Science kits, race cars, Legos and sport balls.
Those are just some of the donation ideas Volunteer Alexandria is calling on the community to contribute to its annual holiday drive, Toys4ALX, which closes next Thursday, Dec. 11. Volunteers are aiming to collect more than 3,500 new, unwrapped toys for 700 kids and counting across the city.
A new dessert shop that serves churros has filed paperwork to open in a vacant storefront on King Street in Old Town.
Churrok’s is asking the city to make small modifications to 1022 King Street, the former home of the now-closed Alexandria Cupcake storefront. The application goes before the Board of Architectural Review on Dec. 17.
Meet Max, an adorable four-legged companion in foster care who spent much of the past year at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
The three-year-old “gorgeous guy with his perfectly mismatched ears” weighs about 73 pounds, according to an AWLA volunteer. The pup is “playful and engages enthusiastically with chew toys and food puzzles.”
A new restaurant in Eisenhower East hopes to share the cuisine of Mumbai with locals in the new year.
The Bombay Canteen plans to open in January at 2010 Eisenhower Avenue near Paisano’s, replacing a vacancy left by Hunan Cafe. The new eatery is the longtime dream of founder and chef Nishi Barua, who is from Bangladesh and learned to cook during her college years in India.
A longtime Italian restaurant from across the Potomac has its sights set on Old Town, according to the Washington Business Journal.
Floriana has reportedly leased a ground-floor space in the Atrium Building at 277 S. Washington Street. It’s aiming to replace a 5,800-square-foot vacancy left by Virginia’s Darling and Mae’s Market as early as June.
Two of Alexandria’s iconic holiday season parades will lead to some road closures throughout Old Town this weekend.
The Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and the Holiday Boat Parade of Lights both take place this Saturday, prompting the closures as well as reserved parking and no-parking zone enforcement.
With teamwork, grit and a reciprocating saw, a group of volunteers in Alexandria successfully removed a piece of debris from the Mount Vernon Trail that they estimate weighed at least 500 pounds.
The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail discovered the debris, a large sling fender, sitting in the Potomac River’s low tide line near the Marina Towers building at 501 Slaters Lane during the Nov. 15 Mega Trash Bash cleanup.
Ice skating has returned to Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run Regional Park, and the venue has plans to celebrate.
The outdoor skating rink at 4001 Eisenhower Avenue is hosting a Winter Ice Skating Party from 6-8 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday), with skating discounts, free hot chocolate and “Critter Corner” animal meet-and-greets, according to NOVA Parks.
A new home decor boutique recently opened on King Street in Old Town.
Interior Instincts opened for business last month at 1124 King Street, in the former longtime home of Imagine Artwear. The shop is owned by Alexandria resident Shireen Alhasawi, who spent four months reimagining it into a space selling neutral and contemporary Mediterranean pieces.
A Christmas-themed pop-up bar has officially opened its doors in Del Ray.
Joy on the Avenue opened its doors at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue on Nov. 22 and will remain until Jan. 4, when it will wrap with its annual Festivus party.
A holiday tradition is around the corner in Del Ray, and some festive helpers are needed.
The 15th annual Del Ray Holiday Season Kick-Off starts at 5 p.m. this Sunday at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square on 2311 Mount Vernon Avenue. The event features holiday songs performed by the Alexandria Children’s Chorus, appearances by city leaders and even Santa Claus himself.
