Author: Ryan Cole

Ryan Cole is a reporting fellow at ARLnow and an Arlington native. He’s a 2022 Yorktown High School graduate and a 2026 graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied journalism and covered sports for campus publications.

Around Town

Arlington has one of the best pie shops in the U.S., according to Newsweek

By Ryan Cole
Brick pie shop on a corner with a vertical neon PIE sign, a driveway and a silver SUV parked outside.
Livin' The Pie Life at 2166 North Glebe Road (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

An Arlington pie store known for its buttery, hand-crafted treats is receiving national attention.

Livin’ The Pie Life, known for its flaky crust and loyal community following at 2166 N. Glebe Road, is currently in the running for Newsweek’s “America’s Best Pie” award.

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Around Town

Tiki Thai pushes back Crystal City opening plans to summer 2027

By Ryan Cole
Storefront with large window graphics featuring tropical leaf patterns and 'Retail Space Available' messaging, plus a QR code and brand logos
Empty retail bay to be filled by Tiki Thai at 244 19th Court S. in Crystal City (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Crystal City residents will have to wait a little longer for the neighborhood’s latest Thai restaurant.

Tiki Thai was originally expected to open sometime this summer or fall at 244 19th Court S., on the ground floor of the Reva apartment building. The owner now says that timeline has been pushed back to summer 2027.

Go to Tiki Thai pushes back Crystal City opening plans to summer 2027 Read more
Events

Summer-themed block party with live music coming to Clarendon this weekend

By Ryan Cole
Clarendon Ballroom, located at 3185 Wilson Blvd (staff photo by Jared Serre)

A free block party with food, discount beer and live music is taking over a portion of Clarendon this weekend.

Clarendon Ballroom is hosting a “Summer Jam Session” from 2-9:30 p.m. on Saturday — featuring pop, country and rock hits on an outdoor stage, plus yard games like cornhole and giant Jenga in a festive atmosphere.

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Around Town

Nepali coffee truck sets up shop at Langston Blvd gas station

By Ryan Cole
Smiling man waves from a dark food truck with an open service window and colorful prayer flag banners overhead.
Coffee Libations truck in Liberty Gas Station lot at 4019 Langston Blvd (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

A new coffee truck serving cafe classics and Nepali specialties has opened outside a gas station in Cherrydale.

Located at 4019 Langston Blvd, Coffee Libations has been open for about a month. Owner Anshu Bhusal, a long-time coffee shop employee, told ARLnow he’d been looking for an opportunity to bring customers both authentic Nepali recipes and brews of his own creation.

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Around Town

New cafe from For Five Roasters opens inside Virginia Square bistro

By Ryan Cole
Smiling bakery staff behind a curved marble counter with a glass display case full of croissants and pastries in a sunny cafe window setting outside city streets.
For Five Cafe at The Angie in Virginia Square (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

A new spot for coffee and baked goods has opened up inside an upscale bistro in Virginia Square.

For Five Cafe, a concept from the same team behind For Five Coffee Roasters, has opened at the front of The Angie (3901 Fairfax Drive), serving classic coffee options like espresso and macchiato along with freshly baked croissants, biscuits, cookies and muffins.

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Around Town

Local musical comedy duo appears on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ after viral video

By Ryan Cole
Host on the right claps while facing a large screen showing two smiling women waving, in a colorful TV studio living room setup.
Musical comedy duo, Griefcat, on The Kelly Clarkson Show (courtesy of Louisa Hall)

A musical comedy duo featuring an Arlington native appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” last week to talk about a viral music video.

Yorktown High School graduate Annie Nardolilli and Alexandria native Louisa Hall have been recording lighthearted hits under the name Griefcat since 2019. Appearing on television last Monday afternoon, they discussed their song “I Already Took Off My Bra,” which came out last year and has over 50 million views across platforms.

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Around Town

Ayers Hardware closes in Westover with fond farewells from longtime customers

By Ryan Cole
Storefront of Ayers Variety & Hardware with blue awning and a large sign, and a two-hour parking sign nearby.
Ayers Variety & Hardware after closing at 5853 Washington Blvd (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

Ayers Variety & Hardware officially closed its doors yesterday (Sunday), but not before customers gave a fond sendoff to the 78-year-old Westover hardware store.

The store was busy with shoppers yesterday morning, making final purchases at the business that has stood in The Westover Shopping Center since 1948. Two posters with notes and signatures from customers were still hanging in the windows this morning.

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Around Town

Five Guys in Courthouse closes for renovations, plans to reopen next month

By Ryan Cole
Exterior of a Five Guys restaurant with red canopies and large windows along a sidewalk.
The Five Guys at 2300 Wilson Blvd, currently undergoing a remodel (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

The Five Guys in Courthouse has temporarily closed for a revamp of its interior.

The burger spot at 2300 Wilson Blvd closed on July 6 and is expected to reopen in August, a company spokesperson told ARLnow. No further information was available on the specific renovations, but permit applications mention “interior alterations.”

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Events

Meet-and-greet with TikTok-famous toucan coming to Pentagon City ice cream shop

By Ryan Cole
Tropical bird with a bright yellow chest and large curved beak perched on a weathered wooden railing beside a clear plastic plate of sprinkled donuts outdoors.
Chester the toucan at Mimi's Handmade Ice Cream in Pentagon City (courtesy of Maria Stagliano)

A Pentagon City ice cream shop is hosting a meet-and-greet this weekend with a local, internet-famous toucan.

Chester, a 9-year-old toucan with nearly 850,000 followers on TikTok, will be posing for photos at Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream (1201 S. Joyce Street) from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday.

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Around Town

New event venue opens at former rooftop restaurant space in Courthouse

By Ryan Cole
Rooftop patio with wooden tables and metal chairs under string lights, overlooking a city skyline on a sunny day.
Rooftop Terrace at The Willow in Courthouse (staff photo by Ryan Cole)

A private event venue with rooftop views is preparing to open at a longtime restaurant and bar space in Courthouse.

The Willow opened earlier this month at 2424 Wilson Blvd, in the former home of Rooftop Recess and, before that, Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill. The space is pivoting to host all kinds of private events — from corporate events and weddings to wine and food tastings.

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Around Town

ACFD welcomes new dog deputy to help investigate fires

By Ryan Cole
Arlington County Fire Department canine, Joker (via Arlington Fire & EMS/X)

The Arlington County Fire Department is welcoming a new dog deputy, and he’s not joking around.

Joker, a male yellow Labrador retriever, is in training to help detect “fire accelerants” at the scene of a fire, ACFD spokesman Capt. Jamie Jill told ARLnow. The dog will be capable of smelling explosives as well as post-blast residue.

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News

Students question planned rollout of phone pouches across APS high schools this year

By Ryan Cole
An iPhone 11 XR (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Some students are questioning the logistics of Arlington Public Schools’ plan to roll out locked phone pouches in all of its high schools this school year.

When APS high schoolers go back to school, they’ll be required to lock their phones away in a magnetically sealed pouch for the entirety of the school day. The intended purpose is to combat negative impacts of phones on learning and social-emotional health.

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