Gary Oelze Looks Back at 55 Years at The Birchmere — “The Birchmere is in its 56th year and owner Gary Oelze is still going strong as he approaches his 80th birthday next month. Music has been a constant in Gary’s life, starting with his childhood in rural Kentucky.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
It’s Friday — Clear throughout the day. High of 91 and low of 76. Sunrise at 6:02 am and sunset at 8:30 pm. [Weather.gov]
Justus Frank and Jeremy Barber are sticking with Italian food with their pop-up restaurant Elo’s Italian Restaurant in Del Ray.
It’s been a little more than a year since the partners closed their date night spot Live Oak (1603 Commonwealth Avenue) and reopened it as Elo’s. The pop-up has been a hit with customers, Frank says, adding that it’s a lot of trouble and expense to switch back to a southern cuisine concept.
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.
City staff say that initial findings from a mitigation pilot along Duke Street earlier this year show the project was mostly successful in keeping traffic off neighborhood streets.
In a small update (page 10) prepared for the Traffic and Parking Board, city staff said initial findings showed the Duke Street Traffic Mitigation Pilot — which ran from January-April — mostly accomplished what it set out to do.
Maven loves to watch birds and squirrels from the window of his foster home.
The two-year-old brown tabby seems shy at first, but opens up when he’s excited, says Gina Hardter, spokesperson for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
After a contentious Board of Architectural Review (BAR) meeting, plans for the redevelopment of Samuel Madden Homes in the Braddock neighborhood are headed back to public review at a meeting next week.
The City of Alexandria said in a release that a community meeting for the proposed redevelopment is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26, at 6 p.m. in the Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street).
With temperatures expected in the 90s until next week, Alexandria is offering cooling centers at recreation centers and libraries.
Thursday’s temperature (July 21) is expected to reach 98 degrees, with a heat index of 104, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperatures are anticipated to reach 95 degrees on Friday, 99 degrees on Saturday, 100 degrees on Sunday, 93 degrees on Monday and then 89 degrees next Tuesday.
Alexandria Recognized With Planning Awards — “The City of Alexandria is the winner of two presitigious awards. Today the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association’s (APA Virginia) recognized the Department of Planning and Zoning with the Commonwealth Plan of the Year Award for its Arlandria-Chirilagua Small Area Plan and the Red Clay Development of the Year Award for its Landmark Mall Redevelopment Plan.” [Zebra]
It’s Thursday — Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 90 and low of 79. Sunrise at 6:01 am and sunset at 8:30 pm. [Weather.gov]
If you’re an Alexandrian on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen Volunteer Alexandria posts written by Theresa Kramer-Burgess.
If the Volunteer Alexandria needs something, Kramer-Burgess lets everyone know about it on social media. Sometimes she posts more than a dozen times a week on each platform.
Nearly two years after the project broke ground, The Waypoint housing development (2451 Menokin Drive) in the Fairlington neighborhood is scheduled to open in September.
The project, led by affordable housing developer Wesley Housing, is scheduled to have a grand opening celebration on Sept. 28.
