Sip on a piña colada without the hangover. | Photo via Pisco y Nazca | Daniela Pallone
The beginning of the year brings Dry January, a time when many people choose to skip alcohol as a fresh start. Here are mocktails around NOVA worth sipping.
Alice Cocktail Bar | Alexandria
This spot offers three different zero-proof cocktails, including the Blossom, made with pink guava, lychee, and club soda.
Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen | McLean The Spiced Tide mocktail immediately caught my attention. Created with lemon, fall mulling syrup, Seedlip spice, and ginger beer. There are also two other non-alcoholic cocktails you can choose from if this doesn’t tickle your fancy.
Wren | Tysons
Select from two non-alcoholic cocktails: the Little Birdie Told Me + the Kinsei. I’m opting for the Little Birdie Told Me, which is made up of Seedlip non-alcoholic gin, blueberry, lavender, yuzu, and lemonade.
A new winery is coming to Fauquier County. Ovoka Farm, located in Paris, VA, is opening the Ovoka Farm Winery at a property that dates back to 1731. The first bottling is expected to take place in February, and the tasting room will open in the spring. (Northern Virginia Magazine)
Opening
A new Southern restaurant, Juleps Kentucky Tavern, is opening tomorrow, Jan. 7 at 11 a.m. It’s located at Loudoun Station, taking over the space previously occupied by Blackfinn Ameripub. I’ll get a spicy fried chicken sandwich and an apple cinnamon waffle for a sweet and savory fix. (The Burn)
Trivia
Due to the increase in data centers coming to Northern Virginia, it’s predicted that by 2040, NOVA will use ~41 gigawatts — close to the size of France’s entire electrical grid.
Real Estate
You’ve seen all of NOVA’s luxury real estate through Mansion Monday. Now, Northern Virginia Magazine has released a roundup of the 10 most expensive homes sold in the area during 2025. McLean is home to eight of the 10, and the most expensive one sold for $27.5 million. (Northern Virginia Magazine)
Try This
Looking for a spot to watch the World Cup this year? Ireland’s Four Courts in Arlington was named one of the top 10 soccer bars in America, according to Men in Blazers. Grab your jersey, a Guinness, and get cheering.
Trending
A group of Buddhist monks walking across the US will soon finish their journey. The monks started in Fort Worth, TX, and are traveling to Washington, DC. They’re anticipated to make it to DC in mid-February. You can track their progress here.
Ranked
Good news for Virginia drivers. The state recently ranked second for best roads in the United States according to a study from Zutobi. We find this a little hard to believe.See how other states rank.
Travel
Have you ever visited this historic spa town just outside Virginia? Berkeley Springs, WV, was established in 1776 and sits less than two hours from downtown Arlington. Be sure to soak in the famous hot springs, and don’t forget to try the tap water, which is said to be the second-best-tasting in the world. (Secret DC)
The Buy
Don’t let chilly temps keep you cooped up all winter. Bundle up with one of our favorite scarves:
🎄 To keep the Christmas tree up or to take it down... that is the question.
When it comes to when your tree comes down, about 70% of those who responded said they take it down sometime in January. The other 30% agreed that the best time is immediately after the New Year.
Anyone else finish the final season of “Stranger Things” over the holidays? No spoilers here, but let’s just say that I’ve been listening to “Purple Rain” by Prince on repeat... IYKYK. If you’ve wrapped the series up, head to one of NOVA’s local movie theaters for your next watch.
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