Happy Post-Holiday-Wow-It’s-Monday? Monday,ย
And Happy Hanukkah ๐ to my fellow Washingtonians!
My name is Jade Womack ๐ฉ๐ป , and I am so excited to be writing theโจ Things to Do Newsletter โจ for Washingtonian. Since 2019, I have been running an events blog called Clockout DC (@clockoutdc), and as a local–I love sharing all the unique and diverse events this area has to offer.ย ย
This newsletter looks a little different from what youโre used to, but donโt worry! Each week youโll still get two event-packed newsletters, one with all the events of this upcoming week (aka this newsletter below that *includes* weekend events) and another newsletter about โLast Minute Weekend Ideasโ (aka I need some quick plans! ๐ค ).ย ย
So, what should you do Nov. 29 – Dec. 5.?
For your convenience, this newsletter includes emojis to help you during these unprecedented times:ย
- The ๐ indicates an event is happening in-person inside.
- The ๐ฒ indicates an event is happening in-person outside.ย
- The ๐ป indicates an event is happening virtually.ย
- And lastly, the ๐ indicates an event is free.ย
top picks of the weekย
- Make the Gin Rickey Proud.๐ธย This week is the annual DC Cocktail Week which means all around the city are cocktail + bites specials. [My ๐ s are on this Baijiu cocktail + fried chicken sandwich one tonight at Queen’s English (Mon, ๐ entry, ๐, Park View)]. BUT there are also a plethora of cocktail classes. For example, thereโs a Holiday Cocktail Masterclass (Tues, $50, ๐, Logan Circle) and a Bourbon Whiskey Cocktail Class (Sun, $60, ๐, Arlington).ย
- Bring a Can of Food to ‘The Giving Tree.’ ๐ฅซ Every year the National Building Museum has their CANstruction event to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. Vote for your favorite childrenโs book-inspired construction with a canned food donation (Mon, ๐ , ๐, Penn Quarter). You can also volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank with Sixth and I on Thursday.ย
- Emerging Female Filmmakers + Embassy Receptions. ๐ฆ๐ท๐บ๐พ The GALA Hispanic Theatre is showing six films ย as part of their ‘Latin American Innovation’ film festival (Wed-Sun, $10 each, ๐, Columbia Heights) Go to the showing of ALELร (Thurs, $10, ๐, Columbia Heights) and attend a reception courtesy of the Embassy of Uruguay and the Embassy of Argentina.
- Chainsaws, Ice Picks, and other tools. ๐ง Watch a live ice sculpting demonstration at the Bethesda Winter Wonderland (Sat, ๐ย entry, ๐ฒ, Bethesda).
- Mental Health & The Holidays. ๐ง Before the self-described โart/retail/gathering spaceโ the Twelve closes at the end of the year, join mental health support specialist Ahyana King (Thurs, ๐ , ๐, Union Market)ย on how to navigate the holiday season.
- Over 60 Boats Decorated with Lights. ๐ฅ The Wharf gives us many traditions, like the Weiner 500, but this one has fireworks (Sat, ๐ , ๐ฒ, The Wharf). Or see another boat parade at ย Old Town Alexandria (Sat, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Alexandria).
- Shop in Your Pajamas this Weekend! ๐ Get your seasonal shopping done at various holiday pop-up markets in Dupont (Sat, ๐ย entry, ๐ฒ, Dupont), the Dupont Underground (Sat, ๐ย entry, ๐, Dupont), Silver Spring (Sun, ๐ย entry, ๐ฒ, Silver Spring), Washington and Liberty High School (Sat, ๐ย entry,๐ฒ, Arlington) the Old Town Manassas Christmas Fair (Sat, ๐ entry, ๐ฒ, Manassas), or Park View (Sat, ๐ย entry, ๐, Park View). There is also an Outdoor Hanukkah Bazaar (Thurs & Sun, ๐ย entry, ๐ฒ, Cleveland Park) and the Mosaic Holiday Village (Sat-Sun, ๐ย entry, ๐ฒ, Mosaic District). This year, the Heurich Christkindlmarkt is back in person (Fri-Sun, $10 general admission if purchased in advance, ๐ฒ, Dupont). Wear your pajamas (but isn’t that our regular post-2020 attire?) at Pajamarama (Sun, ๐ย entry, ๐/๐ฒ, Takoma). Remember the ongoing Tenley Winterfest and the Downtown Holiday Market.
