Happy Tuesday, Alexandria!

My four year old got halfway thru the Hecate boss fight on Hades 2. She was using my fully maxed out save file and she got a lucky run of health options but….like top five gamer mom moment.

I haven’t done an #ALXcaffeinary post in a minute because I’ve been solo parenting thru the weekend. But you can bet your bottom dollar that the coffee has not ceased to flow because it’s a cold holiday weekend and my kids love to party at 5 AM.

#ALXcaffeinary with a side of firehouse voting

For what might be a record-breaking year of trips to the polls, here’s some goofball and not-so-goofball things that will hopefully make you laugh or vote or both. (For each election, “Alexandria Decides: Again” is going to get an update) port-city-shirts.printify.me

Aw man I’m gonna miss registering to run for the senate. Have fun without me I suppose.

Popped over to Grape and Bean for a doodle and cup of #ALXCaffeinary. Oh and @kaylahornbrook.bsky.social is here too.

An #ALXcaffeinary laterskeet but we did ESP yesterday as a lil birthday treat.

#ALXcaffeinary took ourselves to Hypergoat this morning finally and wow, yes, very good.

Phoning in #ALXcaffeinary 7 because wtf was last night

#ALXcaffeinary 5: Table Talk TBH, the coffee at Table Talk doesn’t do it for me. But we’ve stumbled here enough after a rough night with the baby last year that the staff can now see us coming and the coffee is at our seats before we can take our coats off. 10/10 for the neighborliness.

#ALXcaffeinary 4: full latte run with these beans. I really don’t like coffee that’s overly fruity and acidic, and my standard Crucible (roasted down in Staunton) and Groundwork (for a grocery option) have been amazing for this. 1790 isn’t my favorite of the three, but it still makes a fine cup.

We keep just letting them say “we’re stopping drugs and saving lives!” as if drugs are self-stuffing into users. People who suffer from addiction are definitionally not good at stopping being addicted to things. People don’t really say “well there’s no cocaine left!” and get sober.

Since nothing in the world this morning is horrific or terrible or stressful I thought I’d pull a gorgeous shot of espresso for #alxcaffeinary again because everything is normal and not scary!

#ALXCaffeinary 3: was gonna make a latte for myself but we only had enough milk for the toddler’s breakfast, so Americano it is. I missed posting yesterday but it was just a Call Your Mother latte. We needed bagel carbs.

Ewald Park Needs Your Feedback

#ALXcaffeinary 1: this is the espresso shot I can pull when I’m half asleep or with a baby on my hip, when what matters most is the coffee being there and not necessarily how well made it was. I like these beans though: I’m not a fan of overly fruit-forward flavors.

Not mad about any of this

It’s a bad thing when you spend all morning on the conversation “what was worse, 2020 or 2025.” Gonna write 2025 on a piece of paper, burn it, then go out dancing, drink some bourbon and throw this year in the trash. But I’m glad I fun with you all here. Thanks for keeping it light and joyful.

I shouldn’t be surprised that our city has spawned a social club whose sole purpose is to fundraise from the wealthy, do lawsuits, and stop housing

Could some of the more seasoned ACPS families provide any insight on their school year calendar timeline? I see nothing about the '26-'27 school year, but I'm starting to get work requests that require me to consider it. I'm guessing on availability based on the '25-'26 calendar so far.

me using my humanities education to analyze the background when christopher anderson asks me to pose against this wall

DC is so funny because what do you mean I sit down at my gate at Nashville and people are debating infrastructure policies

I made this for @weirdlilctydweller.bsky.social, but also for Helen because I think she’s great.

me dressed up and exercising at the airport before my 8 hour flight

So I'm taking the Port City Shirts show on the road so to speak - I have an Instagram set up for *unhinged meme ideas* here now: www.instagram.com/portcityshir... I figured that I want to keep this stuff somewhere not on main, and you might prefer an opt-in option too.

Honored to announce that I have founded and received the Alexandria Skeets Peace Medal.

Getting jump scared by your own art while reading thru ALXtra is a fun way to start your Friday. Thank you for the shout out, @beckyhammer.bsky.social and @oconnell.bsky.social!

In day 2 of food poisoning recovery I started “How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and it opens with the cosmo-esque writer working on her passion piece “How To Bring Peace to Tajikistan”. And like. I am never gonna say that people can’t have hobbies but…like wait friend how are you spending your time??

Something gave me wicked food poisoning last night and I’m barely functioning today. Thank the lord for Mario Kart with auto steering function: but also watching my daughter attempt to drive these races is gonna make me sick all over again.

FINALLY I CAN REST

Fighting for my absolute life waiting for these Kpop Demon Hunters to come out in the parade while my children grow furious that the LiMu Emu is making its 5th appearance

Not commenting on her frosting choices is requiring every ounce of my parenting patience

My 4 year old wants to make 10 cakes for Thanksgiving. Which you could call toddler hyperbole, except for the fact that she wrote up her baking plan like a British pensioner on GBBO trying to get a handshake, and gave me drawn directions to the store, and has named the people who will get the cakes.

It’s very very very cool to see silly art that you made come to life (and geographically organized to boot.) Thanks for sharing this @alexgoyette.bsky.social, and to every AlxSkeets friend who’s supported this goofy project.

hell yeah I love us

I do love font-based journalism.

Guys I have good news. The official Evil Urbanist Agenda for Alexandria is out in convenient desk-calendar form (but I swear if any of you shows Bill I will block you). port-city-shirts.printify.me

Virginia Is For Lovers Unless You Love Tyranny

“How can Zohran Mamdani make free buses a reality?” Alexandria:

Every single county in Virginia shifted Blue.

I mean, I’ve seen enough, if that matters to anybody.

I keep periodically looking at the State Navigate spreadsheet turnout reports like I know anything and just keep saying this:

I voted in person this morning, largely because my 4 year old wanted to know about “boteing”. She recommends choosing her as our leader, by the way. I ended up having to vote provisional because I forgot to bring my mail ballot to surrender 🤦‍♀️

This is my annual Halloween reminder that where I grew up (Des Moines) “Halloween” was two separate days of events. You had the 31st, Halloween itself, that had school parties and was generally the day that adults were going out to parties/bars. The kids had Beggar’s Night.

Just saw a Stumpy making its way to the Del Ray parade so good luck yall.

the duality of man

My 80 year old dad is out protesting today. Eighty. Hanging out with all his sept/octagenarian mall walking buddies at the state capitol. And if that wasn’t the shot in the arm I needed.

Me coming up with business plans ever since I got DOGE’d.