Bibibop is opening in the former ShopHouse spot in Dupont Circle on Monday. (Photo courtesy of Bibibop)
Welcome ShopHouse’s replacement to D.C., snap a pic with Kevin Hart, fret over the future of journalism with David Fahrenthold, and more in this week’s packed list of the area’s most intriguing events.
MONDAY, JUNE 5
MORE LIFE: Remember when Drake released a very listenable album, calling it a “playlist”, and everybody forgot about it after three days? Seriously, when was the last time you heard anyone talking about More Life? That’s a shame — More Life, imperfections and all, is worth discussing. Anyway, grunge rapper Skepta gets his own interlude on that album, er, playlist, and he’ll take the stage himself tonight. Take this opportunity to reflect on More Life and get familiar with Skepta, an accomplished rapper in his own right. (Fillmore Silver Spring; 8 to 11 p.m.; $26.50)
POSSIBLE GOOD EATS: Speaking of remembering things recently forgotten: ShopHouse. The somewhat beloved Chipotle spinoff had a short lifespan in D.C. before its corporate parent shut down all of its locations. In the D.C. area, the similar fast-casual chain Bibibop is taking over, and the city’s first Bibibop location is celebrating its grand opening in Dupont Circle. Let the Venn diagrams begin. (1516 Connecticut Ave. NW; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
STREAK BROKEN: Remember when the Cubs won the World Series? (Are you sensing a theme?) That was remarkable, so much so that NPR broadcaster Scott Simon wrote a book about the lifelong roller-coaster ride of Cubs fandom. Journalist Bill Press will sit down with Simon to discuss the book, the Cubs and what being a sports fan means in a larger sense. Cubs fans should come prepared with tissues — this could be an emotional one. (Hill Center; 7 to 9 p.m.; FREE)
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Right now, legendary filmmaker Oliver Stone is in the midst of a publicity tour for his upcoming interviews with the man behind the curtain himself, Vladimir Putin. For an unconventional look back at his past, the Washington Psychotronic Film Society is hosting a dinner party screening of Stone’s first film, a 1974 thriller about a horror writer who thinks his characters are coming to life. For the record, “psychotronic” refers to movies that were made on a low budget or poorly received by critics. Both apply in this case. (Smoke & Barrel; 7:30 to 11 p.m.; FREE)
HEALING: Six Americans who experienced profound traumas traveled to India last March for a 10-day respite of spiritual healing. From India With Love tells their story, and after a screening, Washington Post social media editor Gene Park will discuss it with Mandar Apte, the film’s director and the founder of a non-profit of the same name. (Landmark E Street Cinema; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; FREE)
Bonus: MCON – the Millennial Conference is sold out, but you can catch the livestream online for speeches from CEOs, influencers, filmmakers and more. And if none of that is enough, Allison Williams of Girls and Get Out is delivering a keynote on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Miss that at your own peril.
More: Fertile Ground Book Launch and Discussion; Mindful Monday Yoga at The Potter’s House; CardioHit at National Harbor; Capital Pride Presents Give Me Life at Cobalt; Catholic Trivia Night at O’Sullivan’s; The Battle of Midway at the Navy Museum; Sailor in a Box at the Navy Museum; Patricia Lockwood at Politics and Prose; Greater U Street Walking Tour
TUESDAY, JUNE 6
Victor Mutelekesha, who calls himself a “hybrid being,” will discuss his approach to art at the National Museum of African Art on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of the National Museum of African Art)
INTERCONNECTED: Victor Mutelekesha calls himself a “hybrid being,” and his art expands upon that theme. I’m frankly not sure what he means, but you can ask him yourself at his artist talk, where the Norway-based Zambian artist will discuss his work as a 2016-17 Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow. (National Museum of African Art; 12 to 1 p.m.; FREE)
ONE NIGHT ONLY: Here’s a marketing scheme sure to be effective: Pop-Up Magazine — a live show with writers, artists, radio producers and an orchestra — doesn’t record its events, so the only way to see this year’s is to go in person. Guests include Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri, This American Life producer Karen Duffin, chef Samin Nosrat, comedian Yassir Lester (Girls, The Carmichael Show), the MAGIK MAGIK orchestra and more. (Lincoln Theatre; 7:30 to 10 p.m.; $30)
TASTE TEST: A good number of Adams Morgan’s restaurants will participate in the 5th annual Taste of Adams Morgan festival. For a fee, visitors can get tickets to taste food from vendors, and the particularly hangry can get two tastes at all vendors with a VIP ticket. Plus there’s an afterparty at Roofer’s Union. Stomachs will fill, guts will expand, belts will loosen, taste buds will indulge. (Adams Morgan; 5 to 9 p.m.; $35-$75)
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES: A documentary about the fall of Syria and the rise of ISIS? Sounds…topical. And it is, thanks to director Sebastian Junger, whose war documentary Restrepo was nominated for an Oscar. Junger will discuss his new National Geographic film Hell on Earth after a screening. (Landmark E Street Cinema; 7 to 9 p.m.; $12)