everything else this weekย
- Peace, Love, & Light ๐For those celebrating Hanukkah there are a variety of events happening.ย
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- Menorah Lightings: Thereโs a variety of community menorah lightings, such as the Capitol Hill Community Menorah (Mon-onwards, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Capitol Hill)ย the Wharf Menorah (Mon-onwards, ๐ , ๐ฒ, The Wharf), the Mosaic District Community Menorah Lighting (Sun, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Mosaic District) The Parks (Sat, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Historic Walter Reed), and a menorah lighting as part of Chanukah on Ice (Thurs, $13 includes skates, ๐ฒ, Pentagon City).ย
- Gatherings: There is a Chanukah Hang-out (Wed, $12, ๐, Chinatown), a Chanukah Happy Hour: Brews & Beats (Thurs, $5, ๐, Edgewood), a Shabbanukah (Fri, ๐ , ๐, Union Market),ย a Hanukkah Party (Sat, $18 per family, ๐, Ivy City), a LGBTQ Jewish Chanukah Happy Hour (Thurs, $, ๐, Adams Morgan), and Latkes and Vodka: A Hanukkah Dinner (Thurs, $36, ๐, Bethesda).
- Miscellaneous Activities: Enjoy a ย Chanukah Yoga Class (Mon, $12, ๐ป) or watch a film in the Hanukkah Film Festival (till Sun, $10 each, ๐, Dupont Circle).ย
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- The Traffic Will Be Terrible, But LL Cool J will Be There. ๐ I volunteered with the National Park Service this past Saturday to decorate the state and territory trees in front of the White House. The trees be โofficially litโ (Tues, ๐ , ๐ฒ, National Mall) (note: it’s not open to the public), andย CBS will broadcast the 2021 ceremony on Sunday. BUT I suggest going in-person some other time because the Presidentโs Park closes around 10 or 11pm most days and is quite magical.ย
- Date Night Ideas For “The Best City for Dating.” ๐ Play some board games, but boozy (Sun, ๐, $10 cover, Capitol Hill). Get yourself some warm glow, and volunteer to clean up trash (Sun, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Shaw). Maybe Madonna can give some wisdom at Black Cat’s ย 80โs Holiday Extravaganza(Fri, $15, ๐, 14th St.). If youโre missing Zoolights consider this Friday Night Lights Light Show (Fri, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Union Market) or Light Yards (starts Wed, ๐ , ๐ฒ, Navy Yard). I triple dog dare you to watch A Christmas Story (Fri & Sun, $8 for adults, ๐, Capitol Hill). Go ice skating too?
- Everyone Likes Local Art. ๐ผ Stop by the closing of the HELLO! Pop-up exhibit (Sat, ๐ , ๐, Georgetown) which showcases ten DC-based artists. Watch a camera demonstration by Joanne McKone (Fri, ๐ , ๐, Rockville). Or attend the opening of the exhibit, โThe Edge of the End of Everythingโ (Fri, ๐ , ๐, Petworth) featuring the work of Zsudayka Nzinga. Thereโs also the opening exhibit of โThe Vanishing Halfโ (Fri, ๐ , ๐, Adams Morgan) curated by four Asian American artists.
- Embassy Events are Back. ๐ซ๐ท๐ช๐ธ Listen to Music from Spain (Tues, ๐ , ๐, Columbia Heights) or watch the film Adolescentes (Mon, ๐ , ๐, Glover Park).
- Ornaments, Wreaths, and Beaded Christmas Spiders? ๐ท๐ Thereโs a class on how to make a beaded Christmas spider (Thurs, ๐ , ๐, Georgetown)— I have never heard of this before but I am now intrigued! Is the future of holidays–fusion? Is this ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ but IRL? (If you go, do report back). Or instead, make ย felted poinsettia ornaments (Sun, $55, ๐, Georgetown), modern holiday hoop wreaths (Thurs, $85, ๐, Georgetown), and a holiday wreath building (Wed, ๐, $60, ๐, Union Market). Or do some general holiday crafting (Sat, ๐, $25, Alexandria) or practice your holiday hand lettering (Thurs, $45, ๐, Takoma).
- โVibrations. Powerzones. Blocks.โ ๐ What makes the language of a cult? (Wed, ๐ , ๐ป).ย
- Drink Wassail! Go back to the Federal period and try a historic holiday punch (see: wassail!) (Fri, $22, ๐, Georgetown). Or if you prefer the Victorian era instead, visit the Lee-Fendall house for a candlelight tour (Sat, $10 adult, ๐, Alexandria).ย
- ย Sample from over 50 local restaurants. Join Martha Stewart, Carla Hall, and the foodie community at MetroCooking DC (Sat-Sun, $21.50 general admission, ๐, DC Convention Center). There are a variety of cooking classes and workshops from holiday cupcake decorating ($60) to scratch pasta making ($80). You can also spend your time at an unlimited beer garden ($52) or watch cooking demo’s from local chefs such as Kevin Tien, Danny Lee, or Erik Bruner-Yan.
