Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Kitchen of Purpose

Kitchen of Purpose, located just off Columbia Pike at 918 S. Lincoln St. # 2, "provides culinary training, job placement, entrepreneurial opportunities, and nourishing meals to underserved communities..." They "Create job opportunities for unemployed members of our community and facilitate access to healthier meals for our neighbors in need." They are the only bilingual culinary training program in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Participants come from all walks of life, learn employable culinary skills in an intensive, rigorous, and supportive environment, and the program place the graduates into successful careers. They also provide much-needed meals to a range of programs that serve our community's vulnerable populations.  

Their kitchens are also used as an incubator by local small food businesses and caterers, providing both training and professional facilities.

Thanks to CEO Brain MacNair, staff members Daniela Hurtado, Paloma Martinez, Francisca Fuentes-Vasquez, Julia Caerdona, and especially Chef Martha Palacios, plus the students at Kitchen of Purpose for their good work.

Photography by Lloyd Wolf. 



































Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Walk for Peace | Columbia Pike

The sacred 2300 mile Walk for Peace by the Buddhist monks of the Dhammacetiya Center of Fort Worth, Texas, travelled through Arlington, Virginia on February 9, 2026, journeying for a time along Columbia Pike, one of our nation's most diverse communities. The monks were led by Bhikkhu Pannakara, accompanied in peace by officers of the Arlington County Police

"May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace. 🙏... We look forward to welcoming you with open hearts. Your presence would be a blessing and a gift to us all.” 

Many members of our communty greeted and were inspired by this gracious and holy mission.

Photographs by Lloyd Wolf.















Friday, January 30, 2026

Aftermath- Snow on Columbia Pike

An intense snow and sleet storm descended on our area on Saturday, January 24th, 2026, followed by several days of sub-freezing temperatures. The Pike community has been slowly digging itself out and making do.

Photography by Lloyd Wolf.


Lloyd Washington, Pike cleanup master