C L D G V $

Carlyle

4000 Campbell Ave., 703-931-0777, greatameri canrestaurants.com/carlyle. A longstanding favorite for fusion fare, happy hour and Sunday brunch. O C R L D G V $$$

CarPool Beer and Billiards

900 N. Glebe Road, 703-516-7665, gocarpool.com. Sample pub grub and an extensive beer list, including “house” suds brewed at sister bar the Board Room. D A $

The Celtic House Irish Pub & Restaurant 2500 Columbia Pike, 703-746-9644, celtichouse va.com. Pints complement favorites like corned beef and traditional Irish breakfast at this beloved pub on the Pike. C R L D A $$

Charga Grill

5151 Langston Blvd., 703-988-6063; 3203 Columbia Pike, 703-574-5050; chargagrill.com. How do you like your chicken? Choose Peruvian, jerk, Tandoori or Pakistani charga or sajii. L D $$

Chiko

4040 Campbell Ave., 571-312-0774, mychiko. com. Fan favorites at this Chinese-Korean joint include cumin lamb stir-fry and double-fried chicken wings. C L D G V $$

Chill Zone Café s

2442 N. Harrison St., 703-270-9466, chillzonecafe. com. Pop in for bubble tea and smoothies, Vietnamese tacos, noodle dishes and a special keto menu.

B R L D G V $$

Circa at Clarendon s

3010 Clarendon Blvd., 703-522-3010, circabis tros.com. Bistro fare ranges from salads and small plates to steak frites and wild mushroom pizza. Sit outside if you can. O R L D A G V $$$

Colada Shop

2811 Clarendon Blvd., 571-771-8400; 244 19th Court S., 703-631-5320; coladashop.com. Hit this colorful Caribbean coffee cafe and bar for beachy vibes, tropical drinks and Cuban-inspired eats.

C B R L D V $$

Colony Grill

2800 Clarendon Blvd., 703-682-8300, colonygrill. com. The Stamford, Connecticut-based pizza chain

specializes in ultra-thin-crust “bar pies” with a spicy, pepper-infused hot oil topping. L D G V $$

Copperwood Tavern

4021 Campbell Ave., 703-522-8010, copperwood tavern.com. This rustic saloon serves up steaks and chops, draft beers and 30 small-batch whiskeys. O R L D $$$

Cornerstone 2900 Columbia Pike, 703-512-2056, pikecorner stone.com. The menu is heavy on apps and shareables, plus salads, burgers and rib-sticking entrees. C O R D A $

Corso Italian 4024 Campbell Ave., 703-933-8787, corsoitalian. com. Enjoy fresh pastas, porchetta and veal chop Milanese at this Italian trattoria by Cheesetique “cheese lady” Jill Erber. O r L D V $$$

Cowboy Café s

4792 Langston Blvd., 703-243-8010, thecowboy cafe.com. Cool your heels and fill up on sandwiches, burgers, brisket and chili mac. An outdoor beer garden features a mural by Arlington artist MasPaz. Live music on weekends. O C R L D V $$

Crush Pizza + Wine

1601 Crystal Drive, crushpizzaandwine.com. New York-style pizza, wines by the glass and patio crushers for the win. O L D V $$

Crystal City Sports Pub

529 23rd St. S., 703-521-8215, ccsportspub.com. Open 365 days a year, it’s a sure bet for game viewing, trivia and poker nights, beers, bar snacks and buffet spreads. C B R L D A G V $$

Crystal Thai

4819 First St. N., 703-522-1311, crystalthai. com. A neighborhood fave for traditional Thai curries, grilled meats and house specialties like roast duck. L D V $$

Dama Restaurant & Cafe

1503 Columbia Pike, 703-920-3559, damapas try.com. The Ethiopian family-owned business includes a breakfast café, market and dining room. B L D V $$

Darna

946 N. Jackson St., 703-988-2373, darnava.com. Snack on mezze and flatbreads at this cocktail and hookah bar. D A V $$

Daydrift Books & Café

1550 Crystal Drive, 703-271-0709, daydriftva.com. Tuck into an open-faced sandwich or macro bowl, or sip a latte and peruse the shelves for your next read. B R L G V $$

Delhi Dhaba Indian Restaurant

2424 Wilson Blvd., 703-524-0008, delhidhaba.com.

The best bargain is the “mix and match” platter, which includes tandoori, seafood, a curry dish and a choice of rice or naan. O L D G V $$

Detour Coffee

946 N. Jackson St., 703-988-2378, detourcoffee co.com. This comfy cafe has a college vibe and serves up locally roasted coffee, light bites and weekend brunch. O B R L V $

District Dumplings

923 S. Glebe Road, 571-518-9764, districtdump lings.com. When you’re hungry for Asian-style dumplings, sandwiches and wraps. L D $$

District Taco

5723 Langston Blvd., 703-237-1204; 1500 Wilson Blvd., 571-290-6854; districttaco.com. A local favorite for tacos and gargantuan burritos. C B L D G V $

Don Tito

3165 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-3113, dontitova.com. The sports bar specializes in tacos, tequila and beer, with a rooftop bar. O R L D $$

Dudley’s Sport and Ale

2766 S. Arlington Mill Drive, 571-312-2304, dudleyssportandale.com. A supersize sports bar with a roof deck, a ballpark-inspired beer list and weekend brunch. O C R L D A $$

Earl’s Sandwiches

2605 Wilson Blvd., 703-647-9191, earlsinarling

■ places to eat

ton.com. Made-to-order sandwiches use prime ingredients, like fresh roasted turkey. O B L D G V $

East West Cafe

3101 Wilson Blvd., 571-800-9954, ewcafe.com. Go for espresso drinks, brunch (try the Turkish breakfast spread), sandwiches, beer and wine. B L D $

El Mercat Bar de Tapas

1301 S. Joyce St., 703-567-4369, elmercatbarde tapas.com. Chef George Rodrigues brings Spanish small plates and five kinds of proper paella to Westpost. R D G V $$$

El Paso Café

4235 N. Pershing Drive, 703-243-9811, elpaso cafeva.com. Big portions, big margaritas and bighearted service. C L D G V $$

El Pike Restobar

4111 Columbia Pike, 703-521-3010, elpikeresto bar.com. Bolivian dishes satisfy at this no-frills institution. Try salteñas stuffed with chicken or with beef, olives and hard-boiled egg. L D $

El Pollo Rico

932 N. Kenmore St., 703-522-3220, elpollorico. com. A local institution, this rotisserie chicken mecca gained even more street cred after a visit from the late Anthony Bourdain. L D V $

El Rey

4201 Wilson Blvd., 571-312-5530, elreyva.com. Down tacos, margs and draft brews with colorful surroundings, inside and out. Visit The Filling Station next door for live music. O L D A $$

Elevation Burger

2447 N. Harrison St., 703-300-9467, elevation burger.com. Organic, grass-fed beef is ground on the premises, fries are cooked in olive oil and the shakes are made with fresh-scooped ice cream. O L D V $

Eli’s Taqueria

3207 Columbia Pike, 703-663-4777. Dig into beef birria tortas, shrimp tacos and pupusas at this homey spin-off of the Taqueria La Ceibita food truck by Nevi Paredes and his daughter, Yorktown alum Elizabeth Marquez. L D $

Falafel Inc.

1631 Crystal Drive, 500 23rd St. S., falafelinc.org. Fill a pita or bowl with falafel, pickled veggies and your choice of sauces. The eatery donates a portion of its sales to feed refugees. O L D V $

Fat Fish

1641 Crystal Drive, fatfishrolls.com. Grab poke bowls, sushi and bento boxes from this budgetfriendly kiosk in National Landing’s Water Park. O L D G $

Federico Ristorante Italiano

519 23rd St., 703-486-0519, federicoristorante italiano.com. Go for pasta and chianti at this trattoria co-owned by Freddie’s Beach Bar proprietor Freddie Lutz. L D V $$ Fettoosh

5100 Wilson Blvd., 703-527-7710, fettoosh restaurant.com. Pita sandwiches and kebabs keep the kitchen fired up at this bargain-priced Lebanese and Moroccan restaurant. C R L D G V $ Fire Works

2350 Clarendon Blvd., 703-527-8700, fireworks pizza.com. Enjoy wood-fired pizzas and more than 30 craft beers on tap. O C L D A G V $$

First Down Sports Bar & Grill s 4213 Fairfax Drive, 703-465-8888, firstdownsports bar.com. Three cheers for draft beers and 50 kinds of wings. L D A V $$

Four Sisters Grill

3035 Clarendon Blvd., 703-243-9020, foursisters grill.com. A go-to for banh mi sandwiches, papaya salad, spring rolls and noodle dishes. O L D $$ Freddie’s Beach Bar

555 23rd St. S., Arlington, 703-685-0555, fred diesbeachbar.com. Freddie Lutz’s “gay, straightfriendly” hangout is always a party, with flashy drinks, drag bingo and brunch. O R D A V $$ Galaxy Hut

2711 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-8646, galaxyhut.com.

Pair craft beers with vegan bar foods like “fricken” sandwiches and smothered tots. L D A G V $$

Gharer Khabar

5157 Langston Blvd., 703-973-2432, gharerkhabar. com. Translated as “home’s food,” this intimate, artfilled café serves Bangladeshi fare by chef Nasima Shreen. L D $$

Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe s 672 N. Glebe Road, 703-243-3000; 1350 S. Eads St., 703-894-1002; gocodough.com. The familyowned eatery is revered for its doughnuts, Intelligentsia coffee and cafe fare. B L V $$

Grazie Grazie

4121 Wilson Blvd., 571-216-2999, graziegrazie.com. Give thanks for Italian subs like the 8+1 (Genoa salami, hot capicola, prosciutto and sharp provolone), plus pizzas, salads and cannoli. L D $

Green Pig Bistro

2900 Wilson Blvd., 703-888-1920, greenpigbistro. com. An Arlington fave for Southern-influenced food, craft cocktails, happy hour and brunch. R L D G V $$$

Guajillo

1727 Wilson Blvd., 703-807-0840, guajillo mexican.com. Authentic Mexican dishes such as carne asada, mole poblano and churros are favorites. O C L D G V $$

Guapo’s Restaurant

4028 Campbell Ave., 703-671-1701, guaposres taurant.com. Expect hearty portions of all the TexMex standbys—quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, tacos and burritos. O C R L D G V $$

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

1119 N. Hudson St., 571-527-0445, gyu-kaku.com. Marinated meats, veggies and seafood are cooked on tabletop grills. L D $$

Gyu San

4300 Wilson Blvd., 571-312-7373, gyusan.com. Japanese barbecue, sushi, soba noodles and saki. L D G $$$

Hal & Al’s BBQ

4238 Wilson Blvd., 703-400-8884, halandals bbq.com. There’s no pork on the menu at this halal ’cue joint. Go for beef brisket, turkey sausage or beef “Dino” ribs rubbed with Old Bay. L D $$

Hanabi Ramen

3024 Wilson Blvd., 703-351-1275, hanabiramen usa.com. Slurp multiple variations of the namesake soup. L D $$

Haute Dogs

2910 N. Sycamore St., 703-548-3891, hautedogs andfries.com. Cookout fare goes gourmet with hot dog toppings ranging from banh mi with sriracha mayo to a buffalo dog with blue cheese. L D $

Hawkers Asian Street Food

4201 Wilson Blvd., 703-828-8287, eathawkers. com. Dig into Asian street foods, sake, whiskey and zero-proof quaffs. G V L D $$

Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe s

2150 N. Culpeper St., 703-527-8394, heidelberg bakery.com. A longstanding favorite for pastries, cakes, pretzels, bratwurst and German potato salad. Closed Mondays. B L $

Highline RxR

2010-A Crystal Drive, 703-413-2337, highlinerxr. com. Bar snacks, draft beers, cocktails and comedy nights bring the fun. O L D A $$

