Alexandria City Council approves funding for increased police pay — here’s how much — “The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a resolution to fund a new collective bargaining agreement with its police department Tuesday night, in a move to help with staffing shortages.” [WJLA]
Thanksgiving Grocery Store Hours — “For the Thanksgiving holiday, some stores around Alexandria will be closed, and others have limited hours.” [Patch]
A 61-year-old Arlington man is behind bars for the alleged abduction and brutal rape of a woman in the Skyline area in 1988.
George Thomas, Jr., was identified by a Fairfax County Police Department fingerprint examiner, who matched a fingerprint found on the victim’s vehicle in 1988 to a fingerprint from a 2020 concealed weapons charge that was on file in Alexandria. He would have been 26 years old when the incident occurred.
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.
A new day care center to accommodate 190 children is planning to open in the new Carlyle Crossing development in January.
There are 750 luxury apartments in Carlyle Crossing, and the Celebree School of Alexandria will be located within the 1 million-square-foot luxury residential development, on the ground floor of the brand new 13,648-square foot space at 2450 Mill Road.
A juice trailer parked in North Old Town is headed to Planning Commission review next month after a zoning inspection triggered by a complaint found it was not in compliance with city ordinance.
Juice Box Old Town is a cold-pressed mobile juice bar set up at 500 North Union Street, near Founders Park. The Juice Box website describes it as a perfect site to catch locals and visitors walking along the river. What it was not, a staff report said, was in compliance with city zoning ordinance.
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.
An event next month will translate a lesson in local historic architecture into sweet treats and load-bearing cookies.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 N Royal Street) is hosting a gingerbread decorating event on Sunday, Dec. 18. The Office of Historic Alexandria said the confectionary class celebrates the creative concepts of close-by construction.
Last week, Alexandria’s City Council voted to permanently expand the King Street pedestrian zone to encompass the waterfront block.
The change is the latest in a push for a more pedestrian-friendly King Street that started in 2019. Now, both the unit block (the one closest to the water) and the 100 block are closed to vehicle traffic except in emergencies, with the streetscape converted into a place for pedestrians to walk and local businesses to expand onto the sidewalks.
Five Guys is moving its corporate headquarters to Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood, according to the Washington Business Journal.
The burger chain, which opened its first location in Arlington in 1986, has been headquartered in Lorton for nearly a decade. It is moving to a 40,000-square-foot space on the fifth floor of 1940 Duke Street in the Carlyle Crescent building.
Curative COVID Testing Sites To Close In D.C. Area — “For much of the pandemic, Curative testing sites in D.C., Md. and Va. have been go-to locations for many residents to get quick COVID results on PCR tests. Now the company is shutting down all locations not just in the D.C. area, but nationwide.” [DCist]
What Opioid Lawsuits Could Mean for Virginia — “Money to fight opioid abuse is headed to Virginia under an agreement with CVS, Walmart and Walgreens to pay about $10 billion to states.” [Patch]
Old Town just got a little brighter.
On Saturday (Nov. 19), Santa Claus made his way to City Hall on the King Street Trolley to help members of City Council light the holiday tree at Market Square in front of City Hall.
