Archive for April, 2008
The Surest Sign of Spring – Tables and Customers on the Sidewalks of Alexandria
April 4th, 2008 Categories: Alexandria, Del Ray, Dining Favorites, 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.
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The King St. Trolley is a FREE Ride for Tourists and Alexandria Residents
April 3rd, 2008 Categories: Alexandria, Green Living, Old Town, Things to Do
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley , ding, ding, ding went the bell . . . seven days a week from 10:00am to 10:00pm the clangs and bells of the Alexandria City trolley can be heard up and down King Street.
Offered by the city as a way to encourage tourism, manage congestion and reduce mobile transmissions, the red and black trolley cars are a welcome, and seemingly natural, addition to the streets of Old Town.
Originally designed in conjunction with the City’s National Harbor initiatives, the trolleys will compliment the water taxis that run every 30 minutes between the Old Town waterfront and the new Gaylord National Hotel at the foot of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Prince Georges County. The National Harbor project is expected to bring hundreds of new visitors to Alexandria with the FREE trolley service benefitting tourists, residents and businesses alike.
Four trolleys will circulate approximately every 15 minutes between the waterfront and the King Street metro, stopping about every two blocks, at signed stops, to pick up and drop off passengers.
The service is FREE (we just can’t say that enough) and there is no limit to the number of times you can get on and off.
Previously, transportation from the Metro Station to the heart of Old Town meant a cab, a 15 block trek, a bus or, if you were driving, a fruitless hunt for parking. Now, visitors and residents alike will have a FREE, easy to use, alternative.
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley, ding, ding, ding went the bell . . . check it out!
Michael
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Maryland Crab Season Opens to Dismal Forecast
April 1st, 2008 Categories: Alexandria, Dining Favorites
First the good news, Maryland crab season opened today. We are talking wonderful, justifiably famous Maryland blue crabs.
Second, the bad news. Last year’s catch was Maryland’s second lowest since 1945 and winter population surveys indicate that this year’s harvest may not be much better. That means small, thin mostly male crabs with little or no fat. Not a pretty picture.
Blue crab celebrations are a tradition in my family. In semi-retirement my parents lived at Scientist’s Cliffs in Calvert County, Maryland, right on the Chesapeake Bay. My mother was Icelandic but she loved the United States and was particularly entranced with its history. It didn’t hurt that her birthday was on the Fourth of July. And what did she want every Fourth? You got it, bushels and bushels of steamed blue crabs. Family and friends would fill the back deck, cracking crabs until there was nothing left to crack.
Last summer bushel baskets of crabs were going for $70. Guess I need to start saving my pennies.
Michael
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