Tag Archives: Old Town

August 16, 2017 · 2:12 pm

Restaurant Week 2017

Foodies celebrate – it’s that time of year again!  Alexandria Summer Restaurant Week is set for August 18-27, and over 60 restaurants from around the city are participating this year.

For 10 days, participating restaurants will be serving up special menus. Over 50 restaurants will offer a $35 three-course dinner or dinner for two, and over 20 will have lunch specials for $10, $15 and $20.

Alexandria Summer Restaurant Week started in 2009 and celebrates the diversity of local restaurants. Restaurants are located in all areas of the city: waterfront Old Town, Mt. Vernon Avenue, West End and more.

 

New participants include: Hummingbird, Meggrolls, and Junction Bakery & Bistro.  Other returning favorites are Bastille, Restaurant Eve, Vermilion. For a full list of restaurants click here.

Reservations are available through Open Table.

New this year, select shops of the Old Town Boutique District will stay open until 9:00PM (Sunday hours vary) during the week.

Bon Appetit!

 

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August 2, 2017 · 12:48 am

Fun in the Summertime

Friendship Firehouse Festival, August 5th, 9:00AM – 2:00PM

Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred Street

The Friendship Firehouse Festival will celebrate the fire department’s 151st anniversary. Get a free fire hat and can check out the old hose reel, as well as the suction pumper fire engine, both pulled by hand. The festival includes fire-fighting activities, fire vehicles, and more.

Annual Sidewalk Sale, August 12th – 13th

Del Ray and Old Town Alexandria

Come support your favorite local businesses in Del Ray and Old Town Alexandria. Over 50 businesses will offer discounted summer merchandise. Participating businesses will have bright yellow balloon markers outside their stores. See participating businesses here.

 

Alexandria Summer Restaurant Week, August 18th – 27th

Alexandria

Over 50 restaurants around the city will be serving up special menus for the annual Alexandria Summer Restaurant week. For 10 days, restaurants will be serving up special menus. More than 50 restaurants will offer a $35 three-course dinner or dinner for two, and over 20 will have lunch specials for $10, $15 and $20 in addition. Restaurants around the city will participate. See more details here.

 

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July 25, 2017 · 10:16 pm

Five Del Ray Restaurants Among Finalists

 

Go Del Ray!!!

We are proud to report that five Del Ray restaurants are among finalists across the DC area in WTOP’s Top 10.

The restaurants are finalists across a number of food categories. Readers and listeners of WTOP nominated their favorite local businesses in the following delicious categories:

Best Burger

Best Pizza

Best Barbecue

Best Brewery

Best Brunch

Best Coffee Shop

Best Ice Cream/Gelato

Best Tacos

Best Bagels

Best Crab

 

The well-deserving nominees from Del Ray are:

Voting is open now until August 4th, so get busy and vote for your favorite local spot. Winners will be announced August 7th.

See all nominees and vote here.

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July 17, 2017 · 8:52 pm

Women & Wine, Cheers to a Good Cause

 

Women & Wine, Cheers to a Good Cause

Volunteer Alexandria would like to invite you to join us at Salon Amarti & Spa (1010 King Street) on Wednesday July 19 from 6:00 – 8:00PM for Women & Wine, Cheers to a Good Cause.

As you might have guessed, this event is for women 21 years and older who enjoy wine and are interested in getting to know other women in our fine city.

You might be wondering, who is Women & Wine of Alexandria, Cheers to a Good Cause?  The group was established four years ago by three women interested in networking and mingling, drinking wine, and giving back to the community.  Proceeds of this event will support volunteerism in Alexandria.

For more information or to reserve a spot for this event, click here.

And to learn more about Volunteer Alexandria, the convener of this event, click here.

 

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July 8, 2017 · 2:17 am

Fireworks Saturday July 8th

Our nation has already celebrated its birthday.  Now it is Alexandria’s turn.  July 8th is Alexandria’s birthday!  And there will be fireworks to celebrate.

Alexandria will celebrate its 268th birthday with a waterfront party Saturday at Oronoco Bay Park.  The event will include food vendors, live music, birthday cake and will culminate with a spectacular fireworks show over the Potomac River.

The schedule is as follows:

  • 5 p.m. – Performance by Ocho de Bastos
  • 6 p.m. – Performance by U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps
  • 7:30 p.m. – Welcome by Mayor Allison Silberberg, poetry reading by Alexandria Poet Laureate Wendi R. Kaplan
  • 8 p.m. – Birthday cake
  • 8:30 p.m. Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, Continental Color Guard present the National Anthem
  • 9:30 p.m. – Fireworks display with “1812 Overture” featuring cannon support by the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3d United States Infantry Regiment

You can also find author Jay Roberts and illustrator Christine Youngbluth signing their book Lost Alexandria, An Illustrated History of Sixteen Destroyed Historic Homes in and Around Alexandria, Virginia.  This will take place from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. in the Hotel Indigo’s  library.

Happy Birthday, Alexandria!

 

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June 29, 2017 · 1:56 pm

Take a Walking Tour of Alexandria

Looking for something different to do with your house guests this summer?  Discover Alexandria is a walking tour company in Old Town Alexandria specializing in historical walking tours, pub crawls, and food tours. All tours last about 90 minutes.  They also offer private and customized tours for groups of two to thirty people.  And Discover Alexandria is a veteran-owned and veteran-operated small business.

