WHO: Blue Point Brewing Company Shucktoberfest 2016

WHAT: Blue Point Brewing Company announces its first ever Shucktoberfest bash at The Courtyard at Maurice Electric at Union Market (500 Penn Street NE). The $75, four-hour festival will feature bottomless Blue Point Brewing Company beer, spiked beer cocktails and unlimited oysters & seafood bites from Rappahannock Oyster Company, including stuffn’ muffns’, clam chowder and fries. Shucktoberfest is an adult playground for beer and oyster lovers — think live bluegrass music and a beer gaming area with cornhole, bocce ball and giant Jenga. To top it off, Redskins fans can cozy up with an ice cold brew in the football viewing lounge, featuring large leather sofas and two 90-inch LED screens.

WHEN: Sunday, October 23 — Noon to 4pm

WHERE: 500 Penn Street NE, Washington, D.C. (The Courtyard at Maurice Electric @ Union Market)

TICKETS: All-you-can-eat-and-drink for $75. Link to purchase tickets: shucktoberfestdc.com

o   Fruit (other than apple)

o   Nuts

o   Chocolate

o   Savory

o   Piepourri (miscellaneous)

Any filling in a 9-inch pie crust qualifies, and there are no limits on entries. Attendees taste as many pies as they want and vote for their favorite in each category.

Pie entries must arrive between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Oct. 23, and voting closes at 3:30 p.m., with winners announced at 4 p.m. There will be six winners, but with an afternoon of delicious pie, rest assured, there will be no losers.

Tickets must be purchased in advance.

All proceeds will be donated to the Jayna Troxel Murray Foundation, which supports and promotes the interests and passions (academics, athletics, travel, fine arts, and overall personal improvement) that were prominent in defining and enriching Jayna’s life, with the intended outcome of bettering the lives of others. The foundation provides scholarships for tuition to particular educational programs (undergraduate and graduate study, travel abroad, and summer camps) that Jayna attended: St. Louis University Madrid study abroad program, Semester at Sea, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, and Kamp Kanakuk. Donations gratefully accepted.

Culinary Council Chef Marcus Samuelsson is coming to Macy’s Metro Center Wednesday, October 26^th at 5:30pm.  Join Chef Samuelsson for an evening of food, fun, and music – all in celebration of his new cookbook, The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem!

Samuelsson will share stories and secrets on how to prepare some of his favorite award-winning dishes from his latest book.  There will be Harlem-inspired food and entertainment from W.A.F.F.L.E. (We Are Family For Life Entertainment), an internationally recognized dance group that performs a new hip-hop style and The Rakiem Walker Project, performing their signature style of music- a mix of blues, jazz, hip-hop, and Latin.

RSVP here to receive a $10 Macy’s gift card upon arrival.  Plus, with any purchase of $35 or more in the Home department, guests will receive a copy of The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem, which chef Samuelsson will sign.

Nightmare On The Waterfront With The Madison Of DC

When:

Thursday, October 27 at 6 PM – 10 PM

What: 

The Madison is excited to host our first “Nightmare On The Waterfront” party on Thursday, October 27, from 6pm-10pm at Orange Anchor Dock Bar (3050 K Street). Best costume wins a $50 Orange Anchor gift card and bragging rights!

Enjoy $8 Orange Crushes and $3 orange Jell-O shots! 10% of bar proceeds from the night will go to directly to our 2016 charity, Dreams For Kids DC.

Blackwall Hitch located on the waterfront in Old Town, Alexandria, invites guests to celebrate Halloween with a Halloween Costume Tap Takeover on Saturday, October 29th, from 9 PM to 2 AM on its expansive back patio, which boasts magnificent views overlooking the Potomac River and National Harbor.  Guests can enjoy the spooky holiday fun with a tap takeover by South Street Brewery from Charlottesville, Virginia highlighting fall and pumpkin-themed beers, as well as a costume contest which will be held from 9 PM to 11 PM.  Dante Coley, brewery representative from South Street brewery, and Patricia Washington from Visit Alexandria will be in attendance to judge costumes and present awards in the following categories: Best Costume, Best Nautically-Themed, and Best Couple.  Guests won’t want to miss the opportunity to show their creativity and win a two-for-one brunch certificate. Craft beers from South Street Brewery that will be featured include Satans Pony amber ale, Twisted Gourd chocolate chai pumpkin ale, Bar Hopper west coast IPA, and VA Lager.  Beers are priced at $7 per draft.

