Lacy (winner, Most Affectionate)
@ Dupont Circle
Q:If your dog was a celebrity, who would it be?
A:"Charlize Theron. She's glamorous."
THIS WEEK: The best of high culture meets the best of low at the Kennedy Center, where American Idol's Fantasia stars in a musical version of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple." Fantasia plays Celie, a young black woman dealing with racism and sexism at the turn of the century. The score is rich and lovely, influenced by pop, blues and gospel, and the book's powerful story stands up well to adaptation.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; through Aug. 9, $25-$95; 202-467-4600. (Foggy Bottom)
Photo by Paul Kolnik
THIS WEEKEND: Bolshoi ballet dream-team Alexei Ratmansky and Yuri Burlaka have taken the Russian classic "Le Corsaire" and restaged it for a Bolshoi North American premier. The ballet tells the tale of a young Greek girl and a dashing pirate on a fantastical journey that ends with, as some critics have swooned, one of the most spectacular scenes in ballet.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; through Sun., June 21, $47-$105; 202-467-4600. (Foggy Bottom-GWU)
Written by Express' Catherine Ahearn
Photo by Damir Yusupov
THIS WEEK: When you think of landscape photography, you're not thinking of the same bleak, almost alien vistas that inspire Terry Falke. His photos, now on display at the National Academy of Sciences in "Observations in an Unoccupied Wilderness," show a side of the American West that only the quirkiest cowboys sing about with nostalgia.
» National Academy of Sciences, 2100 C St. NW, Upstairs Gallery; through July 15, free; 202-334-2436. (Foggy Bottom)
THIS WEEKEND: A beautiful princess with a beheading fetish! A mysterious suitor with a secret past! The greatest tenor aria in the history of opera! If the Washington National Opera's "Turandot" isn't dramatic enough for you, check your pulse.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; through June 4, $45-$300; 202-467-4600. (Foggy Bottom-GWU)
Photo by Karin Cooper
SATURDAY: Looking for the perfect way to spend a spring afternoon? Well, spring has sprung, folks, and there's nothing like nice day in the garden.
The Georgetown Garden Tour will open up a collection of eight Georgetown gardens, all within an easy walking distance from one another. Environmentally friendly "Georgetown Garden Club" shopping bags will be available to purchase. Be sure to grab a cup of tea at the Christ Church from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m..
» Christ Church Georgetown, 3116 O St. NW; Sat., May 9, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $30, $35 day of event; 202-965-1950. (Foggy Bottom)
Written by Express' Nicole Ocran
Photo by Larry Morris/The Washington Post
HOPING FOR A GOOD SUN THIS MOTHER'S DAY
The tulips are opening, and sun-lovers are sniffing the air and wondering whether it's warm enough for patio dining yet. Alexandria's Bastille offers a firm "Oui!" The French-inspired restaurant is tying the seasonal reopening of its patio with its special Mother's Day menu — a three-course prix-fixe brunch ($29) with optional added cheese course ($38) and a three-course kids' menu ($16). Springtime treats include chilled asparagus and creme fraiche soup, pan-seared scallops with mango chutney,and couscous salad and Valrhona pot de creme.
» Bastille, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria; Mother's Day brunch May 10, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 703-519-3776.
MUSIC FOR MOM
Is mom happier in a jazz club than a stuffy restaurant? Take her to the Kennedy Center on Mother's Day — or any Sunday — for the Roof Terrace's live music brunch. Dixieland jazz and ragtime keep the mood high; softshell crab on the menu will delight seafood lovers who wait all year for this seasonal treat. Brunch is $39.95 for grown-ups (including a mimosa or glass or sparkling wine) and $20 for gourmets and jazz aficionados 12 and under.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; 202-416-8555. (Foggy Bottom-GWU)
Photo courtesy Hisaoka Communications
THIS WEEK: In the late '90s, "Ragtime," a musical about a fictional early 20th century family and the historical events that shape their lives, was eclipsed by the barrier-breaking "The Lion King."
Now, you can make up for lost time by discovering (or rediscovering) this incredibly ambitious show, which seeks to condense E.L. Doctorow's sweeping novel into a manageable evening of theater. The surprise: it succeeds.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; through May 17, $25-$90; 202-467-4600. (Foggy Bottom)
Image courtesy the Kennedy Center
MONDAY: Lyricist Sheldon Harnick is a representative of the golden age of Broadway.
He's the man who wrote lyrics for some of the most successful musicals in history — "Fiddler on the Roof," "Fiorello!" — and he'll be at the Kennedy Center on Monday to discuss his life's work and what's next for musical theater.
» Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; Mon., April 20, 7 p.m., $18; 202-467-4600. (Foggy Bottom)
Photo courtesy Kennedy Center
IT'S NOT THAT Carlos Robles Arenas dislikes rock music. He just thinks this globalizing world needs something fresher, that reflects its unique issues and intersections. Something like the stuff he's putting out with his Nantes, France-based electronic music outfit, Orange Blossom.
The group's sound is the product of the backgrounds, training and travel experiences of its members: Mexico native Robles Arenas, who programs, arranges and produces; French-raised, African-influenced percussionist Mathias Vaguenez; classically trained, contemporary-minded French violinist PJ Chabot; and singer Nawel Ben Kraiem, who claims Tunisian roots.
Orange Blossom's latest disc, 2005's "Everything Must Change," gives listeners an idea of what happens when these musical minds meet. Songs feature cultural collisions between driving electronic beats, serpentine Arabic vocals, West African drum rhythms, body-rocking funk, tweaky strings, the occasional accordion line, dub, opera and whatever else the group felt like experimenting with.
Continue Reading "Electro- Potluck: Orange Blossom Brings Variety" »
IT'S SPRING NOW! But it looks like Mother Nature didn't get the memo: Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be downright chilly.
This season's bipolar weather disorder can be difficult to maneuver — for post-work drinks, do you hit up a warm patio or a bar with a cozy interior?
The answer is clear: you need both. It's a good thing you live in a city that will cater to the whims of weather and the realities of the recession. So, where should you take your crowd that will be both cheap and versatile?
If you've ever used the word "bro" unironically, check in to 51st State. Populated by frat boys and those who were once frat boys, this tavern near GWU's campus has a frankly unbeatable happy hour that lasts every day (including weekends) from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Beer and rail drinks range from $2.50 to $3 and pretty much anything with Smirnoff in it is ridiculously cheap. Tuesday is ten cent buffalo wing night — it lasts from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., so pace yourself.
Continue Reading "Drink In, Drink Out: Bars For Weather Changes" »
Addison Road