Around Town

Arlington’s Pupatella ranked as one of the world’s best pizza chains

By James Jarvis
Pupatella in South Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington’s Pupatella has been recognized by an international pizza ranking guide as one of the premier pizza chains worldwide.

The Italy-based guide 50 Top Pizza gave Pupatella and a few dozen other notable pizza chains special mention alongside its “50 Top World Artisan Pizza Chains 2023” list, an annual selection of the best pizzerias in the world.

“Their style, highly appreciated by the public, nods to contemporary Neapolitan-style pizza,” 50 Top Pizza said on its website.

“On the menu, you’ll find pizzas divided between red and white, all traditionally topped with ingredients often of Italian origin,” the website description continued. “The Napoli Street Snack section dedicated to fried items is a must-try.”

Founded by Naples, Italy natives Enzo Algarme and his wife Anastasiya Laufenberg, the pizzeria started as a modest pizza cart near the Ballston Metro station in September 2007.

Almost three years later, the duo opened their first brick-and-mortar location at 5104 Wilson Blvd — which nearly closed at one point — in the Bluemont neighborhood in 2010.

Since its inception, Pupatella has garnered numerous awards and this week, Algarme welcomed the news that Pupatella was mentioned in the guide.

“At Pupatella, we believe in doing things the old-fashioned way, which is why I think we’ve become a staple in our community since opening in 2007,” he said in a statement to ARLnow.

“We also feel it’s important to invest in the community that gave us our start to build long lasting relationships instead of following trends,” he continued. “We try to be the kind of place where people come back to because they grew up going there — and they know the experience they’re going to get when they come to any of our locations.”

The pizza chain has expanded to seven additional locations across the D.C. area, including another in Arlington on S. Walter Reed Drive, and outlets in D.C., Reston, Springfield, the Mosaic District, Leesburg and Richmond, Virginia.

It intends to open four new locations in D.C., Alexandria and Chantilly, Virginia, and Columbia, Maryland, according to its website.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 15, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday 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 — Dec 15, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

  1. This Arlington restaurant was just named No. 1 in Virginia by Washingtonian readers (75591 views)
  2. Two Arlington spots made the Post’s new top 10 casual restaurants list (24090 views)
  3. BREAKING: Governor to make a ‘remarkable’ announcement in Potomac Yard amid Caps and Wiz arena reports (18856 views)
  4. NOW: Large response to house fire near Arlington border in McLean (16508 views)
  5. Police investigating ‘suspicious’ incident at local middle school (15841 views)
  6. What the Capitals’ move to Potomac Yard could mean for its Ballston practice facility and an at-grade Route 1 (13617 views)
  7. Van Leeuwen ice cream shop and Tatte café among six new businesses looking to open in Crystal City (9309 views)
  8. Arlington doctor convicted of illicit distribution of more than 1 million opioid pills (9144 views)
  9. Morning Poll: Will you go to more Caps and Wiz games in Alexandria? (8867 views)
  10. Fundraiser underway for family of man who died in Chain Bridge Forest fire (8419 views)
  11. Police investigating armed robbery, shots fired incidents (7114 views)

📅 Upcoming events

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

Here are the events planned for Sunday:

☀️ Saturday’s forecast

Expect a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 54°F, accompanied by light and variable wind that becomes east around 6 mph in the afternoon. On Saturday night, there’s a slight chance of rain after 1am and it will be mostly cloudy with a low temperature around 40°F. The east wind will blow at 3-7 mph, and the chance of precipitation is 20%. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

Capturing life beyond news: ARLnow’s Jay Westcott transitions from news photography to artistic pursuits

By James Jarvis
Jay Westcott (courtesy of Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) ARLnow’s staff photographer, Jay Westcott, is stepping away from the news industry — but he isn’t putting his camera aside just yet.

At 51, Westcott is shifting his focus from the fast-paced world of daily news photography to focus on the sides of photography that align with his other passions, including portraiture, storytelling and music.

“I’m looking forward to just concentrating on the things that I’m really good at,” he told ARLnow.

Growing up in Battle Creek, Michigan, roughly two hours west of Detroit, Westcott displayed a passion for photography from a young age, often using his dad’s camera to shoot yearbook pictures in high school. It wasn’t until after high school when he joined the U.S. Navy that Westcott’s passion for the visual medium began to flourish.

Four years after he joined the service when Westcott was aboard the USS Roosevelt, a Navy photographer reignited his interest in camera work.

“He had this really cool camera… and I just loved what he was able to do with that, the pictures he could get from that, and he convinced me to buy a camera,” Westcott said.

