Try food from Mellow Mushroom and more AdMo restaurants on Tuesday. Photograph by Kyle Gustafson.
Monday, May 20
ART (SORTA): After a couple years of hiatus, Artomatic made its triumphant return to DC last year, and things apparently went well enough that it’s happening again this year. No details yet, but maybe you can get some at the planning happy hour at Old Dominion Brewhouse near the Convention Center. Officials will be on hand, and if you’ve got the planning bug, you can get involved yourself. Free. 6 PM.
Tuesday, May 21
EAT: A dozen of Adams Morgan’s best restaurants, including Mellow Mushroom, Pi Pizzeria, Bardi’as New Orleans Cafe, and Bossa Bistro will be serving up samples to benefit Mary’s Center, which helps families that fall through government assistance programs’ cracks. Stumbling down 18th street because you’re full, not drunk, is a much better look, trust us. $20 for four tasting tickets or $30 for 7. 4:30 to 8 PM.
DANCE: It’s been streaming for a week, but chances are you haven’t gotten to hear Daft Punk’s latest album on anything besides your headphones or disappointing computer speakers. It’s time to hit the dance floor with this thing—U Street Music Hall will be blasting the vinyl edition out of its amazing sound system. Free for 21 and up, $5 for 18 to 20. 8 PM.
Check out Truckeroo at the Fairgrounds at Nats Park on Friday. Photograph by Flickr user danspix.
Thursday, May 16
GO-GO: It’s only been a year since Chuck Brown died (feels like longer, doesn’t it?). Celebrate the go-go legend’s life and career at the Howard Theatre, where a tribute band will play all his hits. Tickets ($30) are available online. 10 PM.
COWBOY UP: You’re not gonna find a rodeo anywhere around DC, so we have to be creative about finding events to wear our cowboy gear. Clarendon’s Wilson Tavern hosts a Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots party tonight, so pull out your short shorts, plaid shirts, and lassos and gallop on over there. PBR tallboys are on special, and the best-dressed cowgirl and cowboy will win a pair of sunglasses. Free. 8 PM.
ZOO: Like a mini Best of Washington, but with animals, ZooFari features food from 100 of DC’s best restaurants and chefs, including Mike Isabella, Citronelle, and Todd Gray. There’ll be a silent auction, animal demonstrations, and all-you-can-drink wine. Tickets ($200) are available online. 6:30 PM.
Friday, May 17
FOOD TRUCKS: Skip Farragut Friday and get to the Fairgrounds by Nationals Park if you can swing it—Truckeroo is back. As always, there’ll be a couple dozen of your favorite food trucks, beer and margs at the bar, cornhole, and live music. Free. 11 to 11.
COMEDY: You like laughing, right? Good: In advance of the big thing in September, the DC Shorts film festival is screening the best comedic shorts that have ever been submitted at the US Navy Memorial Heritage Center. To sweeten the deal, some of DC’s best standup comics will perform quick sets between films. Tickets ($15) are available online. 9 and 11:30 PM (also Saturday).
FILM: Fairfax’s Strawberry Park is sick of outdoor film nights that screen movies from decades ago. At least I think they are, because the movies they’ve scored are all recent hits. If you missed the kind of heartbreaking but very funny Perks of Being a Wallflower, now’s your chance to see it, if only to see Emma Watson prove you can forget about her being Hermione. Free. 7 PM.
LUAU: Chief Ike is throwing a “burlesque luau and tropical shindig”—let me know if you can figure out what a mambo room is while you’re at it. Real-life hula dancers will be in the house, and there’ll be special island cocktails available. $10. 9 PM.
Roger Horowitz of Pleasant Pops joins Josh Radnor at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue Monday. Photograph by Jeff Elkins.
Monday, May 13
COMEDY: How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor will be at Sixth & I to talk about the show and about how Judaism influenced his acting and directing life. Afterward, Estadio’s Adam Bernbach will teach you how to stir up cocktails and Pleasant Pops’ Roger Horowitz will presumably be either serving or teaching you how to make popsicles. Tickets ($15) are available online. 7:30 PM.
Tuesday, May 14
GOLF: If you haven’t checked out H Street Country Club’s brand new rooftop yet, here’s your chance: The Hinge dating app is throwing a pretty sweet happy hour. Even if you’re not looking for somebody, you can still take advantage of $5 margaritas, $3 Miller Lites, $2 tacos, and $2 mini golf until 10 PM. Free. 6 PM.
