The wind in your hair and a smile on your face—nothing says summer like some time in a convertible. Rental agencies offer a fleet of top-down stunners for every occasion—whether a night on the town for two or a drive to the beach with the kids.

Take a spin in a two-passenger Ferrari 360 Spider (list price: $190,000) or a silver 380-horsepower Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, a car the New York Times called “a Bond-worthy beauty.” Locally owned Capital Dream Cars (capitaldreamcars.com; 703-785-9357) offers both. Rates range from $895 for a 12-hour joyride in the Aston Martin up to $2,950 for a weekend with the Ferrari. The McLean company also offers to put you behind the wheel of one of these cars for a three-hour tour ($495 to $795) through the Blue Ridge–Piedmont area.

Thursday, August 14: Another summer series comes to an end this week. Thursday marks the final night of the popular indie-rock concert series Fort Reno. Who’s playing tonight? Three great bands: the Jet Age, Yell County, and Title Tracks (the recently formed band from John Davis of Georgie James). Bring your blanket and your bug spray to the field by 7 PM; free.

Thao Nguyen has been making waves with her folksy rock. See what the hype is all about when she plays the main stage at the Black Cat tonight. Bonus: She’s a local, hailing from Northern Virginia, who’s made the big time. Well, big time for the indie world. Regardless, you’ll enjoy her fuzzy, folksy guitar playing and lovely lyrics. $12; 8 PM.

New York magazine recently dubbed the Hold Steady NYC’s “most insightful party band.” Now, we’re not really sure how “insightful” the band’s lyrics are—the Hold Steady always plays on our iPod when we’re too drunk to make out the words—but we’ll take their word for it. Plus, the band’s throwback rock sound has clearly struck a chord: The show at the 9:30 Club is sold out. But prices on Craigslist aren’t looking too bad. 7 PM.

Photograph of street basketball courtesy of the Goodman League.

Washingtonian > Packages > Best of Washington 

Vaughn Jones, basketball coach at DC’s Coolidge High and local hoops aficionado, says the Goodman League is the best place to watch street basketball. Games run through August in this showdown of college, pro, and other top players. Wizards Gilbert Arenas and Andray Blatche drop by, along with Donte’ Greene, an ex-Baltimore high-schooler who’s expected to be a top NBA draft pick this year.

Jones says the Goodman atmosphere makes for the ultimate fan experience. Games are played on outdoor courts at Barry Farms Recreation Center (1230 Sumner Rd., SE, a short walk from the Anacostia Metro). Hip-hop, R&B, and go-go music blast while Miles Rawls, head of the league, handles color commentary and emcee duties.

Jones, a former star at DeMatha High School and George Washington University, says crowds ring the court. “When you see 1,000 cars triple-parked,” he says, “you know there’s something going on.

Bar Pilar’s Adam Bernbach is not a sketchy dude. But he can make you one to drink, if you ask—in a nonsketchy manner, of course.

Bernbach is the man behind the popular Tuesday Cocktail Session at the small 14th Street bar, and every week he crafts and mixes five original cocktails. Some, like the Sketchy Dude or the Bizzy Lizzy, have names just as interesting as the ingredients used to make them. Can you remember the last time you had a drink with chocolate mole?

Last time After Hours spoke with Bernbach, he mentioned his excitement over the work of other bartenders in the city. No wonder, then, that when asked to pick a cocktail to highlight, Bernbach went with the Sketchy Dude—a drink based on the Sazerac, recently featured in VideoBuzzed by Chantal Tseng of the Tabard Inn. The drinks share a common thread, but Bernbach’s Sketchy Dude incorporates elements like dessert wine and Cointreau, creating a complexity all its own. As for an explanation behind the name of the drink, Bernbach says he took it from a poster that had the phrase "sketchy dude is in your car" written next to the image of a neighborhood watch guy.

To find out more about the ingredients behind the Sketchy Dude, check out Bernbach making the cocktail in our video below.

Wednesday, August 13
• Named after a manuscript by reclusive artist Henry Darger, Vivian Girls is a lo-fi/punk trio based in Brooklyn. The band’s picked up some blog buzz, and its self-titled LP will be reissued in early October. Currently on tour with Crystal Stilts for a couple of dates, Vivian Girls play at DC9.

Breaking news: John McCain loves Abba and the last Indiana Jones movie; has no discerning taste.

Related news: Barack Obama does not follow American Idol; out of touch with America.

Pitchforktv.com’s One Week Only feature this week is a documentary on the Smiths’ seminal 1986 album, The Queen Is Dead. Fans of the Moz, rejoice! Or, um, continue to sulk alone in a dark corner.

George Lucas took a deserved beating from the Post’s Ann Hornaday. Consider her opening: “He may go down in history as American cinema’s master mythmaker, but George Lucas still can’t tell a story.” Ouch, George. We almost feel bad for you. Almost.

Monday, August 11: Last Screen on the Green
It’s the summer’s final Screen on the Green (sniff), and we couldn’t ask for a more beautiful evening to watch a classic Hollywood hero story on the big screen. Tonight’s movie is 1978’s “Superman” starring the late, great Christopher Reeve; do we really have to tell you the plot? Alien child sent to earth who happens to have super powers, like X-ray vision, super strength, the ability to fly, etc. You know, your typical narrative. Get to the Mall early; tonight’s sure to be a popular one. Maximize your last Screen on the Green of the summer with our tips.

Tuesday, August 12: Stars in the Night Sky
For a different kind of star, head out to the country to catch the annual Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in the wee morning hours of August 12 (and we mean early; the best time to catch it will likely be around 2 AM to 5 AM). Head to your local dark field, golf course, empty parking lot away from the city lights, or what have you; settle in with a lawn chair and a mug of coffee; and enjoy!