Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 72. North wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. North wind 3 to 7 mph.
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is responding to a commercial robbery at the AutoZone (3705 Mount Vernon Avenue) in the Arlandria neighborhood this morning.
According to scanner traffic, a male suspect entered the business with a “black assault rifle” while two other men with him waited outside. The suspect reportedly took money from the register and the safe.
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.
Warner Sherman looked great, but his cholesterol was sky high.
Last year, the 62-year-old Alexandria Fire Department captain realized that he needed to take red meat out of his diet. The discovery might’ve just save his life, and was made after Sherman got blood work back from AFD’s health and wellness Station 202 at 212 E. Windsor Avenue in Del Ray. Since transitioning to chicken and turkey, Sherman’s lost 10 pounds and his cholesterol has been cut in half.
As the city works through plans to systemize the renaming of streets honoring Confederate leaders, some Alexandrians could be taking a trip to the DMV or the bank.
One of the questions going into the renaming process has been: what will that mean for locals living on those streets? Ahead of the renaming process coming back for a public hearing in October, city staff put together a guide to what locals will and won’t have to change.
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.
Alexandria is planning to pull out all the stops for its 275 birthday next year and, can we just say: it doesn’t look a day over 200.
At a City Council meeting last night, Gretchen Bulova, director of the Office of Historic Alexandria, said the city is preparing for the big 275 next summer with celebrations tying in with state and nationwide events. The city is planning to celebrate from April 24 through Labor Day.
After several months of delay, French bistro Gostov Boulangerie & Brasserie (2213 Mount Vernon Avenue) is set to open next Tuesday in Del Ray.
The notification that the bistro is opening was made by the Del Ray Business Association (Visit Del Ray) on Facebook and Instagram.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. North wind around 5 mph. At night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind 5 to 14 mph becoming north in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Updated at 3:30 p.m. on May 24 — The estimated costs of the total infrastructure improvements at the former Landmark Mall site have ballooned 40% since City Council signed off on the project in 2021, forcing the city to get creative with its financing.
Tonight (Tuesday), the City Council will vote on directing City Manager Jim Parajon to execute an agreement between the city, Landmark Land Holdings (a joint venture between Foulger-Pratt, The Howard Hughes Corp. and Seritage Growth Properties.) and Inova Healthcare Services to address the $62 million shortfall.
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