A Crystal City hotel is celebrating its completed redesign and a soon-to-come “land and sea”-themed restaurant at the property.
Local leaders and staff at the Westin Crystal City cut the ribbon on the hotel’s overhaul yesterday (Thursday) at 1800 Richmond Hwy. The project redesigned the hotel’s 223 guest rooms, refreshed common areas with new walls, floors and furnishings, and will soon introduce Stillwater & Stone, a new restaurant and bar.
The owner of a longtime gay bar and iconic local business in Crystal City says he’s remaining an “eternal optimist” following one of the restaurant’s toughest financial years yet.
Freddie Lutz, owner and founder of Freddie’s Beach Bar, says the restaurant is still grappling with economic difficulties that drove business down throughout 2025. However, Lutz says he is hopeful as ever as the bar — a hallmark of Arlington’s culinary and cultural fabric — recently celebrated 25 years in business on Restaurant Row at 555 23rd Street S.
Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — May 28, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a sunny day with a high of 78°F. Winds will shift from north to west at 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, the weather will be mostly clear with a low of around 60°F, and southwest winds at 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
– Steve Jobs
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
The new Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shop in Ballston is set to open in two weeks.
The new store is set to open on Thursday, June 11, the company announced today. ARLnow first reported on the new Ballston outpost, located at 4075 Wilson Blvd, in April.
A recent ceremony honored the 95th anniversary of the Clarendon War Memorial, as well as the 40th anniversary of the move to its current location.
The memorial provides “a sacred reminder” of the sacrifice of U.S. military personnel, County Board member Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., said at the annual Memorial Day commemoration, held at the memorial located above the Clarendon Metro station.
Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — May 27, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a sunny day with temperatures reaching up to 79°F. Winds will come from the north at 7 to 11 mph, with gusts up to 21 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 56°F and a north wind blowing at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”
– Muhammad Ali
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — May 26, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, with patchy fog before 11am and a high near 80°F. Winds will be light and become westerly in the afternoon. Rainfall may range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Showers and thunderstorms are likely into the evening, tapering off around 11pm, with patchy fog developing until 1am. The night will be mostly cloudy with a low around 64°F and winds shifting northwest after midnight. There’s a 60% chance of rain, with potential for similar rain accumulation as during the day. See more from Weather.gov.
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
On weekends in the Arlington Forest neighborhood, locals may notice a pink bake stand loaded with fresh bagels, cookies and loaves of sourdough for pickup.
Isabella Fortunato started the stand, Crumb to Mama, about nine months ago from her home kitchen. A self-described “local sourdough dealer,” Fortunato runs the microbakery with Saturday morning pickups from her driveway.
The Costco in Pentagon City is temporarily closing its food court for a couple months of renovations.
The wholesale retailer at 1200 S. Fern Street is planning to overhaul its dining area with updated kitchen equipment and fixtures, resulting in a closure starting today (Tuesday), General Manager John Ward told ARLnow.
Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — May 22, 2026.
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
Expect rain and areas of fog with a high near 61 degrees today and an east wind around 11 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100%, with new rainfall between a quarter and half an inch likely. Rain continues into Saturday night, with a low around 55 degrees and an east wind of 6 to 10 mph. The chance of precipitation remains high at 90%, with similar new rainfall amounts expected. See more from Weather.gov.
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
– Mother Teresa
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum. 👋
After about a year of preparations, a Nashville-inspired burgers-and-fries franchise is seeking to open soon in the Buckingham neighborhood.
Nash & Smashed aims to open next month at 310 N. Glebe Road, serving up hot chicken, sandwiches and smash burgers, Chief Operating Officer Lamaan Malik told ARLnow. The restaurant, which replaces a former Boost Mobile, will have seating for 25 guests and will stay open late throughout the week.
Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — May 21, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect rain before 5 p.m., followed by showers, with a high of around 61°F. East winds will be 9 to 14 mph, with gusts up to 18 mph, and an 80% chance of up to a quarter-inch of precipitation. Friday night will have showers until 11 p.m., then more rain, with a low of about 51°F, east winds at 8 to 13 mph, and a 100% chance of similar rainfall. See more from Weather.gov.
“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.”
– Florence Nightingale
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
