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By Katie Bianco, Alice Levitt and Michele Kettner
A Fleshy Feast
I have a boundless appetite for duck confit. Add in sausages and two kinds of tender pork and you’ve got yourself a bean stew that I need to eat as much as I can. But cassoulet is hard to find. That’s why I’m heading back to La Côte d’Or Café in Arlington to sneak in another taste of their seasonal specialty while it’s still available. //6876 Lee Hwy., Arlington – Alice Levitt, food editor/critic
Park Pass
With winter officially starting this Sunday, it is time to move my leisure activities indoors. Even though I love the snow that comes with the season, that winter wind can be unforgiving. That’s why this week I plan to ring in the season by visiting a national park virtually. Since traveling is still off the table for now, there are still plenty of ways to take in the beauty while staying at home. While you can check out a webcam or take a virtual visit, I will be putting on my headphones and transporting myself to the warm parks of Hawai’i with a podcast. For more ideas on how to visit the parks virtual, check here. – Michele Kettner, Associate Digital & Research Editor
Tea Time
I am really leaning into creating Christmas joy for my children this year, which means things like endless viewings of the A Charlie Brown Christmas and playing Santa with them as many times as they ask (This involves me pretending to be asleep while my 4-year-old delivers presents, so not a bad game from a parent’s perspective actually). But I don’t want to forget about a little joy for myself as well. In between stringing up lights and wrapping gifts, I plan to order a to-go holiday tea from the Fairmont in DC. Sipping tea and treating myself to scones after my children are asleep sounds like the exact ‘silent night’ I’m craving. For more to-go and in-person tea time options, check here. – Katie Bianco, editor
