About Alexandria's Del Ray

Check out this variety of spring specials from some of the great businesses on Del Ray’s Mt. Vernon Avenue:

ACKC COCOA BAR (2003A Mt. Vernon Ave.) will have an old fashioned Ice Cream Social on Sunday, May 3 from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. to celebrate the arrival of a new soft serve ice cream. Stop by for free samples of the yummy chocolate or vanilla.

ARTFULLY PAPER (2007 Mt. Vernon Ave.) will have special balloons for Mother’s Day as well as a great variety of cards and gifts.. Stop by this weekend and ask about the selections and place your order.

BUNGALOW HOMEWARES GALLERY (1901A Mt. Vernon) now has Adirondack chairs made of recycled milk jugs, so they won’t rot, warp, crack, or peel. Easy to assemble and available in three sizes and seven colors, the collection includes side tables and matching ottomans. Kid-size choices are also available.

CONTESSA’S GARDEN & GIFTS (1906 Mt. Vernon) offers free “Potting 101″ classes and is the exclusive venue for the fully lined handmade totes of Amy Butler Saks.

DEL RAY ARTISANS (2704 Mt. Vernon Ave.) hosts their 12th Annual Student Art show. The show opened yesterday, May 1, and runs through Sunday, May 17th, 2009. For show details and gallery hours click here. Wheelchair accessible.

FIREFLIES (1501 Mt. Vernon ) features food and music:

• May 2 - Brunch from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Mary the Flounder at 9 p.m.; Loose Lips at 10 p.m.
• May 3 - Bluegrass Brunch from 9 a.m. 0 3 p.m.; Big Hillbilly Bluegrass 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• May 4 - $5 burgers from 4 p.m. - close
• May 5 - Jeff Stapleton at 8 p.m.
• May 6- Bluegrass Open Mike with Rockledge at 7 p.m.

LA STRADA (1905 Mt. Vernon) is serving dinner every day from 5-10pm, and until 11pm on Friday & Saturday with Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Reservations are recommended for Mother’s Day. Continuing their commitment to the freshest ingredients possible, La Strada has planted 20 varieties of heirloom tomatoes - the perfect accompaniment to their homemade mozzarella.

TAQUERIA POBLANO (2400 Mt. Vernon Ave) will be open all day on Tuesday, May 5th for Cinco de Mayo!! $5 Margaritas and $3 XX Drafts from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. with new specials, Shrimp Tamales and Rellenos con Carne.

Check out all these great places and be sure and join us for the First Thursday of 2009 - May 7.

Thanks for stopping by,

Michael

Ok, so the Del Ray Farmer’s Market has really been open since the first of April but it wasn’t until this past glorious, sunny Saturday that we could take it in. And what a Saturday it was - Del Ray was full of yard sales, including the MV BIG FLEA, the Caboose and St. Elmo’s were packed, City Council candidates were working the crowds and the Farmers Market was brimming with the best in locally produced products.

Located in the parking lot at the corner of Mt. Vernon and East Oxford, the Del Ray market has organic meats, fresh pastas, locally produced fruits and vegetables, home made cakes, cookies and breads, artisanal cheeses, honey, and yogurt, cultivated mushrooms and heirloom tomato plants.

The fruits and vegetables in particular are just out of the field (or off the tree) and if its not in season, its not for sale! Personally we can’t wait for the few brief weeks when fresh English peas make their appearance. The market is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon -dogs welcome, but on the perimeter.

for our slide show of pictures, visit us at :

Del Ray Farmer’s Market is Open for 2009 Season

Really folks, is there any better place to be on a Saturday morning than Del Ray? Want to know more about living in this incredible neighborhood? Give me a call at 703.927.4554.

Michael

For scenes from last year’s opening day, click here.

Looking for something to do this Saturday? Can’t resist a flea market? Can’t resist a bargin? Well, look no further than Alexandria’s 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. Parents and school supporters have been collecting donations for weeks and from all indications, it will be the biggest flea market yet.

Be on the watch for furniture, household items, kids stuff, electronics and much much more.

• Date: Saturday, April 25
• Time: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• Place: Mt. Vernon Community Center, 2701 Commonwealth Ave.

Early admission begins at 8 a.m. and costs $10. Regular (free) admission begins at 9 a.m. Everything left over after 2:00 p.m. is FREE. And if the FLEA doesn’t fill your every need, make sure to visit the Duncan Library Book Sale held next door.

And, of course, there’s always the Del Ray Farmers Market to top things off. For more on the MV BIG FLEA, click here.

Want to know more about living in this great market? Call me at 703.927.4554 and let’s look at property.

See you Saturday!

Michael

Do you want to know what stated all this bad bad behavior on the road? I'll tell you! RIGHT TURN ON RED once you had to sit and wait for the light to change. Now the whole world is sliding to a none stop, if they are slowing down at all before turning right. Most of them are not even slowing down, to keep appearances up. They just go on and turn.Do you know what this leads to??? Drivers not waiting behind the car in front of them to make there turn so they can go straight. They just try to go around them. And do you know what happens then? They hit the car making the turn the other way. This is not what we were all taught to do in drivers ed. Cut some one off GO AHEAD, need to get in next lane? CUT THEM OFF! I live on a one lane street. The street has traffic calmers. You need to go 25 miles a hour if you do not want to bottom out. This is convenient, as the speed limit is also 25 miles a hour. I drive 25 miles a hour. At least 4 times a week some one tries to go around me only to meet a parked car. I know it is only a matter of time before I'm hit or someone else is. The city of Alexandria is over 200 hundred years old, as such we have *five funeral homes. Call any one of them and they will tell you that at least once a week one funeral procession is disrupted by someone cutting in to the procession. I hope it is a driver who does not notice that a funeral is taking place.But, I; know some of them DO. I know they know a funeral is going on THEY JUST DO NOT CARE! That's right! their needs are more important then the those of a grieving family. They are just oh so special.

RIGHT TURN ON RED It started one slippery slid down a filthy, jagged, mold covered putrid slop of rude, inconsiderate, no thank you card writing, don't visit your Grandmother in the convalescent home behavior.

Or I just might be having a bad day.

* and four Irish Bars

Del Ray’s annual Meet-n-Greet, sponsored by the Del Ray Citizens Association, drew over 80 exhibitors and more than 200 neighbors to the George Washington Middle School tonight. The Meet-n-Greet is designed to introduce neighbors to the wealth of services, businesses and individuals who help make Del Ray one of the most sought after neighborhoods in Alexandria.

For more, visit us at:

Del Ray Meet-N-Greet Draws Over 80 Exhibitors and 200 Neighbors