While I appreciate the spirit of this post, I think you are misguided on two accounts. The first is how much of Arlington you are overlooking (have you ever gotten off of Wilson bld? And really, Taco Bell? There are far better Mexican options even on Wilson, let alone Columbia Pike or Lee Highway.) The second thing, who cares whether DC residents don't come to Arlington? Frankly I think those recent grads you talk about are bad enough for the family friendly community, who wants snobby Washingtonians on top of it?

And I say all of this as an ex-Arlington resident of four years before moving into the district about three years ago. Trust me, Arlington is better off without Washingtonians feeling comfortable visiting.

Oh and parking is far from free in arlington. The car tax is a lot more than DC fees.

Agreed, good spirited post but, "The number one reason why the “city” friend won’t join you for Happy Hour at the Front Page is..." there already is one in DC (that is just as bad as the one in VA). Roof tops, Black cat, hookahs, etc. DC's got 'em and you have a better chance NOT to be towed in DC. Though we'd prefer if the burb dwellers would Metro; traffic and parking are bad enough without the extra cars.

Arlington’s low bar diversity and mediocre dining choices does not help either, since it’s population is a bit more, let’s see, homogeneous

Jumping into the fray here, as an Arlington resident... mediocre dining choices? Try Carlyle Grand Cafe in Shirlington, Willow in Ballston, or Ray's the Steaks in Courthouse. Any of them can beat many worthy opponents in the District. Homogenous populations? I know this has been mentioned before on DCist, but the population in Arlington is as or more diverse than most of NW DC. Hispanic, Asian, African... you name it. I'm not going to touch the bar comment, because I do think those could improve here, but then again, last time I checked DC seems to have a lot of Irish pubs, swank hotel bars, trendy NYC-wannabe bars... bars just about anywhere follow proven formulas.

I cringed when I started reading this post, because like other commenters have already said, who wants to convince someone to come visit? Just like DC residents who often comment on not liking out-of-place Arlington visitors... I would say that if people in DC want to come hang out in Arlington, and find places that suit their mood, then welcome & enjoy... and those that don't can gladly stay on their side of the Potomac. Last I checked, from all the new condos selling out and new restaurants going up, Arlington isn't having trouble with finding people to fill the space.

i think its harder to get VA folk to cross the river.

Eric G: Huh? That doesn't make any sense. The ones that are empty are probably not ready to live in yet. If all the Arlington condos were empty (and presumably you just mean new construction; I live in an older building and it definitely stays full), then the prices would simply drop.

You can't mean to tell me that real estate developers would just sit on empty condos, in prime locations (and say what you like, but when they're building new condos in Herndon and Bowie, Arlington is prime).

Eric G. While there have been some condos sitting empty in some of the new buildings, for the most part that has been only a temporary situation. I do agree that they are building too many buildings too fast, but not because I think they won't fill up, but because I'm not sure the neighborhood will be able to absorb that many people very well, or at least without some serious growing pains.

The only thing about Clarendon that's been a disaster is that the great old fashion hardware store was closed to build yet another Irish pub pursuant to Arlington's new one Irish pub per block zoning.

But seriously, the reason why Arlington is better off without Washingtonians is that it really doesn't have so much more to offer vistors than they can find in DC itself. The best parts of Arlington are what it provides to its residents; namely, a lot of the amenities of the city, with a beautiful residential setting and a great community feeling (at least to those who seek it), plus ridiculously good public schools to boot.

I think Arlington is better off sticking with providing services and entertainment to its residents alone, not the whole metro area. Failing to do that is why Adams Morgan became what it became. I'd like to see Arlington to stay more insular.

honest to god, i know you guys were asking us all for submissions to opinionist, but this is pathetic. it's like we're being trolled here....

orleans house? really? can't say i can agree on that one except for the kitsch factor and metro proximity.

The Office of the Bar Counsel yesterday issued its lightest sanction, an informal admonition, to D.C. Council member Adrian M. Fenty for his failure to guard the assets of an elderly man he was assigned to protect six years ago.

Fenty's conduct in the case "reflected a disregard of certain ethical standards," Wallace Eugene Shipp Jr. wrote in a four-page letter delivered to Fenty's attorney. "In sum, the record reveals that you either were not aware of, or did not comply with, several rules and laws governing guardianship and conservatorship, and your actions fell below acceptable standards."

