As soon as the clock strikes five today, you’ll punch out of work, slide down your dinosaur and into your foot-powered car, eagerly waiting to start your weekend.
Ubiquitous newsletters from DC news outlets fill your inbox telling you what to do this weekend, what new restaurant to check out, and where to find New York’s hottest club of the moment. Your phone is abuzz with text messages and emails from friends who all have an in on the heavy clam bakes.
With everyone and everything telling you where to go and what to do, Friday nights can be just as hectic as the work week. Sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing at all.
Instead of spending Friday night spending too much money, try hosting Shabbat dinner instead. Not in a “let’s all hearken back to Hebrew school” Shabbat or an “everyone get in the car we’re going to Grandma’s” Shabbat, but a relaxing evening where good friends and good food make for an all around good time.
What you’ll need:
- Candles—Try bright handmade candles from Etsy to liven the mood.
- Challah—You can find great challah at Breadsmith or Firehook.
- Wine—Skip the two buck Chuck and splurge a little on a great bottle of kosher wine.
What to eat: Forget the brisket and borscht, and try branching out from traditional Shabbat food. Joy of Kosher has a great selection of Jewish-inspired menus that aren’t straight out of your bubbe’s recipe box.
What to do: Relax. Turn off the TV, turn off your phones and just enjoy a relaxing evening by candlelight straight out of an episode of Barefoot Contessa.
