Around Town

Just in time for the hot summer months, Old Town’s ice cream scene continues to expand with the arrival of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

The New York City-based ice cream brand has announced it will hold a grand opening on Thursday, June 18 for its new shop at 400 King Street. Customers can receive celebratory $1 scoops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on opening day, and the first 100 guests will get a branded tote bag.


Around Town

Guests at the Old Town North Farmers’ Market will be able to sample food from a fast-casual vegetarian restaurant opening soon in Alexandria.

Life Alive Cafe — which plans to open Tuesday, June 9 at 400 King Street — will make an appearance at today’s market (May 28) from 3-7 p.m. at 901 N. Royal Street. The restaurant will also appear at the market on Thursday, June 11, according to a newsletter from the Old Town North Community Partnership.


News

Road closures will resume around Alexandria Union Station (110 Callahan Drive) starting tonight (Thursday) as Virginia Railway Express continues bridge work over King Street and Commonwealth Avenue.

King Street will be closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road from 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28 through 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 3. Commonwealth Avenue will remain open with a single alternating lane controlled by a flagger. Sunset Drive will remain open. Traffic detours run on Duke Street.


Around Town

After 20 years in journalism, Beth Lawton says she’s traded the stress of deadlines for the stress of owning a business in Old Town.

In addition to being a mom with two kids, Lawton has spent the last five years selling handmade items from dozens of local artists at her shop, Made In ALX. At the end of 2024, she had to hang up her journalism hat as the publisher of Alexandria Living Magazine and at least temporarily left behind a long career in journalism.


News

The Virginia Railway Express is postponing the next of its road closures to accommodate rail bridge work near Alexandria Union Station (110 Callahan Drive).

Construction on the two replacement rail bridge spans over King Street and Commonwealth Avenue has been rescheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 29, running through 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. King Street will be fully closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road during construction. Traffic will be detoured to Duke Street, and Commonwealth Avenue will remain open with a single travel lane with alternating traffic directed by flaggers. Sunset Drive will remain fully open.


News

A new shuttle service will soon make it easier to travel to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate from the King Street Metro station in Old Town.

Starting this Friday, May 8, $10 roundtrip shuttle tickets will be available with service to Mount Vernon on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through June. Each shuttle departing the King Street Metro station can hold up to 20 passengers for an approximately 20-minute ride to the historic estate.


News

 

A new temporary art installation commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was recently unveiled outside the Alexandria Courthouse in Old Town, featuring a reading of the document by prominent Alexandria women.


News

Road closures will begin tonight as the Virginia Railway Express replaces two bridges near Alexandria’s Union Station (110 Callahan Drive).

VRE is replacing two bridge spans on King Street and Commonwealth Avenue in a project that begins tonight (May 1) at 7 p.m. Between now and 10 p.m. Monday (May 4). King Street will be fully closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road, with traffic detoured to Duke Street, according to VRE.


Around Town

A longtime Italian restaurant in Old Town is celebrating its rebranding with a special dinner tomorrow night (Thursday).

Il Porto Ristorante is working on “refreshing the brand” at 121 King Street, with plans for a new logo, revised website and updated menus “to reflect a more modern look while staying true to what Il Porto has always been,” a spokesperson told ALXnow.


News

A pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a hit-and-run on King Street on Wednesday night (April 22).

The Alexandria Fire and Police Departments received multiple calls around 11 p.m. reporting that a man had been struck by a vehicle near the intersection of King Street and Park Road in the Taylor Run neighborhood, near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. The striking vehicle was described in radio dispatches as a Ford pickup truck of unknown color missing its passenger-side mirror.


Around Town

Chef Santiago Lopez has officially taken over The Majestic in Old Town, bringing a flair for French and Mediterranean flavors.

Lopez recently bought the restaurant at 911 King Street from its previous owner, Alexandria Restaurant Partners. After a brief shutdown, the restaurant reopened today (Friday) at 11:30 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.


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