Good afternoon and welcome to Pisces season! If you feel like crying or eating your feelings, this is a good time of year to indulge that. What diversions can help in your mission to eat your fridge? Let’s take a look!
Before we get down to what you can do from home, here’s something to stay mad about: It’s been 44 days since the United States Capitol has been fenced off. The outside perimeter that closed off Independence and Constitution went up around January 15, but by then, the whole Capitol grounds were fenced off already. According to an AP source as reported by NBC, the fence may stay up through September, which is unacceptable. If you don’t already, follow dontfencethecapitol.com on social media and make sure you get yourself a yard sign from them down at Eastern Market NEXT weekend. In the meantime, please keep your #CapitolMemories coming and share with friends and family from out of town. Everyone who’s ever visited the District has at least one Capitol memory: This is the people’s house.
Even though February is Black History Month, it’s important to celebrate Black history and achievement every day. Yesterday, Gift Shop, a new retail shop at Union Market, opened its doors. Their emphasis is on Black-owned makers, so you can support them whenever you want– not just once a month.
If you would rather drink artfully mixed spiked hot cocoa and hang around a firepit while enjoying the (socially distant) company of others outside, Wundergarten‘s Après Ski is for you. The event continues through February 28 and features food by Swizzler, a downhill ski racing simulator, and much more. Wundergarten is open 4 -10 p.m. on weekdays and noon-10 p.m. on weekends.
DC Strings celebrates Black History Month with works from Florence Price, CPE Bach and others in a virtual performance tomorrow, February 20, at 2 p.m.. This performance will be led by Music Director & Conductor Dr. Juan Gallastegui and will feature musicians of the ensemble. Visit dcstrings.org/orchestra for more information. There is a suggested donation of $20 per ticket, so you can support the mission of DC Strings. You can watch on Facebook or YouTube. (And subscribe!)
For those of you who want to up your baking game, provide a fun activity to do with your late elementary or middle school kiddos, or just see some adorably nerdy people baking each others’ favorite treats, LabX’s Chemists in the Kitchen will entertain you as it teaches you about the chemistry behind cooking. I will never soften my butter in the microwave, ever again.
Cookies, as anyone can tell you (me), taste best with ice cream. Our friends at Ice Cream Jubilee created a six-flavor celebration of the Lunar New Year of the Ox and you can get yourself a flight and eat it at the nearest Ice Cream Jubilee or have it delivered right to your house and try them all. Click here for more information.
It is a truth of our modern life that, if we are lucky enough to have pets, we want them documented as much as possible. Bitter Grace is holding a dog photo shoot on Tuesday, February 23 and you and your pupper, doggo or woofer are cordially invited to have a heckin’ good time. Click here to reserve your slot.
If you love real estate and quirkiness, sign up for an upcoming virtual tour from Atlas Obscura on Weird Homes. Their latest tour is through artist Christine Claringbold‘s house and you can sign up here.
Creative Mornings in the before-times used to be the hip and happening morning event where everyone rushed to snap in-person tickets before they were gone. These days, you can still log in the Monday before a Friday CM event, but the event itself is virtual. This month, the theme is “divergent” and NAPPYNAPPA, a DC emcee and rap artist, will be taking the virtual stage to talk about his distinctive sound. Click here to learn more and have the link handy to register on Monday, February 22.
I highly recommend listening to NAPPYNAPPA’s SoundCloud while you treat yourself to some takeout (I’ve had Double Dutch on repeat). Local delivery service DC To-GoGo now has Tunnicliff’s tavern as part of their Capitol Hill lineup (which includes Cafe Berlin, The Eastern, Mr. Henry’s and Barrel) and you can download the app (if you haven’t yet) here. You can also hit up a Hill favorite like Bistro Cacao for their weekend supper– click here to order.
Pair your takeout with a stroll through one of the Hill Center‘s virtual galleries. The Capitol Hill Art League has their juried show on exhibit here through March.
The Trust for the National Mall is kicking off a series called Monumental Conversations. The inaugural talk focuses on the influence of Black people on the history of the National Mall and will happen Wednesday, February 24 at 5 p.m. You can sign up here.
Don’t forget to stay mad.