An Arabian Night, Washington-Style

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BEEN ITCHING TO check out the Arabesque festival at the Kennedy Center? Time is running out, but you live in a veritable garden of earthly delights. Make a night of it with an old friend or that roommate you haven't seen in a week because you've been working so hard.

The festival includes a slate of performances and exhibits, but we're particularly excited about Thursday night's "The One Man Village," an Arabic-language film about the Lebanese village of Ain El Hazaroun, whose inhabitants fled — except for one man, the filmmaker's uncle, who stubbornly stayed.

To get yourself in the mood, stop by Mie N Yu (3125 M St. NW; 202-333-6122), the upscale Georgetown restaurant with an eminently affordable happy hour between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sample the strong $6 cocktails and gourmet bar munchies, including wasabi gyoza and a $2 tub of tempura. Eat plenty, since you'll want to wait until after the movie to eat dinner. Then, head to the Kennedy Center (2700 F St. NW; 202-467-4600) for the 7:30 p.m. film screening.

After the movie, if you're still in the mood for Middle Eastern food, go back to Georgetown and Moby Dick's House of Kebab (1070 31st St. NW; 202-333-4400). This local Iranian-food chain is famous for (obviously) kebabs, so order a few with rice. Don't mind the line — there's usually a long one, but it moves quickly, and the food is always worth it.

Photo by Olivia Boinet/The Washington Post