He wrote to his mother, asking her to mail his dad’s camera and bought a 35mm Canon autofocus SLR. In the years that followed, he documented life aboard the ship and the countries he visited around the Mediterranean, including Rhodes, Greece, and Venice, Italy.

Westcott, who is also a guitarist, remembers the day he decided he would leave the Navy and pursue photography. While browsing Guitar World magazine in his bunk one day, he came across a photograph by the renowned Seattle-based American photographer Charles Peterson, who was promoting his new book “Touch Me I’m Sick.”

“Instead of being one of the guys in the photos in the magazine, I wanted to be the guy taking the picture,” Westcott said.

King Baby Man Child (by Jay Westcott)

In 1996, Westcott was honorably discharged from the Navy and headed to Virginia Beach, where he met his now ex-wife and sold cars for several years before moving to Northern Virginia.

In the summer of 2000, at age 28, Westcott enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College and then transferred a year later to George Mason University to study photography. About a year into his tenure at George Mason, and disillusioned with the program, Westcott applied and was accepted on a scholarship to The Corcoran College of Art and Design (now a part of George Washington University) in D.C.

“I went there for three years and loved every second of it,” he said.

Westcott’s first big break was a paid internship at the Scripps-Howard news service in D.C., which operated for 96 years from 1917 to 2013. What launched his career, however, was a chance sighting of of an armored truck robbery near McPherson Square Park, where he saw a man wielding a shotgun.

“So, I go out, and I take a couple of pictures and then go down to the street and take a few more pictures,” he said. “The guy gets hauled away in an ambulance while he was handcuffed.”

The pictures Westcott took that day got picked up by the Washington Post, which offered Westcott a full-time staff job shortly after.

“I felt I started at the top,” he said.

(more…)

Soul Thai Kitchen & Bar debuts in Dominion Hills, replacing Meridian Pint

By James Jarvis
1/7

A new Thai restaurant in Dominion Hills is set to open next week.

Located at 6035 Wilson Blvd, Soul Thai Kitchen & Bar stepped in to fill the vacancy left by Meridian Pint in late October. The local brewhouse had shuttered earlier this year due to financial struggles.

This latest transition marks the third ownership change in four years. John Andrade, the original owner, passed the reins to Fitzgerald Lewis in 2021. Lewis, a noted figure in the local restaurant scene, has ownership stakes in about 20 eateries in the area, including Crafthouse Arlington in Ballston and Barley Mac in Rosslyn.

Lewis sold Meridian Pint to co-owner Nancy Kittitaraphan and her partners — consisting of family and friends — earlier this year.

Ahead of its grand opening, scheduled for next Friday, Dec. 22, Soul Thai recently held a soft opening over the last few weeks, giving locals the chance to sample its offerings.

The restaurant will operate seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 12-10 p.m. on weekends. Additionally, there’s a daily happy hour from 4-6:30 p.m., says Kittitaraphan.

The menu boasts a range of options, from starters such as spring rolls and fried calamari to noodle dishes such as “hangover noodles” (a twist on drunken noodles), alongside various soups, salads and curry dishes.

In a bid to draw more local patrons, Kittitaraphan took to the streets, handing out menus to nearby residents. She’s offering a 20% discount on their first visit, valid through Thursday, Dec. 21.

“I wanted to invite our family and friends,” she told ARLnow. “The neighborhood or the customers are our family and friends.”

The restaurant has seen some cosmetic updates, through which Kittitaraphan looked to create a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

“When you come here, it’s like you’re staying in your house,” she said.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 14, 2023

By ARLnow.com

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 — Dec 14, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

☀️ Friday’s forecast

Expect sunny skies and a high around 56 degrees, accompanied by a west wind blowing at 6 to 8 mph. As the night falls on Friday, the sky will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to approximately 34 degrees and the west wind continuing at around 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Learning never exhausts the mind.”
– Leonardo da Vinci

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Most and least expensive condos sold in Arlington (November 2023)

By ARLnow.com

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive condos sold last month (November 2023).

Most expensive condos sold

  1. 1881 N Nash St Unit 2308 — Rosslyn — $4,000,000 (4 beds | 4 baths | 4,463 sq. ft.)
  2. 2001 15th St N Unit 1507 — Clarendon/Courthouse — $2,000,000 (3 beds | 3.5 baths | 3,180 sq. ft.)
  3. 1530 Key Blvd Unit 722 — Rosslyn — $875,000 (2 beds | 2 baths | 1,299 sq. ft.)
  4. 1610 N Queen St Unit 214 — Rosslyn — $830,000 (1 beds | 2 baths | 1,158 sq. ft.)
  5. 3830 9th St N Unit PH3W — Ballston — $806,000 (3 beds | 2.5 baths | 1,348 sq. ft.)