Hot Lola’s s 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), hotlolas.com. It’s all about Kevin Tien’s Nashville-meets-Sichuan hot chicken sandwiches. L D $

Hyde Social

3100 Clarendon Blvd., 703-647-9342, hyde-social. com. Sports fans unite for pub fare, drinks and trash talk. R L D A G V $$

Idido’s Coffee & Social House

1107 S. Walter Reed Drive, 703-253-1576, ididos socialhouse.com. Devotees go for the pastries, sandwiches and Ethiopian coffee. B L V $

Immigrant Food s

4245 N. Fairfax Drive, 703-203-0337, immigrant food.com. Global dishes from this “gastroadvocacy” kitchen range from Salvadoran pupusas to Filipino fried chicken. O R L D G V $$

Inca Social 1776 Wilson Blvd., 703-488-7640, incasocial.com. Empanadas, saltados, ceviche, sushi and pisco sours round out the menu at this Peruvian cousin to the original in Dunn Loring. R L D G V $$

Ireland’s Four Courts

2051 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-3600, irelandsfour

courts.com. Stop in for a pint and an EPL game over an order of fish and chips. C R L D A $$

Istanbul Grill

4617 Wilson Blvd., 571-970-5828, istanbulgrill virginia.com. Feast on Turkish meze and kebabs at this homey spot in Bluemont. L D V $$

The Italian Store s

3123 Langston Blvd., 703-528-6266; 5837 Washington Blvd., 571-341-1080; italianstore.com. A favorite for pizzas, sandwiches, prepared entrées, espresso and gelato. O L D G V $

Jon’s Joint

250 N. Glebe Road, 202-384-4954. Order halal smashburgers topped with cheese, grilled onions and pickled jalapeños. L D $

Kabob Palace

2315 S. Eads St., 703-486-3535, kabobpalaceusa. com. Open 24 hours, this Crystal City storefront serves grilled halal meats, pillowy naan and savory sides. L D A G V $$

Kaldi’s Social House

3100 10th St. N.; 3639 S. Glebe Road; 571-2131502, kaldissocialhouse.net. The National Landing location serves a creative dinner menu in addition to espresso drinks and brunch. B R L D G V $$

Kanji Izakaya

4301 Fairfax Drive, 703-512-0017, kanjiarlington. com. Dive into teriyaki, ramen, yakitori, hibachi dishes and sushi. L D G $$

Khun Yai Thai

2509 N. Harrison St., 703-536-1643, khunyaithai va.com. The family-owned restaurant serves “homestyle Thai” cuisine with grandma’s recipes. L D G V $$

King of Koshary

5515 Wilson Blvd., 571-317-7925, kingofkoshary. com. Sample the hearty namesake dish, grilled branzino, beef kofta, roasted chicken or any of the tagines from this Egyptian kitchen. L D G $$

Kusshi

1201 S. Joyce St., 571-777-1998, kusshisushi. com. Feast your way through shishito peppers, sushi, oysters and mochi. O L D G V $$$

L.A. Bar & Grill

2530 Columbia Pike, 703-685-1560, labargrill.com. Regulars flock to this dive bar on the Pike (L.A. stands for Lower Arlington) for cold brews and pub fare. D A $$

La Coop Coffee

4807 First St. N., 571-257-7972, lacoopcoffee. com. Stop in for single-origin Guatemalan coffee, house-made horchata, breakfast sammies, empanadas and ice cream. B L $

La Côte D’Or Café

6876 Langston Blvd., 703-538-3033, lcd6876va. com. This little French bistro serves standards like crepes and steak frites. O R L D G V $$$

Lantern Restaurant and Bar

320 23rd St., S., 571-800-6137, lanternrestaurant andbar.com. Try crispy fish with sweet and sour sauce, orange chicken or beef with broccoli from the comfort of a private karaoke room. L D G V $$

La Posada

320 23rd St., S., 703-412-9211, laposadarestaurant. com. Say “olé” to flautas, poblano beef ribs, shrimp saltado, agua fresca and horchata. C L D V $$

Lapu Lapu

1417 S. Fern St., 703-567-4014, lapulapubreak fast.com. Filipino breakfast sandwiches stuffed with everything from chorizo to ribeye are served on pan de sal buns from sister bakery Gwenie’s Pastries. B R L D V $

Lebanese Taverna

5900 Washington Blvd., 703-241-8681; 1101 S. Joyce St., Pentagon Row, 703-415-8681; lebanese taverna.com. A hometown favorite for shawarma, kebabs, flatbreads and more. O C L D G V $$

The Liberty Tavern

3195 Wilson Blvd., 703-465-9360, thelibertytavern. com. This Clarendon anchor offers a spirited bar

and creative cuisine fueled by two wood-burning ovens. O C R L D A G V $$$

Livin’ the Pie Life

2166 N. Glebe Road, 571-431-7727, livinthepielife. com. The wildly popular pie shop and bakery started as an Arlington farmers market stand. B L V $$ Locket

1900 Fort Myer Drive, 703-682-8233, locket rosslyn.com. Tucked inside the Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key, this all-day restaurant hits the spot with raw bar, steakhouse-style favorites and brunch. C B R L D G V $$$

Lost Dog Café

5876 Washington Blvd., 703-237-1552, lostdogcafe.com. Known for its pizzas, subs and beer selection, this deli/café supports pet adoption through the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. L D G V $$

Lucky Danger

1101 S. Joyce St., Unit B27, luckydanger.co. Chefs Tim Ma and Andrew Chiou put a fresh spin on Chinese American takeout with dishes such as duck fried rice and lo mein. L D V $$

Lyon Hall s

3100 N. Washington Blvd., 703-741-7636, lyonhall arlington.com. The European-style brasserie turns out French, German and Alsatian-inspired plates, from charcuterie and sausages to moules frites.

O C R L D A V $$$

Maison Cheryl

2900 Wilson Blvd., 703-664-0509, maisoncheryl.com. Seared duck breast, ratatouille and strawberry crepe cake are among the offerings at this French American bistro. R L D V $$$

Makers Union

1450 S. Eads St., 703-419-3504, makersunionpub. com. Pop in for comfort food, cocktails and live music several nights a week. R L D G V $$

Mala Tang

3434 Washington Blvd., 703-243-2381, mala-tang. com. A fragrant eatery specializing in Sichuan hot pot, dry pot and Chinese street foods.

O L D G V $$

Mario’s Pizza House

3322 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-0222, mariospizza housemenu.com. Open into the wee hours, it’s been cooking up subs, wings and pizza since 1957. O C B L D A $

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls 4017 Campbell Ave., 571-431-6530, masons lobster.com. Order lobster rolls your way (dressed in melted butter or mayo). L D $$

Maya Bistro

5649 Langston Blvd., 703-533-7800, bistromaya. com. The family-owned restaurant serves Turkish and Mediterranean comfort food. L D V $$

McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant

567 23rd St. S., 703-302-3760, mcnamaraspub. com. Order a Guinness and some fish and chips at this friendly watering hole. O R L D A $$

Meda Coffee & Kitchen

Wine Pickup Parties

Brunch on Weekends

Full Lunch & Dinner Menu for Sharing & Pairing

Patio

5037 Columbia Pike, 571-312-0599, medacoffee kitchen.com. Find coffee, baked goods and traditional Ethiopian dishes like kitfo and tibs.

C B L D G V $$

Me Jana

2300 Wilson Blvd., 703-465-4440, mejanarestau rant.com. Named for an old Lebanese folk ballad, this Middle Eastern eatery offers prime peoplewatching in Clarendon. O C L D G V $$

Mele Bistro

1723 Wilson Blvd., 703-522-0284, melebistro.com. The farm-to-table Mediterranean kitchen cooks with fresh, organic, free-range, regionally sourced, nonGMO ingredients. O R L D G V $$

Metro 29 Diner

4711 Langston Blvd., 703-528-2464, metro29. com. Classic diner fare includes triple-decker sandwiches, mile-high desserts, burgers and breakfast.

C B R L D V $

■ places to eat

Mexicali Blues

2933 Wilson Blvd., 703-812-9352, mexicali-blues. com. This colorful landmark dishes out Salvadoran and Mexican chow. O C R L D G V $$

Mister Days Sport Rock Café

1101 N. Highland St., 703-986-3335, misterdays usa.com. Happy hour deals and bar munchies provide fuel for game-watching. R D A $ Mpanadas

2602 Columbia Pike, 571-312-0182, mpanadas usa.com. Try barbecue pork and cheeseburger empanadas, birthday cake paletas and java chip macaroons. B L D $

Nam-Viet

1127 N. Hudson St., 703-522-7110, namvietva.com. The venerable restaurant in what was once Arlington’s “Little Saigon” neighborhood specializes in flavors of Vietnam’s Can Tho region. O L D V $$

Nettie’s Tavern

2854 Wilson Blvd., 571-867-9132, nettiestavern. com. Italy meets Appalachia in bites such as pepperoni rolls, venison meatballs and tiramisu French toast. Sip a Nettie’s Tea made with moonshine, crushed lemon and mint syrup. O R L D A V $$

Nighthawk Pizza

1201 S. Joyce St., nighthawkpizza.com. Visit this Westpost brewpub and sports bar for personal pizzas (both thick and thin crust), beer and smashburgers. L D V $$

NiHao

1550 Crystal Drive, 703-512-4109, nihaoarlington. com. Sichuan small plates by chef Peter Chang include walnut shrimp, spicy dry-fried eggplant, and pork ribs with fries. O L D G V $$

Northside Social Coffee & Wine

3211 Wilson Blvd., 703-465-0145, northsidesocial va.com. The two-story coffee and wine bar with a big patio is always busy...which tells you something. O B L D V $$

Oasis: The Listening Bar

2940 Clarendon Blvd., 703-512-3068, oasisthe listeningbar.com. From the owners of Sisters Thai, a sushi, cocktail and vinyl record bar with a surfer vibe. L D $$

Ocean Shack

2163 N. Glebe Road, 703-488-7161, oceanshack arlington.com. Dig into a seafood boil, a fried oyster basket or an order of fish tacos and pretend you’re at the beach. R L D A $$

Oh K-Dog

4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 703-5673376, ohkdog.com. Try a fried Korean rice dog with add-ins like sweet potato, cheddar or squid ink. L D $

Old Dominion Pizza Co.

4514 Langston Blvd., 703-718-6372, olddominion pizza.com. Order thin crust or “grandma style” pies named after local high school mascots. L D G $ Open Road

1201 Wilson Blvd., 703-248-0760, openroadgrill. com. A solid pick for burgers and beers or a proper entrée and a craft cocktail. O L D $$

Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen

1101 S. Joyce St., 703-567-7295, origincoffeeco. com. The industrial-chic coffee shop roasts its own beans and serves all-day breakfast, snacks and dinner plates. O B R L D V $$

O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub

3207 Washington Blvd., 703-812-0939, osullivans irishpub.com. You’ll find owner and County Kerry native Karen O’Sullivan behind the bar, pouring pints and cracking jokes. L D A $$

Our Mom Eugenia

4044 Campbell Ave., 571-970-0468, ourmom eugenia.com. This family-owned spot is beloved for its legit Greek fare, from saganaki to souvlaki. O L D $$

Padaek

2931 S. Glebe Road, 703-888-2890, padaekdc. com. Chef Seng Luangrath’s celebrated kitchen

turns out Lao, Thai and Burmese fare—satay, curries and noodle dishes. O L D G V $$

Palette 22

4053 Campbell Ave., 703-746-9007, palette22.com. The Shirlington gallery-café specializes in international small plates and is a hoppin’ brunch spot. O R L D V $$

Peking Pavilion

2912 N. Sycamore St., 703-237-6868, peking pavilionva.com. Reliable standbys include moo shu pork and beef with broccoli. L D $$

Peruvian Brothers

1450 S. Eads St., 703-625-6473, peruvianbroth ers.com. Dig into chicharron sandwiches, saltados, empanadas, rotisserie chicken and power bowls.

