With springtime in the air in Arlington, many local farmers markets are coming back to life.
Vendors selling seasonal fruits and veggies and other local goods will return to several neighborhoods in the coming weeks following a yearly winter hiatus.
This season, the county will be home to nine official farmers markets — one more than this time last year because of the arrival of Met Park Market near Amazon HQ2 last June.
Four markets have recently reopened or are coming back this month.
- Met Park on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Ballston on Thursdays from 3-7 p.m. starting April 4
- Cherrydale on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon, starting April 20
- Lubber Run on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon, starting April 20
Two markets are also opening next month.
- Rosslyn on Wednesdays from 3-7 p.m., starting May 1
- Fairlington on Sundays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., starting May 7
Another three markets are open year round and expanding offerings during the warmer weather months.
- Arlington (in Courthouse) on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon, which is expanding with the start of its main season on April 6
- Columbia Pike (in Douglas Park) on Sundays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Westover, currently open on Sundays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., will shift to an 8 a.m.-noon. schedule starting in May
As of this week, D.C.-area farmers markets are abundant in spring produce such as spinach, bok choy, cabbage and broccoli. Vegetables including asparagus, green garlic and ramps are currently on their way in.
The Ballston market, meanwhile, is expanding with new vendors this year and starting its monthly “Mega Markets” — with live music and a beer and wine garden — starting in May.
More, below, from a press release.
The Ballston Business Improvement District (BID) is expanding its weekday Farmers Market this season, adding new vendors and releasing a line-up of local musicians slated to perform at monthly Mega Markets. The ultra-popular Farmers Market, presented by FRESHFARM and in partnership with Piedmont Office Realty Trust, takes place each Thursday from April through November from 3-7 p.m. in shady, tree-filled Welburn Square near the Ballston Metro.
“We are absolutely elated to kick off our 12th season of offering the Ballston community locally grown, sustainable goods right here in Ballston,” stated Tina Leone, CEO, Ballston BID. “Our Farmers Market is one of our most successful programs and is unique in its timing and location. Weekday markets in a metro-accessible park from 3-7pm allows both office workers and residents to shop with and support local farmers. We are excited to welcome back some of our most popular vendors while adding even more to the mix for market-goers to enjoy.”
Beginning May 2, Mega Markets, sponsored by VIDA Fitness will be held on the first Thursday of each month. Mega Markets feature the same great produce and vendors with the addition of live music from local musicians and a Beer & Wine Garden. Drink tickets for the Beer & Wine Garden are distributed by vendors to market-goers meeting a minimum $10 spend, and are also available for purchase in the Garden. For the first time ever, the final market of this season on November 21 will also be a Mega Market. This year’s live music line-up includes:
- May 2: Josh Sowder Duo
- June 6: Rook Richards
- July 11: Joe Downer
- Aug 1: Bruno Sound
- Sept 5: Jerry Irwin
- Oct 3: Knox Engler
- Nov 7: Nick Tierra
- Nov 21: Matt Davis
Welburn Square is located across the street from the Ballston Metro stop and is easily accessible by foot, car and public transportation. This market is a natural gathering place for the workers and residents of Ballston, as well as visitors and commuters. Farmers Market offerings include conventional and certified organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats and pasture-raised eggs, organic milk, yogurt, ice cream, sweet and savory baked goods, Virginia-made wines, cold-pressed juices, handmade soaps and lotions, wood-fired pizza, hot-pressed sandwiches and more.
The Pentagon City mall has something new on display — and it isn’t clothing.
More than 50 pieces of art, from paintings to drawings and sculptures to mixed media, from 35 members of the Arlington Artists Alliance, are encased behind glass inside the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
“We are excited and grateful for this opportunity to showcase our member artists,” said Christina Papanicolaou, the alliance’s executive director, in a press release. “This exposure will introduce local artists to new patrons while providing community members the opportunity to experience professional art as they shop and dine.”
