PAST: Last min New Year's Eve ideas!

Just found out about this FREE New Years Eve Party!

on the enclosed roof top terrace at Tabaq

Friday, December 31st

11:00pm - 4:00am

Free, 21+

No cover, no dress code.... Party goes til 4:00am so swing on by for some dancing to DJ EYE AM after your other party stops... or before. If you haven't been to the rooftop at Tabaq yet, the panoramic rooftop views of the city alone are worth swinging by for. This party, though a bit last minute, is sure to attract some cool, artsy folks (it's being organized by a friend of mine) and, of course, there will be a champagne toast at midnight!

Tabaq

1336 U St, NW

Metro: U St

Busboys and Poets at 14th & V and 5th & K will also be open for business as usual and will have no cover charge, though you will of course need to order something to eat or drink if you want to hang out. They are planning a pajama brunch starting at 9am the next day as well.

And... I just found out about this family friendly event.... looks like there will be fireworks in Old Town, Alexandria VA - which is officially part of the First Night Alexandria festivities, which is not free (though it is free for kids 12 and under) - I imagine that you can still find a spot to watch the fireworks without needing to pay the cover. Metro: King St

... and after all of that you can hang out at BloomBars til the sun comes up so you don't have to worry about driving home if you drank to much. They'll be hosting a special Sunrise Cinema New Year's Eve edition! The will select several movies that will be screened and there is a chance you may even get some comedy. The event is by donation, $10 suggested, however, they will not turn anyone away for lack of funds. The goal is to provide a safe, calm place for people to relax before driving or metro-ing home. BloomBars is located just a few blocks from the Columbia Heights metro at 3222 11th St, between Kenyon and Park.

PAST: OF NOTE: Due to the Holiday, no WTD Happy Hour this Week but you can reserve a spot on a hike SAT, Jan 8th at Great Falls for $2!

Though there isn't a free Happy Hour this week due to the holiday, I still wanted to give a shot out to one of Free in DC's sponsors - WTD!

Why Free in DC recommends WTD -

• What's the Deal DC is a locally owned and operated site that offers "deals" specifically in the DC metro area.
• Unlike other sites which only run 1 deal per day, WTD also has multiple deals running all of the time.
• They also give you more time to purchase your deal - usually about a week or so (which is great if you are waiting for your check for instance) ... AND
• in alignment with Free in DC's event listings - they always are sure to have great deals for $10 or less on their site!

Best deal of the week for $10 or less...

This week's pick is a winter hike for just $2!

The hike will be at Great Falls on

Saturday, January 8th

12:00pm - 2:00pm

regularly $20, now just $2

Estimated 2-hour, 4-mile hike co-organized with Professionals in the City. Meet at the Difficult Run Stream trailhead parking lot at Georgetown Pike in McLean, VA.

You can view all of their current offers here!

PAST: Free Events this Week from CultureCapital.com at the National Gallery of Art WED, Dec 29th - SUN, Jan 9th

Below is a list of additional FREE events this coming week - that don't already have individual posts - from CultureCapital.com members.

Note: Due to the Christmas holiday and New Years, this week is very light on free events, however ALL of the museums are open except for on New Years Day, January 1st.

See a full list of Members - in DC, MD and VA - Organized by Category on the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington's website here. Be sure to click on the links for complete details.

Wednesday, December 29th

Gallery Talk: From Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Talk will be led by David Gariff or J. Russell Sale, lecturers at the NGA

Film Event: The Brotherhood: The Love School

1:00pm

Two episodes from a vintage BBC series on the lives of the Pre-Raphaelites, featuring Ben Kingsley as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Kika Markham as Jane Burden. (Piers Haggard, BBC, 1975, DigiBeta, 150 minutes)

Thursday, December 30th

Film Event: The Brotherhood: The Love School

1:00pm

While there, be sure to check out these shows on view before they leave.

Through January 2nd

German Master Drawings from the Wolfgang Ratjen Collection, 1580-1900

In the Tower: Mark Rothko

Through January 9th

Arcimboldo, 1526–1593: Nature and Fantasy

National Gallery of Art

401 Constitution Avenue, NW

Metro: Archives - Navy Memorial

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PAST: Have you seen the Capitol Christmas Tree yet? It's on view Now - Jan 1st

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

On view - Saturday, January 1st
Free

This year's tree – a 67-foot Engelmann spruce – is from Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. each evening through January 1, 2011. As part of the Architect of the Capitol's continuing commitment to save energy, strands of LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights will be used to decorate the entire tree. LED lights use little electricity, have an extremely long life-span, and are environmentally friendly.

