This story appears in our weekly Things to Do newsletter, sent out to subscribers every Monday. Get it in your inbox by signing up here.
By Katie Bianco, Holly Gambrell and Stefanie Gans
Three cheers for hometown beer
If you picked up a copy of our April issue, chances are you’ve read our cover story: a roundup of the 10 best day trips to take this spring and summer. Big shoutout to my hometown of Frederick, Maryland, for being selected as one of the destinations. I’ll be traveling home this weekend for the Maryland Craft Beer Festival, because I cannot resist having over 200 types of beer to choose from and my mom’s homemade mac and cheese (and celebrating her for Mother’s Day, of course) all in the span of two days. Did I mention the festival is being held at Carroll Creek Park (shown above), one of our cover story’s “can’t-misses in Frederick?” Yeah, it’s going to be brewtiful. -HG // Carroll Creek Park: 44 S. Market St., Frederick; $15-$80
Science in a glass
My most prized piece of furniture is our bar cart, flooded with local liquors, bitter amaros and a slew of cocktail books, wine guides and never-used Moscow Mule mugs. My husband and I are always messing around with DIY recipes (amaros + vermouth + tonic), but maybe it’s time we get more serious. Chefscape hosts its first mixology classes this weekend: Molecular Science Cocktails Experience. This would be a classy way to get day drunk—and eat all the things (Hawaiian garlic shrimp!) at the ChefScape food hall. -SG // ChefScape: 1602 Village Market Blvd. SE, Suite 120, Leesburg; May 11, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.; $85
A feast fit for Mom
What does every mom really want for Mother’s Day? I wouldn’t turn down a relaxing day at the spa sans my sweet, adorable children. I’m going to drop some serious hints for a solo trip to the spa on Saturday, but, on Sunday, you can find me dining out with my family. For our May issue, I had the opportunity to interview Peter Chang and his daughter, Lydia, and wife, Lisa, two of the women behind his brand new restaurant, Mama Chang. I loved the mother-daughter bond they shared and the new restaurant feels like a great place to feast with my own family. Want more ideas? Check out these Mother’s Day events and local gift ideas. And call your mother. She misses you. -KB // Mama Chang: 3251 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax