THIS WEEKEND: It's tough for an Irish writer. With such a pantheon of glittering literary figures — Oscar Wilde, to name but several — it must be discouraging to try to add to the body of great Irish literature.
Nevertheless, some people are trying. And you can meet them this weekend, during Solas Nua's DC Irish Writers Festival. Readings will occur nightly through Monday at Busboys and Poets, the Goethe-Institut and the Arts Club of Washington. Sadly, Oscar Wilde will not attend, on account of being dead.
» Various locations; check Solasnua.org for schedule.
Photo courtesy Sotheby's
SATURDAY: If you're sick of that Hugh Grant-obsessed friend dragging you to every obnoxious romantic comedy that has anything to do with the British Empire, throw her a copy of "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand," a romantic comedy set in the U.K. It's funny and sweet and smart, with all the stiff-upper-lip charm that attracts people to Hugh Grant movies without any of the stupid floppy hair.
The author, Helen Simonson, speaks at Politics and Prose Saturday night.
» Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; Sat., March 13, 6 p.m., free; 202-364-1919. (Van Ness)
Photo by Nina Subin
THURSDAY: "Nosferatu" is our favorite vampire classic — a silent film about a long-fingernailed blood sucker who's even creepier than Dracula.
The movie is often accompanied by a live orchestra, but the American Art Museum's showing Thursday is extra-special: Thad Wilson's Jazz Orchestra has put together an original score that they'll play during the screening. Don't miss it.
» Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F streets NW; Thurs., March 11, 6:30 p.m., free; 202-633-1000. (Gallery Place)
ONGOING: William Christenberry is a very, very important painter, a Washington treasure. But his exhibit at Hemphill right now isn't of painting — it's of the snapshots he took with a tiny vintage camera of things he'd later paint. It's a fascinating showing of what catches an artist's eye.
» Hemphill Fine Arts, 1515 14th St. NW; through March 13, free; 202-234-5601. (Dupont Circle)
Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post
ONGOING: WOOOOO OLYMPICS! Wait ... they're over? Oh well.
Check out "Go for Gold!," a photo exhibition at Civilian Art Projects in which artist Gesche Wurfel chronicles the transformation of London as it prepares for the 2012 Olympics. Ahem. U.S.A.! U.S.A! Sorry. Habit.
» Civilian Art Projects, 1019 7th St. NW; through March 20, free; 202-607-3804. (Mount Vernon Square)
ONGOING: Nine artists have converged on Irvine Contemporary to share works inspired by the idea of being on or off "the grid." The grid, of course, being that great network that connects us all through electricity and the Internet, kind of like the new version of the Force.
» Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th St. NW; through March 20, free; 202-332-8767. (U St.-Cardozo)
ONGOING: He begins with photographs of buildings, exterior and interior, then San Francisco artist Adam "5100" Fiebelman creates elaborate and painstaking stencils on wood that hint at architectural mysteries, twinned, dimmed or skewed. A show of these disturbingly beautiful works, "Underbelly," is at Project 4 Gallery.
» Project 4, 1353 U St. NW, third floor; through March 6, free; 202-232-4340. (U St.-Cardozo)
FRIDAY: It seems as if U Street is always changing, so get to know it before there's another shift in the landscape of D.C.'s beloved Northwest corridor. Stop by Cultural Tourism DC's Greater U Street Neighborhood Visitor Center on Friday for its grand opening and hear about its new heritage trail audio tour.
» Visitor Center, 1211 U St. NW; Fri., Feb. 26, 10 a.m., free; 202-661-7581 . (U St.-Cardozo)
THURSDAY: Follow the adventures of the fictional family behind a candy-manufacturing empire in Katharine Weber's delicious novel "True Confections." She reads from and discusses the book on Thursday night.
» Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; Thu., Feb. 18, 7 p.m., free; 202-364-1919. (Van Ness-UDC)
TUESDAY: It's Mardi Gras, and we think your celebration should start at the Kennedy Center.
The Millennium Stage will host Yamomanem, a D.C. band that melds '30s jazz, Creole music and ... electric guitar? BYOB — bring your own beads.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; Tue., Feb. 16, 6 p.m., free; 202-467-4600. (Foggy Bottom)
Addison Road