L D V $

Peter Chang Arlington

2503-E N. Harrison St., 703-538-6688, peterchang arlington.com. The former Chinese Embassy chef brings his fiery and flavorful Sichuan cooking to the Lee Harrison Shopping Center. C L D $$ Pho 75 s

1721 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-7355, pho75.res taurantwebexpert.com. The piping-hot Vietnamese soup at this local institution is all about fresh ingredients. O L D V $

Pho & Banh Mi Eatery Café

3000 Washington Blvd., 703-489-8212, eatery cafeva.com. Fill up on banh mi (with tofu, grilled chicken or pork), steaming bowls of pho and poke bowls. L D G V $ PhoWheels

1731 Crystal Drive, phowheelsdc.com. The popular food truck serving Vietnamese pho and banh mi has a kiosk at Water Park. O L D G $ Pi BBQ and Bar

420 23rd St. S. 629-899-1318, pibbqbar.peblla. com. Enjoy traditional Korean barbecue, grilled at your table, with all the banchan. L D A $$$ Pie-tanza s

2503-B N. Harrison St., 703-237-0200, pie-tanza.

com. Enjoy pizza (including gluten-free options), calzones, lasagna, subs and salads. C L D G V $$ Pines of Florence

2109 N. Pollard St., 703-566-0456, pinesofflor encearlingtonva.com. The classics include linguine with pesto, veal parm and chicken cacciatore, plus housemade pizza and subs. L D V $$ Pink Saffron

1201 S. Joyce St., 571-867-9090, thepinksaffron. com. Minted lamb, tandoori chicken, veggie korma and other Indian favorites. L D G V $$

Pupatella s

5104 Wilson Blvd.; 1621 S. Walter Reed Drive, 571-312-7230, pupatella.com. Enzo and Anastasiya Algarme’s authentic Neapolitan pies are considered among D.C.’s best. O L D V $$

Quarterdeck

1200 Fort Myer Drive, 703-528-2722, quarterdeck arlington.com. This beloved shack has served up steamed crabs for 40 years. O C L D V $$

Queen Mother’s Kitchen

1601 Crystal Drive, 703-997-8474, queenmother cooks.com. Grab a fried chicken sandwich and a side of duck fat fries. O L D $

Quincy Hall

4001 Fairfax Drive, 703-567-4098, quincyhallbar. com. Go for pints, meatballs and New York-style pizza at this spacious beer hall in Ballston. L D $

Quinn’s on the Corner

1776 Wilson Blvd., 703-640-3566, quinnsonthe corner.com. Irish and Belgian favorites such as mussels, steak frites, and bangers and mash, plus draft beers and a big whiskey list. B R L D A $$

Ragtime

1345 N. Courthouse Road, 703-243-4003, ragtime restaurant.com. Taste the Big Easy in offerings such as jambalaya, catfish, spiced shrimp and oysters. Sundays bring a waffle and omelet bar.

O R L D A V $$

Rasa

2200 Crystal Drive, 703-888-0925, rasagrill.com.

Build a bowl with options like basmati rice, chicken tikka, lamb, pickled vegetables, lentils, chutneys and yogurt sauces. O L D G V $

Ravenna Pizza

1500 Wilson Blvd., 571-520-2086, ravennapizza. com. Pop in for Roman-style pizzas, focaccia sandwiches and gelato. L D V $

Ravi Kabob House

350 N. Glebe Road, 703-522-6666; 250 N. Glebe Road, 703-816-0222. Curries, kebabs and delectably spiced veggies keep this strip-mall café plenty busy. C L D V $$

The Renegade

3100 Clarendon Blvd., 703-468-4652, renegadeva. com. Is it a coffee shop, restaurant, bar or live music venue? All of the above—with snacks ranging from lambchop lollipops to lo mein. B L D A $$

Rhodeside Grill

1836 Wilson Blvd., 703-243-0145, rhodeside grill.com. Find chops, meatloaf, burgers and po’boys accompanied by every kind of hot sauce imaginable. O C R L D A V $$

Rien Tong Asian Bistro

3131 Wilson Blvd., 703-243-8388, rientong.com. The large menu includes Thai and Chinese standards, plus sushi. L D V $$

Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Co. s 3471 Washington Blvd., 703-528-9663, rocklands. com. Owner John Snedden has been slow-cooking barbecue at this Arlington favorite since 1990. O C L D G V $

Roggenart Bakery, Bistro & Café

4401 Wilson Blvd., 703-721-3182, roggenart.com. Stop in for breakfast, coffee, pastries and sandwiches on house-baked bread. B R L D V $$

Rooftop Recess

2424 Wilson Blvd., 757-807-2233, rooftoprecess. com. Grab a seat on the roof deck to enjoy seasonal fare and refreshing cocktails O C R L D V $$

Ruffino’s Spaghetti House

4763 Langston Blvd., 703-528-2242, ruffino spaghetti.com. Fill up on classics such as veal Parmigiana and chicken piccata. C L D V $$ RusUz

1000 N. Randolph St., 571-312-4086, rusuz.com. The family-run bistro serves hearty Russian and Uzbek dishes such as borscht, beef stroganoff and plov—a rice pilaf with lamb. L D $$

Ruthie’s All-Day s

3411 Fifth St. S., 703-888-2841, ruthiesallday. com. Chef Matt Hill’s acclaimed “meat and three” serves up wood-smoked proteins with creative sides. Breakfast (with house-made biscuits) offered daily. O B R L D G V $$ Ryu Izakaya

3030 Columbia Pike, 703-399-9052, ryuizakayava. com. A spot on the Pike for sushi, sake and yakitori. L D G $$

Sabores Tapas Bar

2401 Columbia Pike, 571-970-1253, saboresva. com. Dine on ceviche, lomo saltado and classic gambas al ajillo at this tapas bar on the Pike. R L D G V $$

Saigon Noodles & Grill

1800 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-5940, saigonnoodles grill.com. Traditional Vietnamese pho, banh mi and noodle dishes round out the offerings at this restaurant and takeout. L D $$

Sakaki Izakaya

3227 Washington Blvd., 703-718-4931, sakaki-izakaya.com. Try mini “sushi burgers,” Wagyu fried rice and the dazzling Egg on Egg (king salmon, quail egg, ikura and wasabi soy in a smoking bowl). Closed Tuesdays. L D A G $$ Salt s 1201 Wilson Blvd., 703-875-0491, saltrosslyn.com. The speakeasy-style cocktail bar serves cheese plates and carpaccio alongside sazeracs, old-fashioneds and nouveau craft cocktails. D $$

The Salt Line 4040 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-2075, thesaltline. com. Hit this seafood-centric oyster bar for clam chowder, lobster rolls, stuffies, smashburgers and fun cocktails. c O R D $$$

Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub 2800 S. Randolph St., 703-379-0122, samuel becketts.com. A modern Irish pub serving Emerald Isle recipes. O C R L D A G V $$

Santé

1250 S. Hayes St. (inside the Ritz-Carlton), 703412-2762, meetatsante.com. Tuck into an elegant plate of shrimp saganaki, whole roasted branzino or lamb “osso bucco.” B R L D G V $$$

Sawatdee Thai Restaurant 2250 Clarendon Blvd., 703-243-8181, sawatdeeva. com. Craving pad thai or pad prik king? This is the place. L D V $$

Screwtop Wine Bar and Cheese Shop 1025 N. Fillmore St., 703-888-0845, screwtop winebar.com. The congenial wine bar and bottle shop offers tastings, wine classes, and small plates for sharing and pairing. O C R L D G V $$

Seoulspice

1735 N. Lynn St., 703-419-5868, seoulspice.com. Korean fast-casual comfort food, anyone? L D G V $

SER 1110 N. Glebe Road, 703-746-9822, serrestau rant.com. Traditional Spanish and Basque dishes in a colorful, friendly space with outstanding service.

O R L D V $$$

Sfoglina Pasta House

1100 Wilson Blvd., sfoglinapasta.com/rosslyn. Fabio Trabocchi’s urbane trattoria serves housemade pasta (you can watch it being made), a “mozzarella bar” and Italian cocktails. Closed Sundays.

O L D V $$$

Silver Diner

4400 Wilson Blvd., 703-812-8600, silverdiner. com. The kitchen cooks with organic ingredients, many of which are sourced from local suppliers. Low-calorie and gluten-free menu choices are available. O C B R L D A G V $$

The Simple Greek

1731 Wilson Blvd., 703-875-1800, thesimplegreek. com. Find gyros, spanakopita, dolmades and other Greek favorites at this café and catering operation in Colonial Village. O C B L D V $

Simply Banh Mi

801 N. Quincy St., simplybahnmi.com. In addition to its namesake sandwich, the cult-status takeout that originated in Georgetown serves pho and build-yourown rice and vermicelli noodle bowls. L D $

Skydome

300 Army Navy Drive, 703-416-3862. Savor craft cocktails, Mediterranean dishes and views of the D.C. skyline in this revolving hotel restaurant. Closed Sunday and Monday. D G V $$$

Sloppy Mama’s Barbeque

5731 Langston Blvd., 703-269-2718, sloppyma mas.com. Joe and Mandy Neuman’s barbecue joint offers wood-smoked meats galore, plus pimento cheese, hearty sides and banana pudding for dessert. O B R L D V $$

Smokecraft Modern Barbecue

1051 N. Highland St., 571-312-8791, smokecraft bbq.com. Every menu item is kissed by smoke, from ribs, crabcakes and spaghetti squash to the chocolate cherry bread pudding. O L D G V $$

Snouts & Stouts

2709 S. Oakland St., 571-317-2239, snouts nstouts.com. Grab a beer and some pulled-pork pretzel bites with beer cheese while your pup runs around this indoor dog park and bar. L D $

Soul Thai Kitchen & Bar

6035 Wilson Blvd., 703-300-9655, soulthaikitchen andbar.com. Find curries, noodle dishes and other Thai classics. L D G V $

Spice Kraft Indian Bistro

1135 N. Highland St., 703-527-5666, spicekraft va.com. This contemporary concept by restaura-

Spring is in the air at Rocklands and BBQ is on the menu! Enjoy our outdoor patio and watch your favorite games with us!

Your Hometown Barbeque Since 1990!

