How to Unlock your Flirting Superpowers What’s the right way to flirt? According to love coach Francesca Hogi, it doesn’t have to be shallow or creepy — it can be a genuine chance for human connection. In this smart, playful talk, she gives a much-needed rethink on flirting that will help you feel confident, spark chemistry and maybe even find love. Click here.

Ree Drummond’s Cornbread Dressing and Turkey Gravy This is one of the Pioneer Woman’s favorite recipes for Thanksgiving. Click here.           Exercises to Lower your Blood Pressure Daily exercise not only helps control high blood pressure but it also helps manage your weight, strengthen your heart and reduce stress. In today’s video, we’re going to get moving with some fun, low-impact cardio exercises, which can often be used in the management of high blood pressure. Click here.     Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum What is the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum and how did it become a museum? This short video covers the basics. Click here.

Upcoming Events

Trans-Atlantic Book Club: Alexandria & Helsingborg –
Reading Tove Jansson
Tuesday, November 25: 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Virtual

Join participants from Alexandria and our Sister City Helsingborg, Sweden for a virtual discussion of two short stories by Tove Jansson in English. Registration required.
Click here.

Agenda Alexandria’s November Program: “We All Get Old: Let’s Get Ready” – Monday, November 25 – 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Minnie Howard Campus, 3775 W. Braddock Road in the Forum Room

The November program will be focusing on the challenges of aging in Alexandria and addressing a wide variety of potential challenges that face those who are aging and their families. A moderated panel will discuss many of the expected and unexpected issues that arise and often surprise those finding themselves dealing with planning for caregiving, legal planning, and digital safety.
To learn more click here.

Swedish Coffee Culture Event – Sunday – Nov 23, 3-5 p.m –
Buzz Bakeshop – 901 Slaters Lane

Join the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee to learn about Swedish Coffee culture (fika)! As part of Alexandria’s sister city relationship with Helsingborg, Sweden, this event celebrates a beloved Swedish tradition.
Click here.

The post SSA Connection – November 19th! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

Relationship advice from 50+ years of marriage How do you ensure your marriage lasts a long time? Julie and John Gottman are the world’s leading relationship scientists — and they’ve also been married for more than 50 years. They join Chris Duffy, host of the podcast “How to Be a Better Human,” to give advice on love, relationships and the secret to “fighting right.” Click here.

Easy Apple Galette Recipe If you love apple pie, you will love this cozy, comforting apple galette recipe that’s perfect for fall. The sweet, cinnamon-kissed apple filling is wrapped in a buttery, flaky homemade crust just begging to be topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can use a prepared pie crust as well. Click here.       Starting a Fitness Routine after 65 Starting a fitness routine can feel overwhelming, but it’s never too late to take the first step toward better health. Join Andi as she shares simple tips and exercises designed to help you build strength, improve mobility, and boost confidence—perfect for beginners over 65. Click here.     Bet You Didn’t Know: Veterans Day Do you know why Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th every year? Get the whole story behind the holiday. Click here.

Upcoming Events

Painternoon – A monthly painting club!
Wednesday, November 19 – 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library – Second Floor

Let’s paint at the library! Follow along to instructions to create the monthly painting or create your own unique work of art!
Click here.

Senior Services of Alexandria’s November 20th Speaker Series: 
Balanced for Life
Thursday, November 20 at 10 am, Beth El Hebrew Congregation
3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria

The November event will focus on how to help you stay balanced, confident and independent. Topics include fall risk factors, accessing community resources and making your home safer. This is a free event, but please RSVP by email to events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

Alexandria Cider Festival – Saturday, November 22 – 1-5 p.m.
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St. (Garden)

 Celebrate Virginia Cider Week with a special tasting event on the grounds of historic Lloyd House in Old Town Alexandria. Event ticket includes cider tastings, live music, a tasting glass, and a little history too!
To learn mor and purchase tickets, click here (Scroll down to see the Cider Festival event).

The post SSA Connection – November 13th! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

How to tap into your awareness — and why meditation is easier than you think Meditation asks you to slip into a state of serene presence. But why does something that sounds effortless often feel so difficult? In this lighthearted invitation, spiritual leader Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shares three steps to help you accept the ebb and flow of your emotions and learn to meditate anytime, anywhere. Click here.

