Mozambique

Hey, the weather forecast for Friday is partly sunny and a high of 87, so it should be a nice evening for a walk! Besides, the flavor forecast for Friday is mostly Mozambique at the Dairy Godmother, featuring the flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, so what's not to like? Let's go for an evening stroll in Del Ray!

The route: Starting from outside the Dairy Godmother at 2310 Mount Vernon Ave, we'll walk south to Del Ray Ave and cut over west along East Del Ray Ave to continue south on Commonwealth Ave, and then another block west along West Windsor Ave to continue south on Russell Rd. At E. Mason Ave. we'll turn left and walk until we run out of street at the Alexandria YMCA, turn left, and walk north five blocks along Leslie Ave. to E. Custis Ave. At E. Custis Ave. we’ll turn right and walk a block east to Del Ray Animal Hospital at the intersection of Custis and Mount Ada Avenues.

From a hidden (shhh) entrance near Del Ray Animal Hospital we'll enter Mount Jefferson Park and climb up a steep hill to follow the trail northwest along the roadbed of the defunct Washington & Old Dominion Railroad all the way to Commonwealth Ave. Arriving at Ashby St and Commonwealth Ave, we'll walk south along Commonwealth Ave to Mount Vernon Ave and continue south to our start point.

The walk is 3 miles of smiles and should take a little over an hour at a moderate pace. With the exception of the first part of Mount Jefferson Park, which is a dirt path, it's sidewalks throughout. This is an easy walk.

Google map: http://tinyurl.com/lvklhaa

Where to meet: 2310 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301. We'll assemble on the sidewalk outside the Dairy Godmother at 7:00 pm.

How to get there: From VA-1/Jefferson Davis Highway (either direction), turn west onto Custis Ave. and drive four blocks west to Mount Vernon Ave. Turn right, and the Dairy Godmother is on your left a block and a half along. Parallel park anywhere in the neighborhood.

What to bring: Water, comfy shoes and your furry friend if desired (leashes required). Sunset isn't until 8:38, so you won't need a flashlight. As a reminder, this is a kids-free zone, no one under 18 years of age is permitted.

Administrative stuff: There are public restrooms at nearby Mount Vernon Recreation Center, open until 9 pm, and there is a restroom at Dairy Godmother. Aside from the custard, there are a couple of local spots along Mount Vernon worth checking out if you want to grab a bite after.

• Dairy Godmother, 2310 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301, (703) 683-7767, http://thedairygodmother.com

• Mount Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, (703) 746-5556

• Pork Barrel BBQ, 2312 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, (703) 822-5699, http://www.bbqdelray.com/

• Thai Peppers, 2018 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301, (703) 739-7627, http://www.thaipeppers.net/ ; menu, etc. at GrubHub: http://tinyurl.com/pxvtwrx

• Los Tios Grill, 2615 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301,(703) 299-9290, http://www.lostiosgrill.com/