Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater kicks off the 2019/20 Season with a free Community Day and Props Sale on Saturday, August 24, 2019 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Mead Center (1101 Sixth Street, SW). The day will feature an Arena Stage Prop Sale with beautiful pieces from Arena Stage productions up for sale; performances from award nominated tap dancer Leo Manzari (Arena Stage’s Sophisticated Ladies, Tappin Thru Life and Hoizer’s music video for “Almost (Sweet Music)”); and a behind-the-scenes Q&A with our Arena Stage Production Team to discuss some of Arena’s most exciting productions!
Filled with activities for all ages, this full day of programming celebrates Arena Stage’s 2019/20 Season. Feel the rhythm of Southwest D.C. through dynamic, live music, face painting, storytelling, great food, pony rides and dance performances that reflect the sounds and themes of the upcoming Arena Stage season. Traditional and contemporary Cuban rhythms will be brought to life by the DC Cuban All-Stars; the jazz, blues and soul vocalist Akua Allrich will give audiences a feel for the music in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars; and the DC Casineros Dance Company will offer classes and performances that can make anyone a dancer. Community Day is FREE and open to the public. No reservations are required.
Other scheduled activities include live music from Americana band Justin Trawick and the Common Good; fantastic aerial performances from Wings Aerial Entertainment; music by trumpeter, singer and lyricist Jared “MK Zulu” Bailey; face painting; and great food from restaurants in Southwest D.C. including Masala Art and Station 4.
Arena Stage’s Props Sale beginning at 1 p.m., features select prop items from historic productions including Carousel, Anything Goes, South Pacific, Kleptocracy, Disgraced, Smart People, Mother Courage and Junk. Items range from $1-$900 and include full dining room table sets, lounge chairs, and specially-priced handmade prop and set pieces that will be perfect in any living or office space. Both cash and credit cards are accepted.
Beginning at 2 p.m. Arena’s Grape Stand will open. This wine and beer garden will offer guests 21 and over the opportunity to relax on Arena’s terrace with a glass of wine or a cold beer while playing a variety of lawn games.
For additional details about Community Day on August 24, visit arenastage.org/communityday.
On Friday, August 30, the award-winning Hay-Adams, located steps from the White House at 800 16th Street, NW, 20006, will host its next Author Series luncheon honoring Barbara Kingsolver to discuss her latest work, Unsheltered. The Hay-Adams’ Author Series, where literary crowds honor literary masters, is an on-going event, which hosts outstanding writers in a historic setting. One will enjoy exceptional food, drink and lively conversation in the elegant Hay-Adams Room, one of Washington, D.C.’s signature stately event venues. Tickets are priced at $90 per person (all inclusive), which includes a three-course, prix fixe menu with wine pairings: https://www.hayadams.com/
Additionally, Kramerbooks (http://kramers.com) will be on hand so guests will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of Unsheltered, which published October 16, 2018, as well as other notable works by the author. Kingsolver will be available to sign and personalize after the luncheon. Tickets go on sale August 2 and will be available online at: http://www.hayadams.com/
WHO: Barbara Kingsolver, is The New York Times bestselling author of Flight Behavior, The Lacuna, and The Poisonwood Bible and recipient of numerous literary awards—including the National Humanities Medal, our country’s highest honor for service through the arts. Critical acclaim for her books includes the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the Orange Prize andmultiple awards from the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle won numerous prizes including the James Beard award. She was named one of the most important writers of the 20thcentury by Writer’s Digest.
Her newest book, Unsheltered, is a timely novel that interweaves past and present to explore the human capacity for resiliency and compassion in times of great upheaval. It is the compulsively readable story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum in Vineland, New Jersey, navigating what seems to be the end of the world as they know it. With history as their tantalizing canvas, these characters paint a startlingly relevant portrait of life in precarious times when the foundations of the past have failed to prepare us for the future. A New York Times bestseller, the novel is the recipient of many accolades including being named an O, The Oprah Magazine’s Best Book of 2018, and both an NPR and Newsweek’s pick for Best Books of The Year.