Shoppers can peruse the display on the lower level near the Nordstrom entrance until April 30 and even take a piece home. The art is for sale, starting at $100 for ceramics and $200 for paintings and drawings.
The nonprofit alliance supports and promotes local artists by displaying art by members inside businesses, churches, county offices and other public places. People can also peruse their work at the nonprofit’s full-time gallery, Gallery Underground, in the Crystal City Shops.
Be the envy of your company holiday party, Dec. 23 trip to the local bar or Christmas morning with your in-laws.
Today the ARLnow Shop is rolling out the official Gondola Ugly Holiday Sweater (Sweatshirt).
This new design is a true Arlington original, with the Air Force Memorial, Marine Corps War Memorial, Rosslyn skyline and, yes, a pair of gondolas.
Order between now and Monday to ensure delivery by Christmas.
(Updated at 12/5/23) Two Arlington high schools are gearing up to host holiday markets over the next two weekends.
This Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Washington-Liberty High School will hold its 63rd annual “Holiday Bazaar.”
The following Saturday, Dec. 9, Wakefield High School is also set to host its annual “Winter Bazaar” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Both events will showcase local vendors offering handcrafted goods such as jewelry, ceramics, clothing and holiday decorations, as well as festive food and drinks. Admission and parking are free for both markets.
At the Washington-Liberty holiday market, high school clubs and teams will also sell various items to raise money, according to an event webpage. While vendors accept several payment methods, the student organizations generally only take cash.
Photo via Washington-Liberty High School/Facebook
It’s been a banner year so far for online holiday shopping.
Fresh records for online shopping were set on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There’s some question, however, as to whether the online holiday shopping growth — in total up 7.8% from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, according to Adobe — is a good sign or bad sign for brick-and-mortar merchants.
From Axios:
E-commerce sales don’t tell the whole story.
The segment makes up less than 16% of U.S. retail sales.
The National Retail Federation separately reported on Tuesday that more than 200 million people shopped online and in-person during the five day period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — exceeding last year’s record number of 196 million. […]
Thanksgiving fell early this year, which may have boosted numbers. Same goes for “favorable” weather, according to NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay.
On the other hand, overall traffic to in-person retail locations was down slightly. From Reuters:
Online shoppers rose 3.1% to 134.2 million during the Thanksgiving weekend, making up for a slight dip in the number of customers who visited brick-and-mortar stores. The period saw about 121.4 million in-store shoppers, down from 122.7 million in 2022, according to the retail body.
Today we’re wondering how these numbers translate locally. Are Arlingtonians shifting more of their holiday spending online? Or are they still supporting local shops?
We have two polls, below, to try to gauge the state of local retail.
Arlington residents can win gift certificates and other prizes by supporting local businesses this weekend.
One More Page Books, at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street in East Falls Church, is again spearheading a “Small Business Saturday” event for homegrown local retailers and restaurants this coming Saturday, Nov. 25.
“A group of Arlington and Falls Church businesses will once again participate in a ‘Passport’ program designed to help area shoppers discover unique shops and restaurants, keep their shopping dollars local and be eligible to win prizes,” One More Page Books said in a press release.
Small Business Saturday, created by American Express in 2010, is a national event that encourages shopping at local businesses during one of the busiest retail weekends of the year. It comes a day after the traditional post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza, Black Friday.
Participants can obtain a passport at any of the 15 participating businesses in Falls Church and in Arlington’s East Falls Church, Highland Park, Bluemont, Williamsburg and Westover neighborhoods. To be eligible for one of three “Grand Prize Baskets,” including goods and gift certificates, customers must collect stamps from at least five participating businesses on Saturday.
After collecting a minimum of five stamps, participants can submit their Passports at One More Page Books or the last business they visit that day.
The prize winners will be selected through a random drawing of all completed passports on Wednesday, Nov 29, at 3 p.m. at One More Page Books. The community is invited to witness the raffle.
A list and a map of the participating businesses are below.
