The Surest Sign of Spring - Tables and Customers on the Sidewalks of Alexandria
April 4th, 2008 Categories: Alexandria, Del Ray, Dining Favorites, On The Avenue, Things to Do
ON THE AVENUE
People and Places on Del Ray’s Mt. Vernon Avenue
Driving home tonight I saw what I had been looking for these past few weeks. With Mother Nature at her finicky best, our few temptingly warm days have been followed by freeze warnings (well almost). Not to be deterred, the bravest souls in shorts and flip flops have raised defiant fists to the weather gods but the one sure sign still eluded me. But then tonight, there it was - Del Ray stalwarts were flocking to the open patio at Fireflies.
Maybe another place beat them to the punch on another night but since I didn’t see it, Fireflies goes down on my calendar as the first restaurant in Del Ray to open its patio for the 2008 season.
Granted, the umbrellas were down and most of the patrons had on jackets - no matter, folks were eating outside! For some of you that might not seem like a great accomplishment but here in Alexandria, we take the ability - and opportunity - to dine ‘al fresco’ very seriously. The smallest section of sidewalk is all it takes - that and a restaurant’s willingness to supply tables, chairs, an umbrella or two and wait staff. And those dogs we love so much, well, they can come too!
About Fireflies - Marylisa Damiani and Dan Lichens, graduates of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) opened this ‘fast, fresh, fun’ eatery in late 2002 in a former auto parts store owned by Tony Damiani, Marylisa’s father.
Eighty tons of rubble were removed to make way for a custom walk-in fridge, industrial mixer, 800 degree pizza oven (nicknamed Nadine), a deli case and the curved “great wall of wine.”
Affordable wines and thin, thin, hand-thrown pizza crust are highlights here as is the Tuesday - Friday, 4:30-6:30pm happy hour and the bluegrass Sunday brunch.
I think I know which patio I’ll be on this weekend . . .
Virginia
Our guest author today is my spouse, manager, and all round good friend.
