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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

$3 PBR at the National Portrait Gallery

So, as you may know, there is a café at the National Portrait Gallery. What you may not know is that at that café, among the drinks they have available, are $3 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon.


Yes, $3 cans of PBR. I enjoyed one last week, while waiting for a friend in the Kogod Courtyard.

I realize this might not be news to others, and it shouldn't have been news to me, as many times as I've been to the gallery and enjoyed treats from the cafe in the courtyard.

But it was, and I was pleasantly surprised, although I'm still wondering why. I mentioned this to some other friends who also found the idea of PBR at the portrait gallery's cafe unexpected, much less for only $3.

Maybe it's the image we have of art galleries in general, particularly those that are a part of the Smithsonian, as being somewhat controlled and restrained, contrasted with the image of PBR and the envirnoments it is normally consumed in, usually being a little more casual and..."festive".

Maybe this is the very reason some smart manager decided to stock PBR at the cafe. Because I can tell you at least one of my friends at least a little more likely to hang out at the courtyard there, now that he knows he can get a $3 PBR to enjoy.

Anyway, just wanted to share,

JR

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Crafty Bastards, Figment, and Art All Night!!

Check out just some of the awesome things happening this weekend!!

Crafty Bastards
Now in its 12th year, Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade goods from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. Crafty Bastards 2014 featured 175+ vendors.
When: Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27; 10 am - 5 pm
Where: Union Market
Cost: $5 per day


Figment DC
FIGMENT is a free, interactive, non-commercial, participatory arts festival created for, and by, the community. It is a gift for each of us. A chance to create, to engage, to play.
When: Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27; 11 am - 5 pm.
Where: Anacostia Park, Section E
Cost: Free
Art All Night DC
Watch as DC’s creative community re-imagines public and private space and invites us all to see our city anew. Indoor and outdoor venues will showcase work by artists in a diverse range of media.
When: Saturday, September 26, 7 pm - Sunday, September 27, 3 am
Where: Dupont Circle, Shaw, North Capitol, H Street NE, and Congress Heights
Cost: Free

Which of these events will you be checking out this weekend? Are you going to be a cultural warrior and try to hit up all three? I know I will!

- J Street Jr

Monday, September 21, 2015

Kleen City this Thursday


Welcome to daylife, indeed!! If you haven't heard about Kleen City yet it is a:
Unique morning music event catered to a healthy lifestyle crowd. KLEEN strives to promote an environment to enjoy dance music in a new way.
I have personally had tickets to each event they've thrown in DC. I've only missed one, and that was because I forgot to set my alarm...because I am normally not a morning person.

But I love waking up for these events. And there are still tickets available, as of the time of this post: get tickets here.

And this Thursday there is a morning yoga class and boot camp, as well as dance and pool party!! Hope to see you there,

- J Street JR

After Hours at the Hirshhorn with Tycho Recap

Check out this Storify from the Hirshhorn, of their After Hours event featuring Tycho, this past Friday.

It was my first time attending one of their After Hours, and I had a blast! Check it out.


Did you go? What did you think?

Do you wish you went? Why didn't you make it?

- J Street Jr

Saturday, January 31, 2015

February 2015 Picks

First post of the new year!!

Getting back into the swing of things after the holidays and letting January settle. So let's get right to it, here are just some of my picks for arts events in the DC area in February.


Feb 9 & 10 - Cherokee at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Pay What You Can nights!!

Two couples—one black, one white—flee their suburban pressures and try to connect with nature by camping in a forest near Cherokee, North Carolina. But their vacation is upended when one member of the group vanishes and the others are visited by a mysterious local…who brings the otherworldly woods to life and unearths buried desires that might change their lives forever.
And "Pay What You Can" means exactly that, which means tickets go fast when the box office opens at 6pm. Folks line up as early as 4pm!!


Feb 10 - Hail Mary: Stories about Long Shots, Last Resorts, and Desperate Acts

Our monthly storytelling series -- our first program -- has been taking place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month in Washington, DC since 1997. Over the years, we've added tons of other shows and events, but our monthly show remains SpeakeasyDC's backbone. Tonight's show, like all of our shows, will feature a mix of eight to ten first-timer storytellers and regulars, who will take the stage to share their twist on the night's theme.
Disclaimer: I am a proud board member of SpeakeasyDC.

Even so, I can honestly say that there is something unique with the work we do. And you don't have to take my word for it. Just come to the show, listen to our first-timers and observe how they and the audience engage with each other.