Barbara Kingsolver was born and grew up in rural Kentucky. She earned degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona and has worked as a freelance writer and author since 1985. She has two daughters, Camille and Lily. Her husband, Steven Hopp, teaches environmental studies. At various times in her adult life, she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. Kingsolver spent two decades in Tucson, Arizona, before moving to southwestern Virginia. She currently resides on a farm in southern Appalachia, where she and her family raise an extensive vegetable garden and Icelandic sheep.
WHEN: The luncheon will be held in The Hay-Adams Room on Friday, August 30, 2019, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (doors open at 11:30 a.m.).
Event: Capital Book Fest
Where: Woodrow Wilson Plaza (1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20004)
When: September 12 & October 24, from 10am-6pm
Description: Visit our downtown DC pop-up book sale on Wilson Plaza! Browse over 12,000 gently used books, CDs, and DVDs, all on sale for under $6. Books are provided by Carpe Librum, a used, donation-based bookstore benefiting the DC nonprofit Turning the Page. There’s something for everyone at this sale: children’s books, teen reads, brand-new bestsellers in amazing condition, classic vintage hardbacks and more!
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/capital-book-fest-tickets-69211919715
Tickets are on sale now for the Friends of the National Zoo’s annual wine fest, and this year, the event boasts an impressive selection of bottles, all rated 90 points or above. Zoo Uncorked returns to the heart of Washington, D.C. and the beautiful setting of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Thursday, Sept. 12 from 6-9 p.m.
Professionals will pour wine ranging from a berry-rich Bordeaux, to an Italian chardonnay with notes of pineapple, to a honey-tinged pinot gris from a sustainable vineyard in Oregon.
“We’re so excited about Zoo Uncorked this year—the wine will be truly exceptional, so the tastings will be fun and delicious. And it’s so great to be at the Zoo under the stars for this event, enjoying wine and supporting conservation work, here and around the globe,” said Lynn Mento, Executive Director at Friends of the National Zoo.
As attendees explore the Zoo grounds after hours, they’ll have the opportunity to see all sorts of incredible animals—and even meet an African penguin. Big Cats Circle will be open for the duration of the event, and from 6-8:30 p.m., attendees are welcome to explore the Think Tank, where they might catch a glimpse of young orangutan Redd.
Food trucks will sell award-winning crepes, gourmet popcorn and authentic handmade dumplings, while keyboardist and pianist Marcus Johnson will perform his contemporary jazz hits for crowds. The D.C. staple and NAACP-Image award winner will bring wines from his own collection, FLO Wine, for guests to sample.
VIP guests can look forward to delicious cuisine from local restaurants, a dessert bar and exclusive animal encounters at Conservation Pavilion. They also will receive a surprise complimentary animal-themed gift courtesy of TrueZoo.
Go to www.fonz.org/uncorked for more information or to buy tickets.
Ticket prices:
GA: $55 | Non-member: $70
VIP: $99 | Non-member: $115
Sober: $30 GA | $95 VIP
Bring the whole family—including pets!—to support Smithsonian conservation efforts all over the world at The Fast & the Fierce 5K, sponsored by Aegis Project Controls. Friends of the National Zoo will host its second annual race for wildlife at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington, D.C., Saturday, Sept. 14.
Like the inaugural run, the event focuses on a Conservation Nation rhino project. This year, the race will raise funds for black rhinos in South Africa, where researchers hope to learn critical information about how the species’ diet impacts its immune system and ability to reproduce as its numbers dwindle in the wild.
Costumes are encouraged, but not required, and the 5K will be followed by a short afterparty featuring an award ceremony honoring winners in all categories, including top runners by age group, stand-out pups and stellar outfits.
“Run or walk, fundraise, wear a fun costume or just cheer on fellow conservationists from the sidelines—support wildlife conservation however you can. Your pet can even register for their own fundraising page,” said Lynn Mento, Executive Director of Friends of the National Zoo.
Though race day might be months away, conservationists don’t have to wait to make a difference for animals. Participants can create their own page now atwww.fonz.org/5k to fundraise for Conservation Nation, a Friends of the National Zoo initiative that supports global wildlife projects to save endangered animals.
