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By Katie Bianco, Jess Feldman, Holly Gambrell, Stefanie Gans and Jennifer Zeleski
Let’s hear it for the home team
It’s World Cup season and I couldn’t be more excited (unless I was there to watch it in person, of course). There’s a growing stack of sports magazines on my desk devoted to the international matchups and team stats. But, put your thoughts of Manchester United and FC Barcelona on hold. This is women’s soccer we’re talking about here. Two weekends ago I took the 3.5-hour trip to Newark, New Jersey to watch the final game of the USWNT (United States Women’s National Team) before they jetted off to defend their World Champion title in France. So, what do I do while I’m not watching the 23 women dominate the field this week? On Wednesday, I’ll head to James S. Long Regional Park to watch Northern Virginia United take on DC United for the free Community Night game. All of that pent-up fan energy has to be put to good use somewhere … right? -JZ // June 12, 7 p.m.; James S. Long Regional Park: 4603 James Madison Highway, Haymarket; free
Did someone say bottomless coffee?
As the roving mouth of the magazine, I’m always on the lookout for new coffee shops where I can get some writing done in between my many lunches and dinners in Northern Virginia. The beer- and moonshine-themed Hops N Shine in Alexandria is now getting into the caffeine game. Opening two hours early every Thursday, find free Wi-Fi, outlets at tables and bottomless coffee from Swings. -SG // Thursdays; Co-Working & Networking at Hops N Shine: 2410 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
I’m sorry for the things I said when I was hungry
I have a co-worker in the office who teases me for seemingly always eating something. I’m one of those people who abides by the theory that eating small, multiple meals or snacks throughout the day is more satisfying than just three big ones. It’s 10 a.m.? Time for Greek yogurt! Noon? Time for a sandwich! 3 p.m.? Going bananas for a banana! Habits die hard. And besides, if I don’t keep my hunger in check, I get hangry, and no one in the office needs to see that. As for this weekend, there will be no hanger whatsoever, because I’ll be digging into the samples at Taste of Reston, and at an event like this, where there’s almost 20 restaurants participating, it’s nearly impossible to leave without being full and happy. -HG // June 14-15; 4-11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 11900 Market St., Reston; $20
Bourbon for the best dad
My husband likes to think he’s a “cool dad,” but he’s not above a corny dad joke, dancing with our kids in the kitchen while he makes dinner and generally being a goofball. But I will allow that he’s kind of cool in that he can totally handle his bourbon. Every so often, after the kids are in bed, he’ll pour a glass and sip for an hour or so (Is this the dad version of wine time for moms?). With that in mind, you can find our whole family at A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg for its annual Father’s Day Festival on Saturday. They’ll have tours, tastings, plenty of food and even a barrel regatta race. Happy Father’s Day to all the cool and goofy dads out there! Check out even more Father’s Day fun here. –KB // June 15, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; 1 Bowman Drive, Fredericksburg; free admission
Testing out uncharted waters
Hailing from Boston, the majority of shellfish I have consumed throughout my short 22 years of life has been lobster—and I mean a lot of lobster. In fact, I still vividly remember competing in lobster races against my brother as a kid, magically unaware of the fact that my mother would be boiling the participants about 15 minutes later. When I moved to the DMV area, I was introduced to the famed blue crab and instantly became a fan of using a mallet instead of a cracker to get to the good stuff. This weekend, as I settle into my new digs, I am trying my hand at a crustacean hailing all the way from Louisiana known as crawfish, thanks to Rustico’s third annual Bluegrass & Crawfish Boil. While there will be no races, the live music and Southern-style feast are more than enough to get me on board. – JF // June 15, noon-9:30 p.m.; Rustico Ballston: 4075 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; free