Weekend Roundup

Georgetowner • September 9, 2013

Australia Home Land

September 6th, 2013 at 06:00 PM | Free to The Public | Event Website

CityDance resident artist, Sarah J. Ewing, is premiering her dance work, Australia Home Land, at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Millennium Stage on September 5 & 6 at 6:00PM. The performance is free to the public!

Australia Home Land, Ewing’s first full-length piece, was selected as one of two works commissioned in this year’s Kennedy Center Local Dance Commissioning Project. Five dancers struggle to co-exist on a dual-level set featuring a cross-section of Australia’s red earth. This unusual set uses the Millenium stage in a fresh and unexpected way. The tension created by the space is integral to the dancers interactions adding dimension to an already strong story.

Address

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage; 2700 F St NW, Washington

Vintage Poster Sale

September 6th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | FREE | GALLERY@CALLOWAYART.COM | Tel: 202-965-4601 | Event Website

Vintage Poster Trunk Sale with Mark J. Weinbaum Fine Posters and Prints, who works out of New York City, will exhibit up to 100 works over the September weekend. The collection focuses on decorative and rare historical posters, with a wide variety of categories and time periods available. All of his posters and prints represent the best quality available on the market place.

Address

Susan Calloway Fine Arts; 1643 Wisconsin Ave NW

Local 11th Street Bridge Celebration

September 7th, 2013 at 12:00 PM | 11thstreet@eventsmanagementdc.com | Tel: 202-558-6545 | Event Website

Free and open to all, this festive community event will commemorate the completion and full opening of the new local bridge portion of the larger 11th Street Bridge Project — which is the largest project in the District Department of Transportation’s history – and also again honor fallen Metropolitan Police Officer Kevin J. Welsh.

Address

Local 11th Street Bridge

“Al Gray, Marine… The Early Years 1950-1967” Book Signing

September 7th, 2013 at 12:00 PM | Free | dgregory@susandavis.com | Tel: 202-414-0785

Retired General Alfred M. Gray, Jr., the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, will be signing his book “Al Gray, Marine… The Early Years 1950-1967.”

Address

Museum Store at the National Museum of the Marine Corps 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway Triangle, VA 22172

8th Annual Events DC Nation’s Triathlon

September 8th, 2013 at 07:00 AM | Registration for 2013 Nation’s Triathlon is currently closed | Event Website

The 8th Annual Events DC Nation’s Triathlon to Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will take place Sunday, September 8, 2013 in the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. It features a course that winds through Washington, DC’s monument corridor in the shadow of the nation’s best known memorials and national treasures. This International Distance triathlon, sanctioned by the USAT, includes a 1.5k swim in the Potomac River, 40k bike course through DC, and a 10k run through Washington, DC’s historical landmarks with a spectacular finish!

Address

West Potomac Park near West Potomac Park, West Basin Dr SW,

Opening Reception: Frank Day & Allison Hardy

September 10th, 2013 at 05:30 PM | Free | info@efronart.com | Tel: 2022231626 | Event Website

Boston Properties is pleased to open on September 10th at The Heurich Gallery an exhibition featuring photography by Frank Hallam Day and the drawings of Allison Long Hardy.

Address

The Heurich Gallery; 505 Ninth Street NW

Gary Tischler •

“It’s a girl!”

Living in Washington, it’s always difficult and tantalizing to juggle personal history with the kind that goes on right outside: a bus ride from the National Mall, a Metro ride to the Pentagon, a bracing walk to the White House, a jaunt along Embassy Row.

The world is with us always here in Washington in its various monumental manifestations, in the buzz that buzzes from the White House lawns, or those just walking by holding up signs. In Washington, we always live in several places at once—we live in our domicile, our hearth, heart and home, our block and neighborhood, where we work and how we work, in that great place just around the corner where the news always happen—world news, political news, foreign news, and news that seems foreign.

We recognize this more than ever during the course of a long, not-so-hot-around-here summer and its end” how the international, the national, the local and colloquial mash up.

So—“it’s a boy” was the long awaited news from London that Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, had a baby, heir to the British throne, which we all duly watched on the telly, read about—and continue to do avidly—in People and their ilk.

“It’s a girl” was a cry that echoed from a few blocks away the same time as it did over the air waves and the internet. It revealed the sex of the new panda cub, whose birth only a few days ago was met with universal jubilation that seemed every bit as precious as the news of the new prince. It was also related that Tian Tian was the father, and so the new cub is the daughter of Tian Tian (by way of artificial insemination) and Mei Xiang, and not Gao Gao, the wild boy from the San Diego Zoo who had been rescued from the wild by the Chinese.

The birth and identification of the new cub—may she live long and prosper—was an example of how big news here can be international. The Chinese, for sure, care about it, as do the thousands of visitors to the National Zoo who will have to content themselves with eyeing the “Panda Cam,” like the rest of us. But we who live in the city, and we who live just around the corner from the Panda domain, care a little more. It is, after all, a new kid in the neighborhood.

We, as does the rest of the world, receive this wee bit of news fully aware that people lately have been talking mostly about war, Syria, war crimes and air strikes—along with their efficacy, moral and practical. A lot of that talk is coming from right down the street on Pennsylvania Avenue, such that you think you can hear it echo sometimes. But a lot of that talk about Syria is also on the lips of Main Streeters all across the country, who are distressed about the pictures of dead children and who are less hungry to get into another mess in the region where we fought two long, costly and not all that fruitful wars.

