yeah traffic here can be pretty brutal. i assume your sister lives in that same Ballston area? is she just here for school or moved here for work or what?
Arlington Mall? that was probably Pentagon City - the name of the mall, right at the metro station of the same name. This place is right outside the mall there
it was a toss up between the Zombie fest or Chiller (even though i've vowed never to go there again) and i ended up doing neither due to poor planning.