September/October 2022 $4.99 ARLINGTON FALLS CHURCH MCLEAN In the age of mass hittingpreparednessquestionsshootings,aboutarehome COLLEGEMADNESSADMISSIONS ARENOVATIONRIGHT-SIZED Are Our SAFE?Schools WHERE THE CLASS OF 2022 APPLIED TO COLLEGE
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4 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com CON TENTS Vol. 12, Issue September/October52022 ■ 48COMMUNITYFEATURES Are Our Schools Safe? As mass shootings continue to dominate headlines, a look at the safety and security measures local schools have in place to prevent the unthinkable. 56EDUCATIONAdmissions Madness College applications are hitting record numbers while the acceptance rates at many universities are at all-time lows. It’s time for a sanity check. 64 Lessons Learned Beloved teachers share their favorite takeaways from their years on the job. 70 College Bound Where Arlington’s Class of 2022 applied to college and where they were accepted. 90HOMEHot Mod A garden-variety brick house is transformed into a contemporary dream home, without adding square footage. BROWNSKIP ON THE COVER: Illustration by Jarred Briggs
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6 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com CON TENTS Vol. 12, Issue September/October52022 WHIM&LEMONOFCOURTESY(PATIO);HOTELSCHOOLHOUSEOFCOURTESY(PASTA);LINDSEYDEB 142144142Shop Local Pretty soaps that smell like heaven, and durable, hand-sewn travel bags. 144 Get Away New reasons to revisit Richmond, Chincoteague and White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. 146 Driving Range What exactly is “dirty wellness”? Our writer spent a weekend at a holistic farm to find out. 152 Back Story The tale of Arlington’s own Rocket Boys... and girls. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS 29 Women in Business 78 Private Schools 102 Home Experts ■ DEPARTMENTS 8 Letter from the Publisher 10 Contributors 12 Reader Feedback 14 Around Town Get ready for fall festivals, live jazz, a visual art studio tour, pet celebrations and three nights of Sting. 20 Photo Gallery Scenes from this year’s Best of Arlington bash at Mercedes-Benz of Arlington. 22 Familiar Faces A local author redefines what it means to be an all-American girl. 26 My Life From Arlington to L.A. and back again: a homecoming story. 96 Prime Numbers The area’s most expensive home sales. Plus, real-estate trends by ZIP code. 101 Great Spaces A bedroom makeover finds elegance in blue. 124 Restaurant Review This neighborhood newcomer is everything a French bistro should be. 128 Home Plate Pan-African soul food, killer banana splits and a snazzy new pizza place to put in your rotation. 131 Places to Eat Our dining guide includes bite-size writeups on more than 250 area restaurants and bars. 124
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Greg PublisherHamilton letter from the publisher
I APPLIED TO FIVE COLLEGES. All of them had the same vibe—small, private, liberal arts. Preppy Hand book approved. My wife applied to two schools. Her selections appear to have been motivated exclusively by the desire to attend college with one of her siblings. Mission accomplished. Like my wife and me, our peers typically applied to a handful of schools. In contrast, our oldest daugh ter, Caroline, applied to nine colleges last year. Many of her friends submitted applications in the double digits. From time to time, you’ll even hear or read about kids who applied to 20 or more schools. What’s the magic number? The CollegeVine blog recom mends 8 to 12. IvyWise suggests 12 to 15. The College Board advises 5 to 8. Caroline’s counselor recom mended she apply to between 8 and 12 schools. What’s driving the increase in applications? Test-optional policies and pandemic uncertainty appear to be main contributors. The jump in applica tions (the volume submitted by Arlington seniors alone has increased 28% over the past four years) is overwhelming admissions offices and has created an environment in which extremely accomplished stu dents are landing on waitlists. Many are not getting into their top choices. In our story “Admissions Mad ness,” Tammy Lytle interviews local families and experts who weigh in on the numbers, the factors driving them and how students can navigate the pro cess and reset their expectations. Moving from a stressful topic to a heartbreaking one, we decided after Uvalde that it was time to assess local schools’ preparedness amid our country’s gun violence epidemic. In “Are Our Schools Safe?,” Kim O’Connell examines the current safety protocols in Arlington, Falls Church City and Fairfax County public schools. From “Run, Hide, Fight” training to school hardening measures like locked doors and school resource officers, O’Connell shares the experts’ views on what we’re doing—and what we could be doing—to keep our students and teachers safe.
Admissions Anxiety
The sad truth (in my opinion, which is not neces sarily the view of our editorial staff) is that as long as it is easy to get a gun—especially semiautomatic weapons with high-capacity magazines—we are going to continue to live with school shootings and other incidents of mass violence. Yes, schools can be more secure and, yes, we ought to increase invest ments in mental health services, but those measures don’t address the root cause of the problem. Simply put, we have a lot of guns. According to Bloomberg, the U.S. has more firearms than people (120.5 per 100 residents), far more than any other country. I hope you find this issue informative and useful. As always, we’d love to hear from you. I can be reached at greg.hamilton@arlingtonmagazine.com. You can con tact our editor at jenny.sullivan@arlingtonmagazine. com. I also want to extend a heartfelt thanks to our advertisers for understanding the value of the edito rial product we produce and the audience we deliver. With the pandemic and now rising prices and inter est rates, plus concerning market declines, we are grateful to our clients for continuing to advertise with us, which ensures that we can continue to grow and thrive as a business.
8 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
PUT AWAY MONEY FOR A RAINY DAY WHILE PLANNING FOR ALL THE SUNNY ONES, TOO. WEALTH From investments and wealth planning to retirement and trust services, our team is here to make managing your wealth a more relaxing experience. We believe banking is a conversation. Let’s talk about your options. Call us at 301.774.8420 or visit sandyspringbank.com/wealth Wealth products are not FDIC insured, not guaranteed, and may lose value. Wealth products offered by Sandy Spring Private Client Group and Sandy Spring Trust, divisions of Sandy Spring Bank. Member FDIC. Sandy Spring Bank and the SSB logo are registered trademarks of Sandy Spring Bank. © 2022 Sandy Spring Bank. All rights reserved. PLANNING
GEEK LOVE: “I am a huge astronomy and space exploration nerd. I love that the Webb telescope imagery is getting the whole world excited about space. If I were a teenager in the ’50s, there is no doubt I would have been part of the Arlington Moonwatch team!”
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BEST TEACHER I EVER HAD: “When my parents divorced, my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Trattler, was called as a witness in the custody trial. Afterward, she took me out for cherry ice cream, just the two of us. She could have bolted for home, but instead she took the extra time to make me feel good and special when I really needed it. I think all the best teachers do that for their students in numerous ways. She set a lasting example of the power of showing up for someone.”
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IN THIS ISSUE: Illustrated the cover and our feature story about school safety in an era of mass shootings.
10 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ contributors
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EARLY INSPIRATION: “Growing up I always enjoyed comic books. They inspired me to pick up a pencil and draw. Today I still collect retro video games and comic books.”
CURRENTLY WORKING ON: “Illustrations for an engineering magazine and a couple of newspaper projects.”
ONLINE: kimaoconnell.com
BEST TEACHER I EVER HAD: “Was at art school (Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario). He had this ability to bring out the best work in all his students and make the classroom a fun and supportive environment. I couldn’t wait to attend class each week.”
(SELF-PORTRAIT)BRIGGSJARREDPHOTO;COURTESY
CURRENTLY WORKING ON: “A story about the Howard University crew team of the 1960s—the first all-Black rowing team in the United States.”
Kim O’Connell LIVES IN: Aurora Highlands ORIGINALLY FROM: College Park, Maryland IN THIS ISSUE: Wrote our cover story on gun violence and school safety, as well as the Back Story highlighting Arlington’s own “Rocket Boys” in the 1950s.
Jarred Briggs LIVES IN: Toronto ORIGINALLY FROM: “A small town in New Brunswick, Canada. I grew up on my family’s potato farm but decided to choose a career in art instead of staying on the farm.”
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 11 PUBLISHER & CO-FOUNDER Greg Hamilton EDITOR Jenny Sullivan ART DIRECTOR Laura Goode PRODUCTION MANAGER Danny Ryan DIGITAL WRITER/WEB PRODUCER Eliza Tebo DINING CRITIC David Hagedorn COPY EDITOR Sandy Fleishman CO-FOUNDER Steve Hull WRITERS Tamar Abrams, Christine Koubek Flynn, Stephanie Kanowitz, Wendy Kantor, Colleen Kennedy, Meredith Lindemon, Tamara Lytle, Nigel F. Maynard, Kim O’Connell, Chris Thompson, Amy Brecount White PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS Jarred Briggs, Skip Brown, Stacy Zarin Goldberg, Lisa Helfert, Hawkeye Johnson, Alan Karchmer, Tony J. Lewis, Deb Lindsey, Matt Mendelsohn, Hilary Schwab, Jaimie Shelton, Scott Suchman, Albert Ting, Joseph D. Tran, Michael Ventura ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Traci Ball, Kristin Murphy FINANCE & CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Julie Rosenbaum ARLINGTON MAGAZINE is published six times a year by Greenbrier Media LLC © 2022 Subscription price: $19.95 To subscribe, visit arlingtonmagazine.com. For advertising information: Call 703-534-0519 or arlingtonmagazine.com.visit Letters to the Editor: We want to hear from you. Please jenny.sullivan@arlingtonmagazine.com.email How to contact us: Editorial: editorial@arlingtonmagazine.com Subscriptions and Customer Service: customerservice@arlingtonmagazine.com Advertising: advertising@arlingtonmagazine.com Website: Phone:P.Arlingtonwebsite@arlingtonmagazine.comMagazine/ArlingtonMagazine.comO.Box5510,Arlington,VA22205703-534-0519 MA GA ZINE
Check
Our story about Extraordinary Teen Award winner Zoe Davis (July/August 2022) incorrectly stated that Davis, as president of the Northern Virginia chapter of Jack and Jill of America, raised $14,000 for sickle cell disease research. Davis served as senior teen president of the chapter, and the chapter’s annual 5K fundraiser was a group effort that raised $14,000 for sickle cell research and advocacy. LanguageYour I was very disappointed in the ableist wording of your story about cycling in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (“Go Outside and Play,” July/August 2022)—specifically the sentence that reads: “If you’ve got the legs, cycling is an ideal way to experience the bridges and the winding roads between them.” Biking is not just an able-bodied activity. Handcycles can be used by people who don’t have the ability to pedal with their lower body, or who don’t have legs, to cycle. –Julia H.
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12 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ reader feedback CORRECTION
AROUND TOWN
14 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
SEPT. 15-OCT. 2 Mlima’s Tale 1st Stage Despite a 1990 ban on ivory, National Geographic estimates that almost 30,000 elephants are killed each year for their tusks. In the regional premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s Mlima’s Tale, the slaughter of elephants and the horrors of the ivory trade unfold. See website for ticket prices and show times. 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons, 1ststage.org SEPT. ArlingtonDavid22-24KoechnerDrafthouse
Actor, writer, producer and all-around funny man David Koechner will perform stand-up over three nights. A Second City and SNL
ARTSPERFORMING
THROUGH OCT. 9
The Color Purple Signature Theatre Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was adapted as a 1985 movie by Steven Spielberg (which made Whoopi Goldberg a household name) and a 2005 musical that garnered 11 Tony Award nominations. With this stage production, Signature presents an opportunity to revisit the indomitable spirit of Celie before the star-studded musical film adaptation is released next year. See website for show times. $43-$111. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, sigtheatre.org
GIRL POWER
By Colleen Kennedy RUSSOJOHN
alum who stole scenes in films such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Talladega Nights, he is perhaps best known as the notoriously NSFW Todd Packer on The Office. The comedian will host an Office-themed trivia contest on Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. Shows are at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $25. 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, arlingtondrafthouse.com ART THROUGH SEPT. 5 New Visions/Vibrant Memories Arlington Arts Center Works by five artists offer diverse perspectives of the local community, past SEPT. 24, 8:30 P.M. Kristin Chenoweth in Concert: For the Girls Catch Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth belting out ballads by the women she most admires, including Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton and Linda Rondstadt. Chenoweth’s tiny frame belies her big personality and even bigger voice, as evidenced in Broadway roles from Glinda in Wicked to Sally in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and her comedic turns on TV’s Schmigadoon!, Glee and cult favorite Pushing Daisies. This performance supports student scholarships at GMU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. $65-$125. George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, cfa.gmu.edu
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Boyz II Men Wolf Trap Boyz II Men dominated Billboard charts in the 1990s, serenading (“I’ll Make Love to You”), breaking hearts (“It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”) and ushering in new jack swing (“Motownphilly”). 7:30
P.M. Rufus Wainwright The Birchmere With songs on his 2020 album (Unfollow the Rules) reflecting on his encroaching middle age, his wastrel youth and domestic bliss, Wainwright has eased into a mature, confident sound that is richer than ever. $69.50. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, birchmere.com ■ around town CELEBRATING 30 YEARS Saturday, Sept. 10 | 1-7 p.m. Gateway Park /JAZZFREE!Register#ROSSLYNJAZZat CIMAFUNK CIMAFUNKMWENSO&THESHAKESDELVONLAMARRORGANTRIOGROOVEORCHESTRA JAZ_063_Arlington Mag ½pg Ad 7x4.625_FA1.indd 1 7/19/22 5:40 PM
16 September/October
SEPT. 17-18, 11 A.M.-5 P.M. Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour
MUSIC SEPT. 10, 1-7 P.M. Rosslyn Jazz Fest Gateway Park
Wild Falls Church Arts Multimedia works in this group show will reflect artists’ interpretations of a single word (“wild”), with pieces for sale both in person and online. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. 700-B W. Broad St., Falls Church, fallschurcharts.org
SEPT. 16, 8 P.M.
The 30th annual music fest returns with a focus on African, Latin, and African diasporic contemporary jazz. Afro-Cuban funk performer Cimafunk will headline the event with his trademark swagger, performing hits from 2021’s El Alimento
2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com and present, from Oz-like cityscapes and iconic landmarks, to portraits of Selena Gray, an enslaved person at Arlington House in the 1800s. Free. 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, arlingtonartscenter.org
Nearly 60 local artists will open their studios to the public during this annual open house event. Printed tour guides will be available in mid-September at libraries and galleries throughout Arlington. Free. In various studio locations, arlingtonartstudiotour.org
SEPT. 15, 7:30 P.M. The Robert Cray Band The Birchmere Cray was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame for his fusion of contemporary Southern soul and classical blues styling. He and his band are now touring in support of their 20th studio album, That’s What I Heard (2020). Groove to hits such as “Right Next Door” and “My Baby Likes to Boogaloo.” $59.50. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, birchmere.com
Winner of four Grammy Awards, the Philadelphia vocal supergroup makes its Wolf Trap debut with R&B power trio SWV opening. Tickets start at $37. 1551 Trap Road Vienna, wolftrap.org OCT. 12,
THROUGH OCT. 2
. Also in the lineup: Harlem-based Mwenso & the Shakes, the swinging 1960s souljazz of Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, and Groove Orchestra, led by D.C.’s own Samuel Prather. Free. 1300 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, rosslynva.org
The family-friendly event returns with bites from area restaurants, a beer garden, live music, children’s entertainment and booths featuring local crafters, businesses and civic organizations. Admission is free. Tickets will be sold for food, beverages and rides. 300 Park Ave., Falls Church, fallschurchva.gov SEPT. 18, 8 A.M. 2022 FCEF Run for the Schools 5K/1 Mile Cherry Hill Park Break a sweat to support Falls Church schools on a USATF-certified 5K course that winds through The Little City in all of its autumnal glory. (This fundraiser also promises a 1-mile loop and virtual running/walking options.)
Sting: My Songs Tour
PHOTOCOURTESY An themusicalirreverentodetounemployedwithatwist4200Campbell Avenue Arlington,
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 17 SEASONAL SEPT. 17, 10 A.M.-4 P.M. 46th Annual Falls Church Festival and Taste of Falls Church Falls Church City Hall
The 18-time Grammy Award-winning artist returns to Wolf Trap for three unforgettable nights. From his early years as the frontman of The Police, one of the best-selling British rock bands of all time, to his prolific and critically acclaimed solo career, Sting is often hailed as one of the most influential songwriters of our time. Writing and performing in genres as diverse as reggae, rock, new age, classical, jazz, folk and world beat, he has proven again and again that every little thing he does is magic. Tickets start at $47. Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, wolftrap.org VA
Participants GO NOW SEPT. 2-4, 8 P.M.
22206 THIS FALL AT SIGNATURE THEATRE A brilliant adaptationmusicalofthePulitzerPrize-winningnovel tonoplacego Now through October 16Now through October 9 November 8 January 29 Sondheim’smusicaladventure
STOCKADOBE will receive a race shirt and other swag. Proceeds benefit the Falls Church Education Foundation. Registration begins at $20 for participants under 18; $35 for adults. 312 Park Ave., Falls Church, potomac.enmotive.com
SEPT. 24, 11 A.M. Harvest Happenings McLean Central Park Purchase a pumpkin to decorate, enjoy live entertainment for all ages, play with little livestock in the petting zoo and try your hand at other crafts and games during this family-oriented fall event. Free. 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd., McLean, mcleancenter.org/special-events
DOGGONE FUN OCT. 16, 11 A.M.-4 P.M. McLean Pet Fest
OCT. 1, 8 McLeanMcLeanA.M.5KSquare Shopping Center
“[Every] dog will have his day,” to quote Hamlet. This pet-friendly outdoor festival will have tails wagging with a 3 p.m. pet parade, a photo booth, pet trick demos, and treats in the form of food trucks, live music and giveaways—plus exhibitors sharing pet-health and behavior tips, pet-related services and products. Free. McLean Central Park, 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd., McLean, mcleancenter.org/special-events
KRISTIN CHENOWETH IN CONCERT For The Girls Saturday, September, 24 at 8:30 p.m.
Part of the ARTS by George! Benefit TICKETS ON SALE NOW cfa.gmu.edu 703-993-2787 Located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University. For information on health and safety protocols, visit cfa.gmu.edu/expect.
18 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
Hosted by the McLean Community Center, this 5K is designed for runners of all abilities and approved by USATF. Proceeds benefit the McLean Community Foundation. $45 through Sept. 30; $50 on race day. 6631 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, mclean5k.com ■ around town
OCT. 1, 1-5 P.M. Paws on the Pike Columbia Pike at S. George Mason Drive Head over to Columbia Pike for pet adoptions, live music and a chance to hobnob with local veterinarians, trainers, pet-sitters, boarders, dog walkers and groomers. Pups can enjoy homemade treats, complimentary pet portraits and a water bar. Free. 950 S. George Mason Drive, Arlington, columbia-pike.org/ pawsonthepike
OCT. 13, 7-8:30 P.M. Arlington Mills: A Forgotten History Reinsch Library Auditorium, Marymount University Local historian and librarian Beth DeFrancis Sun will discuss the fascinating history of Arlington County’s dependence on mills, from their ubiquity in the Colonial era to their demise in the 20th century. Free. To attend this Arlington Historical Society event virtually via Zoom, register by Aug. 12. 2807 N. Glebe Road, arlingtonhistoricalsociety.orgArlington, 30
&AUTHORSBOOKS
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones will kick off the fall season of Arlington Reads with a discussion about The 1619 Project. Hannah-Jones writes about racial justice for The New York Times and is the inaugural Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University. Other author events in September and October will feature Marlon James, George Saunders and Andrea Elliott at Arlington Central Library. 1301 N. Stafford St., Arlington, library. arlingtonva.us.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 19 Got a calendar event we should know about? Submit it editorial@arlingtonmagazine.comto
SEPT. 20, 7 Washington-LibertyNikoleArlingtonP.M.Reads:Hannah-JonesHighSchool
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OCT 16 HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN OCT 6 REBIRTH BRASS BAND NOV 5 ELIANE ELIAS OCT 19 BOB MOULD H.C. McENTIRE DEC 1 JOHN LLOYD YOUNG HEART OF CHRISTMAS NOV
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Though American Girl chose the character’s name, location (Aspen, Colorado) and hobbies (skiing, puppy training), Shang, an award-winning author, brought a deep authenticity to the storytelling. In the book, a bully accuses Tan of having “kung flu” and the “Chinese flu”—insults she isn’t quite prepared to handle. Those chap ters present an unflinching acknowl edgment of the hate speech and vio lent crimes against Asian Americans that spiked during the pandemic. Shang writes from experience, hav ing felt the sting of racial harassment growing up in Northern Virginia. She remembers the day in 1976 when her mom came home to find broken glass
Local author Wendy Wan-Long Shang Asian Americans alwayswritingyouth.inunderrepresentedwerethestoriesofherNowshe’sthebooksshewantedtoread.
WHEN WENDY WAN-LONG SHANG was approached by an editor at Amer ican Girl in 2020 about writing nov els for a new doll character, her first thought was, This must be a scam. But it wasn’t. Her agent confirmed the offer was legit, and Shang wrote the story of Corinne Tan, the franchise’s first Chinese American “Girl of the Year,” released in 2022.
22 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com familiar faces ■ by Amy Brecount White | photo by Matt Mendelsohn
TaleAmericanAn
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■ familiar faces on the floor of their home in Vienna. A neighbor who had been fired from his job and replaced by a Hispanic worker had retaliated by shooting at the near est minority household he could find. “I guess we were the closest thing he had,” says Shang, now 54 and a resi dent of Falls Church. Her parents never talked much about the incident, although they did take the neighbor to court, fruitlessly pursuing an apology that never came. A year later, her family moved to another part of Fairfax County. As the daughter of college-edu cated immigrants who came to the U.S. in the 1950s during the Taiwan ese “brain drain” of that era, Shang was “raised very conservatively.” She wasn’t allowed to have her ears pierced or go on sleepovers, but her parents did let her go to the library alone and “liter ally bring home any book,” she says, “because to them, all books are good.”
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In 2006, Shang took classes at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, studying with local children’s book author Mary Quattlebaum. Her talent was confirmed the following year when she received a 2007 Society of Children’s Book Writ ers and Illustrators (SCBWI) work-inprogress award for the novel The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. In the novel, Wu, a sixth-grader who loves basketball and interior design, grapples with the stresses of sharing her bedroom with a relative, managing a bully and attending a Chinese school. Published in 2011 by Scholastic, the book later won the 2012 Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award for Children’s Literature.
Relishing that freedom, Shang became an avid reader who also noticed a dearth of Asian American characters in American books and cul ture. She recalls her Asian American role models being limited to Mr. Sulu from Star Trek, a few ice-skaters, and the Calgon commercial featuring a cou ple with their “ancient Chinese secret” for cleaner clothes. After earning both an undergradu ate and a law degree from the Univer sity of Virginia, she spent five years at the American Bar Association, working on juvenile justice policy, before leaving the workforce to raise three children with her husband, David Harrington. One day she received an invitation to attend her 20th high school reunion at Robinson Secondary School in Fair fax. She didn’t go, but the milestone prompted her to reflect on what she still wanted to do in her life: write chil dren’s books. For starters, middle-grade books. “There’s that agency that the [middlegrade] characters have,” says the author, recalling her love of books like Harriet the Spy. “They’re discovering the world, and it’s a really fun genre to write in.”
The girl arrived with her Corinne Tan doll in tow, sporting an aqua stripe in her hair (like Tan has). She was excited to meet one of her favorite authors and was finally seeing herself in literature. Shang says her nine books (plus a 10th set for release in 2023) are intended to entertain, but “also to give kids a chance to imagine themselves as different people and to create empathy for people who are not like them.”
Several of those stories—including a picture book, The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round, and Not Your AllAmerican Girl, co-written with Arling ton author Madelyn Rosenberg— address “this idea of what it means to be an American, not just in terms of citizenship, but in terms of feeling like you belong,” Shang says. “You can be an American but not always feel like you’re seen as one.” As a child, she sought that sense of belonging. Now she inspires it in young readers. ■ Amy Brecount White writes about travel, gardening and inspirational people.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 25 In her most recent book, The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, Shang re-created the gunshot incident from her childhood, but changed the ending so that the characters find forgiveness and recon ciliation. The story’s protagonist, Evan Pao, is also surprised to discover— while researching possible roles for a Civil War reenactment at his school— that Asian soldiers fought in that war. “I was blown away by that,” Shang says, recalling her own reaction to this little-known fact, which is seldom taught in schools. Set in rural Virginia and released in June, the book received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Racial tensions remain an undercur rent in the author’s life and work. She watched in horror as books contain ing candid portrayals of racism were pulled from school shelves in parts of the country earlier this year. In 2020, the Asian American girl friend of her oldest son was singled out and spit on in Montgomery County, Maryland. (The girl didn’t call the police or press charges; she was “too shocked.”)“Eventhe little things that don’t make the news can be really devastating,” Shang says. “It makes you feel unsafe.” Putting her law degree to use, she has been doing work for the Baltimorebased Pretrial Justice Institute since November of 2016, focusing on racial justice issues such as prolonged pretrial detentions and costly bail. At the same time, Shang is seeing the positive impact of her books. This spring, at an event hosted by the Vir ginia Children’s Book Festival in Farm ville, she met a 5-year-old Filipina who’d previously told her mom she wanted “to be White.”
PHOTOSCOURTESY Cities of Angels Our West Coast adventure has come full circle. Turns out you can go home again.
26 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com my life ■ by Chris Thompson
IN 2009, MY WIFE , Susan, and I left our home of 20 years in Alcova Heights to pursue job offers in Los Angeles. With our son just off to college, we were both ready for a next chapter of sorts. We rented our house out and planned to be gone for four years. We ended up staying for 12. There was a lot about L.A. we East erners were surprised to learn. Despite the glamor of palm-lined boulevards and gated Hollywood enclaves, most of its streets are flanked by low-rise, stucco strip malls of mom-and-pop doughnut shops, hair weavers, nail salons, taque rias, bodegas, barbershops, paycheck lenders and hamburger chains. L.A. is, in fact, a blue-collar town, with miles of factories and warehouses and a work force to fill them. Most of the cars you see in those legendary Southern Califor nia traffic crawls are hourly wage-earn ers heading to and from work. They are world-class drivers com pared with the road warriors of D.C. who willfully speed up just to pre vent you from merging. Maybe it’s the shared adversity, but there’s a kind of hive mentality in SoCal that’s all about flow. If you need to change lanes on the freeway, put on your blinker and someone will make space. No thankyou wave expected. We’re all in this together, dude; just keep it moving. The dense traffic in Santa Monica and Venice nevertheless had us riding our bikes more and getting acquainted with the area’s bike culture as we cruised past hipster bars, crystal shops and boutiques that sell only Indian cot ton underwear and free-range carrotjuice enema-cleanse kits. One night, not long after I’d pur chased a headlight for riding after dark, another cyclist pulled up next to me on an otherwise empty beachside path. He was wearing red board shorts and a sweatshirt, with a thatch of griz zly blond hair and facial stubble. He looked to be pushing a fit 40. “Mind if I borrow some of your light, dude?” he asked in a gravelly surfer drawl. “Don’t have far to go. I’m Ken ner. Lifeguard.”
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ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 27
I confessed that I had just bought a new helmet and then promptly forgot it at home in the garage. But I appreci ated his concern and promised to wear it the next time. “Sure thing, bro,” he said. “Safety’s myAstrade.”weapproached the Santa Monica pier, Kenner jerked his head to the left, noting that he habitually cut through a parking lot along that stretch to bypass part of the bike path. “It ain’t about sav ing time,” he explained, “and it don’t matter much now, but by day everyone is getting out of their cars and stand ing around, blocking the path with all their beach junk, and you try to get by and you wind up hating on the mom mies and toddlers and grandmas. Not good. That’s not why you’re riding, bro.” With that, he thanked me for the light, tapped his helmet and sped off to some unknown destination. In retrospect, I believe a lot of the people we met in our corner of the city had that sort of spiritual thing going on. It’s easy to joke about and surely a cliché, but at least there are folks making an effort to unclench the fisted modern soul. We certainly felt less clenched after a dozen years out West. But one day it occurred to me that moving to a place like L.A. for the climate and vibe is a bit like going into palliative care. It’s just about keeping things calm and com fortable, until… So, back east we came, in late 2021— to actual seasons and actual rain, adversity and overcoats, umbrellas and I-lost-my-gloves-again. To real life and a granddaughter.Hereareafew things we’ve noticed with fresh eyes, having left our home town and returned after a long sojourn: It’s clean in Arlington. On the trash front, L.A. is a failed city. People leave garbage everywhere and fill your can with their stuff when you’re not look ing. Midnight trash pickers leave debris on the sidewalk. The trash collectors Mason Drive, Suite 170 Arlington, VA 22205 1701 N. George Mason Drive, Suite G-101 Arlington, VA 22205
TOGETHER: A BETTER WAY TO FIGHT CANCER 1635 N. George
I obliged and we pedaled along at an easy pace, shoulder to shoulder, in comfortable silence, feeling the breeze. “Look, friend, I don’t want to be that kind of guy, but you oughta think about a topper,” he said after a while, tapping his helmet. “Some too-many-Coronas guy is out there somewhere, and he’s probably all in black, and you don’t want him to be the last thing you see when he trips onto the path and you both go down.”
Robert Christie, MD, FACP John Feigert, MD Phase I Keeran Sampat, MDPatricia Rodriguez, MDJessica Heintz, MD, FAAHPM
28 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com do, too. I bought a leaf rake out there just to gather the garbage. Now that we’re back, we don’t take Arlington’s tidiness for granted. It’s a social com pact and a great public service. Say what you will about teardowns, but in our absence, a lot of our neigh borhood’s rickety bungalows and Sears kit houses gave way to actuallynot-unattractive larger homes. Alcova Heights saw a spate of handsome but boxy Colonial brick replacements in the ’90s and aughts, but more recently the style seems to be trending toward a gabled, porch-y, farmhouse look, and I’m not complaining. We left behind a quiet, aging com munity and returned to a stroller parade. Kids now chase each other across lawns and yell in yards and sled on the hills and bounce balls in drive ways and ride little bikes on the side walks. We love it. People look normal here. On the west side of L.A.—the part that’s all money and glam—everyone is perpet ually camera-ready. Maybe it’s because every prom queen, cheerleader, highschool-play leading man or just
■ Chris Thompson, a recently retired highschool English teacher, holds degrees from Georgetown University and Catho lic University and worked at the original 9:30 Club in D.C. He became an Arling ton resident in 1977 and has owned a home here since 1988.
“Onehadapparent.pursuitgrantsinshowedactually(whichstantlyingaGorgeousseeinggood-looking-you-ought-to-try-modelso-kidinthecountrymovestheretoiftheirfacecanbetheirfortune.istheeverydayscenery.Here,lotmorepeoplelooklikeus.It’scalmtobearoundpeoplewhoaren’tcononthemake.L.A.’sLatinopopulationhasbeentherefarlongerthanmostAnglosmakessense,sincetheareawaspartofMexicobeforeAnglosup)andisthusdeeplyrootedthecommunity.Arlington’simmitendtobemorerecent,andtheoftheAmericanDreamismoreASomalianteacheroursoninpreschooloncesaiditplainly:generation!From to my-kids-are-in-college! Where I come from, you couldn’t ever do that.” We can thank the school system and the welcoming hearts of our neighbors forAllthat.told, it’s good to be back in this hopeful, tidy, well-managed place. L.A. was always interesting, and we made good friends whom we still see for Zoom cocktail hours. But it’s nice to be Tohome.our Arlington neighbors: Rest assured I’ve got 2 cubic yards of mulch on the way to restore our gardens to max curb appeal. In the meantime, remember why you’re riding, bro. And please, drive with the hive.
■ my life
can-I-find-a-jobhere
A: Our global thematic approach to investing is our greatest differentiator. Thematic investing involves capitalizing on powerful secular trends, disruptive ideas, innovations and economic forces that are constantly reshaping our world. We build portfolios of individual companies positioned to exploit these transformational changes, and, just as importantly, avoid companies that will be disrupted by creative destruction. Additionally, all new client relationships start with a financial plan that informs the investment strategy and asset allocation recommendations for each unique relationship. There is no one-sizefits-all offering; every step of the process is personalized.
Women
in Business Profiles SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 29 TRANJOSEPH
Q: What sets Chevy Chase Trust apart from the competition?
From Left: Christine Wallace, Senior Portfolio Manager; Lynn Panagos, Chief Client Services and Operations Officer; Deb Gandy, Wealth Advisor and Relationship Manager; Anneke H. Niemira, Senior Wealth Planner
A: At Chevy Chase Trust, the Chief Investment Officer, General Counsel and Vice Chair of the Board, Chief Operating, Marketing, and Fiduciary Officers, and the Co-Heads of Planning are all women. With women comprising more than 50 percent of the overall staff and 60 percent of the executive team, Chevy Chase Trust is a firm that values women as clients, employees and leaders. Chevy Chase Trust has female portfolio managers, financial planners, trust officers, fiduciary officers, tax advisors and attorneys who meet face-to-face with clients to learn about what’s important to them and create customized plans to help them reach their goals. With more women in the workforce than ever before, many seek advice from professionals who are best able to understand first-hand their investment needs and broader goals.
Chevy Chase Trust Chevy Chase Trust is an independent, privately-owned investment management firm and think tank specializing in global thematic research, portfolio management, financial and estate planning, and fiduciary services. The firm is a thought leader and performance leader in global thematic investing. 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1500W Bethesda, MD 240-497-500020814|www.ChevyChaseTrust.com
Q: What roles do women play at Chevy Chase Trust?
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?
30 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS LEWISJ.TONY Donna Hamaker REALTOR®, BUCK & ASSOCIATES Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) Certified Real Estate Negotiator (CREN) NVAR Lifetime Top Producer certified digital marketing expert (e-PRO®) 2519 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA www.DonnaHamaker.comdonna@BuckRealtors.com703-582-777922201
A: Staying on top of the market, advising my clients, problem-solving and, most of all, meeting so many interesting people! There are critical things for buyers to consider that aren’t always intuitive and many strategies for preparing a home for the market. Add to that the challenges of selling and buying at the same time and a continually changing housing market! I have a robust “tool kit” of ideas and approaches that give my clients the edge—in any market.
Q: What advice would you offer to women just starting out?
A: The truest vote of confidence and trust is when past clients ask me to help a friend or colleague. Helping as many people as possible achieve their dreams of home ownership or move on to the next phase of their lives is my goal. I have the business and life experience to guide my clients through the entire real estate process—from buying their first home to upsizing, downsizing or investing.
A: Surround yourself with people who continually strive for excellence, both personally and professionally. Learn from and emulate women you admire in your field. Reach out to a woman with experience in your profession and ask if she’ll be your mentor. Networking is also hugely important. By becoming an active member of your local Chamber of Commerce and other organizations, you’ll build relationships and gain exposure within your field and beyond.
Q: How do you measure business success?
Dr. Grover graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry. While there, she volunteered with Missions of Mercy, providing free dental care to underserved communities in rural Virginia, and conducted research with the Periodontics program. She then completed her residency with the New York Medical College at Metropolitan Hospital. 2700 Clarendon Blvd., Suite R480 Arlington, VA www.clarendondentalarts.com703-525-590122201
Q: How do you employ new technology to help your patients?
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 31 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Manisha Grover, DDS CLARENDON DENTAL ARTS
Q: How have you mentored or inspired women who are following in your footsteps?
A: Rather than treating patients reactively, addressing issues only as they arise, we stay at the forefront of the latest tools and techniques, using today’s scientific advances to provide conservative and proactive treatment options. We study each patient’s oral biome to uncover a comprehensive picture that includes eating habits, health challenges, breathing patterns and alignment, among other variables, that impact oral and systemic health. Our goal is not only to create beautiful smiles but to help our patients achieve optimum overall health.
A: As a women-owned business, we are surrounded by like-minded women who can create mentorship opportunities for others beginning their careers, a critical step in building strong, confident female leaders. We encourage our team’s personal and professional development, helping them become better dental care providers and the best people they can be. Our values foster self-worth through education, relationship-building, individualized patient care and community outreach.
TRANJOSEPH
A: Women do face unique oral health concerns as changing hormone levels can increase the risk for issues with your mouth, teeth or gums. Women also tend to be the gatekeepers to their families’ health and their own well-being often takes a back seat. We are committed to helping our patients live healthier lives, empowering them through our “Mouth, Mind and Body” philosophy to incorporate dentistry into their overall health plans.
Q: Do women have different oral health needs than men?
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve received, and how has it helped you?
Even if our programs look different in 10, 20 or 30 years, this principle will continue to guide our vision to end homelessness.
Betsy Frantz
A: I love Arlington because the people here truly care for others. They regularly step up, volunteering their time, talent and treasure to make this community a better place for all.
32 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
A: My father was extremely wise and often gave me sage advice that I have taken to heart. He taught me that people who believe in themselves and authentically follow their hearts and passions achieve greatness and lead others to excellence. He continually reminded me to stay true to myself, be genuine and authentic, and to not worry about what others wanted me to be.
2020-A 14th St. N., Arlington, VA www.pathforwardva.org22201
PRESIDENT & CEO, PATHFORWARD PathForward (formerly A-SPAN) provides life-saving, sustaining services for more than 500 people experiencing homelessness in Arlington. President and CEO Betsy Frantz’s executive leadership in the nonprofit industry spans three decades. She is a sought-after speaker and consultant for her expertise in maximizing team and personal capacity, strategic systems building and leadership development.
