Lounge Takeover with Chefs Mike Rafidi and Kevin Tien and Pit Master Joe Neuman

Chef Russell Smith and team will host a lounge takeover from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27^th, with guest chefs Mike Rafidi from Arroz and Requin, Joe Neuman from Sloppy Mama’s BBQ, and Kevin Tien from Himitsu. Multiple dishes from Chefs Smith, Rafidi, and Tien will be available and Pit Master Joe Neuman will be on site with his smoker. Beer will be provided by 3 Stars Brewing and unlimited Wolfgang Puck wines will also be included. Tickets are $50 and available here.

The 13th annual ScopeItOut 5K, presented by national non-profit Colorectal Cancer Alliance, will take place on Sunday, March 18, in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. Coincidentally, this year’s race is held on National Awkward Moments Day. With colorectal cancer still viewed as an uncomfortable topic of discussion for many people, despite being one of the most common types of cancer, the non-profit is encouraging participants and the community to raise awareness and take the topic from awkward to ordinary. For the seventh year in a row, the event will be emceed by Tommy McFly of The Tommy Show on 94.7 Fresh FM.

Held during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the race is the largest colorectal cancer awareness race in the country, attracting nearly 3,000 participants. While it’s one of the most preventable cancers, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. This year, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 140,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 will die from the disease. Colorectal cancer doesn’t care about age, and the incidence rate is rising among adults under 50. Currently, one-in-10 individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer are under 50 years old. A recent study by the Alliance showed 82% of young-onset patients are initially misdiagnosed. By the time they receive a correct diagnosis, in many occasions, the cancer has progressed to advanced stages. In its early stages, colorectal cancer is highly treatable, with a five-year survival rate of 90%, making it a stoppable and preventable disease through early detection.

The ScopeItOut 5K is the largest source of fundraising for colorectal cancer awareness and research in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This year, the run-walk aims to raise $400,000, which will fund national prevention, research and patient support programs through the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. Locally, this race partners with the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center to help raise awareness and eliminate the disease within our lifetime.  To date, the ScopeItOut 5K has donated more than $1.9 million dollars to further colorectal cancer research and awareness.

Other race day activities include a special appearance by the President Teddy Roosevelt from the Washington Nationals, Dunkin Donuts coffee bar, food trucks, a Celebrating You mobile spa for survivors, music, games and other activities. The 2018 ScopeItOut DC is sponsored and supported by MedStar Georgetown – The Ruesch Center, Inova Schar Cancer Institute, K&L Gates, Deloitte, and Epi proColon. For race information and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.scopeitout.org.

EVENT DETAILS
What:  13th annual DC ScopeItOut 5K
Presented by:  Colorectal Cancer Alliance
When: Sunday, March 18, 2018
Where:  Freedom Plaza (13th and Pennsylvania), Washington, D.C.
Time:  9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Cost: Individual Registration/Team Registration $35 Advance/$40 Race Day
Website/Event Registration: www.scopeitout.org
Social Media
Facebook: FB.com/ccalliance
Instagram: @ColorectalCancerAlliance
Twitter: @CCAlliance
Hashtag: #SIODC

WHAT:  SMITHSONIAN at 8, in collaboration with Francophonie DC and the Embassy of France, presents La Grande Fête, the closing celebration of the 2018 DC Francophonie Cultural Festival.

WHEN: Friday, March 23, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

WHERE: La Maison Francaise at the Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC

Get ready for a spectacular party with a French accent. The annual Francophonie Cultural Festival spotlights the music, art, literature, film, cuisine, and customs of French-speaking countries and regions from across the globe. Its closing celebration, La Grande Fête, is always magnifique, and this year’s bash is no exception.

Beginning at 7 p.m., guests will launch into a world tour of francophone cultures. They’ll sample food and drink from more than 30 embassies as they explore each nation’s unique attractions and traditions. DJ Princess Slaya spins music from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and plenty of destinations in between. Experience the best of the French-speaking world—all without leaving home. 

General admission $40

Tickets must be purchased in advance (no sales at the door).

For tickets and further information the public may call 202-633-3030 or visit http://s.si.edu/2ocUayg.

Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. will host a spring 2018 Park Hyatt Masters of Food & Wine, a seasonal culinary & beverage experience on Saturday, April 14, focused on Japanese treasures.  Spring is cherry blossom season, merging two cultures, as these magnificent trees were a gift from Japan to the nation’s capital.  It is the ideal time for Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. to present the art of the Japanese tea ceremony with the seasonal bounty of the mid-Atlantic region.  On this particular afternoon, guests will have the unique opportunity to savor a “Washoku” inspired food menu prepared by Executive Chef Troy Knapp featuring American rice, Chesapeake seafood, and locally sourced vegetables, followed by a traditional tea ceremony, also known as Chano-yu, conducted by Sobin Koizumi, a Urasenke professor from Japan.  The Urasenke tea school teaches the history, importance, and practical knowledge behind this centuries-old tradition.