West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol

Constitution and Independence Avenues

Metro: Nearest stations are Capitol South, Federal Center SW or Union Station and walk, or take any of the 30 line buses, which will take you along Independence Ave closer if you don't want to walk.

PAST: Free Performances Every Day at the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, near the White House Dec 10th - Dec 31st

National Christmas Tree + Live Performances Daily!
Friday, December 10th - Friday, December 31st

Free, no tickets needed

Musical entertainment, featuring musical performances by volunteer choirs, bands and dancers, will be held nightly on the Ellipse stage during the month of December.

Weeknight performances

6:00pm - 8:30pm nightly

Weekend performances

1:00pm - 8:30pm

Image above from visitingdc.com

The Ellipse
17th St and Constitution Ave, NW

Metro: Farragut West or North and walk down 17th St

PAST: ZooLights at the National Zoo! Now - January 1st - except for Dec 31st - 6:00pm - 8:30pm, Free

6:00pm - 8:30pm

every night Now - January 1st

(Except December 31st)

ZooLights. It's Wild . . . It's Free!

"See the Zoo in a whole new light! This year, as a holiday gift to the city, Friends of the National Zoo announces ZooLights is free!

Create memories with loved ones while enjoying thousands of environmentally-friendly light and animal exhibits, entertainment, and a special train ride for children. Visitors can thaw their paws in our animal houses while attending special keeper talks, or stop by the Visitor Center to see the Zoo-themed model trains and the gingerbread habitat contest entries on display in the auditorium. Of course, the crown jewels of ZooLights are the dozens of animal light displays, including a new display featuring Andean bears.

The Small Mammal House, Great Ape House, Reptile Discovery Center, Think Tank, and Kids' Farm will be open every night."

Complete info here!

National Zoo

Metro: Woodley Park or and walk about 15 minutes up Conn Ave or take the L2 or L4 bus

Note: For those who wish to drive, paid parking will also be available, details here.

PAST: POETRY: Open Mic at Busboys and Poets features, TUES, Dec 28th 9:00pm - 11:00pm, $4 cover

Tuesday Night Open Mic at Busboys and Poets

this week will be hosted by Jenny C. Lares

Featuring Derek "Hasumbigboi" Pierce

Tuesday, December 28th

9:00pm - 11:00pm

$4, wristband required*

*Wristbands for Tuesday night open mic at 14th & V are sold all day in the Bookstore beginning at 10 AM until sold out. Limit of 4 wristbands per person. Cash only. Sorry, no refunds.

Busboys and Poets

14th & V St, NW

Metro: U St

Please Note: I'll be away for the Holiday Weekend and won't have Internet access - Posting will Resume on MON, Nov 29th

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you will take some time to reflect on what you are THANKFUL for and if you want to share it on twitter, you can do that @thankfulfor - an online gratitude journal community created by local folks @shinyheart

P.S. If you are looking for things to do - I know I didn't post much for the weekend - I recommend checking out these sites: goSmithsonian (all of the Smithsonian museums will be open every day this week), Busboys and Poets, CultureCapital, TICKETPLACE and BloomBars - as well as the City Paper Arts Desk, scroll down to the bottom to see calendar, organized by category.

PAST: No Happy Hour this week from WTD due to the holiday but you can still check out their deals!

Though there isn't a free Happy Hour this week due to the holiday, I still wanted to give a shot out to one of Free in DC's sponsors - WTD!

Why Free in DC recommends WTD -

• What's the Deal DC is a locally owned and operated site that offers "deals" specifically in the DC metro area.
• Unlike other sites which only run 1 deal per day, WTD also has multiple deals running all of the time.
• They also give you more time to purchase your deal - usually about a week or so (which is great if you are waiting for your check for instance) ... AND
• in alignment with Free in DC's event listings - they always are sure to have great deals for $10 or less on their site!

Usually, I pick the best deal of the week for $10 or less. At the moment, the only one that fits this category though is 47% off a Wonky Dog & Drink from Eat Wonky Food Truck - get $7.50 worth for only $4 (deal expires soon)! There is also a $15 deal for $30 worth of food and drink at Trusty's, at 1420 Penn. Ave, SE near the Potomac Ave Metro. You can view all of their current offers here!

PAST: MUSIC: Annual Messiah Sing-Along at the Kennedy Center THURS, Dec 23rd 8:00pm - 10:00pm, Free, Tickets Required

Messiah Sing-Along at the Kennedy Center!

Thursday, December 23rd

8:00pm - 10:00pm
Free, Tickets are Required*

Washington's most popular free holiday event! Guest conductor Barry Hemphill leads the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, a 200-voice choir, professional soloists, and a very enthusiastic audience in a glorious "sing-along" of excerpts from Handel's beloved masterpiece.