GIVE BACK: D-Day has arrived once again. The D.C.-based nonprofit Got Your 6, which seeks to ensure that military veterans are seen as leaders and assets, wants volunteers to help beautify the World War II memorial that morning. This memorial deserves better than to be a repository for litter. (National World War II Memorial; 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; FREE)
More: Jailcare Discussion at The Potter’s House; Rogue One Screening at Walter Pierce Park; Baseball Happy Hour at The Embassy Row Hotel; EuroAsian Shorts Festival: Spain and the Philippines
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7
Wale will take the stage for the WPGC 95.5 birthday bash on Wednesday night at the Howard Theatre. (Photo by Shameek)
KILLER LINEUP: 95.5 WPGC turns 30 years old this week, and its event programmer is not messing around. The celebration lineup includes Wale, the pride of D.C.; Omarion, the pride of teenagers in the mid-2000s; Kyle, the pride of Soundcloud listeners who like Lil Yachty features; and Bibi Bourelly, the pride of Rihanna. (Howard Theatre; 7 to 11 p.m.; $30)
A NEW FOE: It’s easy to hate on the 1 percent. But what if that’s the wrong target of lower-class frustration? Brookings Institution senior fellow Richard Reeves argues as much in his new book Dream Hoarders, which suggests a more useful framework might be “upper middle class” vs. everyone else. That’s a controversial claim, and Reeves will discuss it with New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks, who’s no stranger to controversial claims of his own. Sparks might fly. (Sixth & I; 7 to 8 p.m.; $14 to $35)
TIME MARCHES ON: It’s that time of year (already?): Pride Week. Wunder Garten will help kick things off with a bang, with music from DJ Lehi and games including cornhole, giant jenga and giant chess. (A Harry Potter ripoff, or something else entirely?) (Wunder Garten; 5 p.m. to 12 p.m. the next day; FREE)
And for those critical of Capital Pride’s philosophy, alternative events are also planned this week.
NO STRINGS ATTACHED: A comedy show built around the Jewish holiday Shavuot will feature up-and-coming talent from around the country performing material about staying up all night, as is custom during Shavuot. Watch out, though — this performance is billed as Unkosher. (RFD; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; $10-$15)
More: Sierra Nevada Boot Camp Across the World at Churchkey; SAVOY at Soundcheckdc; #PridePils Happy Hour; Meet the Artist: Nicolas Party; A Pride Rooftop Party at Flash; Cheese Tasting at Glen’s Garden Market; The Big Queer Jewish Pride Happy Hour; Dine N Dash 2017 with Jose Andres; Film Viewing: The Freedom to Marry
THURSDAY, JUNE 8
Be like this guy and become an ultimate frisbee pro at a summer league clinic in Arlington on Thursday. (Photo by wolfkann)
PLAY AND GROW: For some, ultimate frisbee is a curiosity. For others, it’s a casual pastime. For others still, it’s a lifelong commitment. People who fit into all of those categories, and any others I haven’t thought of, are welcome to attend the Washington Area Frisbee Club’s annual summer league clinic, which offers fun for beginners and experts alike. (Long Bridge Park; 8 to 11 p.m.; FREE)
CUT TO THE CHASE: Making friends is hard. Who has time for such frivolity? For those who don’t, Georgetown Library is once again stepping up with an entire event dedicated to “Speed Friending.” Icebreakers will be deployed, qualifications exchanged, laughs shared. And if all goes well, the conversations won’t end when the event does. We’ve found it to be just as awkward and heartbreaking as regular dating. (Georgetown Library; 7 to 9 p.m.; FREE)
MEDIA MOGUL: David Fahrenthold is an exceedingly rare quantity: A dogged print journalist who’s also a household name. He shot to “stardom” last year after he spent most of Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns investigating dubious claims related to his alleged charitable contributions — and when he broke news of the infamous Access Hollywood tape. He just picked up a Pulitzer Prize, and his likely never-ending speaking tour includes a discussion of “News Media in Unprecedented Times.” (Northeast Library; 7 p.m.; FREE)
SMALL BUT MIGHTY: The Politics and Prose event calendar typically boasts an impressive list of accomplished authors, scholars and thinkers. Every once in a while, though, a bona fide celebrity will stop in. That’s certainly the case with tonight, when Kevin Hart — easily one of the most popular movie stars in America — will promote his new book I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons. He’ll be offering free pictures to anyone who pre-orders his book, though he won’t be offering an author talk. Presumably the book offers advice on how to be successful enough to tell Politics and Prose that you’d rather not do an author talk, thank you very much. (Politics and Prose; 7 to 8 p.m.; FREE)
More: Reps + Rose at Lululemon; How to Film a Protest; Date Night Movies: The Legend of Tarzan; Andrew Evans at Kramerbooks; Rooftop Happy Hour for Sitar Arts Center; Pick Your Own Herb Garden