Q: How have you mentored or inspired others who are following in your footsteps?
LEWISJ.TONY
Q: What do you love most about doing business in Arlington?
A: The greatest gift a leader can give is to mentor and inspire others to do even more than they have accomplished themselves. I relish the opportunity to mentor those who want to learn and grow, and I enjoy celebrating their accomplishments and successes.
Q: What is your vision for PathForward?
A: I am incredibly proud of PathForward’s rich 30-year history, and I am curious to know what people will say about our organization in another 30 years. Anyone involved with PathForward will acknowledge our sincere desire to put ourselves out of business by ensuring that everyone can live free from the threat of homelessness.
A: Early in my career, a female Caucasian banking executive told me that as a 4-foot-11 Black woman, I had three strikes against me. I could be successful, she said, but based on her life and professional experience, it would take longer and I would have to work harder. Her courageous conversation helped me understand that our challenges are not always apparent. Her counsel helped me embrace those simple words of wisdom we’ve all heard: Treat others with respect, maintain a positive attitude and outlook, and be the best person you can be.
SVP, CRE RELATIONSHIP MGR. EAGLEBANK A Memphis native, Teri Thompson is a commercial real estate lender with EagleBank. She has worked in the financial services industry—primarily banking—for the entirety of her 25+ year career. Having lived and worked in several different regions across the country, she has experience working with people of varied backgrounds. 4420 N. Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA www.eaglebankcorp.comContactMe@EagleBankCorp.com571-319-480022203
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve received, and how has it helped you?
LEWISJ.TONY
A: Learning something new. As a CRE lender for an active financial institution with a robust client base, there is never a dull moment. Each day is full of opportunities to think creatively and strategically. No day is the same and that keeps me energized! More importantly, discussing commercial real estate projects, business plans and company histories with my clients allows me to understand things from their perspectives and to learn from their decades of experience.
Q: What would you say if you could go back in time and advise yourself as a young professional?
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?
A: As a Black woman with a 25+ year career, long before discussions of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, I would tell my younger self to stay open-minded, encouraged, motivated and determined. Your mentor relationships may look and feel different from your colleagues’, but they are nonetheless beneficial.
Teri Thompson
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 33 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day? A: Making a difference in my clients’ lives. My role as a financial planner is to look at the big picture. I am here to help people navigate their financial journeys and create strategies to help them achieve their longterm financial and life goals. It is most rewarding to know my work can positively impact my clients’ lives, and I don’t take that for granted.
A: Aside from the obvious—having industry knowledge and skills—I think it mostly comes down to trust. I strive to build prosperous relationships with my clients that are rooted in their confidence in me and knowing that I always have their best interests in mind.
Ann Summerson, Financial Advisor, CFP®; Samanta Rodriguez Traconis, Marketing Assistant; Heather Phelps, Client Assistant; Angie Miller, Client Assistant; Jennifer Collins, Branch Administrative Supervisor; Tamara Burkhalter, Branch Operations Assistant
34 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS SCHWABHILARY The InvestorWiseGroup® Managing more than $2.9 billion in client portfolios, The Wise Investor Group’s reputation stems from its commitment to expert advice and personalized client service. Ann A. Summerson CFP® is specifically interested in the continuing care retirement community, and advising seniors and their families. 11951 Freedom Drive, Suite 1000, Reston, VA 20190 866-838-3562 | www.thewiseinvestorgroup.com
Q: What advice do you have for women who are looking to start investing/ financial planning?
A: Because financial planning is integral to our money management, which isn’t always the case. We don’t invest until we’ve crafted a sound financial plan and know what our clients’ total financial picture looks like.
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated does not provide tax or legal advice. All investments carry a level or risk, including loss of principal.
A: Make sure you start saving as soon as you have income. Even if you’re not making a lot in the early years, put something away. Participate in your company’s retirement plan, even if it’s just a little. If your company matches contributions, take advantage of that if you can. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can make it up later when you’re earning more. Start now!
Q: Why choose The Wise Investor Group?
Q: What qualities do you think a successful financial planner should have?
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 35 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS SCHWABHILARY Mullett Dove & Bradley Family Law, PLLC JENNIFER MULLETT, LAURA DOVE AND JENNIFER BRADLEY Best Lawyers™; Washingtonian Top Lawyers; Super Lawyers™; Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion; U.S. New and World Report Best Law Firms; Northern Virginia Top Lawyers; Arlington Magazine Top Attorneys; Virginia Business Legal Elite Three Ballston Plaza 100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1100 Arlington, Virginia 22201 www.mdbfamilylaw.com703-522-8100
Q: How do you measure success?
A: In our experience, clients are increasingly seeking women attorneys for various reasons. Men frequently find that having a female attorney handle their divorce provides them with better insight into their spouse’s position in negotiations. Women often find that we’re more sensitive to their needs and better able to relate to their interests when going through the divorce process.
A: Before founding our firm in 2012, the lawyers of MDB worked for one of the best family law attorneys in the country—Betty A. Thompson. She was the first female president of multiple local, state and national legal organizations. She helped write Virginia’s existing divorce laws and built a reputation as the “queen” of divorce. When she passed away, we felt compelled to continue her legacy by adhering to the highest ethical standards, maintaining the most advanced knowledge of the law, and serving our clients and community to the best of our ability.
Q: What’s changed for women in business during your career?
Q: What was a major turning point in your career?
A: Our goal is to help our clients resolve their disputes in a way that leaves them as whole as possible and in a position to successfully move on to the next chapter in their lives. We take an individualized approach to every case, and we measure our success by client satisfaction. We ensure clients are fully informed throughout the process, explain all of their options, explore realistic solutions and pursue the best approach to meet their goals.
Q: How have you mentored or inspired others who are following in your footsteps?
Q: What makes your practice unique?
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve received? A: “If it is to be, it is up to me!” Take charge of your life. Learn from others, but don’t depend on them to help you excel.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS 36 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PHOTOCOURTESYSCHWABHILARY
Tamara Garrett, DDS
A: My team and I are committed to providing our patients with the best, personalized care in the safest, most comfortable environment possible. Since dentistry is an aerosol-laden profession, I installed protective equipment, including air filters, foggers, extraoral suction and more—patients often joke they feel safer in my office than outside!
Lilian Realtor®Jorgenson, LONG & FOSTER MCLEAN Leading with honesty, integrity and a commitment to helping others, Lilian Jorgenson (over $1.76 billion sold) is Long & Foster’s #1 Top Listing Agent in Virginia. 1355 Beverly Road, Suite 109 McLean, VA www.lilian.com703-407-076622101
Q: How do you measure success?
A: Happy clients. All the thank you’s I’ve received over the years mean the world to me. I love being able to make a positive difference in people’s lives and help them achieve their home buying or selling dreams.
ARLINGTON DENTAL SOLUTIONS 3801 Fairfax Drive, Suite 50 Arlington, VA www.arlingtondentalsolutions.comarlingtondentalsolutions@gmail.com703-524-703122203
A: I feel very blessed to be a dentist and female minority business owner in Arlington. As the daughter of educators, my family instilled in me the importance of perpetual learning and giving back. I often speak to elementary and middle schools about dental health and host graduate students to shadow me at my practice, further enhancing their skill sets.
www.illuminos.coHeyWendy@illuminos.co571-313-5163
WeinbergerWendy
BRAGGSTEPHANIE
Q: What are you doing to help families mitigate learning loss that resulted from Covid? A: Using a cutting-edge and research-driven assessment tool, we develop a personalized learning plan for each student. This helps us identify how each student learns, as well as the specific EF skills that need to be strengthened. Using the resulting Learner Profile, we provide targeted academic coaching and tutoring to both fill in learning gaps and address EF challenges interfering with school success and achievement.
PRESIDENT & CO-FOUNDER, ILLUMINOS ACADEMIC COACHING & TUTORING Wendy Weinberger is president and co-founder of Illuminos, an academic, executive function coaching service that’s laser-focused on individual student needs. Her company’s sophisticated curriculum, whole-child approach, caring coaches and in-home customized sessions have resulted in Illuminos being hailed as one of the premier academic coaching companies in our region.
Q: What sets Illuminos’ award-winning curriculum and approach apart from other academic support companies? A: We provide customized support for every child. We help students feel encouraged, empowered and motivated to steer their own academic journey. We integrate our curriculum into each child’s everyday life, working together with other members of the child’s support circle. Our goal is to help students become independent learners who perform to their potential using researchdriven self-management strategies while maintaining social-emotional health.
Q: What is Illuminos Academic Coaching & Tutoring? A: We are an industry-leading academic coaching and tutoring organization offering in-person support to students in 3rd grade through college in and around the entire DMV area, as well as virtually throughout most of the world. The foundation of our service is our proprietary, scientifically validated and awardwinning executive function (EF) curriculum. In addition to covering essential topics such as organization, time management, study skills and social competencies, Illuminos coaches/ tutors support students across all of their subjects, standardized test prep and college applications.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 37 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
38 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS PHOTOCOURTESY
A: My patients often call me “The Singing Dentist” because I like to sing songs with them during appointments. I strive to make my patients’ time with me a fun-loving, memorable experience, so they always look forward to their visits. It makes my day every time a parent tells me their kids “love coming to the dentist!”
Dr. Jaju graduated from Harvard School of Dental Medicine and completed her specialty training in pediatric dentistry at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the only pediatric dentist in the MidAtlantic region who has achieved an Advanced Laser Proficiency Certification from the Academy of Laser Dentistry and a Breastfeeding Specialist Certification. 11790 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 105, Reston, VA 20191 571-350-3663 | www.smilewonders.cominfo@smilewonders.com
Q: What is unique about your practice?
A: I built this practice and my team to provide the most comprehensive care with gentle laser dentistry technology, digital X-rays, in-office IV sedation and customized appointments. I love being able to offer patients specialized attention that is not often found in other practices. We focus on education and prevention—I’m very conservative in my care— and best experiences, so our patients grow up to love their oral health and hygiene.
Rishita Jaju, DMD SMILE WONDERS
Q: How would your patients describe you?
A: My passion lies in care for infants, toddlers and children with unique behavioral or medical needs and extensive dental needs. With laser dentistry especially, I can improve my patients’ quality of life, including infants struggling to feed due to lip- or tongue-tie issues. It’s rewarding to know that most of our patients come to us through referrals from pediatricians, lactation consultants, feeding therapists, friends or even other pediatric dentist colleagues. And it inspires me every day to continue providing optimal results for all my patients, instilling healthy dental habits and laying the foundation for lifelong oral health.
Q: Why do you do what you do? What motivates and inspires you?
SCHWABHILARY
2311 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22201 703-525-4000 | beankinney.com
Q: What changes or innovations are on the horizon in your industry? How are you preparing for them?
A: Take every assignment and opportunity seriously. First impressions count and, whether it’s a simple or complicated task, intellectual or menial, those around you will notice how you approach it. You can solidify your career by making an excellent first impression. It builds trust and confidence in your abilities.
From Left: Jennifer McCammon, Michelle Bieber, Juanita Ferguson, Jill Seiferth, Carole Capsalis, Kandis Koustenis, Jennifer Schiffer, Maureen Carr, Theresa Mihalik, Lynn Hawkins, Taylor Klauza, Pat Bruce
The attorneys at Bean, Kinney & Korman specialize in business transactions, bankruptcy/creditors rights, employment, real estate, family law and estate planning. Our attorneys understand the importance of putting clients first and adapting to challenges inside and outside of the workplace. Jennifer McCammon shares her thoughts on being a successful lawyer and woman in business.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 39 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
A: The people. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that you are not the only one who has good days and bad or that the work we do can be really challenging. I not only look forward to connecting with people but find it necessary to share experiences and sometimes laughs to maintain balance.
Bean, Kinney & Korman P.C.
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
A: Like every industry, we must be more flexible about hours and accommodating remote work. That will not drastically change what we do, but how. Over the last few years, we have learned that most of us can successfully work remotely. Therefore, we must be proactive in offering flexible options and trust that we can hold our colleagues and employees accountable.
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?
A: I am inspired every day by my female colleagues, but without question, my mother is the woman who inspires me most. She didn’t just balance life—or make it look like she did—but gave me the confidence to know I am capable of anything.
Q: What woman inspires you and why?
Q: What advice would you offer to women just starting out?
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?
From Left: Katherine C, Enrollment Director; Michelle Scott, Owner/Director; Natalie H, Instructor; Swetha S, Instructor; Grace T, Student Success Coach
Consistently voted best in its category by Arlington, Northern Virginia and Washington Family Magazine readers, Tutoring Club of McLean provides individualized academic assistance to students of all ages and abilities. “From early learning to college preparation, we are a dedicated and trusted partner for every step of the journey,” says Club Owner Michelle Scott. 6228 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, VA 22101 703-237-TUTOR www.tutoringclub.com/mcleanvaMcLeanVA@TutoringClub.com(8886)
SCHWABHILARY
Q: What advice would you offer to women just starting out? A: Trust in your ability to succeed. By nature, women tend to possess more self-doubt than men, which inhibits them from being the leaders they’re capable of becoming. Trust the strengths and passions that have led you to where you are. We encourage women—as we do our students and staff—to strive for excellence.
A: Training and mentoring our skilled and dedicated educators is a critical part of our job. Our tutors can be life-changing for students, so investing in their professional development and encouraging them to find their strengths, pursue their passions and expand their leadership roles within our business is paramount. We follow our core values—Nurturing, Fun, Accountable, Respectful, Inspiring and Integrity—to guide us toward excellence. And as a national franchise leader, Tutoring Club of McLean shares our best practices with other TC centers.
A: Witnessing the excitement of our students and staff as they turn out victories—there’s no better feeling! How cool is it to coach a student and watch new doors open for colleges, financial aid and scholarships? Or help another earn their first A in math after they gave up on themself? Or for another, find a system that works to finish the quarter with no missing homework for the first time? We always look forward to seeing what our students achieve!
Q: How have you mentored or inspired others who are following in your footsteps?
40 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Tutoring Club of McLean
Q: What was a major turning point in your life and career?
A: Pursuing law school almost 10 years after graduating from college was life-changing. I never thought about following in the footsteps of my dad, Peter Greenspun, and becoming a lawyer. But, after working as his firm’s office manager for years, my days felt routine and I knew I needed to make a change. My husband helped me realize that law school would not only be a logical next step—I already had experience speaking with clients, learning about the court system and helping with casework—but a positive one that would allow me to challenge myself. Everything clicked once I started practicing. This is what I am supposed to be doing.
VENTURAMICHAEL
Liza YangGreenspun GREENSPUN SHAPIRO PC Liza Greenspun Yang attended George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School as a Mason Scholar, earning the Virginia Trial Lawyers’ Association Student Advocacy Award. A strong mental health advocate, Liza is a volunteer and past Board Member with the National Alliance on Mental Illness Northern Virginia and leads the firm’s fundraising efforts for NAMI. 3955 Chain Bridge Road, Second Floor Fairfax, VA www.greenspunlaw.com703-454-588522030
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 41 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?
A: Giving people the opportunity to tell their stories. It is crucial that everyone has a chance to be heard. Even if the facts of a case are not in my client’s favor, they deserve to have at least one person listen to the “why” behind their circumstances. If you ask the right questions and listen when others are talking, you learn that everyone has a backstory. It’s amazing how grateful some people are just to have one person listen to what they have to say. As my clients’ fiercest advocate, my goal each day is to leave them in a better place than when they first came to me.
WILLIAMSSTEPHANIE
www.nounou-nanny.comtiffany@nounou-nanny.com571-237-1912
Q: If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?
A: Know your worth. Some people might not consider nanny work as important as other careers. Your natural-born skills as a caregiver and your ability to connect with people are invaluable, especially in this industry.
A: A year after I opened my business, Covid-19 hit. It left nannies, much like educators across the country, scrambling to find adaptive ways to meet the needs of their clients during the pandemic. I have been pleasantly surprised by the creativity and inventiveness shown by our nannies to keep kids engaged, specifically when it comes to “Covid babies.” They may not have had the opportunity to be socialized in the same ways as children born before the pandemic. They’ve been so imaginative in their approaches, using toys, games and developmental exercises to help children reach and exceed milestones, despite lacking as much social exposure.
Q: How have you mentored or inspired others who are following in your footsteps?
Tiffany FounderGreen, NOUNOU NANNY Nounou Nanny is a nanny placement service committed to finding the perfect childcare fit for every client family. Their in-depth, step-by-step process is led by experienced consultants who assist with the important task of hiring a childcare provider. Whether seasonal or full- or part-time, clients receive quality care from experienced professional sitters and nannies.
Q: What has been an unexpected surprise in your work?
A: I spend a lot of time speaking with women who are committed to childcare as their lifelong career. I truly enjoy giving them industry advice, from guidance on starting their own agency to pursuing more specialized childcare. I also encourage our nannies to work with different types of families, so they are well-rounded and equipped to serve a broader range of clients. Lastly, I continually stress the importance of actively listening and providing recommendations instead of simply applying blanket solutions to every challenge.
42 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned during your career?
A: Ciara Miller: In my 20+ years of practicing law, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that it is very difficult to passionately advocate for your clients if you’re burning the candle at both ends. While setting boundaries can be tough, especially when you’re just starting out, not doing so is ultimately a disservice to both you and your clients. Therefore, it’s super important—for both your physical and mental health—to find a work-life balance.
A: Melissa Dragone: I’m only in my third year of practice, so this is one of the points I’ve implemented for myself: It’s OK if people don’t take you seriously right away. Prove them wrong. You will undoubtedly encounter older lawyers who will underestimate you in one way or another. Instead of letting their skepticism knock you down, use it to drive you to be the best attorney you can be.
Q: What advice would you offer women just starting out?
A: Carolé Krogmann: Aside from my commitment to being a highly-skilled and ethical attorney, I think it is essential to mentor and help young lawyers as they come up to ensure that they, too, understand the importance of legal ethics. I think the responsibility falls on industry veterans like me to promote to the next generation of attorneys the value of getting back to the basics of good, competent and ethical law. I take that responsibility seriously.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 43 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS PHOTOGRAPHYCHRISTIN KrogmannMastermanPC CAROLÉ C. KROGMANN CIARA A. MELISSAMILLERDRAGONE Masterman Krogmann PC is a top Northern Virginia family law firm that offers the full spectrum of family law services from before marriage through post-divorce enforcement and termination. These services include all matters relating to children, property division in divorce and support issues. 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 310 McLean, VA www.mastermanlaw.com703-827-550022102
Q: What are your top priorities?
A: For me, success means balancing work, family and play while not feeling like I’m sacrificing one for the other. I want to look at my life and feel I’m a good person, mom, wife, salon owner and employer. Success is personal.
Q: What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?
Ashley Love SALONOWNER/STYLIST/COLORISTSAGE
Q: How do you measure success?
A: Since a young age, I have been passionate about homes and design. I have great interest in the business of real estate and how it constantly evolves. I love the artistic nature of the business and using my creativity and market expertise to provide strategic, outside-the-box solutions. I enjoy working with people and helping them achieve their real estate goals in a seamless and stress-free way.
Q: What advice would you offer to women just starting out? A: Real estate is a tough business, but when you genuinely love it and serving your clients, it doesn’t feel like work. Find your natural style, trust your instincts, don’t be afraid to take risks and be sure to listen more and talk less.
A: After 10 years in the industry, I opened Salon Sage in 2014 to provide an innovative, creative service experience in a welcoming and friendly environment. We are client-centric—we make every business decision with our clients in mind—and strive to keep evolving as hairstylists to ensure we offer clients the latest products, treatments and styles. And we are environmentally conscious, mindful that we use sustainable products whenever possible.
BRAGGSTEPHANIE
6712 Whittier Ave. McLean, VA www.salonsagemclean.cominfo@salonsagemclean.com703-761-111122101
Q: What makes Salon Sage unique?
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS 44 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com OWENSDONNA Debran McClean REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY Licensed in VA, D.C., & MD 2300 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22201 202-494-8202 | www.theoandpartners.comdmcclean@ttrsir.com
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 45 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS OWENSDONNA AssociatesPsychologyIntegrated of McLean, LLC DEBRA N. BROSIUS, PSY.D., CO-OWNER EVA-MARIA THEODOSIADIS, MD, FAPA, CO-OWNER A shared endeavor in collaborative and integrated care, offering comprehensive mental health services with a combined 30 years of clinical practice. Dr. Theodosiadis is a board-certified child and adolescent, adult and forensic psychiatrist. Dr. Brosius is a trained neuropsychologist. 6845 Elm St., Suite 507, McLean VA 22101 703-459-0417 | 703-215-4101 (Scheduling) www.ipamclean.com
Q: Why do you do what you do? What motivates and inspires you?
A: We established Integrated Psychology Associates of McLean (IPA) as a community resource for youth and families in McLean and surrounding areas. By bringing together clinicians with varied training backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures, we aim to support clients of all ages and backgrounds. We strive to foster a safe and understanding environment, a place our clients can call their therapeutic “home base.” Ultimately, we hope to guide our youth safely into adulthood and to positively influence this community, if not our world, one child, one family, at a time. Q: What has been an unexpected surprise in your work? A: Covid! The pandemic and the abrupt discontinuation of social activities integral to child development reshaped our concept of what it means to create and maintain lasting relationships with the families we serve. During quarantine and physical distancing, we had to find creative and inventive ways of maintaining rapport and helping families cope. We were honored to be virtually invited into their homes each week and used everything available to us on camera to preserve that human connection. For some patients, these virtual sessions were the one constant in their lives as the world shut down. And, in some cases, it was a lifeline.
Q: Why choose IPA? A: Our practice employs a patient-oriented approach. Many factors contribute to mental health needs, and we seek to learn everything we can about our clients and their lives to create unique evidence-based treatment plans to target their specific individual experiences.
46 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONPROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
A: Rose M. Price: Many people do not realize that women need to save more money for retirement than men. They live longer, so, in addition to spending more time in retirement, they will have higher health costs as they age. Women are also more likely to take time out of the workforce to care for their families and, therefore, will benefit from having a defined retirement goal. Sarah Avila: Planning for retirement should be at the top of every woman’s to-do list. A financial plan provides a longterm road map for handling your money, helping you pinpoint key opportunities and weaknesses in your finances, and take subsequent action.
ROSE M. PRICE, PARTNER, CFP®, AIF® SARAH AVILA, CFP®, CDFA® Rose M. Price is a Partner at VLP Financial Advisors. She believes that strategic planning is key to creating, protecting and growing wealth. Sarah Avila is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and specializes in guiding individuals through the financial challenges that can accompany divorce. 8391 Old Courthouse Road, Suite 203 Vienna, VA 703-356-436022182| www.vlpfa.com
Q: How are financial realities different for women?
Rose Price and Sarah Avila are Registered Representative of and offer Securities and Advisory Services through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a broker/dealer and Registered Investment Adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.
PHOTOSCOURTESY
A: Rose M. Price: I am passionate about helping people plan and navigate their financial futures, striving to provide individuals and families with financial confidence so they can focus on what brings them the most joy in life. My clients’ best interests are at the forefront of everything I do, and I am always glad to answer any questions and concerns, explaining even the most complex financial concepts in the simplest terms to ensure they can make the most informed decisions. Sarah Avila: Financial journeys are not linear. I enjoy helping clients during crucial periods of financial need, advising them in the areas of retirement, Social Security insurance, investing, tax considerations and estate planning, and offering goalbased financial plans to help them meet short- and long-term objectives.
Q: Why do you do what you do? What motivates and inspires you?
VLP AdvisorsFinancial
Carolyn Abbate was named a “Top Attorney” by Arlington Magazine (2019, 2021) and one of the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys’ Ten Best in Client Satisfaction (2017-22).
A: Our laws have changed dramatically, from lack of gender distinction in custody issues to equitable distribution of marital assets regardless of title to constantly changing military, tax, corporate and other related laws that can impact a family law case. Additionally, the use of technology has expanded exponentially. These days, attorneys must understand the intricacies of laws concerning the use of technology in domestic matters and the financial implications should they not be followed appropriately. This is important in storing data and gaining access to relevant information that can assist in negotiating and litigating our clients’ cases.
A: Our family law attorneys offer decades of experience working for clients who are enduring one of the most challenging circumstances of their lives. Aside from the emotional pain and financial struggles that accompany any domestic situation, including divorce, separate maintenance, custody, support and equitable distribution of assets, there are significant legal considerations. Our knowledgeable and experienced attorneys will treat you with empathy and compassion, drawing upon our extensive family law background to help you navigate your domestic issue. Strategies are tailored to each case to achieve the best possible outcomes.
P.C.WinklerDuffett,Grenadier,Levi,&Rubin,
Q: How do you approach your clients’ cases? A: Our attorneys value a collaborative approach with our clients. Using our collective experience and skills—and specialized knowledge of domestic relations—we help clients either settle through counsel, mediation or, if litigation becomes necessary, obtain a fair outcome at trial.
12359 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 230 Reston, VA 20191 649 South Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 703-683-9000 | www.vafamilylaw.com
Q: Why choose Grenadier, Duffett, Levi, Winkler & Rubin, P.C.
ILONA ELY GRENADIER, FOUNDING PARTNER; CAROLYN M. ABBATE, JUNIOR PARTNER Listed in Best Lawyers in America since its inception (1983), Ilona Grenadier has practiced family law since the late 1960s, earning Martindale-Hubbell’s top AV rating.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 47 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Q: What is the most significant change in the legal profession during your career?
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ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 49
In the age of mass shootings, questions about priorities and preparedness are hitting home.
BY KIM O’CONNELL | ILLUSTRATION BY JARRED BRIGGS Our Safe?Schools
Are
Afterward, her daughter, Maisy, who attends Gunston Middle School, repeated questions like “Is it going to happen again?” Her son Liam, a Wakefield High School student, was quieter, saying little about it. Merrigan still isn’t sure how the shooting will sit with her kids over the long term. But the experience did spark one immediate realization for the Arling ton mom: The lockdown drills that had become so routine at her kids’ schools
On a Saturday afternoon in June, Susan Merrigan was shopping with her kids and some friends at Tysons Corner Center when they heard a commotion on the level above them and someone yelled, “Gun, gun, gun!” They ran into the nearest shop, hoping to find shelter, but were turned away by staff who were locking down the store. That’s when they heard the unmistakable sound: pop pop pop. Merrigan’s group and everyone around them broke into a run as the gates of store after store crashed down— a measure designed to keep employees safe in an active shooter event, but one that left dozens of panicking customers with nowhere to go. “I had no idea what to do,” Merri gan recalls. “I was literally running for myFinally,life.” after seconds that felt like an eternity, the employees of a shoe store ushered them into the back room be fore locking down the premises. From there, they exited out to a loading dock and ran to a parking garage. Although shots were fired, no one was hurt or killed in the incident, which turned out to be gang related. The out come could have been far worse, Merri gan says, but it was still terrifying.
“There’s no amount of hardening a school that can promise a parent this won’t happen.”
OURS IS A NATION reeling from mass shootings and rampant gun violence. Tragedies of years past remain fresh in our minds, compounded by the more recent carnage in Buffalo, New York, where a racially motivated gunman killed 10 Black people, and in Uvalde, Texas, where the massacre of 19 ele mentary school children and two teach ers brought back the horrors of Sandy Hook and Parkland. By the time a shooter killed seven peo ple and injured 46 more at a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb, more than 300 mass shootings had occurred in the United States this year alone, ac cording to data compiled by the nonprof it Gun Violence Archive (GVA). In the sev en years between 2014 and 2020, guns killed or injured 26,615 children aged 17 and younger. In 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for kids and teens in the U.S., according to the CDC. Every mass shooting triggers an out pouring of grief and anger, finger-point ing, anxiety and hopelessness. Protests and marches ensue, along with re newed calls for stricter gun laws or in creased mental health services. Then the cycle repeats. At the federal level, Congress passed legislation in June that many viewed as an important step toward curbing gun violence. Signed into law by President Biden, the Bipartisan Safer Communi ties Act improves background checks, increases protections for domestic vio lence victims, incentivizes states to pass laws removing guns from high-risk in dividuals, and funnels more money into mental health initiatives. It is the first gun safety measure to pass Congress in decades, although gun-sense advoca cy groups such as Every Town for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action and San dy Hook Promise say more restrictions need to be put in place. Meanwhile, the specter of violence is creeping closer to home. This spring, an unnamed threat caused the cancellation of Gunston’s eighth-grade dance. Last year, possible shooter threats caused lockdowns at Yorktown and Washing ton-Liberty (W-L) high schools, and sus picious individuals were reported near Kenmore Middle School and HoffmanBostonAlthoughElementary.notgun-related, an Alexan dria City High School student was fa tally stabbed in May at Bradlee Center on Route 7—a tragedy that was keenly felt amid all the other violence. In July, police were dispatched to W-L after receiving a report of possible shots fired inside a school bathroom. The cause ended up being fireworks, but the incident prompted a lockdown that left staff on edge. “Schools have drawn the short straw in managing what has essentially been, from my perspective, a pressure cook er of overlapping challenges—health challenges, learning challenges, physi cal and mental challenges, families be ing torn apart by the pandemic,” says a Gunston parent who asked to remain anonymous. “I think that really contrib uted to an insane amount of pressure on kids, on teachers, on schools and on families. All of that, for our fami ly, really came to a head when the Tex as shooting happened, and the Bradlee CenterAfterstabbing.”Buffaloand Uvalde, the Arling ton County Board in late May issued a statement condemning gun violence. “Our hearts are heavy for the families who are suffering from the most pro found loss imaginable,” the board said. “We renew our commitment to act to the fullest extent of our local authority and call for additional action so that we can further protect our community from gun violence.”
50 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ are our schools safe? were solely focused on hiding in the classroom—not on what happens when students are caught in common areas. “Maisy has been doing lockdown drills since kindergarten, but they didn’t prepare her for this,” Merrigan says. “We were in the middle of the mall, in the shooting gallery. That was the most disturbing part—the 10 sec onds of not knowing and running.”
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 51
PREPARING A SCHOOL for the pos sibility of mass violence is layered like an onion, starting at the classroom lev el with teachers and students, then ex panding to include school counselors and administrators, then the school district, and then the community, state and nation at large. The innermost lay er—the classroom—is where one of the most visible forms of preparation oc curs: the lockdown drill.
Ramped-up school security will only go so far, says County Board Chair Ka tie Cristol: “There’s no amount of hard ening a school that can promise a par ent this won’t happen. The only way to do that is with government legislation. When we can achieve state and federal policy changes, the actual implementa tion is going to come down to dozens of small decisions on the local level.”
The statement underscored the county board’s recent actions to estab lish gun-free zones in public facilities in Arlington and to locally implement a 2016 state law removing guns from domestic violence offenders.
Lockdown drills (in which children are taught to hide and stay quiet for a certain period of time, often in a closet) are required by law in the state of Vir ginia. All local school districts conduct them at all levels of education. In Arlington and other neighboring school districts, teachers are also re quired to do compliance training be fore every academic year, which in cludes learning how to respond in an active shooter situation. Samantha Sherman (not her real name), a middle-school teacher in North Arlington, is concerned about the inconsistent practice of buzzing in visi tors to schools, where it’s often easy to “tailgate” into a school building behind someone else who is walking in or out.
“Arlington has to take a hard look at all of the schools and how secure all the schools really are,” Sherman says. “My
On the school front, Sheahan is pushing for improvements in building security, mental health services, threat assessments and intervention for stu dents who are deemed to be at risk of harming themselves or others. Moms Demand Action also sup ports background checks on all gun sales and ending sales of semiauto matic weapons, high-capacity maga zines and untraceable, self-assembly “ghost” guns. Over the next couple years, Arling ton County is planning to upgrade en trances at several schools, including the construction of more secure vesti bules. Starting this fall, every lock on every public-school classroom and of fice door will be upgraded to a standard inside-locking knob. “It’s been a hodgepodge of door hardware [up to now],” says Zachary Pope, director of safety, security, risk and emergency management for Ar lington Public Schools (APS). “The re search shows that the ability to lock down a classroom easily saves 10 sec onds to a minute.” Those seconds can saveInstallinglives. bulletproof glass in interi or and exterior classroom windows and doors is not on the table, Pope says, be cause window access “is not a tradition al method of travel for armed assail ants”—although schools have looked into how quickly classroom windows can be covered, if needed, to block the view from Nevertheless,outside.parents, students, teachers and administrators remain worried about how to adequately pro tectQuestionsschools. abound: Are lockdown drills the right approach? Should teachers be armed? Should publicschool floor plans be reconfigured with the threat of gun violence in mind? Do our schools have adequate mental health resources? And to what extent should parents and students have a say in what happens?
Cristol supports a ban on semiauto matic weapons, safe storage require ments for firearms near minors, and the expansion of eligible categories for extreme risk protection orders, among other“Schoolsmeasures.will be safer when we treat guns the way responsible gun owners do,” says Alison Sheahan, head of the Arlington chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We store guns and ammuni tion securely and separately, we teach our children these are deadly weap ons and an earned responsibility, and we follow licensure requirements and training to keep ourselves and our fel low citizens safe.”
In 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for kids and teens in the U.S., according to the CDC.
■ are our schools safe? school was built in the ’50s and we have not done the updates necessary to make sure that all visitors are coming in a single access point. We need to be look ing at the configuration of the schools we have, and if that means we need to halt the new building projects that are happening, then so be it.”
52 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
What about teenagers, who know full well what the lockdown drills are all about? “If the school feels it will cre ate calm and structure in the event of chaos, then yes, teens should practice lockdowns,” Parks says. “But should schools also be given the tools and per sonnel to support the emotional rup tures that may arise from potentially creating a sense of anticipatory anxiety in students? Most definitely.”
Having “drill after drill after drill” is exhausting and anxietyproducing for many kids.
Some wonder whether lockdowns may be the wrong approach in an active shooter situation, leaving kids stuck in side as “sitting ducks.” A newer proto col developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security advocates the “Run, Hide, Fight” response, where es cape is the primary survival tactic, fol lowed by hiding and then fighting as a lastLockdownresort.
drills focus only on what to do in the classroom, Sherman points out, overlooking the many situations when students and teachers might be elsewhere on the property—like what the Merrigans experienced at the mall in Tysons WithoutCorner.practicing an escape plan, she says, a teacher could potentially lead children into an even worse situ ation. “I could escape out the nearest door and run into an [enclosed] court yard and then I’m stuck. We have to consider how the school is configured and get trained on what to do in each specific situation.”
APS safety director Pope says that lockdowns are proven to keep people safe, noting, sadly, that the classroom doors in Uvalde were unlocked. “Acts of violence are crimes of op portunities,” he says. “When an armed intruder comes through the schools, they are not coming through a locked door. I can’t tell kindergartners to run and have them know the difference be tween running away from a teacher [or another adult who is trying to help] or from a shooter. What we teach adults is that our first option is always going to be Thatlockdown.”said,APS does train its staff to follow the “run, hide, fight” approach when they have information on, say, a shooter’s location or something else that might allow a teacher and stu dents to escape. (Fighting, Pope says, could involve using chairs, desks and other objects as improvised weapons, or working with others to coordinate an ambush.) This protocol is taught to teachers only, so they know they have options. Fairfax County Public Schools provides similar guidance to its Fallsteachers.Church City Public Schools has developed its own training called “The First 12 Minutes”—referring to the av erage time it takes first responders to arrive at a crime scene—that empow ers teachers, office workers and others to barricade, fight, distract or pursue other measures in the event of an ac tive shooter Lockdowncrisis.drills have also raised concerns about their impacts on chil dren’s emotional health. Having “drill after drill after drill”—fire, active shooter—is exhausting and anxietyproducing for many kids, says Amy Parks, director and owner of The Wise Family, a child and adolescent counsel ing practice with offices in Alexandria and Falls Church. “From my perspective it would be far more productive for just the adult in the room to understand the procedure,” she says. “The teacher can create sce narios [for young children] that state, ‘There may be times when this is like Simon Says and you must follow my di rections exactly.’ At the end of the day, it’s not going to matter if they practiced [a lockdown drill]. What’s going to mat ter on a daily basis? If those kids slept through the night.”
THE RATIONALE FOR arming teachers comes from an acknowledgment that law enforcement can’t—or won’t—al ways respond to an active shooter situ ation in time to make a difference. In Parkland, Florida, four years ago, and in Uvalde just this year, police offi cers on the scene did not engage, lead ing to dismissals and resignations and prompting many to question whether “a good guy with a gun” is an effec tiveManysolution.school districts across the country—Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church City among them— have relied at some point on school resource officers (SROs) to be present at schools as a criminal deterrent and as part of a front-line threat assess ment team working in concert with school officials. The concept of SROs goes back to the 1950s, when the idea was for schoolchildren to understand, respect and trust police officers as communi ty servants. After the 1999 Columbine shooting, the role of the SRO shifted to one more akin to traditional law en forcement. In recent years, as many as 77% of public schools with 1,000 or more students employed an SRO, ac cording to the National Center for Ed ucationSROsStatistics.havedrawn controversy, how ever, because their presence has corre lated with higher incidents of juvenile
STOCKADOBE
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 53 Parks worries about the stress on teachers, too. They’ve already been working through a global pandemic that put unprecedented strain on edu cators, pivoting to virtual school and then working to reopen and re-engage. “For teachers and administrators, it’s even worse,” she says, “because the is sue is not just their own personal safety, but their sense of profound responsibil ity. There’s no one in education because they want to make money. They do it because they love children and they loveForteaching.”JoshFolb, an Arlington high school math teacher, the solution to securing schools most decidedly does not involve arming educators. “I have no interest ever in carrying a weapon,” Folb says. “I will change my occupation before I carry a weapon. It changes the dynamic in the classroom when I go from being the person teaching to also being the person required—if it’s one of my students [causing the threat]— to take out one of my students. I would say that, among those who made ed ucation their first chosen profession, you would struggle to find a large per centage of those willing and qualified to carry a weapon.”
