From tango to storytime, the Alexandria Library is hosting an array of events this month to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
The month of programming started on Sept. 15 and will run until Monday, Oct. 16.
A 51-year-old Alexandria man was killed in a crash last week near the Eisenhower Avenue exit on Interstate 495.
Virginia State Police reported that Martin Warner, Jr. was killed at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, when his 2003 Mercedes Benz crashed into a tractor-trailer that had to “rapidly slow in speed” due to mechanical issues.
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 Board of Architectural Review (BAR) has a storied history of seemingly petty battles with property owners, but the newest one might take the cake.
City staff is recommending denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness for vinyl windows, window trim and shutters at a Parker-Gray home — meaning the owner may have to restore the original windows or find historically suitable replacements.
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(Updated 9/19) The next public discussion for Alexandria’s Zoning for Housing/Housing for All is coming next week.
The second of three fall community meetings is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6-8 p.m.
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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: Today, expect scattered showers in the morning before 9am and isolated showers after 3pm, with cloudy skies turning mostly sunny and a high near 77°F. Northwest winds will be at 6-9 mph, and there is a 30% chance of precipitation. Tonight, isolated showers may occur before 9pm, followed by mostly cloudy skies becoming clear, a low around 58°F, and a northwest wind around 7 mph. The chance of precipitation is 20%.
Alexandria police are investigating the shooting of a man in a suspected carjacking in the parking lot of a Landmark-area apartment complex.
Multiple callers reported hearing two-to-three shots at around 10:15 p.m. in the 300 block of S. Reynolds Street, according to the police scanner.
Alexandria police on Friday arrested a fugitive who escaped from prison in Wisconsin on Monday, Sept. 11.
The Alexandria Police Department arrested 38-year-old Dustin Bone in the area of King and N. West Streets in Old Town at around 5 p.m. after an officer used a license plate reader and determined that the black pickup truck he was driving was stolen, according to an APD news release and the police scanner.
Big news week in Alexandria.
A possible robbery with minor injuries turned into the sixth murder of the year in the city. Police are also investigating an alleged attempted abduction and robbery in Old Town. So far, police have been playing their cards close to the chest with details on both cases.
After a dip in 2020, Capital Bikeshare use in Alexandria has been on a rapid rebound and this year surpassed pre-Covid ridership.
The network overall hit ridership records this summer. Capital Bikeshare hit an all-time ridership record in Alexandria this July, with 10,652 total trips, according to a new report to the Traffic and Parking Board. There was an average of 343.6 trips per day in July.