Hello folks!
It’s a whirlwind of news right now, but we’ve got vineyards to visit, art to explore, and history to learn.
Here’s what you should check out this week:
Talk about SCOTUS: What’s next for the court? As the Trump administration pushes to nominate a new justice after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, learn about why this moment is so crucial in determining the court’s—and the country’s—future. George Washington law professor David Fontana will speak in the virtual Profs & Pints lecture “Supreme Court at a Crossroads.” Monday 10/5 at 7 PM; $12, register here.
A look back: Hear about how people stayed busy in pandemics past in the virtual talk, “Pandemic Perspectives: How Your Ancestors Had Fun at Home” from the National Museum of American History. Curators and historians will dig into the games and activities that were popular during the Spanish flu in 1918. Tuesday 10/6 at 4 PM; Free, register on Zoom here.
The foundations of BLM: Black Lives Matter cofounder Patrisse Khan-Cullors will speak about the new Young Adult edition of her and asha bandele’s book, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. In a virtual Politics and Prose event, Khan-Cullors will chat with teen literary activist Marley Dias, known for organizing the #1000BlackGirlBooks movement, which centers books with Black girls as protagonists. Tuesday 10/6 at 7 PM; Free, get tickets here.
Get informed: Watch Suppressed 2020: The Fight to Vote, a short documentary from filmmaker Robert Greenwald about voter suppression in this upcoming election. The DC Library’s virtual screening on Facebook Live and YouTube will be followed by a panel discussion featuring voting rights experts Cecilia Aguilera, Barbara Helmick, and Adam Jentleson. Tuesday 10/6 at 6 PM; Free, find out more here.
Wine outside: There’s still time to sample a robust red from the comfort of a spacious vineyard. We rounded up six great wineries near the city where you can sip safely.
Walk through a new museum: The new 14th Street Graffiti Museum opened this past Saturday at the intersection of 14th St. and Crittenden St. NW in Petworth. See new work from the local Double Down Kings collective featuring DC history and a mural dedicated to famous DC graffiti artist Cool “Disco” Dan. Learn more here.
Exploring visual art: Local design firm Hickok Cole and the Washington Project for the Arts are putting their annual Art Night online. They’ve organized a whole month of activities, including a two-week-long virtual art gallery where you can shop work by DC artists. There will also be an artist panel on ““Art + Progress” (10/28 at 4 PM; register here) and a discussion for first-time art buyers in the panel, “Buying Art, Demystified: How to Start Your Collection” (10/21 at 4 PM; register here). Learn more here.
Rich in quarantine: My coworkers Jessica Sidman and Mimi Montgomery teamed up to write this wild story about the lifestyle of wealthy Washingtonians during the pandemic with super-concierge doctors, expensive home classrooms, catered backyard dinners, and more.
A break from the news:
Today I’m thinking about the power of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” getting us through the pandemic. Of course, I’m talking about Nathan Apodaca, the skateboarder who vibed along to the song while sipping from a bottle of Ocean Spray’s Cran-Raspberry juice in a now-viral TikTok video. It’s a true moment of bliss. I loved reading Laura Zornosa’s profile of Apodaca in the LA Times: The self-identified Native-Mexican bags potatoes at a warehouse in Idaho by day and makes hilarious TikTok videos (thanks to his daughter’s influence) by night. He embroiders his own hats and fights fires. Plus, Apodaca’s video led to a huge spike in sales and streams of the 1977 classic track. Read more about him here.
Even in early quarantine, lyrics from “Dreams” were becoming quarantine memes jokingly quoting “Now here you go again / You say you want your freedom.” The best video by far was Kermit the Frog slowly dancing and swaying to the song with the caption: “When you’re on day 2 of your self-quarantine but your 8th bottle of wine.” Do yourself a favor today and turn off the TV, turn up Stevie Nicks, and let the music (or the wine) work its escapist magic.
Thanks for reading! Tell me what you’re up to at home by dropping me a line at rcartagena@washingtonian.com.
Rosa joined Washingtonian in 2016 after graduating from Mount Holyoke College. She covers arts and culture for the magazine. She’s written about anti-racism efforts at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, dinosaurs in the revamped fossil hall at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, and the horrors of taking a digital detox. When she can, she performs with her family’s Puerto Rican folkloric music ensemble based in Jersey City. She lives in Adams Morgan.
