(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.

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:

pic.twitter.com/0lyf0UHpj9

— 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]

At this point, your inbox is probably flooded with Cyber Monday deals from stores you haven’t ordered from in at least three years — 30% off here, 50% off there.

But instead of getting distracted by the *best* and *lowest* prices from these national chains, we want to highlight a few local businesses that we love, and happen to be current advertisers or partners.

You can shop these businesses online today and throughout the entire holiday season.

• Arrowine: Place an online order for wine, beer, charcuterie and/or cheese to pick up at Arrowine.
• HUNGRY: Schedule a Virtual Xperience for your family, friends or co-workers and spend time together cooking up a meal, mixing cocktails or decorating cookies.
• GRUMP at Home: Shop more than 25 arts and crafts vendors at this local online holiday market.
• VIDA Fitness: Commit to a year at VIDA Fitness today and pay no dues until January 2021, or get 50% off virtual and outdoor classes for the next three months.
• RSVP Catering: Get your holiday meals delivered straight to your door.
• Delhi Dhaba: Take 15 percent off your entire takeout order today as Delhi Dhaba wraps up its Diwali celebrations.
• Pacers Running: Get $20 to spend in store or online between December 26 and March 31 when you purchase a $125 gift card by December 4.

Know of other deals at local businesses? Let us know in the comments.

Even if none of the above have what you’re looking for, we hope you’ll consider shopping local over the next few weeks.

The Arlington County Police Department’s annual holiday toy drive returns tonight, and after a tough year.

The sixth annual Fill The Cruiser toy drive will help make the holiday season merry for vulnerable kids, police say. New health protocols, including contactless drop-offs, are intended to make sure the event can continue safely as coronavirus cases rise.

“This year, with families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for donations may be greater than ever and your generosity helps ensure the holidays are bright for some of our most vulnerable community members — children in need,” notes an ACPD release.

The fundraiser begins tonight (Nov. 20) at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center from 6 to 8 p.m. Three additional events will be held over the next couple of weeks.

According to ACPD:

Officers will collect new, unwrapped toys for children ages newborn to 17 at the following locations:

• Friday, November 20, 2020, from 6 to 8 p.m. — Lee Harrison Shopping Center — 2425 N. Harrison Street
• Monday, November 23, 2020, from 5 to 7 p.m. — Ballston Quarter — 4238 Wilson Boulevard — A cruiser will be located between Ted’s Bulletin and True Food Kitchen
• Tuesday December 1, 2020, from 5 to 7 p.m. — Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church — 830 23rd Street S.
• Wednesday, December 2, 2020, from 5 to 7 p.m. — Arlington Assembly of God — 4501 N. Pershing Drive

Upon arrival, participants should stay in their vehicle until they reach the unloading areas, where officers will be on hand to remove donations from their vehicle. A separate area will be available for those arriving by bike or foot.

Due to COVID-19 considerations, we will only be accepting toys at these predetermined dates and locations.

Toy Distribution

Toys will be distributed by the Police Department to community organizations throughout the month of December. Due to the ongoing pandemic, ACPD will not host pop-up distribution events in the community.

File photo

From themed attractions to hydroponic farms, locals have dreamed up novel ways to revitalize Crystal City Shops (1750 Crystal Dr), an underground mall.

The shops, which rely largely on foot traffic from Crystal City office workers, have been struggling during the pandemic. But with Amazon’s arrival spurring new development, some local groups have been brainstorming a new future for the half-mile corridor.

Last week, the best ideas were proclaimed winners of the “Underground Challenge,” developed by Livability 22202, a group that includes the Arlington Ridge, Aurora Highlands and Crystal City civic associations.

“The Underground Challenge was organized to spur creative thinking about the Crystal City Underground and its future with the change and new development now happening in Crystal City and National Landing,” said Livability 22202’s press release. The group said that subterranean shops are “much loved by local residents.”

The challenge was sponsored by JBG Smith, which owns the shopping center, and the National Landing Business Improvement District, which serves the Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard neighborhoods. The three groups founded a working group to liven up the sparse hallways.

People submitted creative writing pieces, videos or business plans to revitalize the buildings, corridors and plazas that were built a half-century ago.

“Entrants celebrated their fondness for the underground, pointed out its quirks and features, and proposed new ideas for its future,” said the press release.

These ideas included libraries, museums, urban farms or spaces for kid-friendly STEM activities.

Patricia Heath’s “Underground Energy” won first place in the “Write Underground” category:

“There are myriad issues to be addressed, and I don’t have all the answers (and likely don’t know all the challenges),” Heath wrote. “What I do know is this: the Water Park may be the outdoor personification of our Crystal City urban village, but the Underground is its beating heart and circulatory system, literally and figuratively.”

Runners-up in the creative writing category included Neena Gupta’s “In Search of a Protagonist” and Matthew Mercado’s “Dr. Mercado’s Diagnosis.”