Although Fenty violated rules related to competence, diligence and respect for the administration of justice, Shipp wrote that his office settled on an informal admonition in part because Fenty had no prior disciplinary record, acknowledged his responsibility in the case and "cooperated fully" with the bar counsel's investigation. Fenty also repaid the estate of his ward, William Hardy Sr., "so that the ward was not harmed," Shipp wrote.

In the District, a violation of the rules of professional conduct can carry penalties ranging up to disbarment.

Fenty (D-Ward 4) said he will not challenge Shipp's ruling. His acceptance brings to a close a matter that had cast a shadow over his record as he enters the hotly contested 2006 race for mayor.

"I'm not going to make excuses," Fenty said. "It shouldn't have happened. It won't happen again. But it did happen, and when you make mistakes, you have to be willing to accept responsibility. . . .

"This puts this matter behind me. It's the lowest sanction they can give. It means there's no formal action taken against my license."

Fenty, 34, has not practiced law since he won election to the council in 2000 on a pledge to abandon all outside employment. Hardy's case was among the last he handled before his inauguration in January 2001.

The case dates to 1999, when Fenty was working as a clerk for the council's Education Committee, planning his first council race and accepting court appointments as a newly licensed attorney. That April, a judge appointed him to serve as guardian to Hardy, 88, a retired Navy worker who was allegedly being swindled by his granddaughter, court documents show.

Fenty neglected the case from the start, Shipp found. He failed to immediately inventory Hardy's assets. He submitted only one report detailing Hardy's condition and assets, although he was required to do so every six months. And when Fenty asked to be released from the case in 2000, he "failed to file an accounting . . . revealing the whereabouts of the ward's assets, as ordered by the Court."

When a new guardian, Kimberly Edley, took over, she asked the judge to appoint a special master to investigate Fenty's conduct, court records show. In 2001, the special master determined that more than $22,000 had disappeared from Hardy's bank account on Fenty's watch.

A judge later ordered Fenty to reimburse $15,000 to Hardy's estate, saying Fenty "made a series of errors that lead to both the improper withdrawal of funds by Mr. Hardy's family."

Fenty said that he paid $10,000 and that his attorneys recovered $5,000. An additional $7,000 was later determined to have been spent for Hardy's benefit.

Shipp declined to discuss the case, saying his findings were not yet public because Fenty had yet to formally accept the penalty. In general, an informal admonition is the bar counsel's "quietest form of yelling," Shipp said. "Basically, the subtext is, 'This didn't warrant us prosecuting you, but we expect you to do better in the future.' "

Hardy died in April, shortly after his 94th birthday. Edley, who was still serving as his legal guardian, would not comment on the bar counsel's decision.

Really, when was the last time that (personal connection notwithstanding) you heard of a neat restaurant, bar, theatre, or even store that was located in Arlington and went "wow, I really need to try that out"?

The suburban reputation for stultifying homogeneity was well earned. Freya references this when she writes "...since it’s population is a bit more, let’s see, homogeneous than the cosmopolitan city that D.C. thrives to be." Grammar aside, it is not the population's diversity, but rather the availability of options other than the odious La Tosca, the fit-only-for-Texans Cheesecake Factory etc etc.

Simply put, there is nothing there that is worth a 30 minute (or even 5 minute) drive. Freya should be glad her friends give her the perfect excuse to leave her Red State apartment and visit the city.

Well, the only things that get me to the Commonwealth these days are cheap cigarettes, Target, Harris Teeter, and, yes, the Apple Store. Luckily if you plan it right you can hit them all in one run and get back to DC with plenty of time for dinner. Oh, unless the traffic sucks, which is usually.

The suburban reputation for stultifying homogeneity was well earned.

Yeah, sure, whatever.

No one has mentioned the Cinema 'n Drafthouse. Doesn't anyone else think mediocre pizza, pitcher after pitcher of Ashburn's best, and Transamerica is a delightful combination?

What about bars being total sausage fests?

Brendan, is it obvious which dry cleaner serves armenian chicken?

Ooops, you're right about the author. My apologies to Hemal for linking her to Freya's Jr. High writing.