3471 Washington Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 703-528-9663 www.rocklands.com

teurs Anthony Sankar and Premnath Durairaj gives Indian classics a modern spin. O L D $$

Spider Kelly’s

3181 Wilson Blvd., 703-312-8888, spiderkellys.com. The “come as you are” bar offers a sizable beer list, creative cocktails, salads, burgers, snacks and breakfast at all hours. C D A G V $$

Stellina Pizzeria

2800 S. Randolph St., 703-962-7884, stellina pizzeria.com. Pay a visit for Neapolitan pies, fried artichokes and a deli counter with house-made pastas, sauces and dolci to take home. O R L D $$

Supreme Hot Pot

2301 Columbia Pike, 571-666-1801, supremehot potva.com. This Pike eatery specializes in Szechuan hot pot, skewered meats and a few Cajun seafood dishes. D G $$

Surreal

2117 Crystal Drive, surrealpark.com. Playful dishes range from a foot-long Boomdog to scallops with celery root mezcal “clouds.” O B L D $$

SushiJip

3000 Washington Blvd., 703-243-7799, sushijip. com. A neighborhood spot for sushi, poke bowls, hibachi and ramen. Closed Mondays. L D G V $$

Sushi Rock

1900 Clarendon Blvd., 571-312-8027, sushirockva. com. Play a little air guitar while sampling sushi rolls and beverages named after your favorite bands, from Zeppelin to Ozzy to Oasis. D A G V $$

Sushi-Zen Japanese Restaurant s

2457 N. Harrison St., 703-534-6000, sushizen. com. An amicable, light-filled neighborhood stop for sushi, donburi, tempura and udon. C L D V $$

Sweet Leaf

2200 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-5100; 800 N. Glebe Road, 703-522-5000; 650 N. Quincy St., 703527-0807; sweetleafcafe.com. Build your own sandwiches and salads. O C B L D $$

Taco Bamba

4000 Wilson Blvd., 571-777-1477; 4041 Campbell

■ places to eat

Ave., 571-257-3030; tacobamba.com. Taco options range from classic carnitas to cheffy creations like the El Rico Pollo, stuffed with chicken, green chili, aji Amarillo aioli and crispy potato. B L D V $

Taco Rock

1501 Wilson Blvd., 571-775-1800, thetacorock. com. This rock-themed watering hole keeps the Micheladas flowing alongside tacos on housemade blue-corn tortillas. B L D V $$

Taqueria el Poblano

2503-A N. Harrison St., 703-237-8250, taqueria poblano.com. Fresh guacamole, fish tacos, margaritas and mole verde transport patrons to the Yucatan. C L D G V $$

Taqueria Xochi

1450 S. Eads St., 571-444-6722, taqueriaxochi. com. Beef birria tacos, crispy stuffed mulitas and other Mexican street foods. D A V $$

Tatte Bakery and Café

2805 Clarendon Blvd., 571-312-8691; 269 19th Court S., 571-357-1470; tattebakery.com. Breakfast sandwiches, tartines, panini, grain bowls, coffee and pastries. O B R L D G V $

Ted’s Bulletin & Sidekick Bakery

4238 Wilson Blvd., 703-848-7580, tedsbulletin. com. Retro comfort food and all-day breakfast with an adjoining bakery. C B R L D G V $$

Texas Jack’s Barbecue

2761 Washington Blvd., 703-875-0477, txjacks.com. Brisket, ribs and pulled pork, plus sides like raw carrot salad and smashed cucumbers. O L D A $$

T.H.A.I. in Shirlington

4209 Campbell Ave., 703-931-3203, thaiinshirling ton.com. Pretty dishes include lemongrass salmon with black sticky rice. O L D G V $$$

Thai Noy

5880 Washington Blvd., 703-534-7474, thainoy.com. Shimmering tapestries and golden Buddhas are the backdrop in this destination for Thai noodles, curries and rice dishes. L D $$

Thai Square

3217 Columbia Pike, 703-685-7040, thaisquarerestaurant.com. Enjoy options ranging from crispy squid with basil and roasted duck curry to pig knuckle stew. O L D G V $$

Tiger Dumplings

3225 Washington Blvd., 571-970-4512, tiger dumplings.com. There are dumplings, of course, plus five-spice beef, roast duck and vegan options like tofu skin with peanuts. L D G V $$

Timber Pizza

4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 703-5676463, timberpizza.com. Popular pies include the Green Monster (pesto, feta, zucchini, kale) and the Worthy (chicken, barbecue sauce, red onions, apples and cilantro). L D V $$ TNR Cafe

2049 Wilson Blvd., 571-217-0766, tnrcafe.com. When you have a hankering for Peking duck, moo shu chicken, Szechuan beef or bubble tea. L D G V $$

Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream s

5849-A Washington Blvd., 703-536-7000; 510 14th St. S.; tobysicecream.com. Stop in for cups, cones, floats and sundaes. Coffee, pastries and bagels available in the morning. B L D V $

Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita

2911 Columbia Pike, 571-970-2824; 3811 Fairfax Drive, 703-512-4137; tortasytacoslachiquitadmv. com. The beloved eatery that started as a food truck does tacos, alambres, huarache platters, flautas and pozole right. B L D A $ Trade Roots

5852 Washington Blvd., 571-335-4274, fairtrade roots.com. The Westover gift shop and cafe serves fair-trade coffee, tea, pastries, salads, organic wine and snackable small plates. O B L $ Troy’s Italian Kitchen

2710 Washington Blvd., 703-528-2828, troysitalian kitchen.com. Palak and Neel Vaidya’s mom-andpop serves pizza, pasta and calzones, including a

lengthy vegan menu with options like “chicken” tikka masala pizza. L D G V $ True Food Kitchen

4238 Wilson Blvd., 703-527-0930, truefoodkitchen.com. Emphasizing “anti-inflammatory” fare, the menu will convince you that healthy tastes good.

O L D G V $$

Tupelo Honey Café

1616 N. Troy St., 703-253-8140, tupelohoneycafe. com. The Southern fusion menu includes dishes like roasted snapper with sweet potato and farro.

C R L D $$

Upside on Moore

1700 N. Moore St., upsideonmoore.com. This food hall above the Rosslyn metro includes DMV concepts Ghostburger, Stellina Pizzeria, Little Tiger Dumplings and Neko Panchi sushi. L D G V $$

Urban Tandoor

801 N. Quincy St., 703-567-1432, utandoorva.com. Sate your appetite with Indian and Nepalese fare, from tandoori lamb to Himalayan momos. Lunch buffet daily. L D V $$

Variedades Catrachas Restaurant

3709 Columbia Pike, 703-888-0906, variedades catrachas.com. This homey Honduran eatery is open almost round the clock. B L D A G V $

Wagamama

2950 Clarendon Blvd., 571-901-9242, waga mama.us. Feast on ramen, teppanyaki, rice bowls, bao buns, boba tea and sake cocktails.

O L D G V $$

Water Bar

1601 Crystal Drive, nlwaterbar.com. This sleek oyster bar overlooking National Landing’s Water Park serves sharable plates, snacks and proper cocktails. O L D G V $$

Weenie Beenie

2680 Shirlington Road, 703-671-6661, weenie beenie.net. The hot dog stand founded in 1954 is still serving half smokes, bologna-and-egg sandwiches and pancakes. B L D $

Westover Market & Beer Garden

5863 N. Washington Blvd., 703-536-5040, westo vermarketbeergarden.com. It’s a hive for burgers, draft microbrews and live music. O C L D A $$

Westover Taco

5849 Washington Blvd., 703-297-3030, westover taco.com. Tacos, guac, margs and beer keep things casual at this neighborhood hangout. L D V A $

Westville

2800 Clarendon Blvd., 703-646-7226, westvillenyc. com. The veg-forward concept out of New York City emphasizes locally sourced ingredients and buildyour-own dishes, plus cocktails. O B L D G V $$ Whino

4238 Wilson Blvd., 571-290-3958, whinova.com. Part restaurant/bar and part art gallery, this vibey spot features cocktails, shareable plates, brunch, and “low brow” art exhibits. R L D A $$

William Jeffrey’s Tavern 2301 Columbia Pike, 703-746-6333, william jeffreystavern.com. The pub on the Pike features Prohibition-era wall murals and mixes a mean martini. O C R L D A G V $$

Wilson Hardware

2915 Wilson Blvd., 703-527-4200, wilson hardwareva.com. Hit the pretty patio or roof deck for boozy slushies and small plates.

O R L D A G V $$$

Wiseguy Pizza

1735 N. Lynn St., 703-358-8880; 710 12th St. S., 703-334-9885, wiseguypizza.com. The Sicilian and New York-style pies range from classic pepperoni to Korean chicken with cabbage. L D G V $

Wonder

1771 N. Pierce St.,wonder.com. Find fast-casual menus by star chefs like Bobby Flay and Marcus Samuelsson at this Rosslyn food hall. L D G V $$

Yayla Bistro

2201 N. Westmoreland St., 703-533-5600, yayla

bistro.com. A cozy little spot for Turkish small plates, flatbreads and seafood. Pita wraps available for lunch only. O C L D $$

Yume Sushi

2121 N. Westmoreland St., 703-269-5064, yume sushiva.com. Sushi, omakase and a sake bar with craft cocktails in a stylish setting. L D V G $$$ Yunnan by Potomac 721 15th St., S., 571-699-3935, yunnanby potomac.com. Try mixian rice noodles in chicken bone broth, xiaochi (small plates) and multiple kinds of bao buns. O R L D $$

Yu Noodles

1515 Wilson Blvd., 703-718-4928, yunoodles arlington.com. Noodles, dumplings, rice dishes and dim sum round out the offerings. L D $

FALLS CHURCH

2941 Restaurant

2941 Fairview Park Drive, 703-270-1500, 2941. com. French chef Bertrand Chemel’s airy sanctuary offers beautifully composed seasonal dishes and expert wine pairings. C L D V $$$$

Al Jazeera

3813-D S. George Mason Drive, 703-379-2733. The top seller at this Yemeni cafe is oven-roasted lamb with yellow rice. L D $$

Anthony’s Restaurant

3000 Annandale Road, 703-532-0100, anthonys restaurantva.com. The family-owned diner serves standbys like spaghetti, pizza, gyros and subs, plus breakfast on weekends. R L D V $$

B Side

8298 Glass Alley (Mosaic), 703-676-3550, bsidecuts.com. Nathan Anda’s charcuterie, smashburgers and beef-fat fries steal the show at this cozy bar. L D $$

Badd Pizza

346 W. Broad St., 703-237-2233, baddpizza.com. Order a Buffalo-style “cup-and-char” pepperoni pie and a Lost Rhino “baddbeer” IPA. L D $$

Bakeshop

100 E. Fairfax St., 703-533-0002, bakeshopva.com. See Arlington listing. B V $

Balqees Restaurant

5820 Seminary Road, 703-379-0188, balqeesres taurant.com. Lebanese and Yemeni specialties include lamb in saffron rice, saltah (a vegetarian stew) and saffron cake with crème anglaise. O L D V $$ Bamian

5634 Leesburg Pike, 703-820-7880, bamianres taurant.com. Try Afghan standards like palau (lamb with saffron rice) and aushak (scallion dumplings with yogurt, meat sauce and mint). C L D V $$

Caboose Commons

2918 Eskridge Road (Mosaic), 703-663-8833, caboosebrewing.com. The microbrewery has a hopping patio, house brews and creative eats, from fried pickles to plant-based buddha bowls.

O L D V A $$

Café Kindred

450 N. Washington St., 571-327-2215, cafe kindred.com. Pop in for a yogurt parfait, avocado toast, grilled eggplant sandwich, or an espresso fizz. B R L V $$

Cafe Zevian

700 W. Broad St.,703-712-7012, cafezevian.com. Savor Turkish, Greek and Lebanese influences in mezze, grilled seafood, doner kebab and baklava.

