Pinot & Paints on the Plaza at Carlyle Crossing | 11 a.m. | Carlyle Crossing - The Plaza, Alexandria | Cost of purchase | Enjoy a craft station, live music, and more, and upgrade your experience with various packages.
Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Agudas Achim Congregation, Alexandria | Free | Join Morah Ariel for a Shabbat celebration full of songs and stories for children under five.
Sunday, April 27
Arlington Festival of the Arts | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | N. Highland Street and Washington Boulevard, Arlington | Free | The festival is in its 11th year, featuring pottery, jewelry, photography, mixed-media, painting, and more.
Thursday, May 1
Crime Junkie Podcast Live: Life Rule #10 Tour | 7:30 p.m. | EagleBank Arena, Fairfax | $39.75+ | Listen to a live show from of the podcast “Crime Junkie,” full of twists and turns.
Friday, May 2
Bike Safety Checks | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Conte’s Bike Shop, Arlington | Free | Get your bike checked for free. Pro mechanics will tune up your handlebars, derailleurs, brakes, and tires to keep you riding smoothly.
Big Spring Sale | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Reston Regional Library, Reston | Free | Reston Library will be hosting its Big Spring Sale, with tens of thousands of books for adults.
Saturday, May 3
Feed Fairfax 5K & 1M | 8 a.m. | Planet Fitness, Greenbriar Town Center, Fairfax | $15+ | Lace up your sneakers to end child hunger in the county with a 5K + 1-Mile Fun Run through the Greenbriar neighborhood.
Virginia Gold Cup Races | 10 a.m. | Virginia Gold Cup Association, Warrenton | $50+ | Tailgate with friends and enjoy the 40th running of the Virginia Gold Cup.
Water Park Arts Festival | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Water Park, Arlington | Free | This free pop-up arts market features local art vendors, live entertainment, food and drinks, and more.
Road closures for the Alexandria Half Marathon this Sunday, April 27, will begin at 2 a.m., with all necessary closures to be completed by 5:30 a.m. Roads will remain closed until the end of the race. Read here to see how your commute could be impacted. Good luck to all competitors.
Today Is
Arbor Day. Celebrate with NOVA Parks, Town of Vienna Mayor Linda J. Colbert, and Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn during a commemoration event today from 3 to 4 p.m. in Vienna. Join the dedication of newly planted Redbud trees along the W&OD Trail. (NOVA Parks)
Opening
Get your forks ready — a new creperie + café is coming to Falls Church early May. Little Falls Café, located at 106 Little Falls St., will offer a vintage vibe full of thrifted decor. There will be breakfast, lunch, and an aperitivo hour. (ARLnow)
Ranked
The report card is in, and Virginia received a B- in housing affordability and homebuilding. While this grade from Realtor.com may not seem ideal, the state still ranks 11th in the nation with an affordability score of 0.73.
Read
Independent Bookstore Day is tomorrow, and NOVA has plenty going on for the occasion. Why not check out these events + giveaways to celebrate local bookshops? (Northern Virginia Magazine, ARLnow)
Community
Landmark/Von Dorn residents are invited to a “Walk + Talk” event tomorrow. This event begins at 2 p.m. at the ALIVE! Food Hub at 510-F S. Van Dorn St., where people will walk one mile and discuss community health.
Civic
Fairfax officials have plenty to mull over at their upcoming budget markup session. One agenda item is the proposed countywide meal tax, which was met with public input earlier this week. We’ll be keeping an eye on how city budgets across NOVA develop in the coming months — stay tuned. (FFXnow)
Award
The Entrepreneur of the Year award released a list of the Mid-Atlantic region finalists, and many are from the NOVA area. The regional winners will be announced on June 18 and move on to the national Entrepreneur of the Year award in November. (ARLnow)
Plan Ahead
Up, up, and away! Get tickets for the inaugural Wine, Balloons, and Tunes Festival in Tappahannock, VA. Enjoy live music, food, and hot air balloon rides Friday, May 16 - Sunday, May 18. (Northern Virginia Magazine)
Number
96 million. That’s how many Americans are bird watchers, according to a survey from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Check out the NYT’s birdwatching tips before heading out on a local hiking trail known for bird sightings. (New York Times)
A new study suggests that adults over 50 who use smartphones may experience lower rates of cognitive decline. Yet another reason to subscribe to NOVAtoday. (The Guardian)
Try This
In a pickle over what to wear to that upcoming event? A growing service called Pickle allows users to rent pieces of clothing from real humans — unlike popular service Rent the Runway — or rent out clothing themselves. Shop rentable pieces in NOVA.
City Guide
City Guide
Dig in: A guide to NOVA’s Vietnamese food scene
From pho to vermicelli to spring rolls to bubble tea, try one of these top-rated spots the next time you’re craving Vietnamese cuisine. | Photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao via Wikimedia Commons
If you’re looking for the best Vietnamese food in NOVA, you have a lot of options. Here are 25 top-rated spots — broken down by city — that pass the taste test based on customer reviews.
Alexandria
Pho Ngon, 5810 Kingstowne Ctr., Ste. 140
This unassuming spot has anything but unassuming flavors — it’s been serving up homestyle Vietnamese classics like pho and vermicelli in Kingstowne Town Center for nearly 25 years. Not in the mood for a full meal? Grab a Vietnamese coffee or bubble tea for a pre- or post-shopping sweet treat.
Arlington
Pho 75, 1721 Wilson Blvd.
This no-frills restaurant has been serving the NOVA community for more than 30 years, and it’s consistently lauded by customers as having the best pho in the area. Pro tip: Leave your card at home when visiting — this spot is cash-only.
Fairfax + Fairfax County
East Wind, 10414 Main St.
Located in Old Town Fairfax, this family-owned neighborhood spot is known for serving up comforting dishes like pho, vermicelli, shaky beef, and clay pot rice.
Another tidbit about me is that I absolutely love to walk or bike when commuting. How do you feel about NOVA’s walkability and bikeability? Walkscore gives Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax scores of 62, 71, and 54, respectively. Let us know your thoughts.
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