DC Cocktail Week, Embassy Receptions, Holiday Boat Parades: Things to Do: 11/29 – 12/5

Happy Post-Holiday-Wow-It’s-Monday? Monday, 

And Happy Hanukkah 🕎 to my fellow Washingtonians!

My name is Jade Womack 👩🏻 , and I am so excited to be writing the✨ Things to Do Newsletter ✨ 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.  

This newsletter looks a little different from what you’re used to, but don’t worry! Each week you’ll 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 ‘Last Minute Weekend Ideas’ (aka I need some quick plans! 🤠 ).  

So, what should you do Nov. 29 – Dec. 5.?

For your convenience, this newsletter includes emojis to help you during these unprecedented times: 

• The 🛋 indicates an event is happening in-person inside.
• The 🌲 indicates an event is happening in-person outside. 
• The 💻 indicates an event is happening virtually. 
• And lastly, the 🆓 indicates an event is free. 

top picks of the week 

1. Make the Gin Rickey Proud.🍸  This week is the annual DC Cocktail Week which means all around the city are cocktail + bites specials. [My 👀 s are on this Baijiu cocktail + fried chicken sandwich one tonight at Queen’s English (Mon, 🆓 entry, 🛋, Park View)]. BUT there are also a plethora of cocktail classes. For example, there’s a Holiday Cocktail Masterclass (Tues, $50, 🛋, Logan Circle) and a Bourbon Whiskey Cocktail Class (Sun, $60, 🛋, Arlington). 
2. Bring a Can of Food to ‘The Giving Tree.’ 🥫 Every year the National Building Museum has their CANstruction event to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. Vote for your favorite children’s book-inspired construction with a canned food donation (Mon, 🆓 , 🛋, Penn Quarter). You can also volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank with Sixth and I on Thursday. 
3. Emerging Female Filmmakers + Embassy Receptions. 🇦🇷🇺🇾 The GALA Hispanic Theatre is showing six films  as part of their ‘Latin American Innovation’ film festival (Wed-Sun, $10 each, 🛋, Columbia Heights) Go to the showing of ALELÍ (Thurs, $10, 🛋, Columbia Heights) and attend a reception courtesy of the Embassy of Uruguay and the Embassy of Argentina.
4. Chainsaws, Ice Picks, and other tools. 🧊 Watch a live ice sculpting demonstration at the Bethesda Winter Wonderland (Sat, 🆓  entry, 🌲, Bethesda).
5. Mental Health & The Holidays. 🧠 Before the self-described ‘art/retail/gathering space” the Twelve closes at the end of the year, join mental health support specialist Ahyana King (Thurs, 🆓 , 🛋, Union Market)  on how to navigate the holiday season.
6. Over 60 Boats Decorated with Lights. 🛥 The Wharf gives us many traditions, like the Weiner 500, but this one has fireworks (Sat, 🆓 , 🌲, The Wharf). Or see another boat parade at  Old Town Alexandria (Sat, 🆓 , 🌲, Alexandria).
7. Shop in Your Pajamas this Weekend! 🛍 Get your seasonal shopping done at various holiday pop-up markets in Dupont (Sat, 🆓  entry, 🌲, Dupont), the Dupont Underground (Sat, 🆓  entry, 🛋, Dupont), Silver Spring (Sun, 🆓  entry, 🌲, Silver Spring), Washington and Liberty High School (Sat, 🆓  entry,🌲, Arlington) the Old Town Manassas Christmas Fair (Sat, 🆓 entry, 🌲, Manassas), or Park View (Sat, 🆓  entry, 🛋, Park View). There is also an Outdoor Hanukkah Bazaar (Thurs & Sun, 🆓  entry, 🌲, Cleveland Park) and the Mosaic Holiday Village (Sat-Sun, 🆓  entry, 🌲, Mosaic District). This year, the Heurich Christkindlmarkt is back in person (Fri-Sun, $10 general admission if purchased in advance, 🌲, Dupont). Wear your pajamas (but isn’t that our regular post-2020 attire?) at Pajamarama (Sun, 🆓  entry, 🛋/🌲, Takoma). Remember the ongoing Tenley Winterfest and the Downtown Holiday Market.

