Around Town

Crooked Beat Records will officially close its Del Ray location Sunday, May 3, following the adverse effects of flooding earlier this year.

Owner Bill Daly said in a social media post he has tried to stay in Alexandria and has placed bids on several rental properties in and around the city, though there is a chance the business could move outside Alexandria.


Around Town

A Del Ray eatery’s Instagram post promising free milkshakes has collected more than 4 million views.

In the March 17 post from Holy Cow Del Ray (2312 Mount Vernon Avenue), customers were told they could get free milkshakes by dancing. What followed is a compilation of adults and children dancing their ways through the burger joint’s front door to the counter. The post also got 388,000 likes, and the restaurant’s Instagram followers have since climbed from just over 4,000 to more than 10,000.


News

After years of planning, a splash pad along Del Ray’s Mount Vernon Avenue will soon be available for families to enjoy in the summer season.

The Colasanto Interactive Fountain, which replaced a pool that’s been closed since 2010, is being constructed behind Del Ray Artisans at the intersection of Mount Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues. The latest timeline calls for completion in late April, according to the city’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities.


News

A driver was cited with failure to pay full time attention after a pedestrian was struck and  injured in Del Ray on Saturday (April 4), according to the Alexandria Police Department.

APD and the Alexandria Fire Department arrived on scene just after 4 p.m. in response to the pedestrian crash at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and E. Braddock Road.


Around Town

Five Alexandria eateries have advanced to finalist status in the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s annual restaurant awards.

Narrowed down from dozens of semifinalists who were publicly revealed last month for the first time, the list of finalists announced last night (Monday) at The Hamilton Live in D.C. by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington span regional chains, chef-driven favorites and independent restaurants. The 20 categories of the RAMMYs recognize the region’s chefs, restaurateurs and other industry professionals.


Around Town

After a sold-out event two years ago, tickets are on sale for the next Del Ray House & Garden Tour returning on Saturday, May 9.

The biennial tour, hosted by the Del Ray Citizens Association, gives ticket holders access to participating homes and gardens throughout the neighborhood. This year’s event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Around Town

Del Ray Public House unveiled its new branding this week, officially moving on from its 16-year-old Del Ray Pizzeria concept.

The Del Ray Pizzeria initials remain on the signage at 2218 Mount Vernon Avenue, and pizza stays on the menu, but the overall focus of the business started changing in January with the introduction of new Southwest-inspired flavors, owner Laurel Fisher told ALXnow.


Around Town

The owners of a popular all-day brunch restaurant in Del Ray have a new concept with chicken on their minds.

Matthew Sloan and Eric Brannon are currently asking the city’s permission for 10 outdoor dining seats at their new restaurant, Little Birdie. The space at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue was formerly occupied by Benny DiForza’s Pizza, which opened in February 2024 and closed last October.


Around Town

A three-story Virginia Tech building in Old Town may soon be repurposed into a community center through the work of a Del Ray entrepreneur and creative.

Ashley R. Wood, the founder and author behind the arts-focused workspace Soulo Studios at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue, is working to bring her next endeavor to life: Lily’s Garden Creative and Cultural Community Center. The prospective center, named after Wood’s 4-year-old daughter, would open at 1021 Prince Street, which is currently part of Virginia Tech’s Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center.


Around Town

Several Alexandria restaurants are in the running for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s restaurant awards.

The association named 190 semifinalists for the RAMMYs, given annually to members of the D.C. region’s restaurant industry. This was the first time semifinalists were publicly announced in the four decades of the awards, providing an early glimpse at which chefs, restaurants and hospitality staff are in the running.


Around Town

After a weather delay, a popular Del Ray pop-up bar’s next rendition is opening at the end of this month.

Owner Bill Blackburn told ALXnow that the Del Ray Dive at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue has everything a good dive bar needs, from fake wooden paneling to Alexandria memorabilia, and even a White Claw claw machine.


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