(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) Procrastinating on your Valentine’s Day reservations? You’re in luck.
Here are the top 15 best-reviewed restaurants in (and within a stone’s throw of) Alexandria, according to OpenTable. As of publication time, each of these eateries still have reservations available between 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14.
Late last year there were rumblings of some activity at King Street Blues, but it’s official now: a gastropub called Old Hat is coming to 112 N St. Asaph Street in Old Town.
The awning outside the location still says King Street Blues, a former two-story barbecue and southern cuisine restaurant that’s been empty for at least two years. Inside, however, there’s work being done to renovate the space and turn it into a new pub.
Alexandria Police are investigating the theft of nearly $184,000 from the city’s finance department in a suspected phishing scheme.
On Jan. 28, the department made a payment of $183,956.10 to what it believed was Integrity Construction
Along with locations in Arlington, Tysons and the rest of the national chain, Papyrus in Old Town (721 King Street) is closing.
Signs in the window say everything in the shop is 40-60% off. The store remains about half stocked, with remaining cards and merchandise filling the front half of the store. Other items include journals, gift bags, and assorted stationery.
Alexandria Police are investigating more than $40,000 in car parts stolen from BMW of Alexandria in the Landmark Mall parking garage.
On Jan. 17, the sales manager for BMW of Alexandria (499 S. Pickett St.) told police that 10 BMW M-Series sedans and sport utility vehicles stored at the property had been stripped of their wheels and put on concrete blocks. The passenger side front windows were smashed and the lug bolt locks were taken from the glove compartments.
Sugar Shack to Be Replaced — “Alexandria’s Sugar Shack Donuts will change to Elizabeth’s Counter this spring, with a wider menu and new focus… The donut shop at 904 N. Henry St. will become a bakery, vegetarian-influenced café and coffee shop. While Elizabeth’s Counter will have donuts, sugary goodness will not be not the focus.” [Alexandria Living]
B&C Jewelers Closing — “B&C Jewelers, one of the oldest retailers in Alexandria, Virginia, is closing at the end of April. B&C Jewelers opened in 1953 as an original tenant at the Bradlee Shopping Center at 3660 King St. It is the last original tenant there. ‘I feel like it is time to go. It is the end of our lease,’ owner Vicki Forness told WTOP.” [WTOP]
The start of spring is just over a month away, which means the arrival of Girl Scout cookies is here.
You could just hope to encounter a stand somewhere on your commute, or locate a co-worker with a kid in the Scouts, but if you want to be more strategic about it, the Girl Scouts website has a cookie tracker to find your nearest stand.
Alexandria’s DASH bus system is looking to improve its mobile ticketing smartphone application, but city officials want the app to be compatible with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s SmarTrip cards.
The bus system views the rollout of the app last June to be a success. Now DASH is working with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to understand how to improve upon the system before making those next steps.
Seminary Road has experienced some delays since the city implemented the contentious “road diet” last fall, Alexandria officials acknowledged at a Tuesday night city council meeting.
After months of pressure from an extremely vocal group of city residents on Facebook, council members peppered staff with questions about the road diet — a reduction of a 0.9 mile stretch of Seminary Road between N. Quaker Lane and Howard Street from four to two lanes, plus the addition of bike lanes on both sides, a center turn lane, crosswalks and medians.
Sushi restaurant The Handover, which is replacing Eamonn’s Dublin Chipper at 728 King Street, is planning opening tomorrow, according to staff at the restaurant.
A sign in the window says the restaurant is focused on hand rolls called temaki.
With both the Virginia House and Senate approving legislation to allow localities to remove Confederate statues, it would seem the Appomattox statue’s days are numbered.
The statue sits in the center of the intersection of S. Washington Street and Prince Street, where it’s been occasionally struck by cars.
