Sam Sifton Comes to Town; Belga Cafe Turns Eight

U STREET— New York Times readers who miss Sam Sifton's witticisms in the food section might want to head to furniture store Room & Board Tuesday. Sifton will be there promoting and signing his new cookbook, Thanksgiving: How To Cook It Well, and Tim Carman of The Washington Post will lead a discussion with the author. Admission's free, but you have to register; the event begins at 6 p.m. [EaterWire]

CAPITOL HILL— It's Belga Cafe's 8th anniversary and chef/owner Bart Vandaele has a different activity scheduled every day this week, from a cocktail party tonight, to the launch of mussel Tuesdays, as well as a waffle cart and pop-up dinner later in the week. [EaterWire]

PENN QUARTER— No place in D.C. celebrates the Day of the Dead quite like Oyamel, and tonight kicks off the restaurant's themed menu, which will be available until Nov. 2. Look for tacos, tamales and speciality drinks centered around the Mexican holiday. [Official Site]

WEST END— A rep for the restaurant sends word that Maria Shriver had brunch at Blue Duck Tavern a little after 2 p.m. on Sunday with her children. They dined on baked eggs and short rib hash. [EaterWire]

[Photo: InspirationDC/Flickr]