You might say Tiffany Matthews wears a lot of hats.
Matthews is a senior instructor at the Alexandria Fire Department’s academy, training the city’s freshest recruits how to run into burning buildings and save lives. In her off-duty hours, though, she’s the founding owner of the Washington Prodigy women’s pro-football team. In fact, she’s been involved in professional football just as long as she’s been with AFD — 19 years.
Before everyone jumps on AARP, the group acknowledged in a listing of best “small towns” in America to enjoy the holidays that Alexandria is a city.
With that out of the way: AARP said Alexandria is one of the top five “small towns that will bring your Hallmark Christmas movie dreams to life.”
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.
(Updated at 2:35 p.m.) Alexandria police arrested a West End man on Sunday afternoon for allegedly brandishing a handgun against his neighbor outside of their apartment complex.
The incident occurred at around 2:45 p.m. in a parking lot in the 2200 block of N. Beauregard Street. Police confirmed that there was a brandishing incident by speaking with witnesses at the scene, and the suspect and the victim were screaming at each other, according to the police scanner.
Alexandrians traveling for the holiday should be aware the area will likely see some rain this week, but things should clear up on Thanksgiving.
The National Weather Service said rain will likely start on Tuesday after 10 a.m.
Event location
Duvall House
305 Cameron Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Join George Washington at the beautiful, historic Duvall House—the site of his “coming home” celebration after the Revolutionary War! Libations and hearty hors d’oeuvres will be served. Tickets are $150 per person, with proceeds benefiting the 2027 George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria. Reserve your space at the event website, or email us at [email protected] if you prefer to pay at the door.
Good Monday morning, Alexandria!
🌥️ Today’s weather: Expect clouds to increase and reach a high temperature near 50 with a 7 mph north wind shifting east in the afternoon. The night will be mostly cloudy, maintaining a low temperature around 37 and a 6 mph east wind.
It’s been a busy week in Alexandria.
Alexandria’s Zoning for Housing/Housing for All discussion is coming to a head, with the policy proposal entering the home stretch before final review at a City Council meeting later this month.
The arrest of the driver of a stolen vehicle caused a temporary lockdown at William Ramsay Elementary School (5700 Sanger Avenue) earlier today.
Police said in a release that a stolen vehicle was recovered and the driver was arrested.
Alexandria just hired Cheran Cordell Ivery as the city attorney, replacing outgoing City Attorney Joanna Anderson.
Ivery, who starts work on Jan. 8, has been the city attorney in Hampton, Virginia, for the last five years. She replaces City Attorney Joanna Anderson, who has had the role since 2018, and announced her retirement in June.
All arguments aside, Alexandria’s equity standards and economic prospects have been declared sound.
Yesterday, the city announced that S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service reaffirmed Alexandria’s ‘AAA’ bond rating. The city has maintained the designation since 1992, and it equates to a good credit rating for the city to get low-interest rates from bond investors to provide funding for multiple projects.