When we talk about the gun cri sis, Folb says, “we’re trying to react to these weapons of war that our country has chosen to make available for sale. When someone closes their eyes and says, ‘What does a school look like?’ it’s really hard to balance the choice we’ve made to make these weapons available against what we want in terms of free dom in schools.”
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As an alternative to SROs, APS is now working with the Arlington County Police Department to employ officers in what they are calling a Youth Outreach Unit (YOU), an off-site entity charged with developing outreach and educa tion opportunities in the community, not the Insideschools.theschools, unarmed “school safety coordinators” (wearing an inten tionally neutral outfit of polo shirt and khakis) will now provide more eyes and ears during arrival and dismissal times. These safety coordinators will let schools take the lead on disciplinary ac tions, providing support as needed.
APS middle school teacher Sherman wishes the SROs were still in place. “They were in there every day, building connections,” she says. “Without them in the schools, I would feel a sense of panic if an event happened here, won dering how long it would take [for the police] to respond, and without that person [the SRO] already in the build ing and familiar with the building.”
“Their job is to build relationships and to de-escalate,” Pope explains. “They’re not there to be criminal jus tice enforcement. They’re school divi sionWhetheremployees.”theschool safety coordi nators can successfully lower the tem perature in a school to prevent vio lence remains to be seen. Regardless, some parents think the money devoted to security would be better spent beef ing up mental health services. Research ■ are our schools safe?
“If a shooting is in a main commons area,” says math teacher Folb, “and a school resource officer stationed out in the bus lane has to come inside and en gage an assailant armed with a weapon of war, I’m not sure that 90 seconds will make a difference.”
arrests and police brutality—often tar geting students of color. “The truth of the matter is that mass shootings at schools are very rare, and SROs do not prevent or stop them,” says Whytni Kernodle, president of the local advocacy group Black Parents of Arlington. “In fact, research indicates that the presence of SROs is detrimen tal to the welfare of Black, Brown and disabled children, leading to the in creased criminalization of marginal ized youth for childlike behaviors.”
“We are pretty much the victim pool. Every student in America feels like, ‘This could be me.’ ”
The awful reality is that some mass shooters use high-powered rifles that can render significant casualties in short order, so even an on-site SRO might not have time to engage before a shooter inflicts unspeakable damage.
During the 2019-20 academic year, Black students represented only 12% of Arlington’s high school population, but accounted for 31% of school sus pensions, according to APS dashboard data. In June 2021, in response to such concerns, the Arlington County School Board voted to remove SROs from its publicWesleyschools.Palmer
Bullock, a gradu ate of Ballou High School in D.C., is now a teaching assistant at Oakridge Elementary in Arlington. He finds it sadly ironic that the gun violence ep idemic has caused White families to feel anxious about their personal safe ty—something Black families have en dured for centuries. “The schools in my neighborhood [in D.C.] were highly secured because the blatant violence and crime in the surrounding areas would spill into the school,” he says. “I think the metal detectors and X-rays were a way to allow the children to have a sense of safety. Arlington was a culture shock because the violence and crime were less obvious or advertised, versus my neighborhood, where it was tolerated to a Traceypoint.”Torino (not her real name), an Arlington elementary school teach er, says she never had any problem with SROs at the elementary level. “It gave kids a chance to see a com munity worker and they became part of our school family,” she says. “But some people of color have had incidents with SROs. Maybe training could be done with SROs so all students could be made to be safe and equal.”
SCHOOLSPUBLICBELLAVIA/ARLINGTONFRANK
Moms Demand Action has been working with local school districts on its “Be SMART” campaign, which pro vides information about safe gun stor age and how to ask other parents if they have firearms in the house before playdates. Fairfax, Alexandria City and Loudoun public schools have agreed to send campaign information home in students’ first-day packets. At press time, the Arlington chapter of Moms Demand Action was working with the Arlington School Board in the hope that it would do the same.
“We are pretty much the victim pool,” adds González Mejía. It’s a grim realization. “Every student in America feels like, ‘This could be me.’ ”
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine visits Wakefield High studentsSchoolinJune
“I think that being a student, your voice is especially important in the con versation because we are the ones that directly have to go to school every day, and not know if we’re safe,” Paley says. “We’ve seen, year after year, that we think it’s getting better, and it doesn’t.”
■ Kim O’Connell is a writer based in Auro ra Highlands and mom of a son in high school and a daughter in middle school.
“We’ve been here before,” Kaine said, expressing frustration that Con gress has not moved to legislate bans on semiautomatic weapons and highcapacity magazines (both measures he supports), “but we can’t give up.”
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 55 indicates that more than half of school shooters have a history of psychological problems, and most K-12 shooters tar get the school they attend or attended.
“My kids attended Claremont [Im mersion Elementary School] and I know they had an SRO there and it was fine,” says Kelly Harvey, an APS parent of middle schoolers and a vol unteer with Moms Demand Action. “I understand the intent in having a po lice officer be viewed as a friendly per son. However, I would absolutely prefer that the money for SROs be used in stead for additional counseling staff for the schools. I do not feel that SROs are the most effective way to prevent gun violence in schools. They are reactive; school counselors could be proactive.”
Amanda Niza González Mejía, Na hier Tafere and Isa Paley were among the Wakefield students who met with the senator, just days before they gradu ated. All three have been active in gunsafety advocacy at school, including or ganizing and participating in student walkouts and community protests.
Tafere says she was grateful that Wakefield’s principal, Chris Willmore, made them feel heard throughout the school year. He supported their walk outs, listened to their suggestions and acknowledged their fears. “I remember Dr. Willmore giving a whole spiel about ‘Don’t let apathy con sume you,’ ” she says. “It’s so easy to get super upset and feel like your efforts aren’t amounting to anything. Some thing that’s helped us so much is just caring genuinely for our community.
INCREASINGLY, YOUTH are tak ing a stand. Students at nearly all of Northern Virginia’s high schools have staged walkouts or other demonstra tions in recent years to protest gun violence and advocate for stricter gun control measures. In June, just before the 2021-22 aca demic year ended, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine sat down with about 30 students from Wakefield High School to discuss the epidemic—his second such visit in the past four years. He expressed his support for the re cent federal gun legislation (which was also supported by Sen. Mark Warner) but admitted to sharing students’ skep ticism about whether real change on gun violence is possible.
The only way we got through anything this year was caring about our school and the halls and the people who oc cupy them.”
56 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
“There are 4,000 colleges [in the U.S.],” says Kathleen Otal, a guidance
t’s a recipe for stressermagged don: Mix the complex process of applying to college with rampedup pressure on students to apply “early decision” or “early action.” Throw in a dash of uncertainty about the “testoptional” policies that have given SAT and ACT scores less weight at most in stitutions of higher learning. Frost with skyrocketing numbers of applications that are overwhelming admissions of fices and driving down acceptance rates at the most coveted schools. Then serve it all up in Northern Virginia, land of Type-A parents, some of whom literal ly run the country and expect the best for—and from—their kids.
“It is in the water around here,” says Melissa Sporn, a clinical psychologist based in McLean. “Kids start talking about colleges and wearing college shirts in elementary school.”
Her reaction may seem extreme, but Sporn has seen what the obsession with “good schools” can do to some kids. Anxiety and depression continue to rise. Meltdowns over college essays and waitlists are common. In severe cases, she’s even seen teens become sui cidal when faced with curveballs they thought would jeopardize their chanc es of getting into a top-rated university. The reality is that not every student is preordained to become a future Ivy Leaguer or the golden child who earns a spot at Stanford (which, like Harvard, has an acceptance rate of around 5%).
Admissions
Applying to college has gotten downright crazy. It may be time for a sanity check.
ILLUSTRATION
Many of us are guilty of feeding the beast, even if unwittingly. Sporn re members driving north several years ago for a prospective campus visit with her husband and daughter (then a high school senior) when her hus band asked whether the college they were visiting was a good school. She yanked the car over to the side of the road. “We don’t use the word good ,” she admonished. “We’re looking for the right fit for our child.”
BY TAMARA LYTLE | BY JAIMIE SHELTON
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 57 I
58 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
“It’s hard to know what went wrong and why it was easy for one [child] and not so smooth for the other,” says the Ar lington mom. “It seemed really random on who got in where. If you’re on the wrong end of it, you feel jilted. He bust ed his butt all these years and ultimate ly it didn’t give him what he hoped for.”
LATELY, HOWEVER , finding that right fit has gotten a lot more complicat ed. Rachel Smith (not her real name) thought she had the college application process figured out after her first two kids headed off to the University of Vir ginia before the pandemic hit. But when her younger twins ap plied this year, she found out just how confusing and capricious the admis sions landscape has become. One son applied early decision and was ad mitted to his top choice, Northwest ern University. The other, with a 4.4 grade point average and outstanding standardized test scores like his sib lings, got wait-listed at several schools (including UVA) that he had assumed would be good bets. Out of eight appli cations, he received acceptances from James Madison University and Wil liam & Mary.
Attention, Parents! ■ admissions madness STOCKADOBE
Empower your child to make their own choices. Backing off and giving your student more responsibility will help them build confidence and a sense of control over their own future, says Sarah Tursi, a therapist whose oldest is a freshman at the University of Central Florida. “It starts with alarm clocks, financial conversations, allowing them to make decisions and holding them accountable for the decisions they are making.”
Beware of AP overload. Today’s high school students may feel compelled to load up on AP classes to improve their chances of getting into elite colleges. Parents don’t need to fuel that fire. Kids are melting down under the pressure, says Kathleen Otal, a guidance counselor at McLean High School. “Accept your child for who they are and let them guide the decisions. Be a consultant to the process, not a boss.”
Though her son was shocked and disappointed when he didn’t get into any of his top choices, he’s been stoic, Smith says. By summer he was busy choosing classes at William & Mary. “It seems like the whole process has Are you trying to help your student through the college application process? A few pointers on keeping the stress monster at bay: Don’t let college dominate every conversation. “When you say ‘college’ to a high school junior or senior, it’s like tasing them,” says clinical psychologist Melissa Sporn. “It raises their cortisol level.” To keep the topic from becoming allconsuming, consider setting up weekly meetings to talk about applications, test prep, essays and campus visits. That includes conversations with other people’s kids. They don’t need the added pressure of everyone asking them where they’re applying. “It’s so easy to get spun up in all the hype in talking to other parents,” says Natalie Stoss, a mother of three. “We live in a competitive area. A lot of parents forget the process is about the kid.”
Be vulnerable. Talking about your own mistakes will help teens realize they don’t need to be perfect. Elizabeth Hale, a mother of two, recalls fessing up to her kids about the D-plus she got in economics her freshman year of college after skipping too many classes. Seeing how others have bounced back lets students know they can make mistakes and survive. Make mental health a priority. It’s important to build in time for fun between college talks and campus visits, Sporn says, whether you’re taking a detour to go zip-lining or blocking out a Saturday afternoon to go shopping. “Mix in the serious with the ridiculous. Our job is to ground our kids and help them feel peaceful.”
counselor at McLean High School who was named the 2020-21 Virginia School Counselor of the Year, “but especially in Northern Virginia, we focus on the top 200 to 300. It’s hard, as a parent, to di vorce yourself from the prestige in that bumperCounselorssticker.”like Otal spend a lot of time urging students and parents not to fixate on certain schools as a prereq uisite for a happy and fulfilling life. A student “can be just as successful going to a school that’s the right fit,” she says, “and doing well at that school.”
Rolling Admission: The college or university opens its application window in the fall (usually October) and makes decisions as applications are received. Applicants may hear back within three to four weeks. Rolling admission offers are nonbinding.
Decisions, Decisions
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 59 changed,” she says. “You need to be prepared for anything. It’s haphazard and random. Don’t take anything for granted. We assumed we’d have cer tain options we ended up not having.”
Early Action (EA): Student applies early in the cycle (fall) and receives a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. EA is a way to show expressed interest but is not binding.
MOST COLLEGES have dropped their mandatory requirements for standard ized test scores like the SAT and ACT (a trend that started several years ago and accelerated during Covid), leaving the question of “what do schools want” a bit more open-ended. Only about 5% of colleges required test scores last year, compared with 55% before the pandemic, according to the College Board, the nonprofit that runs the SAT, Advanced Placement and other college readiness programs. That means many students are now applying to schools they previously might have assumed were out of reach. Applications to the nation’s most competitive schools have shot up as a result, with applicants attempting to stack their odds by applying to more and more schools. The College Board reports that applications to its member universities increased by 21% from the 2019-20 school year to 2021-22. In Arlington Public Schools, seniors in the Class of 2022 reported submit ting a total of 10,583 college applica tions, according to APS tracking data, up from 8,239 in 2018-19. That’s a 28% increase over a four-year period. Ann Dolin, founder and president of Educational Connections, a tutoring and college counseling firm based in Fairfax, says that highly selective col leges and universities—ones that al ready granted admission to fewer than one-third of applicants—have been in undated with applications since the test-optional policies went into effect. The University of Virginia, a holy grail for many in-state students, is tell ing. After shifting to test optional, its admissions office saw applications in crease from 41,000 in 2020 to 48,000 in 2021. Though UVA’s acceptance rate for out-of-state students remains at about 15%, in-state acceptances dropped from 33% to 28% of applicants, accord ing to Jeannine Lalonde, UVA’s associ ate dean of admissions. In March, a story in the university’s Cavalier Daily newspaper reported that UVA accepted a record-low 19% of the 50,962 students who applied this year. Closer to home, Marymount Univer sity is seeing a similar phenomenon. Af ter adopting a “test blind” policy for its most recent admissions cycle (meaning it no longer accepts standardized test scores), the Arlington university saw a 40% jump in applications, from about 2,500 in 2021 to 3,500 this year, accord ing to Evan Lipp, associate vice presi dent for enrollment management. But the shift to test optional also has upsides. Guidance counselor Otal says it’s been beneficial for some appli Early Decision (ED): Student applies early in the cycle (in the fall of senior year) to a first-choice school, with the promise that, if accepted, they will attend that school and withdraw all other applications to other schools. Early decision is binding.
1,8688,239 1,901
8,598 10,120 10,583 Senior Class SizeTotal College Applications Submitted by APS Seniors 12000100008000600040002000 College Applications on the Rise
Regular Decision: Student applies during the college’s regular admission cycle (deadlines are typically in January or February) and receives a decision in the spring. Regular decision offers are nonbinding.
2018-19SchoolYear: 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 1,907 1,896
COMPOUNDING THE STRESS for ap plicants is mounting pressure to apply early decision or early action—a timeline that requires students to figure out where they want to apply before the end of their first semester senior year. Many fear that applying “regular” decision (which usu ally means a deadline in January, versus November) will decrease their chances of acceptance if colleges are selecting great er percentages of their incoming classes from early applicant pools. It’s not an unfounded concern. Dolin says she is seeing more schools push ing for early decision, with incoming classes comprising larger numbers of those applicants than they did only a few years ago. “At a lot of schools, your acceptance rate is doubled with early decision,” she says. Vazquez encourages students to sub mit at least some of their applications in the early part of the cycle (ahead of the regular admissions deadline), but cautions that early decision is only a smart move for the student who has a dream school that supersedes all oth ers. Early decision applications are binding, whereas early action provides more flexibility (see sidebar on p. 59). She worries that committing to one college immediately may affect a stu dent’s options for financial aid, as do ing so forfeits the ability to leverage one school’s offer against another’s. Lalonde adds that the numbers can be deceptive—at least at UVA, where offers of admission are divided equally among early decision, early action and regular decision. Early isn’t always bet ter, she says. Some students might ben efit from having one more semester of good grades on their transcript, or just a bit more time to polish their applications.
success coach with Tutoring Club of McLean, takes the guesswork out of it: Submit your scores only if they fall with in or above the college’s average range for accepted students. (The Fiske Guide to Colleges and many college websites make those numbers publicly available.) Otherwise leave them out. They really are optional now, she says, and omitting test scores won’t be seen as a red flag.
Roughly a quarter of U.S. colleges and universities offer rolling admis sions, meaning that decisions are made as applications are received. Mary mount University is one such school. Students can begin submitting appli cations as early as October and will typically hear back within about three weeks of applying. Sarah Tursi, a licensed clinical social worker in McLean, says she usually sees the stress ratcheting up among her pa tients during junior year, when cumula tive grade point averages are released. To temper the anxiety, she urges students
cants—like strong students who don’t perform well on standardized tests. It’s also made the playing field more equi table for students who can’t afford pri vate tutoring and test-prep services. Seniors looking at colleges may no tice the average test scores for certain schools trending upward, she says, but that’s purely a function of admitted stu dents who didn’t submit scores (which likely were lower) not being counted in theWhenaverages.isitin an applicant’s best inter est to submit their SAT or ACT scores, if applying to a school that is test op tional? Amber Cobb Vazquez, a student
Elizabeth Hale with her son, Ethan, and husband Clay at a CNU football game in 2021
PHOTOCOURTESY
60 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ admissions madness
EVERY COLLEGE HAS its own opaque formula for weighing the different parts of an application. Most schools look intently at the rigor of an applicant’s course load (including AP, IB and hon ors classes) and grade point average, as well as essays and extracurricular ac tivities. Some also take note of demon strated interest—applicants who have shown enthusiasm by visiting campus, meeting with an admissions officer at a college fair, attending virtual informa tion sessions, scheduling alumni inter views, signing up for emails from the school and/or applying early. Lalonde says the secret decoder ring of what a college is looking for is usual ly right there in the application instruc tions. It’s implied in what the school asks to see, and what it does not. Even before UVA dropped its SAT/ACT re quirement, grades and course rigor were more important than test scores, she says. “We’ve always been more con cerned with sustained classroom per formance than one four-hour exam.”
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 61 to apply to at least a couple of schools with rolling admissions to increase their chances of having an acceptance in hand in the fall of their senior year. “It soothes people to say, ‘I’m defi nitely going to college,’ ” she says. “Then they don’t feel panicky they’re not going to get in anywhere.”
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For context around a student’s tran script, she looks carefully at what types of courses are offered at the applicant’s high school, how grades are weighted and other policies specific to that high school. She is quick to debunk the no tion that UVA has quota limits on how many students it will admit from a giv en high school, county or school dis trict. Fairfax County supplied the larg est share of UVA’s first-year class for 2022-23, she says, with 3,514 students. Applicants often agonize over how many AP courses they must take in high school to be competitive. The mag ic number, says Eleanor Monte Jones, a former admissions officer at George town University, is however many they can manage while still having time to enjoy high school and keep excessive levels of stress at bay.
Jones, now principal at Rigby, a col lege and career consulting business in Fairfax County, says a good rule of thumb is for students to take the harder class—AP or honors level—only if they have an interest in the subject and be lieve they can get a B or better. She hopes the pandemic will have a cool ing effect and reset expectations about AP course loads. “This has to be more realistic,” she says, noting the high rates of burnout she sees in so many high school se niors. “What’s the big-picture goal be yond college? Well-adjusted individ uals who can support themselves, be Independent Living at VHRC is open to U.S. Military officers and their families and GS-14 level and above government personnel from ALL federal agencies. All other levels of care in our community are open to everyone. H��� R��������� C�������� Schedule an appointment or a tour of our community today and see why you’ll want to call Vinson Hall home. Magazine is all about how at for
Lalonde of UVA agrees. “If you’re trying to make grand sweeping state ments, you’re going to run out of time and space,” she advises. “Go small.” Fo cus on a singular experience or personal passion that speaks to who you are and what you care about, she says.
AMONG THE MOST panic-inducing portions of college applications are the essays. Although the Common App (which is now used by some 900 colleges and universities) allows students to sub mit a single essay of 250-650 words with their digital application, many schools also have separate writing requirements that are specific to their needs. Virginia Tech, for example, ignores the Common App essay and instead asks applicants to respond to a series of its own writing prompts, with an em phasis on service. (The school’s motto, “Ut Prosim,” translates as “That I May Serve.”) Factor in each school’s idio syncrasies and a student applying to 10 schools may end up writing 20 es says or more. The upside is that essays are where applicants can show off their person alities and what makes them unique. “That’s where they get to show the ad missions committee they are three-di mensional human beings,” Vazquez says. “It doesn’t have to be ‘In 10th grade I found the cure to cancer.’ It can be something small, but it needs to show who they are as a person and how they would fit on that campus.”
62 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ admissions madness good citizens, and be content and chal lenged in life.” Otal repeats a similar refrain to the seniors who land in her office: Get enough sleep and don’t sacrifice friend ships and the things you love during the application process. “Try to turn off the noise about what everyone else is do ing,” she advises.
“Try to turn off the noise about what everyone else is doing.”
■
Tursi, the McLean social worker, takes a different tack. She advises stu dents to wait and visit schools after they’ve been accepted. Doing so saves time and money, she says, and elimi nates the heartbreak of falling in love with a campus that may not pan out. Plus “at that point your senior is look ing more with adult eyes.”
Tamara Lytle is a freelance journal ist who will soon be helping her high school juniors through the college ap plication process.
Elizabeth Hale, a McLean mother of two, remembers visiting colleges as “some of the best times we’ve had with our kids.” The road trips were great for bonding and exploring new places, and they usually invited a current student at each school (often a neighbor or a friend’s kid) to lunch for an insider’s perspective on campus life. “Most kids will do anything for free food,” Hale jokes. She now has a senior at Virginia Tech and a sophomore at Christopher Newport University. Campus visits can help prospective students figure out what they don’t like as much as what they do like, adds Nat alie Stoss, a mom of three whose old est will begin her first year at the Uni versity of Richmond this fall. She says her daughter scratched one school “in the middle of nowhere” off her list after seeing it in person and realizing she felt happier in a city.
HOW MANY COLLEGES should a stu dent apply to? Jones recommends five to seven. Otal says six to eight. Vasquez advises eight to 12. There really is no set number, pro vided a student’s list includes a range of “safety” schools (ones the applicant has a good chance of getting into); “tar get” schools (that are on par with their grades, course rigor and test scores); and “reach” schools that are long shots. But there are points of diminish ing returns. “I feel like there’s a bit of an arms race,” says Mindy Leblond, an Arlington mom of two whose older daughter, Mathilde, applied to 15 col leges and wrote more than 30 essays during her senior year at H-B Wood lawn. Mathilde was accepted by her dream school, University of California Berkeley, only to realize it was too ex pensive. She’s now heading to Georgia Tech this fall to study engineering. After witnessing her older child’s stress—including much fretting over an application hiccup at a university that she ultimately turned down any way—Leblond plans to encourage her younger daughter (a rising junior) to apply to fewer schools. “There is a college for every student,” assures Sporn, the clinical psychologist. She urges applicants and their families to be open-minded about what different schools have to offer. Kids who were their high school valedictorians are a dime a dozen at Ivy League universi ties, she says. A safety school might of fer more scholarship aid, smaller class sizes, a specialized degree program or more research opportunities.
Just as there is no one-size-fitsall college that’s right for everyone, Jones says every part of the applica tion process needs to be tailored to the individual.“Youwill have 100 opinions on how to do it,” she says. “In reality, it’s a very personal decision about where a student will excel, figure out a career path, make friends and have academic and extracur ricular opportunities along the way.”
THOUGH SOME STRESS is unavoid able, college shopping can be fun.
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64 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
LearnedLessons
High School, Arlington Years teaching: 19
The most satisfying part of teach ing is creating experiences where stu dents can be creative, challenged and feel empowered. I enjoy watching stu dents’ confidence in their math abilities rise, and being a part of their continued growth as they develop their passions and talents. At the same time, I’m be ing pushed to be creative about how I deliver content. To rebrand math as fun and cool. –Tamar Abrams
PHOTOS BY SKIP BROWN
In third grade, I remember feeling unnoticed and inarticulate at times. I had a teacher who made me feel seen, intelligent and empowered. My hope is to facilitate this same encouraging experience with my math students by providing opportunities for them to ex press their abilities in creative ways. For an end-of-the-year project while I was teaching Algebra 1 at Twain Middle School, I asked students to create mind maps, board games, posters, PowerPoint presentations and other creative demon strations of understanding. One group of eighth-graders produced a rap song. As a surprise, I decided to remix one of the songs that was submitted. That was the birth of my math rap writing career!
A few years later, I arrived at Gun ston, where I met a student who told me he made and produced beats. I ex plained that my husband, Brian, pro duces music and that we have a studio set up in our home. We started devoting our Friday lunches to freestyling and making beats. Simultaneously, I be
MATH Washington-LibertyTEACHER
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 65
Leonda Archer
gan writing a rap called “Power Rules: The Laws of Exponents.” The students would give me suggestions on how to breathe and structure songs. We end ed up making a video starring my stu dents. After hours of filming in the hot sun, editing, and lots of fried chicken and sweet tea, we completed it and posted it on YouTube.
Five teachers share treasured takeaways from their years on the job.
Originally from North Carolina, Archer pre viously taught math and coached boys’ basketball at Gunston Middle School in Arlington, and held teaching and coach ing positions at Mark Twain Middle School and Thomas Edison High School in Alexan dria. Find her math raps online at videoscom/channel/UC5TcqAet74T9pTjMZ7TvaCg/youtube.
66 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ lessons learned
During a homeroom activity, I chal lenged students to compliment each other and was pleasantly surprised with the greetings they shared. One of my students greeted me with: “I love that you make everybody feel included and seen, Señora Currás.”
María CurrásCarolinaNieto
My sixth-graders learned to dance merengue as part of their unit on wellbeing and health. My fifth-graders danced to a famous Dominican bacha ta song during their unit on food.
That reinforced the importance of my teaching role and my impact in our classroom community. Covid made us resort to different kinds of resources. We are becoming more digitally literate, and using the internet to do research. We’re using technology in language learning—add ing accents for Spanish words or using autocorrect to help us with our syn tax. For an end-of-year project, both grades were tasked with researching different aspects of Hispanic and Lat in American culture. The sixth-grad ers [used online tools] to research an influential person. The fifth-graders researched a typical dish from one of the many Spanish-speaking countries. Then I encouraged them to use tools such as WordReference or Quizlet to create a presentation showcasing their language abilities. During our last few weeks of class, my sixth-graders were anxious about moving on to middle school. We talked about the importance of feeling sad or anxious, even though as a society we have put a lot of weight on being happy. We cried, we hugged, and I let all my students know they can always reach me through email. –Tamar Abrams
SPANISH TEACHER (fifth and sixth grade) Flint Hill School, Oakton Years teaching: 6 A native of Uruguay, Currás Nieto holds a bachelor’s degree in global affairs and inter national development from George Mason University and a certificate in elementary education from Johns Hopkins. The former Teach for America corps member is a dual citizen of Uruguay and the U.S. She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. Learning a second language is so much more than just being able to communicate. Languages exist in a culture, and it is equally important to learn about the culture of the language. My students are invested in Spanish be cause they enjoy learning about His panic and Latin American cultures.
I went through the struggles of be ing an African American Black female in science. I didn’t always get looked at like I was intelligent, like I could do the work. I had to fight my way—and I still have to fight my way—because I don’t look like a STEM teacher. When I started teaching in Loudoun County, I was the only female tech-ed teacher in the whole district. Let’s not talk about Black female teacher. Representation is important. It helps when kids have role models who look like them. In May 2019, I was named a Blue Angels’ Highly Qualified and Influen tial Educator in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia Region. I was invited to take a flight with the Blue Angels. This honor meant to me that I was getting some thing right. It meant that I was making the difference that I set out to make. When I come into the classroom, I want students to understand that it is totally okay to be different. I want them to know that yes, you can do it, too. –Wendy Kantor
Tosin Adetoro STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) TEACHER Oak Street Elementary School (formerly Thomas Jefferson Elementary), Falls Church Years teaching: 17 Born in Kaduna, Nigeria, Adetoro spent two years as the Loudoun County Public Schools Aerospace Educator in Residence at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly. In 2019, she was named K-5 Teacher of the Year by the Air & Space Forces Association Steel Valley Chapter, and a Blue Angels’ Highly Qualified and Influential Educator in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia Region. I became a teacher because I have a love for learning. My dad is a retired industrial arts professor. I have a sis ter and a brother (I’m one of six) who are also teachers. We’re a family of educators.Alotof people look at STEAM and STEM as the individual subjects. I don’t. I’m trying to develop critical thinkers and problem solvers, with skills they can apply to any subject and be successful. I challenge students to try things. There’s a lot of power in learning what you don’t like, as well as what you do like. I was timid and quiet in high school. I majored in physics in college because I had an amazing high school physics teacher. He was also the coach of the chess team and I was the only girl on the chess team at the time. He made me feel like I was valued. Most of my teaching career was at the secondary level until five years ago, when I began teaching elementa ry schoolers. I love their passion. They don’t hold anything back. They chal lenge me to find ways to break things down for them. When I close my class room door and look at those faces, I get all of my energy from my students. That’s my happy place. It’s definitely an emotional time for teachers. You run the gamut of feel ing happy, sad, grateful, scared, angry. Above all, I am thankful that I could come back, see the faces in my class room and celebrate with my students.
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STEM needs to be accessible to all. In 2014, I started a small business in Maryland, Get Into Stem (getintostem. com), that provides affordable learning opportunities. I don’t ever want students to feel like, “Oh, I gotta have the $100 robot in order to continue the learning.”
FASHION MARKETING TEACHER and CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT CHAIR Langley High School, McLean Years teaching: 33 Poythress holds a bachelor’s degree in mar keting and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Tech. Langley High School named her 2020-21 Teacher of the Year. I teach an elective class, so I have stu dents who have chosen to be here, to study fashion marketing. Some of them stay on this track through all four years of high Business,school.marketing, fashion—it’s a creative field. It’s kind of hard to quan tify creativity. I want my students to show me and their classmates that they understand things, not by telling me, but by showing me. Anyone can recite something back that I asked them to memorize, but that doesn’t show me that they understand it. At the start of each class, I give them three terms or concepts, and they have to share their interpretation of the meaning. I ask a lot of opinion and ex perience questions, so there is no right or wrong answer. If we’re talking about customer service, I say, “Give me an ex ample of a time when you felt you re ceived good customer service or a time when you didn’t.” The other day we dis cussed employee turnover—what they would look for in employees and how they would retain them, because it’s not just about the paycheck.
Tricia M. Poythress
I’ve been teaching for more than three decades and could retire anytime, but I still teach because I love my job. Every day is touching. Kids write me notes. Parents call me. A teacher will tell me something nice they overheard a student saying about my class. Recently, I went to lunch with four former students who now are seniors in college. I have been to former students’ weddings and baby showers. It’s a great career. –Stephanie Kanowitz Tricia Poythress (in green) with fashion marketing students
68 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ lessons learned
It’s also not all about the grade book. They know that I expect them to do their very best, and that I want them to be proud of their work. I want them to have expectations and goals for themselves.Asamother of two teenagers myself, I’m up on current trends, but also cur rent pressures. A lot of students think they need to be perfect. I explain to them that there’s no such thing as per fect. Do your best and your best is your best—and her best is her best, and his best is his best. It doesn’t have to be the same best. It’s easier said than done, but I try to model resilience by laughing at myself when I do something wrong. If some one trips, I’ll say, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tripped over a back packJuniorsstrap.”and seniors have the pressure of picking colleges. With juniors, we do college exploration so they can see that fashion marketing isn’t just design, but business. I tell them, “You need to find what you’re interested in, what you’re passionate about, what you’re good at. Where your passion and your interests and your aptitude intersect, that should be where your career is.”
PHOTOCOURTESY
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I connect with students by figur ing out what drives them. If Fortnite is popular, that means they like a little bit of competition. I’ll do a competitive game in class. I do something my students charac terize as the “Meehan Move.” One kid will bring up a point, another kid will bring up a counterpoint, and I’ll say, “Fight, fight, fight.” I don’t care what they say, I just care why they said it. Tell me why. If I’m talking, I’m selling something that they’re supposed to buy. But when they’re talking, they are all in.
John Meehan
My own passion is English: writing, reading, speaking and presenting. The enthusiasm that we bring to our craft— it’s a word I used before the pandem ic that is sort of gauche now—is infec tious. We can spark a fire. I think I live with the volume turned up to 11. I encourage others to do the same. When you lead with vulnerabil ity, joy, excitement and curiosity, people can’t help but be in the room with you and say, “Okay, I don’t love what they love, but they clearly love it and I want to have anything in my life that I love quite that Someonemuch.”toldme that your favorite class is the one you like the most, and the best class is the one where you learn the most. If I do my job right, then my class would be both of those things for every student, every day. To do that, I need to give students the chance to be the star of the show, the center of atten tion. I need to create an environment where you show them how all the tools in the sandbox work and then say, “All right. Can you build me some really cool castles?”
The big secret of education—wheth er you’re teaching teenagers or teach ers—is helping students see themselves in the content. –Stephanie Kanowitz ■
FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER Bishop O’Connell High School, Arlington Years teaching: 12 Meehan taught English and trained fellow teachers at Bishop O’Connell through June of 2022. He is the author of EDrenaline Rush: Game-Changing Student Engagement Inspired by Amusement Parks, Mud Runs, and Escape Rooms, and co-founder of the edu cation consulting company EMC2. In 2016, he was named to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council, a co hort of 50 educators that met for two years to devise and help implement innovative ed ucation strategies. I joke that we don’t really teach Eng lish or math or science or art or history. We teach people. We teach them how to find things they are interested in and things they find interesting. The sweet intersection between the things they love and the things that make them angry—that’s where their passion lies.
