Tequila!: Now that Oyamel has opened its snazzy new lounge,
it’s time for its annual Tequila and Mezcal Festival.
Stop by
Monday through June 30 for $10 tastings and seminars, special dishes and cocktails, and
pairing dinners guided by experts and distillers. The full lineup of festivities can
be found on the restaurant’s event page.
Talk and feast:
Elissa Altman, writer of the James Beard Award-winning blog Poor Mans Feast,
joins a discussion at the
Sixth & I Synagogue on
Tuesday at 7. The conversation will focus around her recently published memoir-cookbook.
Tickets are $12, or receive two for free with the purchase of her book ($27.50).
Beer tasting: Sample brews from Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Company at Woodward Table,
which hosts a tasting on
Wednesday from 6 to 9. You’ll learn about the brewery, sample a few suds, and munch on beer-friendly
snacks ($10 inclusive). Call 202-347-5353 for reservations.
Barbecue and tunes: Jackson 20 hosts a
barbecue in its courtyard on
Friday starting at 6:30 alongside a concert from the Yacht Rock tribute band Three Sheets
to the Wind. Rock out while digging into suckling pig tacos, fried chicken, ice cream
sandwiches, and tequila cocktails. Tickets are $75 and include the concert and unlimited food (cocktails, beer, and wine sold
separately). Note that the party is rain or shine, and that tickets are non-refundable.
Tour and taste: The Park Hyatt continues its Masters of Food & Wine series with a brewery tour of Alexandria’s
Port City at noon on
Saturday. After learning about the production process, you’ll sample brews and bites from
the Blue Duck team. Call 202-419-6768 for reservations ($55 per person).
Food fest: Head to Old Town on
Saturday for Alexandria’s Food and Wine Festival,
which goes down from noon to 7. You’ll find an array of restaurants and wineries offering
bites and drinks, a food contest, kid’s activities, and more. Admission is free, with
a booklet of eight food tickets starting at $15.
Grab a blanket: Can’t make it to the beach this weekend? EatBar offers an alternative with its fifth annual Beach Blanket Wine Bash on
Saturday from 1 to 4. No, there’s no ocean, but you’ll find 20 wines for sipping, bites like
mini-hot dogs and pulled pork sliders for munching, and plenty of surfer regalia.
Tickets are $25.
Bourbon crawl: Weave your way between eight Dupont bars on
Saturday for the DC Bourbon Bash. Spots like the Board Room and Science Club offer one-ounce
pours of Kentucky’s spirits, alongside additional drink and food specials that vary
by location. Tickets are $55, with partial proceeds going toward the Ranger Lead the
Way Fund.
Farm fish:
Tom Madrecki of Chez Le Commis supper club leads a seafood-focused class on
Sunday at Stoney Lonesome Farm in Gainesville, Virginia from 12:30 to 4. The workshop at
the farm—about 35 miles outside DC—will teach guests about identifying fresh seafood,
fish butchery, preparing dishes, and more. Tickets ($80) are available online.
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.
