About Alexandria's Del Ray

Just four days from Thanksgiving we still have hydrangeas blooming in our front yard - the last flowers of fall. But now, instead of pale blues and pinks, the colors mirror the surrounding trees. We'll cut some this afternoon and enjoy their dried beauty long into winter.

The Last Flowers of Fall

October home sales in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood show a decline in the number of sales from a year ago - 15 in 2008 to 10 in 2009 -  but with an increase in home values.

The average price is up almost 9.4% with the average number of  DOM (days on market) down from 91 to 50 for the same time period.

These numbers are a good reflection of both the stability of the real estate market in Northern Virginia and the continuing overall turnaround.

Want to know more specifics about October home sales in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood?  Give me a call at 703.927.4554 or email me at michael.bergin2@verizon.net.

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October Market Report for Alexandria and Northern Virginia

Del Ray's MV Big Flea is ready to start taking donations for its April 24th sale. Wait. What? You're new to the area and don't know about the MV Big Flea?

Alexandria's biggest charity flea market, the MV BIG FLEA is organized by and supports the Mt. Vernon Community School PTA. Located in the heart of Del Ray, this annual event raises more than $25,000 for PTA projects.

And now that you know - the Big Flea is accepting drop-off donations at its storage site: 409 E. Alexandria Avenue on Sunday, November 22nd--from 1-3pm only.

The MV Big Flea accepts items that have resale value. In recent years, that has included electronics, furniture, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, kids items (toys, strollers), bicycles, household furnishings, sporting goods, artwork, small appliances and more. If you think your item can be resold, we’ll likely accept it.

We’ve also learned that some items just aren’t right for the MV Big Flea. As a result, we cannot accept the following items for donation:

• Clothing
• Chandeliers/ceiling fans
• Large upholstered furniture, beds or cribs
• Stuffed animals
• Building supplies
• Pillows/curtains/linens
• TVs (flatscreen OK) or computer hardware
• Books (Contact Thom Downing, Friends of Duncan Library, at iuthom@aol.com)

For more information and additonal drop off dates, visit the MV Big Flea's Web site.

Del Ray's MV Big Flea is Ready for Donations

A few weeks ago we wrote about our neighborhood chili cook off and how a particular group of folks had turned an otherwise dismal, rainy night into an unforgettable occasion. Particular because the group all live at the Bellefonte Group Home. The home is a part of the Alexandria Community Services Board and each of the 16 adults has special needs.

In addition to winning the 8th Annual Del Ray Chili Cook Off, the group, self-named "the MOB" (Members of Bellefonte), have set their sights on entering their basketball team - the Wizards - in the national Special Olympics.

The Wizards won the local Special Olympics basketball tournament in 2008. They knew they could do better though and with the encouragement of their coach they set themselves a rigorous training and practice schedule. They also began raising money for entry fees, uniforms and trophies to give out at the upcoming local venue in December.

So far the Wizards have raised $800 through several bake sales, a yard sale and a raffle. They've done this on their own and with some help from their neighbors at Bellefonte Garden Apartments.

But now its time for the entire community to get involved. Last night the Del Ray Citizens Association announced that it would support the Wizards with a community bake sale this Saturday at the Del Ray Farmers Market. There are three ways to help:

1. Bake and donate - bring your favorite baked goods to the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning to contribute to the sale. Whole pies and cakes, wrapped single serving brownies, a bag of cookies, etc. (please mark ingredients for those with food allergies)
2. Buy and donate - stop by the Bellefonte Wizard's booth at the market and stock up for the week!
3. Donate directly - for those without a sweet tooth (or watching their waistlines) we'll collect donations at the booth or you can mail a donation to Bellefonte Wizards, c/o A Show of Hands, 2301 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301.

Several individuals have pledged to match whatever money to bake sale brings in so now is not the time to be shy. This is a great community effort by Alexandrian's, supporting a group home in their bid for the Special Olympics, and another example of why Del Ray is our favorite place to live.

Let me tell you right off the bat that this is a feel good kind of story. The kind of story that makes you think about being kinder, a bit more patient, and perhaps seeing your neighbors in a whole new light. This is how a pot of chili made all the difference.

Our block in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood hosts a chili "cook off" every year. It is very informal, open to all and operates primarily by word of mouth. Some years it's a grand, busting at the seams affair, other times, it's small and just an excuse to get together.

From our neighbor and uber chili organzier, Laura Fries:

"Yesterday was the Chili Cook-Off. Yes, the day with the driving rain and wind coming down hardest just when the cook-off was supposed to start. The host families were talking of canceling - we had given it a good shot but the weather, for a second weekend in a row, wasn't cooperating.

The we looked out into the yard and there, huddled under the tent, were at least half a dozen residents of the group home from the next block. They had made a pot of chili. They weren't leaving. Some had walkers, others were in wheelchairs and, despite trying to stay under the tent, they were getting soaked.

It was clear the show had to go on. We put on rain coats and boots, grabbed some umbrellas and brought out our pot of chili. We figured that even if there were just two or three entires to taste, it would make the group home people happy. Then something really amazing happened.

People started showing up. Lots of them. They came with different umbrellas, pots of chili and corn bread, cakes and pies. People went from tent to tent tasting eight different kinds of chili - two vegetarian and one with duck and rabbit! Nobody seemd to care about the rain and a few neighbors new to the experience couldn't stop raving.

There was something happening here. As he does every year, the Sherriff of Alexandria, Dana Lawhorne, came by to count the ballots. (Yes, we have official ballots and everything.) It had stopped raining by then and we lit a fire and sat around on hay bales waiting for the announcement, the moment of truth had come.

Turns out, the Wicked Wizards, the group home contestants who ran their wheelchairs through the mud and hung out all day in the rain, won first prize for their pot of chili. I cannot adequately express their joy. The supervisor of the group home accepted the homemade award on their behalf and it almost brought the whole crowd to tears. He talked about how people with physical and mental challenges always feel on the outside of everything and that today they were winners and a true part of the neighborhood. It was one of the best cook off's ever."

And that my friends, is how a pot of chili made all the difference.

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