Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria has been chosen to receive a $1.6 million grant to reduce housing related hazards to 120 homes in the city.
RTA is one of three nonprofits in Virginia to get the multi-year funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s $104.7 million package. There were 60 similar organizations that were awarded revitalization funds.
A towering project that will bookend Eisenhower Avenue is going through some design changes as it heads through the city’s approval process, but the changes are facing objections from City staff.
The changes are scheduled for review at the Carlyle Design Review Board on Thursday, Jan. 20. Developer Carlyle Plaza LLC has proposed several architectural changes for the project, two connected towers at 765 John Carlyle Street and 1900 Eisenhower Avenue, but staff said virtually all of these changes are a downgrade from what was approved in November.
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 responds to surge in COVID-19, testing shortages — “COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise and tests remain difficult to come by, as Alexandria, much like the rest of the country, grapples with the spread of the Omicron variant.” [Alexandria Times]
Umbrella Dry Drinks to provide a sophisticated alcohol alternative in Alexandria — “Umbrella Dry Drinks is opening a pop-up in February with plans to open a permanent non-alcoholic bar and shop by the end of the year.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
At its October general membership meeting, the NAACP Alexandria Branch 7043 Nominating Committee presented its slate for the 2027–2028 term and named John Hopkins-Gillispie as its nominee for Branch President.
Hopkins-Gillispie is a life member of the branch. He has chaired the Freedom Fund Dinner for the past two years, and this year’s dinner raised more than $40,000 for the branch. He serves on the Legal Redress Committee, reviewing discrimination complaints brought to the branch. He has provided input on issues from the Alexandria Police Department’s hate crimes policy to the proposed Edsall Road data center. He also represents the branch as co-chair of the host committee for the 2027 Virginia State Conference convention.
Capital Bikeshare has been rolling out several new bikeshare stations including a new station near the Bradlee Shopping Center in the heart of Alexandria.
The new station is at the intersection of King Street and W Braddock Road, just a few blocks from the station at Alexandria City High School and one at Radford Street and Osage Street.
**Sips & Shells: Holiday Oyster Shell Workshop at Hank's Oyster Bar**
Gather your girlfriends for a creative night out in Old Town Alexandria!
A man is undergoing mental health treatment after being apprehended for allegedly assaulting two people inside a CVS with a hammer in the West End.
The incident occurred at around 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at The Shops at Mark Center (1458 N. Beauregard Street).
Alexandria’s City Council was overall supportive of an arrangement presented earlier this week to invest — sort of — in a new Old Town hotel.
A proposal backed by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership would have the city help fill gap-funding for a hotel project at 699 Prince Street that fell through when the pandemic hit. Interior demolition was already underway when the pandemic made it impossible to secure financing on a new hospitality project, said AEDP President and CEO Stephanie Landrum in a presentation to the City Council on Tuesday.
Rotttweiler mix Baxter weighs 95 pounds and likes nothing more than cuddling. The seven-year-old is also up for adoption with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
“Baxter can be a bit shy at first, but once he gets to know you, he bonds hard, so expect a friend for life,” said AWLA spokesperson Gina Hardter. “Baxter is quite the gentleman, who walks attentively on a leash even in the hustle and bustle of Old Town.”
The twice-annual Alexandria Restaurant Week starts next Friday with some new options on the list of restaurants.
Restaurant week’s schtick is that each of the restaurants offers $35 per-person meals at various restaurants around the city, which is still a bit much for the $10-$20 restaurant-goers among us, but is discount at many of the restaurants in question.
‘Zebra Stripes’ to return to Del Ray — “Snowplows accidentally took out the so-called zebra stripes that are designed to slow cars.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Mark apartment tower in Alexandria sells for $52.7 million — “Washington Property Company (WPC) has acquired The Mark, a 227-unit apartment tower in Alexandria, VA, for $52.7 million.” [Zebra]
Revolutionary Fitness, the strength and longevity training studio for people over 50 at 215 N. Payne St., is opening 5 spots in its members-only year-end challenge.
Every year, the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s knocks people off track. Workouts get skipped, schedules fill up, and the plan becomes “I’ll start in January.”