Performance Timing: Parts I & II-- approximately 50 mins. each, with a 15-min. intermission

*Tickets will be distributed beginning at 6 p.m. on the day of the performance (Thu., Dec. 23) in the Hall of Nations. ONE ticket per person in line will be distributed.

The Metropolitan Chorus, Barry S. Hemphill, Artistic Director, will be joined by members of
Alexandria Choral Society, The Annandale Chorale, Bethany Lutheran Church Hosanna Choir
Fort Washington Community Chorus, The Northern Virginia Chorale Prince George's Choral Society, Vienna Choral Society and The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra.

Conductors: Barry S. Hemphill, Brian W. Gendron, Kim Allen Kluge

Soloists: Laura Strickling, Soprano, Chris Dudley, Countertenor, James Jongsik Joo, Tenor and Bob McDonald, Baritone

The Kennedy Center Concert Hall

2700 F Street, NW

Metro: Foggy Bottom and take the free Kennedy Center Shuttle

PAST: CultureCapital.com Free Events! WED, Dec 22nd - TUES, Dec 28th

Below is a list of additional FREE events this coming week - that don't already have individual posts - from CultureCapital.com members. See a full list of Members - in DC, MD and VA - Organized by Category on the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington's website here. Be sure to click on the links for complete details and click on the location for address details and more.

Note: Due to Christmas being this week, there are not as many free events as usual. All events listed below will take place at the National Gallery of Art (additional free events are listed in other posts individually).

Wednesday, December 22nd

Gallery Talk: Look Again: Postwar European Art

12:00pm - 1:00pm

Gallery Talk: Picture This: Old Master Paintings for People with Visual Impairments

1:00pm - 1:50pm

Thursday, December 23rd

Gallery Talk: The Christmas Story in Art

11:00am - 12:00pm

Friday, December 24th - Saturday, December 25th

No events scheduled - Happy Holidays!

Sunday, December 26th

Two films screenings from the Film Series Julien Duvivier: The Grand Artisan

Tales of Manhattan

2:00pm

Anna Karenina

4:30pm

Monday, December 27th

Gallery Talk: The Pre-Raphaelite Lens:

British Photography and Painting, 1848–1875

1:00pm - 1:50pm

Tuesday, December 28th

Gallery Talk: Artistic Exchange Between East and West

12:00pm - 1:00pm

National Gallery of Art

401 Constitution Avenue, NW

Metro: Archives - Navy Memorial

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PAST: ART: "Wrap It Up" Annual Holiday Exhibition and Sale at CHAW, Now - WED, Dec 22nd, Free

'Wrap It Up'' Annual Holiday Exhibition on view at CHAW

Saturday, December 11th - Wednesday, December 22nd

Free

Tonight and Tomorrow

Open from 9:00am - 9:00pm

A non-juried show featuring gift-priced art work. Take it off the walls and they'll wrap it up for you!

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
545 7th Street, SE

Metro: Eastern Market

PAST: ART: Three Shows on view in December at WPG, Reyes + Davis and Touchstone

December Highlights for Art on View

Washington Printmakers Gallery - Two Artists, Many Journeys featuring etchings by Margaret Adams Parker and woodcuts by Carole Nelson, an artistic result of the two artists separate and varied. The gallery is located near the Silver Spring metro at 8230 Georgia Ave in the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. The show is on view from November 29th - January 2nd, 2011

Up the street at Touchstone Gallery, located at 901 New York Ave., NW you can check out the Annual Small Works Members’ Exhibitionand in Gallery A and B and Shaping Room, an installation of mixed media and digital images by Gary Bergel in Gallery C. This show is on view December 1st - 23rd.

PAST: Special Talk "hide/SPEAK" with David C. Ward, Curator of "Hide/Seek" exhibit at the NPG, at DC JCC, 6:30pm - 8:30pm Free with RSVP

"hide/SPEAK: An evening with the Curator of the "Hide/Seek" exhibit, David C. Ward - this is the exhibit that was recently censored on view now at the National Portrait Gallery

Tonight! Monday, December 20th

6:30pm - 8:30pm

Free with RSVP

I'm looking forward to being there tonight!

Hide/Seek co-curator David C. Ward will discuss the events that lead up to the Smithsonian’s removal of the video "Fire in my Belly" (screen shot pictured above) from the exhibition, the events that have unfolded since the video was pulled, the social and political implications of the situation, and how we as a community – in all definitions and configurations of “community” – view this particular moment.