Feb 20 & 21 - Laser Cat at the Yards!! [Free]
Laser Cat is a gigantic feline-shaped art installation that projects creative work crowd-sourced from around the world through its laser-beam eyes.
Laser Cat Washington, D.C. from Hungry Castle on Vimeo.

More information about laser cat as well as submitting art to be considered can be found at Washington Projects for the Arts' site.

And here are a couple of additional links.



Might be a little biased because I'm going to support friends of my who are DJ'ing that night (Proxxy & Lantern, Malphunktion, & Chrstian Dope) as much if not more so than I'm going to hear Krafty Kuts.



Disclaimer #2: I sit on the steering committee of the Emerging Arts Leaders DC.

After years of operating with an informal membership structure, part of our strategic plan was to formalize it so as to consistently and sustainably serve arts professionals who regularly attend our events and participate in our programming.

And we even have plans for those who have already "emerged" as arts leaders in DC, as well!! Email me if you would like to know more about that, or join us at our launch party at Studio Theatre!!


Feb 28, 9am - Black Theatre Symposium [Free for students]


Theatre professionals, scholars, and students will convene to discuss and take action around these questions as we explore the expansion of of an inclusive presence and influence in the field of theatre.
I went to the first one last year, and am excited to be attending again!!


Feb 28, 5-7pm - What is a Citizen Artist? [Free]

Under the umbrella of the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s INTERSECTIONS Festival, “What is a Citizen Artist?” is a city-wide creative convening to explore ways DC Citizen Artists can create a city rooted in more empathy, equity, and social imagination.
Yeah...Saturday's gonna be a busy day!!



That's it for now!! Will certainly post as other things come up, and will always do my best to highlight things that I plan on attending and occasionally am involved with.

If you have any other recommendations, please let others know what they are in the comments below,

- J Street Jr

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Holiday dance picks

Just a follow up from last week's post with several holiday theatre picks. Here are some dance happenings for the holidays, in no particular order:

1) Magical Musical Holiday Step Show, Step Afrika!

Join the dynamic artists of Step Afrika!, DJ Frosty the Snowman and their friends from the Arctic Kingdom as they dance, make music and celebrate the spirit of the season! This popular H Street Holiday tradition is now in its 4th year, we are excited to share the joy of the Holidays with you!
The show runs from December 11 to 22, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.


Set in 1882 Georgetown, this gorgeous production showcases the grandeur of The Washington Ballet’s international roster of dancers and majesty of Tchaikovsky’s music. Replete with swirling snowflakes, cherry blossoms and historical characters, including George Washington as the heroic nutcracker, TWB’s The Nutcracker has become a tradition for generations of family and friends to celebrate the holidays.
The show runs from December 4 to 28, at the Warner Theatre.

3) A Hip Hop Christmas Carol, Culture Shock

Not a clip from the show, but a video posted on the event page.



The show only has three performances, one on Dec 19, two on Dec 20, at Dance Place.

So there are three more holiday picks, following my theatre ones from last week. Any other holiday dance happenings you've got on your list?

Check it twice, share yours in the comments!!

- J Street Jr

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Holiday theatre picks

Hey there,

Been a long while since I've blogged, but getting back to it. Thought a good way to jump start this blog again, would be by sharing some holiday theatre picks I highly recommend checking out this year!!

1) Black Nativity, Theater Alliance:

This Christmas classic returns to Theater Alliance with a fresh voice. Langston Hughes chronicles and celebrates the birth of Jesus, while also celebrating the birth of Blackness. This classic story told through gospel, blues, funk, jazz, and dance asks you to look inward and find the wonder in life.
The show runs at the Anacostia Playhouse from December 11, 2014 to January 4, 2015.

2) A Very Pointless Holiday Spectacular, Pointless Theatre:
It's Christmas eve at the North Pole, and Santa's elves are off the clock and ready to cut loose! Pointless Theatre presents a winter cabaret for adults, an irreverent celebration of the holidays featuring puppetry, improv, and a funky reindeer band.
The show runs at Flashpoint's Mead Theatre Lab from December 2nd - January 3rd.

3) A Christmas Carol, Ford's Theatre:
Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Originally conceived by Michael Baron, this music-infused production captures the magic and joy of Dickens’s Yuletide classic. Acclaimed Washington stage actor Edward Gero returns to play Scrooge.
The show runs from November 20, 2014-January 1, 2015. Check out the trailer below:



So, those are my three. What are yours, theatre or other?

Please share other holiday arts happenings you'd recommend in the comments!!

- J Street Jr