A bit of Christmas magic is coming to Pentagon City beginning next week as photos with Santa return to the neighborhood’s mall.
Saint Nick arrives on Friday, Nov. 14 and will stay through Christmas Eve on Dec. 24. He’ll be near Nordstrom on the first level of the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
A Reddit thread has locals debating whether (and why) people in our area appear noticeably more fit than those in other parts of the country.
From a user in the Northern Virginia subreddit, in a thread titled “Why is everyone here so thin/fit?”:
Did anyone here come from deeper south and realize the disparity in the size of the average person? I looked it up and at the city level, Arlington VA was names the fittest city in the USA for eight consecutive years and DC is always second place. Now I understand places like Colorado being fit because of the mountain hiking and outdoorsy culture but this is a congested urban area with chronically busy people and career hustle culture. We also have a lot of restaurants and bars and people go out frequently, and if I’m not mistaken there are some parts of this area (DC especially) that are high poverty “food deserts” which are actually typically associated with a higher obesity rate. Does it really just come down to walkability? What’s different about here?
That original post from last week sparked what is now a nearly 400-post-long discussion. Redditors pointed to several factors that might explain why folks here are fitter than elsewhere, including:
What we’re wondering in today’s poll, however, is not what’s causing this phenomenon — but whether you’ve noticed it specifically in Arlington.
Are Arlingtonians actually fitter than people in most other parts of the country, based on your observations?
When Maripili O’Connell launched Sun & Honey Grazing in spring 2026, she set out to do more than create beautiful charcuterie boards. Her goal was to make it easier for people to gather, celebrate and connect.
Based in Arlington, Sun & Honey Grazing creates custom charcuterie boards and grazing tables for events ranging from intimate family gatherings to corporate celebrations. Using fresh, thoughtfully selected ingredients, O’Connell handles the shopping, preparation and presentation, allowing hosts to focus on spending time with their guests.
“I really just want to help people gather more often by taking one more thing off their plate,” O’Connell said.
Although she officially launched the business this year, O’Connell began testing the concept during the 2025 holiday season. After spending her career in the corporate world, she turned to Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch program for guidance on navigating entrepreneurship.
“From the first day I walked into BizLaunch with just an idea, they supported me every step of the way,” she said.
Through BizLaunch, O’Connell connected with mentors, educational programs and organizations including the Latino Economic Development Center and SCORE. The experience helped her understand everything from licensing and business planning to marketing and networking.
One lesson, shared by a mentor through LEDC, continues to guide her approach today: Don’t wait for perfection.
“You can’t sell a product you haven’t tested,” she recalled. That advice encouraged her to launch, gather feedback and refine her offerings based on what customers wanted.
For O’Connell, the most memorable moments often have little to do with food itself. One customer in Colombia contacted her to send a sympathy board to a cousin in Maryland after the loss of a loved one. When the recipient shared how much comfort the gesture provided, O’Connell was reminded of the deeper purpose behind her work.
“Sometimes a charcuterie board becomes a way to say, ‘I’m thinking of you,’ ‘I love you,’ or ‘I’m here for you,” she said.
As an Arlington resident, O’Connell says the community was the natural place to build her business. Her neighbors became some of her first customers, helping spread the word and providing encouragement along the way.
Looking ahead, she hopes Sun & Honey Grazing becomes a trusted part of life’s milestones, from baby showers and quinceañeras to milestone birthdays and company celebrations. She is also expanding beyond catering through community-focused events, including a Paint, Sip & Graze experience this fall and upcoming charcuterie workshops.
“Creating beautiful boards is something I enjoy,” O’Connell said. “But what excites me most is creating opportunities for people to gather.”
For more information about Sun & Honey Grazing visit: www.sunandhoneygrazing.com or their Instagram page at @sunandhoneygrazing. For more information about BizLaunch visit www.bizlaunch.org and sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on small business resources in Arlington.
As fall foliage piles up in yards and streets around Arlington, the county’s annual leaf collection program begins next week.
Leaf vacuums will suck up fallen leaves in 19 neighborhoods beginning on Monday, Nov. 10. The first pass will continue every weekday through Nov. 28, only taking a day off for Thanksgiving.
Wine & Food Tasting Event at Arrowine, Saturday, August 15, 1- 4 p.m.
Summer adventures are calling — whether you’re packing up for the Beach, escaping to the Shenandoah Mountains, planning a picnic, or heading out for a romantic night of music at Wolf Trap. And if you want those moments to be stress‑free, delicious, and perfectly paired, we’ve got just the tasting for you.
Beyer Touts Dem Win — “‘This is day one, when we take back our country from a dictatorship,’ U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) told the crowd. ‘This is the first step to taking back the House in 2026 … In the meantime, we have a powerful governor, lieutenant governor [and] attorney general, that will once again make Virginia the shining star in our wonderful country.'” [ALXnow, Rep. Don Beyer/X]
Beyer Statement on Tariffs — “The Supreme Court has a duty to uphold the law, limit the damage of the President’s nonsensical global trade war, and roll back this unprecedented and illegal power grab. The economic stagnation, job losses, business closures, and higher prices stemming from Trump’s taxes must end. New Dems urge the Supreme Court to take decisive action to block this lawless campaign and restore order to the balance of powers and the American economy.” [Press Release]
Warner Proposing AI Bill — “Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) announced they will introduce the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act. This legislation would require major companies and federal agencies to report AI related layoffs to the Department of Labor to be compiled into a publicly available report.” [Press Release]
New Legal Notice — Retail restaurant/caterer applying for ABC on/off-premises alcohol license. [Public Notices]
Regional Drought Continues — “Rainfall in October was below normal, the fourth such month in a row, and November doesn’t look much different. Drought continues to expand and intensify across the D.C. area, and the forecast for this month offers little prospect for improvement. We’re expecting a relatively dry pattern to persist, with temperatures near or slightly above normal as the region transitions toward winter.” [CWG]
It’s Thursday — Expect sunny skies and a high of around 57 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 8 to 11 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. As for Thursday night, the weather will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to a low of about 38 degrees, with a light and variable wind. [NWS]
*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. :)
Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Not everyone who voted in Northern Virginia in Tuesday’s election has felt the impact of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government, but even many who haven’t said they have colleagues or neighbors who are dealing with the consequences.
“I’ve seen so many federal families lose their jobs, lose their income, lose their certainty here,” said Karina Valdez, who voted at the Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center in Arlington.
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 — Nov 5, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect sunny skies and a high of around 57 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 8 to 11 mph and gusts reaching up to 22 mph. As for Thursday night, the weather will be mostly clear and the temperature will drop to a low of about 38 degrees, with a light and variable wind. See more from Weather.gov.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
– Nelson Mandela
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.
Two dogs are safely back with their owners after being rescued from an apartment fire Wednesday night.
The blaze broke out around 6 p.m. in an apartment on the 2300 block of 11th Street N., in the Courthouse area. The fire was out by 6:20 p.m., according to the Arlington County Fire Department, but not before drawing a large emergency response.
Two girls fall teams at Yorktown High School enjoyed success in recent Liberty District tournaments, with each recording upsets along the way.
The second-seeded Patriots’ field hockey squad won the district title for a fifth straight time, with the third-seed volleyball unit finishing second in its tournament.
The starting salary for officers at the Arlington County Police Department is jumping to about $90,000, the highest in the D.C. area.
The pay bump, which goes into effect on July 1, 2026, represents a roughly $18,000 increase from the current starting salary of $72,013.50 for new officers, ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage told ARLnow.