We know where we live all the time—the city of monuments, memorials and momentous times and events where ripples from elsewhere—the not-guilty verdict in the Zimmerman-Martin case this summer—soon find their way into the halls of government, or are expressed in the remembrance and celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr., and his “I have a Dream” speech. Thousands of us went to the National Mall and others watched on television or saw or talked with the celebrants in our neighborhoods. Often, softly, and carefully, except perhaps at home, we talked about race, but rarely with people of different races than our own. In this city, which still has no voting representation in Congress, we are keenly aware of the echoes that we hear.

People—members of our elected government in the city council, our cultural and economic boosters and leaders—tell us we are living in a world-class city full of world class opportunities and life styles. We could be Parisians or New Yorkers, for all we know. I suspect, though, that we’re Washingtonians and the people that surround us in our neighborhoods, wondering if we could ever eat at all the new restaurants in our lifetimes, see all the new plays, hear all the new songs at both the 9:30 Club, Blues Alley and the Hamilton and drive out to Wolf Trap, too. We love the new bike racks, and curse the bikers, sometimes all at once. In our neighborhood in Lanier Heights, we are saddened about the disappearance of Romeo, the gray and white house cat at Joseph’s House.

Then, there are days or weekends, when we would rather be here than any place else in the world, real or imagined. To me, it was the weekend of the beginning of the celebration of the March, which was history up close and personal, once (or twice) as was the case for some, in a lifetime. The history-remembered songs and memories from that march weekend mixed in with the regular Sunday visit to the Dupont Circle market, for the pies, the crab cake man, the bouquet of flowers, the blueberry scone, and the couple from Virginia who make soup that flavor country with Asian tang and taste. I remember finding a CD at Second Story Books across the circle on P Street: “Eric Clapton: Me and Mr. Johnson,” the great blues player’s salute to the great blues man Robert Johnson. We came home and saw the grandfather across the street holding his son’s baby in his lap and waved.

The panda cub had just been born a day or so before.

And today: “It’s a girl!”

According to the National Zoo, the female cub “has a fat little belly.” Oh, happy day.

Georgetowner • August 26, 2013

End of Summer Party with Chance Encounters

August 23rd, 2013 at 06:00 PM | gallery@callowayart.com | Tel: 202.965.4601 | [Event Website](http://pinterest.com/callowayart/current-exhibit-chance-encounters/

On View: August 6 – 31

Susan Calloway Fine Arts ends the summer with Chance Encounters, curated by talented summer interns Ben Slyngstad and Sara Erickson. The exhibit highlights the unlimited conversations amongst the gallery’s collection. On exhibit are 13 groupings each a harmonious mixture of styles, media and eras, chosen more for their formal aesthetics – composition, color and strong opposition – rather than for subject matter.

Address

1643 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington DC 20007

DC Wine Week Wine Tours: The Storybook Tour

August 24th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | $95 | emily@pivotpointcom.com | [Event Website](http://divinewineva.com/wine-tours/wine-tour-2-the-storybook-tour/

For the next few months leading up to DC Wine Week, we have partnered with DiVine Wine Tours of Virginia to offer a series of wine tours to various Virginia wineries.

Stops included: Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, Casanel Winery, North Gate Vineyard

Everyone loves a good story, and this tour is full of them. The wines are delicious on their own, but the stories behind these family-owned wineries will make the wine and your experience that much better.

Address

Please see website for details

Beasley Real Estate Presents “The Incredibles”

August 25th, 2013 at 07:30 PM

Join Beasley Real Estate on Sunday night for a free community movie night!
Now in it’s second year, the “Best of Summer” series is a great opportunity for new and old neighbors to get together and enjoy a great night under the stars. A two-story screen, free popcorn and other goodies too!

Address

Palisades Park; 5200 Sherier Pl NW

Technology for Older Adults

August 26th, 2013 at 03:30 PM | $0-$10 | lindajkh@mac.com | Tel: 202-234-2567

Many questions will be addressed at the next Dupont Circle Village Live and Learn seminar. Dr. Majd Alwan, senior vice president and executive director at the LeadingAge Center for Aging Services and Technologies, will explain new developments in fall detection and prevention, telehealth and remote patient monitoring and electronic health records.

Address

General Federation of Women’s Clubs; 1734 N Street NW

TECRO to sponsor free screenings of “Go Grandriders” on Aug. 26 and 27

August 26th, 2013 at 10:30 AM | Free | lishanlorenzo@gmail.com | Tel: (202) 895-1853 | [Event Website](http://gograndridersdc.eventbrite.com/)

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States is sponsoring two free screenings of “Go Grandriders,” the highest-grossing documentary in Taiwanese history. The screenings will be shown at the Avalon Theatre in Washington, DC, on Monday, August 26, at 10:30 a.m. Following the showing of the film, grandrider Chang Hon-dao and his wife (and fellow grandrider) Chang Chen Ying-mei will lead a discussion about their experiences and answer questions.

Address

Avalon Theatre: 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015

Georgetowner • August 19, 2013

7th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival – D.C.

AUGUST 16TH, 2013 AT 06:00 PM | $10-$12 | INFO@NYADIFF.ORG | TEL: (212) 864-1760 | EVENT WEBSITE

The African Diaspora International Film Festival comes to DC! The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) presents an eclectic mix of urban, classic, independent and foreign films that depict the richness and diversity of the life experience of people of African descent and Indigenous people all over the world.

Friday, August 16, 2013?

Opening Night

?6 p.m. African Independence – Q&A??

Saturday, August 17, 2013?

