Five Fun Things
What are you up to this weekend? My parents are in town for my son Nolan's third birthday and as long as it's not too hot, we will be celebrating by inviting our friends for a picnic at Paradise Vineyard in Burke. Have you been? It's lovely and so perfect for big outdoor gatherings (plus the rosé isn't bad!) Here are five fun things to bring you into the weekend... 
1
Nolan is obsessed with all things horses and trucks. I stopped by Monday's Child the other week to pick up some dress shoes for him and stumbled across this gem. He is going to flip when he opens it! (P.S., they have more!)
2
Have you heard about Virginia Tech's FutureHaus? With the goal of making "buildings more efficient, more accessible, more livable, and more beautiful," Virginia Tech's team of engineers and architects have designed an award-winning modular home that is energy-positive and technology-driven for a highly personalized living experience. You can visit the FutureHaus at Virginia Tech's Innovation Campus, 2602 Main Line Blvd, Alexandria. Make sure to check ahead for hours and other details.
3
I've been reading Honestly, We Meant Well by Grant Ginder based on a 10-second recommendation by the nice guy at Old Town Books and I'm really enjoying it. The characters are just frustrating enough to be interesting and the setting, a small hotel on a lesser Greek island, reads like a vacation for my brain.
4
Do you listen to podcasts? Lately, I have been listening to season one of Slate's podcast Slow Burn about the Nixon Watergate scandal and it's completely compelling stuff. Having only ever read about Watergate through the over simplified lens of AP U.S. History books and general cultural absorption, it's fascinating to learn about the insane world that the Nixon era defined. Highly recommend.
5
Did you hear about the Pop-Up Competition that The Seedling Collective hosted with AEDP? We chose three talented concepts from a pool of fifty applicants and I'm excited to share that our second place winner Jennifer Allevato Fine Art will be popping up next week at The Studio! Make sure you stop by for her Open Studio hours and check out her beautiful, colorful canvases, prints, and cards. Jennifer will be painting out of The Studio so this is a wonderful opportunity to see her art in action and get a sense of how she creates her gorgeous scenes. Visit The Seedling Collective for details.