O B R L D G V $$

Casa Mariachi

133 E. Annandale Road, casamariachirestaurante. com. All the Tex-Mex favorites—tacos, burritos, fajitas, saltado, guac and margs. B L D $$

Celebrity Delly s

7263-A Arlington Blvd., 703-573-9002, celebrity deliva.com. Matzo-ball soup, massive corned beef sandwiches and tuna melts satisfy at this New

York-style deli founded in 1975. Brunch served all day Saturday and Sunday. C B L D G V $

Chasin’ Tails

944 W. Broad St., 571-777-9596, chasintailsss. com. The Viet-Cajun menu includes crawfish boils, char-broiled kimchi oysters and scallop crudo with citrus vinaigrette. L D $$

Chay Restaurant

6531 Columbia Pike, 571-378-1771, chayrestau rant.com. Worth the trip for vegetarian hot pot, spring rolls, noodles and other plant-based Vietnamese specialties. L D G V $

Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

130 N. Washington St., 703-532-9283, clareand dons.com. Go coastal with fish tacos, margs and live outdoor music. O C L D A G V $$ Colada Shop

2920 District Ave., 703-962-3002, coladashop. com. See Arlington listing. O B R L D V $$ District Dumplings

2985 District Ave. (Mosaic), 703-884-7080, districtdumplings.com. See Arlington listing. L D $$ District Taco

5275-C Leesburg Pike, 571-699-0660, district taco.com. See Arlington listing. C B L D G V $

Dogwood Tavern

132 W. Broad St., 703-237-8333, dogwoodtav ern.com. The menu has something for everyone, from jambalaya and burgers to coconut-curry salmon. O C R L D A V $$

Dolan Uyghur

400 S. Maple Ave., 833-693-6526, dolanuyghur. com. Order noodles, kebabs and Uyghur and Dolan specialties such as steamed dumplings stuffed with pumpkin and peppers. O B R L D G V $$ Dominion Wine & Beer

107 Rowell Court, 703-533-3030, dominionwine andbeer.com. Pairings come easy when a café shares its space with a wine and beer shop. Order up a plate of sliders, a cheese board or Dragon shrimp. O R L D V $$

Duangrat’s

5878 Leesburg Pike, 703-820-5775, duangrats. com. A revered destination for enchanting Thai cuisine since 1987. O R L D V $$ El Tio Tex-Mex Grill

7630 Lee Highway, 703-204-0233, eltiogrill.com. Take the family out for fajitas, enchiladas, lomo saltado, combo plates and margaritas. O L D $$ Elephant Jumps Thai Restaurant

8110-A Arlington Blvd., 703-942-6600, elephant jumps.com. Creative and comforting Thai food in an intimate strip-mall storefront. L D G V $$ Elevation Burger

442 S. Washington St., 703-237-4343, elevation burger.com. See Arlington listing. O L D V $

Ellie Bird s

125 Founders Ave., 703-454-8894, elliebirdva. com. Discover the wonders of chef Yuan Tang’s seasonal, globally-inspired cooking at this awardwinning Little City gem. c o R D G V $$$

The Falls Restaurant & Bar

370 W. Broad St., 703-237-8227, thefallsva.com. Dig into crabcakes, brisket, packed salads, pork schnitzel and, during weekend brunch, unlimited small plates. O R L D G V $$$

Fava Pot

7393 Lee Highway, 703-204-0609, favapot.com.

The Egyptian eats include stewed fava beans with yogurt and lamb shanks with okra. And oh the bread! B L D G V $$

Fish Taco

930 W. Broad St., 571-531-3920, fishtacoonline. com. Order a marg and the namesake food blackened, beer-battered or grilled, or opt for steak, chicken or veggies instead. L D G $

Flame Japanese Hibachi

6379 Seven Corners Center, 571-480-5161, flamejapanesehibachi.com. Get fired up for grilled

beef, chicken, salmon and tofu, plus sushi, bubble tea and cheesecake smoothies. L D $$

Godfrey’s Bakery & Café

421 W. Broad St., 571-378-1144, godfreysbakery cafe.com. Pop in for pastries, grazing boards, Roman-style pizza and coffee drinks. B R L D V $$

GrillMarX Steakhouse and Raw Bar

510 S. Washington St., 240-261-7762, gmxfalls church.com. Splurge on prime rib or boneless ribeye with all the sides, plus desserts such as classic cheesecake or a hot fudge sundae. L D G $$$$

Haandi Indian Cuisine

1222 W. Broad St., 703-533-3501, haandi.com. The perfumed kebabs, curries and biryani incorporate northern and southern Indian flavors. L D V G $$

Harvey’s

513 W. Broad St., 540-268-6100, harveysva.com. Chef Thomas Harvey’s homey café does roasted chicken, cheesesteaks, banana splits and other comfort fare with flair. O C B R L D V $$

Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ

8298 Glass Alley, 703-676-3550, hifitexmexbbq. com. Smoked meats, tacos, wings and tequila drinks shine at this spin-off of the original in Del Ray. R D $$

Hong Kong Palace

6387 Seven Corners Center, 703-532-0940, hong kongpalacedelivery.com. This kitchen caters to both ex-pat and American tastes with an enormous menu of options. C L D $$

Hong Kong Pearl Seafood Restaurant 6286 Arlington Blvd., 703-237-1388. Two words: dim sum. L D A V $$

Honoo Ramen Bar

165 W. Falls Station Blvd., 571-866-6540, honoo ramenbar.com. Ramen, skewers, sushi and small plates round out the menu. O L D G $$

Huong Viet

6785 Wilson Blvd., 703-538-7110. Spring rolls, roasted quail and shaky beef are faves at this cash-only Eden Center eatery. C L D G V $$

Ireland’s Four Provinces

105 W. Broad St., 703-534-8999, 4psva.com. A tavern in the heart of Falls Church City serving pub food and Irish specialties to the tune of occasional Irish music sessions. O C B R L D $$

Jinya Ramen Bar

2911 District Ave. (Mosaic), 571-327-2256, jinyaramenbar.com. Embellish your tonkotsu or umami-miso broth with more than a dozen toppings and add-ins. O L D A g V $$

JV’s Restaurant

6666 Arlington Blvd., 703-241-9504, jvsrestaurant. com. A dive bar (the best kind) known for its live music, cold beer and home-cooked meatloaf, lasagna and chili. L D A V $$

Lantern House Viet Bistro 1067 West Broad St., 703-268-2878, lantern houseva.com. Head out for pho, noodles and banh mi at this family-owned Vietnamese eatery. L D G V $$

Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen

7049 Leesburg Pike, 703-532-5299, lazymikes deli.com. A Falls Church institution churning out homemade ice cream, packed deli sandwiches and breakfast faves. O C B R L D G V $

La Tingeria

626 S. Washington St., 571-316-6715. A popular food truck in Arlington since 2012, David Peña’s concept also has a brick-and-mortar location where the queso birria tacos are a must. Open Wednesday-Sunday. L D $

Little Falls Cafe s

106 Little Falls St., @littlefallscafe. From the founders of Pupatella pizzeria, a charming creperie serving both sweet and savory renditions of the beloved French pancakes. O B R L V $$

Little Saigon Restaurant

6218-B Wilson Blvd., 703-536-2633, littlesaigon restaurant.us. Authentic Vietnamese in comfort-

able setting with captivating retro photo collages on the walls. O L D $$

Loving Hut 2842 Rogers Drive, 703-942-5622; lovinghut fallschurch.com. The vegan eats include rice vermicelli with barbecued soy protein and clay pot rice with vegan “ham.” L D G V $$

MacMillan Whisky Room 2920 District Ave. (Mosaic), 240-994-3905, themacmillan.com. Contemplate more than 200 kinds of spirits lining the bar and a menu of U.K. and American pub standards. O R L D $$

Mark’s Duck House

6184-A Arlington Blvd., 703-532-2125. Though named for its specialty—Peking duck—it also offers tantalizing options such as short ribs, roasted pork and dim sum. R L D A V $$

Meaza Restaurant

5700 Columbia Pike, 703-820-2870, meazares taurant.com. Well-seasoned legumes and marinated beef served with spongy injera bread are signatures in this vivid Ethiopian banquet hall.

O C L D G V $$

Met Khao

6395 Seven Corners Center, 703-533-9480, padaekdc.com. Chef Seng Luangrath has transformed the former Padaek space into a fast-casual eatery serving Thai and Laotian fare. L D G V $

Miu Kee

6653 Arlington Blvd., 703-237-8884. Open late, this strip-mall hideaway offers Cantonese, Sichuan and Hunan dishes. L D A $$

Mom & Pop

2909 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-9920050, dolcezzagelato.com. The little glass cafe serves light fare, snacks, gelato, coffee, beer and wine. O B R L D A $$

MQR Cafe

6343 Columbia Pike, 571-378-1012, mqrcafe. com. Find cardamom lattes, kunafa French toast, harissa burgers and chicken shawarma sandwiches at this halal café and coffee shop.

B R L D G V $

Naja Mediterranean

2911 District Ave., 571-430-3650, najamediter ranean.com. Enjoy shawarma, falafel and other Lebanese favorites in the former Kirby Club space. O C LD V $$

Nhu Lan Sandwich

6763 Wilson Blvd., 703-532-9009, nhulancafe. com. This tiny Vietnamese deli at Eden Center is a favorite for banh mi sandwiches. L D V $

Northside Social Falls Church s

205 Park Ave., 703-992-8650, northsidesocial va.com. Come by in the morning for breakfast and a latte. Return in the evening for wine and a plate of charcuterie, or a full dinner. O B L D V $$

Nue s

944 W. Broad St., 571-777-9599, nuevietnamese. com. The Viet-modern menu (think coconut-curry risotto, crispy whole fish and dazzling cocktails) has a stunning space to match. R L D G v $$$

Open Road

8100 Lee Highway, 571-395-4400, openroadmerri field.com. See Arlington listing. O C R L D $$

The Original Pancake House

7395-M Lee Highway, 703-698-6292, ophrestau rants.com. Answer those breakfast cravings with pancakes, crepes, waffles, French toast and more. C B R G V $

Our Mom Eugenia

2985 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 434-3394019, ourmomeugenia.com. See Arlington listing. O L D $$

Panjshir Restaurant

114 E. Fairfax St., 703-536-4566, panjshirrestau rant.com. Carnivores go for the kebabs, but the vegetarian chalows elevate pumpkin, eggplant and spinach to new levels. O L D V $$

■ places to eat

Peking Gourmet Inn

6029 Leesburg Pike, 703-671-8088, pekinggour met.com. It’s all about the crispy Peking duck at this famed institution, a destination for presidents, ambassadors and celebrities for more than three decades. C L D G V $$

Pho 88

232 W. Broad St., 703-533-8233, pho88va.com. Vietnamese pho is the main attraction, but the menu also includes other noodle and rice dishes. Closed Tuesdays. L D $$

Pho Ga Vang

6767 Wilson Blvd., 571-375-8281, phogavang. com. Slurp more than 12 kinds of pho, plus other Vietnamese homestyle dishes at this Eden Center café. L D G $$

Plaka Grill

1216 W. Broad St., 703-639-0161, plakagrill.com. Pop in for super satisfying Greek eats—dolmas, souvlaki, moussaka, spanakopita and roasted chicken. C L D V $$

Pop-Up District

6763 Wilson Blvd., pop-updistrict.com. Hit this Asian food hall inside the Eden Center for Thai street food, Korean bulgogi bowls, Hong Kong egg tarts, matcha drinks and late-night cocktails. L D G V A $ Preservation Biscuit

102 E. Fairfax St., 571-378-1757, preservation biscuit.com. Order the signature carb with housemade jams, or as a sandwich with fillers ranging from fried chicken to guac and egg. O C B L V $

Pupuseria La Familiar

308 S. Washington St., 703-995-2528, pupuseria lafamiliar.com. Salvadoran pupusas, fried yucca, chicharron, carne asada and horchata. L D $$

Puzukan Tan

8114 Arlington Blvd., 571-395-4727, puzukantan. com. From brothers Sam and Kibum Kim comes this Korean barbecue destination featuring dryaged meats, banchan and ramen. O L D $$$

Raaga Restaurant

5872 Leesburg Pike, 703-998-7000, raagarestau rant.com. Go out for chicken tikka, lamb rogan josh, toothsome samosas and cardamom-infused desserts. O L D G V $$

Rare Bird Coffee Roasters

230 W. Broad St., 571-314-1711, rarebirdcoffee. com. This charming Little City café roasts its own beans and makes an artful latte. The cafe space features rotating exhibits by local artists. L D $ Rasa

2905 District Ave. (Mosaic), 571-378-0670, rasa. co. See Arlington listing. L D G V $ Rice Paper/Taste of Vietnam

6775 Wilson Blvd., 703-538-3888, ricepapertasteofvietnam.com. Settle into one of the mod booths in this Eden Center mainstay for a combo platter of pork, seafood and ground beef with ricepaper wraps and fresh herbs. L D G V $$

Roll Play

944 W. Broad St., 571-777-9983, rollplaygrill. com. Grab Viet street foods such as banh mi, pho and build-your-own rice paper rolls from this fastcasual sibling of Nue and Chasin’ Tails. L D G V $$

