I spent half of the day yesterday wandering through antique shops where I couldn’t even BEGIN to afford any of the merch. Why do I torture myself so? King St. in Alexandria, VA is a magical place where I can feel like my best and most luxe self; that’s why. Although King St. can be quite touristy in the summertime, especially near the waterfront area, it is still so much fun to wander about as long as the afternoon heat will allow.
Arriving pre-noon is definitely the way to go. At this time it is not swelteringly hot yet and you can have your pick of restaurants! We chose to sit outside at Daniel O’ Connell’s Irish Restaurant and Bar to start the day off. I ordered a glass of Sauvignon blanc (classy AF, I know) and a Crab Salad Sandwich, what turned out to be a delightful combination. My partner-in-crime (the best boyfriend in all the land) ordered the Smoked Salmon Croissant Benedict and a $3 Bloody Mary (emphasis on the 3 doll-hairs) which were both delicious too! While this restaurant is well-known, a fixture of King St. really, it is worth reporting that they don’t rest on their laurels. Our service was wonderful and I will definitely be visiting again! I do not feel the slightest bit guilty for not venturing “off-the-beaten-path” as they say (you know, the all-knowing “they”) for a lesser known dining establishment.
After brunch we made our way down to the waterfront to take some photos to send to our parental units (I am constantly below my photo-sending quota in my parent’s book). The sky was full of pillowy clouds and cute little ducks were happily bobbing alongside the beautiful boats in the water at the marina.
After taking in the view for a while and doing some grade A people watching, a favorite pastime of mine, we began our mosey up the street. We walked up King St. for about an hour, weaving through a few shops here and there, before turning back the way we came to get some ice cream.
You’ll find that many of my roads end in ice cream! The last time I visited King St. I tried Pop’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Co. and ordered Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (OBVI that’s the best ice cream flavor). This visit, when I was inevitably craving ice cream, I decided to go to the The Creamery directly across the street from Pop’s to do a taste comparison. I ordered Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough again to preserve the scientific integrity of my experiment. Like choosing a significant other, everyone has a type, and while I see the value in the way The Creamery makes their ice cream, Pop’s is definitely the one for me! I like my ice cream to be fluffier, almost icier to some extent, and that is how Pop’s serves it up. The Creamery is, well, creamier and smoother (I know, such an inspired description).
I take leisure activities extremely seriously so trust me when I say that if you find yourself with a free afternoon in the DMV area, King St. in Alexandria, VA is a wonderful way to spend some time!
Moose & Malbec 