Around Town

An award-winning Thai restaurant from Reston is laying the groundwork for a new location in Crystal City.

Tiki Thai has signed a lease on the ground floor of Reva at 244 19th Court S. and plans to fill one of the apartment’s empty retail bays within a year, owner and chef Porntipa Pattanamekar told ARLnow.


Opinion

Whether it’s a morning coffee run or an afternoon pick-me-up, Arlington’s coffee shops are ready to make your specialty iced latte, cold brew or hot cup of joe.

Here are the nominees for “Best Coffee Shop in Arlington” as part of our ARLnow Readers’ Choice awards.

Did we miss your favorite cafe? Write them in!

Voting will close in two weeks.

Voting for the Best Mortgage Lender in Arlington is still taking place. Be sure to cast your vote before voting closes next Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Two weeks ago, we voted on the Best Japanese Restaurant in Arlington. The results are now official:

  1. Yume Sushi
  2. Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ 
  3. Boru Ramen & Sushi 

Sponsored

Address: 1600 N Oak Street #1410
Neighborhood: Rosslyn
Type: 3 BR, 3 BA condo – 2060 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,375,000

Noteworthy: The Belvedere’s largest 3-bedroom floor plan with direct Monument views

Wake up to Washington’s most iconic landmarks. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase sensational views of the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the Potomac River.

Spanning more than 2,060 square feet with three bedrooms and three full bathrooms, this residence features the largest floor plan at The Belvedere and one of the community’s most sought-after layouts.

Designed for comfortable living and effortless entertaining, the floor plan includes a formal dining area, two living spaces, and an expansive double sunroom that captures the views. The spacious kitchen opens directly to the sunroom and offers abundant cabinet storage and a pantry.

The primary suite features a walk-in closet, custom built-ins, and an en-suite bathroom. On the opposite side of the residence, a secondary bedroom with its own full bath lives much like a second primary suite, providing privacy for guests. A third bedroom and full bath offer flexibility for a home office, fitness room, or guests.

Unobstructed monument views from a three-bedroom residence are exceptionally rare. Combined with its square footage, layout, and iconic Washington backdrop, this is a home that rarely becomes available.

The Belvedere is a full-service building with an extensive amenity package including a large outdoor pool, gym, tennis/pickleball courts, 24-hour front desk, party room, convenience store, and more. Located just a short walk to the Rosslyn Metro, Target, Starbucks, and Safeway, and minutes to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Washington, D.C., the location offers unbeatable convenience.

Listed by:
Matt Leighton – The Battle Group with Real Broker
[email protected]
(703) 472-0574


Events

A grave conversation is coming to Courthouse Library next week.

A sold-out “Death Cafe,” seeking to “increase awareness of death” and put society’s stigmas about it to rest, will involve a free two-hour group discussion over tea and cake next Tuesday. Volunteer and Courthouse resident Stephanie Dillemuth hopes to help attendees “make the most of their finite lives.”


Sports

There may be no trophy awarded to the winner of the unofficial Arlington County high-school football championship, contested each year between the jurisdiction’s three public-school teams.

But the Wakefield Warriors, Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots compete hard for bragging rights each fall.


Event

Bring the whole family to Arlington Mill for an evening of laughs, basketball, and underdog determination with Goat.

This animated family comedy follows a determined young goat chasing his dream of becoming a professional basketball star. Before the movie, kids can enjoy face painting and family-friendly activities, making this one of our most kid-focused events of the summer.


News
Chipmunk at a bird feeder in Westover (courtesy Clarita Mrena)

Latest on the Shutdown — “Senior federal officials have quietly counseled several agencies against firing employees while the government is shut down — as President Donald Trump has suggested he will — warning the strategy may violate appropriations law, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.” [Washington Post, Virginia Mercury, WJLA]

Disruptions from Pike Project — “Three years of roadwork along Columbia Pike in Arlington has shifted to a new phase. Local business owners aren’t happy.” [NBC 4]

Expect Loud Booms Today — From AlertDC: “October 3, at 12PM, a total of 11 (LOUD) rounds will be fired as part of a gun salute being conducted at the Washington Navy Yard.”

Coffey to Serve as Acting Board Chair — County Board members on Thursday tapped Maureen Coffey to serve as acting Board chair from noon on Oct. 3 to noon on Oct. 12, when Board Chair Takis Karantonis will be in Germany at an Arlington Sister City Association program, and Vice Chair Matt de Ferranti is on paternity leave. Though no official actions are expected during the period, “a lot can happen in one week,” Karantonis acknowledged in the runup to the 4-0 vote. –Scott McCaffrey

Video of Carjacking — “Some distant video of Tuesday morning’s carjacking in Crystal City. It happened as a man walked across S. Eads Street to his Lincoln MKZ parked in front of Kabob Palace around 2:30 a.m. @ArlingtonVaPD reports he was approached by two men with knives who knocked him down and stole his cell phone and keys and then drove off with the car.” [Dave Statter/X]

Local GOP Fundraising Record — “And finally — the metric I usually share with you (but not the only measurement of success) — $22,722.62 raised in the 3rd Quarter, $5,629.96 more than our previous quarterly fundraising record of $17,092.66 in the 3rd Quarter of 2023.” [Arlington GOP]

Fairfax Supports Arlington, F.C. Projects — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to support Arlington’s request for Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funding for multimodal projects on S. George Mason Drive, as well as Falls Church’s funding request for construction of a shared-use path on Haycock Road. Decisions on whether to fund the projects will come next summer. –Scott McCaffrey

Youngkin Transgender Order — “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive directive to ‘prevent biological males from participating in organized female-only athletic teams and competitions in Virginia” and “prevent biological males from using designated female spaces where females are likely to be in a state of undress.'” [Nick Minock/X, Washington Post]

D.C. Recession Predicted — “D.C.’s top financial official predicts a “moderate recession” (escalated from a “mild” one) through the next 12 months, with more anticipated job losses than once thought… Over the next five years, 40,000 federal jobs are expected to evaporate in D.C., coinciding with lagging private sector job growth, per Lee’s office.” [Axios]

It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 72°F, as calm winds shift southward at around 5 mph in the afternoon. The night will remain mostly clear, with a low temperature around 52°F. [NWS]


Around Town

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Oct 2, 2025.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

☀️ Friday’s forecast

Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 72°F, as calm winds shift southward at around 5 mph in the afternoon. The night will remain mostly clear, with a low temperature around 52°F and light south winds. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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.


News

As the government shutdown brings a major portion of Northern Virginia’s economy to a halt, the commonwealth’s senators are doubling down on demands to strike a deal.

After months of upheaval, thousands of Arlington’s federal workers are facing renewed uncertainty as the shutdown that began yesterday (Wednesday) forces several agencies with local headquarters to furlough employees — all while the Office of Management and Budget is threatening another round of mass firings.


News

Joblessness in Arlington County is up 38% year-over-year in new state data, and local officials are warning that federal layoffs will likely bring further increases.

A total of 5,413 Arlington residents were recorded as seeking jobs in August, according to data released yesterday (Wednesday) by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. That’s compared to 3,932 unemployed residents in August 2024.


Around Town

The first weekend of October will bring seasonal festivals, outdoor activities and celebrations of a new Taylor Swift album in Arlington and Falls Church.

But first, federal workers and contractors affected by the government shutdown can take some solace in discounts and deals at several local businesses.