Semicolon Cafe

103 Founders Ave., 703-995-0970, semicoloncafe. com. Treat yourself to an egg or bulgogi sandwich on brioche and Korean shaved ice in flavors such as matcha with cheesecake or black sesame. B L $

Seoul Prime Korean Steakhouse 106 Founders Ave., 703-563-1168, seoulprime. com. The temptations here include galbi-jjim risotto with braised short ribs, Korean wheat noodles, soju cocktails and prime cuts of beef cooked on a tabletop grill. R D $$$

SeoulSpice

156 W. Falls Station Blvd., seoulspice.com. See Arlington listing. L D G V $

Settle Down Easy Brewing 2822 Fallfax Drive, 703-573-2011, settledowneasy

brewing.com. Pair a pint from the rotating beer list with tacos from neighboring El Tio Tex-Mex Grill. Live music, trivia contests and open mic nights are also part of the fun. Closed Mondays. O L D $

Sfizi Café

800 W. Broad St., 703-533-1191, sfizi.com. A family-owned trattoria, deli and wine shop serving classic Italian fare—pasta, pizza, parm. L D $$

Side Chick

125 Founders Ave., Falls Church, sidechickva.com. Ellie Bird chef Yuan Tang has a side hustle specializing in fried chicken and creative sides for carryout. D $$

Silver Diner

8150 Porter Road, 703-204-0812, silverdiner.com. See Arlington listing. C B R L D A G V $$ Sisters Thai 2985 District Ave. (Mosaic), 703-280-0429, sistersthai.com. The menu is traditionally Thai, but the vibe feels like you’re dining in your cool friend’s eclectic living room. L D G V $$

Solace Outpost s

444 W. Broad St., 571-378-1469, solaceoutpost. com. This Little City microbrewery serves housebrewed suds, plus fried chicken, five kinds of fries and wood-fired pizza. D A V $$

Spacebar

709 W. Broad St., 703-992-0777, spcbr.com. This diminutive and funky bar, a sister to Galaxy Hut in Arlington, offers 24 craft beers on tap and 18 variations on the grilled cheese sandwich. D A V $$ Stratford Garden

300 W. Broad St., 571-550-9440, stratfordgarden. com. The newest neighborhood spot from Arash and Afsheen Tafakor keeps it lively with 16 brews on tap, wine pairings, cocktails, an eclectic menu, a takeout coffee café and a dog-friendly outdoor beer garden. O C B R L D $$$

Sweetwater Tavern

3066 Gatehouse Plaza, 703-645-8100, great americanrestaurants.com. A modern alehouse serving seafood, chicken, ribs, microbrews and growlers to go. C L D G $$$

Taco Bamba s

2190 Pimmit Drive, 703-639-0505, tacobamba. com. Tacos range from traditional carne asada to the vegan “Iron Mike,” stuffed with cauliflower, salsa ma and mole verde. B L D $

Taco Rock

1116 W. Broad St., 703-760-3141, thetacorock. com. See Arlington listing. o B L D V $$

Taco Zocalo

6343 Columbia Pike, 571-376-3859, zocalotaco. com. Chow down on tacos, chimichangas, quesadillas and burrito bowls. O L D $

Takumi Sushi

310-B S. Washington St., 703-241-1128, takumi va.com. The sushi and sashimi in this snug little izakaya go beyond basic. Think tuna nigiri with Italian black truffle, or salmon with mango purée. Closed Sundays and Mondays. L D V $$

Tatte Bakery and Café

1001 W. Broad St., 703-270-9922, tattebakery. com. See Arlington listing. O B R L D G V $

Ted’s Bulletin

2911 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 571-830-6680, tedsbulletinmerrifield.com. See Arlington listing.

C B R L D $$

Thompson Italian 124 N. Washington St., 703-269-0893, thompson italian.com. Gabe and Katherine Thompson’s celebrated kitchen turns out house-made pastas, inspiring small plates and some of the best desserts around. O C D $$$

Trio Grill

8100 Lee Highway, 703-992-9200, triomerrifield. com. Treat yourself to steaks, seafood, raw bar, craft cocktails and live piano music in this handsome hideaway in Merrifield. O D $$$

True Food Kitchen s 2910 District Ave. (Mosaic), 571-326-1616, truefoodkitchen.com. See Arlington listing. O C R L D $$$

MCLEAN

Agora Tysons 7911 Westpark Drive, 703-663-8737, agoratysons. com. The Dupont Circle mezze restaurant brings its Turkish, Greek and Lebanese small plates to a second outpost in Tysons. It’s a hoppin’ spot for bottomless brunch. R L D G V $$$

Amoo’s Restaurant

6271 Old Dominion Drive, 703-448-8500, amoos restaurant.com. The flavorful kebabs and stews are crowd pleasers at this hospitable Persian establishment. O C L D G V $$

Andy’s Pizza

2001 International Drive, 3rd floor food court, Tysons, 703-775-2212, eatandyspizza.com. See Arlington listing. L D V $

Aracosia

1381 Beverly Road, 703-269-3820, aracosia mclean.com. Fall in love with Afghan specialties such as braised lamb shank and roasted eggplant with saffron rice. O L D V $$

ArTeA

6635 Old Dominion Drive, 703-469-9898, artea mclean.com. Stop in for bubble tea, artisanal open-

face sandwiches, pretty desserts or a “high tea dinner” with cocktails. Closed Mondays. R L D $$

Badd Pizza

6263 Old Dominion Drive, 703-356-2233, badd pizza.com. See Falls Church listing. L D $$

Big Buns Damn Good Burger Co. s 1340 Chain Bridge Road, 571-456-1640, eatbig buns.com. See Arlington listing. L D $$

Café Tatti French Bistro

6627 Old Dominion Drive, 703-790-5164, cafe tatti.com. Open since 1981, this romantic little bistro whips up classic French and continental fare. Closed Sundays. L D G V $$$

Call Your Mother Lil’ Deli

6216 Old Dominion Drive, 571-395-9097, callyour motherdeli.com. See Arlington listing. o b R L V $

Capri Ristorante Italiano

6825-K Redmond Drive, 703-288-4601, capri mcleanva.com. Known for tried-and-true dishes like spaghetti carbonara and veal Marsala. O C L D G V $$$

Churasuko

1755 Tysons Central St., 757-755-3265, chura suko.com. Indulge in raw bar, sashimi, wagyu steak and other fancy fare at this Brazilian-Japanese steakhouse concept. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. L D $$$$

Circa

1675 Silver Hill Drive, 571-419-6272, circabistros. com. See Arlington listing. O L D V $$$

Él Bebe

8354 Broad St., 571-378-0171, el-bebe.com. Spice things up with tamales, tacos, street corn, mole and tequila-based cocktails. C O L D V $$

El Tio Tex-Mex Grill

1433 Center St., 703-790-1910, eltiogrill.com. See Falls Church listing. L D $$

Esaan Tumbar

1307 Old Chain Bridge Road, 703-288-3901, esaanmclean.com. This tiny, trendy haunt specializes in northern Thai dishes—papaya salad, larb, nam tok. A good bet for those who like heat. L D $$

Fahrenheit Asian 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd., 703-646-8968, fahren heitasian.com. A destination for Sichuan noodles, dumplings, mapo tofu and cocktails such as an Asian pear mojito. Closed Sundays. L D V $$ Fish Taco

1644 Boro Place, 703-356-6086, fishtacoonline. com. See Falls Church listing. L D G $

Founding Farmers

1800 Tysons Blvd., wearefoundingfarmers.com.

The spacious farm-to-table restaurant features Virginia-sourced dishes and drinks, plus grab-and-go breakfast items. B R L D $$$

Han Palace

7900 Westpark Drive, 571-378-0162, hanpalace dimsum.com. Pay a visit to this all-day dim-sum emporium for made-to-order buns, dumplings, crepes, roast duck and noodles. L D $$ J. Gilbert’s

6930 Old Dominion Drive, 703-893-1034, jgil berts.com. Everything you’d expect in a steakhouse and lots of it—prime cuts of beef, lobster, wedge salad, steak-cut fries and cheesecake. C R L D G V $$$

Joon/MayBar

8045 Leesburg Pike, 571-378-1390, eatjoon.com. Savor refined Persian dishes such as lamb-pistachio meatballs with pomegranate glaze and duck with sour-cherry rice. Hit the casual bar area for more affordably priced small plates, sandwiches and clever cocktails. O L D G V $$$$

Kazan Restaurant

6813 Redmond Drive, 703-734-1960, kazanrestau rant.com. A McLean fixture since 1980, it’s a go-to for kebabs, baklava and Turkish coffee. L D V $$ The Kitchen Collective 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite L160, 571-378-0209, tkcfoodhall.com. The takeout-only “virtual food

hall” has pizza, kebabs, acai bowls, cookies and much more, amassing multiple food concepts under one umbrella. C L D G V $$

Lebanese Taverna

1840 International Drive, 703-847-5244, lebanesetaverna.com. See Arlington listing. O C L D G V $$

Lost Dog Café

1690-A Anderson Road, 703-356-5678, lostdog cafe.com. See Arlington listing. L D $$

Luna Hall

8201 Greensboro Drive, 571-378-1672, lunahall group.com. Dumplings, sushi, bubble tea, Korean fried chicken and fluffy cloud cakes round out the choices at this pan-Asian food hall. B L D G V $

Maman Joon

1408 Chain Bridge Road, 571-342-4838, maman joonkitchen.com. Find dolmeh, falafel, lamb shank and kebabs (plus a built-in Z Burger with shakes in 75 flavors) at this Persian eatery. L D V $$

Masala Indian Cuisine

1394 Chain Bridge Road,703-462-9699, masa lava.com. A specialty here are “momos,” Nepalese dumplings with meat or vegetable fillings. The menu also includes tandoori biryani and Indian curries. L D V $$

McLean Family Restaurant

1321 Chain Bridge Road, 703-356-9883, themcleanfamilyrestaurant.com. Pancakes, gyros and big plates of lasagna hit the spot. Breakfast is served until 3 p.m. daily. C B L D V $$

Miyagi Restaurant

6719 Curran St., 703-893-0116. The diminutive sushi bar gets high marks for its friendly service and fresh maki and nigiri. L D $$

Modan

1788 Chain Bridge Road, 703-743-6600, modan restaurant.com. Special occasion? Splurge on a 15-course omakase experience, Wagyu beef or caviar service at this Japanese izakaya helmed by executive chef Micheole “Chico” Dator, formerly of Nobu DC. D G $$$$

Mylo’s Grill

6238 Old Dominion Drive, 703-533-5880, mylos grill.com. Enjoy spanakopita, souvlaki and American classics like burgers and cheesesteaks. Friday is prime-rib night. O R L D $$

Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen s 6641 Old Dominion Drive, 703-992-9095, neutral groundbarandkitchen.com. Chef David Guas is serving up whole branzino, fried quail, bone-in pork chops and “social hour” specials in a beautiful new space. Weekend brunch brings a roving cocktail cart. O r D G V $$$

Ometeo

1640 Capital One Drive N., 703-748-7170, ometeo texmex.com. An upscale “texmexeria” with Mexican renditions of duck, venison, beef and a wide variety of sea creatures, from the owners of The Salt Line.

O L D G $$$

Pasa-Thai Restaurant

1315 Old Chain Bridge Road, 703-442-0090, pasa thaimclean.com. Tuck into a classic Bangkok curry, or a chef’s special such as spicy fried rockfish with chili-basil-garlic sauce. O L D $$

Patsy’s American 8051 Leesburg Pike (Tysons), 703-552-5100, pat sysamerican.com. The menu features greatesthits from other Great American Restaurants.

