Monthly Archives: March 2025

Restaurant Vibes: Tacos Los Primos

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By Cheryl Householder

Do yourself a favor and take a walk over to Chef Chris Godoy’s first brick and mortar restaurant in Lyon Park, Tacos los Primos, and thank me later.

As a Texas transplant, I can say that the struggle to find good Mexican food in the DMV is real. I’ve had an open mind and done more face plants than I can count over the years, but not this time.

Chris Godoy relocated to the states from his native Mexico in 2001. Finding work in the restaurant industry, he worked his way up from dishwasher to chef and has worked in several restaurants in that capacity. Four years ago, he opened the first iteration of Tacos Los Primos as a food truck which still operates on N. Rhodes street just south of Wilson Blvd. Just a few months ago, he opened his first brick and mortar on Washington Blvd next door to Troy’s Italian Kitchen replacing the former taqueria that stood there (no relation).

Everything he serves is homemade including the salsas. All of the meats are marinated for two days. It’s clear that this is truly a labor of love. Portions are generous and ingredients are high quality and fresh. Everything is made to order and anything can be made vegetarian. Menu items include tacos, burritos, sopes, quesadillas, tortas, carne asada, pupusas, and burrito bowls. And if you’re brave, ask for some habanero on the side.

You’re welcome!

Tacos Los Primos (2710 Washington Blvd.): Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. on Sundays. Phone number is 703–967–4454. Visit their website:
https://www.tacoslosprimosarlingtonrestaurantva.com and click Order Online to view their menu. 

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Join Us March 12th: Urban Forester will Discuss “Is Our Tree Canopy Growing?”

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By Anne Bodine, VP of Development

Arlington covers approximately 26 square miles and the county’s Forestry and Natural Resources Plan (FNRP) calls for a total tree canopy of 40%.  Lyon Park covers about 300 acres, so a 40% goal gets us to 120 acres of canopy (think of it as how much area is covered by shade). But that’s not the whole story.

That Was Then.  Prior to 2024, we relied on data from four canopy surveys.  Three were done by the county (2008, 2011, 2016) and one was done in 2021 by the private company Green Infrastructure Center or GIC.   In the 2016 survey, the county noted that “Lyon Park, Yorktown, and Tara-Leeway Heights have seen the largest drops…of -11%, -8%, and -7% respectively.”  Below are the 3 most recent results for Lyon Park’s total canopy; if trends from these surveys continued, we’d have only 15% by 2031.  

201145%
201634%
202128%

This is Now.  Fast forward to 2023, when the County contracted a new survey and also reached back to incorporate existing surveys done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Virginia.  Arlington is now using only these studies (from 2014, 2018, and 2023) to document our canopy, and says they use more reliable measuring techniques (LIDAR which uses aerial imaging).  These studies show that Lyon Park’s canopy grew from 29% to 33% from 2014 to 2023, i.e. a net growth vs. net loss.  (NOTE:  This also contrasts with the GIC data above showing our canopy at 28% in 2023.)

To clear up any confusion, Arlington senior Urban Forester Vincent Verweij will be our featured speaker at our LPCA meeting on March 12, at 7:30 in Lyon Park Community Center.  You can also explore the new findings at https://geocortex.arlingtonva.us/Html5Viewer/index.html?viewer=ACMaps.HTML5#.  Add “trees” in dropdown box called “layers” and then enter “tree canopy change 2014-2023” to see the whole county.  You can also search for a specific address; it will show areas of loss in orange, areas with no change in dark green and areas with growth in light green.  Please join the discussion March 12, our trees are a key resource for the entire county! 

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Unveiling the New Fun and Interactive Way of Learning About Your Community

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By Elizabeth Sheehy

On Wednesday, February 12, the Lyon Park neighborhood unveiled three interpretive historical markers adjacent to its community house. The signs profile the history of the Lyon Park neighborhood, stories behind the building itself, and interactive information about the surrounding parkland, trees, and native plants. Despite the significant snowfall which caused school closures in Arlington, the ribbon cutting proceeded as planned. Michael Kunkler, the LPCA President, and David Newman, Chairman of the Lyon Park Board of Governors, officially christened the signs, with remarks from community members including Elizabeth Sheehy and Toby McIntosh of the Lyon Park History Committee and Richard Samp, Treasurer of the Arlington Historical Society. Lorin Farris of the Arlington Historic Preservation Fund, though unable to attend, sent along her congratulations.

Funding for the historic markers came from a grant to the Lyon Park Citizens Association from Arlington County’s Historic Preservation Fund. The fund seeks to preserve Arlington’s history, connecting people to their community through education and the sharing of stories from the past. The community center display case, where photos and history will be shared, should be installed by early March, and will be inaugurated at the O’Chili Cook-off, March 16. This year, Lyon Park is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Lyon Park Community Center, so save the date of Saturday, July 26 for a community-wide Picnic in the Park. 

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