- Audacious Aleworks
- Ayers Variety & Hardware
- Blossom & Buds
- Botanologica
- Cafe Kindred
- Covet
- Doodlehopper 4 Kids
- Lemon Lane Consignment
- One More Page Books & More
- Preservation Biscuit Company
- Rare Bird Coffee Roasters
- TINT – A Modern Makerspace
- Trade Roots
- Two the Moon
- Urban Farmhouse
(Updated at 9:45 a.m.) Amazon’s Prime Day begins today (Tuesday), meaning once-a-year deals on thousands of products for Prime members.
It can also be an excuse to throw in some merch that signals your Arlington pride, too.
With the debut of the first phase of the tech company’s HQ2 in Pentagon City, residents can rely on their new neighbor to deliver ARLnow apparel and Arlington-themed books, posters and more directly to their doors.
ARLnow sells t-shirts, tank tops, long-sleeve shirts, tote bags and other apparel we designed for you to wear your gondola fandom on your sleeves. (The best seller, of course, is the iconic Gondola Now shirt.)
Customers can go back to Amazon’s roots and buy books highlighting the history of Arlington and notable landmarks in the county are available.
There are also a number of books written by Arlington-based authors on the platform: an award-winning novel, a children’s book that explains the significance behind renaming Langston Blvd, mysteries based on county locations and one local man’s memoir waiting tables in D.C.
Those in need of décor for their home, or a housewarming gift for a friend, can buy everything from pillows to mugs, pictures and posters can be found by searching “Arlington VA.”
Deals on items for Prime Day will be offered next week, however, many of the major deals are already available.
- Up to 60% off Amazon devices, including TVs, smart doorbells, smart home devices and security devices.
- Up to 41% off of kitchen essentials from participating brands.
- Up to 50% off select children’s books.
- Up to 31% off COSORI air fryers and toaster ovens.
Amazon is also offering a Try Before You Buy program where Prime members can try as many as six clothing items for seven days before officially purchasing them. UGG, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Levi’s are just some of the brands available through the program. Any items not wanted during the seven day trial period can be returned for free.
Beyond Prime Day, county residents can visit Amazon’s recently-opened HQ2, which offers shops, restaurants, other businesses and a nearby park with free events for the public to enjoy. Phase two of Amazon’s HQ2 was approved by the Arlington County Board in 2022 and is set to feature the distinctive helix tower — but it has since been delayed. There is some indication, however, that work on it could start next year.
Prime Day continues tomorrow, as well.
Arlingtonians have one more week to enjoy guaranteed same-day delivery services from Walgreens.
Through next Friday, customers of the pharmacy giant can order some 27,000 items online — from sunscreen to plastic cups — to have delivered to their door in under one hour. It’s part of a pilot program focused on our region.
“The offer, which is running exclusively across the Greater Washington region, guarantees customers will have items delivered to their door within the hour,” per a press release, which noted alcohol and prescriptions are excluded from this offer.
There are five participating locations in Arlington:
- 3130 Langston Blvd
- 1301 S. Joyce Street
- 5841 Washington Blvd
- 4720-B Langston Blvd
- 2820 Columbia Pike
People who request one-hour delivery will be charged a fee that is calculated by the products ordered and the distance between the delivery location and the store from which they ordered. The delivery time is guaranteed, in a way that’s not dissimilar from those of that offered by pizza chains in the past.
“Walgreens is so confident in its delivery capabilities that it’s willing to guarantee it’ll be there in an hour — and if not, the company will give you your order and additional credit,” the release said.
Those who get late orders can receive $10 in Walgreens cash rewards, but only if they have an account with the company’s free rewards program.
As for what happens after the pilot ends on Friday, the release said Walgreens “has not announced plans to extend or expand the test.”
The company does offer pickup service in as little as 30 minutes after ordering.
A Barbie truck — yes, as in the plastic doll — will be rolling through Pentagon City next month.