1 p.m. Otomo?

3:30 p.m. Maestro Issa?

5:30 p.m. The Pirogue?

7:30 p.m. Nishan??

Sunday, August 18, 2013?

1 p.m. The Pirogue?

3 p.m. Return to Gorée?

5:30 p.m. Closing Night?

Tango McBeth

Get full film descriptions and ticket info at: http://nyadiff.org/adiff-washington-dc-2013/

Address

Goethe Institute?; 812 Seventh Street, NW?

Summer concert series hosted by Marine Corps Heritage Foundation

AUGUST 16TH, 2013 AT 07:00 PM | FREE | KDROUIN@SUSANDAVIS.COM | EVENT WEBSITE

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation continues its outdoor summer concert series tradition with a performance by the Quantico Marine Corps Band. It will perform spirited and patriotic music, celebrating our nation and the history of the Marine Corps. Outdoor concessions will be available. The museum will remain open until the start of the concert. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held inside the museum.

Address

National Museum of the Marine Corps?; 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway ?Triangle, VA 22172

Summer Jazz Soiree with the International Club of DC

AUGUST 16TH, 2013 AT 07:00 PM | $20 | EDUCATION@DUMBARTONHOUSE.ORG | TEL: 202-337-2288 | EVENT WEBSITE

Discover one of Georgetown’s historic homes during an evening of jazz, dancing, food and meeting new people from 7-10 p.m. Stroll the gardens and museum, then enjoy a night of dancing to a live jazz ensemble.?? Pie Sisters – Georgetown will be selling a selection of individual sweet and savory pies – menu coming soon. Wine and champagne will be available for purchase from Tradewinds. Water and other drinks will also be on sale. Cash only.

Address

Dumbarton House; ?2715 Q Street NW?

Capital City Showcase

August 17th, 2013 at 10 p.m. | $10/$15 at the door | Tel: 202-431-4704 | [Event Website](

The Capital City Showcase is the variety show that brings you some of the best comedians, musicians, and performing artists in the DMV. Hosted by Christian Hunt, it has featured some of the DC area’s finest stand-up comedians, improv comics, rock bands, jazz bands, acoustic guitarists, and hip-hop artists.

Featured:

rock band [The Grey Area](www.mtv.com/artists/the-grey-area)

comedian [Katherine Jessup](www.twitter.com/titlehere)

comedian [Matty Litwack](www.mattylitwack.com)

comedian [Ol Mike B](www.twitter.com/olmikeb757)

musician [Matt Tarka](www.matttarkamusic.com)

comedian [Gabe Zucker](www.twitter.com/GabeZucker)

Address

D.C. Arts Center; 2438 18th St. NW

End-of-Summer Ice Cream Sunday

AUGUST 18TH, 2013 AT 01:00 PM | $8 | EDUCATION@DUMBARTONHOUSE.ORG | TEL: 202-337-2288 | [EVENT WEBSITE](http://augusticecreamsunday.eventbrite.com/)

Guests will make their own ice cream, and sample an ice cream flavors popular during the federal period. End your visit with a tour of Dumbarton House to learn about the history of early Georgetown and the Federal City.

Ice cream making will be available from 1-2 p.m. A guided tour of the home will commence at 2:15 p.m. or you may take a self-guided tour at any time. Historic lawn games will be also be available throughout the day for children and the young at heart.

Address

Dumbarton House?; 2715 Q Street NW?

Beasley Real Estate Presents ‘Sixteen Candles’

AUGUST 18TH, 2013 AT 07:30 PM

Join Beasley Real Estate on Sunday night for a free community movie night!? Now in its second year, the Best of Summer series is a great opportunity for new and old neighbors to get together and enjoy a great night under the stars.? A two-story screen, free popcorn and other goodies, too.

Address

Logan Circle; ?St. Luke’s; 1514 15th St NW (Corner of 15th & P)?

Rachel Scola • August 15, 2013

The Oaks
8600 John Mosby Highway
Upperville, Va. 20184
www.upperville.com

TWILIGHT POLO SATURDAYS:

Twilight Polo is back and here to stay until Sept. 7. Every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. in The Plains enjoy a polo match, hosted by Aspen Dale Winery. The polo matches are perfect for a family night out, with events like tug-of-war for the children, but can also be a fun date night for all couples. After each match, dance awaywith a DJ set in the pavilion. Tickets are $30 a carload.

Great Meadow
5089 Old Tavern Road
The Plains, Va. 20198
www.greatmeadow.org/events/twilight-polo/

7TH ANNUAL VAN METRE POLO CUP:

If you need another filling of polo besides twilight Saturdays, the Van Metre Polo Cup will take place on June 15 at Great Meadow. The celebrity polo players this year include Ignacio Figueras from Ralph Lauren and John Walsh from America’s Most Wanted. The Cup benefits Capital Caring and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Come to watch the celebrity match, dressed in your best pastels and sun hats, of course, knowing that you’re helping a good cause. General Admission tickets are $30.

Great Meadow
5089 Old Tavern Road
The Plains, Va. 20198
www.vanmetrepolocup.com

WEEKLY SAILBOAT RACES:

Wednesday Night Sailboat Races at Annapolis Harbor will run until August 28. Sit dockside to view the some 150 boats race to the finish line at the Annapolis Yacht Club. Continue to kick off your weekend early with their post-race party. Races start at 6 p.m. and last until around 8 p.m.

Annapolis Harbor
2 Compromise Street
Annapolis, Md. 21401
www.annapolisyc.com [gallery ids="101321,151345" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

“We need the tonic of wildness,” wrote Henry David Thoreau. “We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.”

Since its publication over a century and a half ago, Thoreau’s novel “Walden” has become a seminal manifesto for naturalists and admirers of wildlife, as well as philosophers, poets, artists and wandering spirits. Living in a sparse cabin in the woods and enfolding himself within the untamed wilderness, Thoreau painted an unprecedented portrait of spiritual discovery through nature, one that is still called upon to inspire us to preserve, protect, and adore the sweeping, rapturous beauty of the American landscape. He makes a case for solitude, observation, and consideration, asking we look inside of ourselves to find the beauty that surrounds us.

I return to passages of this book frequently, usually when autumn starts rolling in and the warm daylight of late summer starts giving in to gusts of evening chill. The changing of the season reinvigorates my sense of the natural world—perhaps it is the anticipation of the beauty of changing leaves, perhaps the eagerness to come out of hiding from the August heat. There is a clarity and crispness about fall that wipes clean the slate of our spirits and offers a fresh perspective. And during this time of year, no area better captures the spirit of the swelling season like the sprawling, endless Blue Ridge Mountains.

Around every bend of the Blue Ridge Parkway, we come face to face with natural splendors, historic landmarks, cultural heritage, and timeless beauty. Starting at Skyline Drive in Front Royal, VA., (just an hour outside Washington) and winding down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the North Carolina border in Tennessee, this network of mountain roads holds within its graveled palms all the secrets, spells and quiet adventures that Thoreau has long implored us to share with him—with a few added luxuries and amenities that he probably never considered.

Whether embarking on a quick weekend getaway or taking a week off to explore autumn’s ephemeral bounty, there are worlds to explore in the Blue Ridge. From wineries, restaurants and B&Bs, to art centers, historic sites and heartbreaking overlooks, the perfect season is fast approaching to appreciate this hidden treasure of the East Coast.

To pull a word of advice from Mr. Thoreau once more: “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
Live in it now, before it all disappears into the grey dawn of winter.

Come For The History
One of Thoreau’s greatest influences was Thomas Jefferson, and it’s easy to understand why. Jefferson’s genius and influence as a leader, a politician, an independent and original thinker and a downright American is impossible to overlook or encapsulate. He quite literally wrote the book on independence and the virtue and value of the individual. Jefferson was also a man of relentless curiosity – fascinated by the world around him, always learning from what he encountered.

The house and grounds he built at Poplar Forest for his retirement, just outside of Lynchburg, VA, was a private, personal retreat, where he was free to indulge in his favorite pastimes of reading, studying and thinking. Today, the preserved estate is one of this country’s true hidden gems. The culmination of many of Jefferson’s long-incubated philosophies of life, Poplar Forest became a canvas on which he designed and built his most personal landscape and architectural creation. It was a place where he came to find rest and leisure, rekindle his creativity and enjoy time with his family.

Witness meticulous historic restoration in progress at the house Jefferson considered his best design for the life of a private citizen. Tours of the house offer the chance to learn about the estate’s architecture, preservation, and life in the early 19th century. Discover Jefferson’s vision for his gardens, ornamental plantings, and farm. There are also special events, including musical performances, historical theater, and lectures centered around the private genius of this American icon.

At Poplar Forest, visitors are offered not only a peak into Jefferson’s life, but into his mind and private world. A visit to Poplar Forest will deepen your understanding of Thomas Jefferson, as here he focused on his personal pursuit of happiness.

If you’re looking for a bridge between history and the great outdoors, The Natural Bridge, less than an hour down the road from Poplar Forest, might just do the trick. Equal distance from Charlottesville and Roanoke, VA, this bridge of solid limestone rock is a National Historic Landmark and twenty stories of sheer natural wonder.

After hiking to the top, the adventurous among us can descend 34 stories to explore the deepest caverns on the East Coast. A serene nature trail takes you through the great stone archway and alongside the Cedar Creek, and then down to the spectacular Lace Falls.

For those with less of an itch for adrenaline but an equally unquenchable interest, the exotic indoor butterfly garden offers a unique opportunity to experience an array of these delicate natural beauties.
In an oddly befitting twist of fate, the Natural Bridge was once owned by Thomas Jefferson—it was also surveyed by a young George Washington and traversed by Civil War soldiers. It is a true portal to history. For more information visit www.PoplarForest.org

Wine, Dine & Stay the Night
When combing through over 500 miles of historic roads and highways, resplendent with rich and vibrant communities and lush farmlands, there are going to be more opportunities to eat, drink and relax than to shake a stick at. However, there are a few undoubted highlights, both near and far from the Washington area.

For those who want to keep within relative proximity to the District, Barboursville Vineyard lies north of Charlottesville, VA , on the outskirts of the Blue Ridge Mountain range. If you’re embarking on a longer trip, it’s a great stop en route to more distant Blue Ridge territories.

The centerpiece of Barboursville is their tasting room, built in the style of a Northern Italian farmhouse that greets guests with a roaring double-sided fireplace during the colder months. Here you can sample the vineyard’s award winning wines, peruse books on all things viticultural, or relax at a table or on lawns overlooking the vineyards and the Blue Ridge with a bottle of wine. Their winery guides free weekend tours that takes guests around the vineyards and reveals the rich history of the Barboursville estate.