Wednesday, May 15
DRINK: Garrett Oliver, the mastermind behind Brooklyn Brewery, will prove there are breweries from places even Williamsburg’s hipsters haven’t heard of. At National Geographic’s Beer From Where?, he’ll talk about and serving up brews from the furthest reaches of Earth. Admission includes beer and light food. Tickets ($85) are available online. 7 PM.
Thursday, May 16
LEARN: Thirst. is back at Black Whiskey with more nerdy talks to keep your grey matter going: Tim Bailey will talk about how we’re going to eventually get bartenders, landscapers (moon dust sweepers?), and other everyday people into space someday, Jon Arroyo of Founding Farmers will talk about whipping up dishes and drinks for a restaurant, and Darcy Gentleman will talk about the science of failure. As always, have a drink or two during the talks, then get ready to dance afterward. Tickets ($15) are available online. 6 PM.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com, or find him on Twitter.
Try some of Hemingway’s favorite drinks at the Kennedy Center on Thursday. Image via Shutterstock.
Thursday, May 9
BURLESQUE: Apparently nerd burlesque is now a thing—first came last week’s Joss Whedon-themed show, and now Bier Baron brings you Star Wars vs. Star Trek burlesque. The show tries to settle once and for all: Who’s hotter, slave Leia or Captain Kirk? $10 online or $12 at the door. 7:30 PM.
DRINK: Ernest Hemingway is one of history’s most celebrated drinkers, and took his craft to Pamplona, Paris, and, of course, Cuba. The Kennedy Center takes you around the world in couple of sips as a tie-in with the Washington Ballet’s performance of The Sun Also Rises. You’ll get to try the Jack Rose, martinis, mojitos, and a few other craft cocktails stirred up by Philip Greene of the Museum of the American Cocktail. Tickets ($55) are available online. 9 PM.
Friday, May 10
ART: Sculptor Noah Williams takes those bottle caps, seashells, and knickknacks you throw away and turns them into beautiful art. Check out his exhibit, “One Man’s Trash,” is at the Art League through June 3.* Free.
COMEDY: You’ve probably been to a few standup comedy shows, but do you know what goes through a comedian’s head while you’re laughing (or not) at them? At “You, Me, Them, Everybody Presents,” five local comedians will perform and then sit down for interviews about the process afterward. Maybe you’ll think twice before you heckle them next time. Tickets ($10) are available online. 8 PM.
DANCE: Black Cat hosts Freak Me Friday, which gives you a chance to let off all the steam you’ve accumulated—or at least get sweaty instead of drenched in the rain we’ve had this week. Deejays Carrie Nation and Dianamatic spin funk, dance, rap, and whatever else it takes to get you moving. $5. 10 PM.
Like bikes and Daft Punk? Check out Wednesday’s Robot Ride. Photograph via Flickr user zcopley.
Monday, May 6
STORYTELLING: Four storytellers take the mike at Science Club’s brand new series, Perfect Liars Club. The catch? One of the stories is completely made up. See if you can spot the one with his or her pants on fire. And if you can pass a polygraph with no sweat, sign up to tell a story of your own. $5. 7 PM.
Tuesday, May 7
COMEDY: Clarendon’s Iota Club & Cafe brought you the 9, an every-once-in-a-while concert series featuring nine short sets from nine different singer/songwriters. Now it’s hoping the same formula works with standup comedy. Each of nine touring and local comics will do two quick sets, perfect for those of you with ADD. $10. 8 PM.
Wednesday, May 8
BIKE: People are freaking out (with good reason) about the upcoming Daft Punk album. If that’s your scene, meet up at Dupont Circle for the Robot Ride, a night of two-wheeled mischief themed for the electronic music duo. You and more than 300 other people will go on a four-ish-mile bike ride through the city as a deejay gets pulled around in a pedicab blasting Daft Punk. Things end up at the Brixton, where you can ditch your wheels and start dancing. Free. 7:30 PM.
Thursday, May 9
GATSBY: After months of waiting, Baz Luhrmann’s take on The Great Gatsby is finally ready for public consumption. Before you check out a midnight screening, don your best Roaring Twenties outfit and head to Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club to check out Doc Scantlin and his band play swing and cabaret in celebration of the movie’s release. Tickets ($20) are available online. 8 PM.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com, or find him on Twitter.
