Happy Tuesday!
It’s a short week so let’s get to it: We’ve got queer trivia, walks along the Potomac, and an Audre Lorde book talk.
Here’s what you should check out this week:
Test your trivia: A League of Her Own, the queer Adams Morgan bar under Pitchers, hosts virtual trivia nights on Google Hangout every second Tuesday of the month. See if you can keep up with “herstory” questions on anything from sports to literature. Tuesday 9/8 at 7 PM; Free, learn how to sign up here.
Books: Roxane Gay, who edited The Selected Works of Audre Lorde (released this week), will talk about Lorde’s groundbreaking writing with Alexis De Veaux, the author behind Lorde’s biography Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde, in a virtual Politics and Prose event. Thursday 9/8 at 8 PM; Free (donations accepted), register here.
Thank you for being a friend: Tracee Ellis Ross, Alfre Woodard, Regina King, and Sanaa Lathan will star in an all-Black rendition of Golden Girls on Zoom to support the organization Color of Change. Join the virtual watch party, hosted by Lena Waithe, to see the episode Gina Prince-Bythewood directed. Tuesday 9/8 at 9 PM; Free, register here.
A walk with a view: Change up your upcoming walk with a spot along the water. We have 22 recommendations for great walks where you can see birds, get away from crowds, and find some quiet on the Potomac.
Work out: The popular gym Barry’s Bootcamp has reopened for social distance-safe workouts downtown, including outdoor sessions. Learn more here.
Join a friendly club: The team behind Girls Night In, a newsletter that championed hanging at home with wine on the couch before Covid-19, is working on a new and virtual way for people to make new friends. My coworker Mimi Montgomery wrote about the membership-based community, called the Lounge, here.
Outdoor dining: The word of the day is “streatery.” Cuba Libre is working with the DowntownDC BID organization to open a massive outdoor dining venue in Penn Quarter called Dine Out on 8th. Learn more about the streatery here.
What I’m watching:
Over the weekend I got to see two films on two amazing artists: Jimi Hendrix and Raul Julia. The first one I saw by chance. I’m at my parents’ house, where my mom watches Turner Classic Movies religiously, and she happened to turn it on during the channel’s concert film series. We saw Jimi Plays Monterey, a compilation of Hendrix’s explosive debut show in the US at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival. Everyone knows that Hendrix is an out-of-this-world performer, but it had been a while since I had seen it on screen. It’s a wild show! Before he sets his guitar on fire and smashes it, he does an insane solo with his teeth on “Hey Joe.” It’s an exhilarating watch (or rewatch) that you can find on TCM or in the Criterion Collection.
The next rec I have is for the 2019 documentary Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage. The Puerto Rican actor is a legend, not just because of his popular version of Gomez Addams. Part of PBS’s American Masters series, this doc explores Julia’s career, from his early start in San Juan to his blockbuster stage acting throughout New York. See powerful scenes from his time as Petruchio opposite Meryl Streep’s Kate in the Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare in the Park in 1978. Hear other big names—including Rita Moreno, Ruben Blades, and Andy Garcia—talk about Julia’s enduring influence in Broadway and Hollywood. You can watch the entire doc for free online on PBS.
Thanks for reading! Tell me what you’re up to at home by dropping me a line at rcartagena@washingtonian.com.
Rosa is a senior editor at Bitch Magazine. She’s written for Washingtonian and Smithsonian magazine.