Palladio Restaurant is the estate’s restaurant, the culinary expression of the vineyard and the region, with Northern Italian influences that reveal a rooted culinary sophistication. Their sweet potato gnocchi with apple-pecan slaw is not to be missed. Enjoy a regular lunch or dinner, or reserve a wine dinner or cooking class, and get a backstage pass to the art of food and wine pairing, with an unmistakable local flare.

There are dozens of places to stay around the area—Barboursville is just a hop, skip and jump from Charlottesville. If you want the full accommodation and dining experience, The Boar’s Head Inn resort is a great choice, as well ask Keswick Hall and the Cedar Springs Inn & Spa. For more information, visit www.BarboursvilleWine.net

If you’re in it for the longer drive, Banner Elk Winery & Villa is perhaps the quintessential Blue Ridge getaway. In the far west of North Carolina, almost by the Tennessee borderline, Banner Elk is nestled far into the mountains, and a stay at their intimate villa might just give you the refreshing taste of wilderness you seek. Awaken to the cricks, whistles and willowy swoons of nature, followed by breakfast on the veranda.

Their Farm to Table dinners begin with a glass of wine and a nibble from the vineyard kitchen, followed by a stroll through the kitchen garden where the season’s offerings are explored, and a peek into the barrel room that offers a brief overview of their winemaking process. Kitchen ingredients change seasonally and are grown and sourced locally, either on the grounds of Banner Elk or from local farmers. For more information, visit www.BannerElkWinery.com

The Arts of the Blue Ridge
From bluegrass music and folk art, to time honored carving and furniture-making traditions, there’s no shortage of artisanship in and around the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Music Center celebrates the music and musicians of its past and present, established by Congress in 1985. The site includes an outdoor amphitheater and indoor interpretive center used to highlight an important strand of American musical culture, which is still alive and thriving in the region.

Located in historic Galax, VA , long revered for its regional musical heritage, the Center brings visitors into the traditions of ancient fiddle and banjo traditions of Virginia and North Carolina, music that can be traced to the meeting of the African banjo and the European fiddle in the Tidewater before the founding of our country.

The Center’s concert series, performance-talks and new exhibition, The Roots of American Music, trace the history of this regional music through local artists back to the creation of the music generations ago by Europeans and West Africans, showing how it continues to influence many forms of folk and popular music made across America today. The music performed is from today’s revered keepers of the Appalachian music tradition, like the duos Bill and Maggie Anderson, and Bobby Patterson and Willard Gayheart. For more information, visit www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org

Located five minutes from downtown Asheville, N.C., the Southern Highland Craft Guild and Folk Art Center brings together the crafts and artistic traditions of early America to a contemporary venue for all to explore. The dynamic and multifaceted center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary crafts of the Southern Appalachians, housing three galleries, a library and craft shop that host events and exhibits throughout the year.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild, chartered in 1930, is one of the strongest craft organizations in the country, representing close to 1,000 craftspeople in nearly 300 counties throughout nine southeastern states. For more than 80 years, the Guild has been bringing together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands to educate and preserve these historic traditions, and now hosts five craft shops, regular educational programming and two annual craft expositions.

From Oct. 18 – 21, you can experience this unique tradition at the 65th annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. From stone and wood carving, blacksmithing and wheel thrown pottery, to ancient yarn spinning techniques using natural plant dyes, the festival is, rather fittingly, one for the ages. For more information, visit www.SouthernHighlandGuild.org

Foliage Watching and Skyline Drive
During the month of October, usually mid-to-late month, the autumn foliage reaches its peak radiance, changing first on the highest peaks and working down to lower elevations. It’s really impossible to predict how and when the leaves will change each year—there’s no simple formula to it and there are many determining natural factors—but the best plan of action is to pick a day and start driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Another tip: go on a weekday, even if you have to take a day off work. On weekends during peak foliage, the Parkway can turn into a near parking lot.)

Perhaps the most scenic and breathtaking route is Skyline Drive. A 100-mile stretch of mountain road that runs the entire length of the Shenandoah National Park, beginning in Front Royal, VA., on the north end, no other highway carries the zeal and sweep of the rolling Blue Ridge landscape quite like Skyline Drive. Around every bend you are met with picture-perfect, draw dropping overlooks. It is almost a requirement to have two passengers in every vehicle: one to drive, and one to take photographs. There are also plenty of scenic overlooks and turnoffs that offer opportunity to step out and really soak in fall’s transient splendor.

The reminder of nature’s grace and beauty is truly the greatness of the fall season. Take a tip from Thoreau and don’t let it pass by you. [gallery ids="100985,131821,131809,131816" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • August 12, 2013

Terence Blanchard at Blues Alley Jazz

August 9th, 2013 at 08:00 PM | 40 | Event Website

Listen to Terence Blanchard, a Grammy winning trumpeter, play at the Blues Alley. Born in New Orleans, Blanchard is well known as a performer and musical composer for films, including several by Spike Lee. For Lee’s film Mo’ Better Blues Blanchard was musical arranger and a trumpet coach for actor Denzel Washington. Despite his interest and participation in film, television and theater, though, Blanchard regards himself first and foremost as a jazz musician.

Address

Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Fathering of the Butterflies

August 10th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | Free | marcia@bendurepr.com | Tel: 703-777-3174 | Event Website

On Saturday, August 10 from 10 a.m. – noon, join Oatlands for the “Gathering of the Butterflies.” A family friendly celebration of the monarch butterfly, complete with a parade of winged children. All types of butterflies and fairies are invited to participate in the parade. The rain date is August 17th.

