Hope Your Team Wins! (Yay Sports!)
Hello Neighbor,
On our radar this week we are highlighting celebrations and embassy-sponsored events. Here are some announcements and round-ups for you:
- Who needs love when you have a dog? 🦮 The Humane Rescue Alliance is waiving adoption fees for dogs over 40 pounds Friday through Sunday.
- For the love birds 💝 Here’s a list of swoon-worthy takeout, the best chocolate stores, and romantic restaurants.
- The big game 🏈 Looking for places to order food for your watch party? Here’s a list.
- I will now be calling Team USA, the “Washington Olympics Team.” 🥇🥈🥉 Here’s a list of how to watch the Winter Olympics.
So, What Should You Do?
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.
- The 💉 indicates an event requires proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test.
Your Last-Minute Weekend Plans
1. Since the weather will be nice on Saturday. 😎🌞☀️🌤 Head early to the Wharf Winter Games (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, The Wharf) for a chance to play ice cornhole and pin-the-tail-on-the-husky. Support local by heading to the Valentine’s Day Sidewalk Market (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, Mount Pleasant), the Shop Local for Your Valentine Market (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, Tysons), or the openings of Petit Soeur (Sat, $, 🛋, Georgetown) and Black Box Botanical (Sat, $, 🛋, Takoma). Give back by volunteering at a Columbia Heights clean-up (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, Columbia Heights). Visit the baby porcupette at the Smithsonian Zoo (Thurs-Sun, 🆓 but need timed passes,🌲/🛋, Woodley Park).
2. Since the weather will be terrible on Sunday. 🥶🧊❄️☁️ Stay indoors and visit these exhibits before they close at the end of the month: “Aquatint: From Its Origins to Goya” at the National Gallery of Art (daily, 🆓, 🛋/💉, National Mall) and “Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange across Medieval Saharan Africa” at the African Art Museum (Wed-Sun, 🆓, 🛋, National Mall). Test new heights at a bouldering gym in the area such as Brooklyn Boulders ($29 day pass) or Movement Climbing ($27 day pass). Break free from the streaming algorithm and watch a film at AFI Silver Theatre or Landmark E Street Theatre.
3. Celebrating the performing arts. 🎫 See Iké Udé’s “Nollywood Portraits” (ongoing, 🆓, 🛋, National Mall), which highlights the rich talent behind Nigeria’s $3 billion film industry. Watch Columbia Heights’ Gala Hispanic Theatre recently debuted play “La Casa de La Laguna” (till Feb 27, $, 🛋/💉, Columbia Heights). There aren’t many tickets left, but you might be able to catch the Washington Ballet’s “Swan Lake” (Thurs-Sun, $25+, 🛋/💉, Kennedy Center) or “50 Years of Broadway at the Kennedy Center” (Sat, $59+, 🛋/💉, Kennedy Center). Head to H Street for a three-course dinner at Sospeso + Prologue Theater play performance combo (Sat, $75+, 🛋/💉, H St).
4. Comedic relief for love in a swamp. 😅😓 For those needing a chuckle, consider stopping by a comedy show about awkward sex experiences (Fri, $20, 🛋/💉, 14th St) or a community open-mic (may I call it community-healing?) about how “Love Hurts” (Thurs, $15, 🛋/💉, The Wharf). Not sure what this is, but a “texts to your ex” wall (Sat, 🆓, 🛋/💉, West End) sounds intriguing. And if you need something very different, swing by a gory Violent-ine’s Day Massacre drag show (Fri, 🆓, 🛋/💉, NoMA).
5. A hodgepodge of ideas. 💫 Join Blk Fwr Mrkt at Shopkeepers DC for a speed smudging workshop (Sat, $35, 🛋/💉, H St.). Head to Merriweather District for their Glow on Ice ice-skating event (every Thurs, 50% off tickets, 🌲, Columbia). Maybe you might know someone who would benefit from a Taxes for Artists workshop (Thurs, 🆓, 💻). Run in your underwear as part of the Cupid’s Undie Run (Feb 12, $35 to register, Penn Quarter) to raise money to find a cure for neurofibromatosis. For those wanting a squad-get-together-Insta-worthy experience, consider stopping by the Haus of Cupid at the Sun Room (Sat, $92+, 🛋/💉, Eckington).
What Is On Our Radar: Cultural Events
Here is an overview of some celebrations and embassy-sponsored events that have caught our attention:
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- A French astrophysicist leaving Earth and her daughter. 🇫🇷🚀 The Embassy of France is hosting a film screening of “Proxima” as part of a film series celebrating the French Presidency of the European Union (Feb 10, $5, 🛋/💉, Glover Park).
- Poetics of the Hispanism diaspora. 🇪🇸🖋 The Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain will be hosting Spanish comic author Anapurna about comic art and her creative process (Feb 16, 🆓, 🛋/💉, Columbia Heights) .
- Celebrating 70 years of Mexican traditional dance. 🇲🇽💃🏾 The Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez returns to DC at the Lincoln Theater in partnership with the Mexican Cultural Institute (Feb 25, $30+, 🛋/💉, U St).
- Fat Tuesday Parade 🤝 Fireworks 🤝 Ice Sculptures. 👑🧊🎇 Head to Navy Yard and the Wharf for a day of celebration. Start at Ice Yards with ax throwing and a snowboarding stimulator before watching the Mardi Gras Parade and fireworks (Feb 26, $15 for Ice Yards, 🌲, Navy Yard) and (Feb 26, 🆓 for Mardi Gras, 🌲, The Wharf).
- Piano concert for Ukraine. 🇺🇦🎹 The Embassy of Ukraine in partnership with the US Ukrainian Activists will host a charity concert in commemoration of the Heavenly Hundred. There will be hors d’oeuvres and wine as well as a photo exhibit “Maidan in Washington, DC” on display (Feb 26, $25+, 🛋/💉, Georgetown).
- The future of Indigenous cultures. 🇸🇪🖼 The House of Sweden will host an exhibit entitled “Artic Highways,” which features artworks by Sami and Indigenous artists exploring what it means to be “unbounded” (debuts March 5).
- Japanese street festival. 🇯🇵🌸 In its 60th year, the Japan-America Society of Washington DC invites the public to Sakura Matsuri, the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States (April 9-10, $10+, 🌲, Downtown).
- Your Neighbor,
Jade (@clockoutdc)
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.