The DC JCC in collaboration with writer & activist Catherine V. Dawson and Transformer will hold a conversation with David C. Ward along with Tyler Green, Editor and Writer, Modern Art Notes; U.S. Columnist, Modern Painters - Victoria Reis, co-Founder, Executive & Artistic Director, Transformer - and Dafna Steinberg, artist; Director, Ann Loeb Bronfmann Gallery at the DCJCC. The evening will be facilitated by Catherine Dawson & Joshua Ford.

Some background:

"On October 29, 2010, Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture, the first major museum exhibition to explore themes of gender and sexuality in American art, opened at the National Portrait Gallery. On December 1st, artist David Wojanrowicz's 1987 video work A Fire in my Belly - which was intended to articulate, among other things, the silencing and suffering of people with AIDS - was pulled from the exhibition by the director of the Smithsonian Institution. after Congressional leaders threatened them with funding cuts/ These congressional leaders were backed by Catholic groups who had taken offense to 11 seconds of the video which showed ants crawling on a crucifix." from DC JCC event post.

See the controversial video - "Fire in my Belly" by David Wojnarowicz - that was removed from the exhibit HERE! It's just over 4 minutes long.

In protest of the Smithsonian’s decision, numerous art galleries and institutions have been screening the banned video. Additional responses in the form of screenings, displays of Wojanrowicz’s other works, art actions, and conversations have now developed across the country, touching on all of the many issues that have arisen as part of this censorship. In my opinion, I find this also to be an interesting time for with all of the conversations about bullying which is happening to a lot of LGBTQ kids and teens in schools - especially because this exhibit highlights works from gay and lesbian artists - and is the first of it's kind. It's like Art, Bullying and Censorship.

hide/SPEAK, which is presented as part of DCJCC’s Rapid Response series (a program of the 16th Street J’s Department of Dialogues and Public Affairs which periodically provides a forum, as public events warrant, to shape a quick, civil discussion on ideas that have immediate cultural relevance) and Transformer's "Framework" talk series.

The Washington DC Jewish Community Center

1529 16th Street, NW (16th & Q St)

Metro: take the S2 or S4 bus straight there from anywhere along 16th St - McPherson Sq Metro or U St and walk to 16th - or walk about ten minutes or so from Dupont Circle Metro, Q St exit.

PAST: Highlights for Free Events Today! SUN, Dec 19th - Thanks to CultureCapital.com members

Poetry and Prose Open Mic

Poetry and Prose Open Mic at

The Writer's Center

in Bethesda.

Sign up 1:30pm, starts at 2:00pm

Metro: Bethesda

Art Lecture

Lecture: Scapigliatura, an Italian Avant-Garde

at the

National Gallery of Art

2:00pm

Metro: Archives - Navy Memorial

Film

Film Series: Straub and Huillet: The Work and Reaches of Creation: Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie? at the

National Gallery of Art

4:30pm

Metro: Archives - Navy Memorial

Bach Holiday Concert

National Gallery of Art Vocal Ensemble and Chamber Players perform music of Johann Sebastian Bach at the

National Gallery of Art

6:30pm

Metro: Archives - Navy Memorial

PAST: What to do this Weekend? Check out Freestylin' D.C. post on the City Paper Arts Desk

Weekend post is up! Free things to do in DC this weekend!

Freestylin’ D.C.: Open Mics and Holidays Shopping

Thursday, December 16th - Sunday, December 19th

PAST: POETRY: "Sunday Kind of Love" Poetry Event and Open Mic at Busboys and Poets 14th & V St, NW SUN, Dec 19th 4:00pm - 6:00pm, Free

“Sunday Kind of Love” poetry event

Sunday, December 19th

4:00pm - 6:00pm

Free, donations appreciated

This month’s open mic features Nigerian-British poet now based in DC, Akwe Amosu, and Niki Herd, whose first book of poetry, The Language of Shedding Skin, comes out this month from Main Street Rag Press. This free, all ages event is co-sponsored by Split This Rock.

Busboys and Poets

14th & V St, NW

Metro: U St

PAST: ART: “Catalyst: 35 Years of Washington Project for the Arts” at AU's Katzen Center, til SUN, Dec 19th, 11:00am - 4:00pm, Free

It’s the final weekend to check out “Catalyst: 35 Years of Washington Project for the Arts” featuring highlights from WPA”s 35 -year history and works from over 150 artists.

Show leaves on Sunday, December 19th.

The museum is open Tuesday - Sunday

11:00am - 4:00pm

Free

American University’s Katzen Center

4400 Massachussets Ave, NW

Metro: Tenleytown and take free AU Shuttle