It's summer and our beloved Arts Editor is away this week, so the agenda is a little on the short side. Here are a few things to see. >> We have written before about the Washington Project for the Arts\Corcoran's Experimental Media project. Starting this week, WPA\C is hosting a new show called SiteProjects DC. Curator Welmoed Laanstra has asked 15 local artists to create site-specific outdoor artwork, both installations and performances, through July 28,......

Last night, Northeast D.C. saw a robbery, a high-speed chase, gun shots directed at police, an injured cyclist, and a barricade situation, all rolled into one. Police cars, flashing lights and emergency vehicles woke up many residents late last night around a normally quiet stretch of Capitol Hill. NBC 4 notes that investigators have said the incident "started around 9:30 p.m. after three suspects robbed a man at gunpoint at 41st and Benning Road Northeast......

MONDAY: It's hard to think of a more appropriate person to have written On the Wealth of Nations, part of the new Grove Atlantic Great Books series where contemporary writers flesh out the work of humanity's most important thinkers, than P.J. O'Rourke. Harder still to imagine a time when everyone agreed that P.J. O'Rourke had a sense of humor. At Politics and Prose at 7 p.m., also Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Cato Institute,......

Blue Duck Paddles into the Park Hyatt It appears to be duck day here on DCist. With the old-school Melrose long gone, the Park Hyatt has recently reopened its restaurant at the 24th and M Streets, NW property. The Blue Duck Tavern, Chef Brian McBride's venue for "wholesome American fare," has slid into its space full of "polished glass, stainless steel, and concrete." The press release for the new restaurant says a lot about the......

We don't normally include musical events in Baltimore in this agenda, for obvious reasons. However, we are leading off with a singular opportunity up in Charm City this week, the production of Jake Heggie's opera Dead Man Walking (premiered by San Francisco Opera in 2000) at Baltimore Opera. This new opera was a smash success at its premiere and has been revived in several more successful productions in the years since. Having just gone up......

After months of waiting and wondering, t-shirt enthusiasts can relax now that American Apparel (11th/F St. NW) has opened in the District. The store has been open less than two weeks, but given the clientele over the weekend we suspect some sort of blast fax was sent out in the hipster community. American Apparel began as a t-shirt company, but has since expanded its line of clothing for men, women and children to include everything......

Del Ray Dreamery Forced to Change Name Just when we thought it was safe to go get some frozen custard, corporate evil rears its ugly head yet again. Del Ray institution, the Dreamery, is being forced to change its name by Integrated Brands, Inc., the folks who make Edy's. "Integrated Brands." What kind of name is that? Apparently the kind that hates fun. And freedom. Anyway, Dreamery owner Liz Davis is holding a contest......

Restaurant bars are uneven. Some are great places to tip one back, while others are glorified waiting rooms full of eager would-be diners. Recently we had the pleasure of learning that the bar at Zola falls into the former category. Adjacent to the International Spy Museum, Zola features a modern, cool interior that only nominally follows the theme of subterfuge. Walls are decorated with various lines of what we think was code, either in......

FRIDAY: >> If you're not Black Cat-ed out from the Unbuckled concert last night, head over to the mainstage to catch an indie-tastic show with The Whips, Her Daily Obsession (at right), and The Hard Tomorrows, all of whom we hear will put on one hell of a show. Doors are at 9:30 p.m.; $8. >> If you missed a screening of "9:30 F ST," the documentary about the old 9:30 Club, worry not --......

MONDAY: >> In one of the strongest bills of the summer, the Pixies and Bloc Party (at left) take the stage at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Gates are open at 5:30 p.m. >> Local rockers Greenland and City-State hit DC9 with Richmond band Conshafter for $6. TUESDAY: >> Arlington punk quartet Four Letter Lies plays with local glam rockers Death By Sexy at the Black Cat. 9 p.m., $5. THURSDAY: >> Bloc Party, post sharing the......

Don't forget to check out our music and arts agendas for other events going on this Memorial Day weekend (especially since this weekend is your last chance to see a lot of great exhibitions). FRIDAY: >> We wrote about the outdoor Shakespeare Free for All earlier in the week, and still recommend you check out the staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. and run through June 5. >> Students from......

FRIDAY: >> All weekend long we've got Filmfest DC! Check out the schedule here, and if you haven't picked up a copy of this week's City Paper, you really should, because they've got some good Filmfest coverage. >> If you're feeling crafty, you won't want to miss the Smithsonian Craft Show this weekend: there are 120 booths exhibiting and selling some of the nation's finest arts and crafts. Just check out, for example, some of......

Curious how to gain access to the White House briefing room without having to go through all that pesky escort service stuff? Well, an alert reader tipped us off to a panel this evening that should help you out. "How to be a White House Reporter" is sponsored by the National Press Club's Young Members Committee, and will let you in on all the dirty reporter secrets, such as what a "hard pass" is, the......