10 Of Our Favorite Events in D.C. This Week

Prince Of Petworth January 16, 2018 at 12:45pm

By: Mimi Montgomery

TUESDAY, JAN. 16

HAMLET: To be, or not to be – that’s the question at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s opening night of Hamlet. Will the Danish prince succumb to the wishes of his father’s ghosts? Find out yourself: See the classic tale by William Shakespeare on the stage through Feb. 25. (Shakespeare Theatre Company, 7:30 p.m., $44 – $102)

LEARN ASL: Head to Bloomingdale’s Big Bear Cafe for an American Sign Language class. The event will focus on learning to sign terms used in coffee shops and when interacting with folks out in public. There will be food and drink specials available for the class, and all are welcome. (Big Bear Cafe, 6 – 8 p.m., FREE)

BOOK TALK: Author Ed Yong will be at Kramerbooks to discuss his New York Times-bestseller “I Contain Multitudes.” The book looks at the microbes that live within us, and how the microbiome defines our organs, immune systems, behavior, genes, and more. It’s a look into a microscopic world that you may have never known existed. (Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe, 6:30 – 8 p.m., FREE)

MORE: Burning Man for Beginners (GlowHouse, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., FREE, RSVP required), Judex (Suns Cinema, 8 – 10 p.m., $5), Sauf Haus Open Mic feat. Johnny Grave (Sauf Haus Bier Hall & Garden, 7:30 – 10 p.m., FREE), January Distiller Dinner (Brookland’s Finest Bar & Kitchen, 5 – 10:30 p.m., FREE), The Emotional Labor Union: #metoo (The Lemon Collective, 7 – 8:30 p.m., $25)

Photo by Miki J.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17

ARTISTIC SELFIES: It’s National Selfie Day, so you might as well try to get some impressive backdrops for your pics. Take an art walk through the National Portrait Gallery and stop along the way to let the famous portraits photobomb your selfies. Whoever snaps the best one gets a prize! (National Portrait Gallery, 5:45 – 7 p.m., FREE, registration required)

SPANISH FOOD CULTURE:

Historian and culinary critic José Berasaluce will discuss the effect of Spanish food culture on the U.S. in his talk “Spanish Gastronomy and Cultural Innovation.” The talk will be given in Spanish, but there will be an English translator on-site. (James Madison Memorial Building, 12 noon – 1 p.m., FREE, registration required)

BUZZ BUZZ: Who wants honey? Head over to a beekeeping talk that’s all about making your hive cozy for the winter. Whether you’re a veteran beekeeper or new to the game, spring is just around the corner, which means its almost prime bee time. (National Grange, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., $25 – $30)

MORE: Three’s Comedy (Laugh Index Theatre, 8 – 9:30 p.m., $5), Lecture: Spanish Gastronomy and Cultural Innovation (James Madison Memorial Building, 12 noon – 1 p.m., FREE, registration required), Sip n Sketch (Provision No. 14, 6 – 9 p.m., $15), Explore Your Sixth Sense Through Tarot (The Lemon Collective, 7 – 8 p.m., $30), J-Film: La La La at Rock Bottom (Japan Information & Culture Center, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., FREE, registration required)

Photo by Josh

THURSDAY, JAN. 18

LET’S GET MEDIEVAL: If you’re into Game of Thrones, this is for you: Head to the National Building Museum tonight to construct a cardboard fort and battle other opponents in a foam ball war. You can also take a virtual tour of the landscapes that inspired GOT’s sets, sit on the Iron Throne, hear talks about ancient thrones from a Smithsonian research assistant, and sample medieval-themed food and cocktails. No White Walkers in attendance. (National Building Museum, 6 – 9 p.m., $35 – $45)

POLITICS NOW: The NPR Politics Podcast will be taping an episode in front of a live audience tonight at the Warner Theatre. Join hosts Scott Detrow, a congressional reporter, and Tamara Keith, a White House correspondent, as they discuss and analyze today’s political climate. (Warner Theatre, 7 p.m., $34 – $96)

PARALLEL UNIVERSE: Artechouse’s latest exhibit “Parallel Universe” opens today. It’s the first solo exhibition by Turkish art studio Ouchhh, and it explores nature and space through 3D projections, light installations, and digital media. Head to the exhibit during the evening, and try one of the gallery’s Augmented Reality Cocktails. (Artechouse, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m., $8 – $15)

MORE: An Evening with Patrick Rue & The Bruery (The Sovereign, 5 – 11 p.m., FREE), Champagne Tasting (The City Club of Washington, D.C., 6:30 – 8 p.m., $65 and up), Film Screening: Troublemakers – The Story of Land Art (The Kreeger Museum, 7 – 8:30 p.m., $10), Opening Reception: New Year, New Artists (Long View Gallery, 6:30 – 8 p.m., FREE), DIY Rules for a WTF World (Busboys and Poets 5th & K, 7 – 8:30 p.m., FREE), Happenings Happy Hour: Oh He Dead (Shakespeare Theatre Company, 6 – 7 p.m., FREE, RSVP required), Concert: The Emperor’s New Harp (Washington National Cathedral, 7:30 – 9 p.m., $10 – $40), A Conversation About “Americans” (Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., FREE, registration required), Circles Around the Sun (9:30 Club, 7 – 11 p.m., $20), Art Noights! (Hole in the Sky Collective, 7 – 11 p.m., FREE), Best of International Shorts Film Festival 2017 (French Embassy, 7 – 9:30 p.m., FREE, registration required), 50th Anniversary Lecture: James Smithsonian and His Library (National Museum of American History, 6:30 – 8 p.m., FREE, registration required)