Saturday, July 14, 2018, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Indulge your inner Francophile at this celebration of Bastille Day and Marjorie Merriweather Post’s 18th-century French decorative arts collection.
DC’s new Opaline Bar and Brasserie, is bringing Paris to downtown DC by celebrating with a Bastille Day Picnic.
On Saturday, July 14th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., guests will enjoy fantastic French picnic fare, specially priced champagne & rosé, photos with famous French cutouts, a caricaturist, tri-color snow cones and French musical entertainment.
Prizes will be given for best French attire and parasols such as; overnight hotel stays, dinners and cocktails.
Sofitel’s Bastille Day Picnic is free and open to the public. Space is limited and tickets must be reserved on Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
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Opaline Bar and Brasserie serves classic French food – food that people love and remember because it is consistent and simply prepared every time. The all-day menu features favorites including oysters on the half shell, croquet monsieur , steak frites, tuna niçoise, herb roasted chicken and Opaline’s signature burger topped with gruyere and caramelized onions Opaline Bar and Brasserie is open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails.
Tanabata: The Japanese Star Festival
Saturday, July 28, 2018, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Celebrate Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival, through storytelling, live music, crafts, and more.
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar will host a rum dinner featuring Brugal Rum, which is produced by Brugal & Co., C. por A in the Dominican Republic. Guests of this special evening will learn the history of the Brugal distillery, which has been producing farm-to-bottle, distilled, triple-filtered and aged rums since 1888. Distilling for dryness, the Brugal family method of distillation removes much of what other rums leave in, resulting in a spirit that is cleaner, dryer and less sweet. Brugal is dedicated to cask-aging every drop of their rum, using the same wood policy as the world’s finest Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. Because the rum is cask-aged in the year-round heat and humidity of the Dominican Republic, maturation is accelerated, contributing to a balanced, sophisticated family of rums unlike any other. The evening will begin with cocktail hour featuring light bites and a Brugal Mule with Brugal Añejo, ginger beer and fresh lime juice. A five-course dinner, prepared by newly appointed Executive Chef Pablo Catalan, will follow with dishes paired with Brugal’s finest rums. Standouts featured for the evening include Añejo, Extra Dry Supremo, Extra Viejo, Brugal XV as well as Siglo De Oro. The cost of the dinner is $85 per person (all inclusive).
WHEN: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at 6:30 PM, limited seating is available, and reservations can be made online at:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
WHERE: Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar is located at 801 9th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001; Phone (202) 408-1600. For additional information, please visit www.cubalibrerestaurant.
Young professionals ages 21-35 can enjoy after-hours access to Ford’s Theatre and Museum at Under 35: Museum Night on August 16, 2018, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Patrons are invited to mix and mingle in the Ford’s Theatre Museum, see historic artifacts related to Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and assassination, and explore the 19th-century theatre where President and Mrs. Lincoln attended performances. Guests will interact with staff members 35 and under who can share information on Ford’s Theatre history and current programming. Each $20 ticket will include two drink vouchers. Beverages provided by On Tap.
This event is part of Generation Abe, a Ford’s Theatre initiative to reach out young adult audiences ages 35 and under. Generation Abe will feature special events that will include behind-the-scenes access to the historic site and social events related to theatrical productions.
Tickets to Under 35: Museum Night
Tickets are $20 and must be reserved in advance. Tickets can be reserved by calling (888) 616-0270 or online at www.fords.org. This event is only for those 21 years or older. A valid ID must be presented to check-in at the Ford’s Theatre lobby (511 Tenth Street NW).
Ford’s Theatre Society
Since reopening in 1968, more than a hundred years after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Ford’s Theatre has celebrated Lincoln’s legacy and explored the American experience through theatre and education. Under the leadership of Director Paul R. Tetreault, Ford’s Theatre has been recognized for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. For its accomplishments, the organization was honored in 2008 with the National Medal of Arts. For more information, visit www.fords.org.
#GenAbe
Boundary Stone’s fifth annual barrel-aged beer competition will take place Tuesday, August 21 from 5:30pm – 9pm for DC Beer Week.
Tickets for the event will be $25 in advance and $30 at the door and can be purchased online at boundarystonedc.com. Each ticket includes a four ounce taster of each beer and a vote in the contest.
The Battle of the Barrel-Aged Beer pits local breweries against each other as they each try to wow the public and the judges with a special barrel-aged brew. Each year’s winner gets to choose the beer or barrel style for the following year. Defending champions Right Proper have chosen white wine barrels for this year’s contest. In addition to selecting the style for next year’s competition, the winner will receive a dedicated tap line at Boundary Stone, a special Battle of the Barrel-Aged Beer trophy, and the love, admiration and respect of beer drinkers across D.C.!
The official event begins at 5:30pm with the winner being announced at 9pm. Special guests include brewers and representatives from all competing breweries as well as local celebrity judges.
DATE: Wednesday, August 22nd
TIME: 11:00AM- 3:00PM – PRESS CONFERENCE followed by BEN’S BLOCK PARTY
PLACE: BEN’S CHILI BOWL, 1213 U St, NW
At 7:30PM the celebration continues at the Lincoln Theater with Ben’s Chili Bowl’s 60th Anniversary Celebration Gala, “A Tribute To Virginia Ali” benefitting theBen’s Chili Bowl Foundation (www.benschilibowlfoundation.