70 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ACC/ARLINGTONTECH Applied Accepted H-B WOODLAWN Applied Accepted WAKEFIELD Applied Accepted WASHINGTON-LIBERTY Applied Accepted YORKTOWN Applied Accepted COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES COLLEGEBOUND Where Arlington high school graduates applied to college and where they were accepted Aberystwyth University 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 Allegheny College 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 3 0 0 American University 2 1 5 2 24 3 27 7 16 7 American University of Paris 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 2 0 American University of Rome 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 Amherst College 0 0 2 0 2 0 7 0 6 1 Appalachian State University 0 0 0 0 1 1 12 7 8 2 Arizona State University-Tempe 3 2 2 0 11 3 17 3 28 13 Auburn University 1 1 5 2 2 0 14 4 38 12 Babson College 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2 0 Bard College 0 0 2 0 3 2 4 1 6 3 Barnard College 1 0 1 0 3 0 7 1 7 1 Bates College 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 7 0 Baylor University 1 0 0 0 5 3 7 4 8 4 Boston College 2 0 4 0 12 2 31 4 38 2 Boston University 5 1 3 0 24 3 40 3 38 10 Bowdoin College 0 0 6 0 1 0 2 0 3 1 Bowie State University 1 1 1 0 3 1 2 0 1 0 Brandeis University 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 0 9 1 Bridgewater College 0 0 0 0 9 6 5 2 9 4 Brown University 1 0 8 0 28 0 33 0 22 0 Bryant University 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 2 0 he following is a list of the colleges and uni versities where Arlington Public Schools (APS) high school graduates (Class of 2022) applied and where they were accepted. Data are provided for H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program, Wakefield High School, Washington-Liberty High School and York town High School, as well as the Arlington Career Cen ter (ACC), whose full-time programs include Arling ton Tech, the Academic Academy, the Program for Employment Preparedness and the English Language Institute. Given that the acceptance information was “self-reported” by the graduates, school officials stress that they cannot verify its accuracy. The data reflect completed applications only. For brevity’s sake, we lim ited the list to colleges and universities with at least five applicants from the combined high schools. As of press time, data for Northern Virginia Community Col lege was unavailable. T
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 71 Bryn Mawr College 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 2 0 Bucknell University 2 1 2 0 4 0 7 0 18 4 Butler University 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 3 1 California College of the Arts 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 3 1 California Institute of Technology 2 0 2 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo 0 0 0 0 5 1 5 3 3 1 Carleton College 2 1 6 1 0 0 3 0 3 0 Carnegie Mellon University 2 0 5 1 10 1 21 3 16 1 Case Western Reserve University 4 1 3 2 5 0 2 1 6 1 Catholic University of America 1 1 1 0 6 2 7 5 5 2 Champlain College 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 4 1 Chapman University 1 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 Christopher Newport University 12 7 7 3 34 16 47 32 76 36 Claremont McKenna College 1 0 0 0 4 0 4 0 3 1 Clark University 0 0 3 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 Clemson University 0 0 5 3 18 4 47 14 66 23 Coastal Carolina University 0 0 0 0 5 1 5 1 7 4 Colby College 1 0 8 0 3 0 3 0 12 2 Colgate University 1 0 1 0 7 0 5 0 12 1 College of Charleston 0 0 2 0 2 1 15 8 23 11 College of Wooster 0 0 3 1 1 0 2 1 4 4 Colorado College 1 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 5 3 Colorado School of Mines 2 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 4 2 Colorado State University - Fort Collins 1 1 2 1 3 2 4 2 10 4 Columbia College Chicago 1 0 1 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 Columbia University in the City of New York 1 0 3 0 24 1 28 2 25 0 Connecticut College 0 0 2 2 1 0 2 1 2 0 Cornell University 2 0 4 1 16 2 33 0 41 2 Culinary Institute of America 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 3 3 Dartmouth College 1 0 2 0 7 1 19 0 9 0 Davidson College 1 0 3 1 1 0 5 2 7 0 Delaware State University 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 0 0 0 Denison University 1 0 0 0 2 1 2 1 5 1 DePaul University 1 1 1 1 7 3 7 5 3 0 Dickinson College 1 0 4 3 3 1 11 5 10 6 Drew University 0 0 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 0 Drexel University 4 1 5 0 15 6 21 12 15 12 Duke University 1 0 1 0 31 1 35 2 27 4 Duquesne University 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 1 3 1 East Carolina University 0 0 2 1 2 0 11 4 14 7 Eckerd College 0 0 0 0 4 1 2 2 0 0 Elon University 0 0 2 0 5 3 16 12 27 18 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ. - Daytona Beach 1 1 1 1 3 2 0 0 3 1 Emerson College 0 0 0 0 3 0 8 5 3 1 Emory & Henry College 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 2 1 1 Emory University 2 0 2 0 13 3 18 1 15 3 Fairfield University 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 1 1 0 Flagler College 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 Florida Atlantic University 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 2 5 1 Florida Gulf Coast University 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 1 Florida Institute of Technology 1 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 Florida State University 2 0 5 1 6 0 22 4 35 4 Fordham University 1 1 2 1 10 3 20 15 22 13 Franklin & Marshall College 1 0 2 2 3 1 7 3 5 1 Frostburg State University 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 Furman University 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 George Mason University 30 20 18 5 142 66 146 90 112 54 George Washington University 4 1 3 0 35 13 44 13 29 11 Georgetown University 1 0 2 0 12 3 4 4 5 3 Georgia Institute of Technology 3 1 4 2 8 1 20 2 22 0 ACC/ARLINGTONTECH Applied Accepted H-B WOODLAWN Applied Accepted WAKEFIELD Applied Accepted WASHINGTON-LIBERTY Applied Accepted YORKTOWN Applied Accepted COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
72 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com Georgia State University 0 0 1 1 2 0 2 0 3 0 Gettysburg College 1 0 3 3 0 0 5 3 4 1 Goucher College 2 2 1 0 0 0 3 1 3 1 Grinnell College 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 3 0 Hamilton College 0 0 2 0 2 0 4 1 5 1 Hampden-Sydney College 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 4 2 Hampton University 1 1 0 0 19 4 9 6 3 2 Harvard University 0 0 3 0 25 1 31 2 28 1 Harvey Mudd College 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 Haverford College 0 0 7 1 1 0 1 0 8 2 Hawaii Pacific University 0 0 1 1 4 3 2 0 2 1 High Point University 0 0 1 0 3 1 4 1 9 3 Hobart and William Smith Colleges 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 1 1 0 Hofstra University 0 0 1 1 4 2 5 1 3 1 Hollins University 1 1 0 0 8 1 2 2 2 0 Howard University 0 0 0 0 31 5 12 4 5 1 IE University - Madrid 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 1 Indiana University - Bloomington 1 1 0 0 8 2 18 13 22 17 Iowa State University 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 4 2 Ithaca College 0 0 1 0 5 1 6 4 10 6 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation 0 0 0 0 5 0 5 1 1 0 James Madison University 23 8 32 15 124 46 198 107 213 105 John Cabot University 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 5 2 Johns Hopkins University 1 0 4 0 17 1 22 3 20 1 Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 Johnson & Wales University - Providence 2 2 0 0 2 1 2 1 4 4 Juniata College 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 1 1 1 Kenyon College 0 0 1 0 4 2 6 0 5 1 La Salle University 0 0 0 0 5 2 2 2 1 1 Lafayette College 2 0 2 1 3 0 3 3 7 3 Le Moyne College 2 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 1 Lehigh University 1 0 4 0 2 1 16 4 20 4 Lewis & Clark College 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 3 0 Liberty University 1 0 0 0 5 2 1 0 1 1 Longwood University 2 0 1 0 13 4 12 5 19 10 Louisiana State University 1 1 3 2 9 4 10 6 12 8 Loyola Marymount University 2 1 0 0 4 2 6 1 7 3 Loyola University Chicago 0 0 1 0 2 0 7 5 4 4 Loyola University Maryland 0 0 0 0 4 1 1 1 3 2 Macalester College 0 0 3 0 1 0 3 2 2 1 Marist College 1 1 2 2 2 0 3 1 0 0 Marquette University 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 3 1 Mary Baldwin University 0 0 0 0 9 5 9 7 0 0 Maryland Institute College of Art 0 0 2 0 7 4 3 2 3 2 Marymount University 7 4 6 2 59 32 30 15 20 10 Massachusetts College of Art and Design 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5 0 2 0 1 0 3 1 8 1 McDaniel College 1 1 0 0 3 1 4 2 2 1 McGill University 0 0 3 3 5 1 5 1 5 1 Miami University - Oxford 0 0 0 0 2 2 5 5 11 8 Michigan State University 1 1 1 1 14 5 16 9 24 15 Middlebury College 1 1 6 0 5 2 7 0 4 0 Morgan State University 0 0 0 0 11 6 2 1 0 0 Mount Holyoke College 1 1 1 1 0 0 4 2 5 2 Mount St. Mary’s University 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 0 Muhlenberg College 0 0 3 2 1 0 3 1 4 3 ACC/ARLINGTONTECH Applied Accepted H-B WOODLAWN Applied Accepted WAKEFIELD Applied Accepted WASHINGTON-LIBERTY Applied Accepted YORKTOWN Applied Accepted COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 73 NCAA Eligibility Center 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 5 New School 2 1 1 1 5 1 4 2 4 2 New York University 2 0 4 1 29 1 48 6 38 6 Norfolk State University 1 0 2 0 28 6 9 4 4 1 North Carolina A&T State University 1 0 2 0 10 2 4 1 2 2 North Carolina State University at Raleigh 2 0 5 3 13 5 21 6 27 6 Northeastern University 5 2 14 3 22 3 54 10 38 8 Northwestern University 0 0 4 0 17 1 31 0 28 6 Oberlin College 0 0 4 2 7 2 8 5 6 1 Occidental College 0 0 1 1 2 1 4 0 4 2 Ohio State University 2 0 6 2 7 1 18 3 34 14 Ohio University 0 0 1 0 5 4 4 3 8 4 Ohio Wesleyan University 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Old Dominion University 12 10 5 2 91 39 50 28 53 21 Oregon State University 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 1 4 1 Pace University - New York City Campus 0 0 0 0 4 0 7 3 5 3 Pennsylvania State University 10 9 7 3 53 25 90 37 117 58 Pepperdine University 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 0 2 0 Pomona College 0 0 1 0 5 0 5 1 3 0 Posse Foundation 1 1 1 0 2 1 3 0 1 0 Pratt Institute - Main 1 1 1 0 7 2 1 0 1 0 Princeton University 2 0 8 1 12 0 27 0 18 1 Providence College 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 4 1 Purdue University 2 2 0 0 5 1 12 6 30 12 Quinnipiac University 0 0 0 0 5 3 3 2 2 1 Radford University 9 9 6 3 24 10 54 32 29 13 Randolph College 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 1 0 Randolph-Macon College 1 0 0 0 10 3 3 2 6 5 Reed College 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2 1 1 0 2 0 7 4 5 0 Rhode Island School of Design 0 0 1 0 5 1 3 0 3 0 Rice University 2 0 3 1 7 1 13 1 7 0 Richard Bland College 0 0 0 0 6 2 0 0 1 1 Roanoke College 1 1 0 0 10 4 4 2 8 6 Rochester Institute of Technology 6 1 5 3 8 5 7 2 5 1 Roger Williams University 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 2 2 Rollins College 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Rutgers University - New Brunswick 3 0 0 0 3 0 4 3 5 4 Saint Joseph’s University 0 0 2 1 2 2 7 6 5 5 Saint Louis University 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 1 San Diego State University 0 0 1 1 3 2 6 3 6 2 Santa Clara University 0 0 2 1 2 0 4 0 5 1 Sarah Lawrence College 0 0 4 1 1 0 5 2 4 2 Savannah College of Art & Design 0 0 2 1 5 5 5 3 2 2 School of the Art Institute of Chicago 0 0 0 0 7 4 3 1 2 0 Seton Hall University 0 0 0 0 11 5 4 2 8 4 Shenandoah University 2 1 1 0 4 1 1 0 3 1 Skidmore College 1 1 2 2 1 1 6 2 6 2 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 1 Smith College 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 1 2 0 Southern Methodist University 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 4 1 Spelman College 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 2 2 2 St. John’s University - New York 0 0 1 1 6 2 1 1 2 1 St. Lawrence University 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 2 0 0 St. Mary’s College of Maryland 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 0 3 2 Stanford University 2 0 7 1 19 0 30 1 26 0 Stevens Institute of Technology 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 SUNY at Albany 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 2 2 Susquehanna University 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 ACC/ARLINGTONTECH Applied Accepted H-B WOODLAWN Applied Accepted WAKEFIELD Applied Accepted WASHINGTON-LIBERTY Applied Accepted YORKTOWN Applied Accepted COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
74 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com Swarthmore College 1 0 6 1 5 0 5 0 9 0 Sweet Briar College 0 0 0 0 6 3 3 1 1 1 Syracuse University 6 2 6 1 21 7 35 19 31 9 Temple University 1 0 3 1 13 9 20 13 23 14 Texas A&M University - College Station 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 2 5 0 Texas Christian University 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 2 11 1 Texas Tech University 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 4 0 Towson University 1 0 0 0 6 2 3 3 0 0 Trinity College 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 Tufts University 2 0 9 0 17 2 29 5 19 2 Tulane University of Louisiana 3 0 6 4 5 1 33 5 19 4 Union College 0 0 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 United States Air Force Academy 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 1 United States Naval Academy 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 1 3 1 University at Buffalo 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 University of Alabama 2 1 1 1 0 0 7 2 23 11 University of Arizona 1 1 0 0 5 1 21 13 22 11 University of California - Berkeley 2 0 6 1 12 1 23 3 20 1 University of California - Davis 1 1 0 0 3 2 9 6 2 1 University of California - Irvine 0 0 1 0 3 0 10 3 4 2 University of California - Los Angeles 2 0 3 0 10 0 31 5 23 2 University of California - San Diego 1 0 4 0 7 2 26 9 14 6 University of California - Santa Barbara 1 0 4 2 7 1 21 8 16 6 University of California - Santa Cruz 0 0 2 2 0 0 8 3 2 1 University of Central Florida 0 0 0 0 8 3 10 2 7 1 University of Chicago 2 1 5 0 15 0 26 2 15 2 University of Cincinnati 0 0 0 0 2 0 7 3 3 2 University of Colorado - Boulder 4 2 4 3 15 4 60 40 54 21 University of Colorado - Colorado Springs 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 University of Colorado - Denver 0 0 1 0 3 0 2 0 2 1 University of Connecticut 1 0 3 1 5 2 11 5 5 1 University of Delaware 5 4 6 4 18 9 26 15 28 14 University of Denver 1 0 2 0 2 0 8 3 12 8 University of Florida 1 0 3 2 9 1 28 3 43 6 University of Georgia 3 0 4 1 5 1 21 7 50 21 University of Hawaii at Manoa 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 1 3 2 University of Houston 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 1 3 0 University of Illinois at Chicago 1 0 2 1 2 1 4 2 2 0 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 0 0 0 0 5 0 12 1 10 3 University of Iowa 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 1 University of Kansas 0 0 1 1 3 1 0 0 3 2 University of Kentucky 0 0 0 0 9 2 11 3 11 3 University of Louisville 0 0 0 0 2 2 4 2 2 2 University of Lynchburg 1 0 0 0 5 2 1 1 2 1 University of Maine 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 2 6 4 University of Mary Washington 9 8 22 8 30 14 55 31 48 27 University of Maryland - Baltimore County 2 1 1 0 8 2 2 1 2 1 University of Maryland - College Park 6 3 5 0 36 5 41 9 44 16 University of Maryland - Eastern Shore 0 0 0 0 5 2 0 0 0 0 University of Massachusetts - Amherst 2 1 2 1 3 0 18 7 28 12 University of Massachusetts - Boston 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 1 2 1 University of Miami 4 0 6 2 11 0 37 11 31 11 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor 3 0 6 1 22 3 62 4 64 9 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities 2 2 1 1 6 5 9 6 5 4 University of Mississippi 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 9 6 University of Missouri - Columbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 2 ACC/ARLINGTONTECH Applied Accepted H-B WOODLAWN Applied Accepted WAKEFIELD Applied Accepted WASHINGTON-LIBERTY Applied Accepted YORKTOWN Applied Accepted COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
76 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com University of Nebraska - Lincoln 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 2 University of New Hampshire 2 2 0 0 1 0 5 3 9 3 University of North Carolina at Asheville 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 3 1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 3 0 10 1 23 2 45 2 51 2 University of North Carolina at Charlotte 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 1 University of North Carolina at Greensboro 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 University of North Carolina Wilmington 2 1 0 0 4 3 5 1 8 1 University of North Dakota 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 2 University of Notre Dame 2 0 1 0 14 1 10 1 13 1 University of Oregon 0 0 3 1 6 4 10 5 16 9 University of Pennsylvania 3 0 3 0 20 0 37 1 30 2 University of Pittsburgh 6 1 16 6 34 13 73 46 62 34 University of Rhode Island 0 0 1 1 6 2 6 6 6 2 University of Richmond 3 0 4 1 26 9 24 6 15 3 University of Rochester 0 0 1 1 6 1 9 4 7 4 University of San Diego 0 0 2 0 4 1 7 2 9 2 University of San Francisco 0 0 0 0 7 5 4 1 6 3 University of South Carolina - Columbia 0 0 6 3 9 2 32 5 55 22 University of South Florida 0 0 0 0 3 1 7 1 7 2 University of Southern California 2 0 3 0 16 2 31 2 17 1 University of St Andrews 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 3 2 University of Tampa 0 0 0 0 4 1 3 0 8 2 University of Tennessee - Knoxville 1 1 7 4 4 2 25 10 41 19 University of Texas at Austin 1 1 1 0 2 0 15 3 14 1 University of Texas at San Antonio 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 University of Toronto 2 0 2 1 0 0 1 2 3 1 University of Utah 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 5 2 University of Vermont 4 3 9 6 6 4 42 29 50 21 University of Virginia - Main Campus 23 5 41 11 110 18 208 47 195 44 University of Virginia’s College at Wise 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 2 University of Washington - Seattle 2 0 6 3 5 2 19 6 19 11 University of Wisconsin - Madison 2 0 8 3 8 5 39 14 49 20 Ursinus College 1 1 1 0 1 0 4 4 3 0 Vanderbilt University 2 0 6 0 4 1 22 2 27 1 Vassar College 1 0 4 0 6 0 6 1 8 1 Villanova University 1 0 1 0 5 1 9 1 14 1 Virginia Commonwealth University 21 15 26 13 127 66 169 107 103 56 Virginia Tech 31 14 28 7 135 37 237 86 228 74 Virginia State University 0 0 1 0 25 10 1 1 2 2 Virginia Union University 1 1 0 0 9 4 1 1 0 0 Virginia Wesleyan University 0 0 0 0 6 4 3 2 1 1 Wake Forest University 0 0 2 1 2 0 15 4 26 4 Washington & Jefferson College 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 Washington and Lee University 2 0 1 0 10 1 14 0 7 1 Washington College 0 0 1 0 2 2 3 0 1 1 Washington University in St. Louis 1 0 2 0 6 1 19 1 13 0 Wellesley College 1 0 0 0 4 1 5 0 2 0 Wesleyan University 1 0 5 1 4 2 9 3 11 2 West Virginia University 2 2 3 1 16 3 23 10 25 12 West Virginia Wesleyan College 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 William & Mary 11 3 31 15 69 13 133 31 113 25 Williams College 0 0 4 0 3 1 7 0 4 1 Wingate University 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 Worcester Polytechnic Institute 4 1 0 0 3 0 2 1 3 2 Xavier University 0 0 1 1 2 1 4 3 3 2 Yale University 3 0 5 0 23 2 30 2 22 2 ACC/ARLINGTONTECH Applied Accepted H-B WOODLAWN Applied Accepted WAKEFIELD Applied Accepted WASHINGTON-LIBERTY Applied Accepted YORKTOWN Applied Accepted COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
M. 703.967.4391 | btwigg@mcenearney.com | BetsyTwigg.com McEnearney Associates Realtors® 4720-D Langston Blvd, Arlington, VA 22207 | Tel. 703.525.1900 | www.McEnearney.com | Equal Housing Opportunity Betsy Twigg, Associate Broker ARLINGTON HOMES SOLD SINCE JANUARY 2022 BY 2200 19th Ct N SOLD | $1,290,000 4 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths 2226 N Illinois St SOLD | $1,019,000 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths 5515 18th Rd N SOLD | $1,852,000 5 Bedrooms | 4 Baths 3313 N Kensington St SOLD | $2,340,000 5 Bedrooms | 4.55 Baths 5027 35th St N SOLD | $1,946,222 7 Bedrooms | 5.5 Baths 4501 19th Rd N SOLD | $1,140,000 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths 1139 N Ivanhoe St SOLD | $2,175,000 6 Bedrooms | 5.5 Baths 5717 6th St N SOLD | $1,610,000 5 Bedrooms | 4.5 Baths 707 N Ivy St SOLD | $1,330,000 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths 5240 11th St N SOLD | $2,100,000 5 Bedrooms | 5.5 Baths 5204 2nd St N SOLD | $1,021,000 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths 1713 N Jefferson St SOLD | $1,330,000 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths 6301 23rd St N SOLD | $1,775,000 5 Bedrooms | 5 Baths 1100 N Inglewood St SOLD | $1,175,000 3 Bedrooms | 1.55 Baths 814 N Harrison St SOLD | $1,155,000 4 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths 2300 N Florida St SOLD | $1,100,000 4 Bedrooms | 4 Baths 5734 18th St N SOLD | $1,775,000 5 Bedrooms | 4.5 Baths 1135 N Ivanhoe St SOLD | $2,150,000 6 Bedrooms | 5.5 Baths 2235 N Madison St SOLD | $1,515,000 4 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths 2911 22nd St N SOLD | $1,100,000 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths Thank you to everyone who thought I knew a thing or two about selling homes! 558 N Norwood St SOLD | $1,550,000 5 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths 2301 N Lexington St SOLD | $1,025,000 4 Bedrooms | 2 Baths 6132 12th Rd N SOLD | $850,000 3 Bedrooms | 1 Bath 1003 N Harrison St SOLD | $850,000 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths 1051 N Manchester St SOLD | $999,000 4 Bedrooms | 2 Baths
78 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com BASIS Independent McLean Age 2-Grade 12Co-edMcLean520+N/A7:1 None Bishop O’Connell High School 9-12 Co-edArlington1,1501812:1 Roman Catholic Brooksfield School Ages 2-6Co-edMcLean12020 Toddlers 5:1 PreK/K 10:1 None Burgundy Farm Country Day School JK-Grade 8Co-edAlexandria286 JK - 1 15 2-8 30 6:1 None Chatham Hall 9-12 GirlsChatham15085:1 Episcopal Commonwealth Academy 3-12 Co-edAlexandria15596:1 None Congressional School Infant-Grade 8Co-edFalls Church400+18 to 20varies by age None Edlin School K-8 Co-edReston 150128:1 None Flint Hill School PK-12 Co-edOakton1,100186:1 None Foxcroft School 9-12 plus PGGirlsMiddleburg159115:1 None Interlochen Arts Academy 9-12 Co-edInterlochen, MI55796:1 None Mercersburg Academy 9-12 plus PGCo-edMercersburg, PA447114:1 None Our Savior Lutheran School PK-8 Co-edArlington1671717:1 Lutheran/Christian Primrose School of Arlington Infant-KCo-edArlington16410 I&T: 1:4 Max 2:8; Early Pre-K: 1:6 Max 2:12; Pre-K, & K: 1:10 Max 2:20 None Saint Agnes Catholic School PK3-8 Co-edArlington4632110:1 Catholic St. John’s College High School 9-12 Co-edChevy Chase, DC1,2502112:1 LasallianCatholic/ Tradition St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School Age 3-Grade 12Co-edAlexandria1,241157:1 Episcopal The Auburn School K-8 Co-edChantilly851010:2 None The Langley School PS-8 Co-edMcLean510157:1 None The Linder Academy K-8 Co-ed McLean and Old Town Alexandria 10486:1 None The Potomac School K-12 Co-edMcLean1,065168:1 None The Sycamore School 5-12 Co-edArlington60126:1 None The Village School K-12 Co-edArlington752010:1 None Westminster School PK-8 Co-edAnnandale21012 to 14varies by gradeNone •SCHOOL • GRADES • GENDER • LOCATION • TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION • AVG. CLASS•SIZESTUDENT/TEACHERRATIO • RELIGIOUSAFFILIATION PRIVATE SCHOOLS PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIAL ADVER TISING SECTION
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 79 N Y $24,900 Toddlers: $24,900; PreK-1 and PreK-2:$27,900; Grades K–4: $31,600; Grades 5–12: $33,000 Spanish, French, Latin, Mandarin mclean.basisindependent.com 703-854-1253 Y Y $18,987 $18,987 Spanish, French, Latin, German, ASL bishopoconnell.org 703-237-1400 N Y (for bef/aftFCPScare) Toddlers Preschool$17,170;$15,850 N/A Spanish brooksfieldschool.org 703-356-KIDS N N JK $33,429; K $34,754; 1-5 $36,352; 6-8 $38,245 N/A Spanish, French burgundyfarm.org 703-960-3431 N N $25,725 $53,025 (5-Day Boarding); $61,425 (7-Day Boarding) Spanish, French, Chinese chathamhall.org 434-432-2941 N N $43,000 $43,000 Spanish CA-Empowers.org 703-548-6912 Y Y $26,750 N/A Spanish, French, Latin congressionalschool.org 703-533-1064 Y Y $20,000 N/A Spanish, French, Latin edlinschool.com 703-438-3990 Y Y $37,700 $47,885 Spanish, French, Latin, Greek flinthill.org 703-584-2300 CodeDress N Day tuition $49,500 Boarding tuition $65,000 N/A Spanish, French, Latin foxcroft.org 540-687-5555 N N $40,175 $70,950 tuition; $34,559 average financial aid Spanish, French interlochen.org 231-276-7200 N N $66,900 $66,900 Spanish, French, Latin, Chinese mercersburg.edu 717-328-6173 Y N $8,209 N/A Spanish osvaschool.org 703-892-4846 Y andPre-KK N $2,325 N/A Spanish primroseofarlington.com 703-565-9800 Y N $8,100 (Catholic); $12,300 (Non-Catholic); Financial Aid Available, 4th Child Free N/A Spanich, Latin school.saintagnes.org 703-527-5423 Y Y $22,950 $22,950 Spanish, French, Latin stjohnschs.org 202-363-2316 CodeDress Y $37,230 $46,740 Spanish, French, Latin, Mandarin SSSAS.org 703-212-2778 N N $42,000 N/A N/A theauburnschool.org 703-793-9353 N Y $20,770 N/A Spanish, French langleyschool.org 703-356-1920 N Y $29,500 N/A Offered - rotating as electives thelinderacademy.com 703-647-9354 4-8Grades Y $40,400 $47,150 Spanish, French, Latin, Mandarin potomacschool.org 703-749-6313 N N $1,000 financial(need-basedaid) $31,000 Spanish, German, ASL thesycamoreschoolva.org 703-717-5360 N N $15,000 $15,000 N/A villageschoolnova.org 703-650-8629 Y Y $20,948 (full time preschool) $31,879 (grade 8) French, Latin westminsterschool.com 703-256-3620 • UNIFORM•BUS • LOWEST TUITION(5DAYS) • ANNUAL(GRADETUITION12) • LANGUAGES OFFERED • WEBSITE • PHONE Essential Information on 24 Independent Schools SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PRIVATE SCHOOLS
PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 80 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com Upcoming Fall Open Houses: Thursday, October 13 at 9:00 AM Wednesday, November 16 at 9:00 AM Visit our Website for More Details and to RSVP 40 ACRES IN FALLS CHURCH Hands on academics. Personal growth. Ready for exploration. Preschool Grade 8 Co ed, Independent School in Falls Church Contact Us About Our Infant and Toddler Program Colors:ArimorkBrown: #31261b YK : 60 65 75 70 RGB: 50 39 28 Green: #66933e YK : 65 23 100 6 RGB: 103 148 63 TheSycamoreSchoolVA.org Social-EmotionalIndividualizedInstructionExecutiveFunctioningSupportSkillBuilding Serving 5th-12th Grades
Success in College & Life Starts at Foxcroft School CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE Guided by our Portrait of a Graduate and Five First-Choice Colleges approach, Foxcroft School students gain skills to succeed in college and life. Our Academic and Residential Life curriculum support the development of students’ intellect, character, and voice while the College Counseling O ce helps students find the right colleges and universities that fit their own unique profile. Graduates in the Class of 2022 matriculated to these schools, among others: Carnegie EmoryEmbry-RiddleCornellCulinaryUniversityMellonInstituteofAmericaUniversityAeronauticalUniversityUniversity Gettysburg College Howard SantaNewLoyolaLouisianaUniversityStateUniversityMarymountUniversityYorkUniversityClaraUniversity Syracuse University The College of William and Mary (7) The George Washington UniversityUniversityof Illinois UniversityUrbana-ChampaignatofVirginia(3) “At Foxcroft, we do college counseling like we do everything with the girl at the center of the conversation.” — Barbara Conner, Director of College Counseling TAKE A CAMPUS TOUR just 43 miles from Washington, DC foxcroft.org/admission/visit ATTEND AN OPEN HOUSE October 7 December 2 April 28 www.foxcroft.org | admission@foxcroft.org | 540.687.4340 22407 Foxhound Lane, Middleburg, VA 20117 A boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12 & post-grad Four-year college counseling program is tailored to each grade level, starting freshman year and continuing through graduation. A college fair bringing 100 college representatives to campus is hosted in the spring. See the full list of colleges and universities on our website.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 82 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com where you are unstoppable Grades 9-12 Girls’ Day & Boarding Visit us today to learn more: chathamhall.org 2022–2023applicationsAcceptingfortheschoolyear for Kindergarten and Pre-K • Total School Size: 463 • Student-Teacher Ratio: 10:1 • Two Classes Per Grade • Two Aides Per Class Through 1st Grade school.saintagnes.org Saint Agnes is more than a school, it is a community. Campuses in Fairfax & Silver Spring
PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 84 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com EDUCATING TOMORROW’S PROFESSORS,ENGINEERS,ARTISTS, AND LEADERS. Where can students master STEM and also develop passions for writing, literature, and more? BASIS Independent McLean is an age 2–grade 12 private school where students are inspired to learn at the highest international levels. OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 22 mclean.basisindependent.com ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2023 825 South Taylor Street Arlington, VA 22204 (Nearosvaschool.org703-892-4846SGeorgeMason&ColumbiaPike) Nurturing Traditional Education in Arlington Pre-K* through 8th *Age 4 by Sept 30th Close EnrichmentBeforeTopSmallConnectionsClassSizesCaringEducators&AfterSchoolProgramOpportunitiesScantolearnmore www.potomacschool.org • (703) 749-6313 1301 Potomac School Road McLean, Virginia 22101 Grades K–12 • Extensive bus service in DC, MD, and VA preparing students for lives of purpose, achievement, and generosity of spirit
Interdisciplinary. Interactive. Interwoven. At Interlochen Arts Academy, transformation happens everywhere - from the classroom to your residence hall, from the studio to the stage. Our holistic, integrated education prepares you for a life of purpose and promise within - and beyond - the arts. www.interlochen.org ARTS AC ADEMY CREATIVE WRITING DANCE FILM & NEW MEDIA INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTS MUSIC THEATRE VISUAL ARTS
PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 86 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com McLean, VA • 703-356-5437 • www.brooksfieldschool.org Now Enrolling Ages 2 to 6 Toddler Program • Before & A er Care Outdoor Education Classroom Montessori Kindergarten & Preschool Advanced Academic Curriculum EXPLORE • WONDER • GROW Grades JK-12 • Oakton, VA 22124 flinthill.org • admission@flinthill.org • 703.584.2313 Flint Hill teachers know, challenge and support students. There’s no limit to what our Huskies can achieve. SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PRIVATE SCHOOLS ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 87 Global Studies STEM 28 AP Courses Dual Enrollment at Marymount University Discover the O'Connell Experience BISHOP O'CONNELL HIGH SCHOOL Sunday, Oct. 2 www.bishopoconnell.org D I S C O V E R B U R G U N D Y 3 7 0 0 B u r g u n d y R o a d A l e x a n d r i a , V A 2 2 3 0 3 B U R G U N D Y F A R M . O R G An independent JK through 8th Grade school A t B u r g u n d y , w e b e l i e v e c h i l d r e n l e a r n b e s t i n a n i n c l u s i v e , c r e a t i v e , a n d n u r t u r i n g e n v i r o n m e n t t h a t e n g a g e s t h e w h o l e c h i l d T o l e a r n m o r e , a t t e n d a n u p c o m i n g e v e n t , o r s c h e d u l e a t o u r , v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e o r c o n t a c t A d m i s s i o n s a t 7 0 3 3 2 9 6 9 6 8 . PURSUING GOODNESS AS WELL AS KNOWLEDGE Alexandria, VA Age 3-Grade 12 Coed Episcopal Small Class Sizes (12-15) Extensive Bus Service Be honored for who you are and who you will become. F Build a strong foundation for academic success. F Gain opportunities to thrive in your passions. F Be ready for the academic challenges of college and the world beyond. F Lead with goodness and integrity. Visit Us in the Fall! Offering a selection of on-campus tours and events this fall for 2023-2024 admission. Join us for a Saturday morning campus tour: Sep 24 | Oct 22 | Nov 19 | Dec 10 | Jan 7 SSSAS.ORG/ARLINGTON AGE 3-GRADE 5: 703-212-2705 | GRADES 6-12: 703-212-2706
PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS | GRADES K - 8TH — COME JOIN THE — EDLIN FAMILY Accelerated Curriculum Social Emotional Learning Program Low Student to Teacher Ratio Schedule Your Tour www.edlinschool.comToday! Gift�d a�� T�l�n�e� W H A T I F S C H O O L N U R T U R E D E A C H C H I L D ' S W O N D E R , C R E A T I V I T Y A N D I N N A T E D E S I R E T O L E A R N ? W e b e l i e v e i n a n i n d i v i d u a l i z e d , p r o j e c t f o c u s e d a p p r o a c h t o e d u c a t i o n , w h e r e e x p l o r a t i o n a n d l e a r n i n g g o h a n d i n h a n d The Village School villageschoolnova.org
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PRIVATE SCHOOLS ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 89 At CA, students experience an unparalleled college preparatory experience while being seen and supported for who they are. 1321 Leslie Avenue Alexandria, VA 22301 | 703.548.6912 Grades 3-12 | commonwealthacademy.org | Inquire today! Where vital academics meet a deep respect for childhood Preschool through grade 8 in Northern Virginia At Langley, we create a curriculum that develops every child’s intellect and emotional acuity in equal measure. Balanced learning prepares students to think critically, tackle challenges, and make good decisions. Learn more at www.langleyschool.org Join us for an information session this fall! Yes. Your child’s school can be balanced.
90 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com OTTO/KARCHMERALANThis Lyon Village remodel feels spacious, but it’s actually 30 square feet smaller than the original house.
The remodel of this 1950s Lyon Village home made it better. But not bigger.
MODHOTS
BY NIGEL F. MAYNARD amantha and Richard Drake had a clear set of objectives when they set out to buy their first home together. A vibrant, walkable neighborhood was key. Architectur ally, they wanted an old house with good bones that had potential, but that wasn’t so run-down that they couldn’t make it immediately livable. A larger renovation would come later. Their search ended in 2016 when they found an unremarkable 1958 brick home on a sloping lot in Lyon Village, within walking distance of Metro, restaurants, shops and parks. Neglected for some time, the place was habitable, but it had issues.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 91
“There was a 50-foot tree growing into the side of the house and the backyard was overrun with poison ivy and other weeds,” says Saman tha, a marketing professional (Rich ard is an IT consultant). “There were cracks in the plaster walls in every room, and a raccoon was liv ing in the chimney.”
Right: Large windows and a skylight channel natural light into an open kitchen with oak floors, black Ikea cabinets, a 3D Spanish Wow tile backsplash and a 10-foot quartzite island.
The home’s new parts are clad in white fiber-cement siding, while the original volumes are painted black. “Quite a simple statement,” says architect Paola Lugli.
Left: The front and rear of the house prior to renovation
92 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ hot mod
PHOTOS)(BEFORELUGLIPAOLAPHOTOS);(POST-RENOVATIONOTTO/KARCHMERALAN
To buy some time, the couple rolled up their sleeves and took on a few DIY projects. They patched and painted walls, updated the kitchen appliances, added a sub way tile backsplash and a butcherblock countertop, painted the exist ing kitchen cabinets, installed vinyl flooring, replaced some plumbing fixtures and replaced the front en try and garage doors. But the 3,141-square-foot house had more serious design flaws that elbow grease could not fix. “The floor plan lacked function and flow,” Saman tha says. “The primary bathroom and closet were tiny; the kitchen was small and cut off with a poorly planned ad dition attached to the back; and almost nothing had been updated in at least 30 years—if ever.” The Drakes lived with their home’s shortcomings for three years, know ing all along that they would eventu ally remodel. In 2019, they decided it wasAftertime.seeing and admiring a near by renovation, Samantha did some “internet sleuthing” and tracked down the architect, Paola Lug li, principal of PLDesignStudio in Arlington. “We loved her aesthetic and that she frequently worked with in the footprint of homes (as opposed to knocking down and building new) to help enhance what was there while honoring the original home,” Saman
Zoning restrictions meant that ex panding the house was out of the ques tion, but it didn’t matter; Lugli felt that going bigger was unnecessary.
tha says. “She is creative and likes to problem-solve—essential for a project likeBythis.”their own admission, the Drakes wanted a lot from the redesign. Their wish list included more light, an open floor plan with a larger and more func tional kitchen, an expanded primary bathroom and closet, and a laundry room inside the house (it was original ly in the garage).
“We wanted a modern aesthetic that blended with the existing home, and we wanted to make sure the flow and func tion of the home made sense,” Saman tha says. “This was especially impor tant downstairs, where the layout was a bit strange, and half of which was/is belowBorngrade.”inItaly, Lugli holds a mas ter’s degree in architecture from the University of Rome and practices in both the U.S. and France, where she is a registered architect. “Applying the teachings of the Italian school on two continents gives me a unique perspec tive in my work,” says the architect, a big advocate of “adaptive reuse,” the process of finding new uses for old buildings.
“We had to take advantage of what was there and reuse it to create new spaces,” says Lugli, who consulted with architect Claudio Conti in Rome on some of the details. “The house’s ma jor problems were that it lacked interi or light, had a floor plan that felt like a maze of small spaces, and no connec tion to the Workingoutdoors.”withJorge Juvinel of J & J Construction in Fairfax, Lugli gutted
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 93
LUGLIPAOLA
94 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ hot mod the two-level residence, removing asbes tos paint in the basement, most of the interior walls, and the aforementioned tree root that had grown into the side wall. Once she had a blank slate, she in serted new floor plans, preserving and reusing the existing load-bearing walls.
ments. White shiplap siding (James Hardie fiber cement) strikes a dramat ic pose against the original brick (paint ed Benjamin Moore onyx), while a pink door and pink window trim add a touch of whimsy. Lugli calls the aesthetic “a contemporary interpretation of vernac ular elements and materials.”
The open living room is appointed with mid-century modern furniture and a sculptural fireplace surround.
The reconfigured first floor now con tains an open “play area” for the Drakes and their 8-year-old rescue lab, Henry, plus a laundry room/pantry and a guest bedroom and bathroom. Lugli added a new oak staircase with a modern wood slat detail and enlarged the garage, giv ing the owners the option of tucking a home gym inside it.
On the second floor, she captured the square footage of what had been an en closed porch to create an open living room, kitchen and dining room space that runs from the front of the house to the Herback.boldest architectural move was adding two new roof forms—a re verse dormer in front and a flat roof in back—to break up the boxy home’s monolithic exterior. The new roof struc tures allowed for a 12-foot ceiling in the living room (up from 8 feet) and a 10foot ceiling in the dining area. Outside, the home’s main volumes are now defined by contrasting ele
The redo also introduced new sprayfoam insulation, new plumbing and a new heating and cooling system for im proved energy efficiency, and a home automation system. A covered porch provides outdoor living space in back. Strangely enough, the remodeled home is about 30 square feet smaller
An open rec room on the first floor can be enclosed to become an in-law suite, if needed, in the future.