O C R L D A G V $$

Peter Chang McLean

6715 Lowell Ave., 571-405-6686, peterchang mclean.com. See Arlington listing. L D G V $$

Pikoteo

6811 Elm St., 703-891-0123, pikoteo-usa.com. Escape to warmer climes with ceviche, arepas, mofongo and fruity drinks at this Caribbean-infused cafe.

O R L D $$

Pulcinella Italian Kitchen

1310 Chain Bridge Road, 703-893-7777, pulcinellarestaurant.com. A stop for classic spaghetti and

meatballs, linguine and clams and wood-fired pizza since 1985. L D $$

Randy’s Prime Seafood & Steaks 8051 Leesburg Pike (Tysons), 703-552-5110, randysprime.com. Treat yourself to prime cuts, duck-fat fries, seafood towers and massive slabs of chocolate cake. L D G $$$$

Rocco’s Italian 1357 Chain Bridge Road, 703-821-3736, roccos italian.com. The Juliano family makes everything in-house from family recipes, including minestrone, pizza, calzones, subs, pasta and cannoli.

O C L D G $$

Roots Café 8100 Old Dominion Drive, 703-712-7850, roots mclean.com. A pretty daytime spot for sandwiches, salads, espresso drinks and pastries.

B L G V $

Silver Diner 8101 Fletcher St., 703-821-5666, silverdiner.com. See Arlington listing. C B R L D A G V $$

Simply Fresh 6811 Elm St., 703-821-1869, simplyfreshva. com. A local favorite for pulled pork, chicken and brisket, Greek diner fare, family-style takeout meals and breakfast. O C B L D G V $

Sisters Thai 7735 Capital One Tower Road, sistersthai.com. See Falls Church listing. L D G V $$

Sorn Thai Restaurant & Bar

6224 Old Dominion Drive, 703-564-0630, sorn thaiva.com. Taste the rainbow in dishes such as pineapple fried rice, Khao Soi noodles and grilled lobster with curry sauce. O R L D G V $$

Starr Hill Biergarten

1805 Capital One Drive, starrhill.com. Anchoring The Perch, an 11-story-high sky park, this indoor-outdoor beer garden offers more than 20 brews on tap and bar snacks. O C L D V $

Stellina Pizzeria

1610 Capital One Drive, stellinapizzeria.com. See Arlington listing. R d V $$

Sunday Morning Bakehouse

1796 Chain Bridge Road, 571-378-0148, sunday morningbakehouse.com. A bright café serving artisanal house-made pastries, all-day breakfast, savory sourdough toasts, coffee and weekend cocktails. B R L V $$

Sushi Umi

7599 Colshire Drive, 571-378-0903, sushiumiva. com. In addition to sushi, contemplate menu items such as whole broiled unagi with a house omelet, Wagyu beef served over fried rice, and colorful chirashi bowls. Closed Sundays. L D $$

Tachibana

6715 Lowell Ave., 703-847-1771, tachibana.us. Stellar sushi, teriyaki and tempura notwithstanding, the chef’s specials here include options such as miso-marinated black cod and scallop donburi with salmon roe. C L D $$

Timber Pizza

8100 Old Dominion Drive, 703-564-0023, timber pizza.com. See Arlington listing. L D V $$

Town Kitchen & Bar

6671 Old Dominion Drive, 703-963-7880, townmclean.com. Find American standards like steak, wings, hot-honey chicken and chocolate cake, plus hand-crafted cocktails. Closed Mondays. L D V $$

Umai Ramen and Donburi

1500 Cornerside Blvd., 703-546-2465, umai tysonsva.com. Blending Japanese and Thai flavors, the kitchen serves 10 types of ramen and six versions of curry rice, plus Asian-inspired cocktails and a dozen kinds of sake. L D G V $$

Wren

1825 Capitol One Drive S., wrentysons.com. Helmed by chef Yo Matsuzaki, this sleek restaurants is known for creative Japanese American fare, stupendous cocktails and sweeping skyline views. O D G V $$$

SUMMER CAMPS

2026 Summer Camps

This summer, St. John’s College High School has something for every child! SJC offers a wide variety of summer camps for both boys and girls, including:

Essential Information on Summer Camps

● Ambassadors Adventure Camp is a fun-filled summer program where children explore, create, and discover through weekly themed adventures. Campers enjoy handson activities, games, and creative projects.

● Adventure abounds at Calleva. Campers grow confidence, skills and curiosity as they explore all day in the outdoors. Canoeing, climbing, hiking, kayaking, fishing and more. It is all happening at Calleva!

● Pre-K- Rising Eighth Grade Campers welcome. Early and Extended Care available. Field trips. Specialty options: Adventure, History, STEAM, Sports, Cooking, French, Water fun & more! EXPERIENCE~EXPLORE~CREATE

● Unscripted. Unplugged. Unforgettable. Strawderman (96 years strong,) gives girls a traditional yet one-of-a-kind overnight camp experience, lifelong friendships, and the room to grow. We can't wait to meet you.

● ● ● Located in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Tall Timbers has been serving up fun and rewarding camp experiences every summer for over 50 years.

● ● Located along the Chesapeake Bay, YMCA Camp Tockwogh offers an unforgettable overnight camp experience filled with outdoor adventure, creative exploration, and meaningful friendships.

Summer is a critical transition. Our coaching helps students entering middle school, high school, or college build organization, confidence, and executive function skills so back-to-school feels manageable.

● Knights of Adventure offers week-long, half day sessions with activities that promote community, joy and friendship, while keeping campers engaged and learning new skills.

Ice skating, team sports, figure skating and hockey.

Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington offers a wonderful and wide range of creative summer camps for your young artists! Full & half day camps offered for ages 5-10. Register in February!

Shoot. Fence. Play. Repeat. Split your time between Archery, Fencing and traditional camp fun and games. No experience needed and all equipment is provided.

St. John’s hosts a variety of sports camps and a theatre camp. To learn more, visit our Summer Camps webpage. Sign up today!

● Voted Best Summer Camps in the DMV: Adventure, STEAM, and 15+ sports camps. Premium, temperature-controlled facilities. Lunch included, half/full-day options, plus extended care.

Reggio inspired approach to teaching and curriculum is centered around fostering children’s voice in their classroom, connecting children’s learning to their own experiences.

Summer Camp at YMCA Arlington is more than just summer fun—it’s where kids gain confidence, form meaningful friendships, and discover a place they truly belong.

About Us About Us

For ninety-six years, Camp Strawderman for girls has been a trusted summer home for girls ages 6–17. With deep traditions, wild-hearted joy, and space to grow up a little and laugh a lot, our camp offers an unplugged, confidence-building experience in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

Learn more at campstrawderman.com

Weekly on-site and off-site field trips

Rising 1st through 6th grades

Summer Camp at YMCA Arlington is where kids gain confidence, form meaningful friendships, and discover a place they truly belong.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER!

for

Summer is a key transition point. Whether your child is transitioning into middle school, high school, or college, this is the time to build skills to make back-to-school less stressful. Our summer coaching focuses on real-world readiness beyond academics. We focus on:

• Organization, Task Initiation, and Follow-Through

• Time Management and Accountability

• Self-Regulation and Confidence Building

• Neurodiverse and NeuroComplex Support

• Impression Management and Social Awareness

illuminos.co/summer26 hello@illuminos.co (571) 313-5163

Socia l Scene Events is a full service firm, with over 20 years experience W e w ill wo rk closely w ith you to coord inate a spectacula r event Our services Include:

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Amy Brecount White

Into the Wilds

Discover birding, nature hikes and charming small towns in rural Pennsylvania.

IT’S 6:30 ON A JUNE MORNING, and the meadow beneath my eco-lodge balcony is abuzz with chirps, twills, warbles and tweets. The sun’s barely up, but I can already see boats heading out on picturesque F.J. Sayers Lake as the mist rises from its placid surface. Seems I’m not the only early bird at The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle, tucked inside Pennsylvania’s Bald Eagle State Park.

From my perch, I note the presence of at least 14 distinct bird species—including indigo bunting, yellow warbler, American redstart, barn swallow, common yellowthroat and red-eyed vireo— identifying their calls with my trusty Merlin app. A flutter of bright yellow is likely a goldfinch, but I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of a warbler or bunting. As an amateur birder, I don’t have the drive to keep a “life list” of all the winged creatures I’ve seen, but I do en-

joy a good game of hide-and-seek.

My visit to this north central stretch of the Keystone State, known as the “Pennsylvania Wilds,” has been a long time coming. A former logging area, it’s now a 13-county conservation landscape peppered with small towns and comprising more than 2 million public acres of lakes, rivers, mountains, forests, wetlands and meadows. Though the Wilds make up 25% of Pennsylvania’s land area, only 4% of the state’s human population lives here. Instead, the local celebrities include elk, whitetailed deer, bobcats, foxes, black bears, beavers and, of course, birds. It’s a naturalist’s paradise.

SO MUCH OF BIRDING is a matter of luck. A bird’s mission, after all, is to stay camouflaged from predators. Yet, as I hike the inn’s mostly flat, 2.1-mile

Loop Trail, I chastise myself for not being quicker to identify the darting and flitting avian creatures in my peripheral vision.

From high in the branches, I recognize the call of a wood thrush. The sound is bittersweet. For years, I heard that same melodious song in the thin band of Arlington’s Zachary Taylor Park, where I volunteer as a park steward, but it’s been absent the last two. I worry the habitat has degraded, despite volunteer efforts to support its biodiversity with native plantings, invasive plant removal and other forms of habitat restoration.

Returning my focus to the terrain in front of me, I study the trees. A waiter at breakfast shared that the Loop Trail

leads to a 350-year-old swamp white oak, and I’m on the lookout for this impressive specimen. For a moment, I believe I’ve found it—until I spy another whose trunk is nearly twice the diameter of the first, and take a seat on a nearby bench. The gnarled base of this old soul is twisted from centuries of persistence. (Its trunk measured more than 18 feet around when it was designated a state Champion Tree in 2016.) I sit in silence, almost expecting it to speak to me in a Tolkienesque way. Though it has some dead branches, its crown fills the sky overhead. The underground root system may be twice as vast.

EMERGING FROM THE woods after having helpfully pulled a few invasive plants (Illegal? I really don’t care), I head toward the resort’s Butterfly Trail. Birds pop up from the meadow grasses, flapping rapidly and descending back into the vegetation before I can get my binoculars up. Merlin identifies some by their song, but I want to see them.

A noisy red-winged blackbird swoops above, and I duck. Clearly, I’m too close to its nest and it’s agitated, so I scurry along. Lining the path ahead are at least half a dozen bluebird boxes. A bright male is perched atop one, keeping vigil.

Near a wet area, I smile at the twangy mating call of a green frog. Despite the name of the trail, there are no butterflies to be seen, only grayish moths springing up from my footsteps to alight on higher ground. Amid the late-spring greenery, I recognize milkweed and other host plants for insects that haven’t yet bloomed in this cooler clime. I’m a smidge too early for butterfly season, and there’s no nectar yet.

The flora and fauna will be different in another week or two.

Continuing on, I pass a human-constructed habitat of hollow, hanging gourds meant for cavity-nesting birds such as bluebirds and purple martins. Guarding this complex, a lone tree swallow eyes me suspiciously.

A Merlin alert indicates the presence of cedar waxwings, which travel en masse, and I sweep my binoculars toward their whistles and high-pitched cries. Bingo! There before my eyes are at least a dozen of them, with their distinctive yellow tail bands. (Fun fact: The occasional red markings on the tips of their secondary wings resemble sealing wax, hence their name.) I give myself a virtual high-five. Later, looping back into woods, I hear the staccato cries of an indigo bunting in a pine tree, but I can’t spot it to save my life. A moment later, a hollow stuttering in the treetops turns out to be a yellow-billed cuckoo. I’m thrilled to have caught a mere glimpse of its shadow. If you only hear a bird but don’t quite see it, does that count as a checkmark on your birding list?

