These soft brioche doughnuts from Gwenie’s Pastries come with filling flavors like ube and mango. | Photo via @gweniespastries
Looking for the next restaurant hitting NOVA’s food scene? Check out these buzzy places to eat and drink in Northern Virginia — plus, some spots coming soon. Gwenie’s Pastries x Lapu Lapu, 1417 S. Fern St., Arlington | Bakery
You can expect a menu featuring pan de sal breakfast sandwiches + baked goods like pastillas de leche.
El Mercat Bar de Tapas, 1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington | Tapas
Pentagon City is now home to a new Spanish tapas restaurant. This will be the second location of El Mercat Bar de Tapas. We’re already eyeing the bacon-wrapped dates.
Machu Picchu Restobar, 20020 Ashbrook Commons Plaza, Ashburn | Peruvian
The space is about 2,900 square feet, the former home of Ashburn Village Inn. This restaurant features dishes like caldo de gallina soup + pollo a la brasa, among other traditional dishes.
Find some free time, and avoid the long lines. Early in-person voting for Virginia’s Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General starts tomorrow, Sept. 19, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 1. The General Election for non-early voters is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Seasonal
Pumpkin Village Fall Fest is soooo back. Starting Saturday, Sept. 20, Leesburg Animal Park transforms into a fall fairytale, complete with wagon rides, a charming petting zoo, festive treats, and family-friendly spooky activities.
Transit
Fairfax County will soon be home to new bike lanes and crosswalks. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation announced that there will be many meetings next month to go over the plans. See when these meetings will take place. (FFXnow)
Environment
Arlington may soon ban gas-powered leaf blowers. After the ban of these devices in Alexandria, Arlington County plans to poll the public on their opinions regarding a potential ban. Reasons for the ban include the level of noise and the pollution they create. What do you think? (ARLnow)
Try This
Skating and dancing? Count us in. Dress in your best western fit for Skate on the Ground, Country Night. This event will take place at the Franconia Rec Center in Alexandria on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for skaters and spectators.
Festival
Not quite feeling all the fall feels yet? Rosslyn can help you out with this year’s Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 1-6 p.m. Sip on flights of cider, decorate pumpkins, watch a pie-eating contest, and participate in other fall-focused activities.
Opening
A new hotel and condominium high-rise building is now open in Reston Station. This new Marriott, located at 11350 Reston Station Blvd., offers 247 hotel rooms and 94 residential units, along with 40,000 sqft of event space. (FFXnow)
Stat
70%. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Master Deputy Terry Rudolph, that’s the percent increase of accidents involving e-bikes and scooters in the county. Loudoun County recently created a guide to help improve safety. (WTOP)
Biz
Why are the same firms that backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay also backing Pacaso(Nasdaq ticker reserved: $PCSO)? Because it’s disrupting the $1.3 trillion vacation home market with co-ownership, already earning $110 million+ in gross profit in under five years. (And until midnight, you can join the 10,000+ shareholders.)†‡*
Our annual Holiday Gift Guide is making a comeback, and we want to feature your business.
We know, we know — it’s only September. But the early bird gets the worm, right?
That’s why we’re offering 20% off inclusion in our 2025 guide now through Wednesday, Oct. 1. Secure your spot to promote your business’ one-of-a-kind gift, festive product, or unique service.
A great deal on a clothes steamer. Snag HiLIFE’s portable, handheld steamer while it’s 35% off — the steamer is quick to heat up, easy to use, and perfect for garment touch-ups without hauling out the ironing board.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Special shout-out to readers Pam L., Sarah S., Daphne Y., and Jacqueline T. for the recs. And another shout-out to reader Karen K., who is also on the hunt for a new stylist.
Did you notice a difference in our Events section? We’ll be keeping things short and sweet from now on by only including descriptions in expanded event profiles. If an event piques your interest, click the link attached to the title to see a full description from the organizer, as well as additional ticket info and relevant links.
Feel free to send us an email to let us know how you feel about this change + what kind of events you would like to see.
‡‡Finance “investment method” disclaimer: This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the Nasdaq is subject to approvals. Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only and should not imply similar success. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.
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