Street Smart: What to do in Ballston

By Kris Coronado April 3

Axon Xylophone Bridge From Ballston Metro Center (901 N. Stuart St.) to Stafford Place I (4201 Wilson Blvd.), east of Welburn Square. Installation open through fall 2015.

When commuters traverse this skywalk, many are unwittingly participating in a whimsical installation. Multicolored LEDs along the ceiling are triggered by passing pedestrians, creating an illuminated trail as 48 sound effects sporadically play. "There are some people who are more alert than others," says Alex Braden, a member of zerozero, the artistic collective that created the piece. "Some will stop in the middle of the bridge and look up like, What's going on?"

Ballston CrossFit 1110 N. Glebe Rd.

Come for fitness, stay for love? "We just had a couple get engaged who met here," says owner and head coach Tucker Jones, right. Since opening in February 2012, the 5,600-square- foot space has become a haven for the 20- to 30-something work-hard, play-hard demographic. At first glance, the setting may come off macho -- walls painted in reds and blacks, barbells and kettle bells along the floor -- but Jones estimates that 55 percent of the club's 275 members are women.

Willow 4301 N. Fairfax Dr.

Talk about good karma: At the eatery's opening-night party, chef and co-owner Tracy O'Grady exchanged vows with husband Brian Wolken in the lobby. A decade later, the spot -- owned by Grady, Wolken and pastry chef Kate Jansen -- is a reliable destination for inventive and locally sourced seasonal fare riffing on French and Italian. A spacious dining room offers a white-table-clothed option for those seeking an oomph of elegance, while Nosh, the restaurant's lounge area, has an intimate bistro vibe.

Big Buns 4401 Wilson Blvd.

A floor mat before a register boasts, "Our burger can BEAT UP your burger." Another proclaims, "I like BIG BUNS and I cannot lie." They're indicative of the playful tone of the casual joint owner Tom Racosky debuted in 2007. While burgers are the bulk of the biz, customers can opt for other proteins (turkey burgers, crab cakes) on a bun or over a salad.

Kettler Capitals Iceplex 627 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 800

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Street Smart: What to do in Ballston