Courthouse:

First, let's clear up some confusion about the name of this urban village. The name of the Metro station at the center of the neighborhood is, and has always been, Court House (two words). Next to the Metro station, but built long after it, is a pedestrian mall surrounded by shops, offices, and apartments, which was named Courthouse (one word) Plaza. We're sticking with the older name, largely because the presence of the Metro station is so important to the urban village.

In the Urban Village of Court House, you begin to feel the pulse of our nation's capital, only two Metro stops away. Not that this area is merely a commuter's suburb. After all, as you may have guessed from the name, Court House is the center of Arlington County government. And, as you might also expect, the neighborhood immediately surrounding the Metro is defined by a feeling of stateliness. A little slice of Washington on this side of the river. The Arlington County courts, police department, and administrative offices are all right here, and Colonial Place and Verizon office buildings ensures that the private sector is also well represented. Several new luxury condominiums and apartment buildings housing young professionals complete the grand cityscape.

Thankfully, Court House isn't just about majestic architecture, as the people who live and work in this area are also well served for shopping and fun things to do. An escalator from the Metro station leads to Courthouse Plaza, a lovely pedestrian mall with 19 shops and restaurants, where outdoor concerts are often held summer evenings among the trees and bubbling fountains. There is also a six-screen movie theatre here, and a farmers and antique market on Saturday mornings when the weather allows. The Arlington campus of Strayer University has recently opened an educational outlet for people in the area.

From another exit of the Metro station, you can find yourself between Clarendon and Wilson boulevards, and the atmosphere is similar to that of Clarendon, one Metro stop away. Restaurants and outdoor cafes dot the landscape. Local favorites like Summers Restaurant, Pines of Florence, Euro Cafe, keep the residents and visitors well fed at good prices. Bars, like the Irish pub Ireland's Four Courts, or the newly opened Guarrapo lounge (which also serves tapas) make sure that Clarendon doesn't have all the fun. And the coffee-house crowd can buy books or music and sip lattes at Olsson's Books and Records. Office Depot, CVS, A Stationary Store, USA Print & Copy make shopping a breeze.

As we get farther from Metro, Court House becomes more village and less urban. Rocky Run Park and Key Elementary School are the focal points of the quiet residential communities on either side of Wilson and Clarendon boulevards, and families of all shapes and sizes call this part of Court House their home.

Perhaps the most obvious advantage to this area is simply its convenience. The five-minute train ride to Washington, DC, proximity to the vastly different Urban Villages of Ballston, Clarendon, and Rosslyn, and immediate access to two major highways connecting Northern Virginia and DC make for easy traveling in just about any direction. Suzanne Bick, who has lived in the neighborhood for about a year, concurs: "With so many of the perks of city life right here in the Court House area, I rarely feel like I'm missing anything, but if I do want to go to DC or wherever, it's extremely easy to do so."

Clarendon:

Clarendon is often thought of as the laid-back, cool kid in Arlington's class of Urban Villages. This is a place where t-shirts, baseball caps, and Volvos prevail over pin-stripe suits and BMWs. You will find a nightlife destination where people can have a tasty yet moderately priced dinner before heading to one of several local bars. Recently several new elegant restaurants have opened; notably Harry's Tap Room, Setto Bello, La Tasca among others offering sophistaced dining within walking distance of most homes and condos. Clarendon is much more than that. Not just a hip place to hang out or a dining destination, it also offers mid-sized office buildings near the Clarendon Metro station and safe, stable neighborhoods full of single-family homes and tree-lined streets, offering great opportunities to live and work, in addition to 'playing.'

Clarendon plays host to businesses of all sorts and sizes, many of them with nationally recognized names. Gold's Gym is the destination of many a nine-to-fiver trying to keep fit, and the Clarendon Market Common shopping center keeps shoppers happy well into the evening. Clarendon boasts a Barnes & Noble, Crate & Barrel, and Pottery Barn, Container Store to name a few. However, Clarendon is probably better known for its local, homegrown businesses. David Tax, owner of the Lazy Sundae ice cream parlor and the recently opened Big Belly Deli, stated simply ? "It's a place where small businesses can thrive." This combination of local and national results in a shopping and retail scene that is quite varied and unique.

The prevalence of small businesses also contributes to the strong sense of community that pervades the area and manifests itself through a variety of neighborhood organizations and special events. One such organization, The Clarendon Alliance, is a neighborhood association that unites residents with business owners, both local and national, to address community issues and concerns and to market the community. Regular events in the area include a farmers market every Wednesday afternoon during the summer and a year-round antique and collectibles market on Saturdays. There is also an annual 5K race in the spring and the "Clarendon Day" festival in the fall. These other events reinforce the feeling of welcome and camaraderie that can be felt just spending an evening here. Joel Dabu, who has worked for the Clarendon Alliance for two years, may have put it best, saying that Clarendon is "like being in the city, but it's just more comfortable here."

Clarendon's reputation for good food and lively bars is very well deserved, as people from throughout the DC metropolitan area come to the neighborhood to sample the ethnic restaurants. Favorites range from New York style Steak Houses to Chinese and El Salvadoran to the best Peruvian chicken you've ever had, but you can also find Japanese, Greek, Cuban, American, Barbecue, Moroccan and several Vietnamese eateries all within walking distance of the Metro Stop. Of course, people stay for the nightlife once they're here. Whether it's the laid-back atmosphere and local music at Iota or the Galaxy Hut, the faster-paced, better-dressed scenes at the Clarendon Ballroom or Mister Day's, or somewhere in between, like Whitlow's, there is fun to be had after dark in Clarendon.

With its comfort, community, and cuisine, it's no surprise then that the area is attracting more and more people. Many new condominium options are presenting more opportunities for prospective residents seeking to join in the fun. However, even as more people arrive, the locals tend to agree that Clarendon will be able to retain its unique individuality as a young, quirky, and exciting Urban Village.