Consulting Architect: Claudio Conti, Rome Contractor: J & J Construction, jjconstructiondc.com
THE PROJECT: Renovated in: 2020-2021 Neighborhood: Lyon Village Square Footage: 3,141 before / 3,108 after Architect: Paola Lugli, PLDesignStudio, paola-lugli.squarespace.com
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 95 than the original—something that almost never happens. With its striking facade and splashes of color, the cheeky renovation of fers proof that bigger isn’t always better.
■ Nigel F. Maynard is a writer in historic Hyatts ville, Maryland. He’s currently having his own custom home designed and may steal some ideas from this house. Follow him on Instagram @products_hound and @custom_home_hacker.
The house won a 2021 DesignArlington Award from Arlington County. It’s the second such accolade for Lugli, who won in 2015 for another residential makeover.
“Remodeling existing buildings is not only the most sustainable solution of building to day,” Lugli says, “but it results in design that can also be interesting, innovative and a bit provocative.”“Wearecompletely in love with our home,” Samantha says. “It’s exactly what we were looking for. The design is clean, airy and peaceful.”
FLOOR)(FIRSTOTTO/KARCHMERALANROOM);LAUNDRY(STAIRS,LUGLIPAOLA
Right: pendantModernlights add a dash of pink to the utilitarianelegancelendbuilt-infloorItalianhome’saccentsinspiredrefrigeratorBigroom’sLeft:stairwell.ThelaundrypinkretroChillbonusthepinkontheexterior.ceramictilesandcabinetsatouchoftothespace.
96 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com 22201 (Arlington) 2423 16th St. N. List Price: $2.78 million Sale Price: $2.78 million Days on Market: 2 Listing Office: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Neighborhood: Lyon Village Year Built: 2022 Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1 22202 (Arlington) 801 20th St. S. List Price: $985,000 Sale Price: $985,000 Days on Market: 13 Listing Office: Pearson Smith Realty Neighborhood: Addison Heights Year Built: 1938 Bedrooms: 3 Full/Half Baths: 3/0 22203 (Arlington) 542 N. Oakland St. List Price: $1.4 million Sale Price: $1.4 million Days on Market: 5 Listing Office: Keller Williams Realty Neighborhood: Ashton Heights Year Built: 1945 Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 3/1 22204 (Arlington) 803 S. Barton St. List Price: $1.88 million Sale Price: $1.88 million Days on Market: 1 Listing Office: Samson Properties Neighborhood: Penrose Year Built: 2022 Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 4/1 22205 (Arlington) 2005 N. Nottingham St. List Price: $1.9 million Sale Price: $1.85 million Days on Market: 6 Listing Office: Re/Max Allegiance Neighborhood: Parkhurst Year Built: 2018 Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1 22206 (Arlington) 2236 S. Glebe Road List Price: $945,150 Sale Price: $945,150 Days on Market: 0 Listing Office: Non-subscribing office Neighborhood: Townes at South Glebe Year Built: 2022 Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/1 June’s Most Expensive Home Sales ■ prime numbers MLSBRIGHTOFCOURTESY This information, courtesy of Bright MLS as of July 18, 2022, includes homes sold in June 2022, excluding sales in which sellers have withheld permission to advertise or promote. Information should be independently verified. 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.2423 16th St. N., Arlington
C LO S E PA R T N E R S
98 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com 22207 (Arlington) 3630 N. Nelson St. List Price: $3.4 million Sale Price: $3.45 million Days on Market: 238 Listing Office: Keller Williams Realty Neighborhood: Bellevue Forest Year Built: 2022 Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 7/0 22209 (Arlington) 1524 N. Colonial Terrace List Price: $1.35 million Sale Price: $1.35 million Days on Market: 2 Listing Office: Re/Max Allegiance Neighborhood: Highgate Year Built: 1991 Bedrooms: 3 Full/Half Baths: 2/1 22213 (Arlington) 6325 36th St. N. List Price: $2.5 million Sale Price: $2.5 million Days on Market: 26 Listing Office: Long & Foster Real Estate Neighborhood: Williamsburg Village Year Built: 2022 Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1 22101 (McLean) 1000 Turkey Run Road List Price: $8.96 million Sale Price: $8.25 million Days on Market: 34 Listing Office: Washington Fine Properties Neighborhood: Turkey Run Year Built: 2003 Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 6/1 22102 (McLean) 8632 Brook Road List Price: $3.5 million Sale Price: $3.43 million Days on Market: 6 Listing Office: Long & Foster Real Estate Neighborhood: Woodside Estates Year Built: 2004 Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 7/2 ■ prime numbers HEADER FOOTER Without willArlingtonpromisingAspire!,youngstudentsbeleftbehind.Learnmore: aspireafterschool.org aspire-afterschool-learning AspireAfterschoolLearning DLV22103 Aspire! Print Ad.indd 1 7/21/22 11:18 AM
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 99 22041 (Falls Church) 3805 Bent Branch Road List Price: $1.25 million Sale Price: $1.3 million Days on Market: 8 Listing Office: Keller Williams Realty
Neighborhood: Barcroft Woods Year Built: 1964 Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/1 22042 (Falls Church) 2839 Woodlawn Ave. List Price: $1.18 million Sale Price: $1.28 million Days on Market: 4 Listing Office: Weichert, Realtors Neighborhood: Greenway Downs Year Built: 2017 Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 3/1 22043 (Falls Church) 2141 Hilltop Place List Price: $2.05 million Sale Price: $2.12 million Days on Market: 1 Listing Office: KW Metro Center Neighborhood: Churchill Year Built: 2021 Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 6/1 22044 (Falls Church) 6412 Crosswoods Drive List Price: $1.2 million Sale Price: $1.3 million Days on Market: 2 Listing Office: Pearson Smith Realty Neighborhood: Lake Barcroft Year Built: 1959 Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/0 22046 (Falls Church) 117 S. Spring St. List Price: $2.2 million Sale Price: $2.2 million Days on Market: 18 Listing Office: Compass Neighborhood: Kerr’s Addition Year Built: 2022 Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1
Endless Possibilities 703-516-9455 TheJeffersonInVA.com 900 N. Taylor Street, Arlington, VA ©2016 Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. Live elegantly at The Jefferson, an active retirement community featuring an Arlington location, extensive amenities and maintenance-free living. Indulge yourself—and leave the rest to us. • Delicious cuisine • Diverse activities • Exercise room, classes and trainer available • Salon and barber shop • Café, library and lounges • Pool and gardens TOUR TODAY! Call or just stop in. 16-64633_SUNRISE_TheJefferson_4-625x4-625_Dec.indd 1 11/22/16 11:53 AM
100 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com Real Estate Sales Trends June 2021 vs. June 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022 22201 Number of Homes Sold 83 45 Average Sold Price $815,663 $793,058 Average Days on Market 16 20 Sold Above Asking Price 23 16 Sold Below Asking Price 36 19 Sold Over $1 Million 21 10 22202 Number of Homes Sold 11 10 Average Sold Price $1.08 Mil. $766,900 Average Days on Market 8 19 Sold Above Asking Price 6 2 Sold Below Asking Price 3 5 Sold Over $1 Million 6 1 22203 Number of Homes Sold 33 32 Average Sold Price $586,539 $601,175 Average Days on Market 26 48 Sold Above Asking Price 9 9 Sold Below Asking Price 17 20 Sold Over $1 Million 4 3 22204 Number of Homes Sold 66 61 Average Sold Price $605,288 $567,667 Average Days on Market 13 15 Sold Above Asking Price 37 25 Sold Below Asking Price 16 24 Sold Over $1 Million 6 5 22205 Number of Homes Sold 24 25 Average Sold Price $1.07 Mil. $1.23 Mil. Average Days on Market 8 5 Sold Above Asking Price 14 19 Sold Below Asking Price 7 2 Sold Over $1 Million 12 22 22206 Number of Homes Sold 56 36 Average Sold Price $519,751 $552,752 Average Days on Market 12 9 Sold Above Asking Price 24 18 Sold Below Asking Price 21 6 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0 22207 Number of Homes Sold 62 48 Average Sold Price $1.27 Mil. $1.41 Mil. Average Days on Market 23 24 Sold Above Asking Price 31 29 Sold Below Asking Price 24 12 Sold Over $1 Million 41 36 22209 Number of Homes Sold 25 20 Average Sold Price $683,906 $566,775 Average Days on Market 65 23 Sold Above Asking Price 5 3 Sold Below Asking Price 13 10 Sold Over $1 Million 5 4 22213 Number of Homes Sold 9 9 Average Sold Price $1.44 Mil. $1.11 Mil. Average Days on Market 17 16 Sold Above Asking Price 2 4 Sold Below Asking Price 5 3 Sold Over $1 Million 7 5 22101 Number of Homes Sold 70 52 Average Sold Price $1.61 Mil. $1.93 Mil. Average Days on Market 28 24 Sold Above Asking Price 24 29 Sold Below Asking Price 32 12 Sold Over $1 Million 53 45 22102 Number of Homes Sold 59 40 Average Sold Price $1.15 Mil. $1.14 Mil. Average Days on Market 30 21 Sold Above Asking Price 22 10 Sold Below Asking Price 22 23 Sold Over $1 Million 25 17 22041 Number of Homes Sold 50 23 Average Sold Price $462,485 $463,713 Average Days on Market 17 13 Sold Above Asking Price 27 14 Sold Below Asking Price 14 6 Sold Over $1 Million 5 1 22042 Number of Homes Sold 60 39 Average Sold Price $685,790 $685,109 Average Days on Market 10 8 Sold Above Asking Price 41 25 Sold Below Asking Price 14 8 Sold Over $1 Million 4 3 22043 Number of Homes Sold 35 31 Average Sold Price $934,637 $883,744 Average Days on Market 20 10 Sold Above Asking Price 25 19 Sold Below Asking Price 7 10 Sold Over $1 Million 12 9 22044 Number of Homes Sold 22 18 Average Sold Price $522,081 $599,883 Average Days on Market 25 10 Sold Above Asking Price 9 11 Sold Below Asking Price 8 3 Sold Over $1 Million 0 3 22046 Number of Homes Sold 36 22 Average Sold Price $969,379 $1.07 Mil. Average Days on Market 14 43 Sold Above Asking Price 24 16 Sold Below Asking Price 10 5 Sold Over $1 Million 17 9 ■ prime numbers
■ Light
Asked to summarize the new aes thetic and the feeling it evokes, Alice responds with one word: “Calm.” Motif
great spaces
■ September/October 2022 101
PROJECT CREDIT: Manlove and Co. Interiors manloveandco.com
■ by Jenny Sullivan | photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
This bedroom makeover is a case study in ArlingtonMagazine.comelegance.
In the adjacent sitting area (not shown), Manlove updated the fireplace surround, painted an existing armoire a soft taupe, and offset the plantation shutters on the room’s west-facing windows with subtly patterned floorto-ceiling drapes. The overall result, says the designer, is a serene sanctuary meant for unwinding.
THE TRADITIONAL furnishings from Alice and Brendan Feeley’s previous house—a “typical Arlington brick Colo nial”—felt out of place when the couple moved to a newer home, built in 2005, in Country Club Hills. Craving a refresh, they hired interi or designer Suzanne Manlove in 2018 to update a few of the rooms they used most, including their 400-square-foot bedroom.“Iwanted a space that felt lighter and not cluttered with heavy furniture and dark fabrics,” says Alice, a long time county resident who currently serves as board chair of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) and is an emeritus board member for the nonprofit Doorways. Brendan is an attorney in SwappingArlington.thebedroom’s tired beiges and browns for a palette of spa blue and taupe, Manlove introduced textured linen wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries and a “regal” custom bed by Kravet with a tufted headboard, zinc nail heads and a walnut wood base. Twin gold-leaf artworks by R. Lusk now hang above Vanguard nightstands with satin brass hardware, and the foot of the bed is anchored by a Vanguard brass bench upholstered in cream fab ric. A Tibetan wool area rug turns the entire vignette into a focal point.
Leading professionals provide insights on buying and selling, building and renovating, designing and furnishing, and financing and protecting your biggest asset—your home.
Q: What is one thing that prospective clients should know about you?
HOME EXPERTS
XXX 102 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION VENTURAMICHAEL Color Wheel 1374 Chain Bridge Road McLean, VA www.colorwheel.netkboswell@mycolorwheel.comwknicely@mycolorwheel.com703-356-847722101x104
A: While we are specialists in designing beautiful and functional custom window treatments, we offer full-service design. Draperies, shades and shutters are the finishing touch to every room, providing privacy, sun control and style. We coordinate these with your existing furnishings or enhance them with new carpet, accent rugs, lighting, paint and wallcovering. We also offer custom seating and reupholstery.
Q: How would your clients describe you? A: They would say that we are honest and open minded. We listen to our clients’ needs and select the best products to ensure a successful outcome for their projects. Our satisfied clients give us referrals and repeat business—in fact, many of our clients become life-long customers as a result of the bond we’ve formed working together.
KIM CALAVAS, VICE PRESIDENT, SALES Kim’s favorite charities: Kelly’s Cookie Challenge (a baking competition hosted by ABW benefitting charity) Home Aid (supporting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness—Kim has served on the gala planning committee for 13 years!) Race for Every Child (benefitting Children’s National Hospital) ABW Appliances Arlington Showroom 4748 Langston Blvd. (formerly Lee Highway) Arlington, VA www.ABWappliances.comQuestions@ABWappliances.com703-879-796622207
OK, I can’t stop at just one—our retail segment is also on fire! We had one (not quite up to par) showroom when I started here. We now have six showrooms, all of them beautiful, light-filled, experiential and amazing! Our team spends hundreds of hours per year training, and we are now able to travel to factory trainings again. We have folks in every single showroom who blow my socks off with their knowledge and expertise!
ABW Appliances
Q: What’s an example of something in your professional life that you’re particularly proud of? A: I am incredibly proud of our builder development group, or BDG, which is a team of individuals solely dedicated to growing and evolving our builder segment. This team consists of outside sales professionals and project managers who work hand in hand to ensure quality, consistency and loyalty to our top trade accounts. This group included just me five years ago, and we now have thirteen people and will ship around $20 million this fiscal year.
Q: What is the one thing that your clients should know about you? A: I am always looking forward, researching and networking to determine what is next for our industry and anticipating the needs of our employees and clients. I believe our infrastructure is key and that quality always trumps quantity. However, if we are consistently meeting our rigorous quality requirements, we should continue to expand to share that with as many people as we can successfully help. Appliances aren’t optional, so they should be selected to bring joy!
LEWISJ.TONY
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 103 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS
From left: Project Architect, Maya Maldonado; Assistant Project Architect, Hassan Darab; Owner, Michael Sauri; Junior Design Coordinator, Jemma Parsonson; Interior Designer, Zulma Puhl; Design Coordinator, Bethany Lewis; Project Architect, Kieran Fannan
Q: How does TriVistaUSA’s process benefit your clients?
Awards: Arlington Magazine Winner, Best Remodeler, PRO2022(Professional Remodeling Organization) Contractor of the Year, 2022 Best of Houzz in Design, 2022 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Service Small Business Award Fred Case Remodeling Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2018 3103 10th Street N., Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22201 www.trivistausa.com
A satisfied client put it best: “Words cannot express my appreciation—the charm of my home has been enhanced dramatically. Thank you for doing such a fabulous job!”
A: The advantage of our design/build process is that we can engage our very own build team during design development and call on the expertise of every team member to bring different perspectives to the design solutions we provide our clients. Clients are presented with an exciting variety of options, all of which solve their home challenges, within budget, allowing them to see multiple options and collaborate with us on their own solutions from the very first design presentation.
Q: What sets TriVistaUSA’s design team apart from others in the industry?
A: Our design team is FUN and FANTASTIC: they coordinate vision, budget and solutions into realistic possibilities while bringing joy to the creative process. From the first project the company built 17+ years ago, design has been integral to TriVistaUSA Design + Build’s work for every single client, on every single project. This focus on design ultimately impacts every aspect of our clients’ lives: the flow through their remodeled home, the amount of sunshine and light available for them to enjoy, their privacy, the connectedness of family they feel, and the beauty and serenity they enjoy when they sip a cup of tea. Although we see every project as an artistic opportunity, we believe form follows function. The design should relate to the needs of our clients, whom we love delighting with customcrafted solutions that fit their needs and raise their spirits!
104 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION TRANJOSEPH
DesignTriVistaUSA+Build
A: I’m a mom of two amazing kids and my life revolves around them. I love adventure, so we ski, camp and hike. During the pandemic, we RV’d up the coastline of Maine and had a big Alaskan adventure. When I’m not spending time with my children, you will find me reading, journaling, dancing, drinking wine with friends or riding my Peloton!
Q: What makes you different from other real estate agents?
A: My big focus is Arlington real estate. Most agents seem to specialize in large geographical areas—but that’s not me. I don’t believe you can be an expert in everything. I love Arlington so much. It’s not just a place, it’s a community I belong to. So many people are looking for their home—a beautiful structure and a vibrant place they feel connected to.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 105 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS HELFERTLISA BriggmanRenata THE ARLINGTON EXPERT Awards/Honors: Arlington Magazine Top Producer 2019-2022 Best of Washingtonian 2015-2022 Best of Northern Virginia Magazine 20165-star2022ratings on Google, Zillow and Yelp Leadership Arlington Class of 2020 KW Metro Center 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1050 Arlington, VA www.thearlingtonexpert.comrenata@thearlingtonexpert.com703-217-207722201
Q: What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
A: Home staging transformations! My home stager and I work very hard to prepare homes for the market and showcase them in the best possible light. We follow the latest design trends, make a plan for today’s buyers and walk people through their own HGTV experience. Every Tuesday I post a #tuesdaytransformation post on social media to showcase dramatic “before and after” photos, but mostly it’s just new paint and lighting, and a lot less clutter. Nothing is more satisfying than “I can’t believe it’s my home!” coming from my sellers. They are also thrilled when modest investments lead to higher sales prices.
Q: What are your interests outside of work?
CottagesClassic Classic Cottages is a Northern Virginiabased custom home builder that builds primarily in Arlington County and provides turnkey solutions for families looking to build a new home. Whether families are looking to build a beautiful model home or a custom home from scratch, Classic Cottages can handle everything from concept to completion through its skilled in-house acquisitions, sales, architecture, design and construction departments. 433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301 703-844-9936 | www.ccottages.comsales@ccottages.com
106 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Q: How has Classic Cottages grown over the last few years? A: Classic Cottages has been a top homebuilder within the Northern Virginia region, often standing out among fellow local homebuilders because of its unique organizational make-up. With all building facets housed under one roof, Classic Cottages has created a consistent, reliable and truly unique home building experience for its clients over the past twelve years. Since 2018, Classic Cottages has doubled its team to now employ over 40 talented team members in architecture and design, land planning, estimating, and construction. Since its inception, Classic Cottages has completed 400 transactions totaling half a billion dollars, with 50% taking place within the last four years.
BRAGGSTEPHANIE
A: Classic Cottages recently launched a new website and unveiled a brandnew beautiful Design Showroom. This gorgeous showroom is now the primary design center for all clients building with Classic Cottages, but it is particularly an expansive display for their custom clients. The transformation of the design space reflects the recent company organizational segmentation establishing two successful building divisions under the acclaimed Classic Cottages umbrella. This will ideally position Classic Cottages to meet its customers’ needs, whether it be for a model home or a completely custom design. Classic Cottages leadership’s goal is to continue to grow the company while bringing high quality luxury homes into the greater DMV market.
Q: Is there any exciting news with Classic Cottages?
From left: Pierce Tracy, Kim Musser, David Tracy, Evan Muelenaer, Kyle Fives
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 107 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS IMAGESBTW
108 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION HELFERTLISA
2111
www.bicyclingrealty.comnatalieuroy@gmail.comhomes@bicyclingrealty.com
Q: How did Bicycling Realty Group come to be? A: After years of running non-profit organizations, I found real estate to be a natural fit. It is fundamentally a service industry, helping people deal with the biggest financial decisions most will ever make. I brought my environmental advocacy, ethic and energy into the business and, voila, Bicycling Realty Group was born.
A: My team of highly motivated professionals—who also double as pickleball models as pictured here— offers clients a unique service: house hunting via bicycle. There is no better way to get to know a community than to bike or walk through it. But don’t worry. If you’d prefer to go by car or Metro, that works too! Most importantly, our energetic team is committed to getting every client to the finish line with a smile on their face.
Q: What do you foresee for the local market in the months ahead? A: While no one has a crystal ball, most experts continue to forecast a competitive market with low inventory, meaning there are more buyers looking for homes than sellers trying to sell them. The higher interest rates we are experiencing, which would normally dampen buyer enthusiasm, are being offset by the number of major companies and educational institutions—Amazon, Boeing, Virginia Tech–moving into the region. In this dynamic environment, it is more important than ever to stay informed and be proactive to succeed on the real estate front.
Awards/Honors:
Q: What makes you stand out in this crowded marketplace?
703-224-6000
Natalie U. Roy BICYCLING REALTY GROUP, KW METRO CENTER ARLINGTON Licensed in VA, MD and D.C. Arlington Magazine Winner, Best Real Estate Agent 2022; Washingtonian “The Face of Real Estate” 2022; Washingtonian “Top Agent” 2022; Virginia Living “Top Realtor” 2022; Sun Gazette “Best Arlington Residential Realtor” 2021; ARLnow.com, Arlies Award, Best Agent for Buyers 2021 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1050, Arlington, VA 22201 (o) | 703-819-4915 (c)
“I highly recommend Marks-Woods! We completed a master suite addition and couldn’t have been happier with the results. Greg, Drew and the team were true professionals and kept us up to date with every detail of the project. Great work by a great team!” –Jaina D. 205 S. Union St. Alexandria, VA 22314 www.markswoods.com703-838-9788
Q: What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 109 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS ServicesConstructionMarks-Woods
A: We are proud of our tried-and-true Marks-Woods process and 20 years of experience remodeling homes in this area. However, what really sets us apart is our inhouse design team and hands-on approach to client interactions. We have staff interior designers that work with homeowners to determine their overall design aesthetic then recommend materials and finishes that match their style while staying within their budget. We are very committed to our hands-on approach to client relationships. Clients will engage with all three partners, Greg (Director of Business Development), Byron (Contracts Manager) and Drew (Operations Manager). We get to know clients not just by project name, but by direct interactions with them and their families from consultation to completion.
A: Renovating a home can be a daunting process—as homeowners ourselves, we get it! For that reason, our top priority is alleviating the stress of the home renovation process. We do this by really understanding our clients’ goals and visions: What does their dream home look like? How would they define their style? What frustrations do they want their renovated home to solve? Our in-house design team partners with clients to answer these questions. Our experienced construction crew brings floor plans and renderings off paper and into real life. There is no greater satisfaction than seeing a client’s face light up because their vision has finally become a reality. That is why we love what we do.
Q: What sets you apart in this competitive marketplace?
MARCELLASARAH
FROM LEFT: GREG MARKS, DREW MARKS, BYRON WOODS
Q: What is the biggest challenge in your job?
110 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION TRANJOSEPH LightingDominion Furniture Lighting and Décor Showroom of the Year, 2021, 2022 Modern Luxury, Best of DC 2021, 2022 Home & Design, Designer’s Choice ASID “Best Environment Designed for Retail,” 2021 5053 Langston Blvd. Arlington, VA www.dominionlighting.comshowroom@dominionlighting.com703-536-440022207
Q: What makes you different than your competitors?
Q: How do you employ new technology to help your clients?
A: It can be challenging to overcome common misconceptions about lighting, such as good lighting is expensive, it’s not a significant part of a project and whatever your contractor offers from bigbox stores like Home Depot will be fine.
A: Unlike run-of-the-mill lighting stores or big-box retailers, we’re not focused on selling things. We’re interested in selling an experience, demonstrating our expertise and creating a partnership with our clientele to guide them through what can be a very confusing process. I like to call us “lighting Sherpas”—we’re those trusted guides that lead the way through a daunting, yet very important endeavor.
What people don’t realize is that the success of any design hinges on how it’s lit—our ability to see is based entirely on light. It’s also been proven that light directly influences our emotions and health, so if there’s one space to get right, it’s at home.
A: We’re definitely using technology in new ways. We use Photoshop to help our clients visualize different decorative fixtures in their existing space, which creates far more confidence in the decision-making process. We’re also using QR codes on all of our fixture tags in the showrooms to allow total transparency and easy access to details about each model. Our clients are able to see specifics about sizing, finishes, options and, most importantly, proof that our showroom pricing is better than anything they can find online.
A: For more than three decades, Bowers Design Build’s singular goal has been to create an extraordinary design and construction experience for our renovation clients. Our team has a relentless drive to do things “the right way.” With a staff of hand-picked professionals, enhanced through our recent merger with Arlingtonbased Red House Architects, we have developed a customer-centric approach to customized designs and a precise construction process incorporating project management expertise. Q: How do you define success?
Q: How would your clients describe you? A: Satisfied clients describe the Bowers Design Build team as creative, detail oriented, dedicated, honest, fair and great project managers. They recognize that our employees are talented people with a focus on customer care. In fact, many of our customers have said they wouldn’t change a thing about their experience with Bowers Design Build. That is high praise—especially in the discerning Northern Virginia market, where competition is plentiful.
Bowers Design Build For 33 years, Bowers Design Build has created an extraordinary home renovation experience. Theirs is a complete turn-key operation, with on-staff architects and interior designers creating customized designs and on-staff construction experts building with quality-minded focus and honed project management skills. The entire Bowers team is committed to delivering a great experience for their clients. 6715 Whittier Ave., Suite 200, McLean, VA 22101 703-506-0845 | www.bowersdesignbuild.cominfo@bowersdesignbuild.com
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 111 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS PHOTOCOURTESY
Q: What is your guiding principle for servicing your clients?
A: While winning industry awards for exceptional design and construction is wonderful, the true measure of the Bowers’ team’s success is happy clients. Inspired by the company’s long-standing reputation for extreme customer care, our team of on-staff architects, interior designers and construction professionals goes above and beyond daily to ensure overall client satisfaction. Proof that all that hard work is paying off: Recent results from independent survey research firm, GuildQuality.com, show that 100% of our clients surveyed would recommend us to a friend.
(Back row, from left) Bob Braddock, John Coburn, Bruce Bowers. (Front row) Wilma Bowers, Katie Peters
Arlington Law Group
JAMES F. ANDERSON, ESQ. (L) RYAN A. BROWN, ESQ. (C) BRIDGET A. ALZHEIMER, ESQ. (R)
Q: What kinds of real estate transactions does your firm handle?
112 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Awards/Honors: Ryan A. Brown, Esq.: Washingtonian Magazine Top Financial Advisor (Estate Planning Attorney), 2022; Arlington Magazine Top Attorneys Business/Corporate (2019, 2021), Nonprofit (2019, 2021), Tax (2019), Trusts & Estates (2019, 2021); Northern Virginia Magazine Top Lawyer, Financial Law, 2019 James F. Anderson, Esq.: Arlington Magazine Top Attorneys Trusts & Estates (2019, 2021) 1739 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209 703-842-3025 | www.arlingtonlawgroup.comclients@arlingtonlawgroup.com
Planning ahead with a trust or a revocable transfer-on-death deed can save significant time and expense for beneficiaries of real estate. Correctly titling property between spouses can protect against creditors. Clients who have a portfolio of investment properties may want to gift real estate to their descendants to reduce taxes. We can handle these intra-family transfers, including providing gift and estate tax planning to ensure efficient wealth transfer through the family.
Q: How does estate planning help protect my real estate? A: The homes our clients own in the D.C. area are often their largest assets. As we work with clients to prepare their estate plans, we discuss creditor protection options, tax planning and how to best manage real estate if they become incapacitated or transfer it upon death. Each client is different and we offer several fixedprice planning options. We then prepare powers of attorney, wills, trusts and deeds to best accomplish each client’s goals.
LEWISJ.TONY
All of our estate planning work starts with a free initial consultation, so we encourage clients to come and speak with us about their options.
A: We work with developers, other real estate professionals and investors to limit liability through the creation of LLCs to own their rental properties. We also negotiate real estate and construction contracts, construction loans and commercial loans for homeowners and developers looking to build or renovate residential or commercial real estate. Additionally, we work with developers and investors to create partnerships and raise capital through private offerings.
Q: What distinguishes Monument Home Loans from the competition?
Q: Why choose Monument Home Loans instead of a bank? A: Home mortgages are what we do— and all we do. Instead of juggling auto loans, ATMs and asset management, we focus solely on ensuring that every client has a smooth and predictable financing experience. As a company, we are committed to hometown values, solid partnerships, streamlined processes and cutting-edge technologies. We are experienced in working with clients from a wide range of backgrounds—first-time buyers, experienced buyers, refinancing, jumbo loans, self-employed, creditchallenged—and can easily find the right options for any situation for our customers. Regardless of your circumstances, every member of our team shares a common objective—to close your loan on time, as expected, and as efficiently as possible.
A: Our service. While our interest rates are quite competitive, our customer service is what sets us apart. From your first phone call until your final signature, our loan officers and processing team are fully accessible whenever needed, day or night, weekday or weekend. We also understand that mortgages should not be one-size-fits-all. That’s why we offer one of the widest arrays of mortgage products in the DMV, and we work closely with clients to identify the program that best meets their needs and goals. As a result, we enable people from all walks of life to experience a smooth, predictable process that results in the best mortgage for their circumstances—and to have an experienced loan officer with them every step of the way.
From Top Left: Kelley Cannon, Loan Officer, NMLS #2095194: Anshal Rode, Loan Officer, NMLS #816658; Ru Toyama, Loan Officer NMLS #1528382; Scott Gordon, Processing Manager, NMLS #483765; Joe Prentice, Sales Manager NMLS #1610163; Robert Martinson, Branch Manager NMLS #470762.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 113 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS TRANJOSEPH HomeMonumentLoans Arlington’s Home Town Home Loan Team— and Your VA Loan experts! Specialties: VA Loans, Construction Loans, FirstTime Homebuyers, Conventional Loans, Renovation Loans, USDA Rural Development Loans, Reverse Mortgages, Mortgage Down Payment Assistance, Mortgage Refinancing 4075 Wilson Blvd., Suite 823 703-650-7431 | www.monumenthomeloans.cominfo@monumenthomeloans.com A division of Mann Mortgage LLC NMLS#2550 Equal Housing Lender
Q: How have rising interest rates affected home buyers and sellers? A: Home prices are forecasted to increase five to eight percent annually, according to Real Trends, so it is still a good market for sellers. Though interest rates have forced some buyers out of the market, they have also given others an opportunity to get into the market with less competition.
114 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SCHWABHILARY Diane Lewis REALTOR, THE LEWIS TEAM, WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES 1364 Beverly Road, Suite 100 McLean, VA LewisTeam.com703-973-700122101 Awards & Accolades: $53+ million in Sales, 2021 Arlington Magazine Top Producer 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022
Consistently recognized as Washingtonian Top Real Estate Agent America’s Best Real Estate Professionals
Q: What do clients say about you? A: We pride ourselves on delivering a seamless approach to buying or selling homes and our clients say they remember the compassionate and sincere care they received long after the transaction took place. Here’s a recent testimonial: Diane and her team are absolutely fabulous! She is extremely well connected and knowledgeable about the local markets. She helped us find our house 11 years ago in just one weekend when visiting from out of town. Now she has helped us find the house of our dreams. Thank you! —A buyer in North Arlington
Q: What should prospective home buyers and sellers know about navigating this market? A: We are in a healthier and more well-balanced market today. There is still a lack of supply of homes for sale, so the market continues to stay strong. There have been a lot of new agents and changes in the industry since the pandemic began, therefore, having an experienced agent is extremely important.
A: I’ll use some of their testimonials: “Tripp listens carefully and offers creative solutions. He is organized, efficient and great at communication. We hope to work with him again someday!”
“Building a home from scratch can be overwhelming, and Tripp has a good sense of timing in terms of keeping the project moving while maintaining a manageable decision-making schedule for the client.”
Q: How do you help your clients during construction?
Q: How would your clients describe you?
“Not only did Tripp help us with a beautiful design for our Arlington home, he’s also deeply experienced on the construction side. Hiring him is like hiring an expert/advisor to have in your corner through the life of the project—from design, to permitting and beyond. Lastly, Tripp is level-headed, patient, responsive and all around a very easy and pleasant person to work with. You would be very lucky to get him as your architect on your next project.”
A: I want my clients’ designs to be executed as we envisioned, so I spend a lot of time on construction sites. Though reviewing shop drawings and product submittals from the comfort of an architect’s office is helpful, there is no substitute for observing the build as it progresses. Even under the best of conditions, builders will have questions and make the occasional mistake. Without the presence of an architect to help the client and builder make decisions and solve inevitable issues, the process can be stressful and the end product disappointing.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 115 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS BRAGGSTEPHANIE DeFalco Home Design TRIPP DEFALCO Bachelor of Architecture, Syracuse LicensedUniversityArchitect since 1999 NCARB Certified to practice nationally 19 years practicing as an Architect 10 years managing a Design/Build firm Arlington Magazine Winner, Best Architect 2022 3409 N. Potomac St. Arlington, VA www.defalcohomedesign.cominfo@defalcohomedesign.com703-483-242722213
Q: What makes Winston’s different?
116 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION VENTURAMICHAEL Winston’s Chimney Service CHUCK HALL President, Mid-Atlantic Chimney Association President Emeritus, Chimney Safety Institute of America Class A Contractor, VA, MD, D.C. CSIA Inc.NCSGF.I.R.ECertifiedCertifiedCertifiedMagazine5000 Fastest Growing Companies 2019 & 2020 11301 Industrial Road, Manassas, VA 20109 www.winstonsservices.comcharles@winstonsservices.com703-379-5006
A: We’ve been sweeping, inspecting, repairing and rebuilding fireplaces and chimneys in the metro area since 1989. Besides working for so many area homeowners, we service some very prestigious chimneys, including the 62 fireplaces at the U.S. Capitol and all the fireplaces at the U.S. Supreme Court. These are more than a century old and it’s a real honor. Over the course of more than 25 years in the industry, we’ve become very well connected in the area and the business.
Q: To what do you attribute your success?
A: We have a real commitment to training and, as a result, our teams know what they’re doing in your home. Unlike painters or other tradespeople, we deal with live fire and poisonous gases from your fireplace, gas water heater and furnace. Our services are vital to the safety of homeowners and their families. Over the years, we’ve been consistently recognized for excellence. We get referred all the time from homeowner to homeowner.
Q: Why should a homeowner be concerned about their chimney?
A: Having a fire in your fireplace sends small flammable particles up into your chimney with the smoke. These particles build up on your chimney’s walls over time and can easily cause a chimney fire. So periodically, your chimney should be inspected and cleaned. Even though gas is considered clean-burning, gas appliances and chimneys can still have blockages or other problems. We recommend an annual inspection and regular cleanings, and so does the National Fire Protection Association and the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
www.ajbuildingservices.comaj.bld.services@gmail.com703-638-4666
Q: What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
Q: What makes you different from other home professionals?
A: We truly enjoy what we do. Creating beautiful homes is our passion. Helping make our clients’ vision come true and seeing the joy on their faces when they are ready to move into their new home are the reasons we continue to do what we do.
AJ ServicesBuilding ANDY DANIELJELONEKSANDERS
A: Our philosophy is that consistent communication is integral to our clients’ needs. We pride ourselves on accessibility. We understand that building a new home or remodeling your existing home can be challenging, so from start to finish we are on site supervising our teams closely. We work directly with you to ensure the highest quality craftsmanship and satisfaction. With the many questions and concerns that a homeowner can have during construction, we are here to guide you through and deliver high quality projects in an efficient manner.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 117 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS BRAGGSTEPHANIE
Q: What makes AJ Building Services the premier Arlington contractor?
Testimonial: AJ did a fantastic job, start to finish. They were very helpful with design and layout of the addition and remodel, bringing their extensive experience and ideas for consideration. We absolutely love our home—it is beautiful and unique and fits us perfectly! I credit Andy and Daniel…I don’t think we would have wound up here without them. –CA Servicing Northern VA
A: We’re a family-owned and operated home remodeling company with over 40 years of experience, specializing in custom home remodels, additions and carpentry. That experience is invaluable for projects in Arlington area homes, which have a wide range in ages, styles, building materials and homeowner needs. Over our careers, we’ve seen just about everything and solved many building challenges for clients.
Q: How do you interact with your clients?
Q: Is there a particular member of the team you’d like to give a shout out to?
A: Jason Chaney joined our team back in 2017 as a project manager. For several years he managed many successful projects for us and he has now taken over as general manager. Jason liaises between Regional Partner Chad Hackman, who handles business development, Operations Manager Alex Castro and the project managers to create a seamlessly positive client experience.
118 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION TRANJOSEPH Alair Homes CHAD HACKMANN Awards/Honors: NARI Contractor of the Year Winner: - locally and regionally for basement remodel under $100k (2020) - locally for kitchen under $50k (2019) - locally for addition under $250k (2019) Recipient of NARI’s Community Service Award 3033 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA www.AlairHomes.com/Arlingtonchad.hackmann@alairhomes.com202-409-128022201
Q: Jason, tell us more about yourself and your approach to your work.
