Lunar New Year, Black History Month, and Apothecary Tours: The Best Things to Do in the DC Area, 1/31-2/6

Happy Lunar New Year

​​Hello Neighbor, 

Happy Lunar New Year! Wishing you and your loved ones a year of good luck and fortune! Besides the events highlighted in the newsletter below, here is an article about other ways to celebrate Lunar New Year.  

So, What Should You Do Jan 31 – Feb 6

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. 
  • The 💉 indicates an event requires proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test. 
  • And lastly, the free indicates an event is 🆓.

Top Picks of the Week

1. Happy Lunar New Year. 🐯 There are a plethora of celebrations and meals to take part in. For families, consider joining in the reading of the book I Am Golden (Wed, 🆓, 🛋/💉, Dupont Circle) or stopping by the The REACH Winter Lanterns (ongoing, 🆓, 🌲, Kennedy Center), or grabbing a Lunar New Year ice-cream tasting flight (ongoing, $15, 🐼). 

2. Celebrating Black History Month. ❤️ Join conversations with Black authors discussing how the history of American slavery is interpreted and memorialized (Tues, 🆓, 💻), the redemptive strength of Black joy (Thurs, 🆓, 💻), and one of America’s few Black master falconers (Sun, 🆓, 💻). The National Museum of African History and Culture is hosting a panel discussion on the triumphs and challenges of Black education (Fri, 🆓, 💻). For the month of February, Serenata will be hosting a variety of tastings from Black-owned spirits, wine and beer brands (starts Tues, $, 🛋/💉, Union Market) and cocktail classes (starts Tues, $85, 💻). Head to DC9 for a Big Bad Bombshell Bash for a drag show celebrating Queer Black excellence (Wed, $15, 🛋/💉, Shaw).

3. Learn how to cook something. 👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

• • The Asian Art Museum is teaming up with Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit and Chefs Against AAPI Hate, Rosie Nguyen of Rose Ave Bakery, and Yuan Tang  of Rooster & Owl for a Lunar New Year’s Eve Reunion (Mon, 🆓, 💻). The event will delve into the history, significance, and symbolism of the food eaten during the Lunar New Year and invites participants to cook along. The recipes for thit kho tau, carrot mochi, and pineapple ginger tarte tatin can be found here. 
  • Sixth & I is partnering up with Chef Vered Guttman for a series of essential Jewish cooking: Ashkenazi recipes (Wed, $12, 💻); this week learn about snacks and spreads like kreplach, chopped liver, and dill pickles. 
  • Ever wonder what it takes to make a sophisticated southern brunch? Join the Hill Center for a cooking class on Nashville hot chicken (Sun, $85, 🛋/💉, Capitol Hill) and blue corn waffles with bourbon maple syrup. 
  • For those looking for some cold-weather crowd pleasers, the US Botanic Gardens is hosting a cooking demo of braised short ribs with chocolate and rosemary and decadent chocolate raspberry torte (Fri, 🆓, 💻). 
  • The Washington English Center is hosting a baking class fundraiser where participants can learn how to make chocolate chip raspberry cupcakes (Sat, donation, 💻) with a chocolate ganache. 
  • A DIY Empanadas Class. Need I say more? (Sun, $25, 💻)

4. Take a tour of an apothecary. 💊 The Apothecary Museum in Old Town Alexandria hosts guided tours of the preserved Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Shop, which dates back to the 18th century (various dates, $8, 🛋, Alexandria). 

5. Golden girl. 🤍 Wunder Garten is hosting a Betty White (Sat, 🆓, 🌲/💉, Union Market) tribute dance party. 

6. A yakitori-sake tasting. 🍶 Toki Underground is hosting a special dinner with items such as charred eggplant in dashi; cabbage salad with nori, sesame, and bonito; yakitori (chicken and vegetable skewers); and three sake pairings (Sun, $100, 🌲/💉, H St.).

