THIS WEEK: The Inkwell Theatre is committed to bringing new plays to Washington - and more importantly, luring Washington to new plays. Thus, the Inkubator Festival, a three-week showcase of never-before-seen work. Tonight, you can see "The F Word," about body image in America. Check out the fest's full schedule at Inkwelltheatre.org.
» H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St. NE; through Oct. 18, suggested donation $10; 202-544-0703.
Photo by Dennis Drenner/The Washington Post
STANDING BEFORE A GLEAMING, helmet-shaped glass structure next to Union Station last Friday, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty boasted, "You don't every day get to come to the biggest, best, coolest Bikestation in the country." It makes sense that Fenty, an avid cyclist, would be on hand for the opening of the building, which houses covered, secure parking for about 130 bikes, and offers retail, repairs and rentals. But work to install the first Bikestation on the East Coast has taken six years.
The wait has been worth it for commuters such as George Mino, 56, who — contrary to what the mayor announced — hopes that his visits do happen every day. He takes the MARC from Columbia, Md., then hops on his bike to ride to work in Crystal City. But leaving his wheels out in the open at Union Station has been a bumpy ride. "I've had my bike stolen, vandalized and had the air let out of my tires," he says. "Now I can finally buy a bike that costs more than my lock."
Mino has signed up for an annual membership ($96, plus a $20 administrative fee), which means he has access to the facility 24/7, including a small changing room. Non-members can park for $2 a day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., when Bike the Sites staffers are on hand to handle tune-ups, sales of accessories and rentals. Guided tours from Bikestation kick off in the spring.
Photo courtesy DDOT
IT'S OFFICIAL — D.C. has taken its first step towards becoming America's answer to Amsterdam — well, second step. Amsterdam Falafel Shop was the delicious, vegetarian first step. In addition to today being World Car Free Day, Union Station's new Bikestation is now accepting online memberships (the grand opening is slated for Oct. 2).
Created to foster bike use in our transit system, the Bikestation will offer secure indoor and outdoor bike parking, a changing room, lockers, bike rentals, repairs and a small retail shop selling bike accessories to members and one-time users. This is the first bike station of its kind on the East Coast, and users can chose annual, monthly, or daily memberships.
Now if we could just improve (ahem) our coffee shop situation ....
» Membership through Bikestation 562-733-0106. (Union Station)
Written by Express' Anne Polsky
Photo courtesy Bike Station
WE KNOW YOU WANTED to go out of town and enjoy the beaches of Delaware or North Carolina before the unofficial end of summer on Tuesday. You wanted to stroll the boardwalk in your seersucker suit before you put it away for the winter.
But you can't. Because this is the season of the staycation, and you're poor just like everyone else. They're even taking away your Metro this weekend. But you must fight back! Don't sit in your house! This is Labor Day weekend, during which we avoid labor at all costs and embrace excess and hedonism — within reason. Don't do anything you'll be sad to see Facebook pictures of on Tuesday.
We've got your whole weekend planned out — and we'll try to save you as much cash as possible. Try this:
» Jazz in the Garden
Start off the weekend on Friday evening with the second-to-last jazzy evening in the National Sculpture Garden. Bring a bottle of three-buck chuck and any friends you can find who would rather drink and sit on grass than work in an office at 5:30 on a Friday. That should be most of them.
The music is provided by jazz guitarist Phil Mathieu this week, but it's really all about sitting on the grass and drinking either the bad wine you brought or the sangria you can pick up in the garden.
Continue Reading "Delicious Burdens: What to Do Over Labor Day Weekend" »
MONDAY:The Capital Fringe Festival isn't just about bizarre performance art pieces. It also includes myriad workshops, like the Beatboxing 101 class tonight from D.C. hip-hop master Christylez Bacon (pictured).
Learn how to make yourself into a one-person percussion section. Impress your friends! Startle your enemies! Be really useful when someone says "Drumroll please!" Or just, you know, have some fun.
