Meet Slim, whose love for her human companion is anything but slim.

Slim came to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria animal shelter as a stray and wants to find a home to call her own, an AWLA volunteer told ALXnow. The pup has a soft tan coat and golden eyes, and she weighs 36 pounds.


The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s animal shelter will now regularly be filled with the sound of live music.

AWLA is partnering with Wild Tunes, a nonprofit started by 10-year-old Yuvi Agarwal, to introduce live music by volunteer musicians at the animal shelter (4101 Eisenhower Avenue). The program kicked off Thursday (May 28).


Guests at the Old Town North Farmers’ Market will be able to sample food from a fast-casual vegetarian restaurant opening soon in Alexandria.

Life Alive Cafe — which plans to open Tuesday, June 9 at 400 King Street — will make an appearance at today’s market (May 28) from 3-7 p.m. at 901 N. Royal Street. The restaurant will also appear at the market on Thursday, June 11, according to a newsletter from the Old Town North Community Partnership.


The City of Alexandria will celebrate the Croatian National Team’s use of the city as a home base during the World Cup with a welcome event next month.

The city will host “Flavors & Sounds of Croatia – Alexandria” from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at Waterfront Park (1 Prince Street) to celebrate Croatian heritage. The event is free to attend. The Croatian National Football Team will not be in attendance.


An earlier version of the story said “Analog Bag Weekend” would occur this weekend, but businesses have updated the event timing to June 12-14.

Five local businesses in Old Town are hosting a weekend of discounts to encourage hands-on, screen-free activities.


After 20 years in journalism, Beth Lawton says she’s traded the stress of deadlines for the stress of owning a business in Old Town.

In addition to being a mom with two kids, Lawton has spent the last five years selling handmade items from dozens of local artists at her shop, Made In ALX. At the end of 2024, she had to hang up her journalism hat as the publisher of Alexandria Living Magazine and at least temporarily left behind a long career in journalism.


As another Fresh Market store in the Northern Virginia region prepares to close, the Alexandria location isn’t going anywhere.

A Fresh Market spokesperson told ALXnow no changes are planned for the Alexandria store at Bradlee Shopping Center (3680 King Street). The store is one of the anchor businesses at the shopping center, adjacent to a Safeway grocery store to the east.


A new “passport”-inspired promotion to generate support for Duke Street businesses has launched, the city announced Friday (May 22).

The program encouraging residents to shop local is a lighter side of the Duke Street Land Use Plan, a process updating the land use vision for the Duke Street corridor. Christian Brandt, an urban planner for the city, told ALXnow 19 businesses have signed up to participate in the Duke Street Business Passport Program, with more to be added. Businesses within a half-mile of Duke Street are eligible to join.


Meet Ginger, a young dog looking for a calm environment to make her home.

This petite pup has a gentle spirit and has plenty of love to give once she warms up to you. An AWLA volunteer told ALXnow she needs a family with a bit of patience and would like to avoid loud, chaotic settings.


An earlier version of this article said the Little Birdie preview will happen Saturday, May 23. The preview is being rescheduled for next Saturday, May 30.

Little Birdie, the sister restaurant of Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar, will host a preview ahead of its June opening in Del Ray.


As Alexandria prepares for a major waterfront festival next month, the Office of Historic Alexandria is seeking hundreds of volunteers to assist with four tall ship tours.

The city put out a call for volunteers to take shifts at the Sails on the Potomac waterfront festival from June 12-14, one of the city’s America250 events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A highlight of the three-day festival will be free timed tours of four tall ships — Swedish Navy warship replica Kalmar Nyckel, Royal Navy schooner replica Sultana, historic fishing vessel Gazela and Alexandria’s own Continental Navy ship replica Providence.


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