In addition to creating their own pages, supporters can set goals and win prizes for reaching milestones. Those who can’t attend can still sign up for free as a virtual runner, fundraising and helping to save rhinos from the comfort of their own couch.
Registration closes at noon on Friday, Sept. 13. Fundraising proceeds will directly benefit rhinos and Conservation Nation projects across the globe, including those that focus on marine mammals in Peru, tapirs in Paraguay, Meadowlarks in North America and elephants in Myanmar.
Go to www.fonz.org/5k for more information or to register.
Safe Space NOVA to Host Inaugural Fundraiser Brunch Event
Who: Safe Space NOVA
WUSA9’s Lorenzo Hall to serve as MC
What: Inaugural Fundraiser Brunch Event
When: Saturday, September 14, 2019
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: The Garden
5380 Eisenhower Avenue (Suite C)
Alexandria, VA 22304
Tickets: $50 includes admission into the event and one drink ticket
Additional drinks can be purchased at the event
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/safe-space-nova-2019-brunch-fundraiser-tickets-67073006167
Safe Space NOVA, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization serving LGBT+ youth in the Northern Virginia area, will host its first ever Brunch Fundraiser on Saturday, September 14, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at The Garden, located at 5380 Eisenhower Avenue (Suite C) in Alexandria. WUSA9 reporter/anchor Lorenzo Hall will serve as MC for the event. The purpose for the brunch fundraiser is multifaceted. Safe Space NOVA wants to educate the community on the issues LGBT+ youth face, tell the story of why and how the organization exists, and ask for support to continue programming.
First, one of the most important goals of this event is to bring awareness to the intolerance the LGBT+ youth experience in this troubling socioeconomic and political climate. Did you know that 10% of students who identify as LGBT+ were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property? Or that 34% were bullied on school property? If you didn’t know that, you are not alone. Those stats come from the Center for Disease control in 2015 which surveys the state of physical and mental health of LGBT+ youth.
One approach to combat bullying and ridicule is to foster safe, accepting and supportive environment with other youth that are experiencing the same challenges along with adults who identify as LGBT. It is for that reason Safe Space NOVA was created. Founding Executive Director, Jordan L. Costen, realized that there was no place for LGBT+ youth who were feeling unloved and possibly rejected by society simply because of their gender identity or sexual orientation to feel safe. To that point he made a space for that to occur.
Safe Space NOVA was founded in 2016 with the goal of inviting LGBT+ youth across Northern Virginia to include the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Prince William County and Loudoun County, to participate in social activities that are inviting, fun and most of all safe. To date the organization has hosted numerous activities to include movie socials, laser tag, miniature golf and dances to name a few.
Fairmont Washington, D.C. Georgetown is adding a Paella Fest to its renowned Paella Night Wednesdays with some of DC’s most renowned and talented chefs to benefit Horton’s Kids.
On Wednesday, September 18th from 5 pm to 7 pm, Fairmont’s Executive Chef Jordi Gallardo welcomes Chefs Cinthia Bonilla from Mola Restaurant and Carlos Gomez Segovia from Taberna del Alabardero to join him in preparing and serving their own version of Spanish Paella.
Guests will love tasting delicioso varieties of Paella in the hotel’s courtyard:
Chef Cinthia Bonilla – Paella de Mariscos
Chef Jordi Gallardo – Mediterranean Paella, O Paella Mixta
Chef Carlos Gomez Segovia – Black Paella
While sipping sangria guests will be entertained in Spanish style with a live Flamenco guitarist.
Lush landscaping, cozy fire pits and ample seating creates the perfect venue for Chefs Gallardo, Bonilla and Segovia’s live paella stations. Using their own recipes they will prepare and serve their own authentic Paella made authentic ingredients including shrimp, chicken, mussels and secret ingredients in their giant pans.
An array of gazpacho, pan con tomate, anchego cheese, serrano ham, tortilla de patatas, olives, anchovies and flan de caramel will accompany the chefs Paella.
