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By Katie Bianco, Holly Gambrell and Stefanie Gans
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Although we’re far from New Orleans, I’m still in the mood to celebrate Mardi Gras. BRAWS, a nonprofit with a mission to bring dignity and empowerment to women and girls living in shelters, is hosting its fifth annual Mardi Bras this Friday, Feb. 22, at Westwood Country Club. Throw on your masks and beads, and bring new bras and underwear (with tags still attached), or packages of feminine products, to donate to the organization. As they say in NoLA, let the good times roll. -HG // Westwood Country Club: 800 Maple Ave. E, Vienna; $100+
Tumbling into cocktails
This weekend we’re going to a kiddie birthday party at Tumbles Alexandria, where I’ll be scoping out my daughter’s delight of the place and see if we can enroll her in a spring break camp when her nursery school is closed in April.
Later that night, I’ll be diving into my freezer, where I’ve already concocted batched Manhattans. Food & Wine‘s recipe, courtesy of Dave Arnold and Don Lee of New York’s Existing Conditions, says to let it sit for an hour before serving, but I find that first sip straight from the ice box so refreshingly chilly. Plus, I love tasting how it changes over the course of the time it takes for me to finish the drink, and the one (or three) Luxardo cherries piled inside. -SG // Tumbles Alexandria: 3223-B Duke St., Alexandria
Tiny little crafts
In this Pinterest-driven world, it’s easy to get down on yourself for not being a “crafty mom.” Glitter? Paints? Popsicle sticks? I’ll admit, I don’t really know what to do with them when it comes to dreaming up crafts for my two-year-old. Up until now, it’s been all coloring books, all the time. So imagine my surprise when her preschool teacher mentioned my daughter loves to paint. Luckily, I recently interviewed and wrote about a new, local company, Tiny Little Goodness. Two entrepreneurs (one a new mom herself) dreamed up the crafting company that ships easy and creative art supplies right to your door. My daughter spent last night happily painting what she told me was a fish, with the blue and yellow paints that came in the box. This week, we figure out what to do with the pipe cleaners that were also enclosed. -KB
