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By Katie Bianco, Jess Feldman, Holly Gambrell and Jennifer Zeleski
Does it get better than tacos and tequila?
Apparently rock ‘n’ roll is on the rise. My favorite sushi restaurant in Arlington is Sushi Rock—consisting of hanging guitars and blaring, angst-filled music on the speaker—and now, Taco Rock is opening its doors down the street on Wilson Boulevard, courtesy of chef Mike Cordero. The restaurateur, known for neighboring bars Don Tito and Bronson Bierhall, is turning toward a fast-casual vibe with Taco Rock, offering blue corn flour tortillas made from scratch, supersized cocktails and Parmesan-covered street corn. And tonight, I’ll be attending the grand opening, featuring a menu and tequila bar tasting. This is exactly how you recover from wisdom teeth removal, right? -Jess Feldman, Editorial Assistant // Taco Rock: 1501 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
I’ll bring the wine
I’ve been excited for Thanksgiving 2019 since last year’s leftovers disappeared from the fridge. So excited, in fact, that instead of waiting for November, my graduation party was a “Thanksgiving in May” theme. It featured everything from smoked turkey breast and macaroni and cheese, to my mom’s famous stuffing and candied yams. Plus, I even baked a seasonal strawberry pie with a brown-butter oatmeal cookie crust in exchange for the out-of-season pumpkin. It’s been over six months since then, and I’ve missed it ever since. As per tradition, we’ll start the second big meal of the year with a toast. Which means … wine. Lots of wine. To prepare, I’ll be attending the Thanksgiving Wine Festival at Verre Wine Bar this Saturday to taste test and find a few favorites to bring home. And for a new tradition, we’ll finish the night with glasses of the Linden Vineyards Late Harvest Petit Manseng I’ve been saving from our 24 favorite Virginia wines this year (find it in the dessert section). Sweet sips, and even sweeter memories, are on their way. -Jennifer Zeleski, Editorial Assistant // Verre Wine Bar: 2415 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 2-5 p.m.; free to attend, bottles start at $10
Thankful for treats
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Every year, I’m in charge of the desserts for my family’s meal, which usually consists of pumpkin pie, apple pie, brownies, cookies and Oreo parfaits—we have a large family, and we all have sweet tooths. This year, my little niece has requested to help me make the treats, and I couldn’t say no. To practice, we’ll be going to a kids’ decorating class at Fran’s Cake & Candy Supplies, learning how to make chocolate-covered pretzels and cake pops, which will come together to make a turkey-looking centerpiece. Hopefully we’ll be able to recreate it on the big day. -Holly Gambrell, Digital Editor // Fran’s Cake & Candy Supplies: 10927 Main St., Fairfax; Sunday, Nov. 24, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; $75
A new holiday tradition
I am a summer girl. Before I had kids, I used to dread the winter. But now, winter equals holiday cheer and the joy of watching my sweet babes getting excited for the season, so I’m on board with the colder months (at least through December). Last year, we started a new holiday tradition of going to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens’ Winter Walk of Lights, and I can’t wait to go back. But this weekend, I’m trying out yet another new tradition. Enchant Christmas arrives at Nats Park this Friday. It looks like a magical winter wonderland of lights—and I can’t wait to watch my kids’ faces light up. -Katie Bianco, Editor // Enchant Christmas at National Park: 1500 S. Capitol St. SW, Washington, DC; Nov. 22-Dec. 29; $19.99-$40
For more fun things to do this month, read our NoVA in 19 here.
