Alexandrians have had a lot of thoughts on local architecture recently, and now they’ll get a chance to craft their own building in Old Town — albeit one made out of gingerbread.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (138 N. Royal Street) is once again hosting its gingerbread decorating event early next month, with gingerbread houses themed around various historic buildings in Old Town.
Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: The weather will be mostly sunny today, reaching a high of 53 degrees, accompanied by calm winds that will shift to a south direction at 5 to 9 mph during the morning. Tonight, expect partly cloudy conditions with a low temperature around 37 degrees and a southwest wind at 5 to 9 mph.
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.
Get your ballet slippers ready, because a new dance school is soon opening in Del Ray.
Dance Academy of Virginia recently erected a temporary sign and started advertising ballet, point, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, tap and musical theater classes in advance of their January 6 opening at 2402 Mount Vernon Avenue, the former home of Yoga In Daily Life.
A man has been arrested for attempting to rob someone in an apartment building just before 3 p.m. near Landmark today (Wednesday), the Alexandria Police Department (APD) said.
The man reportedly had a mask over his face and claimed to be carrying a handgun, according to scanner traffic. The victim told police that the man told the victim to put his hands up and brandished a gun, but the suspect ran away, according to the scanner.
It's that time again – The November 14 Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market!
Saturday, November 14
9am-2pm
(Updated 3:15 p.m.) As temperatures drop below freezing, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is warning its low-income families that they will be arrested if caught wearing ski masks.
In a Nov. 14 notification to approximately 1,500 low-income households under its watch, ARHA said that the Alexandria Police Department notified them that they will start “enforcing the prohibition against wearing face coverings that hide an individual’s face now that the COVID pandemic is over.”
If you’ve never heard of or been to Winkler Botanical Preserve, you’re not alone.
In a 2021 poll, over 55% of ALXnow readers had never heard of the Winkler Botanical Preserve and nearly 20% had heard of it but never gone there. A little over 5% said they go to the park frequently.
A portion of Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria is shut down after a crash involving the drivers of a car and a motorcycle.
Mount Vernon Avenue is closed from the Birchmere (3701 Mt Vernon Avenue) to The Waffle Shop (3864 Mt Vernon Avenue).
A coalition of organizations and City agencies has put together a survey to assess the quality of housing around the city.
Alexandria’s Healthy Homes Network is launching the engagement project to both gather information on issues like mold and pests and to help residents become more aware of home hazards.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny conditions with a high of around 39 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 6 to 10 mph. The night will be mostly clear, with a low of approximately 28 degrees and a southwest wind at 5 to 10 mph.