Address

Oatlands Historic House and Gardens; 20850 Oatlands Plantation Ln.; Leesburg, VA 20175

Family Programs at Lockhouse 25

August 10th, 2013 at 11:00 AM | curtis@canaltrust.org | Tel: 301-714-2233 | Event Website

Join C&O Canal staff and volunteers select weekends this summer as Lockhouse 25 (Edwards Ferry) is opened to the public for family exploration and activities. As part of the new C&O Canal Civic Engagement program, families will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on programs that will allow them to explore and learn about life on the C&O Canal in the 19th century and its unique place in the story of the struggle for freedom and equality in our nation. Activities will be for all ages!

Address

15400 Edwards Ferry Rd, Poolesville MD (continue to the end of Edwards Ferry Rd)

Go Go Symphony Concert

August 11th, 2013 at 05:00 PM | Free | erin.passmore.mos@gmail.com

Go Go Symphony is a classical orchestra playing party music over Washington, D.C.’s historic go go beat sound. The project is brainchild of local classical musician Liza Figueroa Kravinsky. Also performing will be Arlington’s Khalil Minor a jazz/hip hop guitarist, and Hans Daniels an eclectic and dubstep DJ from Atlanta.

The performance is free and open to the public, and will be held at the Church at Clarendon, 1210 North Highland Street, Arlington.

Address

Church at Clarendon, 1210 North Highland Street, Arlington.

Breakfast 50 Years in the Making

August 12th, 2013 at 08:00 AM | Tel: 202-333-9180 | Event Website

Clyde’s of Georgetown is marking its 50th birthday with a gratis breakfast in its Omelette Room. Then come back later for ’60s and ’70s menu items like London broil and a Brandy Alexander.

Address

Clyde’s of Georgetown; 3236 M St NW

Branch Out Happy Hours

August 13th, 2013 at 06:00 PM | Event Website](http://caseytrees.org/)

Enjoy the summer weather the best way- with a nice view and a cold drink in hand. All are welcome.
Hosted by Casey Trees.

Address

Satellite Room; 2047 9th Street NW

Georgetowner • August 5, 2013

Seventh Annual Middleburg Summer Sidewalk Sale

August 2nd, 2013 at 10:00 AM | Tel: 540-687-5152

Middleburg, the quaint historic town nestled in Virginia horse country, is cleaning out its closets and storage areas and moving onto the sidewalks, August 2-4, for the 7th annual Summer Sidewalk Sale. The sale, sponsored by the Middleburg branch of Union First Market Bank, will be held on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday as posted by shops. A raffle will also be held. Look for balloons outside participating shops and restaurants!

Address

The Town of Middleburg; 12 North Madison Street; Middleburg, VA 20117

Washington Project for the Arts Presents Hothouse Happy Hour: The Art of the Superhero

August 2nd, 2013 at 06:00 PM | free entry, cash bar | info@wpadc.org | Tel: 202.234.7103 | Event Website

The Art of the Super Hero –

Revisited, a group exhibition organized by Lenny Campello exploring our cultural fascination with masked men
and caped crusaders. The artists included in the exhibition approach their topic with a mix of levity and seriousness,using the figure of the superhero to explore issues of identity, immigration, and the struggles of daily life.

Address

The Capitol Skyline Hotel Lounge; 10 I (Eye) Street SW

Studio Theatre Annual Garage Sale

August 3rd, 2013 at 10:00 AM | studio@studiotheatre.org | Tel: 202-232-7267 | Event Website

The Studio Theatre is hosting its Annual Garage Sale which will include props, furniture and costumes from the 2012-2013 season as well as many other special items from the collection.

Address

Studio Theatre; 1501 14th Street NW

Mazza Jazz

August 3rd, 2013 at 04:00 PM | Free | kate@myerspr.com | Tel: 202-966-6114 | Event Website

Enjoy a pleasant Saturday afternoon vibe at Mazza Gallerie with a Mazza Jazz performance on the first Saturday of every month this summer. On his saxophone, recording artist Rob Maletick leads ensembles of his own style of jazz. He’ll be on the mezzanine between Pampillonia Jewelers and Ann Taylor from 4 pm until 6 pm on May 4, June 1, July 6, and August 3. For further information, please call 202.966.6114 or visit mazzagallerie.com.

Address

5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20015

Beasley Real Estate Presents “The Princess Bride”

August 4th, 2013 at 07:30 PM

Join Beasley Real Estate on Sunday night for a free community movie night!
Now in its second year, the “Best of Summer” series is a great opportunity for new and old neighbors to get together and enjoy a great night under the stars.

A two-story screen, free popcorn and other goodies, too!

Address

Corner of Bethesda Avenue & Woodmont Avenue; Bethesda, MD 20814

Jane Austen Film Festival – Pride & Prejudice (2005)

August 7th, 2013 at 07:00 PM | Free | education@dumbartonhouse.org | Tel: 202-337-2288 | Event Website

You are cordially invited to join us on the lawn of the North Garden at Georgetown’s Dumbarton House for Pride & Prejudice (2005), the third and final film in our Jane Austen Film Festival.

Admission is free, thanks to the generous support of our corporate sponsor, Long & Foster’s Georgetown Office, a Christie’s Affiliate.

Address

Dumbarton House; 2715 Q Street NW

Georgetowner • July 22, 2013

Bastille Day at French Embassy

July 12th, 2013 at 07:00 PM | $110-150 | Event Website

The highly anticipated Bastille Day soirée offers foodies the chance to rub elbows with Washingtons top chefs, dancers the opportunity to “cut a rug” in style, bargain hunters the thrill of finding amazing deals and Francophiles a spectacular night behind the gates of the Embassy of France. There is also an online auction full of tempting luxurious vacation packages.