And I had to laugh at the posting by Petworthian. I don't know any DC resident who goes to Petworth for anything but crack and a $5 'ho.

I'm sure residents of Dupont and G-town would rather hang in Petworth than Arlington.

The nightlife in NOVA is somewhat bogus. But the best part about Arlington isn't the nightlife--it's the spacious living and convenient amenities. My DC friends have no problem coming to Crystal City if I'm throwing a party in my apartment. And the cab rides really aren't all that bad. The DC zone system changes to cost per mile whenever a DC cab goes into VA or MD. If you want to know the exact fare to anywhere, just plug that little fare-phone number on the DC cab windows into your cell and call during business hours. That's how I know the general fare from most fun places in the District to my apartment. To sum up: Arlington is a better place to live than to go out in. DC-residents don't worry, we'll come to your hood when we want swanky, hip bars. And we'll make our way back to our comfortable, quiet Arlington abodes when the night's over.

Living in DC and not knowing much about arlington, I read this post hoping to be informed about places worth the trek. I enjoy trying new places even if it's in NoVA. This post sorely under-delivered.

On the flipside, PLS, you can pretty much take this post as list of places to avoid (except Iota - which will serve good food and better music).

I live in the district and there are two things that get me to go to Arlington (other than visiting the 2 friends I have over there).

1) El Cabrito Caminante. I just recently discovered their fantastic tacos de cabrito.

2) Dr. Dremos. I've lived in DC for two years and I hate to say it, but my favorite bar is in Arlington: good music, great beers, never over-crowded, never pretentious, and plenty of dart boards.

Still though, because they are across that river, I rarely make it over there.

"There's something about dry cleaning chemicals and food that just doesn't mix. Oh, that's right, it's cancer. How exactly did they pass health inspection to serve food?"

My guess, Politburo, is that like just about every dry cleaner around, they don't actually do any dry cleaning on-site.

Jason: I couldn't agree more (about venturing into other parts of the area). I've had great experiences in many different corners of the DC metro area, and I know lots of people who haven't been to many of those areas, and I think they're missing out. Honestly, if I had to defend Arlington, that would be one thing I would say: between easy parking/highway access, and easy metro access, I think it's a lot easier for us to explore the rest of the area. I don't know, I have DC friends who never explore the surrounding areas (either for lack of car or lack of interest), and I have friends that live "outside the beltway" who never explore the city since it's such a PITA for them to get there.

But I do feel like there's sometimes a double-edged sword: that if I spend a lot of time in neighborhoods other than mine (particularly if they're in the District), then I'm somehow admitting there's nothing fun to do in my neighborhood... and then if I stay in my neighborhood, I'm being one of those narrow-minded NoVA residents unwilling to explore the city. Come on, people... it shouldn't matter where a place is located, it should matter whether you enjoy the people & atmosphere at the place. Which shouldn't be hard, since many of us are in the DC area for the same reasons and with similar backgrounds.

I'm continually amazed by people who live in one part of the Metro area who have this Taliban-like thing about never venturing into another part of the Metro area.

Are other metro areas like this? I've never heard a Philly resident haughtily skewer Doylestown. Do people from LA take pride in their aversion to Long Beach or Anaheim?

Where's the love for the Italian Store?

Are other metro areas like this? I've never heard a Philly resident haughtily skewer Doylestown. Do people from LA take pride in their aversion to Long Beach or Anaheim?

Well... I always thought this was something we imported southward from NYC, with the aversion to "B&T" types? Which is why I've always found the whole idea amusing here, since it's basically superimposing another area's dynamics onto us, without paying any attention to regional variations in neighborhoods and attitudes.

I think it happens a lot here (and perhaps NYC too) since the presence of different states, and rivers, makes jurisdictional lines very clear. I also think the distribution of jobs here (into places like Tysons Corner, Rockville, etc) and the height restrictions in DC lead to more city-like development outside city lines. Which gives you more of an active comparison. To use the Doylestown example, since I am somewhat familiar with that area -- one could never confuse Doylestown as a "destination," in the same way that cases could be made for Arlington, Bethesda, and Silver Spring. The Long Beach example doesn't work at all, because it's too far from LA (would be more like saying it's hard to get DC residents to come up to Baltimore). And besides, all of LA is a suburb :-P

... someone mentioned it was the first time they had been off their BLOCK in like 6 months.