As a tenured senior professor of the Urasenke tea school, Koizumi has traveled the world teaching non-Japanese people about the heart and soul of Chano-yu.  Learning about Matcha and the tea ceremony with Sobin Koizumi is a unique and rare opportunity, both here and in Japan.  Tickets for this special event are priced at $100 per person, and available for purchase on Eventbite.  Guests will enjoy a presentation covering the history and proper manners for Chano-yu, followed by a tasting of two different rare Matcha teas from the same grower that have limited availability in the United States paired with seasonal confections from Kyoto.  Space is limited and reservations are required.

Additionally, guests of the event will have the exclusive opportunity to purchase 30 grams of Kyoto Uji Matcha, a high-end green tea powder, prepared from young first flush green tea leaves at Uji in Kyoto, the birthplace of the Japanese tea ceremony.  

HOW:             Tickets are available for purchase at: https://parkhyattmasters-tea.eventbrite.com. Seating is limited for this one-of-a-kind event and advance reservations are required.

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Get going on your spring cleaning, DC! This Earth Day, VIDA Fitness and DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) are inviting Washingtonians to experiment with the new Swedish-inspired, environmentally conscious fitness trend: Plogging – a fitness combination of jogging while picking up litter that offers a variation of body movements by adding bending, squatting and stretching to the main action of running.

On Sunday, April 22 at 10:00 a.m., Washingtonians may gather together to lessen their carbon footprint and engage in the latest fitness craze. Earth Day’s 2.5 mile Plogging will begin at Raymond Recreation Center at 3725 10^th Street, NW and then hit four additional public park and playground locations at: 11^th & Monroe Park, Powell Recreation Center, Girard Street Park and Harrison Playground.  This event is free and open to the public.  The Raymond Recreation Center is accessible by the green and yellow lines at Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station.

Named after the Swedish term ‘plocka upp,’ Americans have begun integrating the trend into their regular workout routine: grabbing an empty trash bag and cleaning up their surroundings during their outdoor runs. The plogging event is the latest opportunity VIDA Fitness is spearheading to encourage locals to get #FitDC and make DC the number one fittest city in the country again.

For three consecutive years, D.C. earned the #1 ranking in the annual American Fitness Index Data Report published by the American College of Sports and Medicine (ACSM), but forfeited the top spot to Minneapolis in 2017. VIDA Fitness and DPR are determined to take back the title in 2018 by engaging Washingtonians with a variety of fitness programs and expos.

Plogging After Party

As Ploggers finish their District tour with full trash bags in hand, the celebration will continue at VIDA Fitness’ U Street location at 1612 U Street, NW, where participants can enjoy complimentary water and taco bowls from neighborhood favorite Takorean.

WHAT:  Inaugural VIDA Fitness/DPR Citywide 2.5 Mile Earth Day Plogging Event

WHEN:  Sunday, April 22 at 10:00 a.m. (Earth Day). 

WHERE: (Locations in chronological order)        

• Start: Raymond Recreation Center (Metro access: Petworth/GA Ave. Green Line)
• 11^th & Monroe Park
• Powell Recreation center
• Girard Street Park
• Harrison Playground
• End/Celebration: VIDA Fitness, U Street

LINKS: RSVP here!

 In its 11^th year, Cultural Tourism DC will produce the hugely popular Around the World Embassy Tour, part of Passport DC, a month-long celebration of worldwide cultures.

Both visitors and local residents can travel the world in one day, visiting more than 40 embassies to learn about culture, food, fashion and more during the Around the World Embassy Tour open houses. In the past, embassies have treated visitors to karate demonstrations, dance performances, sari wrapping lessons, police dog training, henna art and more.

WHEN:            Saturday, May 5

                        All participating embassies will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted

                        Admission is free, but some embassies may ask to see a government-issued ID. There is also a smart phone app and web-based phone app available to help visitors better plan their day. More information:https://www.culturaltourismdc.org/portal/signature-events

WHERE:           Embassies will celebrate their cultures’ food, fashion, arts and artisans, music, and dance by hosting DC residents and visitors inside their embassies. Embassies participating to date include Angola, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Thailand, and Uganda.

HOW:              “So far, we received commitments from more than 40 embassies to open their gates and doors to participate in this year’s Around the World Embassy Tour,” says Steve Shulman, Executive Director, Cultural Tourism DC. “Now in its 11^th year, we expect nearly 30,000 people to visit embassies during a single day to learn about countries from across the globe. It is a wonderful, uniquely Washington experience for families, individuals and groups.”