Paws In The Park, Alexandria’s biggest annual animal-focused event is returning on Sunday (October 16).
More than 50 adoptable pets will be on-hand at Old Town’s Oronoco Bay Park (100 Madison Street) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Alexandria Gets Its (Maybe) First By-The-Slice Pizza Shop — “There’s a first time for everything, even in 273-year-old Alexandria…” [Washington Business Journal]
Cracking Down on Cut-Through Traffic is Getting Easier in Fairfax County — “Mitigating cut-through traffic in residential areas may be a little simpler.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
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 free concert later this month features a new composition from a local professor honoring the first Black recipient of the Navy Cross.
The Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Alexandria Band is scheduled to hold a free concert on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. in The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall (4915 East Campus Drive). The main feature of the new concert is a new work by composer and George Mason University instructor Mark Camphouse called “Valor and Remembrance.” The composition honors U.S. Navy Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller.
Alexandria Vice Mayor Amy Jackson said the impact of pop star Lorde’s decision to take a plunge into the Potomac River is still rippling out across local environmental agencies.
In August, the New Zealand musician told a stunned D.C. crowd at The Anthem that she’d gone for a swim in the Potomac River. In years past, the river has had a reputation for being notoriously polluted, though the water quality has been gradually improving in recent years.
Event location
Woodson High School
9525 Main Street
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
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Northern Virginia Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) cordially invites you to attend and support our upcoming World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) for Road Traffic Victims.
World Day of Remembrance is an annual event where we honor those whose lives were prematurely ended after being struck by a person driving. This year is particularly painful and sad as we think about the recent death of a 13-year-old Frost middle school student who was struck and killed by a person driving a truck on Pickett Road. We will also honor the nearly 30 other people (as of today’s date) who have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while, walking, biking, or rolling since last year’s day of remembrance.
Halloween pop-up bar ‘Nightmare On The Avenue’ is back in Del Ray.
The pop-up bar at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue is decorated for the occasion, and offers spooky cocktails and snacks in the space previously home to the Tiki Bar Del Ray pop-up.
An Old Town office building slated for an overhaul could be getting a bakery as part of that revitalization, Washington Business Journal first reported.
Tatte Bakery & Cafe has leased space at 515 King Street, the office building in Old Town with the giant clock on the side of the building. Tatte Bakery & Cafe is a small chain based out of Massachusetts with several locations in D.C. The Alexandria location will be the second Northern Virginia location after one in neighboring Arlington.
While the prospect of buried treasure in the back yard sounds appealing, Alexandria leaders say amateur treasure hunting is hindering historic preservation efforts.
At a City Council meeting last night, Mayor Justin Wilson said the Alexandria Archaeological Commission has expressed concerns about items taken from homes in Old Town that belong in a museum.
Trial Begins for Analyst who was Source for Trump Dossier — “The allegations were aired in opening statements in the jury trial of Igor Danchenko, who is indicted on five counts of making false statements to the FBI, in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria.” [ABC13]
Collective Bargaining Discussion Continues in Fairfax — “An IAFF union is holding an election for representation to be the collective bargaining representative for negotiations with the county.” [Patch]
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Years before Alexandria would grapple with collective bargaining and the legacy of discrimination in schools, Virginia was ruled by a political faction dead-set on fighting unionization and integration.
Alexandria reporter Michael Lee Pope — a reporter with the Alexandria Gazette who has frequently covered Virginia’s state politics for WAMU — announced a new book last week that dives into the history of The Byrd Machine, a political operation led by Harry Byrd that dominated Virginia politics during the mid-20th century.