If You Go

Eat, Drink, Stay, Play

Occupying nearly 6,000 acres of the Pennsylvania Wilds (pawilds.com), Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County has 14 miles of nature trails and a 1,730acre lake for boating, paddle boarding, kayaking and canoeing. The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle (natureinnatbald eagle.com), an eco-lodge inside the park, holds a LEED gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, built with sustainable features such as geothermal heating and cooling, a solar water heater, rain gardens and a recycled steel roof. The inn offers year-round lodging with a bird’s-eye view of the lake and surrounding hills. Breakfast is included; box lunches, takeout barbecue and ready-to-grill dinner entrees are available for pre-order. During the high season (April to October) and special birding events, the inn books up one to two years out.

Not far from the inn (close as the crow flies, but about a half hour by car) Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park (pennscave.com) is America’s only water-filled limestone cavern. Take an underground boat tour to marvel at

stalactites and stalagmites, flowstone, draperies and columns formed over thousands of years. The park also offers wildlife and offroad mountain tours, a “Miner’s Maze,” and, for little ones, gemstone panning for semi-precious stones, fossils and arrowheads. Soaring Eagle Wetland (centredoutdoors.org/visit/soaring-eaglewetland) has short, accessible walking trails and fishing platforms along Bald Eagle Creek.

State College, home to Penn State University and the famed Nittany Lions, is a lively college town (especially during football season) about 30 miles southwest of Bald Eagle State Park, and the anchor of a region known as Pennsylvania’s “Happy Valley.” It’s a good spot to overnight if the park lodging is full, or if you’re craving more nightlife than the company of nocturnal woodland creatures. Since its founding in 1931, the Georgian-style Nittany

Lion Inn (thenittanylioninn.com) has hosted a veritable who’s who of guests, ranging from Robert Frost and Eleanor Roosevelt to Jack Nicholson and at least two U.S. presidents.

A stroll about campus finds well-groomed streets with names like Homecoming Drive and curious signs on academic buildings. (One marked “Portal to the Earth, Energy, Material Sciences” left me wondering if stepping through its doors would lead to another dimension.) The Palmer Museum of Art (palmermuseum.psu.edu) boasts a collection of more than 11,000 objects and artifacts, from ancient Andean

figurines to 20th-century works by Georgia O’Keefe and Marsden Hartley. Wander the nearly 400-acre Arboretum at Penn State (arboretum.psu.edu), with stops in its excellent Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden and Pollinator and Bird Garden. Just outside of town, the 4.7-mile Mount Nittany loop hike (nittany.org) is rocky and steep, climbing almost 1,000 feet in

elevation. It’s a great workout with abundant birdsong, valley views and blooming mountain laurel in late spring. A wildlifereporting chart listed several black bear and cub sightings, along with an alleged glimpse of “the Lorax” (I wish). For a gentler walk, try the 2.6-mile Hobie’s Trail Loop at Colyer Lake (happyvalley.com/ experiences/hobies-trail).

State College’s Allen Street Grill (allen streetgrill.com) serves artisanal fare such as pork chops with duck fat cassoulet and seafood linguini. Plant-based eaters will appreciate its vegetarian menu, which is more than an afterthought.

With 80 beers on tap, you won’t go thirsty at Federal Taphouse (federaltaphouse. com), a popular campus watering hole above the Target store. The Penn State Berkey Creamery (creamery.psu.edu), part of the university’s Food Science

department, is a local institution famed for scoops in flavors like Alumni Swirl (vanilla ice cream with mocha chips and blueberry) and Grilled Stickies (cinnamon ice cream with sticky-bun pieces and streusel swirl).

At Breakfast on Boal (breakfastonboal. com) in neighboring Boalsburg, start the day with a burrito with a zippy housemade green chili sauce, or hearty biscuits with sausage gravy.

In Hublersburg, the eponymous Hublersburg Inn (hublersburginn.com) has a

cozy bar and casual outdoor dining area serving sweet potato fries, tacos, burgers and Philly cheesesteaks alongside local and seasonal brews, sometimes with live music. Goot Essa (gootessacheese.com) is worth a detour for artisanal alpine, cheddar, sheep and goat cheeses. This is Amish country, so you’ll likely see a few horse-drawn wagons on the road.

The small town of Bellefonte (happyval ley.com/Bellefonte), founded in 1795, offers historic tours (localhistoria. com) with insights into its gorgeously preserved Victorian homes and Underground Railroad history. Along the river walk, the Gamble Mill Inn & Suites (gamblemillbellefonte.com), tucked inside a stunningly renovated 1786 grain mill, is home to farm-to-table restaurant Creek, and Republic, a craft cocktail bar. Stop by Bonfatto’s Italian Market and Corner Cafe (bonfattos.com) for espresso drinks, pastries and subs. After a riverside stroll in picturesque Talleyrand Park, sip a craft cocktail at Big Spring Spirits (bigspringspirits.com) or enjoy a craft brew at Axemann Brewery (axemannbrewery.com). ■

Arlington travel writer and naturalist Amy Brecount White enjoys immersive wildlife interactions of all kinds.

Vamoose to Vail

Visit this Colorado mountain town for nonstop skiing, eating and enjoying the good life.

NESTLED HIGH IN THE Rockies, with bluebird skies more than 300 days a year, Vail is Colorado’s largest ski resort, with more than 5,300 acres of ski and snowboard terrain, including seven vast and ungroomed Back Bowls prized by powder seekers and mogul hunters. Neighboring Beaver Creek Resort, known for its worldclass ski school, boasts a diverse terrain with plenty of beginner slopes and a magic carpet lift (think human conveyor belt) that gently transports newbies up a bunny hill. Here, families can leave the car parked and relax and dine at several slope-side restaurants without ever stepping foot off the mountain.

The good news for Northern Virginians: Getting to Vail and Beaver Creek is easier than ever, thanks to

new seasonal, nonstop flights on United Airlines from Dulles International Airport to Eagle County Regional Airport, about 30 miles west of Vail. Weekly flights, available on Saturdays through April 4, will get you there in just over four hours for as low as $195 one way. You’ll be hitting the slopes in no time.

EatA handful of Michelinstarred restaurants have put Vail on the map as a dining destination. Tavernetta Vail (tavernetta vail.com) is a top spot for Northern Italian cuisine—try the cavatelli nero made with squid ink, or gnocchi topped with fonduta and black truffles. Buzz the doorbell next to the host stand upon arrival to receive an Aperol Spritz on demand. If you’d rather refuel after a

full day of schussing with a bubbling pot of cheese fondue, head to the Swiss Chalet in the Sonnenalp Hotel (sonnen alp.com) or Alpenrose (alpenrose-vail. com), a local institution since 1974.

Traveling with kids? Beaver Creek hands out free chocolate chip cookies daily at 3 p.m. at the base of the mountain next to the Centennial Express lift. (Punctuality is rewarded, as these freshbaked goodies go quick.)

Late night revelers will want to hightail it to Chasing Rabbits ( chasing rabbitsvail.com), a swanky social club dishing up succulent Mediterranean

shareables ranging from lamb tagine to coq au vin. For fun after dark, ask your waiter to reserve you a spot in The Library speakeasy or a barstool at Rabbit Hole, a unique bar-arcade that morphs into a late-night disco. Both haunts are accessible from the restaurant via a secret door.

Now celebrating its 35th year, the 2026 Taste of Vail food festival (tasteofvail.com) gets cooking April 1-4, featuring dozens of culinary seminars, chef-curated dinners and an après-ski wine tasting with unlimited pours. This year’s lineup includes chefs Paul Anders and Will Edwards from Michelin-starred Sweet Basil (sweetbasilvail.com).

A mountainside dining experience called the Alpine Table at Beano’s Cabin at Beaver Creek Resort (beaver creek.com) features a tasting menu of upscale cowboy cuisine, including pasture-raised lamb, steaks and local trout.

StaySpring is the time to take advantage of heavy discounts on lodging rates, thanks to deals designed to attract lateseason visitors before the snow thaws. Through April 26, enjoy 20% off room rates at The Osprey at Beaver Creek (beavercreek.com), an alpine-style lodge that has bragging rights as the closest hotel to a chairlift in North America, with ski-in and ski-out valet service to get you up the mountain quickly. The room layouts include options such as eat-in kitchens, family rooms and bunk beds for youngsters.

For an extravagant hotel and spa experience with an outdoor heated pool overlooking the slopes, book a stay at the Four Seasons Vail Resort ( four seasons.com) which offers 20% off reservations made more than seven nights in advance. Perks include free shuttle service around Vail Resort. Private mountainside lodges are stocked with complimentary snacks, boot warming stations,

and a cozy fireplace where apres-ski cocktails and bubbly are served daily.

PlaySnow sports are the main attraction here from winter to early spring, but they aren’t the only game in town. A stroll through Vail’s picturesque cobblestone village finds a host of upscale galleries and boutiques, including Kemo Sabe (kemosabe.com), a go-to for cowboy hats and Western-style boots, and Raitman Art Galleries (raitmanart.com) where you can browse paintings of regional landscapes and wildlife. The town’s shops and entertainment venues stay open well into the spring season, and many retailers offer end-of-season sales.

If you’re visiting with restless kiddos, try ice skating at Arrabelle Square or pause rinkside in Beaver Creek to roast marshmallows. And be sure to pose for some selfies at the iconic covered bridge spanning Gore Creek.

Non-skiers and slope shredders with sore muscles can enjoy a day of pampering at the Four Seasons Spa, which offers a full menu of massages, facials and other posh treatments. ■

Visit vail.com and beavercreek.com for details on ski and snowboard packages, lessons, lodging, dining and more.

Kim O’Connell

Vital Signs

THE NEW ARLINGTON HOSPITAL had been open for just over an hour on March 15, 1944, when a young man named George T. Stallings arrived with his pregnant wife, Frances. A member of the U.S. Merchant Marines, George was on a 10-day furlough when 19-yearold Frances went into labor. Hospital administrators had scheduled the facility’s official opening for midnight, but they probably weren’t expecting much activity until after sunrise. At 1:25 a.m., Frances became their first patient.

Demand for a hospital in Arlington had been growing for years. For emergencies, county residents usually traveled to the (now defunct) Central Dispensary and Emergency Hospital in D.C.’s Foggy Bottom, losing precious time before receiving care. Volunteer fire departments in Arlington provided emergency first aid, too.

In the early 1930s, community

A look back at the origins of Arlington’s flagship hospital

groups began organizing and fundraising for a hospital in earnest. Five women’s groups—members of the Federated Women’s Clubs of Arlington—made the hospital their pet project in November 1933. The following year, citizens incorporated a new organization, the Arlington Hospital Association, with a 20-member board.

After scouting out a site for the new facility, the association purchased farmland in North Arlington in 1935 for $15,000 (equivalent to about $355,000 today), kicking in an extra $1,000 in free medical care for the landowner, W.W. Sealock, and his family.

By the time the hospital opened, the Arlington Rotary Club had donated an iron lung and the Lions Club had funded an oxygen tent (then widely used for respiratory care). Private donations helped pay for beds and the baby nursery. In 1964, the hospital opened

an intensive care cardiac unit, the first of its kind in the region and only the third in the nation at the time.

Following several expansions, Arlington Hospital was renamed Virginia Hospital Center in 2001 and rebranded in 2022 as VHC Health. In June 2023, it opened a $250 million outpatient pavilion, making the 537bed hospital one of the largest in the area. At the ribbon cutting, then Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey called the facility “compassionate and people-centered”—just as it had been when Frances Stallings arrived on its doorstep some 80 years earlier.

After a protracted labor, Frances gave birth on March 16, 1944, to a boy named George, after his dad. To honor the family’s special status, the hospital provided all of the care surrounding their baby’s birth and delivery free of charge. ■