A Little Inertia in Arlington

The eclectic, affordable Ballston boutique proves physics can be cool.

By Michelle Volpe

Tucked into a maze of gray office buildings and high-rise apartments off the Ballston Metro in Arlington is Inertia, an oasis of eclectic, well-priced objects ranging from lighting to soap to original artwork. Shopping at the colorful, well-designed boutique is refreshing -- and even more so if you've just left the predictability of nearby Ballston Commons Mall. Owners Jason and Cindy Caminos initially came to DC from New York to pursue new careers and to possibly open a bistro. (Cindy is a former sous chef at the Four Seasons.) But when a space became available near their home, the 20-something

Inertia boutique store front

And the shop's name? it has more to do with Letterman than physics. Inspiration for their boutique's moniker struck at around 3 a.m., while they were watching a Letterman Late Show rerun that featured kids and their science projects. Letterman said to one of the kids something like, "so you've got some of that inertia stuff?" "We liked how he was treating inertia as a product, and we just liked how it sounded," explains Jason, a former assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

And so a shop full of energy, unique products, and a friendly, neighborhood vibe was born.

What You'll Find: Hand-blown glass vases (starting at $20), unusual jewelry and handbags, pillows, greeting cards, and Chinese tea sets (starting at $35). More high-end products include original artwork, such as framed black-and-white photographs and various mixed-media pieces (though the original Keith Haring hanging on the wall is not for sale). You will also find "Wash Away Your Sins" lip balm and attractive martini glasses (which Inertia happens to provide to Gua Rapo, a lounge up the street on Wilson Boulevard).

Customer Raves: Customers keep coming back for the hanging star lanterns ($25, including the electrical kit), which Inertia carries in a greater variety of styles and colors and for less than Urban Outfitters. Another popular item is “The Only Way to Drink and Drive Safely” glass, made by New York designer Light Buggiani, which features a martini-glass top mounted on a toy car ($15).

Insider Faves: Rechargeable lights in cool shapes, designed by the London-based company Mathmos, which invented the lava lamp. The colors of the three Aduki models ($60 each) alter, as each moves through a different color of the spectrum. And the colors of the Flip model of the Tumbler ($80) can change by, of course, flipping it.

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