A: I would advise someone just starting out in this profession to not be afraid to fail— because you will. But never stop listening and asking questions. Every job has surprises and we work with our trades to find solutions. The biggest challenges I see on an ongoing basis are the fluctuations in the market and communicating that to clients. Understanding that this is likely the biggest investment of their lives, we work together to support our clients throughout the process at every stage.
A: Many building and remodeling firms struggle with proper communication with their clients. At Alair Homes, we have developed very detailed systems and processes for giving every client the one-on-one attention they deserve. Each client has a direct relationship with their project management team from concept through completion. Each member of our team is experienced in running every aspect of a building or remodeling project. Since our Client Control Software is always accessible, clients can see what is happening on site daily and what is scheduled to happen next week.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 119 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS HELFERTLISA DesignerArlington Homes ANDREW MOORE Arlington native Andrew Moore, 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. Most recently he was presented the prestigious ‘Best Green Building’ Gala award by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA). 4719 N. 24th Road Arlington, VA www.arlingtondesignerhomes.comarlingtondesignerhomes@gmail.com703-243-175222207
Arlington Designer Homes is a true custom home builder and home renovation specialist. We have over four decades of experience working on Arlington homes. Our processes are designed to help answer not only the basic questions like what can I build, but also to help address more complex questions, like what design works best now and in the future? Our step-by-step process is laid out on our website and is designed to help customers break down the huge undertaking of a construction project into smaller, manageable pieces.
Q: What does “quality” mean to you?
Our commitment to quality starts with the first contact and proceeds with our proven customer-based systems. In today’s environment, planning is the only way to avoid project delays. We have been able to help customers anticipate bottlenecks and create a plan that works for them.
A: As green, energy efficient builders, we know the importance of quality in the construction process. Quality is not just about the labor and material that go into a house, it is also about the quality of supervision, communication, management and planning.
A: The construction process can be intimidating. Where do you start, how do you start? Does it make sense to remodel or to rebuild? These are questions I get every day. The answer is: it depends. Each situation is unique and one size does not fit all. However, we have developed processes to help homeowners answer these questions.
Q: How do you calm your clients’ nerves?
Q: What should potential clients know about you?
120 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION LEWISJ.TONY RestorationsCommonwealth JOSH NEWFIELD Specialties: Whole home renovations New homes on our lot or yours Additions of any size (Rear/Side Additions, Pop-Tops, Kitchens, Bathrooms, Screen Porches) 2430 S. Kenmore St., Arlington, VA 22206 2902 N. Sycamore St., Arlington, VA 22207 www.commonwealthrestorations.comoffice@commonwealthrestorations.com703-525-5255
Q: How does technology play into your daily work?
A: We fully embrace the growing role of technology in the building industry. Keeping up with the latest innovations is important—we work to keep ourselves educated, so that our customers benefit. We take pride in being easy to work with and always available, and communication plays a large role in that. Technology helps facilitate our regular meetings throughout the course of the project, whether in the home or in our office. By keeping our clients informed about the status of their projects, we can lessen the impact on their daily routines. But regardless of the technology involved, we make sure that our clients are always able to reach a live person.
A: As a local business, we are Arlington based and focused. We not only work here, we live here. Ninety-five percent of our projects are located in the county, so we understand the unique needs and desires of Arlingtonians. We do all of the design work, which allows us to fully integrate the process from start to finish. Our process is quite collaborative—we work closely with our clients throughout the course of the project, in order to ensure that they are absolutely thrilled with the ultimate results. Our biggest challenge—and one we fully embrace—is devising creative solutions that meet our clients’ needs and fit within their budget. Our ultimate goal is for our clients to live in their forever home that makes them happy every time they walk into it.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 121 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS IRVINGELAN Ann HomesWilson SEAN WILSON, LICENSED REALTOR IN VIRGINIA AND D.C. ANN WILSON, ASSOCIATE BROKER Awards/Honors NVAR Life Top Producers Club and MultiMillion Dollar Sales Club Washingtonian Best Realtor, 2015 – present Northern Virginia Best Realtor award, 2015 – present Virginia Living Best Realtor, 2018 – present Sun-Gazette, Best Realtor, 2020 Real Trends Top 1000 Realtors nationwide KW Metro Center 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1050, Arlington, VA 22201 Ann: 703-328-0532 | Sean: 703-328-8079 www.annwilsonhomes.comsean@annwilsonhomes.comann@annwilsonhomes.com
Q: What should your clients know about working with you?
A: Although buying and selling a home is a business transaction, it can also be a highly emotional and personal experience. Our clients appreciate our commitment, professionalism and loyalty in helping them through this process. We do everything we can for our clients, often coming up with creative solutions to their specific needs. We feel that a house must be “model perfect” before it hits the market, and we help our clients achieve that by staging and providing connections to contractors. Our ultimate goal is to maximize each home’s potential and streamline the entire process.
Q: What’s new at Ann Wilson Homes? A: We are thrilled to announce another record year in 2021. Sean Wilson and I were able to help 36 families buy and/ or sell their home, producing over $35m in sales volume. While we are very proud of our continued success, the icing on the cake is that 78% of our business in 2021 came from referrals from previous clients. To us, real estate is more than just a transaction. We hope to be a continuing resource to each of our clients well after they close on their home. In 2022, we joined American Dream TV’s newest real estate show as hosts of “Selling the DMV,” showcasing real estate and lifestyle pieces around the D.C. and Northern Virginia area. Sean and I are both proud residents of Arlington for more than 25 years, and we have immense knowledge of the county’s neighborhoods, schools, communities and surrounding areas.
A: The pandemic significantly impacted the home industry at large with supply chain delays and staff and product shortages. The appliance segment is still impacted today with inventory shortages and delays. Investing in large capacity storage, like our new 200,000 square feet Cranbury, NJ warehouse, makes it easy to hold more inventory. We’re the only appliance retailer to offer an InStock Promise™—super critical when you’re working on a time-sensitive project.
A: We are with you from blueprint to installation (and beyond). For more than 20 years, we are the pros the pros trust with every type of residential project— multi-unit apartment buildings, custom homes, kitchen renos and replacement appliances. We’ve also recently launched our Community Fridge Initiative to keep scratch and dent refrigerators that can’t be sold out of landfills and placing them instead in communities struggling with food insecurity. Q: What makes AjMadison different than other home professionals?
A: We eat, sleep and breathe appliances— that’s all we do. Our appliance experts have an average tenure of 10+ years with us. They are trained continuously and available in-person at one of our state-ofthe-art showrooms or on your jobsite, or by phone or online. We use technology to make shopping for appliances easier, and we are the only appliance retailer to deliver to every zip code in the continental U.S.
Q: What is the one thing that prospective clients should know about AjMadison?
Q: What is the most significant change in the industry and how has it changed how the company operates?
122 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com PROFILES HOME EXPERTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION LEWISJ.TONY AjMadison AARON PHILLIPS CALEB ADRIANKIZELEWICZDECOCQVANDELWIJNEN We make the process for spec’ing, buying, delivering and installing appliances easy. Hard-to-find, unique finishes, small spaces … with 150 brands, we have the perfect appliances for every project. 8500 Leesburg Pike Tysons Corner, VA 22182 www.ajmadison.comdcshowroom@ajmadison.com202-892-5000
Q: What do you love most about what you do? A: The biggest satisfaction we have in our work is helping our clients achieve their dream. When we take on a partnership with a client it’s a true partnership. We are all in, 100%, until their dream of their home is fulfilled.
for Women and Families.
are decades-long
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 123 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROFILES HOME EXPERTS RENEBRITT Michelle Sagatov THE MICHELLE SAGATOV GROUP REALTOR, WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES Yuri Sagatov PRINCIPAL, SAGATOV DESIGN+ BUILD
Michelle and Yuri Sagatov Arlington residents chocolate Doorways
lab. They are heavily involved with
with two incredible children and a spunky
@sagatov_designInfo@sagatovhomes.com703-534-2500@michellesagatovrealtygroupMichelle.Sagatov@WFP.com703-402-9361
Q: Why should prospective clients choose to work with you?
A: As industry leading experts in the fields of real estate transactions, architectural design and construction, we bring a deep level of experience, confidence and creativity to every client we partner with. The results speak for themselves in the quality of our work and satisfaction of our clients.
Q: How does working together benefit your clients? A: Unique to our partnership is the ability to work with our clients through the entire process of searching for a lot, designing a home, building it and then furnishing it. This seamless process saves time, adds value to the project, takes stress off our clients and results in a harmonious vision from start to finish. The homes we create also lead the market in resale value, setting sales price records in 10 neighborhoods in the last 10 years.
124 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com Marseille-style fish soup with saffron rouille, gruyere and toast
VIVE
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 125 restaurant review ■ by David Hagedorn | photos by Deb Lindsey
The soup is one of the first courses to arrive on a splendid summer evening as my husband and I lounge beneath a triangular sail and strings of festive Edison bulbs on the café’s 16-seat back porch in the Lee Heights Shops. Next to our table are flower boxes teeming with basil, mint, lavender, sage, dill, fennel andWe’vethyme.been happily sipping on a Chartreuse-laced daiquiri and a riff on a traditional Bee’s Knees, which adds Amaro Montenegro to the usual con coction of gin, honey and lemon juice for an intriguing note of bitterness. With the bisque, our amiable serv er, Adam, also delivers a salad of green lentils (from France’s Le Puy region), gingery pickled red beets, toasted wal nuts, green apple, Bleu d’Auvergne cheese and arugula. It’s as tasty as it is picturesque.Inaddition to the back porch, Café Colline has seating for 44 inside, in cluding 12 bar seats, and another eight on the front patio. The alluring bistro, which L’Etoile co-owns with restaura teurs Ian and Eric Hilton, debuted in the former Cassatt’s Café space in Au gust 2020, during the throes of the pan demic. It endured a rocky start as on site dining surges came and went. I tried their food in takeout form in January 2021, savoring L’Etoile’s leeks vinaigrette, his sea bass with brown but ter and capers, and roast chicken with Arlington’s Café Colline is everything a French bistro should be.
T he Marseille-style fish soup at Café Colline is liquid gold. An orangey bisque finished with drizzles of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked papri ka, it arrives with grilled French bread, shredded Gruyere cheese and a bright yellow saffron aioli on the side.
Chef Brendan L’Etoile learned how to make the dish—which he calls a “poor man’s bouillabaisse”—when he apprenticed briefly in Paris in the ear ly 2000s. But its richness belies that description. The laborious process re quires making a fish stock from scratch, straining it and cooking it with ginger, garlic, fennel, tomatoes, orange peel, star anise, brandy, pastis (an aniseflavored liqueur) and potatoes. L’Etoile then purées this elixir, strains it two more times and adds lemon juice for brightness. I slather the toast with aioli, dunk it in the soup and top it with cheese, but no matter how a bite is put together, it winds up sublime.
le Bistro! Chef BrendanL’Etoile
CAFÉ
HOURS Tuesday to Thursday: noon to 8 p.m. Friday: noon to 9 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 3 FreePARKING/METROp.m.parkinginfrontandin back of the Appetizers: $10 to $18; Entrées: $17 to $38; Desserts: $6 to $12 Fried soft-shell crab with andcakeBelow:capers,potatoes,pickledshallotsandremouladeOliveoilwithlemoncremefraiche
PRICESrestaurant
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Having now revisited Café Colline in person, I can say that it merits revisit ing in writing. For years, Ian Hilton’s neighbors in Donaldson Run hounded him to open a restaurant close by. What they got is what most of us want in a neighborhood joint: superlative, un gimmicky food; well-made cocktails; a succinct and reasonably priced wine list; free parking; a personable, knowl edgeable staff; charming décor; and quaint touches here and there—such as little vases of cheery ranunculus on the tables, and glass jars used as serv ing vessels for a silken chicken-liver mousse with Madeira gelée. I appreciate that the 22% gratuity added automatically to the check is ■ restaurant review COLLINE 4536 Langston Blvd. (in the Lee Heights Shops), Arlington 703-567-6615 | cafecollineva.com
tarragon jus. Stopping by to pick up my order (en masque), “I couldn’t help but admire the pretty space,” I wrote of that brief visit, “with its ornate wall mirrors, tufted leather banquettes and a charm ing herringbone-patterned wood floor, picturing myself dining there once the buzz times returned.”
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 127
A fine strategy for starting a meal here is to share a pot of mussels steamed with pastis, cream, shaved fennel and tarragon. This classic bistro dish comes with frites (french fries) that are made in-house, not frozen—a rarity these days—and a trio of dipping sauces, in cluding mayo, ketchup and a housemade club sauce featuring kimchi. For a main course, try the duck leg confit à l’orange (another French bistro standard) on a bed of farro, wild rice and kale. L’Etoile cures the legs over night with salt, cloves, garlic and thyme, then braises them to perfect tenderness in duck fat. He finishes each leg by re moving the thigh bone, flattening it and searing it in a cast-iron pan, render ing the skin to divine crispiness. Flab by-skinned duck confit is a pet peeve of mine, so I appreciate this technique. A dish of bucatini tossed with blis tered cherry tomatoes, aioli and a ver dant pesto of roasted pistachios, ba sil, chili flakes and pecorino cheese is a tasty exercise in simplicity and re straint. The salmon fillet encrusted with hash brown potatoes and served with spinach, sauteed hen-of-the-wood mushrooms and lemon beurre blanc could be a poster child for contempo rary French bistro cooking.
WHAT TO DRINK Café Colline offers six delightful cocktails, among them a French martini (Tito’s vodka, crème de cassis, pineapple juice: $14), a Kir Royale ($13) and a Cognac oldfashionedThe($16).wine list includes: 6 sparkling ($56 to $150), one by the glass ($14); 13 whites ($40 to $136), four by the glass ($10 to $17); 21 reds ($48 to $180), five by the glass ($12 to $18). All but four of the wines are French, which is comme il faut (only proper) in a French bistro, but don’t overlook the Ciro Biondi Outis 2017 Etna Rosso.
His connection to Ian Hilton began in 2007 with the opening of Marvin on U Street, after which he became the chef of Chez Billy, a French bistro in D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood, in 2012. It closed in 2016, after Chez Billy Sud opened in Georgetown in 2014. At Café Colline, L’Etoile tweaks the menu based on whatever is fresh and seasonally available. A buttermilk-fried soft-shell crab is served with a simple remoulade of capers, mayo and grainy mustard that complements but does not overpower the sweet, crunchy crus tacean. Garnishes of pickled ramps and cubed fried potatoes add extra flair.
■
The minerality and lushness of Sicilian Carricante grapes are perfect foils for steak frites and duck confit.
The desserts here are refreshingly straightforward. Dense, fudgy flour less chocolate cake with Chartreuse ice cream is a perfect coda to a meal, as is the moist olive oil cake (L’Etoile uses Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif, in the batter) topped with honey, creme fraiche and lavender. As I look through the notes from my meals at Café Col line, I notice that something’s missing: complaints. Hilton’s neighbors must be very pleased.
Potato-crusted salmon with mushrooms, spinach and lemon beurre blanc
circled so that diners don’t mistakenly tip twice. Many will recognize general manager Debra Rubin, a seasoned res taurant pro who previously worked for the dearly departed chef Bob Kinkead, and later for chefs Tracy O’Grady and Kate Jensen at Arlington’s beloved Wil low restaurant, which closed in 2015. Rubin planted and tends the back porch’s herb garden. Etoile means “star” in French, and the Hilton brothers have one in their aptly named executive chef and partner, who also oversees the kitchens at Chez Billy Sud in D.C. and Parc de Ville in the Mosaic District (both of which are also French bistros). A Northern Vir ginia native, L’Etoile, 39, first got into cooking by helping his mother, Lilienne Conklin, run her catering business, A La Belle Cuisine, in the late 1990s and early aughts. (She’s now in charge of private events for the Hilton brothers’ parent company, H2 Collective.) After a series of jobs in Washington and New York, L’Etoile was a member of the 2005 opening team for Willow in Ballston. (He credits Tracy O’Grady, now the chef of Arlington’s Green Pig Bistro, as a valued culinary mentor.)
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Nighthawk offers two kinds of A thick-crust pie at Nighthawk burgerDundeeThe
128 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com home plate ■ by David Hagedorn
BURGER)PIZZA,INTERIOR,(NIGHTHAWKJOHNSONHAWKEYE
Nighthawk, which seats a whopping 343 inside and 82 on the patio, was designed by D.C.-based 3877 Design as an homage to The Max, the student hangout in the ’90s sitcom Saved by the Bell. It’s a vast space filled with red and blue neon lighting, slick picnic tables, TVs set to sports channels and a sprinkling of video arcade games.
The brewery part of the operation is on display behind glass windows.
Thick and Thin Chef Johnny Spero is known for highstyle cooking—his D.C. restaurant Reverie earned a Michelin star—but pizza is his favorite food. Which is partly what led him to team up with Alexandria-based Aslin Beer Co. and Arlington entrepreneur Scott Parker (Bronson Bierhall, Barley Mac, Don Tito, Poppyseed Rye) to launch Nighthawk Brewery & Pizza, a 10,000-square-foot beer hall that opened in Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) in March. “I grew up working at crappy Italian restaurants in Baltimore County as a busboy, a runner and making New York-style pizza,” Spero says. “That’s when I fell in love with the restaurant business. I’d eat pizza every day if my family let me.”
ORDER THIS now SPLIT)(BANANAPHOTOGRAPHYBUTCHER ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 129
Chef de cuisine Ryan Garisek devised the thick-crust pizza’s focaccialike dough, which owes its crispy edges to a liberal coating of olive oil and takes more than 30 minutes to bake. Carnivores will appreciate the pie topped with bacon, ground pepperoni and Italian sausage, caramelized onions and three cheeses. Spero estimates that thin-crusts account for about 70% of pizza sales, but you can count me in the minority: I love the thick-crust pepperoni pie. The brewpub’s menu also features a variety of appetizers (tater tot nachos, meatballs, hickory-smoked wings); sandwiches (try the Dundee burger with two smash beef or Impossible patties, fried onions, American cheese and pickles); snacks; and salads. Spero couldn’t resist adding some chef-y items, like burrata with porcini oil, but he concedes that most customers come for the pizza, burgers and wings. The beverage program includes a full bar, draft cocktails and about 20 Aslin beers (10 on tap) with low ABVs. Brews are $4 to $5 for half pours and $6 to $7 for full pours. Crowlers-to-go ($8 or $10) are available, too. Nighthawk provides table service, although customers order and pay with QR codes. Happy hour (Monday through Friday, 3 to 6 p.m.) is a good deal. It brings $5 draft beers, house wines and rail drinks; $8 tavern cheese pizzas; $10 tavern sausageand-pepperoni pizzas; and half-price starters. nighthawkbrewery.co
Go Bananas at Harvey’s in Falls Church If we had our way, every day would be sundae at Harvey’s, the restaurant and market that chef Thomas Harvey opened in The Little City in March. His stunner of a banana split ($12) tops the tropical fruit with vanilla and chocolate gelato, house-made caramel and chocolate sauces, honey-roasted peanuts and the chef’s favorite snack—popcorn coated with Tajin, a seasoning mix of ground chili pepper, lime and sea salt. Harvey credits Naomi Gallego, former executive pastry chef for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG), for the inspiration. The two met in 2017 when Harvey was chef of The Partisan, an NRG restaurant in D.C. (now temporarily closed.) “She’d make these wild splits that were lots of fun with wow presentations,” he says. “I knew I’d have one on my menu.” harveysva.com
Nighthawk Brewery & Pizza pizza: 14-inch Midwest tavern pizzas ($16 to $22) and 8-by-10-inch deepdish pies ($17 to $22). To achieve the tavern pizza’s thin-and-crispy crust, the dough is rolled out and left uncovered in the refrigerator overnight (“This creates a dry surface when it hits the stone,” Spero explains) and then baked at high temperatures in an electric deck oven. Fan favorites include a littleneck clam pizza made with mozzarella, provolone, fontina, pecorino and white sauce; and a pepperoni pie with pickled peppers and hot honey.
Hedzole—the word means “freedom” in the Ga language of Ghana—follows a familiar buildyour-own model. Pick a protein (chicken, salmon or oxtails), a rice (jollof, coconut or waakye, a blend of black-eyed peas and sorghum leaves) and then top it off with the stew and/or sauce of your choosing. All orders come with fried plantains and cabbage-carrot slaw. Bowls range from $13.50 to $22, depending on the protein. A vegan meal option is available for $12.
Mensah, 44, is a D.C. native and Temple University alumna whose parents immigrated from Ghana in the 1970s. She says she caught the culinary bug as a child, transfixed by PBS cooking shows such as The French Chef, Yan Can Cook and The Galloping Gourmet. Her mother, Constance Baddoo-Mensah, introduced her to Ghanaian cooking at an early age and now works alongsideMensahher.always wanted to open a food business, but doubts and excuses—that she didn’t go to cooking school; that it would be too hard— got in the way until 2019, when she finally took a leap of faith and applied for a stall at the annual Taste of Springfield. “People thought we had been doing it for years,” she says. “That menu is pretty much the same menu I have today.” She brands her cooking as “Pan-African soul,” in that the options venture beyond Ghanaian traditions. Oxtails, for instance, are prevalent in the Caribbean and the American South, but not in her parents’ homeland. In Ghana, jollof rice is served only on special occasions. “I cringe at jollof rice being everywhere,” Mensah confesses, “but at the same time I want jollof rice to be Thateverywhere.”Africanfood is finally getting some overdue attention is a plus, she says, although American diners have only just begun to explore the culinary depth of a continent with 54 countries, each with myriad regional cuisines. “Most of my customers are not Black or African,” she adds. “This food appeals to all people, not a subset.” hedzoleafroeats.com
My lunch is courtesy of Hedzole (pronounced hey-JOE-leh), a fastcasual eatery that sells at the Sunday farmers market in the Mosaic District, and until recently at Urbanspace in Tysons. The dish is accompanied by Ghanaian jollof rice (flavored with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, nutmeg and cayenne) and a spinach stew that owner Candice Mensah thickens with ground white melon seeds. “The seeds look like uncooked oatmeal and melt into the stew,” she explains.
Candice Mensah (right) with her mom, Constance Pan-African Soul
VENTURAMICHAEL
130 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ home plate
The aroma of cloves hangs in the air as I dig into a saucy bowl of tender braised oxtails and lima beans.
TINGALBERT
ARLINGTON A Modo Mio Pizzeria 5555 Langston Blvd., 703-532-0990, amodomio pizza.com. Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta has rebrand ed with a new chef, a new menu centering on woodfired pies and an interior makeover. L D $$ Aladdin Sweets & Tandoor 5169 Langston Blvd., 703-533-0077. Chef Shi uli Rashid and her husband, Harun, prepare fam ily recipes of curries and kabobs from their native Bangladesh. L D $$ Ambar Clarendon 2901 Wilson Blvd., 703-875-9663, ambarrestau rant.com. Feast on Balkan fare such as stuffed cabbage, mushroom pilav and rotisserie meats.
B Live in
bangkok54res taurant.com. A favorite for Thai curries, grilled meats, stir-fry, noodles and soups. L D V $$ Bar Ivy
com. Mexican street food, tequila, mezcal and sug ar-skull décor keep the party going at this West post cantina. o L D G V $$ Bangkok 54
There’s plenty of bar food to go with the games, from burgers and wings to oysters and flatbread. O C R L D A G V $$ Assembly 1700 N. Moore St., 703-419-3156, assembly-va. com. The 29,000-square-foot food hall above the Rosslyn Metro contains a smorgasbord of din ing concepts, from oysters and cocktails to Asian street food, tacos and diner fare, plus a gourmet market with prepared foods. B R L D G V $$ B Live 2854 Wilson Blvd., 571-312-7094, bliveva.com. Find beach-inspired eats, a Bloody Mary bar and live music five nights a week in the former Whit low’s space in Clarendon. o R L D A $$ Baba 2901 Wilson Blvd., 703-312-7978, baba.bar. This subterranean cocktail lounge is a sister to Ambar next door. A $$ Bakeshop 1025 N. Fillmore St., 571-970-6460, bakeshopva. com. Hit this tiny storefront for coffee, cupcakes, cookies, macarons, icebox pies and other treats. Vegan sweets are always available. 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 $$
O R L D G V $$ Arlington Kabob 5046 Langston Blvd., 703-531-1498, arlingtonka bobva.com. Authentic Afghan fare includes kabobs, & Tequila 1301 S. Joyce St., 571-257-7622, banditostnt. 2919 Pike, 703-521-4070, 3033 Blvd., 703-544-7830, eatbarivy.com. Clarendon
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 131 places to EAT
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 $$$$ $71 or more o Outdoor Dining c Children’s Menu B Breakfast R Brunch L Lunch D Dinner A After Hours/Late Night G Gluten-Free V Vegetarian s Best of Arlington 2021 or 2022 Winner Banditos Tacos
wraps, shawarma and quabli palou (lamb shank with rice). L D $$ Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill 2424 Wilson Blvd., 703-528-3030, arlrooftop.com.
Columbia
Wilson
Chef Nathan Beauchamp’s seafood-forward new comer has a West Coast vibe and a breezy, 125seat patio. o D G V $$$ Barley Mac 1600 Wilson Blvd., 703-372-9486, barleymacva. com. Upscale tavern fare, plus more than 100 kinds of whiskey and bourbon. R L D A G V $$ Bartaco 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 571-3908226, bartaco.com. A lively spot for tacos (13 kinds) and tequila. Feels like vacation. L D V A $$ Bar Bao 3100 Clarendon Blvd., 703-600-0500, barbao.com. The trendy watering hole serves dishes reminiscent of Chinese and Taiwanese street food, plus sake, soju and Asian fusion cocktails. L D V $$ Basic Burger 1101 S. Joyce Street, 703-248-9333, basicburger. com. The homegrown eatery (and food truck) cooks with locally sourced, certified Angus beef and cagefree, antibiotic-free chicken. L D $$ Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery s 1515 N. Courthouse Road, 703-243-2410, bayou bakeryva.com. Chef David Guas’ New Orleans-in spired menu changes often, but you can always count on beignets and gumbo. Breakfast all day on weekends. O C B R L D G V $ Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique 576 23rd St. S., 571-257-5873, beautybysociety fair.com. Find champagne, cookies, cocktail fixings and small plates at this woman-owned bistro and market. Closed Mondays. L D $$ Bethesda Bagels 1851 N. Moore St., 703-312-1133, bethesdabagels. com. The popular D.C.-area chain has an outpost in Rosslyn. Eat a sandwich! O L V $ BGR the Burger Joint 3129 Langston Blvd., 703-812-4705, bgrtheburger joint.com. Top your dry-aged beef, veggie or turkey burger with add-ons like grilled jalapeño, pineapple or fried egg. C L D V $ Big Buns Damn Good Burger Co. 4401 Wilson Blvd., 703-276-3032; 4251 Camp bell Ave., 703-933-2867, eatbigbuns.com. Satis fy your cravings with “designer” burgers, shakes, beer and booze. L D $$ Bob & Edith’s Diner 2310 Columbia Pike, 703-920-6103; 539 23rd St. S., 703-920-2700; 5150 Langston Blvd., 703-5940280; bobandedithsdiner.com. Founded in 1969, the 24-hour eatery whips up pancakes, eggs, grits, meat loaf, shakes and pie à la mode. B L D A V $ Bollywood Bistro Express 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 571-3121071, bollywoodbistroexpress.com. Build your own bowl with fillers such as chicken tikka, paneer, cha na masala and pickled onions. L D V $$ Bonsai Sushi at Crystal City 553 23rd St. S., 703-553-7723, crystalbonsai sushirestaurant.com. A go-to for sushi, sashimi, ya kisoba, tempura, teriyaki. Closed Mondays. L D $$ Bostan Uyghur Cuisine 3911 Langston Blvd., 703-522-3010, bostanuyghur. com. Discover the wonders of Uyghur Chinese dish es such as kabobs, lagmen (hand-pulled noodles), manta (dumplings) and honey cake. L D $$ Brass Rabbit Public House 1210 N. Garfield St., 703-746-9977, brassrabbit pub.com. Pair carrot “fries” and lettuce wraps with craft cocktails like the El Conejo, featuring tequila, carrot juice, ginger, lime and cilantro.
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O R L D V A $$ Bread & Water Company 1201 S. Joyce St., 703-567-6698, breadand watercompany.com. The cafe-bakery serves sand wiches, salads, soups and pastries. Grab a loaf of Markos Panas’ addictive, rustic “M” bread to take home. B L V $ Bronson Bierhall 4100 Fairfax Drive, 703-528-1110, bronsonbier hall.com. You’ll find communal tables, German and regional beers, sausages, schnitzel and cornhole in this 6,000-square-foot ode to Munich. O L D A $$ Buena Vida Gastrolounge 2900 Wilson Blvd., buenavidarestaurant.com. Sa vor an unlimited tasting menu of Mexican dishes by chef Jaime Garciá Pelayo Bribiesca, plus one of the best rooftop bars around. O R L D $$ Busboys and Poets 4251 S. Campbell Ave., 703-379-9757, busboys andpoets.com. Known for its poetry slams, on■ places to eat Seoulspice in Rosslyn
SUCHMANSCOTT
L V $ Café Colline 4536 Langston Blvd., 703-567-6615, cafecolline va.com. Helmed by executive chef Brendan L’Etoile, the cozy French bistro in the Lee Heights Shops sat isfies with dishes such as paté maison, duck confit and chocolate pots de creme.
C L D G V $ Carlyle 4000 Campbell Ave., 703-931-0777, greatamerican restaurants.com/carlyle. The original anchor of Shir lington Village is a reliable pick for fusion fare, happy hour and Sunday brunch.
O C B R L D G V $$ The Café by La Cocina VA 918 S. Lincoln St., 703-596-1557, lacocinava.org/ café-main. This lunch spot operated by La Cocina VA, a nonprofit that trains immigrants for culinary careers, serves soups, salads, sandwiches, pas tries and Swing’s coffee.
O L D $$ Café Sazón 4704 Columbia Pike, 703-566-1686, cafesazon. com. A homey Bolivian café specializing in dishes such as silpancho and empanadas. B L D V $$ Caribbean Grill 5183 Langston Blvd., 703-241-8947. Cuban prepara tions such as jerk-style pork, fried plantains and black bean soup are mainstays.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 133 site bookstore and social justice programming, the cafe offers an eclectic menu with oodles of op tions for vegetarians.
L D G V $$ Cava Mezze 2940 Clarendon Blvd., 703-276-9090, cavamezze. com. Greek small plates include octopus, roasted eggplant, zucchini fritters, souvlaki, briny cheeses and succulent lamb. R L D G V $$$ The Celtic House Irish Pub & Restaurant 2500 Columbia Pike, 703-746-9644, celtichouse. net. The pub on the Pike serves up pints alongside favorites like corned beef and traditional Irish break fast. C R L D A $$ Chasin’ Tails 2200 N. Westmoreland St., 703-538-2565, chasintailscrawfish.com. It’s the place to go for a spicy, messy, finger-lickin’ Cajun crawfish boil. Lunch on weekends only. L D $$ Cheesetique 4024 Campbell Ave., 703-933-8787, cheesetique. com. The cheese shop and wine bar offers small plates, cheese boards and more. O B L D V $$ Chiko 4040 Campbell Ave., 571-312-0774, chikodc.com. The Chinese-Korean concept by chefs Danny Lee and Scott Drewno serves fan favorites like cumin lamb stir-fry and double-fried chicken wings, plus a few fun dishes that are exclusive to the Shirlington location. C D G V $$ Circa at Clarendon 3010 Clarendon Blvd., 703-522-3010, circabistros. 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 $$$ Colony Grill 2800 Clarendon Blvd., 703-682-8300, colonygrill. com. The Stamford, Connecticut-based pizza chain specializes in ultra-thin-crust “bar pies” with a spicy, pepper-infused hot oil topping. L D G V $$ Copperwood Tavern 4021 Campbell Ave., 703-522-8010, copperwood tavern.com. The hunting-and-fishing-themed saloon serves up steaks and chops, draft beers and 30 small-batch whiskeys.
O R L D $$$ Cowboy Café s 4792 Langston Blvd., 703-243-8010, thecowboy cafe.com. Cool your heels and fill up on sandwich es, burgers, brisket and chili mac. An outdoor beer garden features a mural by Arlington artist MasPaz. Live music on weekends. O C R L D V $$ Crafthouse 901 N. Glebe Road, 703-962-6982, crafthouse
O C R L D G V $$$ CarPool Beer and Billiards 900 N. Glebe Road, 703-516-7665, gocarpool.com. After four years in Fairfax, Mark Handwerger’s garage-themed watering hole has returned to Ballston with pool, pub grub and an extensive beer list, including “house” suds brewed at sister bar the Board Room. D A $ Cava 1201 Wilson Blvd., 703-652-7880; 4121 Wilson Blvd., 703-310-6791; cava.com. Build your own sal ad, wrap or bowl, choosing from an array of Greek dips, spreads, proteins and toppings.
O L D $$ The Freshman 2011 Crystal Drive, thefreshmanva.com. Nick Freshman’s neighborly dining concept has some thing for every appetite and every time of day, from coffee and breakfast sandwiches to oysters and negronis.
L D V $$ Dama Pastry Restaurant & Cafe 1503 Columbia Pike, 703-920-3559, damapas try.com. The Ethiopian family-owned business in cludes a breakfast café, market and dining room.
134 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
L D V $ El Rey 4201 Wilson Blvd., 571-312-5530, elreyva.com. The Ballston outpost of the beloved U Street ta queria serves tacos, margs and draft brews in a colorful interior featuring street-art murals by Mike Pacheco. L D A $$ Elevation Burger 2447 N. Harrison St., 703-300-9467, elevationburger. com. Organic, grass-fed beef is ground on the prem ises, fries are cooked in olive oil and the shakes are made with fresh-scooped ice cream.
O L D G V $$ Detour Coffee 946 N. Jackson St., 703-988-2378, detourcoffee co.com. This comfy cafe has a college vibe and serves up locally roasted coffee, light bites and weekend brunch.
O C R L D G V $$ 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 $$ Hanabi Ramen 3024 Wilson Blvd., 703-351-1275, hanabiramen usa.com. Slurp multiple variations of the popular noodle dish, plus rice bowls and dumplings. L D $$ Happy Eatery Vietnamese Kitchen 1800 N. Lynn St., 571-800-1881, thehappy eatery.com. Vietnamese comfort foods (think banh mi, noodle soups and rice bowls) are the draw at this Rosslyn establishment. L D $$ Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe 2150 N. Culpeper St., 703-527-8394, heidelberg bakery.com. Fill up on baked goods as well as Old Country specialties such as bratwurst and German potato salad. Closed Mondays. B L $ Highline RxR 2010-A Crystal Drive, 703-413-2337, highlinerxr. com. A Crystal City bar offering draft beers, draft wines, a whiskey menu and a retractable wall that opens up in nice weather.
C B R L D A G V $$ Crystal Thai 4819 First St. N., 703-522-1311, crystalthai.com. A neighborhood go-to for traditional Thai curries, grilled meats and house specialties like roast duck.
O L D A $$ Crystal City Sports Pub 529 23rd St. S., 703-521-8215, ccsportspub.com. Open 365 days a year, it’s a sure bet for big-screen TVs, pool tables, trivia and poker nights, beers and bar snacks.
O B R L V $ District Taco 5723 Langston Blvd., 703-237-1204; 1500 Wilson Blvd., 571-290-6854; districttaco.com. A local favorite for tacos and gargantuan burritos.
C L D G V $$ El Pike Restaurant 4111 Columbia Pike, 703-521-3010, elpikerestau rant.com. Bolivian dishes satisfy at this no-frills in stitution. Try the salteñas stuffed with chicken or beef, olives and hard-boiled egg.
O B L D V $$ Gaijin Ramen Shop 3800 Langston Blvd., 703-566-9236, gaijinramen shop.com. Choose your broth and toppings, from pork shoulder to pickled vegetables. Gaijin makes its own noodles in-house daily. D V $$ Galaxy Hut 2711 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-8646, galaxyhut.com. Pair craft beers with vegan bar foods like “fricken” (fake chicken) sandwich melts and smothered tots with cashew cheese curds. L D A G V $$ Gharer Khabar 5157 Langston Blvd., 703-973-2432, gharerkhabar togo.com. Translated as “home’s food,” this artfilled, 14-seat café serves Bangladeshi fare cooked by chef Nasima Shreen. L D $$ Good Company Doughnuts & Café 672 N. Glebe Road, 703-243-3000, gocodough.com. The family- and veteran-owned eatery serves housemade doughnuts, Intelligentsia coffee and other breakfast and lunch fare. B L V $$ Good Stuff Eatery 2110 Crystal Drive, 703-415-4663, goodstuff eatery.com. Spike Mendelsohn’s Crystal City out post offers gourmet burgers (beef, turkey or mush room), shakes, fries and salads. L D G V $ Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro 4301 Wilson Blvd., 703-243-7900, grandcru-wine. com. This intimate European-style café includes a wine shop next door. O R L D G $$$ Green Pig Bistro s 1025 N. Fillmore St., 703-888-1920, greenpig bistro.com. Southern-influenced food, craft cocktails, happy hour and brunch draw fans to this congenial neighborhood hideaway. R L D G V $$$ Greens N Teff s 3203 Columbia Pike, 571-510-4063, greensnteff. com. This vegetarian, fast-casual Ethiopian carry out prompts customers to choose a base (injera bread or rice) then pile on spicy, plant-based stews and other toppings. O L D G V $ Guajillo 1727 Wilson Blvd., 703-807-0840, guajillo mexican.com. Authentic Mexican dishes such as carne asada, mole poblano and churros are favor ites. O C L D G V $$ Guapo’s Restaurant 4028 Campbell Ave., 703-671-1701, guaposres taurant.com. Expect hearty portions of all the TexMex standbys—quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, ta cos and burritos.
