By Eliza Berkon, Winn Duvall, Stefanie Gans, Beth Kellmurray and Lynn Norusis
In the week ahead, Northern Virginia Magazine‘s editors are looking forward to a BOGO tasting at Restaurant Eve, two new albums and tacos and barbecue by way of Austin, Texas.
Restaurant Eve Birthday Bash
April 1-30
If you have an April birthday or can find a friend with one, here’s your annual chance for a BOGO tasting dinner at Restaurant Eve, which celebrates its 13th birthday later this month. Reserve with the note “birthday bash” and bring a check for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. In previous years, the restaurant has raised $7,000 for the charity. –SG // 110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria
Listening to new albums from The New Pornographers and Father John Misty
April 7
One of my favorite bands, Canadian power-pop supergroup The New Pornographers’ albums are consistently brimming with larger-than-life hooks and harmonies, and their 2014 LP, Brill Bruisers, was one of their best yet. But their latest release, Whiteout Conditions, will be notable in that it’s the band’s first without key player Dan Bejar. As for Fathery John Misty, I’ve enjoyed his last two folk-rock albums, but with each release, the singer has gone from subtly acerbic to delivering a grating wallop of satire. He’s gotten to the point where he’s reverse-engineered his songs to make headlines about Taylor Swift and other cultural lightning rods, but even moreso than his 2014 full-length, I Love You, Honeybear, his new album, Pure Comedy, promises more cues from Elton John, which I can get on board with. –BK
Turning the house upside down in hopes of a quick sale
This Saturday, I plan to eat a hearty breakfast and then tackle the mammoth task of preparing our Alexandria townhouse to go on the market. Mums and mulch will be purchased, the garage floor swept and hosed down and all the tchotchkes in our home stowed away. The part I’m looking forward to arrives around 8 p.m. on Sunday, when I put my feet up with an IPA and (hopefully) let out a blissful sigh after getting it all done. –EB
Hanging out in Austin, Texas
One of my closest friends is getting married in a couple months, so we’re heading to Austin this weekend to celebrate for her bachelorette weekend. If you need me, I’ll be subsisting on tacos and barbecue. –WD
Celebrating a teenager
My oldest becomes a teenager this week. Help me now! For his birthday breakfast I’ll be headed out bright and early to the nearest Starbucks for his new favorite, Bantam Bagels (if you haven’t tried the Shark Tank product hit, you really should), and then we’re hosting a small family dinner. But the big event happens this weekend with paintball at Pev’s in Loudoun. If you see a mother having too much fun shooting at a bunch of 12- to 13-year-old boys, I’m just getting started. –LN