Additionally, Blackwall Hitch is partnering with Fourth Wall at the Torpedo Factory, just steps from the restaurant, inviting theatergoers to enjoy dinner at the restaurant before heading to the award-winning original immersive play, “A Dream Within A Dream: Madness” on October 30th at 8 PM.  Fourth Wall’s newest production, “A Dream Within A Dream: Madness,” is a highly interactive theatrical production presenting a surreal interpretation of the life, works and mad genius of Edgar Allan Poe.  By leveraging theater, film, music, dance, art and light design, the audience will be transported from present day into a completely different world: the twisted psyche of Edgar Allan Poe.  Before the show, guests can enjoy  Edgar Allan Poe-themed specials, created by Executive Chef Mente Lawson, such as “Meatballs Fra Diavlo,” hellfire-ish spicy mary-nara, set ablaze; “Beet to Death” Salad with beets every which way; “Spaghetti and Eyeballs” with calamari, olive eyeballs, squid ink pasta bloody mary-nara;“Spooky Night Crawlers for 2,” chilled seafood tower over a dry ice graveyard with tuna tartare, lobster salad in shells, shucked oysters, and head on shrimp cocktail with tomb raiders, as well as “One Bad Apple,” apple pie with a caramel candy apple.  These Poe-inspired specials range in price from $12 to $59 and will also be available on the restaurant’s menu from October 27th through 30th during both lunch and dinner service.

WHEN:          Saturday, October 29^th from 9 PM to 2 AM.  Edgar Allan Poe specials are served October 27^th-30^th as well.

WHERE:       Blackwall Hitch is located at 5 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.  The restaurant is located 1.2 mile from the King Street-Old Town Metro Station accessible on the Yellow and Blue Lines.  For additional information, please call (703) 739-6090and/or visit www.theblackwallhitch.com.

WHY:             South Street Brewery was purchased in 2014 by Blue Mountain Brewery, whose owners have a deep connection with this Charlottesville’s longest-running brewery and pub. Two of Blue Mountain’s founders, Mandi and Taylor Smack, both worked for South Street over a decade ago, Taylor having been the brewer from late 2001 until early 2007. Our company is committed to maintaining and revitalizing this important Charlottesville landmark and gathering place.  Under new owners, the brewery has expanded their beer offerings, including venerated South Street originals that helped shape the Central Virginia beer scene, as well as new beers reflecting the diversity and experimentation that is the heart of American craft brewing.  Additionally, South Street brewpub offerings lean heavily toward local artisans, from beef to bread, from tofu to produce and everything in between, reflecting our belief that Charlottesville, Virginia is the best place on Earth to live, drink and eat.

Josh Phillips and his team at Espita Mezcaleria, the Southern Mexican-inspired restaurant located in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC, invite guests to take part in one of Mexico’s great traditions, The Day of the Dead.  On Tuesday, November 1^st, Espita Mezcaleria will offer an honorary cocktail, Los Siete Misterios mezcal tasting and specialty dishes, available exclusively during dinner service.  Face painting and custom temporary tattoos featuring designs from Espita artists will also be available for guests.  Standout dishes available for this exclusive night of celebration include Morcilla Tlayuda, house-made Morcilla blood sausage, served on a crisp oversized tortilla with queso Oaxaca; Cochinita Cookies, pig-shaped cookies with piloncillo and cinnamon, as well as Mole Negro, lamb belly with hoja santa, piloncillo, Mexican oregano, chili ash with heirloom corn tortillas.  The Day of the Dead menu items will range in price from $5 to $25 each.

For the perfect pairing, guests will have the opportunity to sample several varieties of Los Siete Misterios mezcal, along with an innovative cocktail called Flor de Muerto, or Death’s Flower.  Priced at $13, the libation is made from a combination of mezcal, Cruzan Black Strap Rum, pineapple ash, lime juice and coconut syrup, garnished with an edible flower.  “I wanted to find a way to combine life and death into one drink,” says Beverage Director/Partner Megan Barnes.  “The edible flower represents life and the pineapple ash makes the drink completely black, representing death.  This concoction is fairly balanced, leaning on the sweeter side as Day of the Dead is meant to be a day of celebration paying tribute to loved ones who have passed on.”