O L D A $$ Hot Lola’s 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 1501 Wilson Blvd. (Rosslyn), hotlolas.com. It’s all about Kevin Tien’s Nashville-meets-Sichuan hot chicken sand wiches. L D $
L D V $$ 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.
L D $ El Pollo Rico 932 N. Kenmore St., 703-522-3220, elpollorico restaurant.com. A local institution, this rotisserie chicken mecca gained even more street cred after a visit from the late Anthony Bourdain.
B L D V $$ Darna 946 N. Jackson St., 703-988-2373, darnava.com. Grilled kabobs, mezze and traditional Lebanese comfort foods are served in a modern setting. The upstairs is a hookah bar.
C B L D G V $ Don Tito 3165 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-3113, dontitova.com. Located in a historic building, the sports bar spe cializes in tacos, tequila and beer, with a rooftop bar. O R L D $$ Dudley’s Sport & Ale 2766 S. Arlington Mill Drive, 571-312-2304, dudleyssportandale.com. A spacious sports bar with wall-to-wall TVs, a roof deck, a ballpark-inspired beer list and weekend brunch.
O C R L D A $$ Earl’s Sandwiches 2605 Wilson Boulevard, 703-647-9191, earlsinarling ton.com. Made-to-order sandwiches use prime ingredi ents, like fresh roasted turkey.
O L D V $ Endo Sushi 3000 Washington Blvd., 703-243-7799, endosushi. com. A neighborly spot for sashimi, teriyaki, donburi and maki. L D V $$ Epic Smokehouse 1330 S. Fern St., 571-319-4001, epicsmoke house.com. Wood-smoked meats and seafood served in a modern setting. O L D G $$$ Essy’s Carriage House Restaurant 4030 Langston Blvd., 703-525-7899, essyscarriage house.com. Kick it old school with crab imperial, lamb chops and prime rib. B L D G $$$ Federico Ristorante Italiano 519 23rd St., 703-486-0519, federicoristorante italiano.com. Find pasta, chianti and red-checkered tablecloths at this Crystal City trattoria co-owned by Freddie’s Beach Bar proprietor Freddie Lutz. L D V $$ Fettoosh 5100 Wilson Blvd., 703-527-7710, fettoosh.com. Overstuffed pita sandwiches and kabobs keep the kitchen fired up at this bargain-priced Lebanese and Moroccan restaurant. C R L D G V $ Fire Works 2350 Clarendon Blvd., 703-527-8700, fireworks pizza.com. Wood-fired pizzas and more than 30 craft beers on tap are mainstays. You can also build your own pasta dish. O C L D A G V $$ First Down Sports Bar & Grill 4213 Fairfax Drive, 703-465-8888, firstdownsports bar.com. Three cheers for draft beers and snacks ranging from sliders to queso dip. L D A V $$ Four Sisters Grill 3035 Clarendon Blvd., 703-243-9020, foursisters grill.com. Here, the family behind Four Sisters in Merrifield serves up banh mi sandwiches, papaya salad, spring rolls and noodle dishes.
■ places to eat usa.com. Locally sourced bar food, plus Virginia beer, wine and spirits equals a good time.
O B L D G V $ East West Coffee Wine 3101 Wilson Blvd., 571-800-9954. The Clarendon cafe serves espresso drinks, brunch (try the massive Turkish breakfast spread), sandwiches, tapas, beer and wine. B L D $ El Charrito Caminante 2710-A N. Washington Blvd., 703-351-1177. This bare-bones Salvadoran takeout counter hits the spot with tacos, burritos and pupusas. L D V $ El Paso Café 4235 N. Pershing Drive, 703-243-9811, elpaso cafeva.com. Big portions, big margaritas and bighearted service make this Tex-Mex cantina a local favorite.
O L D G V $ Kabob Palace 2315 S. Eads St., 703-486-3535, kabobpalaceusa. com. Grilled meats, pillowy naan and savory sides.
plates, from
and sausages to mussels and pickled vegetables. O C R
R L D G V $$ Ireland’s Four Courts 2051 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-3600, irelandsfour courts.com. Irish fare includes cider-braised short ribs, a Guinness-marinated burger and imported cheeses from general manager Dave Cahill’s family farm in County Limerick.
■ September/October 2022 135 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.
Voted Best Wine & Cheese Shop e Best is NOW Even Better! › New Interior Look & Layout › New Website › Arrowine.com › New Products & Delicious Treats › Same Great Service Your local source for artisanal cheeses, deli meats, charcuterie, chocolate, gourmet foods and of course, fine wines. Now o ering French Crêpes made to order. (In-store only) LOCATION: 4508 Cherry Hill Rd. Arlington, VA, 22207 703-525-0990 CURRENT HOURS: Tu - Th • 11am - 7pm Fri - Sat • 10am - 7pm Sunday • 10am - 5pm Say Cheese!
L D A G V $$ Kanpai Restaurant 1401 Wilson Blvd., 703-527-8400, kanpai-sushi.com. The STTR (spicy tuna tempura roll) is a must at this Rosslyn sushi spot. O L D G V $$ Kusshi 1201 S. Joyce St., 571-777-1998, kusshisushi. com. Specializing in sushi, sake and Japanese whis key, it’s the second D.C.-area location for this spinoff of Hanaro Sushi in Bethesda. 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 Côte D’Or Café 6876 Langston Blvd., 703-538-3033, lacotedorarling ton.com. This little French bistro serves standards like crepes and steak frites. O R L D G V $$$ Layalina 5216 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-1170, layalinares taurant.com. Lebanese and Syrian dishes have de lighted diners since 1997 at this family-owned res taurant. Closed Mondays. O L D A V $$ Lebanese Taverna 5900 Washington Blvd., 703-241-8681; 1101 S. Joyce St., Pentagon Row, 703-415-8681; lebanese taverna.com. A homegrown favorite for mezze, ka bobs, flatbreads and more. O C L D G V $$ Le Pain Quotidien 2900 Clarendon Blvd., 703-465-0970, lepainquo tidien.com. The Belgian chain produces Europeanstyle cafe fare. B L D G V $$ 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 ov ens. O C R L D A G V $$$ Livin’ the Pie Life 2166 N. Glebe Road, 571-431-7727, livinthepielife. com. The wildly popular pie operation started as an Arlington farmers market stand. B L V $$ Lost Dog Café 5876 Washington Blvd., 703-237-1552; 2920 Co lumbia Pike, 703-553-7770; lostdogcafe.com. Known for its pizzas, subs and craft beer selection, this deli/café and its multiple franchises support pet adoption through the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. L D G V $$ Lucky Danger 1101 S. Joyce St., Unit B27 (Westpost), luckydanger. co. Chefs Tim Ma and Andrew Chiou put a fresh spin on Chinese American takeout with dishes such as duck fried rice and lo mein. L D V $$ Lyon Hall 3100 N. Washington Blvd., 703-741-7636, lyonhall arlington.com. The European-style brasserie turns French, German and Alsatian-inspired charcuterie L D A V $$$ Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery 1550 Crystal Drive, 703-718-4418, mahzedahr bakery.com. Café fare at this bright newcomer D $
to National Landing includes coffee, pastries, focac cia, sandwiches and snacks. O B L
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C R L D A V $$ Istanbul Grill 4617 Wilson Blvd., 571-970-5828, istanbulgrill virginia.com. Feast on Turkish meze and kabobs at this homey spot in Bluemont. L D V $$ The Italian Store s 3123 Langston Blvd., 703-528-6266; 5837 Wash ington Blvd., 571-341-1080; italianstore.com. A cultstatus favorite for pizzas, sandwiches, prepared en trées, espresso and gelato.
■ places to eat
Maison Cheryl 2900 Wilson Blvd., 703-664-0509, maisoncheryl. com. Seared duck breast, steak frites and mad eleines are among the offerings at this French American bistro.
R L D V $$$ Maizal 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 571-3966500, maizalstreetfood.com. South American street food—arepas, empanadas, yuca fries, Peru vian fried rice, street corn and churros.
O R L D A $$ Meda Coffee & Kitchen 5037 Columbia Pike, 571-312-0599, medacoffee kitchen.com. A casual café serving coffee, baked goods and traditional Ethiopian dishes like kitfo and tibs. C B L D G V $$ 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 $$ Mele Bistro 1723 Wilson Blvd., 703-522-0284, melebistro.com. This farm-to-table Mediterranean restaurant cooks with fresh, organic, free-range, regionally sourced, non-GMO ingredients. O R L D G V $$ Meridian Pint 6035 Wilson Blvd., 703-300-9655, meridianpint. com. A brewpub serving craft suds, burgers, sal ads and bar food. C R D A G V $$ Metro 29 Diner 4711 Langston Blvd., 703-528-2464, metro29. com. Classic diner fare includes triple-decker sand wiches, mile-high desserts, burgers, roasted chick en and breakfast. C B R L D V $ Mexicali Blues 2933 Wilson Blvd., 703-812-9352, mexicali-blues. com. The colorful landmark dishes out Salvadoran and Mexican chow.
O C R L D G V $$ Moby Dick House of Kabob 3000 Washington Blvd., 703-465-1600; 4037 Campbell Ave., 571-257-8214; mobyskabob.com. Satisfy that hankering for Persian skewers and fla vorful sides. L D $$ Mussel Bar & Grille 800 N. Glebe Road, 703-841-2337, musselbar.com.
O L D $$ 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, as well as bar munchies and dinner plates.
The venerable restaurant specializes in flavors of Vietnam’s Can Tho region. O L D V $$ Nighthawk Pizza 1201 S. Joyce St., nighthawkpizza.com. Restaura teur Scott Parker has teamed up with chef John ny Spero and Aslin Beer Co. to introduce a brew pub featuring low-ABV beers, personal pizzas and smash burgers. L D V $$ Northside Social Coffee & Wine s 3211 Wilson Blvd., 703-465-0145, northsidesocial arlington.com. The homey, two-story coffee and wine bar (with a big patio) is always busy...which tells you something. O B L D V $$ Oby Lee 3000 N. Washington Blvd., 571-257-5054, obylee. com. Crepes and quiche are the bill of fare at this European-style café, bakery, wine shop and coffee roastery.
O B L D G $$ Old Dominion Pizza 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. This second location of the American saloon (the first is in Merrifield) is a solid pick for burgers and beers, or a proper entrée and a craft cocktail.
O C B L D A $ Mattie and Eddie’s 1301 S. Joyce St., 571-312-2665, mattieand eddies.com. It’s not just an Irish bar. Chef Cathal Armstrong’s kitchen serves farm-to-table dishes like lobster pot pie, house-cured corned beef, sardines on toast, and Irish breakfast all day.
L D V $ Mala Tang 3434 Washington Blvd., 703-243-2381, mala-tang. com. Chef Liu Chaosheng brings the tastes and tra ditions of his hometown, Chengdu, to this eatery specializing in Sichuan hot pot.
136 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com
O R 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 corned beef or fish and chips at this watering hole on Crystal City’s restaurant row.
O L D G V $$ Mario’s Pizza House 3322 Wilson Blvd., mariopizzahouse.com. Open into the wee hours, it’s been cooking up subs, wings and pizza since 1957.
O L D $$ Nam-Viet 1127 N. Hudson St., 703-522-7110, namvietva.com.
O B R L D V $$ Osteria da Nino 2900 S. Quincy St. (Village at Shirlington), 703820-1128, osteriadaninova.com. For those days when you’re craving a hearty portion of spaghetti and clams, or gnocci with pesto. O D G V $$$ O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub 3207 Washington Blvd., 703-812-0939, osullivans irishpub.com. You’ll find owner and County Ker ry native Karen O’Sullivan behind the bar, pouring pints and cracking jokes. L D A $$ Palette 22 4053 Campbell Ave., 703-746-9007, palette22.com. The gallery-café specializes in international small plates. O R L D V $$ Pamplona 3100 Clarendon Blvd., 703-685-9950, pamplona va.com. Spanish tapas, paella, grilled fish, pintxos, cocktails, snacks and sangria. O R D A V $$ Peking Pavilion 2912 N. Sycamore St., 703-237-6868. This fami ly-owned restaurant serves standbys such as moo shu pork and beef with broccoli. L D $$ Peter Chang Arlington s 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 $$ Pho 75 1721 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-7355, pho75.res taurantwebexpert.com. The piping-hot soup at this local institution is all about fresh ingredi ents. O L D V $ Pie-tanza s 2503-B N. Harrison St., 703-237-0200, pie-tanza. com. Enjoy pizza (including gluten-free options), cal zones, lasagna, subs and salads. C L D G V $$ The Pinemoor 1101 N. Highland St., 571-970-2592, thepine moor.com. Reese Gardner’s country-western saloon turns out steaks, burgers, local seafood and weekend brunch. O R L D G V $$ Poppyseed Rye 818 N. Quincy St., poppyseedrye.com. Pick up sand wiches, salads, avocado toast, cold-pressed juice, flower bouquets and gift items (beer and wine, too) at this pretty café in Ballston. O r L D G V $ Pupatella s 5104 Wilson Blvd.; 1621 S. Walter Reed Drive, 571-312-7230, pupatella.com. Enzo and Anastasiya Algarme’s authentic Neapolitan pies are considered among D.C.’s best. O L D V $$ Pupuseria Doña Azucena 71 N. Glebe Road, 703-248-0332, pupuseriadona azucena.com. Beans, rice and massive pupusas at dirt-cheap prices. C 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 $$ Queen Mother’s Fried Chicken 918 S. Lincoln St., 703-596-1557, queenmother cooks.com. Chef Rock Harper’s celebrated fried chicken sandwich operation shares a kitchen and dining space with The Café by La Cocina VA. L D $ Quincy Hall 4001 Fairfax Drive, 703-567-4098, quincyhallbar. com. Head to Ballston for tavern-style pizzas and 20+ craft beers on tap. D A V $$ Quinn’s on the Corner 1776 Wilson Blvd., 703-640-3566, quinnsonthe corner.com. Irish and Belgian favorites such as mus sels, steak frites, and bangers and mash, plus draft beers and a big whiskey selection. B R L D A $$ Ragtime 1345 N. Courthouse Road, 703-243-4003, ragtime restaurant.com. Savor a taste of the Big Easy in of ferings such as jambalaya, catfish, spiced shrimp and oysters. Or feast on the waffle and omelet bar every Sunday. O R L D A V $$ Rako Coffee Roasters 2016 Wilson Blvd., 571-2312-4817, rakocoffee. com. Sister roasters Lisa and Melissa Gerben, whose beans are on the menu at Maketto and other D.C. hot spots, now have a cafe in Courthouse. Try a baklava latte or an espresso martini. R L D V $$ Rasa 2200 Crystal Drive, 703-888-0925, rasagrill.com. Enjoy big flavors at this Indian fast-casual eatery by co-owners Sahil Rahman and Rahul Vinod. Build a bowl with options like basmati rice, chicken tik ka, lamb, charred or pickled vegetables, lentils, chutneys and yogurt sauces. O L D G V $ Ravi Kabob House 350 N. Glebe Road, 703-522-6666; 250 N. Glebe Road, 703-816-0222. Curries, kabobs and delec tably spiced veggies keep this strip-mall café plen ty busy. C L D V $$ Rebellion on the Pike 2900 Columbia Pike, 703-888-2044, rebellionon
Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s Ballston eatery is known for mussels, frites, wood-fired pizza and more than 100 Belgian and craft beers.
O B R L D G V $$ Saigon Noodles & Grill 1800 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-5940, saigonnoodles grill.com. The Rosslyn eatery owned by Arlington resident Tuan Nguyen serves pho, banh mi and oth er traditional Vietnamese dishes. L D G V $$ Salt 1201 Wilson Blvd., 703-875-0491, saltrosslyn. com. The speakeasy-style cocktail bar, which shares a kitchen with Open Road, serves tasty nibbles (cheese plates, oysters, carpaccio) with classic Saz eracs and Old Fashioneds, as well as nouveau craft cocktails. D $$ The Salt Line 4040 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-2075, thesaltline.com. The seafood-centric oyster bar that started next to Nats Park in D.C. now has an outpost in Ballston serving raw bar, clam chowder, lobster rolls, stuffies, smash burgers and fun cocktails.
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D $$ • Catering for dinner parties & office lunches (on
O B L V $ Sparrow Room 1201 S. Joyce St., 571-451-7030, sparrowroom. com. Hidden behind Bun’d Up, Scott Chung’s backroom mahjong parlor presents dim sum and Chi nese-inspired craft cocktails in a moody setting. through Sunday, 5-11 p.m. and off Family friendly casual year round patio dining
O C L D G V $ Ruffino’s Spaghetti House 4763 Langston Blvd., 703-528-2242, ruffinosarling ton.com. Mina Tawdaros bought this local institution in 2020, fulfilling a lifelong dream. The menu still in cludes classics such as veal Parmigiana and chick en piccata. C L D V $$ Rustico 4075 Wilson Blvd., 571-384-1820, rusticorestau rant.com. You’ll find more than 400 beers to com plement dishes from pizza to grilled trout and pas trami pork ribs. O C R L D G V $$ 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 $$ Ruthie’s All-Day s 3411 Fifth St. S., 703-888-2841, ruthiesallday.com. Chef Matt Hill’s Southern-inspired “meat and three” serves up wood-smoked proteins with creative sides ranging from kimchi dirty rice to crispy Brussels sprouts with fish sauce vinaigrette. Breakfast (with house-made biscuits) offered daily.
O R D $$$ Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub 2800 S. Randolph St., 703-379-0122, samuel becketts.com. A modern Irish pub serving Emerald Isle recipes.
clareanddonsbeachshack@gmail.com 130 Washington St. Falls Church clareanddons.com703-532-9283 Call our catering office at 703-778-8000 for all your summer party needs, or stop by our store at 3471 Washington Blvd! Your BarbequeHometownSince1990! www.rocklands.com 2457 N Harrison St,2457 N Harrison St, ArlingtonArlingtonwww.sushizen.comwww.sushizen.comArlingtonArlington703-534-6000703-534-6000ChamberChamber2022BestBusiness2022BestBusinessAwardWinnerAwardWinner CELEBRATING 25 YEARS! 1997-2022
O L D V $$$ Silver Diner 3200 Wilson Blvd., 703-812-8600, silverdiner. com. The kitchen cooks with organic ingredients, many of which are sourced from local suppliers. Low-calorie and gluten-free menu choices avail able.
O R L D V $$$ Sfoglina Pasta House 1100 Wilson Blvd., sfoglinapasta.com/rosslyn. Vis it Fabio Trabocchi’s Rosslyn outpost for housemade pasta (you can watch it being made), a “mozzarella bar” and Italian cocktails. Closed Sundays.
O C B R L D A G V $$ Sloppy Mama’s Barbeque 5731 Langston Blvd., sloppymamas.com. Joe and Mandy Neuman’s barbecue joint offers woodsmoked meats galore—brisket, pork, chicken, ribs, turkey, sausage. Plus hearty sides and banana pud ding for dessert. O B R L D $$ Smokecraft Modern Barbecue s 1051 N. Highland St., 571-312-8791, smokecraft bbq.com. Every menu item here is kissed by smoke, from ribs, crabcakes and spaghetti squash to the chocolate cherry bread pudding on the des sert list. O L D G V $$ Smoking Kow BBQ 2910 N. Sycamore St., smokingkowbbq.com. At this Kansas City-style ’cue joint, meats seasoned with a rub of 15 spices are smoked over cherry and hickory wood for 18-20 hours. L D $$ South Block 3011 11th St. N., 703-741-0266; 1550 Wilson Blvd., 703-465-8423; 4150 Wilson Blvd., 703-4658423; 2121 N. Westmoreland St., 703-534-1542; southblockjuice.com. Cold-pressed juices, smooth ies and acai bowls.
B L D A $$ Rhodeside Grill 1836 Wilson Blvd., 703-243-0145, rhodeside grill.com. Find chops, meatloaf, burgers and po’boys accompanied by every kind of hot sauce imaginable.
O C R L D A V $$ Rice Crook 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), ricecrook.com. Korean-inspired rice bowls, salads and wraps made with locally sourced meats and produce. L D $$ Rien Tong Asian Bistro 3131 Wilson Blvd., 703-243-8388, rientong.com. The large menu includes Thai and Chinese stan dards, plus sushi. L D V $$ Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Co. 3471 Washington Blvd., 703-528-9663, rocklands. com. Owner John Snedden has been slow-cooking barbecue since 1990.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 137 thepike.com. The irreverent tavern sports a deep list of craft beers and whiskeys, and serves bur gers (including one zinger called the “Ramsay Bolton”), six kinds of wings and other pub grub.
B R L D G V $$$ Sawatdee Thai Restaurant 2250 Clarendon Blvd., 703-243-8181, sawatdeeva. com. The friendly eatery (its name means “hello”) is frequented by those craving pad thai or pad prik king. L D V $$ Screwtop Wine Bar and Cheese Shop 1025 N. Fillmore St., 703-888-0845, screwtop winebar.com. The congenial wine bar/shop offers tastings, wine classes, and small plates for shar ing and pairing. O C R L D G V $$ Seoulspice 1735 N. Lynn St., 703-419-5868, seoulspice.com. Ko rean fast-casual comfort food, anyone? L D G V $ SER 1110 N. Glebe Road, 703-746-9822, ser-restau rant.com. Traditional Spanish and Basque dishes in a colorful, friendly space with outstanding service.
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O C R L D A G V $$ Santé 1250 S. Hayes St. (inside the Ritz-Carlton), 703412-2762, meetatsante.com. Mediterranean fare includes shrimp saganaki, grilled oysters, chickpea fries, and mains ranging from whole roasted bran zino to lamb “osso bucco.”
O R B D A $$ The Renegade 3100 Clarendon Blvd., 703-468-4652, renegadeva. com. Is it a coffee shop, restaurant, bar or live mu sic venue? All of the above—with snacks ranging from lambchop lollipops to lo mein.
Open Thursday
B L D V $ Taco + Pina 4041 Campbell Ave., 703-567-4747, tacoandpina. com. Try an order of Fanta pork carnitas or the vege tarian “chile relleno” taco, and cool your heels with a frozen roasted pineapple margarita.
C L D V $$ Sweetgreen 4075 Wilson Blvd., 703-522-2016; 3100 Clarendon Blvd., 571-290-3956; 575 12th Road S., 703-8881025; 2200 Crystal Drive, 703-685-9089; sweet green.com. Locally grown ingredients and compost able cutlery make this salad and yogurt chain a hub for the green-minded.
O L D V $$ Taco Rock 1501 Wilson Blvd., 571-775-1800, thetacorock. com. This rock-themed watering hole keeps the margaritas and Micheladas flowing alongside cre ative tacos on housemade blue-corn tortillas.
O C L D G V $ Sweet Leaf 2200 Wilson Blvd., 703-525-5100; 800 N. Glebe Road, 703-522-5000; 650 N. Quincy St., 703527-0807; sweetleafcafe.com. Build your own sandwiches and salads with fresh ingredients.
O L D $$ 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.
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■ places to eat
O C B L D $$ Taco Bamba Ballston s 4000 Wilson Blvd., 571-777-1477, tacobamba.com. Every Bamba location tucks an homage or two onto its menu. Here, the taco options include the El Rico Pollo, stuffed with “Peruvian-ish” chicken, green chili puree, aji Amarillo aioli, salsa criolla, serrano chile and crispy potato.
138 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com Spice Kraft Indian Bistro 1135 N. Highland St., 703-527-5666, spicekraft va.com. This contemporary concept by restaura teurs Anthony Sankar and Premnath Durairaj gives Indian classics a modern spin.
C B R L D G V $$ Texas Jack’s Barbecue 2761 Washington Blvd., 703-875-0477, txjacks.com. Brisket, ribs and pulled pork, plus sides like raw car rot 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 s 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 $$ Thai Square 3217 Columbia Pike, thaisquarerestaurant.com.703-685-7040,Thesignature dish is No. 61, deep-fried, sugar-glazed squid topped with crispy fried basil. O L D G V $$ Thirsty Bernie 2163 N. Glebe Road, 703-248-9300, thirstybernie. com. Wiener schnitzel, pierogies and bratwurst pro vide sustenance in this Bavarian sports bar and grill. O C R 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 5849-A Washington Blvd., 703-536-7000, tobys icecream.com. Owner Toby Bantug makes premium ice creams, 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, tortasytacosla chiquita.com. In addition to its namesake foods, the eatery that started as a food truck also does alam bres, huarache platters, flautas and more. B L D $ Trade Roots 5852 Washington Blvd., 571-335-4274, fairtrade roots.com. Lisa Ostroff’s Westover gift shop and cafe serves fair-trade coffee, tea, pastries, salads, organic wine and snackable fare like mini empana das and Portuguese flatbread. 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” tik ka masala pizza. L D G V $ True Food Kitchen 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), 703-5270930, truefoodkitchen.com. Emphasizing “anti-in flammatory” fare, the menu will convince you that healthy tastes good. O L D G V $$ Tupelo Honey Café 1616 N. Troy St., 703-253-8140, tupelohoneycafe. com. The Southern fusion menu includes dishes like roasted snapper with sweet potato and farro.
B L D V $$ Taqueria el Poblano s 2503-A N. Harrison St., 703-237-8250, taqueria poblano.com. Fresh guacamole, fish tacos, margar itas and mole verde transport patrons to the Yu catan.
C D A G V $$ Stellina Pizzeria 2800 S. Randolph St., 703-962-7884, stellina pizzeria.com. Pay a visit for Neapolitan pies, fried artichokes, squid ink pasta and a deli counter that offers house-made pastas, sauces, antipasti and dolci to take home.
C L D G V $$ Ted’s Bulletin & Sidekick Bakery 4238 Wilson Blvd. #1130 (Ballston Quarter), 703848-7580, tedsbulletin.com. The retro comfort food and all-day breakfast place has healthier fare, too— which you can undo with a visit to its tantalizing bak ery next door.
C R L D $$ Turu’s by Timber Pizza 4238 Wilson Blvd. (Ballston Quarter), timber pizza.com. Neapolitan(ish)-style pizzas fresh from a wood-fired oven. L D V $$ Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Café 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, 703-528-3131, unclejulios. com. Tex-Mex highlights include mesquite-grilled fa jitas, tacos and margaritas.
O C R L D $$$ The Union 3811 Fairfax Drive, 703-356-0129, theunionres taurant.us. Owner Giridhar Sastry was formerly ex ecutive chef at The Mayflower Hotel in D.C. His eclectic menu includes Mumbai panini (chaat ma sala, cilantro chutney, Havarti cheese, veggies), sesame wings and calamari with Lebanese garlic sauce.
o C L D $$ 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 (dump lings). Lunch buffet daily. L D V $$ Weenie Beenie 2680 Shirlington Road, 703-671-6661, weenie beenie.net. The hot dog stand founded in 1954 is still serving half smokes, bologna-and-egg sand wiches and pancakes. B L D $ Westover Market & Beer Garden s 5863 N. Washington Blvd., 703-536-5040, westo vermarketbeergarden.com. A local hive for burgers and draft microbrews. The adjoining market’s “Great Wall of Beer” stocks more than 1,000 do mestic, imported and craft beers in bottles and cans. O C L D A $$ Which Wich 4300 Wilson Blvd., 703-566-0058, whichwich.com. A seemingly endless menu of sandwiches and wraps with more than 60 toppings. O B L D V $$ Whino 4238 Wilson Blvd., 571-290-3958, whinova.com. Part restaurant/bar and part art gallery, this latenight spot (open until 2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday) features cocktails, shareable plates and a dynamic interior featuring street-art murals and “low brow” art exhibits. L D A $$ Wild Tiger BBQ s 1201 S. Joyce St. (Westpost), wildtigerbbq.com. The pop-up concept by chefs Kevin Tien and Scott Chung does barbecue with an Asian flavor profile. Shin-shamen-rubbed proteins like pulled pork, ribs and brisket are served with kimchi pickles and five house-made sauces. L D $$ William Jeffrey’s Tavern 2301 Columbia Pike, 703-746-6333, william jeffreystavern.com. Brought to you by the owners of Dogwood Tavern, this pub on the Pike features Prohibition-era wall murals and mixes a mean martini. O C R L D A G V $$ Wilson Hardware Kitchen & Bar 2915 Wilson Boulevard, 703-527-4200, wilson hardwareva.com. Order a boozy slushy or craft beer and head the roof deck. The menu includes small plates, burgers and entrées like steak frites and duck confit. O R L D A G V $$$ World of Beer 4300 Wilson Blvd., 703-576-0395, worldofbeer. com. The beer emporium features 40 taps and a rotating roster of hundreds of brews to go with your German soft pretzel, parmesan truffle fries or pimento cheeseburger. L D V $$ 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 avail able for lunch only.
O L D $$ Supreme Hot Pot 2301 Columbia Pike, 571-666-1801, supreme hotpot.kwickmenu.com. This Pike eatery special izes in Szechuan hot pot, as well as skewered meats and a few Cajun seafood dishes. A sauce bar allows diners to choose and create their own dipping sauces. D G $$ 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 $$ Sushi-Zen Japanese Restaurant s 2457 N. Harrison St., 703-534-6000, sushizen. com. An amicable, light-filled neighborhood stop for sushi, donburi, tempura and udon.
L D V G $$$ FALLS CHURCH 2941 Restaurant 2941 Fairview Park Drive, 703-270-1500, 2941. com. French chef Bertrand Chemel’s unlikely sanc tuary in a suburban office building offers beauti fully composed seasonal dishes and expert wine pairings in an artful setting. C L D V $$$ Abay Market Ethiopian Food 3811-A S. George Mason Drive, 703-820-7589, abaymarketethiopian.com. The seasoned grassfed raw beef dish kitfo is the specialty at this friendly, six-table Ethiopian café. L D $$ 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 $$ Alta Strada 2911 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-2800000, altastrada.com. Chef Michael Schlow’s menu includes house-made pastas, pizza and modern Italian small plates. R L D $$$ Anthony’s Restaurant 3000 Annandale Road, 703-532-0100, www.an thonysrestaurantva.com. The family-owned Greek and Italian diner serves standbys like spaghet ti, pizza, gyros and subs, plus breakfast on week ends. R L D V $$ B Side 8298 Glass Alley (Mosaic District), 703-676-3550, bsidecuts.com. Nathan Anda’s charcuterie steals the show at this cozy bar adjoining Red Apron Butcher. The cocktails rock, too. L D $$ Badd Pizza 346 W. Broad St., 703-237-2233, baddpizza.com. Order a Buffalo-style “cup-and-char” pepperoni pie and a baddbeer IPA, locally brewed by Lost Rhino Brewing Co. L D $$ Bakeshop 100 E. Fairfax St., 703-533-0002, bakeshopva.com. See Arlington listing. B V $ Balqees Restaurant 5820 Seminary Road, 703-379-0188. Order Leb anese and Yemeni dishes like lamb in saffron rice, saltah (a vegetarian stew) and saffron cake topped with rose petals and crème anglaise.
O L D V A $$ 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 $$ Celebrity Delly 7263-A Arlington Blvd., 703-573-9002, celebrity deliva.com. Matzo-ball soup, Reubens and tuna melts satisfy at this New York-style deli founded in 1975. Brunch served all day Saturday and Sunday.
O L D V $$ Bamian 5634 Leesburg Pike, 703-820-7880, bamianres taurant.com. Try Afghan specialties like palau (sea soned lamb with saffron rice) and aushak (scal lion dumpling topped with yogurt, meat sauce and mint). C L D V $$ Bartaco 2920 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 571-549-8226, bartaco.com. See Arlington listing. L D V A $$ Bing & Bao 7505 Leesburg Pike, 703-734-0846, bingandbao. com. Chinese street foods (crepes, steamed bun and fried rice) are the main attraction at this fast-ca sual eatery. Founders Rachel Wang and Mark Shen hail from Tianjin, China. L D V $ Caboose Commons 2918 Eskridge Road (Mosaic District), 703-6638833, caboosebrewing.com. The microbrewery that started along the W&OD Trail in Vienna has a second location serving house brews and creative eats, including plant-based options.
C L D G V $$ Ireland’s Four Provinces 105 W. Broad St., 703-534-8999, 4psva.com. The family-friendly tavern in the heart of Falls Church City serves pub food and Irish specialties.
O C B R L D $$ Jinya Ramen Bar 2911 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-9927705, jinya-ramenbar.com. Embellish your tonkot su or umami-miso broth with more than a dozen toppings and add-ins. O L D A V $$ JV’s Restaurant 6666 Arlington Blvd., 703-241-9504, jvsrestaurant. com. A dive bar (the best kind) known for its live music, cold beer and home-cooked meatloaf, lasa gna and chili. L D A V $$ Kamayan Fiesta 301 S. Washington St., 703-992-0045, kamayan fiesta.com. Find Filipino specialties such as chick en adobo, pork in shrimp paste, lumpia (egg rolls) and cassava cake. B L D V $$ Koi Koi Sushi & Roll 450 W. Broad St., 703-237-0101, koikoiva.com. The sushi is fresh and the vibe is fun. O L D $$ Lantern House Viet Bistro 1067 West Broad St., 703-268-2878, lantern houseva.com. Satisfy that craving for pho, noodles and banh mi at this family-owned Vietnamese eat ery. L D G V $$ La Tingeria 626 S. Washington St., 571-316-6715. A popu lar food truck in Arlington since 2012, David Peña’s concept now has a brick-and-mortar location in Falls
C B L D G V $ Clare & Don’s Beach Shack 130 N. Washington St., 703-532-9283, clareand dons.com. Go coastal with fish tacos, coconut chicken or one of the many meatless options, and maybe catch some live outdoor music. Closed Mondays. O C L D A G V $$ DC Steakholders 6641 Arlington Blvd., 703-534-4200, dcsteakhold ers.com. The cheesesteak truck has a storefront in the former Frozen Dairy Bar space, where propri etors Usman Bhatti and Lilly Kaur are carrying forth FDB’s nearly 70-year frozen custard recipe. L D $$ District Dumplings 2985 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-884-7080, districtdumplingsfairfax.com. Asian-style dumplings, sandwiches and wraps. L D $$ 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 ancient grain Buddha bowls to jambalaya, burgers and coconut-curry salmon.
Visit Dina Daniel’s restaurant, food truck and cater ing operation for Egyptian fare such as stewed fava beans with yogurt and lamb shanks with okra. And oh the bread! B L D G V $$ First Watch 5880 Leesburg Pike, 571-977-1096, firstwatch. com. Popular dishes at this breakfast and lunch café include eggs Benedict, lemon-ricotta pancakes, housemade granola, power bowls and avocado toast.
O C B L D V $$ Hong Kong Palace 6387 Seven Corners Center, 703-532-0940, hong kongpalacedelivery.com. The kitchen caters to both ex-pat and American tastes with an enormous menu of options. C L D $$ Hong Kong Pearl Seafood Restaurant 6286 Arlington Blvd., 703-237-1388. Two words: dim sum. L D A V $$ Huong Viet 6785 Wilson Blvd., 703-538-7110, huong-viet. com. Spring rolls, roasted quail and shaky beef are faves at this cash-only Eden Center eatery.
O CB R L V $$ Four Sisters Restaurant 8190 Strawberry Lane, 703-539-8566, foursisters restaurant.com. Mainstays include clay pot fish, grilled meats, lettuce wraps and pho. O L D V $$ Haandi Indian Cuisine 1222 W. Broad St., 703-533-3501, haandi.com. The perfumed kabobs, curries and biryani incorporate northern and southern Indian flavors. L D V G $$ Harvey’s 513 W. Broad St., 540-268-6100, harveysva.com. Chef Thomas Harvey’s casual café brings roast ed chicken, beer-cheese cheesesteaks, banana splits and other comfort fare to Falls Church City.
O C R L D A V $$ Dominion Wine and 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. Or der up a plate of sliders, a cheese board or some Dragon shrimp to snack on while you imbibe.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 139 Yume Sushi 2121 N. Westmoreland St., 703-269-5064, yume sushiva.com. East Falls Church has a destination for sushi, omakase (chef’s tasting menu) and a sake bar with craft cocktails.
O R L D V $$ Duangrat’s 5878 Leesburg Pike, 703-820-5775, duangrats.com. Waitresses in traditional silk dresses glide through the dining room, bearing fragrant noodles and grilled meats, in one of the D.C. area’s most esteemed des tinations for Thai cuisine. O R L D V $$ El Tio Tex-Mex Grill 7630 Lee Highway, 703-204-0233, eltiogrill.com. A family-friendly spot 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 $ Fava Pot 7393 Lee Highway, 703-204-0609, favapot.com.
