What To Do
Air Force Memorial
Most people have seen the Air Force Memorial from afar since it opened in 2006, but the three spires (the highest rises 270 feet) are even more impressive up close. The spot also boasts views of Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, and the monuments across the Potomac—Instagram opportunities abound. 1 Air Force Memorial Dr.; 703-979-0674.
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse
While great for a movie and a meal, the drafthouse has become such a draw for its weekly standup shows that it’s opening Drafthouse Comedy Theater in DC to expand the focus. In Arlington, the January lineup includes Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson and MTV alum Tom Green (yes, that Tom Green). 2903 Columbia Pike; 703-486-2345.
DEA Museum & Visitors Center
Armchair drug warriors, rejoice. This little-known museum offers a prop-and-photo-filled history of the trade, dating back to 19th-century opium dens. Items on exhibit include a steel crack-house door and a marijuana vending machine. The cocaine-laced toothache tablets have to stay behind the glass, but for souvenirs you can take home pamphlets and fact sheets about the harmful effects of nearly every known drug. 700 Army Navy Dr.; 202-307-3463.
Iota Club & Café
Bigtime performers such as John Mayer and Norah Jones came through Iota when they were starting out. Sibling owners Stephen Negrey and Jane Negrey Inge continue to host rising talents every weekend, along with Wednesday-night open mikes and other performances plus Sunday poetry jams. New to the 21-year-old institution: a no-cover-charge dining area in the back alley. 2832 Wilson Blvd.; 703-522-8340.
Kettler Capitals Iceplex
The Capitals’ practices are free to watch and open to the public most weekends during hockey season. Rather get out on the ice yourself? There are regular public skate sessions and a full schedule of figure-skating and hockey lessons. 627 N. Glebe Rd.; 571-224-0555.
Long Bridge Park
The soccer fields are so good here that DC United uses them whenever the team’s own fields aren’t available. Even nicer is the raised esplanade, with views of the Washington Monument, the Potomac River, and Reagan National. 475 Long Bridge Dr.
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Photographs can’t capture the contemplative feeling of this tree-lined park of cantilevered benches that appear to rise seamlessly from the gravel. Linger on one of them and listen to the pools of water gurgle underneath, or use your cell phone to take a guided audio tour.
Signature Theatre
Signature configures its black-box theaters (one seats 300, the other 110) so the sets extend into the audience for most productions. Having made its name more than two decades ago with interpretations of Sondheim, it has expanded its repertoire far beyond that, with world premieres, original renditions of Broadway hits in an intimate setting—such as West Side Story, currently onstage—and a Tony Award for excellence in regional theater. 4200 Campbell Ave; 703-820-9771.
TechShop
With more than $1 million worth of computers and machines that enable you to woodwork, weld, laser-cut, powder-coat, and sew your vision into reality, this place is like your mom’s craft room on performance-enhancing drugs—it’s open 24 hours. You can pay for daily or monthly access, hire a consultant to help with your project, or take classes. 2110-B Crystal Dr.; 703-302-8780.
Where To Eat
Copperwood Tavern
If you’re looking for a place to graze on drinks and snacks with friends, or to grab a quick bite before a show at Signature Theatre, this warm Shirlington gastropub is your spot. Dishes such as cornmeal-dusted fried green tomatoes and mushroom/goat-cheese bruschetta make easy shares, and Monday through Friday between 4 and 7, Rappahannock oysters go for $1 at the bar. 4021 Campbell Ave.; 703-552-8010.
Green Pig Bistro
Spicy Bloody Marys, creamy grits topped with fat shrimp, and fluffy buttermilk biscuits regularly draw us to Scot Harlan’s mod-folksy Clarendon dining room on weekend mornings. At night, don’t miss the hulking Buffalo-style pork ribs, dressed with loads of hot sauce and blue cheese, or the bacon cheeseburger. 1025 N. Fillmore St.; 703-888-1920.
The Italian Store
The often chaotic Lyon Village market/deli—on weekends, call in your sandwich order if you don’t want to wait 45 minutes—now has a bigger, more civilized sibling in Westover. At both places, we love the fat subs stuffed with capicola and mortadella (the greasy pizza slices, not so much), and there’s a nice selection of Italian cheeses, pastas, and pantry staples. Plus, it’s worth cramming your freezer with the red-sauced manicotti for easy weeknight dinners. 3123 Lee Hwy. (Lyon Village), 703-528-6266; 5837 Washington Blvd. (Westover), 571-341-1080.
Mussel Bar & Grille
Take a cue from this sleek Ballston hangout’s name and home in on the moules frites section of the menu. Skillets of mussels come blanketed in sauces such as nutty green curry or truffle cream and bacon, and both the regular and sweet-potato fries—each served with a trio of aïolis—are terrific. They’re ample meals in themselves, but it’d be a shame to miss chef/owner Robert Wiedmaier’s standard-setting French onion soup. 800 N. Glebe Rd.; 703-841-2337.
Pepita
More than 50 cocktails are on the list at Mike Isabella’s snug Ballston cocktail lounge. And while we could happily sip pumpkin coladas and pomegranate/mezcal margs all night, we also head here for the Mexican food menu. The shortlist includes hard-to-quit nachos, coconut-braised chicken enchiladas, and “crazy” corn, in which a grilled cob is rolled in zesty crema, cotija cheese, and corn nuts. 4000 Wilson Blvd.; 703-312-0200.
Ray’s Hell Burger
You don’t go to one of Michael Landrum’s burger joints for the atmosphere—this beige-walled space is about as plain as they come. What you do go for is one of the area’s finest, juiciest patties served with any number of perfectly sloppy toppings. Our picks: the Big Punisher, with zesty diablo sauce, pepperjack, and charred jalapeños, or the B.I.G. Poppa, with mushrooms and blue cheese. 1650 Wilson Blvd.; 703-841-0001.