Amazing Butternut Squash Soup Another recipe using butternut squash. An easy to make with a few simple ingredients, this butternut squash soup recipe is the only one you’ll need. This nourishing soup is my go-to fall comfort food, and it’s super creamy and rich without relying on heavy cream. Click here.     10-Minute Stretch and Tone Workout With Denise Austin Try this easy stretch and tone workout with fitness expert Denise Austin to increase your flexibility and strengthen your muscles in your own home. Click here.       Snap Shots of Alexandria – Boundary Stones in Alexandria Discover the hidden boundary stone of the District of Columbia at Jones Point Park, marking the former border before Alexandria joined Virginia. Click here.

Upcoming Events

Become a Dementia Friend – November 10 – 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
Beatley Library, 5005 Duke Street

Dementia Friends helps people gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with dementia. Join in a free Dementia Friends information session to learn more about dementia and how we can build a more compassionate and inclusive community.
To RSVP email events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

Senior Services of Alexandria’s November 20th Speaker Series:
Balanced for Life
Thursday, November 20 at 10 am
Beth El Hebrew Congregation, 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria

The November event will focus on how to help you stay balanced, confident and independent. Topics include fall risk factors, accessing community resources and making your home safer.
This is a free event, but please RSVP by email to events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

Community Knits! – Tuesday, November 11: All day –  
Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library

Let’s work together to knit a scarf and hat.
Click here.

The post SSA Connection – November 6th! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

Click here for the Speaker Series flyer and e-mail .  Please RSVP by email at events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414 ext. 110.

The post SSA in the November Zebra! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

How to calm your anxiety from a neuroscientist What if you could transform your anxiety into something you can actually use during your work day? Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki shares two evidence-based activities — breathing and movement — that can soothe your nervous system and fuel creativity and connection. Click here.

Easy Hot Chocolate Now that the weather is getting cooler, it is time for hot chocolate. Try this easy recipe. Click here.         Denise Austin’s 10-Minute Workout to Trim and Tone Legs Join Denise for a quick workout for your legs to make them stronger and toned! Click here.     5 Minute Guided Meditation to Welcome Autumn with Love & Hope A meditation for any time of day, to welcome the Autumn season with love and hope image of fall leaves. Click here.

Upcoming Events

Become a Dementia Friend – November 10 – 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Beatley Library, 5005 Duke Street

Dementia Friends helps people gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with dementia. Join in a free Dementia Friends information session to learn more about dementia and how we can build a more compassionate and inclusive community. To RSVP email events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

Senior Services of Alexandria’s November 20th Speaker Series: Balanced for Life
Thursday, November 20 at 10 am
Beth El Hebrew Congregation, 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria

The November event will focus on how to help you stay balanced, confident and independent. Topics include fall risk factors, accessing community resources and making your home safer. This is a free event, but please RSVP by email to events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

Senior Bingo – Monday, November 3: 10:30am – 12:15pm
Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library – Meeting Room

Join us to socialize and engage your mind with a game of bingo served with food, prizes, and fun. Registration is required.
Click here.

The post SSA Connection – October 30th! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

Senior Services of Alexandria invites you to a free, informative morning focused on fall prevention and safety for older adults. Learn practical strategies from local experts in health, wellness, and home safety to help you stay balanced, confident, and independent — including support and rehabilitation after a fall.

Topics include understanding fall risk factors, accessing community resources, and making your home safer. Presenting organizations include Belleview Medical Partners, Woodbine Rehab and Healthcare Center, the Northern Virginia Falls Prevention Alliance, and Crouch Realty Group, Corcoran McEnearney.

Whether you’re an older adult or a caregiver, this event offers valuable insights to support safer living at home and in the community.

Click here for the flyer

“Falls Prevention  for You and Your Loved Ones” Presentation

“A Walk Through a Safer Home” Presentation

The post “Balanced for Life” on November 20th! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

A pastry chef works his chocolatier magic — live Get a taste of the chocolatier life from world-renowned pastry chef Amaury Guichon as he shares his story — and the secrets of his craft — with podcaster Latif Nasser. Learn what it takes to construct elaborate, lifelike (and delicious) sculptures from 100 percent confectionery ingredients. Click here.

Preppy Kitchen Easy Chili This satisfying, hearty beef and bean chili recipe is easy comfort food. All you need are a few fresh ingredients, a handful of pantry staples, and about 25 minutes of active cooking time to make a batch. It’s perfect for cold nights, game days, or anytime you need a quick meal. Click here.         10-Minute Walk with Balance Drills Join Jenny for a quick and effective walking and balance routine designed to help you maintain a healthy balance, ease joint pain, and boost your confidence. This simple yet energizing workout will help you tackle this week in stride! Click here.   The National Archives – Inside the Vaults The First Round-the-World Flight In this Inside the Vaults video short, Prologue staff writer Rob Crotty describes the journey of eight Army airmen as they set out in 1924 to be the first humans to ever circle the globe by air. On their flight over Arctic mountain passes and vast Indian deserts, they would lose half their planes and set numerous records to become the “Magellans of the Sky.” Click here.