Address

Embassy of France; 4101 Reservoir Road NW

Annapolis Irish Festival

July 12th, 2013 at 04:00 PM | $10-20 | Event Website](http://www.annapolisirishfestival.com/Annapolis_Irish_Festival/Home.html)

The 3rd Annual Annapolis Irish Festival is expected to attract over 22,000 people and will feature traditional Celtic music, nationally recognized bands, Irish dancing, special workshops and exhibits and authentic Irish food as well as a large children?s area. The event will once again kick-off with a special Friday night Twilight Concert from 4-10 pm, sponsored by the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Three bands will take the stage for this salute to the military and will include free admission for everyone between 4-5 pm and free for all men and women currently serving the country with an active military ID.

Address

Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds; 1450 General’s Highway; Crownsville, MD 21032

Union Market Drive-In: Dr. Strangelove

July 12th, 2013 at 09:00 PM | Event Website](http://unionmarketdc.com/events/dc-drive-in/)

Union Market will host Washington D.C.’s first drive-in movie experience, which will screen on Fridays. Watch classic Washington D.C.- centric films on Union Market’s 3-story wall. Pre-show festivities will include music, contests and special giveaways. A variety of Union Market vendors will also participate, serving food, drinks and fun snacks.

The DC Drive-In is free to attend, however reservations are suggested for cars. Don’t have a car? There will be a picnic area in the parking lot for bikers and walkers – no reservations are required for the picnic area.

Address

Union Market; 1309 5th Street NE

Lake Anne Plaza – 4th Annual Ukulele Festival

July 13th, 2013 at 11:00 AM | 0 | Event Website](http://www.lakeanneplaza.com/)

Ukulele fans will grab their ukes and converge on the Lake Anne waterfront in historic heart of Reston. The free music festival will feature performances by several internationally known and local ukulele musicians, music demonstrations, open to the public jam session, beer garden, festival vendors, and other family friendly activities. www.lakeanneplaza.com for performance line up.

Address

Lake Anne Plaza (Waterfront) – 1609 Washington Plaza, Reston, VA 20190

Bastille Day Fete

July 14th, 2013 at 02:00 PM | | Tel: 202-817-3340 | Event Website](http://malmaisondc.com/)

Celebrate Bastille Day at Malmaison from 2 to 9PM featuring children activies from 2-4PM, coffee and juice bar, pastries and sandwiches and a live crepe stand.
There will also be a Parisian Flair costume contest and a Waiter Race commemorating the storming of the Bastille Fortress Prison. At 8:00 PM a dinner for two gift card ($50 value) will be awarded for the guest who most exemplifies the fashion savvy of a Parisian socialite!

Address

Malmaison; 3401 Water Street, NW

The Goddess Diaries

July 14th, 2013 at 04:30 PM | $17 | DianeHN@cox.net | Tel: 703-628-9112 | Event Website](https://www.capitalfringe.org/festival-2013/shows/15-the-goddess-diaries)

A production in this year’s Capital Fringe Festival, The Goddess Diaries uses music and storytelling to weave together mythology and the modern journey of real women.

Address

The Mountain at Mt. Vernon Methodist Church; 900 Massachusetts Ave, NW

Georgetown Walking Tour with Cupcakes

July 14th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | $20 | Tel: 202-337-2288 | Event Website](http://julycupcakewalkingtour.eventbrite.com/)

Join Dwane Starlin, member of the Guild of Professional Tour Guides, for a delightful walking tour of Georgetown- with history and cupcakes! The tour will begin at Dumbarton House and make stops at three cupcake shops in Georgetown- Baked & Wired, Sprinkles, and Georgetown Cupcake. The ticket price includes one cupcake from each shop. Please note, the tour will not return to Dumbarton House, but will end at Sprinkles.Comfy walking shoes a must! No pets, please.

Address

Dumbarton House; 2715 Q Street, NW

Cocktail Happy Hour

July 16th, 2013 at 06:30 PM | $15

Capital City Ball presents a cocktail happy hour to benefit the fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. $15 suggested donation at door. Raffle will be held night of.

Address

The Graham; 1075 Thomas Jefferson St NW

Georgetowner •

Heidi Martin & The Simon Bros. Trio The Music of Abbey Lincoln

July 18 at 6:30 p.m. | $10 | Tel: 202-337-2288 | Event Website

Join us for a summer concert in the North Garden of historic Dumbarton House. Chanteuse Heidi Martin & The Simon Bros. Trio will delight with the music of Abbey Lincoln. Two sets of different music, and you are welcome to attend one or stay for both!

Bring blankets and lawn chairs (must be set up at the back of the audience) and enjoy the ambiance at one of Georgetown’s most historic homes. Chairs will not be provided for this garden performance. The museum will not be open for this event.

Address

Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St., NW

Jayme McLellan in Conversation with Casey Smith

July 19 at 6 p.m. | Free | info@heinercontemporary.com | Tel: 202.338.0072 | Event Website

Heiner Contemporary is pleased to host a conversation between artist Jayme McLellan and Casey Smith. They will discuss McLellan’s exhibition, which centers on a fable by Thích Nh?t Hanh about a river who learns to make peace with her jealousy of the clouds. Influenced by the Buddhist teachings of Hanh and the work of Alfred Stieglitz, John Constable and James Turrell, McLellan’s compositions are at once meditative and critically engaged with the legacy of artists looking to the sky.

