food | ALXnow - Part 25

Morning Notes

Published July 21, 2021 at 5:00AM

NOVA Parks pledges $800K to maintain River Farm, if sale goes through — “Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has taken steps to sweeten the offer it made on the historic River Farm property. Nova Parks Executive Director Paul Gilbert announced that the regional park authority has pledged $800,000 toward maintenance and improvement of the property should the American Horticultural Society, the current owner of River Farm, approve the sale.” [Alex Times]

Alexandria hosting Around the World Cultural Food Festival July 31 — “The biggest outdoor food festival in the D.C metro area will happen on Saturday, July 31. And this year’s edition will be held in Alexandria. Enjoy food, music, and an experience highlighting cultural diversity at Oronoco Bay Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.” [Zebra]

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published July 16, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated July 19, 2021 at 10:11AM

The grand finale of Alexandria's birthday celebration over the Potomac River, July 7, 2018 (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a hot week in Alexandria.

With temperatures hovering in the mid-90s, the week started with a power outage at a 17-story apartment building in Landmark area. The outage lasted five days and residents had to find accommodations until the building reopened Friday afternoon.

News

Former chef at ‘The Alexandrian’ opening new restaurant in Arlandria on Monday

By James Cullum

Published July 15, 2021 at 2:15PM | Updated May 1, 2022 at 1:31PM

Rigoberto Ferman, a former chef at the The Alexandrian hotel in Old Town, is opening “Ferman Bar and Grill” in Arlandria on Monday, July 19.

Ferman, who cooked at The Alexandrian and Hotel Monaco for 15 years, spent the last three months renovating the interior of 4112 Mount Vernon Avenue. The space was formerly occupied by Chirilagua Pollo & Steak, and the overhaul includes new flooring, the installation of three new booths and an extended counter.

News

‘Around The World Cultural Food Festival’ coming to Alexandria waterfront on July 31

By James Cullum

Published July 15, 2021 at 10:45AM

Mama Chavas Tacos will be at the 2021 Around The World Cultural Food Festival on July 31 at Oronoco Bay Park in Old Town. (Courtesy Facebook)

After taking a year off, the Around The World Cultural Food Festival will be celebrated later this month at Oronoco Bay Park on the Alexandria waterfront.

It’s the first year that the annual event will be hosted in Alexandria, and it will feature more than a dozen food, dessert and smoothie vendors making dishes from around the world.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 15, 2021 at 5:00AM

A cyclist on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

National search begins for new City Manager — “City Council has chosen the firm POLIHIRE to conduct a nationwide recruiting search. Members approved initial recruiting materials, including a recruitment brochure and timeline, during a closed executive session during the July 6 meeting.” [Patch]

Free food distribution this Saturday — “On Sat, July 17, @ALIVE4AlexVA will distribute food at 3 sites from 8:30-10:30am. Drive-up: Cora Kelly Elem School & NOVA-Alexandria (lot B-1). Walk-up: Ramsay Rec Center.” [Twitter]

News

Chef Justus Frank is focusing on family with Elo’s Italian Pop-Up in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published July 12, 2021 at 11:05AM | Updated July 12, 2021 at 2:48PM

Chef Justus Frank wants you to stay a while, and his strategy is Italian food.

In May, Frank and business partner Jeremy Barber said goodbye to their date night spot Live Oak at 1603 Commonwealth Avenue and reopened with Elo’s Italian Restaurant and Bar pop-up. The new concept opened its patio in May with a focus on family. They even have a kids menu.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published July 9, 2021 at 5:00AM

The Alexandria City High School logo at the Earl Lloyd Court (staff photo by James Cullum)

Dessert collection of White House Pastry Chef up for auction in Alexandria – “Coming up soon, this fall, The Potomack Company in Alexandria will be auctioning [Roland] Mesnier’s dessert mold collection, which includes molds used to create peach sorbet for Princess Diana in 1985, as well as molds for dessert centerpieces such as a large American bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, the Queen of England’s coach and many others that honored kings and queens, prime ministers and governors.” [Alexandria Living]

City launches Unified Planning Team — “In one of the first major plan alignment efforts of the city, the leadership of [the Alexandria City Public Schools system, the Health Department and Department of Community and Human Services], with support from the Alexandria City Council and the ACPS School Board, agreed to the establishment of a Unified Planning Team to jointly develop the three plans.” [Zebra]

News

City offers cookouts this week to promote local services for families

By Vernon Miles

Published July 6, 2021 at 2:30PM

Hot dog, via David Todd McCarty/Unsplash

The promise of learning more about what types of city services are available through various departments might sound painfully dull, but fortunately someone in city bureaucracy understood that the promise of free food helps add spice to that offer.

The City of Alexandria, along with a handful of partners like Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority and the Campagna Center, is hosting a series of cookouts this week and next to provide more information on local youth and family programs, including Safe Space and anti-bullying programs.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 29, 2021 at 5:00AM

Virginia extends ‘cocktails-to-go’ laws for another year — “During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many restaurants were shuttered, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) created a safe and secure way for restaurants to offer cocktails to go with a meal. The General Assembly has now continued this practice in statute for one year.” [Zebra]

Republican mayoral candidate Catchings announces she won’t get education endorsement — “I will not be receiving the endorsement from APACE – Alexandria Political Action Committee for Education. What matters most is that I receive the support from Alexandria parents and citizens for School Choice !!” [Twitter]

News

Volunteer Alexandria contends with pandemic aftershock, needs help now more than ever

By James Cullum

Published June 18, 2021 at 10:45AM

The pandemic is over, right? Not for Volunteer Alexandria.

The nonprofit is still in the thick of finding volunteers to assist with food distributions, in addition to vaccination pod workers and guardians at assisted living facilities.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 15, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated June 15, 2021 at 11:42AM

The Contrabands and Freedmens Cemetery Memorial at 1001 S. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Volunteers needed for ACPS food distribution — “Kids should ask ‘What’s for lunch?’ not ‘Is there lunch?’ Help distribute two days worth of meals for @ACPSk12 students on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. Volunteers are needed for both mobile pop-ups and curbside locations.” [Twitter]