Least expensive condos sold*

  1. 1830 Columbia Pike Unit 211 — Arlington Village — $200,000 (– beds | 1 baths | 530 sq. ft.)
  2. 4501 Arlington Blvd Unit 312 — Buckingham — $205,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 533 sq. ft.)
  3. 5101 10th St S Unit A — Columbia Forest — $209,900 (1 beds | 1 baths | 690 sq. ft.)

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

Thank you to ARLnow’s 2023 advertisers

By ARLnow.com

As another year comes to a close, ARLnow’s advertisers — along with members of the ARLnow Press Club — have helped us continue to report on your community.

To the long-term and new advertisers alike, we say: thank you for supporting local news in Arlington.

Interested in reaching hundreds of thousands of readers while supporting local reporting in your community? Check out our new 2024 media kit.

ARLnow’s 2023 advertisers include:

Note that the list above does not include those that have advertised through our self-serve Content Hub.

New Latin American American restaurant to open this Friday on Columbia Pike

By James Jarvis
1/2

A new restaurant specializing in traditional Honduran and Salvadoran cuisine is opening on Columbia Pike tomorrow.

Located at 3709 Columbia Pike, Variedades Catrachas is expected to welcome its first customers starting at 5 a.m. this Friday, the owner Jessica Canas told ARLnow.

Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu includes a variety of items such as soups, tacos, enchiladas, tamales and several egg-based dishes.

Canas also owns a Honduran restaurant in Alexandria called Las Catrachitas but this is her first foray into the Arlington food scene.

Variedades Catrachas joins the Pike’s bustling scene for Central and South American cuisine, including the recent additions of Mpanadas, Sabores and Taqueria el Poblano.

The restaurant will be open from 5-2 a.m. on Monday, Thursday and Friday; 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; 6-2 a.m. on Saturday; and 7-2 a.m. on Sunday.

Adoptable Pet of the Week: Winnie

By ARLnow.com

Say hello to Winnie, the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week!

Winnie is a white rabbit currently in foster through the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

Winnie’s favorite things are: Eating food, getting pets and exploring!

Her special talents are: Learning new tricks, climbing stairs and her ability to FLOP anywhere!

Her perfect day would be: Getting a nice breakfast in the morning followed by a quick nap. After that, she would like to spend the rest of the day alternating eating hay and sleeping. Once you get home, she loves to run around the house for a bit then enjoy some fresh veggies for dinner.

Important facts about Winnie: Winnie loves kids! She is fully litter box trained and is very tidy. Winnie also tolerates being pick up (most rabbits don’t love it!)

Is Winnie the rabbit a perfect match for you? Has she finally found her forever home?

Don’t forget to read her entire profile to learn more!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with 2-3 paragraphs about your pet and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Dec 13, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Wednesday 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 — Dec 13, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Thursday’s forecast

Expect sunny skies and a high temperature near 44 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind at around 5 mph which will eventually become light and variable. As for Thursday night, the skies will be clear with a low temperature around 29 degrees, and a west wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
– Socrates

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

Two Arlington spots made the Post’s new top 10 casual restaurants list

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Last year Charga Grill topped the Washington Post’s annual list of top casual restaurants in the region.

That sent a flood of new customers to the eatery at 5151 Langston Blvd. Now two other Arlington restaurants, including another along Langston Blvd, are bound to see a big influx of diners thanks to the latest WaPo rankings.

Food critic Tim Carman’s list of the 10 best D.C.-area casual restaurants of 2023 ranks King of Koshary in Bluemont at #6 and Bostan Uyghur Cuisine in Cherrydale at #10.

King of Koshary, at 5515 Wilson Blvd, was previously praised by Carman for its “Egyptian food fit for royalty.”

“The King’s koshary is actually a joint effort from Ayob Metry and Nadia Gomaa, a pair of Egyptian natives who used to challenge each other to make the best version of this carb-heavy dish when they worked in the prepared foods department at Whole Foods in Ashburn,” Carman wrote in his latest list, published Tuesday.

Bostan Uyghur Cuisine, at 3911 Langston Blvd, was also noted for its compelling origin story — in addition to the food.

“Faced with the threat of a Chinese ‘reeducation’ camp if he returned to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to renew his passport, Mirzat Salam opted to flee to the United States with his wife, Zulhayat Omer,” Carman wrote. “Trained as a doctor in Xinjiang, Mirzat slipped quietly into the hospitality industry, the same profession that his father, a chef named Abdusalam, had warned him about as a boy.”

Topping this year’s list, in the former Charga spot, is Woodbridge food truck Lechonera DMV.

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