A two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and North Rhodes Street resulted in one of the cars crashing into the front of Rhodeside Grill.

The impact shattered one of the restaurant’s plate glass windows and destroyed a planter. Shards of glass and soil from the planter could be seen scattered across part of the restaurant.

Airbags deployed in both vehicles — a red Honda Accord and a black Volkswagen New Beetle. The Accord narrowly missed a fire hydrant as is careened into the building.

No one inside the building or in the cars were hurt, police said.

Six customers were inside the restaurant at time the time of the incident — around 11:45 a.m. It was “loud and hectic,” a Rhodeside employee said.

The restaurant remained open for lunch. They expect to replace the window later today.


Dozens of people turned out for the grand opening of a new art, jewelry and home decor gallery near Ballston.

Covet, as it is called, is located at 5140 Wilson Blvd, just west of Ballston, in the top floor of a small house that was formerly the home of a State Farm insurance agency. The store is co-owned by Sabrina Cabada and Autumn Clayton.

Guests consumed catered wine and small appetizers while perusing Covet’s curated and sometimes quirky artisan offerings. Much of the art for sale is produced by local artists, although national artists are also showcased.

For those who couldn’t stand the shoulder-to-shoulder claustrophobia in the tiny showroom, the boutique’s parking lot provided a welcome refuge for conversation and mingling.

The DC Slices pizza truck provided fresh slices to people whose hunger went beyond finger food. It was the first publicly-announced trek into Virginia for the DC Slices crew, who are licensed to operate as a street vendor in the District but not in Arlington (private property is fair game, however).


A number of road closures will play havoc with traffic in Arlington this weekend.

The Four Courts Four Miler kicks off at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Police will shut down Wilson Blvd from Courthouse Road to North Rhodes Street from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Wilson Blvd from North Rhodes Street to Route 110 in Rosslyn will be closed at 8:45 a.m. Northbound Route 110 from Rosslyn to Route 1 in Crystal City will be shut down from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Click here for a map.

Cars parked along the route will be ticketed and towed. Race participants are urged to use Metro. The Courthouse station is a short distance from the starting line.

Chain Bridge will be completely closed to traffic and pedestrians all weekend. That is, unless the predicted rain prevents reconstruction work on the bridge deck from taking place, which is a distinct possibility. If work goes on as scheduled, expect Chain Bridge to remain closed from Friday night to early Monday morning.

“Motorists are advised to use alternate routes and river crossings including the American Legion, Key, Roosevelt, Memorial and 14th Street Bridges,” VDOT said of the Chain Bridge closure, in a statement.

Finally, the ongoing Humpback Bridge replacement project will result in lane closures during the day on Saturday. One lane of the George Washington Parkway from Memorial Bridge to I-395 will be closed in each direction from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.