everything else this week 

• Peace, Love, & Light 🕎For those celebrating Hanukkah there are a variety of events happening. 
  • • Menorah Lightings: There’s a variety of community menorah lightings, such as the Capitol Hill Community Menorah (Mon-onwards, 🆓 , 🌲, Capitol Hill)  the Wharf Menorah (Mon-onwards, 🆓 , 🌲, The Wharf), the Mosaic District Community Menorah Lighting (Sun, 🆓 , 🌲, Mosaic District) The Parks (Sat, 🆓 , 🌲, Historic Walter Reed), and a menorah lighting as part of Chanukah on Ice (Thurs, $13 includes skates, 🌲, Pentagon City). 
    • Gatherings: There is a Chanukah Hang-out (Wed, $12, 🛋, Chinatown), a Chanukah Happy Hour: Brews & Beats (Thurs, $5, 🛋, Edgewood), a Shabbanukah (Fri, 🆓 , 🛋, Union Market),  a Hanukkah Party (Sat, $18 per family, 🛋, Ivy City), a LGBTQ Jewish Chanukah Happy Hour (Thurs, $, 🛋, Adams Morgan), and Latkes and Vodka: A Hanukkah Dinner (Thurs, $36, 🛋, Bethesda).
    • Miscellaneous Activities: Enjoy a  Chanukah Yoga Class (Mon, $12, 💻) or watch a film in the Hanukkah Film Festival (till Sun, $10 each, 🛋, Dupont Circle). 
• The Traffic Will Be Terrible, But LL Cool J will Be There. 🎄 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 “officially lit” (Tues, 🆓 , 🌲, National Mall) (note: it’s not open to the public), and CBS will broadcast the 2021 ceremony on Sunday. BUT I suggest going in-person some other time because the President’s Park closes around 10 or 11pm most days and is quite magical. 
• Date Night Ideas For “The Best City for Dating.” 💘 Play some board games, but boozy (Sun, 🛋, $10 cover, Capitol Hill). Get yourself some warm glow, and volunteer to clean up trash (Sun, 🆓 , 🌲, Shaw). Maybe Madonna can give some wisdom at Black Cat’s  80’s Holiday Extravaganza(Fri, $15, 🛋, 14th St.). If you’re missing Zoolights consider this Friday Night Lights Light Show (Fri, 🆓 , 🌲, Union Market) or Light Yards (starts Wed, 🆓 , 🌲, Navy Yard). I triple dog dare you to watch A Christmas Story (Fri & Sun, $8 for adults, 🛋, Capitol Hill). Go ice skating too?
• Everyone Likes Local Art. 🖼 Stop by the closing of the HELLO! Pop-up exhibit (Sat, 🆓 , 🛋, Georgetown) which showcases ten DC-based artists. Watch a camera demonstration by Joanne McKone (Fri, 🆓 , 🛋, Rockville). Or attend the opening of the exhibit, “The Edge of the End of Everything” (Fri, 🆓 , 🛋, Petworth) featuring the work of Zsudayka Nzinga. There’s also the opening exhibit of “The Vanishing Half” (Fri, 🆓 , 🛋, Adams Morgan) curated by four Asian American artists.
• Embassy Events are Back. 🇫🇷🇪🇸 Listen to Music from Spain (Tues, 🆓 , 🛋, Columbia Heights) or watch the film Adolescentes (Mon, 🆓 , 🛋, Glover Park).
• Ornaments, Wreaths, and Beaded Christmas Spiders? 🕷🎁 There’s a class on how to make a beaded Christmas spider (Thurs, 🆓 , 🛋, 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  felted poinsettia ornaments (Sun, $55, 🛋, Georgetown), modern holiday hoop wreaths (Thurs, $85, 🛋, Georgetown), and a holiday wreath building (Wed, 🛋, $60, 🛋, Union Market). Or do some general holiday crafting (Sat, 🛋, $25, Alexandria) or practice your holiday hand lettering (Thurs, $45, 🛋, Takoma).
• “Vibrations. Powerzones. Blocks.” 📚 What makes the language of a cult? (Wed, 🆓 , 💻). 
• Drink Wassail! Go back to the Federal period and try a historic holiday punch (see: wassail!) (Fri, $22, 🛋, Georgetown). Or if you prefer the Victorian era instead, visit the Lee-Fendall house for a candlelight tour (Sat, $10 adult, 🛋, Alexandria). 
