Armed Man Stopped at National Airport — “A Transportation Security Administration officer at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) stopped an Alexandria Va. man from bringing a loaded handgun on his flight Monday, a TSA press release said.” [ABC7]
It’s Wednesday — Rain in the morning. High of 84 and low of 73. Sunrise at 6:06 am and sunset at 8:26 pm. [Weather.gov]
Updated at 3:55 p.m. The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is signing up high-risk residents to get the monkeypox vaccine.
As of July 25, the number of cases in Virginia reached 72. There are 54 cases in the Northern Virginia region, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
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.
Repaving season in Alexandria continues, this week with some neighborhoods south of Duke Street getting some love.
After repaving around the North Ridge neighborhood earlier this month, repaving is continuing in Del Ray and some of the streets south of Duke Street are getting some much-needed attention from yesterday through next Friday, Aug. 5.
Bun Papa talks a big game, and now they have a RAMMY to back it up.
On Sunday (July 24), thousands were in attendance recognizing the region’s culinary excellence at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s annual RAMMY awards at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Bun Papa won the outstanding pop-up concept in the publicly voted category.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
Cannabis company Jushico is opening a new Beyond Hello dispensary just south of Hunting Creek in Fairfax.
The new location is called Beyond Hello Alexandria but is located on the Fairfax side of the border at 5902 Richmond Highway. The location is scheduled to open tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 a.m.
A 29-year-old Arlington man faces a jury trial next month for allegedly robbing and assaulting his disabled ex-girlfriend in her West End apartment.
The suspect has been held without bond in the Alexandria jail since his arrest on February 8.
(Updated 11:40 a.m.) Comcast Opens New Xfinity Store — “Comcast today announced the opening of a new Xfinity store located in the Shoppes of Foxchase at 4609 Duke Street…” [PR Newswire]
It’s Tuesday — Rain starting in the afternoon. High of 81 and low of 74. Sunrise at 6:06 am and sunset at 8:27 pm. [Weather.gov]
The City of Alexandria is planning to build a new sidewalk on the north side of Polk Avenue, but the city’s plans have some neighbors concerned about the construction’s impact on the nearby park and the neighborhood’s parking situation.
The city is planning to build a new sidewalk that connects two dead-end stretches of sidewalk that cut off abruptly into dense underbrush. The city said the sidewalk construction will help students in the neighborhood walk to Polk Elementary and Hammond Middle School — though students will have to cross the street anyway to get to Polk.
The ‘I Love You’ art installation at Waterfront Park is having a rough summer. For most of June and July, the “o” in “Love” was out of commission, and all the lights were recently shut off due to flooding.
Not to worry. The opportunity to take awesome selfies with your squeeze has returned.
