Ah, spring. Warm weather, sunny skies and greenery- perfect for an afternoon constitutional. Thanks to the large population of Washington and its pole as a haven for tourists aiming to see the monuments, often one wishes for a less crowded area in which to walk around and enjoy the weather. The outlying neighborhoods of the D.C. metropolitan area are often neglected in favor of well-known areas such as Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. But not to be ignored is our neighbor, Virginia, specifically the Clarendon Metro stop in Arlington.
A mere 30-minute Metro ride from Tenleytown, Clarendon dumps out on a corner between Clarendon Boulevard and Wilson Boulevard. Immediately after exiting the station, one can see at least one cool place to eat. Open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Hard Times Caf? advertises "Award Winning Chili, Burgers and Beer."
Continuing up Wilson Boulevard, the area's main drag, other cool places can be spotted. Outdoor seating characterizes Clare and Don's Beach Shack (kudos to them on the clever name). A look at the menu reveals some very interesting items, in addition to the typical fare; burgers and chicken sandwiches sit side by side with fish tacos, seafood specialties and even alligator! The menu also features items for vegans and vegetarians. On a nice day or night, this is a perfect place to expand one's taste buds.
Further up Wilson is Revolution Cycles, a bike shop. Crossing over onto Clarendon Boulevard, one is taken aback by the massive Barnes & Noble that looms at the top of the town square. Basically, it's just various shops surrounding a quaint little park. Get a smoothie from Ben and Jerry's on the second level and have a seat by one of the many fountains.
In addition to Barnes & Noble and the aforementioned Ben and Jerry's, this open-air mall has lots of other shops and restaurants. On the second level, there's Tandoori Nights, specializing in fine Indian cuisine. Also found here is the rare, Metro-accessible Apple Store. And since this is technically suburbia, what would a suburb be without the obligatory Starbucks? Indeed, there is a Starbucks very close to this town square- in fact, it's less than a block away on Wilson Boulevard.
Turning around and going down Clarendon in the other direction, in plain sight one can find a wine store, a stationary store, an Ethan Allen and a Cheesecake Factory. Soon, a circle has been made and the Metro stop looms ahead. However, the exploration of the Clarendon Metro stop is not over.
Going down Wilson Boulevard in the opposite direction of how the trip began, there's lots to see- and eat. Dien Ton Thai and the Kabob Bazaar tease with tasty ethnic food. Further down the street is KAT Specialty Video, specializing in Anime, action, martial arts and- everyone's favorite- porn. Niche marketing at its finest. A few doors down, the highlight of the Clarendon area: Orpheus Records.
The place might as well be made of vinyl. It features vinyl 12-inch records as far as the eye could see. Lots of cheap used stuff sits side by side with relatively current releases. Browsing the heavy metal section of the vinyl collection (the place is nearly exclusively vinyl) yields some very funny, if obscure, discoveries. While lurking among the new wave section, one gem was discovered: a vinyl copy of the Band Aid single "Do They Know it's Christmas?" Finding this, one would think it was. Hopefully everyone can be so lucky.
Post-shopping sustenance can be found at the Silver Diner on Wilson Boulevard. The diner's individual jukeboxes and utter cleanliness is shocking. The soda glasses are enormous and the food is enjoyed to the tune of "Spanish Harlem" by Ben E. King. After the flavorful fries and cheesy, overstuffed sandwiches (The Philly Chicken Club Melt: chicken, ham, bacon and Swiss) were devoured, only one jukebox song could accurately sum it up: "Satisfaction," by the Rolling Stones. Indeed, Clarendon provides satisfaction, in a very nice part of town.
