About Alexandria's Del Ray

If you haven’t already marked your calendar, then get out your pen and do it now for the:

2009 Del Ray Music Festival

Saturday, June 27

The all day event will take place on the grounds of the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center at 2701 Commonwealth Avenue. Twelve major groups will headline on the main stage with Swing Command kicking off at 10:00am and our favorite Dagmar and the Seductones closing out at 10:00pm. For the full music schedule click here.

Much like a trip to Wolftrap, you can bring your own blanket and picnic basket or you can take advantage of strategically placed hay bales for seating.

Food for purchase is being supplied by five local restaurants - Del Merie Grill, Evening Star Cafe, Cafe Pizzaiolo, Tanqueria Poblano, and Let’s Meat on the Avenue.

Oh, and did we say that there will be games for the children and that the admission is FREE? For directions to the festival, click here

No two ways about it, Del Ray is the place to be, this and every Saturday!

If you want to know more about living in this great neighborhood, call me at 703.927.4554.

See you on Saturday,

Michael

Del Ray, one of Alexandria’s favorite neighborhoods - and the place we call home - was the scene of a Presidential “drive by” on Saturday,, June 20. Yes, President Obama, accompanied by Sasha and Malia, made a stop at the Dairy Godmother much to the delight of local residents.

The President and his daughter placed their order at the counter (no special treatment here), waited patiently, posed for a few pictures, signed a few autographs and 15 minutes later headed back across the Potomac. Oh yes, they took a bag of “Puppy Pops” too for first dog Bo.

The Dairy Godmother, a Mt. Vernon Avenue fixture since 2001, is the brain child of former pastry chef and Del Ray resident Liz Davis.

Way to go Liz,

Michael

Del Ray Restaurant Week 2009 kicks off tomorrow, June 5 and runs through Saturday, June 14. This is the first time Del Ray has ventured out with it own restaurant week. It is a real tribute to the vibrancy of the local business community and the quality and variety of restaurants in Del Ray. The only problem we see with this great promotion is choosing where to eat first!

As an added incentive, after “frequent diners” collect stamps at four participating businesses they will become eligible for a drawing to win a luxurious weekend for two at the new Lorien Hotel and Spa in Old Town Alexandria.

Entry cards must be submitted by June 30, 2009 to Artfully Chocolate/Kingsbury Confections. The grand prize winner will be announced on July 2 during First Thursday.

To find out more about the 17 participating restaurants and the specials being offered, click here.

Bon Appetit!

Michael.

P.S. A steady rain kept us from getting to First Thursday tonight. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for July

We have been a one car family for the past few days and it has just served to remind me what a great walking neighborhood we have here in Del Ray.

Whether you choose one car (or even no car) for personal or economic reasons, you’ll find almost everything you need here with just a bit of shoe leather. In fact, in real estate lingo, its what they call “walkability” and I’d like to share what a recent day looked like for me.

Michael took me to work at the B&N store in Potomac Yard in the morning but when I got off that afternoon I was on my own. I changed shoes and headed out for a 15 minute walk home, down Rt. 1 to East Howell Avenue.

The sidewalks on the east side of Rt. 1 that border the Potomac Yard development are really more like the Mt. Vernon bike trail - wide curving swaths of asphalt with green on both sides that makes the highway less daunting.

Once home, I changed clothes and walked two blocks to the gym - or YMCA. On this location since the early 40’s, the current building dates from 1996 and is a huge draw for us with a swimming pool, yoga and pilates classes, personal trainers and three areas for working out.

Just across the street from the “Y” are a bakery, a Giant grocery store and CVS drug store for more convenience.

After several rounds with the elliptical trainer and free weights, it was time for home and another change of clothes. This time my destination was up Howell and down Mt. Vernon (a total of four blocks) to the Anne Welsh salon where the fabulous Elizabeth Klebaur tackles my untidy and numerous cowlicks.

Never one to turn down a dinner invitation, Michael came down to meet me when I was done and we walked another two blocks for our favorite fish tacos at Taqueria Poblano.

Gently full, we sadly bypassed dessert at the Dairy Godmother and headed home. The sounds of a high school baseball game called from Eugene Simpson field, just across the parking lot from the “Y” but with an early morning on the schedule we opted out - this time.

It was a great spring afternoon/evening - and all because I went walking in my Del Ray neighborhood.

Virginia

Thanks to my spouse and managing partner for this take on living in Del Ray. And if you want to know more about what walkability means as a seller or a home buyer, give me a call at 703.927.4554.

Despite day long rain that alternated with periods of sunshine, Del Ray’s First “First Thursday” of 2009 went off as scheduled. A few things were canceled but as soon as there was a break in the weather the sidewalk tables came out to welcome the dogs, kids, and baby carriages that soon followed.

Congressman Jim Moran was seen greeting former City Council member Justin Wilson and Larry Altenburg, immediate past president of the Del Ray Citizens Association (DRCA).

A Show of Hands welcomed visitors to their new location at 2103 Mt. Vernon; the Blueberry, an art gallery, was showing off their new space next door to St. Elmo’s; and the Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray handed out information about their new space at 2204 Mt. Vernon Ave., coming June 2009.

I have to say, I am really excited about this new pharmacy. They will offer free delivery in Del Ray, one refill date for all medications, and pet meds as well as human prescriptions. When was the last time you shopped at a neighborhood pharmacy? Just another reason to love living here.

Visit us at:

Not Even Rain Could Stop Del Ray’s First “First Thursday” of 2009

to see our slide show of pictures.

And call me at 703.927.4554 if you want to know more about living in this great neighborhood.

Michael