Upcoming Events

Become a Dementia Friend – November 10 – 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm –
Beatley Library, 5005 Duke Street

Dementia Friends helps people gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with dementia. Join in a free Dementia Friends information session to learn more about dementia and how we can build a more compassionate and inclusive community.
To RSVP email events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

Stitcher’s Space – Sew, quilt, knit, crochet, embroider! Every Wednesday!
Wednesday, October 29: 10:30am – 12:30pm – Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library – Meeting Room

Enjoy weekly sessions with other fiber artists. Bring and share your projects, and see others. Quilting tutorials will be provided on the first Wednesday of every month. No registration is required.
Click here.

Poe in Alexandria – Wednesday, October 29, 2025 – 8-:15 p.m – The Lyceum – 201 S. Washington Street, Alexandria

Don’t miss an unforgettable evening with America’s earliest master of the macabre – Edgar Allan Poe! Actor David Keltz returns to The Lyceum’s lecture hall to re-create Poe’s visit to Virginia in 1849, shortly before his death. This year’s performance will include short stories, poems, musings, and literary criticism. Mr. Keltz’s performance has been lauded by The Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, The Poe Museum in Richmond, and the Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia.
To register, click here.

The post SSA Connection – October 23rd! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

The post SSA is in this week’s Gazette! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

How Humans and Animals Can Live Together The legendary chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall talks about TACARE and her other community projects, which help people in booming African towns live side-by-side with threatened animals. Click here.

How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Enjoy the aromatic, sweet flavor of roasted butternut squash with this simple recipe that even includes help for cutting and peeling in addition to four different flavor options. Click here.         5 Exercises for a Strong Core Engage the abdominal muscles with 5 exercises you can do seated or standing. Grab an exercise ball if you have one and start feeling the burn in your core! Click here. The City of Alexandria: from Trading Post to Thriving Urban Center Did you know that Alexandria, Virginia was once part of the District of Columbia? Or that it existed before the City of Washington. Click here.

Oddball Cinema – The Phantom of the Paradise
Saturday, October 18 – 2:00pm – 4:00pm
James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library – 
Beth Patridge Meeting Room

Join oddball cinema for a showing of The Phantom of the Paradise 1974 film.
Click here.

“Determined” – The 400 Year Struggle for Black Equality Traveling Exhibit
Tuesday, October 21 – Barrett Branch Library – 717 Queen Street

Learn about 400 years of Black history in Virginia. Visit us to explore the traveling exhibit, “Determined,” on loan from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, through October 25. The exhibit traces four centuries of Black history in Virginia through the stories of extraordinary individuals who fought for equality and, in doing so, helped define our shared American ideals.
Click here.

  The Journey to Healthy Living: Stress Relief, Cooking, Nutrition
and Exercise – Thursday, October 23, 10 am – 12 noon –
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2710 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria

This event is the first of Senior Services of Alexandria’s 2025-26 Speaker Series designed to nourish body and mind. Participants will explore stress relief techniques, enjoy a healthy cooking demo, practice chair yoga and meditation, and gain practical nutrition education in one uplifting session! It is a free event, but please RSVP by emailing events@seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 110.

The post SSA Connection – October 16th! appeared first on Senior Services of Alexandria.

How to Meaningfully Reconnect with Those  Who Have Dementia By incorporating art and creativity into elder care settings, gerontologist Anne Basting helps families reconnect with loved ones who have dementia. In this moving talk, she shares how asking “beautiful questions” — questions that don’t have a right or wrong answer — opens up a shared path of discovery, imagination and wonder. “If we can infuse creativity into care, caregivers can invite a partner into meaning-making,” Basting says. “In that moment, care, which is so often associated with loss, can become generative.” Click here.

The Best Apple Pie Recipe A flaky, buttery pie crust generously filled with gently spiced apples alongside a big scoop of vanilla ice cream- it doesn’t get much more delicious than that. This apple pie recipe is a festive, easy holiday dessert that’s perfect for fall! Click here.       10-Minute Seated Strength Workout SilverSneakers Join Dina as she guides you through this seated full-body strength workout designed to gently stretch and strengthen your muscles, all in the comfort of your favorite chair. Click here. Oktoberfest! In this short video learn some facts about Oktoberfest including the first celebration! Click here.

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