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By Katie Bianco, Jess Feldman, Holly Gambrell, Stefanie Gans and Jennifer Zeleski
“I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey.”
Finally, Halloween has arrived. I’m a huge fan of the holiday, and have plenty of plans for this upcoming weekend to celebrate, most notably by throwing a Halloween party (costumes, decor and candy included, of course). But that’s not until Saturday. On Thursday, Oct. 31 itself, I’ll be going to the Rocking Horror Cover Show at Jammin Java. Cover bands will sing hits by Black Sabbath, Van Halen, David Bowie and No Doubt. Should I dress up as Gwen Stefani or Frank N. Furter? -Holly Gambrell, Digital Editor // Jammin Java: 227 Maple Ave. E., Vienna; doors open 6 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m.; $10-$20
A weekend to remember
This weekend, a few of my best friends from college are coming down from New York City to celebrate the annual homecoming weekend at the University of Maryland. And while we have big plans for Saturday—including a 6 a.m. wake-up, followed by 7 a.m. mimosas and bagels—I’m very much looking forward to taking the girls to my favorite neighborhood spot, Northside Social, which happens to be about a five-minute walk from my house. Lucky for me, the weekend festivities also fall in line with my birthday, Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, which Northside will be celebrating all weekend long. You’ll find me there Thursday night for the $6 wine tasting and Sunday morning for my personal favorite: a house-made bacon and poached egg sandwich, paired with the seasonal house-made flan. -Jess Feldman, Editorial Assistant // Northside Social Arlington: 3211 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; Oct. 31-Nov. 2, times vary; free entry
The podcast life, live
With an hour commute each way, plus driving to restaurants, I’m in the car an awful lot. When I’m not catching up with my parents, siblings and friends, I listen to podcasts. (The news is too awful.) I’m a fan of Longform, The Cut, Terrible, Thanks for Asking, The Rewatchables and, recently, I’ve gotten into The Sporkful. Host Dan Pashman comes to DC to interview James Beard Award-winning chef (Kith and Kin), and memoirist Kwame Onwuachi for a live show. If you haven’t read Notes from a Young Black Chef, it’s a fast read that’s funny, heartbreaking and inspiring. And if you’re into the local and national restaurant scene, Onwuachi isn’t shy about naming names. -Stefanie Gans, Dining Editor // The Sporkful Podcast Live at The Miracle Theatre: 535 Eighth St. SE, DC; Nov. 1, 8 p.m.; $18
Goodbye spooky season, hello better behaviors
It’s not hard for me to say goodbye to Halloween. The one-day affair of candy grabbing (and now cocktail sipping) is great and all, but for the majority of October, I’m freaked out by the scary movies, haunted houses and creepy costumes. I’m a scaredy-cat through and through, with an anxiety disorder to prove it. You might be thinking, did someone drop the mic? That got real, real quick. Well, let this get real for a second: over 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety. Sure, most of it is not Halloween-induced, but the season is a great example of how getting your anxiety symptoms and disorders under control can be challenging in a world where it seems fear lurks around every corner. Since I’m no exception, I’ll be heading to A Natural Approach to Anxiety on Sunday, a holistic health seminar about approaching anxiety from the perspective of nutrition therapy and holistic healing. I’m sure there won’t be free candy, but at least I’ll find out a few tricks to help build healthier habits. -Jennifer Zeleski, Editorial Assistant // Golden Health Holistics: 46950 Community Plaza, Suite 112, Sterling; Nov. 3, 3-4 p.m.; free
Finding my center
After a particularly tough working-mom week that had me missing work for multiple trips to the doctor and a pneumonia diagnosis for my 3-year-old, I’m waving the white flag. Finding that elusive work-life balance … isn’t really possible. But, lucky for me, I work at a magazine where I’m always getting new ideas about cool things to do in NoVA. This weekend, after all the candy has been handed out and we put Halloween behind us, I’m going to try and find some me time at one of these local labyrinths. Who knew we had so many places right here dedicated to taking a deep breath and finding a moment of Zen? -Katie Bianco, Editor