Interesting. And kind of sad. SF is a great city, but that kind of attitude-—an utter lack of curiosity and respect for the outside world—-is, honestly, rather provincial.

Having moved here ~9 months ago, the only reason I haven't gone to Anacostia is I haven't had a reason. It's not like I'm looking at a restaurant and saying "oh, it's in Anacostia.. forget it." I'm sure there are destinations in Anacostia that I simply haven't been exposed to yet.

However when looking for apartments the attitude described by Delrayder was exhibited by the soon-to-be previous tenants of one place. Having been all over the city looking for places, it was really quite odd to hear people say that they never went east of 16th.

I think there is a difference between merely not having the drive (or courage) to explore other neighborhoods and deriving a sense of superiority from your own personal choice of neighborhood. Both conditions are pretty prevalent in most cities, especially DC.

2nd on Lazy Sundae. Queen Bee is also quite good, on the topic of Clarendon. And yeah... my general rule of thumb on Clarendon is stick to the stand-bys on Wilson Blvd, not the new development on Clarendon Blvd. There are exceptions on both sides, but still it's amazing the difference a block makes...

Also, it's funny how I've never met all these people who supposedly trash the Cheesecake Factory. The only difference I've seen is that VA friends go to the ones in Tysons or Clarendon, while DC friends go to the one in Friendship Heights. I'm usually the one saying "Cheesecake Factory... again?" I think there's a place for chains and non-chains in any environment, as evidenced by how damn excited people seem to be about the Columbia Heights Target.

Gabriel I agree 100%
People should especially shutup about about Ray's, there are already shitloads of DC people crowding it every night, we don't need more.

Ah, I echoed. That's what I get for not refreshing the page before I post.

Some DCers don't want to come to Arlington because it's in backward Virginia. I'm gay, and being in VA just makes me ill.

Not to mention the HORRIBLE signage and street names. How do you drive in VA without getting lost? I have yet to accomplish that.



And I'm also tired of hearing Arlintonians (Arlingtonites?) who have moved out of DC complain that DC doesn't move with them. If you want an active city life with fabulous friends, live in the city. Don't complain when the city doesn't come to you.

Death penalty to Reid and LSB for naming Bob & Edith's. As if the line there wasn't long enough already.

On the other hand, there is no downside to playing up Orpheus Records. Please go there and buy music. The world will be better for it (both yours - because your music collection will improve; and mine - because it will help keep Orpheus in business. I have no idea how they stay open.)

And on that note, go check out Tandoori Nights the next time you stop at the Apple store. It's on the second level, where Big Bowl Noodle (or something like that) used to be. Fantastic Indian food in a more polished setting than the rest of Arlington's (very very good) selection of indian restaurants.

If you want an active city life with fabulous friends, live in the city.

Wait a second ... my friends aren't fabulous? Then why do they sparkle so?

Quite right, Jay, on all counts. I'll bet Arlington County has spent at least as much (if not a good bit more) time and money trying to push through domestic partnership benefits than the DC City Council. Unfortunately, Richmond is always waiting to beat that one back.

Plus? A significant part of Arlington IS the city. Put the political boundries aside, and the Orange Line corridor, from Eastern Market to Clarendon (some might argue Ballston) certainly captures everything that makes up "the city" far more than most reaches of NW and NE. (Like 99% of the other commenters on here, I have next to nothing to say about SE - but please, point me to a reason to go there! I'd be happy to spend my money there.)

To everyone who says "Don't mention so-and-so".. I hope you are aware that these places are places of business, not Cheney's undisclosed location. All of these 'secrets' are already out.

Salt in the wound of the loss of VA Hardware is that it's now some place called Ri Ra. Authentic Irish pub, don't you know? So authentic I understand they have a cover on Thurs-Fris. A @)(_(*@#@ cover, for some fake assed pub?

But since we're going down the road of old Wilson Blvd. places - can anyone help me remember the name of the Vietnamese restaurant (shaped like a boat) that used to sit near the VA Square metro, in the mid & late 90s?

