Clockwork orange: Every year around Christmas, Jaleo pays tribute to the “clementina,” or Spanish clementine, with a festival of drinks and dishes. Starting on Monday and
lasting through December 23, head to any Jaleo location for citrusy
specials like seared clementines with goat cheese, clementines with
artichokes and Serrano ham, and a gin-based cocktail with the fruit’s
juice and basil.
Holiday cocktail class: Get into the holiday spirit—literally—with a cocktail seminar on Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 PM with the Museum of the American Cocktail and local bartenders including Chantal Tseng (Tabard Inn), Adam Bernbach(Proof/Estadio), and Bryan Tetorakis (Rogue 24). Admission, which includes appetizers, starts at $45.
Toys for treats: Giving is nice, especially when you reap immediate rewards. Three area restaurants are holding a toy drive to benefit children in Atlantic City, New Jersey, affected by Hurricane Sandy. Bring a gift to Mussel Bar, Bayou Bakery, or Rogue 24 at any time on Wednesday and receive a sweet treat, like chocolate peanut butter “sandies” at Bayou and spiked hot chocolate from Rogue. Chef Robert Wiedmaier will personally motorbike up to Galloway Community Center and deliver the toys.
Man vs. Food in Washington: No, he’s not taking on the nation’s sandwiches again. Travel Channel personality Adam Richman will be at the Long View Gallery on Wednesday hosting a fundraising reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for RAINN (the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) from 6:30 to 8:30. Tickets start at $50 and go up to $250 for two.
Happy hour with books: Calling all holiday card enthusiasts: Author Mary Savig will be at Cafe Saint-Ex on Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 discussing and signing copies of her book (available for sale), Handmade Holiday Cards from 20th Century Artists. To get you in the festive spirit, there will also be deejay-spun Christmas tunes and holiday-themed cocktails from the bar.
Mystery gifts: You can win big (or not) at Vinoteca in December. The U Street wine bar is doling out mystery gift cards to all brunch and dinner diners through the 30th. Certificates are redeemable after the first of the year, and you have to return with the gift card sealed for your server to open it and reveal the surprise. Here’s hoping it’s a $100 gift card or an all-night happy hour.
Gingerbread benefit: Ris hosts a gingerbread house workshop and benefit for DC Central Kitchen on Saturday at noon. A $20 donation gets you all the materials needed to build your cookie casa, plus additional sweet treats like seasonal ice creams, chocolate macaroons, gingerbread cake, and hot cocoa with mint marshmallows. Call Natalie Christenson at 202-730-2500 or e-mail natalie@risDC.com to reserve.
Cupcake decorating: And
not just any cupcake, but the G-town sisterly variety. Spend Sunday at
the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown from 2 to 4 with Georgetown Cupcake’s Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis Berman
learning how to frost, decorate, and wrap your own Hanukkah- or
Christmas-themed dozen. The event is open to all ages four and older,
and costs $65 per person. Find more details on Facebook, and call the Ritz at 202-912-4110 for reservations.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
