For the last few weeks, I’ve been hearing a lot about Port City Brewing Company. They recently earned the national title of Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. They beat out the other 517 breweries in the small brewery category. 
We were welcomed by a friendly, good looking bartender who explained how the flights worked: $12 for six tickets and an extensive taster menu:;
Tidings Ale ended up being my favorite one. It’s a Belgian Strong Blond and has honey, ginger, cardamom and coriander. I mostly tasted the ginger – mild and very refreshing. 
Every Friday night, the Borinquen Lunch Box food truck parks out front from 5:30 to 9 pm. DELICIOUS! I had the arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), tostones (fried plantains) and a vegetarian empanada. John devoured his Cubano sandwich. If you’re looking for some authentic Puerto Rican food, I highly recommend stopping by for a bite (or take away). 
This was the first of many visits – I’ll definitely be checking out Trivia Night but will pass on science fiction night. I’ll wait for history trivia. There’s also Beer Yoga and Comedy Night.
Port City Brewing Company is located at 3950 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria. Give it a taste…
Posts Tagged ‘Alexandria’
Alexandria, VA: Friday Night Fun at Port City Brewing Company
Posted in Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Alexandria, Beer, Borinquen, Brewery, Port City Brewing Co, Puerto Rican Food, Travel, Trivia Night, Virginia on Friday, 15 January, 2016| 6 Comments »
Virginia: Alexandria Archaeology
Posted in Travels, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Alexandria, Archaeology, history, Old Town, Ships, Virginia on Tuesday, 5 January, 2016| 8 Comments »
While the construction crew building the Hotel Indigo dug deep, the remains of an 18th century ship’s fifty-foot hull was unearthed at 220 South Union Street in Old Town, Alexandria.
It had been scuttled sometime in the late 1700s when the town used it as part of the landfill for the waterfront which was extended out to a deeper part the Potomac River. The new waterfront allowed Alexandria to become a thriving international port. 
In photo: Before the landfill (late 1700s), the waterline went to where the crane is located.
3-D laser scanning, photographs and measurements have been completed and now the ship is being dismantled so it can be moved to a wet environment for further study and hopefully conservation. 
For more information about this and other discoveries in Old Town, go to: Alexandria Archaeology Museum which is located in the Torpedo Factory on King Street.
When they announced the area would be open to the public for two hours, I was hoping to get onto the construction site for a closer look but it was not to be.
Alexandria, VA: Scottish Christmas Parade Dec 5, 2015
Posted in Dogs, US, Virginia, tagged "Scottish Christmas Walk", Alexandria, dogs, Kilts, Parade, Virginia on Tuesday, 1 December, 2015| 6 Comments »
In 1669, Scottish immigrant John Alexander purchased a tract of land which would become the town of Alexandria in 1749. The men who eventually settled the town were also of Scottish descent and so it is only fitting that Old Town (Alexandria) celebrates its Scottish heritage with a wonderful Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend every first weekend in December.
This year’s celebrations include a parade on Saturday, 5 Dec at 11:00 am. The parade features:
Santa on parade
Men in Kilts
Men in Kilts with Dogs
…more dogs
and even more dogs…
There’re a lot more going on for the Scottish Walk Weekend than just the parade. Click here for more details. All proceeds from the events go to the Campagna Center’s core programs that help children and families.
If you’re coming to the parade with younger children, I recommend going to the starting point by 10:30 so you can see Santa and all the other participants getting ready for the parade. You might even be able to snag a photo with Santa.
The parade route will be:
Alexandria, VA: King Street Art Festival 2015
Posted in Travels, United States, Virginia, tagged Alexandria, Art, King Street Art Festival, Virginia on Tuesday, 8 September, 2015| 10 Comments »
On September 19 and 20, the annual feast for the eyes King Street Art Festival will be set up from Washington Street to the waterfront in Alexandria, VA. I’ve attended the outdoor art gallery four times and have enjoyed it immensely every time. The variety of artwork and the chance to speak to the creative artist makes for a very pleasant way to spend a fall day.
The festival will feature an impressive amount of paintings, large life-size sculptures, jewelry, photographs, ceramics and more. There’s something for everyone, although my taste tends to run a little higher than my bank account can afford. According to the website, this year’s event will have more $15 million in art on display. Even if you don’t purchase a one-of-a-kind art piece, I guarantee you will have fun perusing the booths.
Throughout the weekend, there will be local activities and live-music performances. Last year, I purchased a bowl at the Art League’s popular Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser. They have about 1,000 hand-made ceramic bowls and local artisanal ice cream for sale which costs about $15 per bowl. My bowl from last year:
Alexandria’s Mobile Art Lab is celebrating its first birthday by participating at the Art Festival in a couple of ways: a disco dance party at Market Square on 19 September at 7 pm. At 9 pm, it’ll change to a “silent” disco and headphones will be available for your listening and dancing pleasure. The Mobile Art Lab will be on Royal Street near Market Square both days of the festival.
