Another four day week, another chance to make pasta, dance, see some art, and learn about the breeding habits of birds of prey.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
UNDER THE C: If you’re super into Disney and super into a capella, boy oh boy is this for you and absolutely no one else. Disney’s DCappella tour features seven a capella all stars singing modern day takes on classics from the Disney songbook. (Warner Theatre, 8 p.m., $33-$73)
WINE DOWN: Bored with French wine? Try Moldovan wine direct from the former Soviet Union nation. Guided by a sommelier, you’ll try a different wine with each course, including an amuse bouche of sturgeon caviar toast; a first course of burrata, porto, mushroom duxelle, and arugula; a second course of wintery stew roots, quinoa, roasted bone marrow; a third course of Shenandoah Valley T-bone steak with pistou and parmesan, and a crème brûlée for dessert. Wagon to wheel you home not included. (Le DeSales, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., $75)
YES, AND IT’S FREE: If you’re curious about improv but don’t have the gumption or inflated sense of self needed to sign up for a class, check out an improv class graduation show; it’s the only time you’ll get to enjoy comedy for free at the DC Improv with no minimum purchase. (The DC Improv, 8 p.m., FREE)
HAVANA OH NA NA: Is half of your heart in Havana? Celebrate Cuban music and dance at the Smithsonian’s community event. Free dance lessons start at 7 followed by open dance with happy hour specials all night. All ages are welcome. (Union Stage, 7 p.m.-12 a.m., FREE)
MORE: Michael Bublé (Capital One Arena, 8 p.m. $85-$139.50), West Wing Trivia (Pinstripes, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., FREE with registration), Jacob Banks with Abir (9:30 Club, 7 p.m., $20), Magic the Gathering Tournament (Labyrinth Game Shop, 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m., $10)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
GOODNIGHT MOON: Welcome the full moon with a forest bath, also known as the ancient Japanese practice of shinrin yoku. A certified forest therapy guide will lead you through an immersive moonlit experience. Cost includes hand warmers and a closing tea ceremony. Please note that nature bathing does not replace the ancient practice of water bathing. (The National Arboretum, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $35)
X FACTOR: Dr. Scott Sheppard, a staff scientist at the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution for Science, will talk about his team’s December 2018 discovery of the most distant thing ever observed in our solar system other than your dreams of financial stability and love. Learn about the Kuiper Belt and the influence of unknown planets. (Carnegie Institution for Science, 6:30 p.m.-7:45, FREE, donation suggested, registration required)
HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE: Usually this is to be avoided at all costs, but if you’re into meeting your meat, learn how to make two kinds of Italian sausage. Ticket cost to this event includes a butchering demonstration, a chance to try your hand at sausage creation, a farmhouse salad to balance out all the sausage tastings, and cards for taking notes, presumably so that the next time someone condescendingly asks you if you know what’s in sausage right before you’re about to enjoy one, you can tell them that you do in grisly detail. (Via Umbria, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $40)
RANDY RAPTORS: I wish I could take credit for “Randy Raptors,” but that delightful mosel of alliteration belongs to whoever from the Anacostia Watershed Society wrote the Facebook description for this event, whose stylings also include the adage, “Love is in the air… Love that’s full of screeches and swoops!” If you meet this poet, tell them they can have my job. Learn about the breeding habits of the raptors of the Anacostia Watershed during this edition of Watershed Wednesdays Happy Hour. (Slipstream Navy Yard, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., FREE with registration)
GROUP GRAZE: The Georgetown cottage that housed the very first Sweetgreen re-opened last fall as The Tavern, a market stocked with local goodies. This Community Graze features the saucy stylings of Woodberry Pantry; taste their preserves, jams, spreads, and hot sauces with an array of local cheeses and crudité. Your ticket includes a hearty graze, Sweetgreen’s legendary discontinued (until now) froyo Sweetflow, and a mystery gift. Here’s hoping it’s a free salad. (The Tavern, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., $20)
GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN: Have the most pure Wednesday night at Dumbarton House, where Capital Swing Club will teach you how to swing dance, after which you can groove to a live jazz band. Ticket price includes hot chocolate. Adorable. (Dumbarton House, 8:30 p.m.-11:30, $10-$11)
MORE: Capital Classics: When Harry Met Sally (Landmark West End, 7:30 p.m., $12.50), Paper Peony Class (The Lemon Collective, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $60), Soft Pretzel Making and Beer Pairing (Moishe House Columbia Heights, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., FREE), Profs and Pints: Beyond The White Picket Fence (The Bier Baron Tavern, 6 p.m., $12-$15)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
STONE COLD: Is real life not scary enough for you? Learn about the spooky history and hauntings of the National Cathedral on this tour led by architectural historian Clift Seferlis, the son of the sculptor who brought the cathedral’s famous gargoyles and other stone carvings to life. (The National Cathedral. 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $25)
REFLECTION: RAW is an independent artist showcase based in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Sydney that connects local artists for group shows in cities all over the world. The D.C. showcase features 80 local artists focusing on the theme “Reflect.” Their work spans an array of mediums, including painters, performance artists, clothing designers, and photographers. (Howard Theatre, 7 p.m., $25-$30)
HANGING GARDENS: I ordered my macramé plant hangers off of Amazon because I don’t have any self-respect, but, if you’re not a complete charlatan, you can learn how to make your own at this class. Ticket cost includes macrame, pot, plant, instruction, and an air of superiority. (REWILD, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $58)
GOOD CLEAN SLEEP: Waking up exhausted? Learn how to get a good night’s sleep from neurologist, sleep specialist, and director of the Center for Sleep and Wake Disorders Helene Emsellem. Hint: watching Netflix until 1 a.m. isn’t helping. (Ripley Center, 6:45 p.m., $30-$45)
SHOP GREEN: The Georgetown Retail and Luxury Association is hosting Sustainability on M: Interactive In-Store Experience at Outdoor Voices, an athletic apparel brand, and at the office of The RealReal, a luxury consignment site. Learn about the environmentally and ethically sustainable practices that are reinventing the fashion industry. That secondhand Gucci belt might be bad for your savings, but it’s good for the environment. (Outdoor Voices, 4 p.m.-4:45 p.m., The RealReal, 6 p.m.-6:45 p.m., FREE with registration)
MORE: Conversations With Artists: John Edmonds (The Phillips Collection, 6:30 p.m., $12), NSO Pops: The Force Awakens (The Kennedy Center, 7 p.m., $34-$149), James Blake (The Anthem, 8 p.m., $48.50-$78.50), Tiki Cocktail Class (City Winery, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., $35), Something Old, Something New: Book Swap Evening (Goethe-Institut Washington, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., FREE with registration)
