For the artsy food lover, Alexandria beer garden Hops N Shine is hosting a paint night on Thursday at 6:30 PM. But this isn’t your typical two-dimensional painting. Swap your canvas for wine glasses, then admire your handiwork as you fill ’em up. Tickets are $35.
Fuel your weekend with a silky smooth flat white and ricotta toast at Aussie-American coffeehouse, Bluestone Lane. On Thursday and Friday, all profits will help Australia’s bushfire relief efforts. Locations include Dupont, West End, and Georgetown.
Highly flammable fabrics and alcohol may not go together like rum and coke, but this Onesie Crawl promises to be equal parts fun and hilarious. Other than the (once in a lifetime?) opportunity to day-drink Saturday in your Spider-Man onesie, draws include a refillable souvenir mug, drink deals, and free covers to U Street’s bars. Tickets are $25.
Curious about how powerful women in the hospitality industry get it done? On Saturday, the business owners of Dolcezza, Gordy’s Pickles, Soupergirl, and more will join forces to illuminate the realities of leading the way in their inaugural edition of “Bite Your Tongue.” Tickets are $20. Proceeds go toward empowering homeless and low-income DC women. Start time is 7 PM at Hook Hall.
The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville has paired fine wines with… donuts. Step one: sip a welcome flute of peach bubbly. Step two: savor three freshly-crafted Duck Donut holes with Bull Run wines. Step three: wash down the sugary confections with a desert-style inebriant. Tickets are $25. Reserve a time slot on Saturday or Sunday.
If you’re dreaming of springtime weather and lazy weekends spent roaming veggie stalls, you won’t want to miss the debut of Park View’s new indoor farmers market on Sunday at Hook Hall. Peruse the fresh donuts and plant-based sausages in a snug climate-controlled venue on Georgia Avenue. Doors open at 9 AM, which may or may not be too early to take advantage of the full-service bar.
Bethesda Magazine restaurant week means exclusive prix-fixe menus from dozens of participating bistros and bars. Starting Friday and running through the week, the menus (priced $16 to $48) highlight seasonal produce and comforting flavors. Think carrots with honey herb vinaigrette and a warm baguette at Mon Ami Gabi, or lemon posset at Summer House Santa Monica. Make your reservtions here.
And heading into next week…
The biggest industry promotion of the season starts Monday: the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Winter Restaurant Week. Hundreds of eateries in the greater DC-area offer $22 lunches and brunches and $35 dinners through Sunday. Here are our picks for new restaurants to try (check back for weekend brunch recommendations soon).
Ready to ditch Dry January? Try “Damp January” with the Royal on Monday instead from 8 PM to 1 AM. Guest bartender Morgan Barron (of Barmini and Bar Sirenis fame) will mix low-proof cocktails with locally-sourced aperitifs so you can feel healthy-ish. Zero-proof drinks and $3 Atlas brews are also on offer.
This week marks the debut of Chef’s Table, a monthly series of tasting menus from executive chef Scott Robison of Dacha Navy Yard. Each menu features a collaboration with one DC alcohol producer. This Wednesday at 7 PM it’s Cotton & Reed. The amuse-bouche alone sounds enticing: a local oyster with spicy green apple mignonette paired with a warm allspice toddy. Price is $95.
You shuck it, you eat it. And the better you shuck the oyster, the quicker you fast-forward to savoring those briny insides. That’s the philosophy behind the Salt Line’s oyster shucking class. In addition to picking up some snazzy knife skills, students can feast on the tastes of New England with small bites and drink pairings. The price is $65, with sessions offered on Saturday, January 18 at 2:30 PM and 4:30 PM.
Emma Francois is an editorial fellow at Washingtonian covering everything from food to fashion. She graduated from Georgetown University and has previously worked for USA Today, the Georgetown Voice, and the Chautauquan Daily.
