Two longtime affordable housing advocacy nonprofits have announced that, as of Jan. 1, the groups have officially merged.
The Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) and the Alliance for Housing Solutions (AHS) announced in a release that they’d be consolidating into one organization.
You might want to rethink any plans you made for the first weekend of the new year.
Meteorologists forecast a significant winter storm this weekend, with rain and snow kicking off sometime after 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6. The forecasts put the chance of precipitation at 80%, going up to 90% overnight.
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.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
🌦️ Today’s weather: Today will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 44. Cloudy again tomorrow, with a high near 48.
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is traditionally a little slow, but there was still plenty of news around Alexandria.
The top story was yet another office-to-apartment conversion planned for Old Town North, part of a trend of developers moving away from office space in the wake of the Covid pandemic and using those buildings for sorely needed housing.
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.
A group of women Alexandria women are on a mission to ensure no candidate is just a name on a ballot in Alexandria.
The Liberally Social podcast, started back in 2021 to explore the 13 candidates running for City Council, has come together again to profile two candidates who could shape policy in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS).
A new temporary exhibit at Freedom House Museum until April documents the life of a teenager enslaved at Washington Seminary in D.C.
“Searching for Truth in the Garden” reveals a story of Gabriel, a 13-year-old boy who was enslaved at the school — later renamed Gonzaga College High School — in 1829.
Sunday isn’t just New Year’s Eve in Alexandria; the city has its own special celebration called First Night Alexandria.
The event returns at various venues across Old Town starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, and running to midnight.
Good Friday morning, Alexandria!
🌦️ Today’s weather: In the afternoon, there is a 20% chance of rain with partly sunny skies and a high near 51 degrees, accompanied by a west wind at 7 mph. For Friday night, expect a 20% chance of rain before 1am, mostly cloudy conditions, and a low around 35 degrees, along with a northwest wind ranging from 6 to 9 mph.
Here in Alexandria, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the smallest and largest homes sold last month (November 2023).
Largest homes sold
