By Eliza Berkon, Winn Duvall, Stefanie Gans, Beth Kellmurray and Lynn Norusis
This week, Northern Virginia Magazine editors are looking forward to drinks at Baba and Port City and vacations to nearby beaches, plus what we’re reading right now.
Reading Ann Powers’ newest book on pop music
Out Aug. 15
NPR music critic Ann Powers is one of the foremost voices in modern music criticism, vividly writing about sex, gender and race in pop music. Recently, she spearheaded NPR’s conversation-starting list of “The 150 Greatest Albums Made by Women,” counteracting a longstanding music canon that often wrote out women’s roles. Now, Powers has a new book, Good Booty: Love and Sex, Black and White, Body and Soul in American Music, which further explores those themes from the 19th century to today’s pop stars. –BK
Drinks at brunch
Baba, the basement bar beneath sister restaurant Ambar, recently released a new lineup of brunch cocktails, which actually sound healthy. Drinks include cucumber, celery, bell pepper and beets and maybe won’t totally wreck your day? –SG // Baba: 2901 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Free at last
This week I’m finally getting a vacation. I’m heading up north to the Delmarva beaches, where I plan to take in lots of sun, though making sure to protect myself, and also to hit up some of the great shopping and dining spots of Rehoboth Beach. While I sit shoreside, I’ll read Liza Mundy’s Code Girls. Sorry, it’s not yet released, but you can check out what I think of it in our October Bookshelf column. And if you find time to sneak in some reading, here are our picks for summer reading. If you’re not lucky enough to get away any time soon, you can take a page from our Ultimate Summer Guide and finish up the season with a bang right here in NoVA or splurge for a night and stay local in luxe fashion. –LN
Port City birthday celebration
In six days, I’m hitting a milestone birthday (hello, the big 2-5, jk). To celebrate, some friends and I are heading to my all-time favorite Alexandria locale: Port City. I plan on sampling every sampler and hope someone buys me a new T-shirt to add to my three-deep collection. –EB // Port City Brewing Company: 3950 Wheeler Ave., Alexandria
Soaking up the last days of summer
Despite enjoying a couple of beach weekends on different coasts this summer, I’m still not satisfied with the amount of time I’ve spent lazing on the sand with a good read (currently working through Eveningland by Michael Knight, a collection of short stories set in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama). So this weekend, I’m thinking a day trip to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay is exactly what I need: either Sandy Point State Park or Breezy Point Beach in Maryland. Or maybe the Potomac will do with a trip to Leesylvania State Park right here in NoVA. –WD
