Del Ray | ALXnow

Washington Commanders players visit Alexandria school, distribute $5,000 in food, supplies

Published September 16, 2025 at 2:21PM | Updated September 16, 2025 at 3:13PM

Players with the Washington Commanders visited Mount Vernon Community School, Sept. 16, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mount Vernon Community School students in Alexandria got a visit on Tuesday from Washington Commanders players, who gave away $5,000 worth of food, plush footballs, hats, and notebooks.

Commanders running back Christopher Rodriguez, Jr., wide receivers Jaylin Lane and Chris Moore, and mascot Major Tuddy visited the school in collaboration with the nonprofit Blessings in a Backpack. In addition to receiving signed team merchandise, students also got bags with yogurt, pretzels, fruit cups, cereal, soup, macaroni and cheese, and tuna.

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Systems Planning and Analysis expansion into Alexandria leads this week’s top stories

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2025 at 3:47PM

Officials cut a ribbon at Systems Planning & Analysis announcement on Sept. 11, 2025 (staff photo by Ryan Belmore)

Here’s a rundown of our top stories.

Our top story this week is on the Thursday, Sept. 11, announcement that Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA) will expand its Alexandria headquarters and create 1,200 new jobs over the next five years as part of a $46.9 million investment across Northern Virginia. The defense contractor bought, and will renovate, a 239,000-square-foot office building at 2001 N. Beauregard Street. Attendees at the announcement included Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.

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Popular Del Ray open mic marks third anniversary Wednesday

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2025 at 11:45AM

The What-Have-You open mic night is held every first and third Wednesdays at Evening Star Lounge in Del Ray (courtesy photo)

A popular open mic night in Del Ray is celebrating its third anniversary next Wednesday (Sept. 17).

Greg Roth and Gabe Fry started the What-Have-You open mic at Evening Star Cafe (2000 Mount Vernon Avenue) in September 2022, and since then — with the exception of January — have hosted the event from 8:30 to 11 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Next Wednesday’s event has a numbers, acronyms, and abbreviations theme, with musicians asked to perform hits from bands like R.E.M., AC/DC, INXS, and the B-52s, among others.

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Del Ray musician’s new musical to premiere in Bethesda

By James Cullum

Published September 10, 2025 at 7:30PM | Updated September 11, 2025 at 2:38PM

Del Ray musician Neal Learner (via Facebook)

A Del Ray musician will premiere his latest musical next month in Bethesda, Maryland.

Neal Learner’s “French Cupcakes” will be performed Oct 10-12 and 17-19 at the Bethesda Writers’ Center (4508 Walsh Street). The Bethesda Little Theater is producing the play, which features a cast of 15 actors who tell the story of a legendary cafe similar to one in Learner’s college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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Del Ray’s Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar nears opening

By James Cullum

Published September 10, 2025 at 11:45AM

Japanese restaurant Pak Soii Izakaya & Bar is coming to 1909 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

The owner of a new Japanese restaurant in Del Ray wants to open by the end of this month.

Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar (1909 Mount Vernon Avenue) has undergone an extensive interior renovation since owners Supattra Pummora and Jay Chainam signed a lease in April. While Chainam says that the restaurant will be ready by the end of the month, it could possibly open in October as he and his partner await final inspection approvals from the city.

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Landlord of popular Del Ray beer garden files eviction lawsuit

By James Cullum

Published September 8, 2025 at 11:45AM

The Garden at 1503 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

The landlords of a popular beer garden in Del Ray have filed a civil claim for eviction against their tenants in Alexandria’s General District Court.

The filing from Twenty-Third Street Corridor LLC cites that the owners of The Garden (1503 Mount Vernon Avenue) are paying the default rent and operating on a month-to-month lease. Before the filing, The Garden’s owners, Jeremy Barber and Justus Frank, filed a suit in the Alexandria Circuit Court against the landlord, who listed the property available for rent.

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Del Ray’s First Thursday event gets postponed due to rain

By James Cullum

Published September 4, 2025 at 4:35PM

Cameo brooch at The Antique Guild (photo via The Antique Guild/Facebook)

Del Ray’s final First Thursday of the year has been postponed due to rain.

The event, which featured antique appraisals from three experts, has been rescheduled from today (Sept. 4) to Thursday, Sept. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot of Del Ray Psych and Wellness (1900 Mount Vernon Avenue).

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Halloween-themed pop-up bar ‘Nightmare on the Avenue’ to open soon in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published September 3, 2025 at 12:00PM

The Nightmare On The Avenue pop-up bar at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue is open. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The annual Nightmare on the Avenue Halloween pop-up bar will soon be reopening at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray.

With new spooky interior decorations, food and drink menus, owner Bill Blackburn of the Homegrown Restaurant Group is aiming to reopen sometime next weekend — between Friday, Sept. 12, and Sunday, Sept. 14.

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GSA searching for Alexandria office space leads this week’s top stories

By James Cullum

Published August 29, 2025 at 3:30PM

National Science Foundation at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (via NSF)

It’s been quite a week in Alexandria. Here’s a rundown of our most-read stories.

Our top story is on the General Services Administration launching an official search for office space in Alexandria to relocate the National Science Foundation after the agency was displaced from its Eisenhower Avenue headquarters. In a presolicitation notice, GSA announced it needs between 240,000 and 280,000 square feet of Class A office space for a 48-month lease, with occupancy required by the end of November.

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70+ vendors appearing at upcoming Second Saturday Del Ray Vintage and Flea Market

By James Cullum

Published August 28, 2025 at 2:45PM

The second Saturday Del Ray Vintage and Flea Market returns on Sept. 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (via Facebook)

More than 70 vendors have signed up to sell their vintage goods at the upcoming Del Ray Vintage and Flea Market on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The outdoor event is held every second Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.in the parking lots of Del Ray Psych & Wellness (1900 Mount Vernon Avenue), the Salvation Army (1804 Mount Vernon Avenue) and at the Corner of Mount Vernon and E. Custis Avenues. If the weather holds up, organizer Amy Eggers says she expects a big turnout. She also says that more than 2,000 people attended the market in August.

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Del Ray Artisans to showcase recycled art in September exhibit

By James Cullum

Published August 26, 2025 at 10:30AM

The Second Time Around art exhibit opening reception is on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, at Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue (via Eventbrite)

Trash, treasure, or art? Recycled materials will be featured at Del Ray Artisans (2704 Mount Vernon Avenue) next month.

The Second Time Around exhibit will open with a complimentary reception on Friday, Sept. 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. and will run until Saturday, Sept. 27.