Learn about and enjoy wine from five Californian experts at the National Museum of American History on Monday night. (Photo by Mr.TinDC)
Drink beer and do yoga at the same time; celebrate Disney and drag at the same time; look at animals and eat local food at the same time; and more in this week’s roundup of the area’s most intriguing events.
MONDAY, MAY 15
WINE NIGHT: Hold the wine glasses and head to the National Museum of American History for a night of imbibing and storytelling courtesy of five Latino winemakers from California, whose innovations have shaped wine culture across the country in significant ways. Don’t go too hard, though — tomorrow’s Tuesday, and there’s more work to be done. (American History Museum; 6:30 to 9 p.m.; $40)
MOUSE EARS AND MORE: There are few events on earth, if any, that offer a night of Disney-themed fun and and an appearance by the cast of Front & Center Stage’s Dragalicious Love & War. Disney is progressive, but not that progressive. The exception is this Monday night at the La-Ti-Do cabaret. Take that, Orlando and Anaheim. (Bistro Bistro, 8 to 10 p.m.; $15)
WHAT ABOUT BOB?: New York Times Book Review editor Pamela Paul has a friend named Bob. OK, it’s actually more of a companion. Bob is actually B.o.B. — not the famous rapper, but the Book of Books, in which Paul logs everything she reads. Now Paul has written a whole book about Bob, entitled My Life with Bob, and she’ll discuss it tonight. Also, chew on this: If she reads her new book, she’ll have to mark it down in Bob…which is too meta, even for me. (Politics and Prose, 7 to 8 p.m.; FREE)
KNOW YOUR HISTORY: Songbyrd Music House & Record Cafe in Adams Morgan is hosting a music trivia night. But don’t let teachers or professors anywhere near the event description, which includes this sinful sentence: “Wikipedia is a good resource.” And while that is undoubtedly true, certain education professionals would have a heart attack upon reading that. Spare them the agony, and keep this event to yourself. (Songbyrd; 7 to 9 p.m.; FREE)
More: Thievery Corporation at Kennedy Center; Civil Cigar Lounge Monday Night Tailgate; Comics and Cocktails; Tony Fletcher at Busboys and Poets; TeamHappyTrees at Nellie’s; Netsuke’s Journey Exhibition
TUESDAY, MAY 16
A lecture on Tuesday night will illuminate the works of prolific costume designer Miles White. (Photo courtesy of Concerts from the Library of Congress)
FINEST THREADS: Miles White has a formidable repertoire of costume designs, including work for the original productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and Carousel, and for films like The Greatest Show on Earth and Around the World in 80 Days. He died in 2000, but his work lives on, as evidenced by a new lecture on his work. (Library of Congress Whittall Pavilion; 12 to 1 p.m.; FREE)
JUST RELAX. PLEASE.: For those who find yoga stressful — which, by the way, is kind of not the point — Wunder Garten has the perfect solution: beer. The combination might seem unconventional, but Wunder Garten promises it’s “no pressure, never too serious. Just fun, feel good yoga.” (Wunder Garten; 6 to 6:50 p.m.; $20)
EXPLORE HAITI: Busboys and Poets has devoted a full week this month to showcasing Haitian cuisine and culture at its own locations and elsewhere in the city. One highlight is a four-course meal with one cocktail, all prepared by chef Dimitri Lilavois. (Mulebone; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; $53.10)
IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH (MOSTLY SICKNESS): Here’s an event that’s sick, in every sense of the word. A medical doctor will present a screening of the documentary Eating You Alive, which examines the hard truths about why humans are so often under the weather. Cough during the screening at your own peril. (Sligo Church; 7 to 9 p.m.; FREE)
More: Moana at Walter Pierce Park; Two Roads DC Launch; National Building Museum Gala After Party; Colm Toibin at Politics and Prose; Sathianathan Clarke at The Potter’s House; Charmaine Craig at Busboys and Poets
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17
Make an amulet to ward off spirits at the National Museum of African Art on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of the National Museum of African Art)
YAY OR NEIGH: Is a horse just a horse? At a new exhibit at the Embassy of Peru, the answer is a resounding “no.” The country received a common horse as a gift from Spain five centuries ago, and the varied legacy of the animal includes its status as a potent national symbol. (Embassy of Peru; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; FREE)
IMMIGRANT SONG: “Modern” and “opera” don’t often come in the same sentence, but that doesn’t mean the two words can’t co-exist. On Wednesday night, Studio Theatre will present the modern opera From My Mother’s Mother, which explores the American immigrant experience and attempts to pass down traditions from one family to another. A bonus before the main act: the Jeeyoung Kim Ensemble of Tryst, a combination of voice and chamber music commissioned by the Silk Road Ensemble and renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. (Studio Theatre; 7 to 8 p.m.; FREE)
: John Kiriakou spent 23 months in prison earlier this decade after blowing the whistle on the CIA’s use of torture on Al Qaeda prisoners. That topic continues to arouse passionate debate (thanks, Zero Dark Thirty), but there’s not denying the power of Kiriakou’s story, and the punishment he faced for his decision. During a signing event, he’ll discuss his experiences and his new book Doing Time Like a Spy. (Kramerbooks; 6:30 to 8 p.m.; FREE)
MAKE ART: Artists and the artistically disinclined alike can tackle amulet making at the Smithsonian. All skill levels and ages are welcome for a workshop and discussion of charms used throughout Africa to bring good fortune or protect their owner. (National Museum of African Art; 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.; FREE)
More: Jeffrey Tambor at Sixth & I; 2017 Activist Awards; China Mieville at Politics and Prose; The Country Doctor at the Avalon Theatre; My Limon Roots Exhibit; Dinner with Spies; The Veg Tiffin at Pansaari; Painted Uncorked
THURSDAY, MAY 18
The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is among the buildings designed by renowned architect David Adjaye, who will discuss his work at a conversation event Thursday. (Photo by Tim Brown)
ENJOY, NO CHARGE: It’s Free Art Museum Day! For many museums in D.C., that’s every day. But the National Museum of Women in the Arts is an exception, which means Thursday is a particularly good day to visit. Current exhibitions feature abstract colors, clay sculptures and the American Southwest. (National Museum of Women in the Arts; All Day; FREE)
GO WILD: More than 100 restaurants will gather within the National Zoo for the annual fundraiser Zoofari, an evening of complimentary tastings and animal encounters. Presumably the two will be quite separate, to avoid any and all sanitation risks. (National Zoo; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; $200)
WONDERS OF THE WORLD: David Adjaye is best known ’round these parts for designing the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture, but he also boasts a long and varied resume of projects around the world. Here at home, he’s currently at work redeveloping the West Heating Plant in Georgetown for residential use. Adjaye, recently named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, will take a break from his architectural work for a chat with architecture critic Paul Goldberger. (National Building Museum; 6:30 to 8 p.m.; $15)
EXPLORE: Urban Adventure Quest will send willing participants racing across the city to find clues, learn local history and assemble a puzzle that will lead them to…a position on a nationwide leaderboard, and bragging rights. It’s the journey, not the destination. (Start at Smithsonian Metro stop; 10 to 2
More: A Night of Techno Exploration; Nathan Hill at Politics and Prose; 13 Colors of the Honduran Resistance; History & Hops at the Heurich House Museum; Gallery Talk: Kelly Towles and Jasper Wong; A Letter to Niyyah
Other helpful links to plan your week:
This Week in Jazz
May Arts Agenda
May Theater Guide
How To Eat Your Way Through D.C. This Week
