Events

A new multicultural celebration is coming to Columbia Pike this weekend.

International cuisines, live performances and kid-friendly activities are all part of the inaugural Columbia Pike Culture Fest, happening from noon to 6 p.m. this Saturday at the Arlington Mill Community Center (909 S. Dinwiddie Street).


News

A new Arlington Historical Society exhibition looks at the life and legacy of what may have been Arlington’s first Chinese-inspired restaurant.

“The Family Tea House: Where Culture and Cuisine Met in Arlington” delves into the story of Family Tea House, the dishes it offered and the role it played in a brief but important episode in Virginia’s civil rights movement.


News

Arlington County is looking for a new poet.

Applications for the county’s fourth poet laureate — responsible for writing original poems to be presented at public readings and displayed on ART buses — are due by June 2.


Events

BlerDCon, an annual convention celebrating Black fandoms of sci-fi, comics, gaming and more, is happening this weekend in Crystal City.

Named for a portmanteau of “Black” and “nerd,” BlerDCon aims to entertain and create an inclusive environment for fans of “nerdy or geeky things.” Celebrity guest Janelle Monae is expected to join this year’s convention, which includes cosplay meetups, speaker panels, games, anime and more.


Around Town

Ballston’s outdoor “Urban Oasis” cafe has dried up — but its signature red coffee cart hasn’t gone far.

Like flowers after a desert rain, the short-lived Turkish coffee experience by Ballstonian founder Isa Seyran sprang up this summer in a courtyard at 4075 Wilson Blvd.


Events

From dance lessons to storytelling, free activities and events in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month will be held across Arlington starting next week.

The festivities kick off with the county’s third annual Hispanic Heritage Community Festival from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Tyrol Hill Park at 5101 7th Road S. The family-friendly festival will include music, snacks and opportunities to connect with county staff and leaders.


Around Town

An otherwise unassuming courtyard in Ballston has taken on a new life thanks to a Turkish coffee cart and the vision of a local business owner and creative.

Isa Seyran‘s “Ballstonian: Urban Oasis” introduces rich red pillows, intricate Turkish carpets, tables, cushions, stools and a red coffee cart — which has called Ballston home for about a year now — to the courtyard near 4075 Wilson Blvd. The space is located between outdoor seating areas for Poppyseed Rye and the now-closed Rustico.


Around Town

The work of local artists has a new home at The Crossing Clarendon.

The Arlington Artists Alliance opened a 1,000-square-foot boutique gallery this past Thursday, July 18, to showcase the work of professional artists in the area.


Around Town

Korean street food is on the menu at Noonchi, a new eatery in the back of Bun’d Up in Pentagon City.

Asian-American fusion spot Bun’d Up at 1201 S. Joyce Street, in the Westpost shopping center, finished rebranding its back room earlier this year. Noonchi is a departure from Sparrow Room, the former speakeasy and dim sum destination.


Around Town

A small shop in Courthouse Plaza selling authentic Turkish grocery items has been gaining a following since opening in late February.

Avrasya Market, named after the Turkish word for Eurasia, is a 230 square-foot room packed to the brim with all kinds of Turkish goods. The shelves are stocked with spices, canned goods, comfort foods, condiments, beverages, cookies, pastries, chocolates, nuts, Turkish delight and more.


News

Demolition of the old Inner Ear Studios in Green Valley is expected to start this month, after some delays.

This project was delayed after the discovery of unforeseen structural conditions with the adjoining building,” Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services Public Engagement Specialist Alyson Jordan Tomaszewski told ARLnow.


Around Town

Julia Franchi Scarselli announced her return home from high school one day calling out to her mom, or mamma, in a thick Italian accent.

She had just transferred from a class of 50 kids in a small British private school in Milan to the much larger Washington-Lee High School, now Washington-Liberty.


View More Stories