Discussion panel program Agenda: Alexandria is hosting a panel tonight to bring advocates and opponents of the city’s housing reform together for a showdown.
The chosen dueling ground will be the Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street) at 7 p.m., though onlookers can also view the panel online.
While the City of Alexandria is eyeing major changes to Duke Street west of Old Town, one change could be coming to the street right as it passes the Carlyle neighborhood.
The city could be swapping out one of the left turn lanes at the intersection with Dulany Street with a pedestrian refuge.
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 City Council at its town hall meeting on Saturday shot back at criticism over its plan to rename streets named after Confederate leaders.
Council answered public questions for two hours Saturday morning at Charles Houston Recreation Center, and the meeting took a decisive turn when Mayor Justin Wilson read the following question:
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) said a woman was seriously injured when she was struck by a driver on Duke Street yesterday.
APD said around 9:46 a.m. on Sunday morning, officers responded to a collision involving a pedestrian at the Duke and Paxton Streets intersection.
Join Cruise Planners Beth Borrego and Rod Rodriguez for the World of Travel Show 2027 on Saturday, February 6, 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in The BlackBox at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
Meet representatives from 13 respected travel brands covering family and adults-only cruises, premium and luxury ocean voyages, European river cruises, expedition and Galápagos adventures, small-ship sailing, guided land tours, and customized vacations.
Good Monday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Expect sunny skies and a high around 63 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 8 to 13 mph, gusting up to 18 mph. As for Monday night, the sky will remain mostly clear, and the temperature will drop to around 40 degrees. The north wind will decrease to about 6 mph before calming down during the evening.
Everybody must be hungry, because this week’s top story was about an all-day brunch restaurant in Del Ray.
Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue) was the sole Alexandria location in Washingtonian’s list of best brunch spots. The restaurant opened last year with a dog-friendly patio and specializes in all-day brunch.
For nearly 20 years, firefighter Corrin Pumphrey has been the Alexandria Fire Department’s resident artist.
Last month, Pumphrey unveiled a 12-by-six-foot-tall mural of first responders at AFD’s health and wellness Station 202 (213 E. Windsor Avenue) in Del Ray.
Get your candy buckets ready, because the annual Del Ray Halloween Parade is next Sunday, Oct. 29.
It’s Visit Del Ray’s 27th year hosting the fun event, which starts at 2 p.m. at Mount Vernon Avenue and E. Bellefonte Avenue and ends with live music and prizes at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center athletic fields.
Alexandria City High School senior Mohommed Abir Rhaman was shocked when he was notified last month that he got a perfect score on the Advanced Placement U.S. History Exam.
The notoriously grueling exam takes more than three hours to finish, and Rhaman is one of 13 students in the world who aced it this year, according to Alexandria City Public Schools.