When: Saturday, 19 Sept 10am–7pm & Sunday, 20 Sept from 10am-5pm
Where: Old Town, Alexandria, VA (Start at Washington and King streets)
GPS: 480 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Admission: FREE
Helpful Hints:
- Park in one of the all-day garages since you’ll probably exceed the two or three-hour street parking limit
- Plan ahead with lunch reservations ~ it’ll be difficult to get a table between 11am and 2pm
- If you come across artwork you like, be sure get the artist’s business card. I neglected to do that last year & have been thinking about a photograph I’ve wanted to purchase all year. Hoping the artist returns to this year’s festival.
- Bring your patience, it’s going to be crowded ~ but worth it.
Alexandria, VA: Hermione Encore
Posted in Photography, Travel, USA, Virginia, tagged Alexandria, Boston, Frenchmen, Hermione, NYC, Tall Ship, Virginia on Thursday, 2 July, 2015| 9 Comments »
Touring the Hermione was so much fun and, lucky me, a friend shared her extra ticket with so I went twice!
The ship is amazing. I’m in awe of the hand craftsmanship and the 18 years it took to build it. While standing on the deck, I imagined what it must have been like being in the middle of the Atlantic ~ how exciting!
The Historic Hermione and airplane in flight overhead
French Flag and Colonial Flag.
There are 15 miles of rope and the height of the ship is 56.5 meters (185ft)
No idea what this is or why there’s a measurement on it but thought it looked cool
The original Hermione was a fighting ship and there are 34 canons
There was a nice breeze on board
Lots of happy smiles
My favorite part of the tour was speaking with the volunteers and crew members about their maiden voyage on such a historic ship. Wish I could actually speak French because I’m sure a lot was lost in translation but thankfully the volunteers spoke enough English to tell their stories.
Cute Frenchmen
Another cute Frenchmen…
Pirate looking volunteer
Frenchwoman as part of the crew
Other than the volunteers and crew members, local reenactors joined the ship while it was in port:
Love the Hermione Hat
Colonial women greeting the ship
On the Lookout for trouble
Another fun aspect of touring the Hermione is I got a chance to meet a fellow blogger, Robin and his wife. His photos of the Hermione are fabulous ~ check them out at Photographybykent.
The Hermione has been making her way up the Eastern Seaboard and has stopped in Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia and is currently in New York City until July 4, 2015. Click here for a fantastic NY Times article about their arrival in NYC and more historical facts about Lafayette.
Next three stops are: Greenport, NY, Newport, RI and Boston. If you get a chance, I highly recommend touring the ship (or at least seeing it up close). You won’t be disappointed. See full itinerary here.
Virginia: Midnight on the Potomac ~ The Hermione Tall Ship
Posted in USA, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Alexandria, French, Hermione, Lafayette, Potomac, Tall Ship, Virginia on Wednesday, 10 June, 2015| 12 Comments »
It was thrilling to see the French Tall Ship ‘Hermione’ pass through the opened Wilson Bridge at midnight. Adding to the fun were all the people out with us who were equally impressed by, not only the Hermione but the mechanical marvel of the Wilson Bridge. As a side note, living in the Washington DC area makes me empathetic for anyone “stuck” on the bridge. Even at midnight, I could see the line of cars and trucks.
Night photography is a challenge for me ~ mostly because I don’t do much of it. My attempt to photograph the Hermione at midnight convinced me to practice, practice, practice. With that in mind, I’ll be up late on Friday when Hermione leaves Old Town en route to Annapolis attempting to get better shots.
Here are my attempts but for some really gorgeous photos from last night, check out Photographybykent:
If you look closely, the US Capitol can be seen on the bottom left
Earlier in the day, the Hermione was anchored near Mount Vernon Estates where a Lafayette event was happening.
The Hermione ~ French Tall Ship Voyage 2015
Posted in Travels, tagged Alexandria, Hermione, Lafayette, Sailing, Tall Ship, Virginia on Sunday, 7 June, 2015| 11 Comments »
The Hermione (pronounced ‘err-me-own’) is an exact replica of the 18th century tall ship which carried the Marquis de Lafayette to the USA in 1780 and it’ll be visiting our corner of the world this week.
In March 1780, Lafayette boarded the Hermione in Port des Barques, France and sailed across the Atlantic to Boston. The ship made it’s way down the East Coast. When Lafayette arrived in the United States, he brought news of full French military aid to George Washington which secured victory against the British. Hermione’s voyage culminated with the American-French triumph at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, ending the Revolutionary War.