- For Those with Little Ones. ๐งธ Join a family-friendly story hour about The Ninth Night of Hanukkah (Sat, ย ๐ , ๐, Edgewood), an outdoor showing of the Polar Express (Sat, ๐, ๐ฒ, Rockville), and a Nutcracker Family Celebration (Sat, ๐ , ๐ป). The White House Historical Association is having a Childrenโs Book Festival (Fri, ๐ entry, ๐, Downtown). The African American History and Culture Museum will be discussing winter celebrations (Fri, ๐ ,๐ป) and demo-ing a holiday-hug craft. Smithsonian also has this โWinter at Homeโ 40-page activity guide which may interest you. And for those looking to โmeet new mom friends,โย the โDC Area Momsโ group is meeting for a wreath-making workshop (Sun, $55, ๐,ย Bethesda).ย
- A Non-Alcoholic Partyโฆin DC?! ๐ฅณ Enjoy this booze-free holiday party (Fri, $85, ๐, Cleveland Park). For those looking for more sober options, consider stopping by Disco Mary.
- Before Music was Made Solely for TikTok Dances. ๐ง As a millennial, I feel the need to share thereโs a 2000s Hip-Hop dance party (Fri, ๐ , ๐, Union Market). ย
- In case you are still looking for a New Yearsโ Eve Kiss. ๐ Thereโs speed dating (Wed, $20, ๐ฒ with ๐ after-party, Ballston).ย
- Santa, but for your Pandemic Puppy. ๐ฆฎ๐ My pitbull rescue and I will be meeting Santa (Sat, $30, ๐ฒ, Union Market). Check this list for places humans can meet Santa.
- For Book Lovers. Thereโs a Winter Holiday Party (Thurs, ๐, ย ๐, Capitol View) and a many used book sales in the area: thereโs one in Cleveland Park (Sat, ๐ entry, ย ๐), one in Springfield (Thurs-Sun, ๐ entry , ย ๐), one in Falls Church (Fri, ๐ entry , ย ๐), one in Reston (Thurs, ๐ entry , ย ๐).ย
- The D.C. โSmall Talkโ Section. ๐ Learn about the past and future of abortion (Mon, $12, ๐, Dupont Circle), the corruption in America (Mon, ๐ , ๐ป), or an overview of the Gaza Conflict of 2021 (Tues, ๐ , ๐ป).ย
- The Fifty-First State. ๐ Discover the contemporary music scene in D.C. (Mon, $25, ๐ป, D.C.) or take a guided Tour of the Historic St. Annโs Church (Sat, ๐ , ๐, Tenleytown). Or order a scavenger hunt box and explore the cityโs pressing food issues facing D.C. through the eyes of Carla Hall.
- It’s like traveling, but with wine ๐ท Thereโs a class on the wines of Tuscany (Wed, ๐, $45, Capitol Hill). Besides the cocktail classes related to DC Cocktail Week, thereโs a class on making non-alcoholic holiday drinks (Wed, $80, ๐, Shaw).
- Prioritizing Indigenous Communities. โญ๏ธ How can museums prioritizing these voices in curating exhibits? (Fri, ๐ , ๐ป).
- Battle of the Britneys.๐ณ๏ธโ๐ Join Red Bear Brewing for a drag competition (Fri, ๐ , ๐) to find the best Britney! The winner of the competition will win a ticket to the new Spears musical.
- Make Gifts for Others or For Yourself. ๐ Learn how to make a lavender eye pillow (Wed, ๐ , ๐ป) or a screen print poster (Sun, $60, ๐ฒ, Union Market).ย
- Meditating, Tarot, Self-Care.๐ฎ Join a groovy movement meditation (Sat, ๐ , ๐, Shaw) or uncover journaling, crystals, and tarot (Tues, $38, ๐, Cleveland Park).
- A Tribute to Chadwick Boseman.โจ Take a trip to Wakanda (Mon, ๐ , ๐, Penn Quarter).
- Progress is impeded by persistent discrimination. โ End the stigma (Wed, ๐ , ๐ป) this year on World AIDS Day.ย
Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of this newsletter!ย
Your Neighbor,
Jade (@clockoutdc)