Both the Kentucky Derby and the Virginia Gold Cup happen on Saturday. Photograph by Flickr user yoohoojuju.
Thursday, May 2
VARIETY: As the Dunes tends to do, it’s pushing the envelope again tonight, with a hybrid comedy/get-freaky dance night. Standup comics Jamel Johnson and Adam Friedland will loosen you up, and the balkan-influenced Black Masala and trippy the North Country help you get down. $5. 7 PM.
COMEDY: U Street’s Tabaq has an open-mike comedy happy hour hosted by Homegrown Hilarity, a local standup trio. Free. 8 PM.
DANCE: U Street Music Hall Hosts Helicopter Showdown, Antiserum, and Clicks & Whistles—three groups/deejays that basically mash up every type of electronic dance music I’ve ever heard. Go if you like lotsa bass. Tickets ($17) are available online. 10 PM.
Friday, May 3
BARBECUE: Hill Country moves a couple of blocks down and takes over the lawn of the National Building museum for a night of barbecue and roots rock. Get full details in our earlier post. Free. 4 PM.
BIKE PARTY: Just because lots of bikers act like they’re Lance Armstrong during the day doesn’t mean they can’t clean things up at night. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association hosts its fanciest event of the year, BikeFest, at Eastern Market. The party will feature casino games, live swing music, food and drink, a bike-building contest, and a silent auction. Tickets ($55) are available online. 8 PM.
BURLESQUE: People in DC either really like burlesque or really like Firefly and Serenity— “Whedonism,” a Joss Whedon burlesque tribute show, has already sold out its first performance. Grab your tickets to the late show before they’re gone and dress up as your favorite character from the “Whedonverse” for the costume contest. Tickets ($10) are available online. 11:30 PM.
Celebrate James Brown's birthday on Thursday. Photograph by miqu77 / Shutterstock.com.
Monday, April 29
LITERATURE: U Street Music Hall hosts DC Lit, a night featuring five local publishers and a bunch of readers, including Sean Carman, whose work has been featured on NPR and in McSweeney’s. New magazines, zines, and books will be available for sale, and there will be a bunch of door prizes and lots of music. Free. 7 PM.
Tuesday, April 30
POOL: Hope the rain holds off and head to Twilight Tuesdays at the brand new Penthouse Pool Club. As its name might imply, the spot has a heated rooftop pool, a full bar, various cabanas to keep you out of the sun if you’re getting burnt, and deejays all night. Free with RSVP or $15 at the door. 8 PM.
Wednesday, May 1
THEATER: Taffety Punk’s one-man adaptation of Gustav Meyrink’s The Golem hits the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Wednesday. Daniel Flint plays the aforementioned Golem, a jeweler who becomes afflicted with amnesia and enters into a crazy dreamworld as he explores his dark past. The score is “cyberpunk electronica,” so you can expect a wild ride. Tickets ($15) are available online. 8 PM.
Thursday, May 2
DANCE: The king of funk, James Brown, would have turned 80 Friday—to celebrate, Tropicalia hosts a tribute night. From 9 on, three deejays will spin tracks to make sure you feel good. So good. $5. 8 PM.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com, or find him on Twitter.
Sample margs from eight U Street bars during Saturday’s Margarita March. Image via Shutterstock.
Thursday, April 25
COMEDY: Sarah Silverman brings her often edgy standup to the Warner Theatre tonight. She’s recently shown off her acting chops with a dramatic turn in Take This Waltz—and a decidedly less dramatic turn voicing Vanellope von Schweetz in Wreck-It Ralph. Tickets ($39.50 to $59.50) are available online. 8 PM.
BURLESQUE: I’d argue that the people involved in this new wave of burlesque in DC are already pretty nerdy, but the Evil League of Ecdysiasts Burlesque goes a step further with the Nerds Gone Wild night at Bier Baron. As they put it, they “do the weird stuff—and you can watch.” Tickets ($10) are available online. 7:30 PM.
TV: Vice has a new HBO show, and the Newseum hosts an exclusive screening of two episodes before they air. I highly doubt you’ll get to see Dennis Rodman hamming it up with Kim Jong Un in North Korea, but you never know. Afterward, there’ll be a Q&A with Eddy Moretti and Jason Mojica, producers of the show. Free. 7:30 PM.
