I thought I knew everything about Arlington. And I did know most of what is in Barbara Noe Kennedy’s book “100 Things to do in Arlington Virginia Before You Die.” But it did take me 30 years of living here on and off to discover those things and one of them I just found yesterday: the Met Park next to Amazon’s HQ2.   Since most of that “learning Arlington '' took place once I didn't have a full-time job, getting this book certainly makes it possible for working people to break the code on what makes Arlington special a lot faster. I also found out where Kinder Haus Toys moved.  And what the brick tower in the Met Park symbolizes. Thank you. 

But it’s the author’s perspective on Arlington that makes the book special.  There is a lot about food, but there is even more about quiet places to watch a sunset. Or how inner-city school kids died on the flight that was hijacked into the Pentagon on 9/11.  Or an amazing event on August First that I know I never would have discovered on my own. (Read the book to find out.) Kennedy also does a great job of discovering South Arlington, and her list is broad enough to make everyone happy - kids and adults. 

I’ll be making my list of things I didn’t already know - there are about 25; the first one is to take a young relative to play Disc Golf at Bluemont, and the second is to go eat crabs at the crab shack. And there are another 25 things I knew about but didn’t actually “do.” And now I want to do them all.  

The Arlington Sister City Association will host Barbara Kennedy on Sept. 19 for a book signing. Food from the restaurants she mentions in her book will be offered at the event. For tickets, see: https://app.aplos.com/aws/events/100_things_book_lecture