MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
MUSIC: Jack on Fire, DC’s electropunk ombudsmen, make their Black Cat debut tonight. Armed with new songs and a ton of snark, prepare yourself for talk of condos and tongue-in-cheek suggestions to burn down a certain Eric Hilton restaurant. $10, 7:30 PM.
TALK: As part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival, the Kennedy Center presents (All) Women’s Voices: A Conversation About Intentionality and Inclusion on its Millennium Stage. The night begins with an introduction by Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter; the all-women panel will then discuss best practices for including women both on-stage and off. Free, 6 PM.
BOOKS: Lee Child just released his 20th full-length novel about Jack Reacher, a United States Army Military Police Corps major who takes justice into his own hands. Child will talk about his beloved series that’s become a Tom Cruise movie at Politics & Prose with Laura Lippman, an award-winning mystery author. Free, 7 PM.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
POPE PARTY: Have you heard? The Pope is coming to DC this week! For the occasion, Dupont’s Embassy Row Hotel is throwing a Pope-themed bash. They’ll have drinks, a live DJ, and some of the Pope’s “favorite” foods, like dulce de leche and empanadas. Proceeds will benefit So Others Might Eat. Advance tickets are sold out, but you can still get in with a $10 donation at the door. 4 PM.
MUSIC: Mikal Cronin is a chameleon. One minute, the Laguna Beach native sounds like he came straight out of a ’80s garage, then another his pop sensibilities shine through. Whatever you want to call his music, there’s no question that it’s good. Cronin plays U Street Music Hall with Calvin Love and the Cairo Gang as the opening act. $15, 7 PM.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
DRINK: Mark Twain once said, “If I cannot drink bourbon and smoke cigars in heaven, I shall not go.” In honor of Bourbon Heritage Month, Jack Rose Dining Saloon takes this quote to heart. The saloon offers bourbon and cigar pairings, as well as some bourbon barrel-aged beer, for those who want to live in Twain’s heaven. Free, 5 PM.