New Inova Facility Planned — “Inova Health System plans to open a new health care facility on part of Oakville Triangle, giving another try to the 13-acre site on Richmond Highway in Alexandria across from a planned Virginia Tech campus and a short distance from Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters.” [Washington Business Journal]
Christmas Attic Closes — “One of Alexandria’s most beloved businesses, The Christmas Attic at 125 S. Union St., has closed its doors after nearly 50 years in business near the Alexandria waterfront. The year-round winter wonderland offered a special shopping experience.” [Alexandria Living]
Food Truck Serves Fido — “A food truck for dogs? Yup, and not a truck that rolls up and hands out kibble. Woofbowl serves up treats like burgers, fries, and pho… [The truck] frequently pulls up to Del Ray’s Saturday Farmers Market.” [Zebra]
Port City IPA Release Party Tonight — “Introducing a brand new beer to our Limited Release lineup, Star Sailor White IPA! Made with 100% VA Grown Wheat, this hop forward hazy golden beer has fruity notes that will leave you refreshed and ready for star gazing.” [Port City Brewing]
St. Pat’s Parade This Weekend — “Alexandria will turn green at the 39th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Fun Dog Show on Saturday, March 7. The festivities are sponsored by the Ballyshaners, a nonprofit dedicated to Irish heritage, and are expected to include more than 2,000 participants.” [ALXnow]
Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Returns — “Love it or hate it, our annual ritual of early March – daylight saving time – is coming this weekend. At 2 a.m. Sunday, the few analog clocks still around must ‘spring forward’ an hour, turning 1:59:59 a.m. into 3 a.m.” [USA Today]
Local brewery Port City is planning a “Crispy Crawl” later this month of some of Del Ray’s marquee bars and restaurants.
The crawl will take place on Saturday, March 21 and run from 1-6 p.m. Among the stops are:
- Lena’s Woodfired Pizza and Tap (401 E. Braddock Road)
- The Garden (1504 Mount Vernon Avenue)
- Evening Star Cafe (2000 Mount Vernon Avenue)
- Del Ray Pizzeria (2218 Mount Vernon Avenue)
- Pork Barrel BBQ (2312 Mount Vernon Avenue)
- Hops N Shine (3410 Mount Vernon Avenue)
The crawl starts at either Lena’s or Hops N Shine, then going up and down Mount Vernon Avenue. Participants must arrive by 2:30 p.m.
The goal is to hit all six spots to complete a pass and turn it in at either Lena’s or Hops N Shine to pick up a glass as the prize at the end.
Photo via Del Ray Brewing Company
Port City Brewing Company is celebrating this year’s extended February in style.
2020 is a leap year, meaning February has 29 days rather than the more common 28.
Port City is hosting Leap Beer Day from noon-10 p.m. at its Alexandria brewery (3950 Wheeler Avenue).
“On Leap Beer we will be celebrating with an additional 5 oz taster (of any beer available) for all flight and pint purchases,” the company said in an event description. “We are calling that additional taster a Leap Beer! If you are a ‘leapling,’ ‘leap-year-baby’ or a ‘leaper’ then enjoy a percentage off your total equivalent to your Leap Year age. Born on Leap Day in 1960? Enjoy 15% off! Happy 15th birthday!”
Additionally, anyone buying one case of Port City (starting at $47) gets a second case for $29.
Food truck Basic Burger is also scheduled to be parked outside the brewery.
Photo via Port City/Facebook
Alexandria Dog Featured in Puppy Bowl — “The Puppy Bowl features dogs from shelters and rescue groups like Alexandria-based dog rescue Operation Paws for Homes. The rescue group is holding a watch party Sunday, Feb. 2 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Wag & Brew, 614 S Pickett Street, Alexandria.” [Patch]
Crash Snarls Rush Hour Traffic — Just before 5:30 p.m. last night a crash, reportedly involving a car and a motorcycle, shut down portions of Sanger Avenue and Beauregard Street, snarling rush hour traffic. [Twitter]
Apartment Building Purchase Complete — “The purchase of an Alexandria apartment building that will provide affordable housing units is complete, the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation announced Thursday. Avana Apartments, a 326-unit apartment complex at 3001 Park Center Drive in the West End, will have some units available at lower costs for households that meet income requirements. It will be renamed Parkstone Alexandria.” [Patch]
Waterfront is Highlight for Local Visitors — “Another standout in the data was attraction to the waterfront. In a portion of the survey where respondents were shown photos of scenes around Alexandria – which included shops along King Street, cobblestone roads and historic sites like Mount Vernon – the photos that performed the best were those with water. ‘Our historic character is really important but showing a place that’s on the water is very inspirational to people as a place that they want to visit,’ Vito Fiore, director of marketing and research for Visit Alexandria.” [Alexandria Times]
No Anniversary Beer for Port City — “Each year for our anniversary we craft a unique style of beer. Sadly, after monitoring the brewing process we have decided COLOSSAL IX does not represent our dedication to great quality beer, and we will not be releasing an anniversary beer in 2020.” [Twitter]
In just one year, local bar Hops N Shine has become a staple in Arlandria/Del Ray area and this weekend, the business is scheduled to host a celebration of that success.
The bar and beer garden sits at 3410 Mount Vernon Avenue at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and E. Glebe Road. It is frequently packed, particularly on the weekly Wednesday night trivia events (where, full disclosure, at least one ALXnow reporter is a regular).
