Where to Spend Spring in DC

Even though it snowed earlier this week, it is technically spring. When you think of spring in the District, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is the cherry blossoms. Of course, this is something worth seeing, but if you've lived here long enough, you're probably ready for a change of pace. Thrillist has compiled a list of 11 springtime events that are sure to be a good time, and even better, you'll be away from cherry blossom tourists.

MAR 25 - APR 8
Union Market’s Test Kitchen
Union Market’s free demo series (yes, FREE), helps you up your culinary skills by learning from top talent, Wednesdays from 6-8pm. Spring classes include smoking meat with The BBQ Joint on March 25; knife skills with DC Sharp and Bidwell on April 1; and "something fishy" with District Fishwife on April 8. Reserve a spot, because they fill up.

APRIL 4
Braustomp II
Hit DC Brau for its fourth anniversary party, featuring food trucks and the DC Brau tapwagon, from 4-8pm. Of course while you’re there, you can fill up a growler, sip some pints, and go on a brewery tour. Pietasters and Frum the Hills will provide live music. Tickets are $15 and sell out quickly.

APRIL 6
Washington Nationals Home Opener
Everyone’s undefeated on opening day, so show up at the ballpark ready to officially welcome spring and a ball club full of hope. The home team takes on the New York Mets at 4:05pm. In other words, the Nats are guaranteed to go 1-0. Check out the full schedule for April.

APRIL 9
Best of D.C. 2015
Washington City Paper’s big blow-out celebration is back. Party at the Carnegie Library by visiting stations from more than 50 restaurants, plus 20 breweries and mixologists. Six entertainment stages will liven things up from 6-10pm. VIP tickets are $100; general admission $65.

APRIL 11
Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival
For one day only, Pennsylvania Ave gets transformed into a sprawling Japanese street festival, complete with two beer gardens. Don’t miss your chance to pound chicken yakitori and takoyaki to the tune of J-POP and Taiko drumming while ogling Americans dressed up the Harajuku girls. Show up between 10:30am-6pm.

APRIL 13
Taste the Nation
Elastic waistbands are a must, because your goal is to try a dish from all 80 restaurants represented. Bid on silent auction items before your sobriety gets more serious than a buzz, which will be challenging given 20 hot mixologists will be slinging cocktails. Tickets start at $120, and the party kicks off at 6pm for VIP ticket holders; 7pm for general admission. The event benefits No Kid Hungry.

APRIL 16
Sugar Showdown
The region's top pastry chefs will engage in a dessert battle using root vegetables -- think beets, parsnips, and ginger. For $25 you can try them all paired with sparkling wine from 6-8pm. There will be representation from host restaurant, Poste, plus 2941 Restaurant, RareSweets, Pearl Dive Oyster Bar and more. Tickets are $25 and benefit Brainfood DC. They’ll be available to purchase on the Poste website.  

APRIL 19
Crawfish Boil on the Bayou
Get to Pearl Dive Oyster Palace to throw down some sea critters at its Lowcountry crawfish boil house-party. Go back for seconds and thirds of Louisiana crawfish, suckling pig, grilled oysters, crawfish hushpuppies, pulled pork sammies, and Southern desserts from Chef Colleen Conrad. Tickets are $55 for unlimited food; $90 for unlimited food and drinks, like Abita beer, Hurricanes punch, and wine. The party runs 12-5pm.

MAY 2
Virginia Gold Cup
The Virginia Gold Cup brings people together who pretend to like steeplechase racing so they can toss on wild hats and drink juleps in Virginia horse-country. The fun runs from 10am-7pm. And yes, in addition to horses, Jack Russell terriers will also take to the track (sort of). Tickets are $85 (includes parking).

MAY 3
The Bloody Mary Festival
Let’s start by pointing out that something called "The Bloody Mary Liberation Party" exists. It's hosting The Bloody Mary Festival at Blind Whino, bringing together the DC-area’s top Bloodys. Think Range, Del Campo, Founding Farmers, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to party in a technicolor church. Tickets are $50 and include three hours of unlimited tastes (1-4pm), lunch, and live music.

MAY 25
Oyster Shuckfest
City Tap House’s first ever oyster bonanza focuses on the cool pairing of oysters and mead (booze made from honey) such as Charm City Mead mignonettes and mead shooters. There will also be $1 raw oysters, fried oyster po' boys, and grilled oysters on the patio. In between slurps, take in the bluegrass band and play some corn hole from 2-6pm. 