Specially priced glasses of red and white sangria will be available along with the regular happy hour cocktail menu. Flamenco music will entertain guests in Spanish style. A percentage of the proceeds will go directly to Horton’s Kids Horton’s Kids empowers children growing up in one of Washington, DC’s most under-resourced communities so that they graduate from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. https://www.hortonskids.org/
Fairmont’s Paella Fest is $15 per person, reservations are available on Eventbrite at: https://fairmontwashingtonpaellafest.eventbrite.com
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City will launch its second season of this popular series with two bestselling authors: Frank Miniter and Dean Reuter. The author series is complimentary to the public and gives attendees the opportunity to meet and purchase the authors book, along with a cash bar.
WHAT: Frank Miniter: author of The Ultimate Man’s Survival Guide to the Workplace, a hilarious and colorful guide to surviving the modern office. An absolute must read for
any man whose instincts frequently lead him into saying and doing the absolute wrong thing in the workplace. Miniter’s previous books include: Saving The Bill of Rights, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting, This Will Make a Man of You
WHEN: The Ultimate Man’s Survival Guide to the Workplace by Frank Miniter
Thursday, September 19
6pm- 8pm
WHERE: The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City
1250 S Hayes St, Arlington, VA 22202
The Ambassador Room
TICKETS: Frank Miniter: To RSVP click here
Fresh Talk: Judy Chicago: New Views
Sunday, Sept. 22, 4:30–6 p.m., followed by book signing and Catalyst, a cocktail hour with a topic and a twist, 6–7 p.m.
Join iconic feminist artist Judy Chicago for the debut of Judy Chicago: New Views—the first major monograph on the artist in nearly 20 years. Published by NMWA and Scala Arts Publishers, Judy Chicago: New Views offers fresh perspectives on the artist’s oeuvre by leading scholars and curators. Chicago joins book contributor Martha C. Nussbaum, philosopher and Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, to discuss New Views and the current exhibition Judy Chicago—The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction, featuring her newest body of work. The exhibition is on view at NMWA from Sept. 19, 2019, to Jan. 20, 2020. Reservations required. $80 general, $65 members, seniors, students. Price includes museum admission, program, one copy of Judy Chicago: New Views (available for preorder in the Museum Shop for $49.95) and Catalyst cocktail hour (during which Chicago and Nussbaum will be available to sign copies of Judy Chicago: New Views). Reserve online.
On September 23, 2019, Tzedek DC, a DC legal services organization will hold Eat Well, Do Justice: Celebrity Chef Knish Knockout!. The event raises funds for Tzedek DC (“Sedek DC”), a non-profit organization headquartered at the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law with the mission of safeguarding the rights of low-income DC residents facing often unjust debt collection lawsuits and other predatory consumer crises. www.tzedekdc.org
The event will be held at the University of the District of Columbia Student Center. Five acclaimed DC area chefs will create their own take on the knish, the traditional Jewish staple. Attendees will sample each creation and, along with a panel of judges, vote to determine the winner.
The five local Chefs who will be featured at the event are:
· Cathy Barrow, Cookbook author and Washington Post Food columnist
· Ian Boden, Chef, The Shack
· Todd Gray, Chef-owner Equinox
· Johanna Hellrigl, Partner, Fat Baby Restaurant Group, Executive Chef of Doi Moi
· Keshaun Winston, Instructor at Cookology and former personal chef for President Obama
Guest Judges who will determine the celebrity chef winner (along with event attendees) are:
· Renée McDonald Hutchins, Dean, UDC David A. Clarke School of Law
· Dahlia Lithwick, Legal writer, Slate
· The Hon. Jamie Raskin, U.S. House of Representatives
· Ed Scarpone, 2018 Eat Well Do Justice! winner and Schlow Restaurant Executive
Bonnie Benwick, Former Deputy Food Editor for The Washington Post, will serve as the Honorary Chair of the event. Co-chairs for the event are Courtney Weiner, June Kress, Laura Kumin, and Nina Simon.
“Tzedek DC’s focus is fundamentally on a civil rights issue, serving the communities where predatory abuses in lending and lawsuits have been most prevalent,” says Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Founding President and Director-Counsel for Tzedek DC. “This event is an entertaining way to raise funds for this important work, in which we are inspired by the ancient command from the Book of Deuteronomy: “Tzedek, Tzedek tirdof,” or “justice, justice you shall pursue.”
