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Guapo’s: Best Swirl

Swirls are swell, especially when served in pitchers and shared with friends. Guapo’s, with restaurants in Tenleytown, Shirlington, Gaithersburg, and Bethesda, offers up an excellent frozen margarita swirl that won’t break the bank. While slurping these heavily-iced margaritas at times causes a pucker from sheer sweetness, they’re still pleasant when the sweetness is cut by the salt of the salsa. Just don’t expect the portion of tequila to knock you out.

4515 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-686-3588; 4038 South 28th Street, Arlington; 703-671-1701; 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg; 301-977-5655; 8130 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda; 301-656-0888; guaposrestaurant.com

Thursday, May 15: Ready for pool season? This evening marks the debut of the Splash Poolside Party, a new weekly Thursday happy hour at the Washington Plaza Hotel’s (10 Thomas Circle, NW) beautiful pool. RSVP now and $10 will get you grilled food, drinks, and DJ music. Admission is $15 at the door; 6 to 10 PM. RSVP here.

We’re always wary of bands that sound or come across as too precious, so when electropop band Cut Copy described its latest song “Lights & Music” as a “trans-galactic voyage,” we were ready to move on. Lucky for us, we didn’t. Though no cosmic voyage, the track’s good enough to have you guiltlessly shaking your head. Opening Cut Copy’s show tonight at 8 PM at the Black Cat (1811 14th St., NW) is the much-hyped band Black Kids. The show’s sold out, but we see tickets at a decent price on Craiglist. But worry not if you can’t get into the show; at 10 PM the same night, the nearby boutique Redeem (1734 14th St., NW) hosts a free party with DJs Will Eastman,  members of Cut Copy, and, best of all, an open bar. RSVP here.

Tuesday, May 13
• The Epochs are at the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight. Started by brothers (and lead singers) Ryan and Hays Holladay, the band has a sound that’s a mash-up of simple guitars riffs and percussive beats with more elaborate orchestrations.

Thursday, May 15
• We’re always weary of bands that sound or come across as too precious, so when electropop band Cut Copy described its latest song “Lights & Music” as a “trans-galactic voyage,” we were ready to move on. Lucky for us, we didn’t. Though no cosmic voyage, the track’s good enough to have you guiltlessly shaking your head. Opening Cut Copy’s show at the Black Cat is the much-hyped band Black Kids.

If you don't live under a rock, you've probably already heard about the disastrous situation that occurred during the Radiohead concert at Nissan Pavilion this past Sunday. Roads were flooded, some fans were denied entrance to the parking lots due to the flooding, and ended up circling for hours—and missed the entire show.

Fans have been using the internet to complain about the situation, and many have suggested demanding refunds from Nissan Pavilion.

We heard from a few readers today that, in attempt to placate people who were turned away from Nissan due to the flooding, that Nissan's offering fans free lawn tickets to an August Radiohead concert—in New Jersey. (Calls to Nissan to confirm this were not returned.) Needless to say, those folks weren't thrilled with the offer.

What about you? Were you denied entrance to Nissan Pavilion last Sunday? Has Nissan contacted you? We want to hear your story. Leave it in the comments. And we'll keep you updated on the New Jersey situation.

More>> After Hours Blog | Arts & Events | Happy Hour Finder | Calendar of Events

Monday, May 12: Monday Doggie Happy Hours
Cantina Marina (cantinamarina.com) on the Southwest DC waterfront starts its week with a dog-friendly happy hour every Monday. You’ll come for the $2 beer specials; your furry friend will appreciate the free Milk-Bone bar. See more dog-friendly happy hours in our guide.

Tuesday, May 13: A Night for Beer Lovers at the Brickskeller
Five of the country’s best beer brewers do the Brickskeller tonight at an event called the Lupulin Reunion. Tomme Arthur of Pizza Port and Lost Abbey, Adam Avery of Avery Brewing Company, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River, and Rob Tod of Allagash will talk about speciality beer and, more important, sharing. So get a ticket ($35) and head over at 6.

It’s a light day in terms of ticket sales, except for one big one we’ve got for you.

Like we alerted you Thursday afternoon, there appear to be Radiohead tickets for this Sunday’s show left over. But these are going to go fast, we know it. So get on it!

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are at the 9:30 Club October 5; get your tickets ($40) here.

It won’t be until August 11 that punk group Rancid hits the 9:30 Club, but tickets go are on sale here.

More>> After Hours Blog | Arts & Events | Happy Hour Finder | Calendar of Events

District

Adams Morgan’s Meridian Hill Park, a National Historic Landmark, is 12 acres tucked away in DC. Also known as Malcolm X Park—a name proposed after the 1968 riots—the two-level retreat is filled with fountains, statues (honoring Joan of Arc, among others), paths, a reflecting pool, and a multitiered waterfall. On the upper level, watch a pickup soccer game or the drumming circles that meet on Sundays. Entrances at 16th and Euclid sts. and 16th and W sts., NW; 202-619-7111. Open during daylight hours.

Rock Creek Park, DC’s largest, extends into Montgomery County and is one of the nation’s oldest national parks. For $7, you can reserve a picnic grove for a group—most are located in shady spots along the creek, and some have restrooms nearby. First-come, first-served picnic areas for 12 are also scattered throughout the park’s 1,750 acres. View a map of the DC portion of the park at nps.gov/rocr; 202-673-7646. Open during daylight hours.