Tazza Kitchen
Most restaurants that try to be all things to all people—picky eaters, trend-seeking foodies, squeamish kids—can’t pull it off. This Arlington Ridge branch of a Richmond mini-chain succeeds thanks to smart sourcing (sustainable seafood, humanely raised meats, local cheeses), excellent cocktails, and a kitchen that values flavor over showiness. It does as well with a simple wood-fired pizza as it does with a flatiron steak sauced with salsa verde and a runny egg. 2931 S. Glebe Rd.; 703-549-8299.
Thai Square
This spare dining room has been one of the stars of the cheap-eats scene for nearly two decades. There’s no timidity to the cooking—dishes pack plenty of pungency and spice—and are made with higher-quality ingredients than at your typical bargain Thai spot. We like to start with one of the brightly flavored salads, whether ground-pork-and-pig-skin or grilled flank steak, served with plenty of fresh mint and cilantro. 3217 Columbia Pike; 703-685-7040.
Where To Shop
Ah Love Oil & Vinegar
The shop started with artisanal oils, vinegars, and other pantry items, but owner Cary Kelly has expanded to offer handmade goods for anywhere in the kitchen. Our fave recent finds: hand-painted Turkish bowls and food-related watercolor prints by DC artist Marcella Kriebel. 4017-B Campbell Ave.; 703-820-2210.
Ayers Variety & Hardware
Those mourning the closing of Bethesda’s Bruce Variety need only cross the river to find its longstanding cousin. The “variety” part isn’t just meant to lend old-timey charm. It’s literal: You can stock up on party supplies, garden gnomes, reading glasses, knitting needles, and pressure cookers in one stop. Oh, there’s hardware, too. 5853 Washington Blvd.; 703-538-5678.
Finders Keepers/It’s All Good
These two neighboring consignment shops will soothe those afflicted with expensive taste but on a limited budget. Finders Keepers is your destination for classic designer goods (Gucci sunglasses, Prada bags), while It’s All Good has a bohemian vibe, with plenty of maxi-dresses and platform heels. Finders Keepers also sells vintage furniture, some of it painted and repurposed in-house. 5906 and 5912 Washington Blvd.; 703-241-9227 (Finders Keepers); 571-335-4744 (It’s All Good).
Fort Myer Thrift Shop
This secondhand store on a military base is for serious bargain hunters only—to get here, you have to go through a security checkpoint and have your car searched. But the chance to sort through a seemingly endless supply of unusual goods consigned and donated by world-traveling military families is worth the hassle. During a recent visit, one shopper had just consigned a handmade rug from the Middle East. Non-military should call ahead for hours. Main gate on Washington Blvd. at S. Second St.; store at Forrest Cir., Building 224-225; 703-527-0664.
Gallery Underground
This Crystal City art gallery celebrates local talent, hosting rotating exhibits of juried work in all media by members of the Arlington Artists Alliance. Highlights from a recent visit included gilded iconography by Laura Clerici, glazed animal sculptures by Trinka Roeckelein, and playful realist still lifes by Dennis Crayon. 2100 Crystal Dr.; 571-483-0652.
Kinder Haus Toys
Kinder Haus is known for classic toys—including wooden play sets by Melissa & Doug, Madame Alexander dolls, and Folkmanis puppets—but owner Sue Pyatt isn’t above capitalizing on a trend. With the new Star Wars movie on the way, she’s got a hefty stock of figurines at the ready. 1220 N. Fillmore St.; 703-527-5929.
Le Village Marché
Owner Angela Phelps’s love of Paris is apparent upon entering her French-inflected boutique in Shirlington. Cafe music plays softly. Provençal tea towels, Laguiole knives and soaps from Marseille, and glassware with fleurs-de-lis line the shelves. You’ll find decor and gifts from $20 to $150—something for any budget. 2800 S. Randolph St., Suite 110-A (entrance on Campbell Ave.); 703-379-4444.
Revolution Cycles
The local chain’s Clarendon shop is most popular with commuting cyclists, who can find a huge selection of clothing, tools, and gear from Bontrager and other top labels on the main level. Go upstairs to find Dahon folding bicycles, Felt electric bikes, and classic styles from Raleigh. 2731 Wilson Blvd.; 703-312-0007.
Trade Roots Gift Store & Coffee Shop
Owner Lisa Ostroff majored in international relations and considered joining the Peace Corps. Instead, she decided she could do good by selling beautiful gifts and housewares (straw giraffes from Madagascar, jewelry from Thailand)—in the process creating economic opportunities for people in less developed parts of the world. She’s recently expanded her offerings to include tableware and a fair-trade coffee shop strewn with batik pillows. 5852 Washington Blvd.; 571-335-4274.
Waste Knot Needlepoint
All of those things that were just lying around your grandmother’s house—typewriters, Mason jars, record players—are cool again, and needlepoint is no exception. (Taylor Swift is reportedly a devotee of the hobby.) There’s no better spot to stock up on supplies than Waste Knot, which carries hand-painted canvases for all occasions and dozens of types of thread. 4502 Lee Hwy.; 703-807-1828.
Wylie Wagg
The staff at the Clarendon outpost of this local chain know the neighborhood pets by name. The shop prides itself on stocking eco-friendly, locally produced goods and sells food, both raw and dry, that a third party has certified as 100 percent humanely produced. 2509 N. Franklin Rd.; 703-875-2007.
—J.S.
This article appears in our January 2016 issue of Washingtonian.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
