A little over a year since the Reynolds Center, where the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery are housed, re-opened its doors, it continues to celebrate huge improvements to the building. This Sunday stop by for the grand opening of the Kogod Courtyard, which will include tons of musical performances both in the courtyard and inside on the third floor, hands-on activities for all ages (a Lite Brite station!), and, as usual,…

>> Tonight, Baltimore-based funk/fusion act Basshound comes to DC9 for a night of highly danceable grooves. With Hello Society and DJ Robinson. 8:30 p.m., $8. >> On Thursday, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage presents Ecuador’s Jazz Envoys, a group that blends the indigenous sounds of its homeland with jazz to create a unique groove. The free show begins at 6 p.m. >> Latin jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera comes to Strathmore on Thursday to play with…

Craving a little more castanet action in your life? The D.C. Flamenco Festival may be able to fill that void for you. Flamenco totally gets the shaft when it comes to media attention, compared to other forms of dance. Antonio Banderas makes cheesily scripted movies about tango and ballroom, and even performs the former in his Zorro films. Half our readership has probably been dragged to a swing dancing night at some point in their…

The image used is from www.bookbinding.com. I realize this may sound a little strange, however, I love books and want to learn how to bind books, although the maxim is true that you can’t judge a book by it cover. The book can still look much nicer. Is there any where in DC where one can learn this art? You are in luck! Next Tuesday, April 19, the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program kicks off…

Ah, Mardi Gras. The annual bacchanal of food, drink, more drink, bared breasts and parades. Can’t make the trip to New Orleans this year? Next Tuesday, Feb. 8, a couple of local events will try to recreate some of the spirit of the season here in our own backyard. The annual Clarendon Mardi Gras parade will kick off at 8:00 p.m. at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and North Danville Street (by the Whole Foods),…