WHEN:           Tuesday, November 1^st, exclusively during dinner service, from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

WHERE:         Espita Mezcaleria is located at 1250 9^th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20001.  The restaurant is located two blocks from the Mt Vernon Square, 7^th St-Convention Center Metro Station accessible on the Green and Yellow Lines.  For reservations or additional information, please visit http://espitadc.com.

WHY:             Of pre-Hispanic and pre-Christian origin, the Day of The Dead is one of the most important holidays in Mexican culture.  In rural Mexico, people visit the cemetery where their loved ones are buried, bringing marigold flowers and candles to decorate gravesites. Toys for dead children and bottles of tequila to adults are also incorporated.  Families sit on picnic blankets next to gravesites and eat the favorite food of their loved ones. Some families build altars in their homes, dedicating them to the dead.  Altars are set up October 31st through November 2^nd and are covered with offerings to the dead including flowers, fruits, vegetables, candles, incense, statues of saints, and photos of the deceased.

Art, Beer, and Food at Art on Tap 

When: Friday, November 4, 7:00–10:00 pm

Where: The Art League Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center

Tickets: $35 each. $45 after October 21 (must be 21+)

Enjoy local craft beers, original artwork, and amazing food at The Art League’s annual Art on Tap!

Craft beers from local breweries have been artfully paired with a work of art from an Art League instructor. Local restaurants have chosen a brew/artwork coupling to serve as their muse to create the perfect complementary appetizer. Enjoy the brew, bite, and artwork trifectas onFriday, November 4 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm at The Art League’s third annual Art on Tap event.

Sample the creative combinations while drinking from a take-home Art on Tap beer tasting glass, and then vote for your favorite at the end of the event! There will also be video art screened during the event.

Click here to purchase tickets.

The Foundation for Women’s Cancer (FWC) will mark its 25th Anniversary with the 7th Annual National Race to End Women’s Cancer, featuring a 5K Run and a 1 Mile Walk, on Sunday, Nov. 6, in downtown Washington, DC, on Freedom Plaza. The National Race to End Women’s Cancer is the Foundation’s major annual awareness and fundraising event, supporting the full slate of the organization’s efforts. Registration is open at endwomenscancer.org, with a $45 entry fee.

Every five minutes, a woman is diagnosed with a reproductive cancer – cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal or vulvar – impacting more than 98,000 women each year. That’s another mother, daughter, sister, friend or colleague every five minutes. Too many are diagnosed in the late stages, and nearly a third will die. Far too few women – or men – know how to recognize the symptoms of these cancers, and the importance of getting treatment from a gynecologic oncologist for the best outcomes. Risks rise with age, weight and other factors. The FWC supports survivors and works to raise awareness and research funding to defeat gynecologic cancers.

The pre-race program will begin at 8:15 a.m. at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, with the race beginning at 9 a.m. The event is led by National Race Chair Camille Grammer, an endometrial cancer survivor and star on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” who will walk the route with her team, “Camille’s Crusaders.” All participants (survivors, family, friends, loved ones, surgeons, caregivers, colleagues, and sponsors) are encouraged to “Join the Movement” whether as a runner, walker or supporter. Even if you can’t join us in Washington, your registration fee and donation are greatly appreciated.

“It’s such an honor and privilege to once again play a part in such a worthy cause as the National Race to End Women’s Cancer. I’m very much looking forward to returning to Washington and reuniting with our team – Camille’s Crusaders – as we spread awareness and help raise funds for the Foundation for Women’s Cancer,” says Grammer, who is participating in her third walk. “And this year will be extra special for me as my mother [Maureen, an ovarian cancer survivor] and my daughter [Mason] will be ‘Joining the Movement’ too by walking alongside me down Pennsylvania Avenue!”

Since FWC was founded by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) 25 years ago, it was discovered that cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable. The Foundation was one of the organizations leading the charge to create public awareness linking the human papillomavirus (HPV) to cervical cancer. More recently, HPV has been linked to both vaginal and vulvar cancers. FWC alerted women to the fact that a cluster of symptoms is associated with ovarian cancer, the most deadly gynecologic cancer, and has worked with other advocacy organizations to make women more knowledgeable about an individual’s risk of developing ovarian cancer. Taken together, this information can and has led to earlier detection of this cancer, when a cure is more likely.

For more information on risks, prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers, please see How to Maintain Your Gynecologic Health on the FWC website.

Those interested in participating in the race, as an individual, with a team, or as a volunteer, can visit endwomenscancer.org for additional information and registration.