Visitors to Washington, DC have usually heard about Ben’s Chili Bowl long before their arrival. Many remember the news of President Obama stopping by to enjoy a Chili Half Smoke. Ben’s has been seen on The Steve Harvey Show, The Daily Show, Man vs. Food, CNN, Oprah, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Larry King Live, Larry the Cable Guy, and countless other local, national and international shows, newspapers and magazines.
Ben’s Chili Bowl has also been seen in films like Russell Crowe’s State of Play, Denzel Washington’s The Pelican Brief, and Don Cheadle’s Talk to Me. In the old days, guests included Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many other luminaries. More recently, French President Sarkozy, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, members of the US Congress, and many other noteworthy political and sports figures have stopped by to sample the world famous Ben’s cuisine. Other recent visitors include Dave Chappelle, Bruno Mars, Serena Williams, Taraji P Henson, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart, George Lopez, Terrence Howard, Jimmy Fallon, Usher, Bono, Nick Cannon, Sara Jessica Parker, Tyrese, Lance Gross, George Clinton, Chaka Khan, Joe Mantegna, Rachel Ray, Chris Tucker, Tommy Davidson, Pauly Shore, Harry Belafonte, and Danny Glover to name a few.
In addition to being known as the place in DC where everyday people brush shoulders with celebrities, Ben’s Chili Bowl has also been honored to receive numerous awards and accolades, including the prestigious “America’s Classics” award from the James Beard Foundation. In 2008, Ben and Virginia Ali were given the Key to the City by DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, and in 2009 Ben’s was honored by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. In 2010, the George Washington University enshrined Ben’s Chili Bowl’s historic papers, documents and photos into its main Gelman Library, and all documents have been digitized for students and scholars throughout the world to examine.
Yet, in spite of all the world recognition and fame, local residents of DC, Maryland and Virginia know the real truth about Ben’s Chili Bowl, and that truth is simple. They know that Ben’s is first and foremost about FAMILY and COMMUNITY. For 60 years, Ben’s has graciously served the people, and every guest has always been embraced as family. When segregation was still alive, Ben’s offered a peaceful gathering place and safe haven for ALL people, regardless of any differences in background or perspective. Society has grown and changed, but Ben’s remains the same and continues to celebrate people from all walks of life as they come together to eat, laugh, and discuss life as they see it. On Wednesday, August 22nd, please join everyone at Ben’s Chili Bowl as they celebrate 60 years.
“National Dog Day Brunch” at Radiator – Sunday, August 26
In celebration of “National Dog Day,” the Radiator team will spoil man’s best friend with an honorary outdoor brunch on the patio. Pet owners may indulge in themed cocktails and brunch dishes from Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden such as Crab Beignets, Duck ‘n’ Grits and Huevos Rancheros with Chorizo Hash, all while spending quality time with their four-legged friends. Additionally, the Radiator team will offer a “Mason & Woof” menu with a selection of dog-friendly foods including chicken & rice, a burger patty, and steak frites (steak with doggy treats).
Radiator’s “National Dog Day Brunch” will be held on Sunday, August 26 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., weather permitting. Radiator seats patio guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations for Radiator’s dining room may be made by calling 202.742.3150 or visiting www.radiatordc.com.
The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), led by guest conductor JoAnn Falletta, performs its annual free Labor Day weekend concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Sunday, September 2, at 8:00 p.m. The concert will feature two NSO Principal musicians and former Washington National Opera Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist, Leah Hawkins, as soloists. No tickets are required. Gates open to the public at 3:00 p.m. with an open rehearsal at 3:30 p.m.
The NSO’s Labor Day Weekend Concert has been a NSO tradition since 1979. This year’s program features works by living American composers, including Libby Larsen and Jonathan Bailey Holland, and Americana-themed works, such as Aaron Copland’s Rodeo. Full program details can be found below.
In case of inclement weather, please call the NSO’s Summer Concert Hotline at (202) 416-8114 after 2:30 p.m. on the day of the concert to find out whether the performance will take place at the Capitol, or whether it will move indoors to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. If the concert moves indoors, there will be no open rehearsal. The concert will be approximately 90 minutes long, with no intermission, at 8 p.m.
Sunday Evening, September 2 at 8:00 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION, NO TICKETS REQUIRED
West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol
Rain Location: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Aaron Goldman, NSO Principal Flute
Craig Mulcahy, NSO Principal Trombone
Leah Hawkins, narrator & vocalist
John Stafford SMITH “The Star-Spangled Banner”
Adolphus HAILSTORK “Fanfare on Amazing Grace”
Libby LARSEN “Deep Summer Music”
Jonathan Bailey HOLLAND “Equality”
Leah Hawkins, narrator
Arturo MÁRQUEZ Danzon No. 2
William BOLCOM “Waltz Clogg” from Lyric Concerto for Flute
Aaron Goldman, flute
Aaron COPLAND Three Dances from Rodeo
Arthur PRYOR “Blue Bells of Scotland”
Craig Mulcahy, trombone
arr. Carmen DRAGON “Shenandoah”
arr. John WILLIAMS “Hooray for Hollywood”
arr. James KESSLER “Service Medley”
arr. Carmen DRAGON “America, the Beautiful”
Stop by Adams Morgan gathering place Roofers Union as they help local brewery Atlas Brew Works celebrate their 5th anniversary. Starting at 6pm, enjoy over 10 special Atlas drafts including a special “Batch 500” wine barrel-aged barleywine with Brettanomyces.
