Old Town Alexandria Sells Out

I have put off a trip to Old Town for a while. I work comparatively close and shifts end before anything is open. That also keeps me from going out to lunch. With a Saturday off I decided to head to that area.

It became a popular spot in my life after the divorce. There was a Family Therapist who worked down there. Not only was she decent (most therapists were charlatans or worse) the drive along the George Washington Parkway was glorious.

Seeing the best of the Potomac as the longest winter of my life came to a close set up exploration of the area. The office was near a church that had a sign reading "Church Parking Only. Violators Will Be Baptized."

While I was running my course with organized religion this was a funny and memorable sign. There were many quirky businesses in the area. Certain classmates spoke of the bar scene. That did not interest me underage although later on there was a very good get together at Murphy's Irish Pub.

How did I never write about that? It predated articles and I can discuss that night another time. There were points of interest in an area that dates to 1749. When I first visited Charleston, SC my first thought "This looks like Old Town."

I enjoyed movies at the Old Town Theater, thought about becoming a member of The Video Vault which had obscure movies and my introduction to the cinema of Russ Meyer among others. Returning videos was a pain. Returning them to Old Town was too much. I admired the business for as long as they remained open.

I would go down to the river. Not in the Bruce Springsteen sense. Walking along the Potomac was scenic. It introduced me to The Torpedo Factory. What was once a torpedo factory is now an art enclave. Definitely part of the fabric of the area.

The Christmas Attic on Union Street was a must see. I was less interested in Christmas since it reminded me of a divorce. That had no bearing on a small business where it is Christmas all year.

Returning to the area- the streets look the same. The George Washington Parkway is constant. I did not mind the statue of the Civil War soldier in the middle of Washington Street being removed. It was strange placement.

On this sunny Saturday the area was overrun with tourists. King Street is closed to traffic between Lee and Union. That was probably a reaction to the pandemic as outdoor dining was needed.

There is nothing liberals enjoy more than walking in the middle of the street. The Fish Market had to remove their iconic sign. I couldn't find pictures of it. From memory "We serve shrimps, crabs and a lot of very nice people."

Was it diminutive people who took offense or crabby people? It is not offensive and gave that restaurant character. Now people can go to Starbucks. Ireland's Own was another small business that was a great place to visit after the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Now it is a Taco Bell Cantina. I don't drink, don't really want to eat at Taco Bell and there was no reason to go there. There is a lot of construction and so many tourists.

The last time I visited Georgetown I noticed tourists. Engaged Europeans are better than old people who rode a tour bus and stand obliviously on street corners. They knew nothing about social distancing.

As for the beloved businesses- rents are probably too high. I was upset to see Banana Republic closed their King Street location. I haven't bought anything at Banana Republic in years. They also went corporate. The area has good memories. It remains to be seen if there will new businesses to carry on the tradition of the departed businesses.

Also, a different church occupies that location on Washington Street and they have no different "No Parking" sign. The previous one was vastly superior to "Violators will be towed". You can't go home again.