•  Sample from over 50 local restaurants. Join Martha Stewart, Carla Hall, and the foodie community at MetroCooking DC (Sat-Sun, $21.50 general admission, 🛋, 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. 🧸 Join a family-friendly story hour about The Ninth Night of Hanukkah (Sat,  🆓 , 🛋, Edgewood), an outdoor showing of the Polar Express (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, Rockville), and a Nutcracker Family Celebration (Sat, 🆓 , 💻). The White House Historical Association is having a Children’s Book Festival (Fri, 🆓 entry, 🛋, Downtown). The African American History and Culture Museum will be discussing winter celebrations (Fri, 🆓 ,💻) and demo-ing a holiday-hug craft. Smithsonian also has this ‘Winter at Home’ 40-page activity guide which may interest you. And for those looking to “meet new mom friends,”  the ‘DC Area Moms’ group is meeting for a wreath-making workshop (Sun, $55, 🛋,  Bethesda). 
• A Non-Alcoholic Party…in DC?! 🥳 Enjoy this booze-free holiday party (Fri, $85, 🛋, Cleveland Park). For those looking for more sober options, consider stopping by Disco Mary.
• Before Music was Made Solely for TikTok Dances. 🎧 As a millennial, I feel the need to share there’s a 2000s Hip-Hop dance party (Fri, 🆓 , 🛋, Union Market).  
• In case you are still looking for a New Years’ Eve Kiss. 💋 There’s speed dating (Wed, $20, 🌲 with 🛋 after-party, Ballston). 
• Santa, but for your Pandemic Puppy. 🦮🎅 My pitbull rescue and I will be meeting Santa (Sat, $30, 🌲, Union Market). Check this list for places humans can meet Santa.
• For Book Lovers. There’s a Winter Holiday Party (Thurs, 🆓,  🛋, Capitol View) and a many used book sales in the area: there’s one in Cleveland Park (Sat, 🆓 entry,  🛋), one in Springfield (Thurs-Sun, 🆓 entry ,  🛋), one in Falls Church (Fri, 🆓 entry ,  🛋), one in Reston (Thurs, 🆓 entry ,  🛋). 
• The D.C. “Small Talk” Section. 🏛 Learn about the past and future of abortion (Mon, $12, 🛋, Dupont Circle), the corruption in America (Mon, 🆓 , 💻), or an overview of the Gaza Conflict of 2021 (Tues, 🆓 , 💻). 
• The Fifty-First State. 🏠 Discover the contemporary music scene in D.C. (Mon, $25, 💻, D.C.) or take a guided Tour of the Historic St. Ann’s Church (Sat, 🆓 , 🛋, Tenleytown). Or order a scavenger hunt box and explore the city’s pressing food issues facing D.C. through the eyes of Carla Hall.
• It’s like traveling, but with wine 🍷 There’s a class on the wines of Tuscany (Wed, 🛋, $45, Capitol Hill). Besides the cocktail classes related to DC Cocktail Week, there’s a class on making non-alcoholic holiday drinks (Wed, $80, 🛋, Shaw).
• Prioritizing Indigenous Communities. ⭐️ How can museums prioritizing these voices in curating exhibits? (Fri, 🆓 , 💻).
• Battle of the Britneys.🏳️‍🌈 Join Red Bear Brewing for a drag competition (Fri, 🆓 , 🛋) 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. 🎁 Learn how to make a lavender eye pillow (Wed, 🆓 , 💻) or a screen print poster (Sun, $60, 🌲, Union Market). 
• Meditating, Tarot, Self-Care.🔮 Join a groovy movement meditation (Sat, 🆓 , 🛋, Shaw) or uncover journaling, crystals, and tarot (Tues, $38, 🛋, Cleveland Park).
• A Tribute to Chadwick Boseman.✨ Take a trip to Wakanda (Mon, 🆓 , 🛋, Penn Quarter).
• Progress is impeded by persistent discrimination. ✊ End the stigma (Wed, 🆓 , 💻) this year on World AIDS Day. 

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of this newsletter! 

Your Neighbor,

Jade (@clockoutdc)

Jade Womack

Jade Womack is an energy economist by day, and an events blogger by night. She started her blog, Clockout DC, when she was moonlighting as a bartender in 2019. She grew up in Arlington, and currently lives in Adams Morgan with her dog.