Good Friday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunshine and a high of around 59 degrees, accompanied by a south wind between 5 and 8 mph. Friday night will be clear, with a low temperature near 39 degrees and a south wind at around 6 mph.
Here in Alexandria, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive single-family homes sold last month (October 2023).
Most expensive single-family homes sold
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 Alexandria Planning Commission unanimously endorsed a sweeping overhaul of the city’s zoning ordinances on Wednesday night, giving City Council the green light to vote on it later this month.
There were more than 100 attendees and 51 speakers at the Planning Commission’s five hour public hearing, which ran after midnight. The speakers were a mixed bunch, with about half supporting the legislation and the other half opposing it.
On tap this weekend – Alexandria Fall Festival at River Farm, Pups on the Patio, Old Town North Public Art Installation Celebration, and much more.
Get your full rundown of all that’s happening for events, live music, and entertainment this weekend in Alexandria below, enjoy!
Explore preschool & kindergarten options in Alexandria! Meet schools, ask questions & find the best match for your child’s early education.
Welcome to the Alexandria Preschool and Kindergarten Fair! Join us for a fun-filled event where parents can explore various preschool and kindergarten options for their little ones. Meet with representatives from different schools, ask questions, and gather information to make the best choice for your child's education. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the perfect match for your family! The fair is free to attend but advance registration is encouraged.
Alexandria renting units in Class A apartments — newer, high-rise buildings — have seen their rent increase by an average of 4.7% over the last year, real estate website UrbanTurf reported.
Those Class A units comprise the majority of new construction around the region and are generally developments built after 1991 and featuring amenities. The effective rent per month in one of those units in Alexandria, which includes a mix of studios, one and two-bedroom rentals, is $2,475 per month.
Meet Nena! This girl is a 3-year-old brown and white dog in need of a special forever home.
She can be nervous so a quiet and calm home would be perfect for her, according to AWLA spokesperson Erin Shackelford.
(Updated 12:20 p.m.) Over 4,000 Dominion Energy customers were without power earlier today in a large outage covering a swath of central Alexandria, from Seminary Hill to Del Ray.
Dominion estimated 4,365 customers were impacted by the outage.
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) announced today a low-cost canine training program called Alexandria Animal Academy.
The new program is set to start on Jan. 21 and will feature an eight-week virtual course coaching both parents and pets in various fields, from confidence building to leash reactivity.
The Alexandria Police Department said the city responded to two separate robberies in different parts of the city last night.
In both cases, police said a weapon was displayed, but no one was injured.