Ok DCist, you got everyone hot and bothered- good job. Now can someone please just admit this Opinionist post was a joke?

what a stupid post. No mention of Pho 75. Or Bahn Minh. Delhi Dhaba or Food Factory, or even that little Austrian place behind Tara Thai. There are some real downsides of being in Arlington -- car tax, speed bumps, terrible nightlife...but we actually have better food than DC. Not to mention grocery stores.

Not to mention the HORRIBLE signage and street names. How do you drive in VA without getting lost? I have yet to accomplish that.

Glass house, meet thrown stone. Are you seriously implying that a location exists in the US that is more car-unfriendly than Washington, DC? If so, I'd like to see it... on foot. I agree that driving in Virginia is a horrendous experience, but it doesn't hold a candle to the DC madness.

An example: Drive from Pennsylvania Avenue at the Maryland border to Pennsylvania Avenue near GWU. I've lived here for a few years and even I'm not sure of the best navigation for that situation (please don't give directions, I'm being trivial). Now imagine a tourist trying to figure out that one. God help them if they get directions involving the Rock Creek Parkway (especially at rush hour).

Throw in the uber-funky diagonal avenue intersections, random security closures, temporal one-way roads, the NW/NE/SE/SW addressing scheme, and you can see how DC newbies always get lost. Eventually, the L'Enfant plan becomes apparent to veterans and locating one's self is a snap (oh, 8th and G SE, no prob), but the driving culture hasn't mapped nicely to this plan.

Joe DC,

There's no way I'm going to defend the crazy right wing crap that comes out of Richmond. But keep in mind, Arlington and Alexandria are solidly Democratic, and VA, unlike MD, just elected a liberal governor. And in case you haven't noticed, some of DC's black ministers have been deriding gays and lesbians in more derogatory ways than I've heard coming out of Richmond.

And thanks for throwing your vote away by hiding in DC. My partner and I have chosen to stay in VA to fight the crazy laws they're passing against us. Gays and lesbians -- particularly those who set up, participate in and give money to groups like Equality Virginia -- are on the front lines of the war. We don't need to get blasted on the other side by our (clueless) gay brethren as well.

Delrayder

Arlington road designations are not very good (although I see nothing wrong with its signage).

Roads will end, then pick up a mile away for a little while longer before ending again, and picking up even further away. You get the sense roads like Scott St. were continuous at one point, but were cut apart when roads like Wilson became larger.

Also the alphabetical 19th century president scheme is not entirely complete.

Oh, and I think I finally figured out that the difference between a numbered street and a numbered road is whether it is a short road that dead ends or runs into another road (road) or one that continues across multiple blocks (street).

You get the sense roads like Scott St. were continuous at one point, but were cut apart when roads like Wilson became larger.

When Arlington asked the USPS to designate the entire county as one city-like postal zone, the USPS requested that Arlington overlay a street grid. Hence the inconsistency. Georgetown & Uniontown (Anacostia) went through similar street conversions when they were incorporated into Washington. I guess no one here has noticed (since only GhettoBurbs seems to have spent any time in Anacostia) that the street patterns in Anacostia resemble Arlington more than they resemble Capitol Hill.

Thanks, Steve! Now I won't wake up out of sound sleep yelling, "Nam Viet!" tonight.

Cripes. That's a case for Arlington like Joe Klein makes a case for the Democratic Party.

You mention Taco Bell and Cheesecake Factory but fail to mention Ray's the Steaks? Village Bistro? Costa Verde? Harry's Tap Room? (Or for those with cars (and thick wallets), there are serious high-end options farther out in the sticks such as 2941 or Maestro.)

The big advantage in DC is the geographic proximity of a large number of partying young people. That's important if you're looking to meet people and maybe hook up. That's not so important if you're in a long-term relationship and looking to have a quiet evening catching up with a few friends.

As to diversity, I spent two years in the late '90s going out in Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, and Mt. Pleasant. Guess what -- things aren't so different. Yeah, there's a lot of diversity in the District, but there ain't so much diversity in every bar in the District. There are lots of bars with (mostly) white college kids and then varying numbers of ethnic bars whose patrons vary by neighborhood. That looks a lot like various places in Arlington, but everyone knows that the Latin American people who live in Northern Virginia aren't as cool as the Latin American people who live in DC.

