We can wholeheartedly recommend most of the dozens of events going on the next couple of weeks for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. But over at Brunchbird, the word is beware the high tea on the Potomac river.

Kelly at DC Culture and Fashion gives a heads up on a Nicole Miller Trunk Show taking place in Annapolis this weekend. While you’re up in the city, why not use our guide to visiting Annapolis?

I can’t say I thought the first one was so good that it deserves a sequel, but—the sequel to the Nicholas Cage vehicle National Treasure will be coming to screens everywhere, and it’s been filming in DC, DCist reports.

Gallery Place Living reports that 8th Street will be “striped” in association with the Colorfield remix project that runs from April to July. Read more about the Colorfield remix project, which celebrates a visual movement of the 1950s and 1960s in Washington and elsewhere that focused on abstract paintings containing large swaths of color, here.

If you’ve ever been to Eastern Market, you know that you could wander through the maze of jewelry and craft booths for hours before finding anything extraordinary. But among the white tents and apple stands are some fantastic buys and cool vendors. After Hours was on the Hill last Sunday perusing the market. Read below for a few of our favorite intriguing and seasoned vendors and photos of their wares.

Okay, so he’s not exactly a bartender, but I figured he’d make for an interesting Belly Up feature nonetheless—especially since he just revealed his spring drink menu and it’s worthy of a look (and a taste). Will Earls, the bar manager at the glam Dupont spot Firefly (1310 New Hampshire Ave., NW), is a mixologist—he’s perfected the art of inventing and mixing tasty and innovative drinks. Wednesday night at Firefly he unveiled six new drinks the bar will start serving this weekend, and he talked to us about everything from his background in bartending to how to make the perfect margarita—a natural topic, given that he hails from Austin, Texas. Read below for descriptions of the drinks and more from Earls.

If you keep your ears open for news on local nightlife, you've probably heard a lot of buzzing about the H Street, Northeast corridor. Several bars have opened there over the past year or two—from the circus/freak show-style Palace of Wonders to the Rock N Roll Hotel, a concert venue that's been drawing an increasingly strong line up of bands to its stage.

Much of the nightlife redevelopment in the area is due to the efforts of Joe Englert, a veteran of the DC bar scene who eventually plans to open eight hot spots in the H Street Corridor. Englert is also the force behind many of the popular bars scattered elsewhere throughout DC, from the Big Hunt to DC9 to the Pour House.

April's issue of The Washington puts the spotlight on Englert, and you can read about his thoughts on DC nightlife and his further plans for H Street. For more of this month's great articles, pick up a copy of the magazine, on stands now, or subscribe online.

Image courtesy of cwtv.com

If you're anything like I am, you have a healthy appreciation for bad pop culture. You feel guilty for enjoying it, but it's oh-so-good. At the top of the pile of disposable bad-for-me pop culture that I indulge in is watching each "cycle" of the TV show "America's Next Top Model." The show, hosted by ex-model Tyra Banks, purports to be out to find the next hot supermodel from the ranks of the nation's female youth, but more regularly it delivers some of the most hilarious and campy television out there.

Well, now's your chance to be a part of the magic. This Saturday, "America's Next Top Model" will be hosting auditions to be on the show. The auditions will be from 7 pm to 9 pm at H20 Bar and Restaurant (800 Water Street SW, Washington DC). You must bring three photos of yourself as well as an official application. The application, and more official information is over at this link. Good luck!

All things cherry blossom kick off this Saturday. First and foremost is the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Family Day and opening ceremony, which takes place at the National Building Museum (401 F St., NW) at 4 pm (though various activities will be going on from 10 to 5:30). Daylong events include a kimono fashion show, anime screenings, and a traditional Japanese garden created in the museum’s Great Hall. The opening ceremony is first-come, first-served, and will feature remarks by DC Mayor Adrian Fenty and Japan’s ambassador to the United States, Ryozo Kato. Free.

Cherry blossom fun is just one of our picks for events happening around town this weekend. For even more fun times and entertainment, including a West Wing alum doing Shakespeare, a bevy of hot concerts, and whiskey done founding-father style, check out Where & When Weekend, our regular column on the best of what's going on around town this weekend. 

A still from Swedish film "Together."

Swedish culture seems to be all over Washington lately. We’ve got a good Swedish pop DJ night, the Swedish Embassy is hosting musical events left and right, and Thursday night at the City Tavern (3206 M St., NW), the Guerrilla Film Club is holding a screening of the beloved Swedish film Together by Lukas Moodysson (Tillsammans in Swedish).

The critically acclaimed film, released in 2000, deals with a circle of young people living together on a commune in Sweden in the mid-’70s. They begin to question their social and political beliefs as the world begins to change rapidly around them. Rolling Stone called the movie “hilarious and humane.”

Besides enjoying the film screening, you can grab some food pre-film and dance to ABBA and other Swedish music afterwards. Tickets to the film, which begins at 8 pm, are $10; if you want to order dinner, that’s another $10. RSVP at this link.