Around Town

Italian restaurant Floriana will make its debut in Alexandria not long after closing its longtime D.C. location.

The Italian restaurant is leasing space in the Atrium Building at 277 S. Washington Street, replacing a vacancy left by Virginia’s Darling and Mae’s Market. The new location is co-owned by Jamie Branda and Dino Tapper, son of restaurant founder Floriana Nestore.


Around Town

After a busy Halloween season, Alexandria will have a quieter weekend of events before holiday happenings ramp up.

The first full weekend of November brings a closing celebration for the Waterfront Park art installation, Veterans Day Run, Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum’s 20th anniversary open house and an evening with George Washington.


Around Town

Old Town retailer Red Barn Mercantile is wasting no time getting ready for the holiday season.

Red Barn Mercantile (1117 King Street) will host its 18th annual Holiday Unveiling from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 5) along with owner Amy Rutherford’s other stores, Penny Post (1201 King Street) and Pippin Toy Co. (1310 King Street).


Around Town

A new café is looking to open in a highly visible part of Old Town in December.

Cana Café announced on Instagram last month that it will open at the corner of King and S. Union Streets (100 S. Union Street) in the former longtime home of a Starbucks, which closed last year.


Around Town

It was a picture-perfect Halloween on Saturday, and thousands of costumed heroes, villains, monsters and historical figures took to the streets in Alexandria.

With appearances by characters like George and Martha Washington, Dr. Doom and Harry Potter, S. Lee Street in Old Town was also closed off for its traditional Halloween block party, which started around 5 p.m. and lasted several hours.


Around Town

Spooky season culminates this weekend in Alexandria with an array of Halloween happenings.

Lee Street Halloween, a popular trick-or-treating event organized by neighbors, is one of the highlights of the weekend. The next few days will also bring St. Elmo’s CatRad Halloween Eve, Lee-Fendall House’s Pumpkin Palooza, Alexandria Fall-O-Ween, a Halloween bar crawl and the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s rescheduled Paws in the Park.


News

“No turn on red” restrictions are coming to all traffic signals in greater Old Town after a vote by the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board Monday (Oct. 26).

On a motion by member Dane Lauritzen, the board voted 5-1 to approve “no turn on red” restrictions between First Street to the north, the city limits to the south, the Potomac River to the east and railroad tracks to the west. There are about 100 signalized intersections within the project area, and about half already have red light turn restrictions.


News

The ability to turn right on a red light could be eliminated entirely in Old Town.

The Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board will vote Monday (Oct. 26) on whether to install “no turn on red” signage at all signalized intersections in the Old Town, Old Town North and Braddock/Parker-Gray neighborhoods. The changes would apply to traffic signals between First Street to the north, city limits to the south, the Potomac River to the east and railroad tracks to the west. There are about 100 signalized intersections within the project area.


Around Town

Spooky season will be in full swing throughout Alexandria this weekend.

Led by the return of Del Ray’s popular Halloween parade for its 30th year, the next few days will also bring Old Town’s annual trick-or-treat event, an exploration of 18th-century mourning at Carlyle House, and even themed improv comedy shows and fitness crawls.


News

A 66-year-old woman was hospitalized yesterday (Wednesday) after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing Cameron Street in Old Town Alexandria.

The crash occurred at around 2:40 p.m. at the intersection of Cameron Street and North West Street, according to the Alexandria Police Department.


Around Town

Four restaurants in the Alexandria area have been named among the region’s best for 2026 by Northern Virginia Magazine, though only two are located in the city proper.

While the city’s dining scene was completely left out of the magazine’s ranked top 10, which were unveiled last Friday (Oct. 16), it received a bit more love in the full list of Northern Virginia’s 50 Best Restaurants released at noon today (Wednesday).


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