Everything Else This Week

• Pinoy street food. 🇵🇭 Try chicharon bulaklak, turon, and pork belly skewers at The Game for their third year anniversary. Restaurant goers will also be able to indulge in lechon, or roast pork belly (Thurs, $, 🌲/🛋/💉, Adams Morgan). 
• Raise a glass. 🍹 Uncover the complexity of mezcal (Wed, $75, 🛋/💉, Mt Vernon Triangle). Make flower crowns at this photo shoot and cocktails (Fri, $95, 🐼, 💉, Union Market). Or join District Fray for a release party (Thurs, 🆓 entry, 🐼/💉, Mt Vernon Triangle) of their Cocktail Culture Issue at Columbia Room.
• Are you ready for it? 🧣 For the Swifties there’s a Taylor Swift dance party (Fri, $20, 🛋/💉, The Wharf) and a Taylor Swift VS Olivia Rodrigo dance party (Thurs, $20, 🛋/💉, The Wharf). Or, release your inner child at a 90’s music video power-hour party (Fri, 🆓, 🛋/💉, Songbyrd) or a Disney DJ night (Fri, $15, 🛋/💉, The Wharf). 
• Practicing mindfulness. ☁️ The National Landing BID has 🆓 meditation classes (Mon, 🆓, 💻) starting this week every Monday morning. For those looking for sound baths, unwind at La Cosecha for a Tuesday tension tamer (Tues, $25, 🛋/💉, Union Market) or at Eaton Hotel for a meditation and music medicine sound bath (Thurs, $25,  🛋/💉, Downtown).
• ¡Viva George! 🇲🇽🇺🇸 Discover the not-as-well-known celebrations and festivities commemorating the first president’s birthday along the U.S.-Mexico border (Thurs, $6, 💻).
• Art exhibit openings. 🖼 The Kreeger Museum opens an exhibit showcasing work by a master local printmaker, “Lou Stovall: On Inventions and Color” (opens Tues, 🆓,  🛋/💉, Berkley). Gallery Neptune & Brown is opening a group exhibit centered around text, “txt me” (starts Sat, 🆓, 🛋, 14th St). Decadence, desire, and craving—these are the words underscoring the Torpedo Factory’s new exhibit “Sweet Tooth” (ongoing, 🆓, 🛋, Alexandria) that opened last Saturday. Graphic artist Maurice James Jr. is having opening reception for his exhibit “Homme away from Home” at Homme DC (Thurs, $10 suggested donation, 🛋, Truxton Circle). Garage-turned-art-gallery Friends Artspace has been embellished with colorful vinyl ponchos for the opening of the exhibit “Earth Mother Bloom” (by appointment, 🛋, Arlington) by Baltimore-based artist Hoesy Corona. There’s a bunch of exhibits that have opened this week at the American University Museum (🛋, American University), including “Positive Fragmentation: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation,” which is organized in partnership with the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
• Angelical cats + cat litter. 🐈 Mount Pleasant’s Suns Cinema is hosting a ‘cats’-themed movie series. And for those who missed their opportunity to watch Cats (2019) (Fri, $10, 🛋/💉, Mt Pleasant) in theaters–now’s your chance. Or join Songbyrd for a live DJ and screening of Deadpool (2016) (Tues, 🆓,  🛋/💉, Union Market).
• Election season is coming. 🗳 Activist clothing store The Outrage is hosting a series of mayoral candidate meet-and-greets starting with Robert White (Wed, 🆓, 💻).
• Happy trees. 🌲 It’s the perfect time to join the U.S. Botanical Gardens in learning how to draw winter trees (Sat, 🆓, 💻).
• A very DC lecture. 🏛 Only in our nation’s capital would you find virtual lectures offered on U.S. Diplomacy as a Force for Good (Thurs, 🆓, 💻), the past, present, and future of American intelligence (Wed, 🆓, 💻), and equitable access to clean and drinkable water (Thurs, 🆓, 💻).

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

Jade Womack (@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.