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By Michael Balderston, Katie Bianco, Holly Gambrell and Stefanie Gans
All the burnt ends
Meat Week has returned (through Jan. 27) to ruin everyone’s wellness goals with a full slate of barbecue events at area restaurants, including NoVA’s Pork Barrel BBQ (there’s a meat-eating relay contest), Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster Barbeque, Smoking Kow and Texas Jack’s Barbecue. Or, head into DC and try the ribs at Federalist Pig for the only Texas Monthly-approved barbecue in the region. -SG // Multiple locations
Classing up my Super Bowl party menu
My Eagles unfortunately won’t be going for a repeat this year, so my focus during my Super Bowl party will be more on the food and drinks than the game. Looking for something different than the usual chips and beer, I’m going to seek some inspiration at 868 Estate Vineyards for its snack food and wine pairings. Tastings are being held Jan. 25-27, leaving plenty of time to learn some tips and prep for the big game yourself. Cheeseburger sliders, mac & cheese bacon balls and Buffalo chicken pita with some good wine will definitely soothe the pain of my team not going back-to-back. -MB // 868 Estate Vineyards: 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Purcellville; $22
Rooting for kokedama
I’ve never had much of a green thumb, but the older I get, the more I appreciate the beauty of plants. I incorporate them in my apartment as often as possible, buying flowers for the vase on my coffee table every time I go to the grocery store. I also recently added small succulents to my desk to brighten it up a bit. I’m interested in expanding my plant knowledge, which is why I’m attending the kokedama workshop at Botanlogica on Sunday, Jan. 27. Kokedama is a unique form of Japanese plant design—basically, really pretty hanging moss balls. Let’s hope I can keep my creation alive for longer than a week. -HG // Botanologica: 817 W. Broad St., Falls Church; $40
Self-care at the spa
Every Christmas, the only thing I ask my husband for is a gift certificate to a nice spa. I’ve told him to skip stressing about creative gift giving because that’s all I’m ever going to want. So he dutifully gets me a gift card every year for the exact amount of a 50-minute massage. And every year it sits on our counter until spring when I finally make the time to go. Not this year. Our story about spas that are worth the self-care splurge inspired me to book my appointment. On Saturday, I plan to get a massage and then sit in a whirlpool until my fingers prune. That’s my kind of self-care. -KB