I agree with the commenters who point out that it is often more difficult to get folks (read as Caucasian)from Arlington and points West to cross the Potomac. My former roommate always immediately would lock his doors as soon as he hit the 14th st. bridge, in fear of some negroes carjacking him. The irony is that we lived in Shirlington and had a lot a Latinos around us, which did not seem to bother him. Truthfully, it was no so much a xenophobic issue, as more an issue with being ~too~ comfortable in surburban surroundings. That's why I could not wait to move into the District: most of my neighbors seemed to enjoy the enclave that they created for themselves.

thanks blakemore. apparently 97% of dcist.com readers can't read between the lines. tsk tsk. i think i'll take my jr. high school level writing elsewhere. but i still stand by taco bell. being from la, that and el charrito, are the closest thing to roach coaches in santa monica. what can i say, i grew up in the hood.

I must have accidentally navigated over to Arlingtonist.com

Sadly, the Arlington Street-naming commission did its darndest to clarify things back in the late 1930's after numerous subdivision developers (ah, the Broyhills of Congressional fame!) built wherever large sections of land could be purchased. The roads were named willy-nilly and without any overriding system. Postal authorities rebelled. So the commission drew up plans. In general, the idea was to treat Route 50 as the chief east-west axis with the north and south numbered streets roughly paralleling it. Thus, third street north is six blocks north of third street south, with Route 50 in the middle. And then, running roughly norht-south radiating out from Ft Myer, the "name" streets would be alphabetically arranged first in one syllable, then two syllables, then three.
Yes, the name of a few existing major roads would be preserved (wilson Blvd., etc.) but after that, then that general imaginatry grid of numbered streets and alphabetically desiganted streets would be over-laid onto the existing roads. Ooops! It didn't fit! That's why Scott Street runs for a few blocks, then stops, then picks up a few blocks later, maybe not really seeming to be in line with the previous section of Scott Street. Also, the commission discovered there was need for in-between streets, so a 22nd Road was inserted in between 22nd and 23rd Street. Recognining the potenital for confusion (!!) the group chose house numbers to be divideded by four, i.e. 1423 is next door to 1427, and 1425 doesn't exist on 22nd Street-- unless there's a 22nd ROAD in between 22nd and 23rd Streets. Then the next-door houses on the ROAD are numbered 1425 and 1429. Oh, well. That's the general idea. I used to run a delivery service but went berserk. Too bad, for now that the GPS systems are readily available, it's no problem!

Did I hear you like women or was it Married Men? Catch up with you at Taco bell! Your really not pretty so I wouldn't suggest you post your picture anymore...please spare us all! LOL

oh is this the ho? Yeah she's ugly!

ho ho ho

The only good thing Arlington is for is being a stepping stone for real city nightlife for college grads who wear two polo shirts at the same time with both collars popped up. Where else can morons go out dressed out like that and fit in with other morons? A-R-L-L-N-G-T-O-N. YAY!

Then you have people in DC that have a elitist attitudes and will only go to lounges and clubs. Which by the way, 99% of them suck ass and is the last place to be showing off that you're cool in front of people that you don't know because this town isn't exactly LA. People are just lame around here, you can't have a real conversation in Arlington whatsover. People that are scared of dive bars are scared to go because they are to dumb to have a conversation with anyone so they go to a loud club/lounge to stand around and stalk people. Nice.

fyi freya is a ho

As a resident in Arlington for most of my life, Arlington has been grossly exaggerated and misrepresented by the people in DC. Here are some awesome places to eat you probably didnt know about :

El Pollo Rico
Rays the Steaks
The Broiler
Marios
Guarapo
Crisp and Juicy
El Radicchio
Italian Store
Lost Dog Cafe
Super Pollo
Thai Square
Five Guys
Pho 75
Carlyle Grand
Bob and Ediths
Tivoli

These are just some restaurants off the top of the head, and we have plenty of awesome bars also. You have to a be local Arlingtonian to truly know abou these awesome lil gems. Most DC people only know about the Ballston-Rosslyn Corridor and thats about it. Please actually go around Arlington, see all that Arlington has to offer. DC people, if you dont like A-TOWN, stay across the bridge.

Also to the people that say Arlington is not Diverse -- lololololo hahhhhhahahahahhahah

I went to Wakefield and its one of the most diverse high schools in the country! Get real and please be knowledgable about your subject before posting.