For dance lovers looking to get into the holiday spirit, The Nutcracker is a must at this time of year. Thankfully, the Washington D.C. area has numerous performances of the beloved ballet from which to choose. While there’s over a dozen performances ranging in size from huge ballet troupes to small dance studios, here’s a few that stand out among the rest. American Ballet Theater: Few companies can compete with the size and talents of…

MONDAY: Makes Me Wanna Holler and What’s Going On author Nathan McCall will be at the Olsson’s in Penn Quarter to read from his new novel, Them. It might sound more like science-fiction than a Marvin Gaye song, but it’s about the complex relationship that develops between two neighbors in downtown Atlanta. 7 p.m. Robert Kuttner, founder and editor of the American Prospect, will be at Politics and Prose to discuss his new book, The…

>> Right there is the Laura Sessions Stepp Credo: Laura doesn’t “get it” so the “social culture” is broken. [DCeiver] >> Don’t miss the ABC News coverage of the 5-year anniversary of the D.C.-area sniper shooting spree. What do you think of Lee Boyd Malvo’s apology? [ABC News] >> Oh c’mon, don’t you get it? Kids can say they’re going to “The Library” and not be lying! It’s totally hilarious. [Free Ride] >> Regarding…

MONDAY: The Beauty Myth author Naomi Wolf will be at the Arlington County Public Library in Shirlington to read from her new book, The End of America: A Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot, in which Wolf outlines how events of the last six years parallel steps taken in the early years of the 20th century’s worst dictatorships such as Germany, Russia, China, and Chile. 5 p.m., free. TUESDAY: Erudite actor Alan Alda will…

We like our animal photos with a gallon of ‘cute’ and just a dash of ‘omg ew.’ Flickr user static-photo’s perfectly timed capture of this cow’s enormous schnozz as it tries to snack on his camera up in Frederick, Md. fits the bill. The wee beady eyes just peeking out from behind make the photo. Now someone go get a napkin already. EXIF. Get your cameras ready, folks, because it’s time for another DCist…

As far as I know, I am the only DCist Food and Drink staffer who does not have Restaurant Week reservations. It wasn’t because I forgot or because I signed up too late to score a reservation to my preferred destinations. Unlike Adam, I am not a big fan of Restaurant Week, and it was a conscious decision to skip out on what might be considered prime time dining for a cheapskate like me. First…

>> Having drawn comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel since recording their debut album in D.C. last summer, Donny Hue and the Colors, featuring members of the Carlsonics, Nethers, Washington Social Club and Meredith Bragg and the Terminals, will play for free at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage at 6 p.m. If you can’t make it there in time, the performance will also be broadcast live on the web. >> Check out our review of…

MONDAY: Oliver August will be at Politics and Prose to discuss his latest book Inside the Red Mansion, which chronicles the hunt for China’s most-wanted fugitive, Lai Changxing. For more information, check out this short film on the making of the book. 7 p.m. TUESDAY: Writer Dominic Cicere will be holding a book release party at Galaxy Hut for Near Wild Heaven, which contains a collection of poems, a short story and a screenplay on…

Written by DCist Contributor Charles Gray As a boxer, Washington D.C. native Tony “The Tiger” Thompson suffers from a number of unpardonable sins. First, he fights left handed. In an effort avoid the “southpaw jinx,” most boxers decide not to fight lefties. Second, the adjectives most often used to describe Thompson’s fighting style are “awkward” and “defensive.” The old boxing adage is that styles make fights — the public is hardly clamoring for an awkward…

We told you about the sad news earlier this week that Warehouse will be shuttering its music venue, as well as the bar and cafe, come July 30, when the entire place will close for a month for vacation. Now the Warehouse has let us know it is looking for potential investors and advisers who can help draft not-for-profit status paperwork — depending on which route they end up taking. If you can help them…