Kari Klaus won the video category with a vision of a Las Vegas-inspired Underground.

Videos from the runners-up Emma Benson and Eric Cassell offered “fond — and satirical — commentary on the existing Underground experience.”

Business plan category winner Matt McKinstry suggested the “Under Grange,” a network of indoor hydroponic farms and agri-tech startups that grow vegetables, greens and herbs, and support cheesemaking and beekeeping, to supply local restaurants.

Runners-up included Michael Hong, who suggested a Museum of Science Fiction and venues for live music, and John Chapin, who imagined security-related businesses settling into the Underground.

“The community’s robust level of engagement in the ‘Underground Challenge’ truly reflects their passion for great places and appetite for continuous reinvention,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, the president and executive director of the National Landing BID, in a statement. “National Landing is fortunate to have such a committed community of residents focused on positive efforts that will improve the neighborhood for all.”

The contest’s judges included Robert Siegel, former co-host of National Public Radio’s All Things Considered; Arlington videographer Eric Courtney; and Arlington authors Rick Hodges and Kim O’Connell.

Livability 22202 said it plans to share ideas from the Challenge in future discussions about the underground.

The Arlington County Board appears likely to consider a tax on plastic shopping bags later this year.

At the Board’s Saturday meeting, a volunteer from the group EcoAction Arlington spoke in favor of a five-cent tax on plastic bags, similar to that which has been implemented in D.C. and other cities, during the public comment period.

In response, Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz noted that state authorization for such a tax — a five cent tax on plastic bags from grocery stores, convenience stores and drugstores — was recently signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam, but will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2021. In the meantime, county staff are “working on” a proposal to bring to the Board in the fall, he said.

“We look forward to having a conversation,” Schwartz said.

The volunteer, Whitney Beer-Kerr, said that a per-bag tax helps to cut down on such bags — which take centuries to decompose — winding up in waterways and landfills. Revenue from the tax can also be used on a variety of environmental initiatives.

On the other hand, a key alternative to plastic grocery bags — reusable shopping bags — are being discouraged by stores for employee health reasons during the pandemic. And Schwartz said that charging extra money for plastic bags could raise “equity questions.”

Paper bags, however, remain a viable and more environmentally-friendly alternative, County Board member Katie Cristol said during the meeting.

What do you think?

The owner of a pair of major commercial developments in Arlington is applying for permits that would allow on-the-go alcohol consumption within each shopping center.

Federal Realty Investment Trust is applying for a new “commercial lifestyle center” permit for the Village at Shirlington and Pentagon Row, on behalf of the merchant association for each shopping center.

If approved by Virginia ABC, it would allow shoppers and diners to take their alcoholic beverages to go, for consumption in the centers’ common areas. A change to the law allowing it, sponsored by local state Sen. Barbara Favola, took effect earlier this month.

“Following the implementation of a new state law on July 1, 2020, FRIT submitted commercial lifestyle center ABC license applications for the Village at Shirlington and Pentagon Row on Friday, July 10,” Dan Corwin, Director, Asset Management — Mixed Use for Federal Realty Investment Trust, told ARLnow this morning.

“The applications would allow people of legal drinking age visiting the Village at Shirlington and Pentagon Row to consume alcohol purchased from Shirlington’s and Pentagon Row’s ABC licensees in common areas managed and maintained by Federal Realty,” he said.

Property owner JBG Smith applied for the the same permit for its shopping centers in the Crystal City area, near Amazon’s HQ2, last year.

In case you forgot, Friday is Valentine’s Day. Wait, before you make a panicked purchase on Amazon and hit “next day shipping,” a market is scheduled this Friday in Crystal City to rescue last-minute shoppers.

The Valentine’s Market is scheduled to run from 4-8 p.m. at The Grounds (1102 S. Eads Street) with a variety of local vendors. If gift-giving isn’t really your style, an event listing said there will also be plenty of activities to turn it into a date night:

Leave your Valentine’s Day shopping to the last minute again, or just looking for a nice outing that doesn’t involve a quiet restaurant? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the Valentine’s Market at The Grounds!

Join us at The Grounds in Crystal City for wine & beer tastings and shopping from local crafts and treat vendors. There will also be a cash bar and food trucks, powered by Curbside Kitchen, so you can make an evening of it!

The Facebook page noted that the beer tastings will be offered by Caboose Brewing Company and the wine will be offered by Crystal City Wine Shop.

According to the website, vendors at the event include:

• Agents In Style
• Altaire
• Art by Marcia Furman
• Art by Roza
• Delighfully Modern
• K’Owino Batiks
• Lauren’s Southern Sweets
• Leila Faye Art
• Lenox Club
• London Chippy
• Natural Landing
• Pet Wants Chantilly
• Saffron Gourmet
• Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery
• The Global Local
• Vintage Dress Company

The website also says Arlington County’s Vision Zero program will be in attendance, in case your partner is a transportation policy wonk.

Photo via Agents in Style/Facebook