BEER: Donate $15 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at the Bullpen outside Nats Park and drink $1 beers until 9 PM. You can still make it in to watch the game by, say, the sixth inning. 4:30 PM.
Friday, April 26
COMEDY: It’s time for Wonderland Ballroom’s Don’t Block the Box comedy night again—this time Tim Miller, who has regularly performed at the Improv and the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse, headlines; Elahe Izadi, Jamel Johnson, and Sean Joyce open. Afterward, things get sloppy on the dance floor. $3. 7:30 PM.
DANCE: The Knocks pretend like they’re from New York City, but they play DC so often you barely notice. The “Dancin’ With the DJ” deejays will be at Georgetown’s brand new Malmaison right under the bridge on K Street (it’s opening night—let us know how the venue is). $10; RSVP online. 10 PM.
STORYTELLING: On Reddit, the Confession Bear meme is all the rage, with some guy maybe or maybe not confessing to murder a couple weeks ago. Hopefully you won’t hear anything that dark at Story League All-Stars at Black Cat. But the theme of the night is “shocking confessions,” and these comedians and storytellers always want to one-up each other, so expect things to get weird. $15. 9 PM.
Head to the National Building Museum for the Smithsonian Craft Show this week. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user rubyshoes.
Monday, April 22
MARKET: Yesterday, Zaytinya hosted a traditional Greek market. Today, it’s taking a modern look at the Greek market—sample Greek wines, food, spirits, and shop for Greek-inspired arts and crafts from local artists. A deejay will spin current Greek popular music. Free. 6 PM.
RUN: Head to the Renaissance Hotel for a 4.09-mile run to honor those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing. The run goes along the Mall and will include a moment of silence. Afterwards, grab some food or drinks at the hotel—proceeds will go to the One Fund Boston. Wear patriotic gear and black armbands if you have them. Free. 6 PM.
Tuesday, April 23
SCIENCE: Having trouble finishing this column without responding to Gchats, watching a cat video, or grabbing a cup of coffee? It’s not my fault—maybe you have ADD! GW neuroscientist Sarah Shomstein will be at the Busboys and Poets at 5th and K streets discussing why people have trouble staying on task and how different stimuli can interrupt our thought processes. Just make sure you turn your cell phone off so you’re not periodically tempted to play Words With Friends. Free. 6:30 PM.
Wednesday, April 24
DANCE: If this week is anything like last week (please let it not be anything like last week), you’re going to desperately need to let off some steam by Wednesday. U Street Music Hall has you covered with Moombahton Massive, a crazy dance night featuring deejay duo Nadastrom and the funky, island-influenced music of deejay Sabo. Empanadas will be served all night. $10. 9 PM.
Thursday, April 25
CRAFTS: The
Smithsonian Craft Show is considered one of the best in the country, and, lucky for you, it’s happening
this week at the National Building Museum. Featuring more than 120 crafty artists,
we’re sure you’ll find something that’ll look nice on your accent table. Tickets ($13)
are available online. 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com, or find him on Twitter.
George Osodi’s image of a gold mine in Ghana is in the exhibit “Earth Matters.” Photograph by George Osodi.
“Earth Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa” is among the most ambitious projects in the National Museum of African Art’s history. Working with institutions including the US Botanic Garden and the National Museum of Natural History, the museum has brought together some 100 works spanning two centuries, including the first “land art” installations on the Mall.
“We’re all talking about Earth but not talking about it in the same way,” says curator Karen Milbourne. “You have people thinking about Earth in its relationship to a small sun in a giant universe—and notions of it as an ecosystem to be preserved—and artistic understandings of it as a source of pigment. I was interested in how we could connect the dots.”
The exhibit features five sections, from “The Material Earth” to “Art as Environmental Action.” Items include an image of a Ghanian gold mine by photographer George Osodi (above) and a 19th-century Gabonese reliquary of a female figure whose skirt is made of sachets of red earth.
“We live in an age characterized by territorial disputes and climate change,” says Milbourne. “The discourses worldwide are fundamentally about our relationship with the land. If we can help the public navigate these different systems of knowledge, we’ll all be better off.”
“Earth Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa,” April 22 through January 5, 2014, at the National Museum of African Art. For more information, visit the museum’s website.
This article appears in the April 2013 issue of The Washingtonian.