» Northeast Library, 330 7th St. NE; Mon. July 13, 7 p.m., $10, Capfringe.org/workshops. (Union Station)
Photo courtesy the Strathmore
IN RESPONSE to America's fight against obesity and push toward healthy food, Kentucky Fried Chicken is rolling out a new initialism: KGC. Kentucky Grilled Chicken is their answer to McDonald's salads: a dish with significantly fewer calories than their traditional fried fare.
If you're skeptical, you can try out the grilled stuff for free on April 27, now to be known as "UNFry Day." So, satisfy your curiosity — or your love of free munchies — with a complimentary piece of grilled chicken.
» Kentucky Fried Chicken, 4221 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-237-6668. (Van Ness)
» Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1934B 14th St. NW; 202-319-8688. (U St.-Cardozo)
Photo courtesy KFC
GAME DAY: It's tough to be a member of Congress. All that responsibility, all that campaigning, all that reading of long, boring bills that will grow up to become long, boring laws.
Way back in 1987, someone took pity on these poor, besuited civil servants and dreamed up the Home Court Fundraiser — in which congresspeople get together and play a charity basketball game against some other team. Tonight, our legislative branch will unleash their inner athletes during the 22nd annual Home Court game.
Their opponents this year are members of the Georgetown Law faculty, so you needn't worry about some poor congressman dropping dead of a coronary while trying to keep up with a 22-year-old basketball superstar. A host of legislative types are participating, including senators Bob Casey, D-Penn., and Kay Hagan, D-N.C.
Continue Reading "Legislators Represent: Congress' Charity B-Ball" »
Canned Goodness: A Worthy Trip Up the Road
Inspired by the soon-to-be-released film"The Soloist," about a columinist who befriends a homeless musical prodigy, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra joins Orchestras Feeding America in a national effort to collect canned goods for those in need at the BSO box office before, during and after perfomances.
» Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore; through March 28; 410-783-8000.
Stacking Chips: Ladies-Only Poker Night
So you've got the gambling itch but those pesky morals won't let you head straight to the slots? Well, swing by Restaurant 3's first "Chicks With Chips" poker tournament. Scratch your itch, enjoy a few cocktails and feel good knowing that all proceeds go to charity.
» Restaurant 3, 2950 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; Sun., Mar. 22, 2-6 p.m. $65; 703-524-4440. (Clarendon)
Mushy Feast: Homemade Baby Treats
If recent food scares have you avoiding the bottled stuff and mashed-pea-green isn't exactly the color you were going for on the kitchen walls, then learn to blend foods that a baby will actually eat at Art and Soul's Baby Food for the Soul class.
» Art and Soul, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; Sat., Mar. 21, 11 a.m., $35; 202-393-7777. (Union Station)
Written by Express' Eric Anderson
Photo by iStock
THE THING ABOUT St. Patrick's Day is that the term "happy hour" almost ceases to apply. It's more like "happy several hours" or "happy day." Or possibly "happy worst Wednesday of your working life."
Nevertheless, D.C. loves St. Patrick's Day, and since all the parade festivities took place over the weekend, all you can really do now to celebrate is drink. Here are a few places you can go after work to get in on the spirit.
First of all, you want an authentic Irish pub. But if you can't afford a plane ticket, you'll have to settle for the Dubliner, which we were once told "smells just like the pubs in Ireland." Good enough for us. There will be Irish music and general rowdiness from 10 a.m. onward — but there's also a $10 cover charge, so make sure you have cash.
Continue Reading "Liquor of the Irish: St. Patrick's Day Bar Guide" »
MONDAY: Film festivals can be overwhelming, so to combat that the D.C. Independent Film Festival assigns each day a manageable theme, buttressed by a musical performance and a happy hour at Union Station.
Monday's theme is "Middle East," and the lineup includes "Demons of Cairo," an expose of the lives of homeless kids in Egypt's largest city, as well as some short films. "Cino Latino" and "The Environment" are some of the other themes on the docket for this week.
» Phoenix Theatres, Union Station 9, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE; through March 15, $11; 202-842-4455. (Union Station)
Photo courtesy D.C. Independent Film Festival
Addison Road