Why I Love Alexandria Contest
In our City Guide feature found in the July issue of Northern Virginia Magazine—on newsstands June 30—we told you some of the reasons we enjoy spending time in Alexandria, and now we’re hoping you’ll return the favor.
Whether you live, work or just play there, tell us why you love Alexandria by 5 p.m. on July 31 for a chance to win a $75 gift card to Diva Boutique!
On Aug. 2, we will select one winner and mail out his/her prize. We may also highlight a few of our favorite responses online, right here at NorthernVirginiaMag.com.
Our lucky winner is Sarah Strom of Alexandria! Congratulations, Sarah!
Alexandria the Great History, outdoor activities and sumptuous cuisine–Old Town Alexandria has everything anyone could need within a short distance and in a picturesque setting. On Saturday mornings, I bike into old town via the GW parkway path (I live less than a mile outside of it) and lock up at the rack beside Pat Troy’s. I then walk one block over to the bustling farmer’s market on King Street. Everyone at the market is friendly and in a great mood. I can stock up on half of my groceries and my flowers. I can also sample the produce as I walk around. Afterwards, I walk up a block to the Starbucks for an iced green tea and Mallorca sweet bread and just sit in an outside table to people-watch until it’s time for me to bike home.
I love to bring a good book or the newspaper over to one of the benches that line the water –either near Orinoco Bay Park or Founders Park and catch up on my reading in a relaxing setting. Lunch on a weekend is likely to find me at Faccia Luna on S. Washington St. This place is consistently a great deal. On weekdays, you can have a sit-down lunch of a soft drink or iced tea, two large slices of pizza and a salad for about $7.00. They also have a great Trattoria salad with gorgonzola. It is advertised to be served with steak or portabella mushrooms, but they allow you to substitute shaved chicken instead. They also have some good deals on the wine list- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or the Prosecco on a summer’s day are great deals. If you need dessert (some days, we all do), I highly recommend the chocolate mousse. Decadent.
One of my favorite shops is Decorium on King St. They have a great mix of home items and gift items. The folks that put together their displays do a great job- I always find something to laugh at while in the store (one of the humorous books or stationary items) and also get a new idea for home decorating every time I go in there. On the next block up, I like the store “Why Not? “, for baby and little kids gifts. The items here are unique. They have a great selection of baby clothes for baby’s first picture. If you have a shower to go to, let everyone else bring the gift from “Babies ‘R Us” and buy something different from “Why Not?”
For dinner, there really are so many excellent choices. Any type of food you crave, you can find. Las Tapas on King St. is a consistent favorite. They have flamenco dancer shows a few nights a week. A La Lucia and Trattoria da Franco are great for Italian. Overwood on Lee St. has great burgers and Chadwick’s has a menu with anything you are in the mood for (they also have my favorite Sunday brunch). One of my favorite places to go is just outside Old Town, off the GW parkway on your way towards the airport. I’m always surprised when people who live in this area don’t know about Indigo Landing. Right on the water, with a great view of the Washington Monument and the airplanes landing, Indigo Landing is a treat. I love sitting on the deck and eating their summer berry salad watching all the sailboats. I follow dinner up with the strawberry shortcake for dessert—it’s big enough to share. They have a pastry chef on-site and this strawberry shortcake is wonderful. It is truly a great way to end the day in Alexandria.—Sarah Strom