Building the Hermione took 18 years and it celebrates Lafayette ~ the Hero of Two Worlds. His contribution to the success of the American Revolution is nothing short of amazing. As a wealthy French aristocrat, he easily could have lived the life of leisure but instead he traveled to the colonies and volunteered to fight against the British. He also persuaded several other French officers to join him. He lived a fascinating life and, as an American, I’m thankful he was passionate about the plight of the colonies.
The ship is also a tribute to the craftsmanship of the Poitou-Charentes region in Western France. The ship was re-created by hand using traditional tools and techniques. The 1500 irons, tackles and pins used in the rigging were made using 18th century forging methods. There are some “modern” items on the ship due to safety rules and sanitary requirements.
It was twenty years ago when a small group decided to live by Lafayette’s family motto: Cur Non which means ‘Why Not?‘. The Association Hermione-La Fayette’s mission statement, as shown on their website, is as follows:
- To evoke the spirit of “why not?” and demonstrate that given determination, anything is achievable.
- To symbolize and rekindle through the Hermione the intimate ties between France and the United States, and the spirit of liberty that sustains them.
- To celebrate the value of impeccable craftsmanship, the firm foundation of the authentic reconstruction of the Hermione.
- Through this, to create a lasting educational legacy which will be accessible to generations of young
Americans to come. - To demonstrate the inestimable value of history, to the present and the future, and to show that it can be a living force in increasing our understanding of the world.
- To bring to life the memory of Marquis de Lafayette who embodied this spirit.
The first stop for the Hermione in North America is Yorktown, Virginia. Additional ports of call include: Mount Vernon and Alexandria, Virginia;, Annapolis and Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York City and Greenport, New York; Newport, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Castine, Maine and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
The Hermione will be docked at the Alexandria City Harbor, Virginia on June 10,11 and 12. Tickets to tour the Hermione are sold out but a limited number of tickets will be distributed at 8:30 a.m. and 12 noon each day at the dock. I’m thrilled I jumped at the chance to obtain tickets when I first heard about the visit. Hoping photos of the inside of the ship will be permitted. More to come after my visit…
Wordless Wednesday: Talented Artist at Work
Posted in Travels, Virginia, tagged Alexandria, Art, Photography, Portrait, Virginia, Wordless Wednesday on Wednesday, 27 May, 2015| 2 Comments »
Alexandria, VA: Sugar Shack Donuts
Posted in Food, United States, US, Virginia, tagged Alexandria, Donuts, Old Town, Sugar Shack, Virginia on Sunday, 25 January, 2015| 8 Comments »
After having Georgetown Cupcakes and Baked & Wired pumpkin muffins on Friday, the last thing I needed this morning was a donut. But I couldn’t resist checking out the newly opened Sugar Shack in Old Town. There was a line out the door as we drove up to 804 N. Henry Street but it moved quickly and we were ordering our donuts within 10 minutes.
The original Sugar Shack, located in Richmond, was named one of the top 10 Tastiest Donuts in the USA. During his time representing in Richmond, Virginia Delegate Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax) enjoyed Sugar Shack so much, he decided to bring his favorite donuts to Northern Virginia by opening his own shop. After tasting my first one (caramel with nuts on top), I’m glad he did ~ they are decadently delicious!
Not only are the donuts tasty but the store is also helpful to the community. Sugar Shack Alexandria has teamed up with Together We Bake (a non-profit that trains women in need), to staff the labor-intensive kitchen where each donut is hand-crafted. No machines! The flavors, such as mint julep, maple bacon, s’mores, change frequently but there’s always the standard ones (chocolate, glazed, etc).
Some of the many choices.
Delicious Coffees
Looking through a porthole inside the shop
I highly recommend Sugar Shack the next time you’re in Northern Virginia and get a craving for donuts and coffee!
A Scottish Christmas Walk in Alexandria, Virginia
Posted in Scotland, Travels, US, Virginia, tagged "Scottish Christmas Walk", Alexandria, Northern Virginia, Photography, Scotland, ScottishWalk on Saturday, 6 December, 2014| 9 Comments »
The beautiful town of Alexandria (Old Town) was officially established by three Scottish merchants and the town is named after one of them, John Alexander. The city celebrated its Scottish heritage with the 44th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk. It’s actually an entire weekend of activities and a major fundraiser for The Campagna Center which supports children programs in Alexandria.
I’m a big fan of Scotland so, even with the threat of a downpour, I’m glad I attended the parade. Pipers in kilts and lots of dogs ranks as some of my favorite things.
Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend
Representative from the Scottish Government as the Grand Marshal
There were Scottish Societies from Baltimore, Philadelphia and Ocean County, New Jersey
Father and Son
Shamrock and Thistle
Mary Queen of Scots representative
Boy Scout with the flag
And then there’s the Scottish Darth Vader
…little more Star Wars characters
Dogs on Parade:
Biker with his sheltie dog
Lots of Westies
And of course there was a Santa with pipes:
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