The celebration is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, with a special menu combining some past favorites and debuting new items according to a Facebook post. The event is scheduled to include complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 8-9 p.m., free gifts for the first 50 attendees, live music at 8:30, and a moonshine ice luge.
Hops N Shine has a selection of 52 draft lines and claims to have the widest beer and whiskey selection in Alexandria. It also has an extensive selection of moonshine and moonshine cocktails.
The event will be dog and kid-friendly as well, the post said. Free tickets for the event are available online.
Photo via Hops N Shine/Facebook
Port City Brewing Company is preparing to re-launch an ale celebrating one of Alexandria’s most enduring mysteries.
Long Black Veil, a black India pale ale, is a spooky black beer inspired by the legend of the Female Stranger.
As the story goes, a young woman had fallen ill on a ship and was brought ashore in 1816. A man never removed her long black veil as he brought her to Gadsby’s Tavern to be treated. The doctor and nurses were sworn to secrecy as they treated her, but after two months, she died in his arms. She was buried at the edge of Old Town, where the grave of the “Female Stranger” remains to this day.
The beer was originally introduced in 2014 to coincide with the anniversary of the death of the Female Stranger. This year, the beer will be introduced at the brewery’s longest night of the year celebration on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the brewery (3950 Wheeler Avenue).
The festivities are scheduled to start around noon, but in a Facebook post Port City said most of the live music and beer tappings will be held in the evening.
“Long Black Veil is jet black with a tan head,” Port City said of the brew. “Piney, citrusy hops burst from the inky depths to mingle with notes of coffee and dark chocolate.”
The event is scheduled to include food trucks DC Slices and The Frenchman Food Truck and a pop-up of Daddy G’s Craft Salsas.
Photo via Port City Brewing Company/Facebook
Want a happy hour but don’t want to skip the gym? One Alexandria brewery has you covered.
Today (Wednesday) Aslin Beer is teaming up with running store Pacers to host an evening jog and social mixer for who those who like their exercise with company and beer.
The run will roll out at tonight, November 13, at the Aslin Beer Company (847 S. Pickett Street) in the Van Dorn neighborhood from 7-9 p.m. Runners will trek from Pickett Street, to S. Van Dorn Street and Eisenhower Ave, and back.
Participation is free, though runners are encouraged to mark that they’re interested in attending on Facebook.
Participants must be 21 years or older, and are invited to stick around after the run for drinks and socializing at the craft brewery.
A Look at the Cannabidiol Store in Old Town — “The Zebra wanted to find out the latest on the CBD craze and visited Your CBD Store at 301 S. Washington Street! Shells Karle opened the shop in May. She also individually owns two other locations in Alabama and is looking to possibly expand to Richmond.” [Zebra]
Good Tidings at Port City — Port City Brewing has released Tidings, its holiday seasonal spicy Belgian style blond ale. [Facebook]
VRE Santa Train Returns — “A holiday tradition cherished by thousands of Northern Virginia families, VRE Santa Trains will run Saturday, December 14… Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves will be on board listening to children’s holiday wishes and handing out goodie bags.” [Zebra]
Mumbai Darbar, the Indian restaurant at the end of a long line of international restaurants in the Van Dorn Station Shopping Center (512 S. Van Dorn Street), is looking to add beer, wine and some new dishes to its menu.
Staff at the restaurant said the restaurant has recently filed an ABC permit and, if approved, the restaurant will hopefully be able to serve beer from India.
One staffer said he particularly hoped to serve Taj Mahal, a lager from India that’s a popular beverage pairing with Indian cuisine.
The restaurant is also planning on adding a variety of new dishes starting in November. Staff said the restaurant is planning on bringing in chicken wings, dumplings, and a new set of around six new foods. The restaurant currently serves an array of traditional Indian offerings, with a sizable selection of vegetarian and vegan options.
The restaurant also delivers, with a $20 minimum order and a three-mile delivery radius.
In-Person Absentee Voting Underway — “Beginning Saturday, October 26, Alexandrians who qualify to vote absentee for the November 5 General Election may cast their ballots in person at the Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke St.), or the Alexandria Voter Registration Office (132 N. Royal St.).” [City of Alexandria]
Aslin Beer’s ‘Weird Vibe’ in Alexandria — “Aslin Beer Company doesn’t have exposed brick walls, it isn’t decorated with string lights and it doesn’t use wooden barrels as high top tables. Straying from the traditional industrial vibe at a lot of breweries and tasting rooms, Aslin has an eclectic, colorful atmosphere enhanced by patterned walls, neon signs and a giant robot.” [Alexandria Times]
Alexandrians Give to Political Campaigns — “More than $3.5 million in campaign cash has an Alexandria mailing address this election cycle, a spending spree that reflects the stakes this year’s election. Control of the House of Delegates and state Senate is at stake, and partisans on both sides are trying to influence the outcome.” [Gazette Packet]
City Seeks Members for Advisory Group — “The City of Alexandria is seeking nominations for two At-Large Business Representative and two At-Large Resident Representative vacancies on the Ad Hoc Eisenhower West/Landmark Van Dorn Advisory Group.” [City of Alexandria]
Grand Opening for Free Preschool — “A new classroom space launched by Child & Family Network Centers will offer free preschool education to 45 children in Alexandria. The classrooms are in a West End apartment complex at 101 South Whiting Street.” [Patch]
