This story appears in our weekly Things to Do newsletter, sent to subscribers every Monday. Get it in your inbox by signing up here.
By Katie Bianco, Hunter Edison, Jess Feldman, Holly Gambrell, Michele Kettner and Jennifer Zeleski
The unofficial start of summer
Happy Memorial Day, NoVA! The three-day weekend honors military personnel who have died while serving in the armed forces, and traditionally marks the unofficial start of the summer season. This year, summertime will look quite different than any before it, and many annual festivals have already been canceled or postponed until the fall or 2021. I’m learning to not get bummed anymore about events getting canceled (at this point, I’m surprised when they aren’t) and have decided to embrace all the fun things I can do at home in the sun, including these 20 great activities that everyone in your family can enjoy too. -Holly Gambrell, Digital Editor
Call your grandmother
So many of us are caring for older loved ones from afar, and I am no exception. Aside from my parents, my biggest concern has been Gram, my last-living grandparent and brutally honest grandmother who calls me weekly to discuss the state of things and, to her disappointment, the continued postponement of the MLB season. Since she’s legally blind, we can’t FaceTime or Zoom like many can, but just hearing her voice makes me remember just how important it is to stay connected. Last week, I caught up with Marcie Fairbanks of Capital Caring Health about even more tips for seniors in isolation, and I look forward to sharing her message of hope with Gram, and all of you as well. “Social distancing makes it seem like we’re fragmented, when really we’re unified in a way that we’ve never seen before,” says Fairbanks. “We’re all on the same side of the fence trying to navigate this, trying to maintain each other’s health and well-being, and so it’s together that we’re going to be able to get through this.” -Jennifer Zeleski, Editorial Assistant
Backyard summer
Given that it looks like any kind of camps are likely out this summer, we are prepping to spend the warmer months primarily in our backyard. We bought a swingset, which my husband plans to assemble today since we’re both OOO for the holiday. I found the giant unicorn sprinkler I bought at Target last year on clearance in our basement. And, we are also planning to dine out in our backyard a lot over the coming months. Tonight, we’ll start with a picnic from Mount Vernon, which is offering a picnic basket of goodies for curbside pickup in honor of Memorial Day. You can find the details, plus a couple other picnic options, here. It may not look like the summer we had planned, but I’m determined to give my sweet kids a summer they’ll love no matter what. Hang in there, friends! -Katie Bianco, Editor // 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon; $45.98-$183.92, depending on number of guests
Garden party
When was the last time you were in a real garden? Or ate a boxed lunch al fresco? I’m sure I’m not the only one who can’t remember. I’m going to change that with a trip to The Inn at Little Washington, now offering garden tours twice a day throughout every weekend. Since I’m new to town, it’s important that I check out this Michelin-starred culinary temple, of course, though to be honest, I’m mostly in it for the fresh air. And, this isn’t just any look at the great outdoors. My inner locavore is excited to see the chickens and well-stocked vegetables gardens, and hopefully I’ll learn some gardening tips and tricks. -Hunter Edison, Dining Editor // 309 Middle St., Washington; $50
May the odds be ever in my favor
Last week I confessed my love for everything Harry Potter. Well, now I need to tell you about my love for The Hunger Games. It all started when I saw Jennifer Lawrence as heroine Katniss Everdeen in the trailer for the first movie. There was something about her story and the characters that intrigued me. Fast forward a few months later, once I got those books in my hand on Christmas Eve back in 2012, I was hooked. This series truly reignited my love for reading. Now, five years since the last movie was released, author Suzanne Collins decided to release a new prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, giving readers even more insight into the history behind the Hunger Games. Of course I immediately preordered my copy and it came in last week. So, instead of spending my nights catching up on my DVR list, I will be happily lost in the world of Panem. -Michele Kettner, Editorial Assistant
At-home spa day with the ladies
Having seven roommates has its perks when you’re someone who is the furthest thing from an expert in all things beauty. From learning how to curl my hair to discovering what a proper skin-care routine is, they’ve taught me a lot this past year. And, during the quarantine, we’ve been able to share even more practices with one another to ensure that when all this craziness ends, we’ll be looking our best. This week we plan on diving into nail care, as one of the girls recently received a dip kit in the mail. Before we start though, we will review tips from Tiffany Sisouphonh of Manassas-based nail company Peppi Gel. That way, I’ll have freshly painted nails and a new hobby too. -Jess Feldman, Editorial Assistant