Photo courtesy of NMAH.
For those whose kids can’t get enough of LEGOs (and we know there are MANY of you with that profile), on Saturday and Sunday the National Museum of American History is the spot for you. We know we’re leading you off the Hill, but the ratio of LEGOs to square footage is very relevant to local parents. To celebrate the first National Inventors Month, the museum is hosting a two day build-a-thon to create a record-breaking 8 foot lightbulb (and how often does your kid REALLY get to break national records!) To get a head start on the SAT prep, the museum will host engineering-related kids activities throughout the weekend.
For something a little less PG, head to the Palace of Wonders on H Street Saturday night. New York’s Albert Cadabra, Gal Friday & Ruby the Wonder Dog push the proverbial envelope with their special brand of sexy sideshow, twisted magic and classic burlesque. Tickets are $10 for the 10 pm. show.
Have you ever wondered about the strange buildings behind Safeway? The one that is not the “very odd” un-accredited International Graduate University is, in fact, a shoe repair shop and job training headquarters (and on weekends, a very popular car wash). On Sunday, August 1 from 6 p.m., there’s a bbq/potluck/fundraiser at Buchanan Park at 13th & E, SE to support neighborhood youth activities. Youth mentor and HillEast icon, John “Peter Bug” Matthews, proprietor of Peter Bug’s Shoe Repair Academy, will be at the grill. There’s a suggested donation of $5; proceeds will go towards the neighborhood 3 on 3 Basketball Tournement on August 8. More information to come on that!
If the dog days have got you down, and musical theater makes you laugh (or snort, as it does me), head over to the GLBT Arts Consortium performance at CHAW. There’s nothing like Gilbert & Sullivan’s brand of comic opera; “Iolanthe or The Peer and the Peri” is mad-cap tale of fairy love (!) and revenge. Performances are July 31-August 1 at 7:00 PM, with additional matinee performances on Saturday, August 1st.
Courtesy of the Going Out Gurus, for Saturday:
“… But your sleeper show of the evening is over at the Rock and Roll Hotel with the Veils and Foreign Born. Headliners the Veils caught David’s attention almost a year ago when the London/New Zealand quartet opened for Liam Finn at the Hotel. The band delivered a half hour of stirring, dramatic rock with a heavy ’80s influence (in the non-synth category). It never sounded derivative; it was always passionate. Commanding attention, Finn Andrews proved to be the rare frontman you couldn’t take your eyes off of and not because he was doing something ridiculous. Openers Foreign Born has a quirky and catchy enough take on Americana to be one of those bands that suddenly headlines the 9:30 club or Black Cat next time in town.”
Tickets are 12 bucks: http://www.rockandrollhoteldc.com/portal/calendar/
Also, while not on the Hill, the Legg Mason Tennis Classic kicks off Saturday with the qualifier at the Rock Creek Tennis Center. A warm-up to the US Open, the tournament is one of the top 20 men’s tournaments in the world. Tickets start at $10 for Saturday and increase as the main draw progresses deeper.
http://www.leggmasontennisclassic.com/