Port City Brewing Company is collaborating with Made in ALX for a pop-up market next weekend featuring around two-dozen local artists and businesses.
The market is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18, from noon-5 p.m. at Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue). Admission is free and the market is pet-friendly.
Alexandria’s DeShuna Spencer wants you to binge on Black culture without the interference.
The founder and CEO of kweliTV has dedicated herself to celebrating and amplifying international Black stories and storytellers. After five years in business, she’s now got 40,000 registered users, with 48,000 watchers of her live channel.
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.
Celebrations, seminars and themed events are on the menu for Old Town Cocktail Week.
More than a dozen restaurants and retailers are celebrating all things cocktail starting on Friday, September 9, and lasting until Sunday, September 18.
After work on city sidewalks and alleyways, Alexandria is headed back to Seminary Road for more neighborhood street resurfacing over the next week.
Between yesterday (Sept. 6) and next Friday (Sept. 16), the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services will be hitting up several neighborhood streets around Seminary Hill and Arlandria.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
Wakefield student on scooter killed by SUV driver in Alexandria — “A Wakefield High School junior has died in the hospital after being struck by a driver while riding a scooter.” [ARLnow]
It’s Wednesday — Overcast throughout the day. High of 76 and low of 69. Sunrise at 6:44 am and sunset at 7:31 pm. [Weather.gov]
City Manager Jim Parajon has announced that a former Norfolk reporter and fellow transplant from Texas will be coming to Alexandria to serve as the city’s director of communications and public information.
In a release, Parajon said Ebony Fleming will serve in the role effective today (Tuesday).
The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) has organized a pilgrimage to the Equal Justice Initiative’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Legacy Museum next month, and today (Tuesday) is the last chance for locals to register to join the trip.
Community members will transport soil from where two Black Alexandrians were lynched. The trip will involve visits to historical sites around Alabama and evening programs with guest speakers.
Two years after it broke ground, The Waypoint at Fairlington (2451 Menokin Drive) is scheduled to have its grand opening later this month.
In an email, affordable housing developer Wesley Housing said the housing complex is scheduled to open on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
With Alexandria hitting 50 cases of Monkeypox, the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is planning to host a virtual meeting next week to address concerns about the virus.
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 6:30 p.m.
