THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12
CATS: The only thing better than watching a bunch of cat videos online while you’re “working” is watching a bunch of cat videos with like-minded enthusiasts. Minneapolis art museum Walker Art Center’s revered Internet Cat Video Festival comes to the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. Watch the year’s funniest cat clips, participate in a Q&A with Henri, Le Chat Noir creator Will Braden, and feel good about the fact that your attendance helps support Alley Cat Allies. $12, 7 PM.
DRINK: It’s not too late to get tickets to Washingtonian‘s On The Rocks Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival at Long View Gallery. Take your pick of vodka, gin, tequila, bourbon, scotch, or other whiskey from a slew of distilleries, including Virginia Distillery Company, Bulleit, and Green Hat. $65, 7 PM.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13
LAUGH: The District’s funniest writers are showing off their stuff at DC9. At An Evening of Humorous Readings, the Washington Post’s Clare Doody and Megan Downey, and Elijah Sloan from Washington Improv Theater, will read original, hilarious pieces that are sure to lighten up your night. 6:30 PM, $10
CONVERSATION: Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende, known for books such as the House of Spirits and City of Beasts, will be in conversation with writer and former Washington Post BookWorld editor Marie Arana at Politics & Prose Bookstore. A proponent of magical realism, her most recent book, the Japanese Lover, has received positive reviews. Free, 7 PM.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
FOOD: Emporiyum at Union Kitchen isn’t your average food market. Mind of a Chef’s Edward Lee joins DC’s best chefs, including Erik Bruner-Yang and Mike Isabella, plus more than 90 other hosts to give attendees the chance to taste pretty much any type of cuisine imaginable. 11 AM, $25.
PERFORMANCE If you like live music but hate waiting around for the band you came to watch perform, then the Black Cat’s 8X8 Show is perfect for you. Eight performers will be gracing the stage, but the catch is that they’re only allowed eight minutes. The lineup includes artist Christine Ferrera, comedian Jamel Johnson, and the final show by Brixton-hating misanthropes Jack on Fire.
DANCE Boogie on over to the 9:30 Club for MIXTAPE: Alternative Dance Party. DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer will be playing music from a vast array of genres, with only one requirement: boogie-ability. $12, 11 pm.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15
BRUNCH Brunch in DC typically means long lines, too many mimosas, and heartburn, which is why the Shadz of Soul Sunday Brunch at the Howard Theatre is such a breath of fresh air. Listen to the smooth, powerful sounds of Shadz of Soul, a DC-area all-female R&B group, while you enjoy fare from an à la carte brunch menu—way more relaxing than elbowing your way to the only open table at Ted’s Bulletin. $22.50, 12:30 PM.
POETRY District of Columbia Arts Center’s monthly poetry series In Your Ear focuses on poets who embrace the experimental side of the medium. Featured writers include Sandy Florian and Justin Limoli. $5, 3 PM.