Options include, but are not limited to:

George Washington’s Alexandria Tour – the tour covers Alexandria’s colonial and revolutionary period from the town’s establishment in 1749 to Washington’s death in 1799.
Discover Alexandria – past to present history tour
Sweet History – guided sweets tour
Wine and Sweets Tour – Old Town’s best wine and dessert spots
Shop Alexandria Boutiques Tour
Historical Pub Crawl
Ghosts of Alexandria
Virginia is for Runners Tour – enjoy a flexible and modifiable jogging pace as you experience some of Alexandria’s hidden gems.

To make a group appointment contact Discover Alexandria at discoveralexandria@gmail.com. Prices are $12 per person, $10 for active-duty military, veterans, students, and seniors.

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June 17, 2017 · 7:00 pm

Father’s Day Gifts

Father’s Day is fast approaching – what do you get the guy who has everything? Here are a few ideas that are fun and available close to home.

A six pack of craft beer from Market 2 Market (116 Del Ray Ave.) will hit the spot on a hot day. They have over 150 craft beers including IPAs, porters, brown ales, and lagers. We suggest a mix! He will love it!

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Or how about a chunk of fancy cheese and some meat for your guy from Cheesetique (2411 Mt. Vernon Ave.)? Our favorite is the Goat’s Milk Gouda with a slice pepperoni on any cracker or bread.

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You could also grab a bottle of wine from their wine wall – each wine is categorized for easier selection. And don’t forget to pick up some of their chocolate chips – you know the ones they put on the table after dinner and lunch! Yum!

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You could also stop by Let’s Meat on the Avenue (2403 Mt. Vernon Ave.) for a selection of their four most popular seasonings boxed together as the Dizzy Pig. Add these to their filet mignon along with some specialty olive oil from their organic olive oil bar. Your guy will be in heaven at the grill!

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Another thought is a group ukulele or acoustic guitar lesson package from Del Ray School of Music (2405 Mt. Vernon Ave.) The summer classes have already started but contact the school for information about joining in.

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The Dad in your life works hard and deserves something special this weekend! Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there!

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May 17, 2017 · 5:52 pm

Free Things to Do With the Kids (and Almost Free)

The days are finally warm and sunny!  Here are a few ideas for free things to do with the kids around Alexandria.

 

Feed the ducks in Old Town

 

There are plenty of ducks and other birds at the Waterfront looking for a little snack.  We did a little research and instead of bread you should feed them:

  • Corn (canned, frozen or fresh)
  • Duck pellets (sold online and at pet stores)
  • Lettuce, other greens (torn into small pieces)
  • Frozen peas (defrosted)
  • Oats (rolled or instant)
  • Seeds (including birdseed or other varieties)

 

 

Go to the Masonic Temple

 

 

You can climb the stairs and check out the view with a snack.  Counting the planes is a fun way to pass the time!  For a small fee you can take a tour of the temple and go outside of the top for an even better view.

 

 

Walk the Dogs in Monticello Park

 

 

Walk the dog, get some fresh air, and probably meet a new friend.  There are so many downed trees to climb and explore!  A gem of a spot in the city.

 

Enjoy!!

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April 24, 2017 · 12:17 am

We All Scream for Nicecream!

 

If you are looking for the freshest handcrafted cup of ice cream possible, you must check out Nicecream at 726 King Street. It all comes to be by combining fresh, local grass-fed cream and local ingredients from nearby farms. Then, using their freezing agent, liquid nitrogen, they freeze the ice cream before your eyes.

 

 

Local farmers give products that yield the freshest ingredients and best flavors. That much we know but why liquid nitrogen? Liquid nitrogen freezes food within seconds and leaves no trace once evaporated. This freezing process makes smaller ice crystals, leaving a final product that is more dense and much creamier than ice cream that is produced in a traditional method.
They also serve Swing’s Coffee and hand-crafted hot chocolate. Something for everyone!

 

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January 19, 2016 · 9:24 pm

Saying Goodbye to Some of Alexandria’s Favorite Businesses

Alexandria loves to shop in local, small businesses.  Last year we lost a few of our old favorites.  And, sadly, this year, we will lose a couple more.

 

why not

 

Why Not?

Everyone who as ever had a baby shower or a kid’s birthday party to attend has been to Why Not? on King Street.  The two-level shop was a joy to peruse.  The items were thoughtful and special and fun!  After over 50 years the doors will be closing!  As of January 15, 2016, the sale on all of their merchandise had been dropped down to 40% off, excluding a couple little sections of display and other special items.  This calls for one more visit to an old favorite shop!

 

hannelores

 

Hannelore’s of Olde Town

The end of February will mean the end of Hannelore’s of Olde Town, the bridal boutique that has been offering designer wedding gowns since 1984.  And the sales are ridiculous!  According to their website all designer sample gowns are reduced up to 75%, and all accessories (including jewelry and veils) are all 50% off.  And bridesmaid gowns are $50 each!  Call or email the store to arrange an appointment!

 

 monroes

 

Monroe’s

Located in Del Ray, Monroe’s was staple for Alexandria residents looking for a family-friendly, locally-owned Italian restaurant.  Christmas Eve marked the end of the era!  The owners decided to retire from the restaurant business.  A new restaurant will open in its space after a few months of renovations.  We are sad to see it go!

 

As we say goodbye, we keep an open mind to the new businesses that will begin fresh this year!

 

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