Cold & Flu Season Kitchen Essentials

"Tea for two" by Naama ym is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Whether we want to think about it or not, cold and flu season is right around the corner. When you’re not feeling your best, the last thing you want to do is leave the house. So while you’re healthy, make sure you stock up on these sick day essentials, courtesy of The Kitchn, so that you’re back to health as quickly as possible!

The Drink Essentials

Herbal Tea: Make sure your stash is well-stocked, as herbal tea is probably the #1 go-to drink for most of us when we get sick. Black and green teas are nice too, but don't soothe the throat quite as well.

Honey: Tea by itself is fine, but tea with honey is extra soothing...

Lemons: ... and even more so if you add a squeeze of lemon. In fact, why not just go ahead and make this ginger honey and lemon tonic? The shot of whiskey in the recipe is optional, but highly recommended. (Trust me.)

Ginger and/or High-Quality Ginger Ale: You'll want fresh ginger for the tonic above, or to make any one of these stomach-soothing teas. You may also want to pick up a bottle or two of high-quality ginger ale — the kind made with real ginger, not just ginger flavoring and sugar — when you're feeling like a little light carbonation would be helpful.

Orange juice or oranges: Give yourself an extra shot of vitamin C with a glass of orange juice, even better if it's freshly-squeezed. (But hey, you're sick! Do whatever is easiest.)

The Food Essentials
Chicken soup: It's not all in your head; there's scientific proof that chicken soup really does help soothe cold symptoms, so buy a few cans for your pantry, or make and freeze a big homemade batch. Looking for the perfect soup recipe? Try one of these → 5 Soups to Soothe a Cold and From Chicken Noodle to Egg Drop: 10 Soothing Broth-Based Soups.

Applesauce: An essential part of the BRAT diet, applesauce is low in fiber but has lots of calories, so it's easy on a delicate stomach.

Bread for toast: Keep a loaf of sliced bread in your freezer, and you'll be so glad you have some bread around when you can't keep anything else down.

Quick-prep frozen meals: If your stomach isn't the problem and you're just wallowing in a head cold, quick-prep frozen meals (like these Trader Joe's recommendations) mean you can get some food in your system fast. You can also reheat one of these excellent freezer meals.

Your favorite comfort foods: This is different for everyone. What makes you feel good when you're sick? Maybe it's something from childhood, like mashed potatoes or a bowl of ramen noodles. Whatever it is, pick it (or the ingredients to make it) up the next time you go to the grocery store.

Do you have any secret cold and flu fighters?

Create a Zen Bedroom

"Bedroom Curtains" by Emily May is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Your bedroom should be a place where you feel relaxed and ready to rest, and your decor will influence your pre-bedtime mindset. Remember as a kid when your mom told you not to study in bed? That was because you would either fall asleep, or not be able to sleep other nights when you didn’t have to study. The same goes for adulthood--your bedroom should be a work-free zone! Here are some other tips from Apartment Therapy on bringing calm to your bedroom.

1. Be natural. Check the tags on your sheets, blankets, pillow covers. Are they of natural fibers? If not, seek out some good, basic sets of natural fiber bedding. Take it a step further with the mattress and your pillows, though this can get pricey. Also consider the materials of your furnishings and rugs. Are there a lot of synthetics like plastic and polystyrene furnishing your bedroom or natural materials like wood and wool?

2. Unplug. Banish electronics from the bedroom. Seriously. That means phones, computers, television. Nothing sucks the lovely out of a bedroom faster than electronic devices. If it plugs in, take it out (except the reading lamps, of course). You'll get better sleep and your room will be a calm respite from digital life.

3. Keep it clean… Furnish and decorate sparely. And clean often. If things are kept simple as far as furnishings and decor, it should be a rather quick job to clean the bedroom. Wash linens at least once weekly and be sure to dust between the head of the bed and the wall.

4. …and serene. Are natural woods and cool colors relaxing to you? Then use them in the decor of your bedroom. Prefer deep, dark black or brown? Incorporate that. Whatever puts you at ease, use it in the decor of your bedroom.

5. Get personal. This is the room for displaying cherished personal possessions. Have an heirloom wedding pic of your ancestors? That could also be well-suited here. If you have personal items you've collected but don't feel comfortable displaying front and center in the living room, make your bedroom the place for these things. The bedroom's a private area of the home and it will make you happy to see things in it that are meaningful to you but perhaps not to everyone.

What do you use to create your bedroom zen? Share your tips with us!