A local entrepreneur is kicking off preparations to launch a new Del Ray event space with a “Wicked”-themed Halloween party and fundraiser this week.
Lee Raynes, the former owner of Bellies & Babies consignment shop, is hosting the party to preview her next business model, an event space called Together Creative Studio. The party starts at 4 p.m. on Friday at 2603 E. Randolph Avenue.
The three masked individuals who terrorized an Alexandria woman this month were teenage members of her family involved in a prank, the Alexandria Police Department announced today (Monday).
The victim from the Oct. 14 incident will not press charges against the four teens and three adult family members who participated in the prank, APD Chief Tarrick McGuire said during a press conference.
Before the pandemic, I ran a Reddit forum that brought people together for local happy hours. It became a great outlet for an in-person social life: you could get out, get to know people nearby, and have a familiar group to spend time with. I enjoyed being the person who helped make that happen.
Getting people together became harder after the pandemic. Friends moved away, had kids, or settled into different routines, and organizing a night out took more effort. I still wanted that camaraderie, but having people to invite didn’t necessarily mean we could get something on the calendar.
I’m in my late 30s and live in Old Town. About a year ago, I joined Choros, a local membership community that helps guys build friendships through small-group activities. Since then, I’ve been to close to 50 hangouts, and it’s given me a regular group of guys to do things with around Alexandria and beyond.
I host board game nights and help host a monthly happy hour at the Commodore in Old Town. I’ve done escape rooms on King Street, trivia, food festivals in Del Ray, movie discussions, and Dungeons & Dragons (which can be especially tricky to get going as an adult with a busy schedule). Having that variety means I can find something that fits my mood and schedule, and there are usually familiar faces when I get there.
One of my favorite things, though, is getting on my bike, picking a destination, and making a day of it. Through Choros, I’ve found a consistent crew to ride with almost every month. That’s the kind of thing I wanted more of: people who enjoy the same stuff and make time to get out and do it together.
I still like hosting and bringing people together. What makes Choros useful is having a community to draw from, so every plan doesn’t depend on the same few friends being available. Other guys suggest and host things too, which gives me plenty of opportunities to join something without organizing it myself.
Over time, seeing the same guys at different activities builds familiarity. You have conversations to pick back up and another reason to make plans together. That’s how it’s become a circle of friends for me.
If you’re in Alexandria, check out Choros and come to one of our monthly happy hours at the Commodore. I’d be happy to meet a few more neighbors, whether you’re into board games, bike rides, or just getting out for a drink. There’s plenty happening here, along with activities throughout the rest of the D.C. area.
The Freedom House Museum will reopen to the public Nov. 6 following the completion of exterior rehabilitation work that restored the building’s pre-Civil War appearance, the city announced Monday.
The Office of Historic Alexandria will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. at the museum, located at 1315 Duke Street. Experts will be available from 1-3 p.m. that day to discuss details of the renovation work.
Alexandria City High School students can get free and confidential sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing at school this week.
The free “Hallo-Screen” event, which is open to all Alexandria teens, will be conducted over the course of two days at the Teen Wellness Center clinics on both ACHS campuses. The testing schedule is below.
Event location
Woodson High School
9525 Main Street
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Northern Virginia Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) cordially invites you to attend and support our upcoming World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) for Road Traffic Victims.
World Day of Remembrance is an annual event where we honor those whose lives were prematurely ended after being struck by a person driving. This year is particularly painful and sad as we think about the recent death of a 13-year-old Frost middle school student who was struck and killed by a person driving a truck on Pickett Road. We will also honor the nearly 30 other people (as of today’s date) who have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while, walking, biking, or rolling since last year’s day of remembrance.
Alexandria residents have until 5 p.m. Saturday to vote early in next week’s general election, with turnout significantly outpacing the 2021 election cycle.
As of Oct. 24, Alexandria had recorded 16,960 early votes — already two-thirds of the 25,475 total early ballots cast during the entire 2021 election cycle, according to data from the Virginia Department of Elections. Of those ballots, 10,657 were cast in person and 6,303 by mail.
This Day in Alexandria History: Petition to Establish Town at Hunting Creek — On October 27, 1748, a group of citizens petitioned the Virginia House of Burgesses “That a town may be established at Hunting Creek’s Warehouse on Potowmack River.” The legislature approved the request of the group, who soon became known as the town founders of Alexandria, and the new town held its first land auctions for property lots on July 14, 1749. One condition of the auction was that a structure had to be built on the property within two years of purchase. [Historic Alexandria]
Thousands Attend 29th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade — Thousands of superheroes, witches, princesses, and other costumed revelers attended the 29th annual Del Ray Halloween Parade along Mount Vernon Avenue Sunday afternoon. [ALXnow]
Thousands of superheroes, witches, princesses, and other costumed revelers attended the 29th annual Del Ray Halloween Parade along Mount Vernon Avenue Sunday afternoon.
The grand marshal of the parade was Mount Vernon Community School 5th grader Linci Campos Cifuentes, who rode with her principal along the parade route. The event is one of the best Halloween parades in the country, according to USA Today.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information about an arrest and charges filed in the case.
Alexandria police have charged a 26-year-old man with murder in connection with a fatal shooting Saturday night in the West End.
The Alexandria Police Department is advising residents and visitors to plan ahead for road closures on Sunday as the Del Ray neighborhood hosts its annual Halloween Parade.
Mt. Vernon Avenue will begin closing in stages starting at 12:30 p.m. for the popular community event, which draws families from across the region to watch costumed children and their families parade through the heart of Del Ray.