L D G V $$ ■ places to eat Red Apron Butcher 8298 Glass Alley (Mosaic District), 703-676-3550, redapronbutchery.com. The premium butcher shop and deli sells hot dogs, burgers, charcuterie, prime steaks and sandwiches. L D V $$ Rice Paper/Taste of Vietnam 6775 Wilson Blvd., 703-538-3888, ricepapertasteofvietnam.com. Try a combo platter of pork, seafood and ground beef with rice-paper wraps at this Eden Center favorite.
R L D A V $$ Meaza Restaurant 5700 Columbia Pike, 703-820-2870, meazaethio piancuisine.com. Well-seasoned legumes and mar inated beef are signatures in this vivid Ethiopian banquet hall. O C L D G V $$ Mike’s Deli at Lazy Sundae 112 N. West St., 703-532-5299, mikesdeliatlazy sundae.com. Fill your belly with homemade corned beef, cheesesteaks, breakfast and scratch-made soups. Save room for ice cream!
O L D $$ Loving Hut Vegan Cuisine 2842 Rogers Drive, 703-942-5622; lovinghut fallschurch.com. The Vietnamese-inspired vegan eatery offers menu items like rice vermicelli with barbecued soy protein and claypot rice with vegan “ham.” L D G V $$ MacMillan Whisky Room 2920 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 240-994-3905, themacmillan.com. More than 200 kinds of spirits are offered in tasting flights and composed cock tails. The food menu includes U.K. and American pub standards.
O B L D V $ Miu Kee 6653 Arlington Blvd., 703-237-8884. Open late, this strip-mall hideaway offers Cantonese, Sichuan and Hunan dishes. L D A $$ Moby Dick House of Kabob 444 W. Broad St., 703-992-7500, mobyskabob.com. See Arlington listing. L D $$ 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 R L D $$ Mark’s Duck House 6184-A Arlington Blvd., 703-532-2125. Though named for its specialty—Peking duck—it offers plenty of other tantalizing options, too, such as short ribs, roasted pork and dim sum.
O L D $$ Padaek 6395 Seven Corners Center, 703-533-9480, padaekdc.com. Chef Seng Luangrath’s celebrated Falls Church eatery, hidden in a strip mall, offers both Thai and Laotian cuisine. L D G V $$ Panjshir Restaurant 114 E. Fairfax St., 703-536-4566, panjshirrestau rant.com. Carnivores go for the kabobs, but the vegetarian chalows elevate pumpkin, eggplant and spinach to new levels. O L D V $$ Parc de Ville 8926 Glass Alley (Mosaic District), 703-663-8931, parcdeville.com. Find French fare such as omelets, escargots, duck confit and boudin blanc at this spacious Parisian-style brasserie. Hit the rooftop lounge for cocktails. O R D $$$ Peking Gourmet Inn 6029 Leesburg Pike, 703-671-8088, pekinggour met.com. At this James Beard Award semifinalist for “Outstanding Service,” it’s all about the crispy Peking duck. C L D G V $$ Pho 88 232 W. Broad St., 703-533-8233, pho88va.com. Vietnamese pho is the main attraction, but the menu also includes noodle and rice dishes. Closed Tuesdays. L D $$ Pizzeria Orso 400 S. Maple Ave., 703-226-3460, pizzeriaorso. com. Neapolitan pies and tempting small plates, such as arancini with chorizo and Brussels chips with shaved grana. O C L D G V $$ Plaka Grill 1216 W. Broad St., 703-639-0161, plakagrill.com. Super satisfying Greek eats—dolmas, souvlaki, moussaka, spanakopita. L D V $$ Preservation Biscuit s 102 E. Fairfax St., 571-378-1757, preservation biscuit.com. Order the signature carb with a sam pler of house-made jams, or as a sandwich with fill ers ranging from fried chicken, hot honey and can died bacon to guacamole and egg with lemon aioli. L D V $ Pupuseria La Familiar 308 S. Washington St., 703-995-2528, pupuseria lafamiliar.com. The family-owned Salvadoran eatery turns out pupusas, fried yucca, chicharron, carne asada and horchata. L D $$ Raaga Restaurant 5872 Leesburg Pike, 703-998-7000, raagarestau rant.com. Chicken tikka, lamb rogan josh and car damom-infused desserts. O L D G V $$ Rare Bird Coffee Roasters 230 W. Broad St., 571-314-1711, rarebirdcoffee. com. Lara Berenji and Bryan Becker’s charming Lit tle City café roasts its own beans and recently ex panded its space. L D $ Church. The queso birria tacos are a must. Open Thursday-Sunday, noon to 4:30. L $ Le Pain Quotidien 8296 Glass Alley (Mosaic District), 703-4629322, lepainquotidien.com. See Arlington listing.
R L D $$ Little Saigon Restaurant 6218-B Wilson Blvd., 703-536-2633. Authentic Vietnamese in a no-frills setting.
O B L D V $$ Oath Pizza 2920 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-688-6284, oathpizza.com. The dough here is grilled and seared in avocado oil (for a crispy texture) and the toppings are certified humane.
O L D $ Sfizi Café 800 W. Broad St., 703-533-1191, sfizi.com. A fam ily-owned trattoria, deli and wine shop serving clas sic Italian fare—pasta, pizza, parm. L D $$ Silver Diner 8150 Porter Road, 703-204-0812, silverdiner.com. See Arlington listing. C B R L D A G V $$ Sisters Thai 2985 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-280-0429, sistersthai.com. The Thai restaurant has a vibe that feels like you’re dining in your cool friend’s shabbychic living room. L D $$ Solace Outpost 444 W. Broad St., 571-378-1469, solaceoutpost. com. Filling the former Mad Fox space, this Lit tle City microbrewery serves house-brewed suds, plus fried chicken, five kinds of fries and woodfired pizza. D A V $$ Spacebar 709 W. Broad St., 703-992-0777, spcbr.com. The diminutive bar offers 24 craft beers on tap and 18 variations on the grilled cheese sandwich. D A V $$ Sweetgreen 2905 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 703-9927892, sweetgreen.com. See Arlington listing.
L D G V $$ Settle Down Easy Brewing 2822 Fallfax Drive, 703-573-2011, settledowneasy brewing.com. The rotating beer list at this nano brewing operation is always fresh. Neighboring El Tio Tex-Mex Grill provides a taco stand and other food choices. Closed Mondays.
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C B R G V $ Our Mom Eugenia 2985 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 434-339-4019, ourmomeugenia.com. Beloved for its real-deal Greek fare, from saganaki to souvlaki, the critical ly acclaimed family business that began in Great Falls has a sister restaurant in the Mosaic District.
Open Road 8100 Lee Highway, 571-395-4400, openroadmerri field.com. See Arlington listing. O C R L D $$ The Original Pancake House 7395-M Lee Highway, 703-698-6292, ophrestau rants.com. Satisfy your breakfast cravings with pancakes, crepes, waffles, French toast and more.
B L D V $$ Liberty Barbecue 370 W. Broad St., 703-237-8227, libertyfallschurch. com. This ’cue venture by The Liberty Tavern Group serves smoked meats, fried chicken and all the ac companiments. Order a Grand Slam (four meats, four sides) and feed the whole fam.
O C L D G V $ Sweetwater Tavern 3066 Gatehouse Plaza, 703-645-8100, great americanrestaurants.com. A modern alehouse serving seafood, chicken, ribs, microbrews and growlers to go. C L D G $$$ Taco Bamba s 2190 Pimmit Drive, 703-639-0505, tacobambares taurant.com. Taco choices range from traditional carne asada to the “Iron Mike,” a vegan rendition stuffed with roasted cauliflower, salsa macha 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 $$ Takumi Sushi 310-B S. Washington St., 703-241-1128, takumiva. com. The sushi and sashimi here go beyond basic. Think tuna nigiri with Italian black truffle, or salmon with mango purée. Closed Sundays and Mondays. L D V $$ Ted’s Bulletin 2911 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 571-830-6680, tedsbulletinmerrifield.com. See Arlington listing. C B R L D $$ Thompson Italian s 124 N. Washington St., 703-269-0893, thompson italian.com. Gabe and Katherine Thompson’s cel ebrated kitchen turns out house-made pastas (in
O B R L D A $$ Nhu Lan Sandwich 6763 Wilson Blvd., 703-532-9009, nhulansandwich. com. This tiny Vietnamese deli at Eden Center is a fa vorite for banh mi sandwiches. L D V $ Northside Social Falls Church s 205 Park Ave., 703-992-8650, northsidesocial va.com/falls-church. Come by in the morning for a breakfast sandwich and a latte. Return in the eve ning for a glass of wine and a plate of charcuterie, or a wood-fired pizza.
O C L D G V $$ Aracosia 1381 Beverly Road, 703-269-3820, aracosia mclean.com. Score a table under strings of white lights on the covered patio and order savory Af ghan specialties such as braised lamb shank and baadenjaan chalou (roasted eggplant with saffron rice).
O L D G V $$$ Café Tatti French Bistro 6627 Old Dominion Drive, 703-790-5164, cafetatti. com. Open since 1981, the kitchen whips up classic French and continental fare. Closed Sundays. L D G V $$$ Capri Ristorante Italiano 6825-K Redmond Drive, 703-288-4601, capri mcleanva.com. A chatty, family-friendly spot known for tried-and-true Italian dishes such as spaghetti carbonara and veal Marsala.
R L D A $$ Lost Dog Café 1690-A Anderson Road, 703-356-5678, lostdog cafe.com. See Arlington listing. L D $$ Masala Indian Cuisine 1394 Chain Bridge Road,703-462-9699, masa lava.com. A specialty here are “momos,” Nepa lese dumplings with meat or vegetable fillings. The menu also includes tandoori biryani and Indian cur ries. L D V $$ McLean Family Restaurant 1321 Chain Bridge Road, themcleanfamilyrestaurant.com.703-356-9883,Pancakes, gy ros and big plates of lasagna hit the spot, and you may stumble upon a politico or two. Breakfast served until 3 p.m. daily. C B L D V $$ Miyagi Restaurant 6719 Curran St., 703-893-0116. The diminutive sushi bar gets high marks for its friendly service and fresh maki and nigiri. L D $$ Moby Dick House of Kabob 6854 Old Dominion Drive, 703-448-8448; 1500 Cornerside Blvd., 703-734-7000; mobyskabob.com. See Arlington listing. L D $$ Mylo’s Grill 6238 Old Dominion Drive, 703-533-5880, mylos grill.com. Enjoy spanakopita, souvlaki and American classics. Friday is prime-rib night. O B L D $$ Pasa-Thai Restaurant 1315 Old Chain Bridge Road, 703-442-0090, pasa thairestaurant.com. Go for a classic Bangkok cur ry, or a chef’s special such as spicy fried rockfish with chili-basil-garlic sauce. O L D $$ Patsy’s American 8051 Leesburg Pike (Tysons), 703-552-5100, pat sysamerican.com. Find greatest-hit dishes from other Great American Restaurants properties in a space resembling a vintage railway station. O C R L D A G V $$ Pulcinella 1310 Chain Bridge Road, 703-893-7777, pulcinella restaurant.com. A stop for classic spaghetti and meatballs, linguine and clams and wood-fired pizza since 1985. L D $$ Randy’s Prime Seafood & Steaks 8051 Leesburg Pike (Tysons), 703-552-5110, randysprime.com. Randy’s (named for Great Ameri can Restaurants co-founder Randy Norton) serves prime cuts, duck-fat fries, seafood towers and oth er steakhouse standards. L D G $$$$ Rocco’s Italian 1357 Chain Bridge Road, 703-821-3736, roccos italian.com. The Juliano family makes everything in-house from family recipes. O C L D G $$ Roots Provisions & Grocery 8100 Old Dominion Drive, 703-712-7850, roots provisions.com. Part café and part gourmet mar ket, it's got sandwiches, smoothies, acai bowls, salads, espresso drinks, pie, cocktails and graband-go snacks and pantry staples. 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 $$ Simply Fresh 6811 Elm St., 703-821-1869, simplyfreshva. com. A local favorite for pulled pork, chicken and brisket. Plus Greek diner fare. family-style take out meals and breakfast. O C B L D G V $ Tachibana 6715 Lowell Ave., 703-847-1771, tachibana.us. Stellar sushi aside, the chef’s specials here in clude starters such as clam miso soup, monkfish paté and savory egg custard. C L D $$ Urbanspace 2001 International Drive, urbanspacenyc.com/ tysons. Travel the culinary globe at this Tysons Gal leria food hall with options like Cantonese barbe cue, spicy Ghanaian fare, empanadas, donburi and U.K.-style fish and chips. And award-winning Andy’s Pizza. C R L D $$ Wren 1825 Capitol One Drive S., thewatermarkhotel. com. Topping the new Watermark Hotel at Capital One Center in Tysons, this tony izakaya helmed by former Zentan chef Yo Matsuzaki offers Japanese American fare (hamachi tartare, Wagyu burgers, miso-marinated sea bass), stupendous cocktails and sweeping skyline views. D G V $$$
O C R L D $$$ Uncle Liu’s Hotpot 2972 Gallows Road, 703-560-6868, uncleliushot pot.com. Customers do the cooking in this eatery inspired by the ubiquitous hot pots of China’s Sich uan province. L D V $$ AgoraMCLEANTysons 7911 Westpark Drive, 703-663-8737, agoratysons. com. The Dupont Circle mezze restaurant brings its Turkish, Greek and Lebanese small plates to a sec ond outpost in Tysons. R L D G V $$$ Amoo’s Restaurant 6271 Old Dominion Drive, 703-448-8500, amoos restaurant.com. The flavorful kabobs and stews are crowd pleasers at this hospitable Persian es tablishment.
O C L D G V $$$ Eddie V’s Prime Seafood 7900 Tysons One Place, 703-442-4523, eddiev. com. Total steakhouse vibe, except with an empha sis on seafood (and steaks, too). L D $$$$ El Tio Tex-Mex Grill 1433 Center St., 703-790-1910, eltiogrill.com. See Falls Church listing. L D $$ Esaan Tumbar 1307 Old Chain Bridge Road, 703-288-3901, esaanmclean.com. This tiny eatery specializes in northern Thai dishes—papaya salad, larb, nam tok. A good bet for those who like heat. L D $$ Fahrenheit Asian 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd., 703-646-8968, fahren heitasian.com. A no-frills destination for Sichuan spicy noodles, dumplings, mapo tofu and other Asian comfort foods. L D V $$ Fogo de Chao 1775 Tysons Blvd., 703-556-0200, fogodechao. com. The upscale chain showcases the Brazilian tradition of churrasco—the art of roasting meats over an open fire. R L D $$$ Founding Farmers 1800 Tysons Blvd., wearefoundingfarmers.com. The farm-to-table restaurant features Virginiasourced dishes and drinks. B R L D $$$ 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 $$ Ichiban Sushi 6821-A Old Dominion Drive, 703-48-9117, ichiban sushimclean.com. A neighborhood go-to for sushi, udon, tempura and teriyaki. Closed Sundays. L D $$ J. Gilbert’s s 6930 Old Dominion Drive, 703-893-1034, jgil berts.com. Everything you’d expect in a steak house and lots of it—prime cuts of beef, lobster, wedge salad, steak-cut fries and cheesecake.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 141 cluding cook-at-home meals and supper trays) and some of the best desserts around.
O D $$$ True Food Kitchen 2910 District Ave. (Mosaic District), 571-3261616, truefoodkitchen.com. See Arlington listing.
O L D V $$ Asian Origin 1753 S. Pinnacle Drive, 703-448-9988, asian originva.com. Liu Chaosheng’s restaurant hits all the standards (kung pao chicken, beef with broc coli) plus twists like pumpkin with steamed pork.
O L D G V $$$ Badd Pizza 6263 Old Dominion Drive, 703-356-2233, badd pizza.com. See Falls Church listing. L D $$ Café Oggi 6671 Old Dominion Drive, 703-442-7360, cafeoggi. com. Choose among classic Italian dishes such as mozzarella caprese, beef carpaccio, spaghetti with clams and tiramisu.
O C D $$$ Trio Grill 8100 Lee Highway, 703-992-9200, triomerrifield. com. Treat yourself to steaks, chops, raw bar, craft cocktails and cigars. The patio opens daily at 4 p.m. for happy hour.
C R L D G V $$$ Kazan Restaurant 6813 Redmond Drive, 703-734-1960, kazanrestau rant.com. Zeynel Uzun’s white-tablecloth restaurant, a fixture since 1980, is a nice spot for kebabs, bak lava and Turkish coffee. L D V $$ Lebanese Taverna 1840 International Drive, 703-847-5244, lebanesetaverna.com. See Arlington listing. O C L D G V $$ Leila 7934B Tysons Corner Center, meetleila.com. Sa vor the flavors of the Middle East and Northern In dia in dishes such as htipiti (roasted peppers and feta), tandoor-roasted salmon and chicken fes enjoon (pomegranate-walnut-chicken stew), plus house-fired breads, fine cocktails and hookah.
L D V $$ Assaggi Osteria & Pizzeria 6641 Old Dominion Drive, 703-918-0080, assaggi osteria.com. Enjoy a date night over plates of orecchiette with artichoke and veal paillard. The adjoining pizzeria serves wood-fired pies.
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A roll-top backpack by Voyager Bag Works
by KennedyColleen
PHOTOCOURTESY
Bearded and low-key, Richardson, 32, strives for utility, sustainability and durability in his creations. “What I really like is that it takes on a patina as you use it, like leather,” he says, noting how one of his personal packs has developed a gleam in certain spots. Every bag he creates comes with care instructions and a lifetime guarantee. On the sustainability front, he’s working on a line of kit packs and gear bags made with 100% recycled polyester fabric, in a white plaid pattern. A portion of all sales goes to causes that speak to the artist’s ethos, such as José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen and the Trust for Public Land.
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Made with waxed canvas (he uses Martexin Original Wax, a famously water- and stainrepellent material), his collection now includes a wide assortment of handy wares, from backpacks (starting at $265) and totes ($95-$150) to hip packs ($60) and Dopp kits ($65). He makes commissioned pieces, too.
Ever the outdoorsman, Richardson says his current favorite place to hike with his wife, Annika, is in nearby Prince William Forest Park, and one of their preferred camping spots is Camp Grits in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains.Anavidcyclist, he also works at Wheel Nuts Bike Shop in Alexandria, where he has designed custom handlebar bags. He plans to sell his goods at local festivals and pop-ups this fall and winter. “I like making things,” he says, “that people will enjoy using for a long time.” voyagerbagworks.com
Pack It Up Isaac Richardson has been operating Voyager Bag Works, a hand-sewn line of travel and work bags, out of his Arlington basement for three years. He spent more than two years perfecting the design of his big roll-top backpack, creating different prototypes and using them on hikes and camping trips to see how they performed. “I needed to make sure it was going to work the way that I wanted it to,” he explains.
ArlingtonMagazine.com ■ September/October 2022 143 PHOTOCOURTESY
lemonandwhim.com
Heather O’Hara, creator of Lemon & Whim soaps
Savor, Don’t Save Heather O’Hara is a self-declared soap snob. She has long collected soaps as scented souvenirs from her travels, and at one point, she took a few soap-making classes. But her affinity for bath products really became an official side gig during the pandemic.“Ichanneled a lot of anxiety and uncertainty into this positive outlet to keep moving forward,” says the Arlington entrepreneur. She initially started with small batches, sending soaps to stressed-out friends and family. “These little care packages would come with a SurveyMonkey link, where I would ask what they thought about the recipe.” With their feedback—and support from her boyfriend, Will, and her loyal bulldog, Ellie—O’Hara, 44, launched Lemon & Whim from her Clarendon home in September 2020. Her soaps ($10 each) are as pretty as they smell. A scent called Sugar Rush with “hints of berry, vanilla and cotton candy” swirls pink and gold into a marbled pattern. The beachinspired Going Cabanas looks like an ocean wave and smells like sea salt and coconut oil. The gilded, honeycombed Queen Bee is one of her current bestsellers. “It’s just luxurious,” she purrs about its Thoughsparkle.hersoaps may look like works of art, they are intended as consumables—offering an ephemeral bit of pampering with vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, including organic avocado and almond oils. Shoppers can find Lemon & Whim online and at local festivals and pop-up markets, as well as at Shop Made in Virginia in Alexandria and Shop Made in DC retail stores.
O’Hara recently expanded her product line to include masculine scents and several candles, with autumnal and holiday blends set for release this fall. She also creates custom scented soaps for weddings, baby and bridal showers, and corporate events. “If we have learned anything in the last few years, it’s to make time for self care,” she says. “You don’t need a special occasion. You can have everyday luxury, even while showering.”
■ by Christine Koubek Flynn
Home State Home Located in Richmond, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) reopened in May following a more than $30 million renovation and expansion that includes a new immersive orientation theater, grand two-story entrance, cafe, store and more. While VMHC had historically focused on Richmond, today’s artifacts, paintings and exhibits cover Virginia’s five major regions. “History is very personal, and you should treat it as such. That is why we focus on specific people with specific experiences—and not just the famous people,” Jamie Bosket, the museum’s president and CEO, says about one of their guiding intentions. The “History Matters” exhibit includes the 2018 Virginia Tech graduation cap of the first African American woman to graduate with a degree in nanoscience in Virginia, and the green Converse sneakers worn by Rainbow Minute radio show co-host Judd Proctor at his wedding to co-host Brian Burns in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 2006—a time when same-sex marriage was illegal in Virginia. In “Our Commonwealth,” you can learn the Slide Step, a popular Appalachian dance move, via video from Martha Spencer, a singersongwriter and dancer from the Blue Ridge Mountains, and learn about an African American family whose Virginia roots go back nearly 300 years. Commonwealth Explorers is the place for kids to play and create their own museum exhibit. Other exhibits include “American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith” (through Dec. 31), which examines the continuing story of America’s “of, by, and for the people” form of government; and “Cheers, Virginia!” (through Jan. 29, 2023), which celebrates the state’s craft brewing, distilling and fermenting industry.
144 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com CULTURE&HISTORYOFMUSEUMVIRGINIA get away
Richmond’s newly expanded Virginia Museum of History & Culture
The museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets range from $5 to $10 (see website for details) and can be purchased online or in person. Virginia Museum of History & Culture, 428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, Virginia, 804-340-1800, virginiahistory.org
Furnishings include vintage inspiredlibrary-card-nightstands.
Taste of the Keys Key West Cottages
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Chincoteague Island, which is set at the water’s edge in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, is expanding from five to 38 pastel-colored tiny retreats. Slated to open in August and September, the 33 new one- or two-bedroom cottages range from 376 to 661 square feet. Each has a full kitchen, tiled walk-in shower, coastal decor and a cozy covered porch with water views. Many of the decks are at the canal’s edge, making it easy to fish and crab from them. The Key West vibe is carried through the cottage colors, decor and landscaping, and in music that’s piped through speakers that dot the property. Perks include a private beach, pool, dock, outdoor firepit and tiki torches. Paddleboards, kayaks and bikes are available for no extra fee. Chincoteague’s Main Street—lined with boutique shops, restaurants and popular food trucks (don’t miss Build Your Own Cookie)—is a short walk, and Assateague Island, home to the area’s famed wild ponies, is a short drive. Cottage rates begin at $150. Key West Cottages, 6125 Poplar St. W., Chincoteague Island, Virginia, 757-336-3700, chincoteaguekeywestcottages.com
The Rooftop at The Schoolhouse
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This Schoolhouse Rocks “Where Sleeping in Class Is Finally Allowed.” That tagline is fitting for The Schoolhouse Hotel, a historic high school turned boutique hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Opened in May, it’s among the buildings and businesses in town that have been transformed following a devastating flood in 2016. Nods to the property’s schoolhouse past are found throughout the hotel, from photographs and football programs to the original 1912 school bell, which now sits at the check-in desk.
The Varsity Club, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, serves upscale takes on Southern classics such as she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and pork Wellington. The Rooftop, where menus are styled to look like composition notebooks, is a prime spot for craft cocktails and expansive mountain views. The 30 guest rooms and suites offer plush robes with the hotel’s school bell logo and an interactive high-definition television that allows you to communicate with the front desk. The hotel’s accessibility features include touch-pad controls for guest room toilets, and a bar that allows wheelchair users to roll up to the counter for drinks. Early online guest reviews rave about the service. Some of those A+ grades have been earned by employees who once roamed these halls as high school students. Rates begin at $150. The Schoolhouse Hotel, 125 Schoolhouse Way, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, 304-536-0999, theschoolhousehotelwv.com
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PHOTOCOURTESY I embarked on a “dirty wellness” retreat. Turns out holistic practices combined with old-fashioned playing in the dirt really can do a mind and body good. By Meredith Lindemon Down and Dirty 146 September/October 2022 ■ ArlingtonMagazine.com n driving range Wishing Star Farm & Wellness in Glen Arm, Maryland
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I’M STICKING MY tongue out in the middle of a field, next to a creek, wear ing borrowed galoshes and socks over stretch pants and a tank top. I’ve booked a “mindfulness saunter” at Wishing Star Farm & Wellness, lo cated on 6 bucolic acres north of Bal timore in Glen Arm, Maryland. My guide is Phil Hosmer, a former corpo rate banker who quit his job in 2019 to become a nature therapist. He is also sticking his tongue out. “What does the air taste like?” he asks. To me, it tastes like milk. Then, with our eyes closed, he asks, “What do you hear? There are three sounds in this world that people have sought out since the beginning of time.” I think about it. “Birds, the water… and I can hear the grass. Is that right?” “That’s the wind,” he says. Birds, wa ter and wind—the trifecta. Next, he proposes “creek sitting,” which is exactly what it sounds like. I ask if he wants me to actually sit in the water, and he tells me that, yes, he ac tuallyDitchingdoes. the galoshes, I get on my knees in the creek and kind of splash around a bit because I have no idea what else to do. Hosmer splashes the water on his face, so I follow suit. I feel like a child, but it feels good. Like so many of us in pandemic times, I’ve been knotted with anxiety and a general sense of malaise. The mindfulness saunter is part of a week end getaway during which I’ve resolved to keep an open mind and try some ho listic therapies that once I might have derided as New Age bunk. This explains how I found myself, the night before, lying on a table in Wishing Star’s carriage house barn try ing reiki—a Japanese energy healing
n driving range technique that promotes relaxation and reduces stress through gentle touch. To get me grounded, Janet Baird, a master reiki practitioner and certified “sound healer,” starts by placing her hands on my ankles, then my shoulders and then pausing above my face. I feel a rush of blood to my cheeks and the sensation of prickly heat.
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At McFaul’s IronHorse Tavern in Parkville, you can knock back a beer and watch oysters shucked to order behind the wood bar. Or, do as the locals do and go for a bowl of Tilghman Island oyster stew or Maryland crab soup. mcfaulsironhorse.com
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The private, hourlong session also includes sound immersion therapy with an assortment of instruments— drums, bone rattles, rain sticks, bells, a Native American flute and intermit tent chanting. I’m skeptical going into it, but when it’s over, I am suddenly overcome with emotion. I run to my car and start to cry.
Part of the Foreman Wolf restaurant group, The Milton Inn, a British-style tavern in Sparks Glencoe, is a worthy spot for a decadent lunch or dinner. Tucked into a historic fieldstone house with white plaster walls and dark wood interiors, it also has a covered outdoor patio, where I happily feasted on buttery-salty beef tartare, foie gras with cornichons, and squab with white beans and spinach. Salads, quiche and fish dishes round out the menu. themiltoninn.com
Where to Explore History Take a 17-minute drive from Wishing Star Farm to Historic Jerusalem Mill Village in Kingsville. The Quaker settlement dating to 1772 still includes the original grist mill, miller’s house, a blacksmith forge, tenant house, general store, smokehouse/dairy and other preserved structures in the National Register of Historic Places. It’s free to visit, though donations are welcome to aid in the site’s ongoing preservation.
The Jericho Covered Bridge is located adjacent to the village, which now has a history museum and shops. jerusalemmill.org
Just down the road from Wishing Star Farm in the town of Hydes, Boordy Vineyards offers vineyard tours and tasting flights of its award-winning wines—from cabernet francs to albariños—plus live music in spring and summer. boordy.com
Later on, I ask Baird about the cry ing. “The beauty of reiki is that it helps a person get to a deep state of relax ation and allows them to heal them selves from the inside out,” she ex plains, whether the pain is physical, emotional or both. “[Pain is the re sult of] stuck energy—wherever ener gy is not flowing—that’s disease, so the
Gramercy Mansion Squab at The Milton Inn Boordy Vineyards
If You Go… Where to Stay Anchoring a 45-acre organic produce farm in Stevenson, Maryland, Gramercy Mansion was built in 1902 by Alexander J. Cassatt, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad and brother of the American impressionist painter Mary Cassatt. Today, the 11-room Tudor estate is a bed-and-breakfast filled with curious oddities (porcelain dolls, bronze figurines, china cabinets packed with vintage tools) courtesy of owner Anne Pomykala. The Camelot suite is a mauve fantasy of marble tile, chintz and fringe swags, with cherubs over the tub. If you’re a fan of cottagecore, this is the place for you. Rates start at $150. gramercymansion.com Where to Eat & Drink Known for its superior dry-aged beef (it supplies many of the DMV’s finest restaurants), the 350-acre Roseda Black Angus Farm in Monkton is worth a stop on Fridays and Saturdays, when a barbecue stand serves up pit beef, steak burgers and hot dogs fresh from the smoker. If time allows, take a walk through the farm’s rolling fields, cow pastures and streams—which are preserved in perpetuity. roseda.com
WHEN I FIRST HEARD about “dirty wellness,” a philosophy that espous es leaving our sanitized, hermetically sealed existence behind and reconnect ing with good old-fashioned bacterialaden dirt, I wanted to try it without really knowing what it entailed. It sounded fanciful and fun. The idea is to show up at a farm and engage in some light physical activity in nature—like gardening or, yes, creek sitting—that puts you in direct contact with the soil microbiome. Studies sug gest that playing in the dirt may ac tually help to improve our gut health and immune response, with the add ed benefit of a serotonin mood boost. (The Earth Microbiome Project, a mas sive collaboration of more than 500 re searchers worldwide, is one group at the forefront of this new frontier in sci entific research.) In addition to dirty wellness, Wish ing Star Farm offers other holistic prac tices designed to help visitors unwind, from yoga and reflexology to acupunc ture and herbal remedies. The combi nation is supposed to result in a realign ment of physical, mental and spiritual health. I just didn’t think it would be as hard as it was. When I meet up with the farm’s coowner, Missy Teague, on Day Two of my visit, she’s wearing jeans, cowboy boots and a standard work shirt. She assures me that my post-reiki sobbing episode the night before was totally normal—it happens all the time. Teague, a certified life coach and cor porate trainer who works in commer cial real estate, opened Wishing Star Farm in 2019 with her husband, Don, a car painter and handyman. At first, it seemed like the pandem ic might derail their fledgling venture, but the opposite happened. During quarantine, they started staging well ness demonstrations and handing out literature about sound immersion, reiki and other therapeutic practices at road side produce sales organized with local growers and farmers. Like-minded peo ple interested in wellness started show ing up and asking about classes. Things took off from there. Teague calls it “di vine“Peopletiming.”are drawn to this place,” she says with an unironic air of mysticism. “Sometimes people just show up and knock on the door of my house. They say they are drawn to how spiritual the landToday,feels.”Wishing Star offers a range of group and individual wellness work shops led by local practitioners. Private sessions are $15 to $40; multiday re treats start at $200; and six-month pro grams can cost up to $2,500. It’s become a destination for people seeking greater meaning, purpose and clarity in their lives, Teague says, not ing that visitors have come from as far away as Texas and Florida. Attendance at the farm’s twilight sound immer
whole purpose of energy work in gen eral is to get energy to move properly and flow easily.” My cathartic tears, it seems, were a manifestation of negative energy that had finally been dislodged.
Wishing Star co-owner Missy Teague (center) with sound therapist Bridgette Jester (left) and reiki practitioner Janet Baird Sound WishinginstrumentsimmersionatStarFarm
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Visit the Blueberry Gardens Healing Center in Ashton, Maryland, to practice yoga, tai chi or qigong in a 990-square-foot octagonal studio with a clerestory ceiling. The center also provides acupuncture, massage, reiki and nutrition counseling in five private treatment rooms, plus a 3-acre garden filled with blueberries, vegetables and native plants. blueberrygardens.org
I ask her how it works therapeutically. “Overlapping tones and frequencies resonate out [to create a] vibration that runs through your body,” she says. “The sound waves take your brain into the theta brain wave state—our rest and re store space. This is similar to a REM sleep state, where you work through trauma and process the events that happen during the day.”
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More RetreatsWellness
n driving range sion sessions has been growing over the past two years, from the handful of customers she first met at the produce stand to a few dozen regulars and pri vate clients. BEFORE MY SECOND sound immer sion (this time in a group of about 15 participants), I speak with Bridgette Jester, the certified yoga, reiki and vi brational sound instructor who leads the farm’s nightly sound workshops. She explains how she uses Hima layan copper bowls of different sizes to create an immersive auditory expe rience, hitting the bowls with a small mallet so that the sound waves multiply and overlap, filling the space in a cre scendo. The effect is a bit like running a finger around the rim of a wineglass.
For a yoga retreat with wine on the menu, book a stay at the Farmhouse at Veritas in Afton, Virginia, where beautifully appointed rooms look out on mountains and vineyards. Retreats can be customized to include reiki, massage, journaling, tarot card reading and chef-prepared vegetarian meals with wine tastings. veritasfarmhouse.com/farmhouse-retreats Centering on Ayurvedic healing in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the picturesque Eupepsia Wellness Resort in Bland, Virginia, has a broad menu of wellness offerings, from yoga, meditation and health screenings to detox packages, cleanses, spa treatments and light and salt therapy. eupepsia.com
The view from the Farmhouse at Veritas Clean eating at the Haley Farm Inn
For me, the theta state feels like heavy lucid dreaming. Later that night, during Jester’s class, I’m lying on the barn floor un der a knotty, white blanket, my knees drawn into my chest. The air fills with the meditative tones of the copper bowls. I close my eyes and stick out myIttongue.tasteslike fresh, green grass—a bit like dirt and a bit like life. ■ Meredith Lindemon is a freelance jour nalist who writes about wellness, real es tate, travel, interiors and lifestyle trends.
Need to reset and recharge? Wishing Star Farm (wishingstarfarm.org) is one of a growing number of wellness destinations focused on healing and personal growth. Here are a few others: Located on 65 acres of farmland, the Haley Farm Inn & Retreat Center in Oakland, Maryland, offers yoga, guided meditation, nutrition counseling and exercise classes, plus add-ons like massage, horseback riding, belly dancing instruction and rock climbing. Build a custom itinerary for yourself, your friends or a bridal party. haleyfarm.com/retreats
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Wakefield physics teacher David Saltus Lt. Col. Charles M. Parkin Jr. explains a launch device to Wakefield rocketeers during a visit to a Nike missile site in Lorton in the 1950s.
back story ■ by
Up on the Roof In the Sputnik era, Wakefield High School students and their dedicated teacher turned their eyes to the sky.
THE EXPLOSION COULD be heard clear across the Potomac River. On a Saturday afternoon in March 1957, members of the Wakefield High School Rocket Society were launching foot-long model rockets into the river near Mount Vernon. One rocket, however, exploded after takeoff in an earth-rumbling blast. A U.S. Park Police cruiser raced to the riverside, sirens wailing. Surely relieved to find the teenagers and their adviser, David Saltus, unharmed, the officer let them go with a warning. Founded the previous September, the rocket society was one of count less such clubs that developed around the country in the 1950s. In 1955, both the U.S. and what was then the Soviet Union had vowed to put artificial satellites into orbit, initiating a “space race” that continued into the moon missions of the 1960s and early ’70s. In 1956, the Smithsonian Astro physical Observatory started a citi zen science program called Opera tion Moonwatch, enlisting amateur astronomers to help spot and record data about the first satellites. Saltus, a Wakefield physics teacher and selfprofessed “space bug,” thought the school’s rocket society would work well as a Moonwatch team and gained the necessary Moonwatchingapprovals.required placing an array of telescopes on an elevated site with unobstructed views. Saltus chose Wakefield’s roof. Students regularly arose at 3 a.m. to get out on the roof before dawn, bleary-eyed but excited. They recorded glimpses of Sputnik, the Soviet satellite that was the first to enter Earth’s orbit in October 1957, and many others. In the spring of 1958, the Moonwatch team expanded to include girls, who called themselves the GAMS—the Girls Auxiliary Moon watch Society. As a teacher, Saltus was well-liked, perhaps because he would push limits for the sake of science. “There’s a story of Dad launching a rocket without the appropriate permissions and getting arrested,” remembers his son Mark Saltus, who lives in San Diego. “My ver sion is that the rocket ended up crash ing through the roof of a local shopping center. My brother’s memory is differ ent. Either way, Dad got arrested.” David Saltus died of intestinal com plications in September 1966, at the age of 41. The former U.S. Naval Reservist is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. “I don’t think I will become a Rocket Scientist,” he once wrote to the Smith sonian. “I am already too old to ride a moon probe or be the first on Mars; but, by being a Moonwatcher, I can feel that I am contributing to what will be the greatest achievement of mankind.”
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