On Saturday, May 7, the “Barbie Truck Totally Throwback Malibu Tour” is planning on setting up shop at Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) in the courtyard near DSW shoe store. The truck will be selling “retro-inspired” Barbie merchandise — like Barbie logo embroidered denim jackets and Malibu Barbie necklaces — from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Merchandise prices range from $12 to $75.
The vibe is apparently “70s beach,” according to the press release.
The truck’s stop in Arlington is part of its “U.S. tour to celebrate the 50th Anniversary and iconic heritage of the original California girl, Malibu Barbie.” The tour started in Los Angeles back in 2019.
The Malibu Barbie’s 50th anniversary actually was last year, since it debuted in 1971. The original Barbie made its first appearance on toy shelves in 1959.
In recent years, Barbie dolls have been met with some criticism for encouraging materialism and promoting unrealistic body proportions. In 2016, Mattel, the company behind Barbie, introduced several different, more realistic body types for the line.
Pentagon City isn’t the only local stop that the Barbie Truck is making. This Saturday, April 16, the Malibu Barbie tour is hitting the sands of Tysons Corner Center. It will be in Bethesda on Saturday, April 30, and in Columbia, Maryland on Saturday, May 14.
(Updated at noon) A fire broke out Tuesday night at the Pentagon Centre shopping center, next to the Pentagon City Metro station.
The fire broke out shortly before 11 p.m. Early video, below, appears to show the fire in an HVAC unit above the Chevy’s Mexican restaurant.
The restaurant was filled with smoke, according to scanner traffic, though the fire appeared to be mostly confined to the roof area. Thick smoke could be seen rising from the shopping center at 1201 S. Hayes Street from a distance.
By midnight, after an extended effort to extinguish the last of the flames, the fire was reported to be out, but by morning it flared back up and prompted another large fire department response and road closures.
More via social media:
— verycaroline (@verycaroline) January 26, 2022
Units are operating at a structure fire in the 1200 BLK of S. Hayes St. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/WoAySvmXCB
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) January 26, 2022
It’s back. pic.twitter.com/aLvLHE55fH
— verycaroline (@verycaroline) January 26, 2022
Video (top) courtesy anonymous
Dorsey’s Bankruptcy Case Dismissed — “Arlington County Board member Christian Dorsey, whose ethical and financial difficulties have tangled him in a web of false statements over the past year, fraudulently misrepresented his assets while filing for bankruptcy, a federal court ruled Friday… It was ‘an act of overt misrepresentation,’ [bankruptcy trustee] Thomas P. Gorman told the court at a hearing on Thursday, and ‘misconduct . . . so over the line’ that punishment was warranted.” [Washington Post]
Holiday Shopping Safety Tips — “ACPD wants you to have a happy and safe holiday season. While many are choosing to shop online this year, those shopping in-store are encouraged to be mindful of these safety tips.” [Twitter]
Event for Military Families Today — “An annual Winter Wonderland for Military Families hosted by a former NFL player and his wife will look very different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Derrick Dockery and his wife Emma will hold a drive-thru version of the event that provides toys and holiday cheer to military kids and families on Dec. 7 at a parking lot in Arlington, Virginia through their nonprofit, Yellow Ribbons United.” [Radio.com]
Santa Visit Still on This Weekend — “Santa Claus has paid a visit to the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department every year for over a century and he’s not going let the coronavirus pandemic force him to break that streak. In the interest of public safety, the jolly old elf will be meeting children outside this year in the parking lot of Cherrydale Baptist Church, which is located at 3910 Lorcom Lane.” [Patch]
More on CaBi Station at DCA — “Arlington County, Virginia, has installed a Capital Bikeshare station at Reagan National Airport, making it the first major metropolitan airport in the U.S. with a dock-based shared bike program. It is the 99th Capital Bikeshare dock installed in Arlington County.” [WTOP]
Gunston Coordinator Honored — “Shantha Smith, an education coordinator at Gunston Middle School, has been named a recipient of the 2020 Mary Peake Award for Excellence in Education by the state government. Awards were presented Dec. 3 in Richmond, and were named after a pioneering African-American educator.” [InsideNova]