Address

Heiner Contemporary; 1675 Wisconsin Ave., NW

The Castleton Festival: Third Weekend

July 19 at 8 p.m. | $20-$120 | BoxOffice@castletonfestival.org | Tel: 1-866-974-0767 | Event Website

July 19 at 8 p.m.: Verdi’s “Otello”

July 20 at 11 a.m.: “Cats,” spectacular song recitals

July 20 at 3 p.m.: “La Voix Humaine” (“The Human Voice”) as a double bill, pairing for the first time the Cocteau play and the Poulenc opera

July 20 at 7 p.m.: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Requiem” and Barber’s “Violin Concerto”

July 21 at 11 am.: Chamber music by Mahler

July 21 at 2 p.m.: Puccini’s “The Girl of the Golden West”

Address

The Castleton Festival Theatre, 7 Castleton Meadows Lane, in Castleton, Rappahannock County, Va., 60 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and 45 minutes from Charlottesville, Va. NOTE: some performances take place in the Castleton Theatre House. Please see www.castletonfestival.org for more information.

Brussels, Mussels, and Beer-Tasting Hustle: Annual Mussel Throw Down

July 20th, 2013 at 11:00 AM | Admission tickets are $5 | info@belgacafe.com | Event Website

Going on its fourth year, DC’s mighty contingent of Belgian-influenced chefs will come together to celebrate the food, drink and culture of Belgium for a week of festivities leading to Belgian National Day on Sunday, July 21. Foodies needn’t flock to Brussels to indulge in frîtes, mussels and chocolaty treats, as the week [July 15-21] of decadent desserts, cordial cocktails, and savory meals culminates to the down-and-dirty musseling battle. So let the games begin with the Mussel Throw Down! The annual event kicks off at 11AM on Saturday, July 20 at Eastern Market with $5 admission tickets good for one beer or pot of mussels, and the live entertainment of chefs muscling up their skills. Reigning champ Martin Castillo [Belga Café] returns with seasoned vets Geert Pifferoen [Locolat] and Paul Stearman [Mussel Bar & Grille] while newcomers Anthony Acinapura [Brasserie Beck], Thijs Clinckemaillie [B Too], Andras Horvath [Et Voila] and Jeremy Kermisch [Granville Moore’s] try their hand in this mussel scuffle.

Address

Eastern Market Hall; 225 7th Street SE

Fairy Tea

July 20 at 1 p.m. | Member Child: $20 | Non-Member Child: $25 | Adult: $10 | [Event Website](http://tudorplacefairyteajuly2013.eventbrite.com/)

for children and families (ages 3+)

Bring your favorite Tinkerbell to dress up in tutus, wands, and wings. Children select their outfits from the fairy wardrobe provided, and then assemble (with accompanying grown-ups) for tea and desserts served by a costumed interpreter who will show and tell all about the favored drink of early America. Next, tour Tudor Place’s enchanting gardens in search of fairy traces and hiding places before making a special period craft to take home.

Address

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, 1644 31 St., NW

9TH Annual “Dogtopia Charity Dog Wash”

July 21 at noon | $15.00 | emannix@fish-consulting.com | Tel: 954 893 9150 | [Event Website](http://www.dogdaycare.com/k9support/)

Dogtopia, a national dog day care franchise, will host its 9th Annual Charity Dog Wash to benefit dogs who work year-round. All 29 stores, including those in the D.C. area, will participate in the nationwide event to raise money for Veterans Moving Forward. D.C.’s dog owners are invited to bring their dogs in for a bath given by Dogtopia’s trained team members and volunteers. The event will feature give-ways, food, photo booths, fun and games for the whole family.

Address

1609 Washington Plaza, Reston, Va. 20190

D.C. Scoop!

July 21 at 1 p.m. | [Event Website](http://unionmarketdc.com/events/the-dc-scoop/)

Taste — and judge — the District’s best ice cream, gelato, custard, frozen yogurt and other summer treats – for free – on National Ice Cream Day. Foodies, have no fear, you’ll be in good company. Stirrers and shakers of the D.C. food scene will serve on a panel of judges to determine the 2013 D.C. Scoop Winner.

Address

Union Market, 1309 5th St., NE

Potomack Company July/August Designer and Garden Internet Auction

July 22 at 10 a.m. | info@potomackcompany.com | Tel: 703-684-4550 | [Event Website](http://www.potomackcompany.com/)

Keep cool this summer by bidding online Artfact.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Bidding will be open for the entirety of the preview.

Preview Schedule:

Mon., July 22 to Fri., July 26: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sat., July 27: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mon., July 29 to Fri., Aug. 2: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mon., Aug. 5: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Address

The Potomack Company; 1120 N. Fairfax St.; Alexandria, Va 22314

Industree Speaker Series

July 23 at 11 a.m. | $25-45 | [Event Website](http://www.dcindustree.com/#!speaker-series/component_41229)

Washington, D.C., hospitality veteran Alisia Kleinmann and founder of event-based hospitality organization, industree, has officially announced the theme and line-up for its second speaker series. This one-of-a-kind event is slated to feature an intimate look inside the success stories of prominent chefs and chef-owners based in the D.C. area: how they got started in the hospitality industry and what it took to get theme to where they are today. Each chef will also discuss their thoughts on the evolving culinary scene in and around Washington D.C. The event will feature guest speakers in a relaxed setting and a Q&A session following the live discussion.

Address

Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW