Photo by María Helena Carey
Hey, football fans: you can actually step away from the TV this weekend and enjoy what the city has to offer. Pay no mind to the fact that we may get snow on Saturday (forecast high: a balmy 30 degrees)– play at indoor venues and play hard!
Start your weekend off on Thursday the 28th by going to the opening of “Extending the Book: The Art of Extra-Illustration” at the Folger Great Hall. This exhibition runs through May 25th and will probably give you lots of interesting tidbits to throw around in small talk. “Extending the Book” can be found at the Folger Library, 201 E. Capitol St., SE.
On Friday the 29th, make sure to catch “Divinely Irreverent” by Dana Ellyn; the exhibit closes on Saturday, but the Urban Arts projects hours are normally Monday through Friday from 1-4 pm, at the Pierce School lofts, 1375 Maryland Avenue, NE. Go to www.evolvedc.com and click on “Urban Arts Project” for more information. After a little culture, why not stop by one of H Street’s newest attractions for a drink? Toyland is so new it’s not even fully open yet, but you can sample some of their offerings or simply feel cool in their retro décor. Toyland is located at 421 H Street, NE. Via Thrillist.
Remember how I mentioned Saturday the 30th will be extra icky and cold? You need to be transported to a lovely warm place, right? Then head on over to the United States Botanic Garden, where Nina Rach – an expert in orchids and USBG curator– will lead a discussion on exploring the orchid-rich Brazilian Atlantic forest — which is slowly disappearing. Dress in layers! The US Botanical Garden is at 100 Maryland Avenue, SW. (Make sure you return in February for their “Orchids: A Cultural Odyssey” exhibit!)
If plants or warm exotic locales aren’t quite your thing, perhaps you would like to bid farewell to Uncle Cory’s Art Show at The Fridge. I might just have to see DIABETIK‘s cupcake-inspired art myself (and make sure to get a treat from a local eatery afterward, of course! I wish Curbside Cupcakes operated like a taxi for the hungry.) The Fridge can be found at the rear alley of 516 8th Street, SE.
On Sunday, if you have kiddies or if you’re a kid at heart, you may want to head on over to the National Building Museum for Arches and Trusses: The Tension Builds. You are supplied building materials, and you get to figure how to make a structure that can arch: how much fun is that? The NBM is located at 410 F Street, NW. For those who like to get their thrills while sitting down, the Madcap Players present “Constant State of Panic” at the H Street Playhouse. Sunday is the last day for this fun, dark comedy. Click on the Madcap Players link for ticketing. The H Street Playhouse is located at 1365 H Street, SE.
And even though it’s not a three-day weekend, why not extend the weekend feeling to Monday, the first, with a birthday celebration of sorts? Go to Capitol Hill Arts Workshop at 7 pm to listen to a lecture on poet, playwright, and birthday boy Langston Hughes, by CHAW former Board member Alan Lang. $10.00. Call 202-547-6839 to make a reservation, as space is limited. Capitol Hill Arts Workshop is located at 545 7th Street, SE.
