Upcoming Events 12/9-12/12

JMU Washington Semester Reception
-Sponsored by JMU Politicos and the JMU Political Science Department
-At the Longworth House Office Building, Room 1300 on Capitol Hill
-5:30-7:30 on Friday, 12/9
-Please RSVP to POSC@jmu.edu or 540-568-6149

Caroling in the National Gallery of Art
-The Mandoleers perform seasonal music and lead the audience in familiar Christmas carols.
-At the National Gallery of Art (4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW)
-Cost: Free
-1:30 pm and 2:30 pm performances on Saturday, 12/10

Gingerbread Workshop
-At the National Building Museum (401 F St. NW)
-Cost: $65 per house. Registration required.
-10 a.m.-12 p.m., 2:00-4 p.m. on Saturday, 12/10

13th Annual Santa Stumble
-Dress like Santa and hit Georgetown nightspots during this bar crawl, which has become a D.C. holiday tradition.
-At The Third Edition (1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW)
-Cost: Free, but charitable donations accepted.
-4 p.m. on Saturday, 12/10

Heurich House Museum Candlelight Tours
-Celebrate the holidays at a Victorian house. Performances of traditional German Christmas music at 7pm and 8pm, German Christmas cookies and cider and a special appearance by Father Christmas.
-At the Heurich House Museum (1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW)
-Cost: $15, children $5
-6:00-9 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, 12/9-12/10

Jingle All the Way 8K
-Celebrate the season with a run through the streets of the nation's capital. Many run in costume.
-At Freedom Plaza (Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 13th and 14th streets)
-Cost: $30-$40
-9 a.m. on Sunday, 12/11

Lunch with Senator Warner, Representative Goodlatte and Representative Wolf!

On Wednesday, November 30, JMU faculty and alumni joined the Washington Semester students for a luncheon event entitled, “Crossing the Aisle in a Polarized Political Environment.” Guest speakers Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Frank Wolf and Congressman Bob Goodlatte gave us insight on what it’s like to work in congress at a time when so many Americans are frustrated with their politicians’ lack of effort to compromise and come to an agreement on the tough issues that face the country. Congressman Frank Wolf spoke about a congressional culture that has long since been lost, where those elected to congress used to move their families to live in Washington, D.C. He talked about the difficulties in trying to create policies with people you don’t know, that it was hard to trust other congressional members “when you don’t break bread together.”


All three agreed that American citizens need to tell their representatives that failing to work together and do their job to get the U.S. back on sound economic ground won’t be tolerated anymore. Senator Warner said we all need to do our part. Congress needs to do the job the American people sent them to Washington to do, and Americans need to actively engage in political participation in order to hold our government accountable. And what if congress doesn’t do its part? Senator Warner suggested citizens should “fire us all.” But that’s how the democratic process is supposed to work, right? Citizens should hold their representatives accountable, expecting political leaders to do exactly what they said they would at the time of their election.

This event was definitely a success and a rare opportunity to get the first-hand opinions of three congressmen who represent districts where many of the Washington Semester students reside. The students are thankful to Senator Mark Warner and Representatives Frank Wolf and Bob Goodlatte for taking time out of their busy schedules to speak with us. We are also thankful to the JMU Politicos alumni group, JMU Washington Semester program and JMU Department of Political Science for organizing this event!

Exclusive 11/28 Event

-The U.S. Air Force "Airmen of Note" Saxaphones will perform on Monday, 11/28 at The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage (2700 F Street NW)

-From 6:00- 7:00pm

-Cost: Free!

-More information: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/

Intern Spotlight: Tiffany Taylor

TIFFANY TAYLOR

Tiffany is the Marketing and Outreach Intern at Women for Women International, a non-profit international organization that provides financial and emotional support to women survivors of war. She has a wide range of duties, all of which require strong writing and research skills. Tiffany is currently working on the fall Newsletter, writing the various e-mails for support of their many campaigns and also edits various things for all members of the marketing department. She has also been involved in workplace giving events for the "Combined Federal Campaign" where she has helped to raise awareness among federal employees, enabling them to donate in conjunction with their employers. Tiffany was also responsible for writing the script for a promotional video. She is really enjoying her internship and finds her work very fulfilling. She is gaining invaluable skills that will hopefully help her to obtain a full-time job in the near future!

Upcoming Events 11/14-11/20

1. Political Calculus, Political Times: Nate Silver and Matt Bai

-The New York Times journalists talk with editor Megan Liberman about the current political climate. Cost: $25
-11/14 at 6:30 pm
-At the George Washington University Jack Morton Auditorium (805 21st St. NW Washington, DC)
-For info call: 1-888-698-1870

2. Beaujolais Nouveau Party
- A Beaujolais Nouveau party with French music, cocktails and unlimited wine after midnight. Cost: $10
- At the 1905 club (1905 9th St. NW Washington, DC)
- 11/16, doors open at 9:30 p.m.

3. Drinking for a Cause at The Pug
-Drink pint of DC Brau at the Pug on Nov. 17, and every cent of the proceeds will go towards the U.S.O. and the Wounded Warrior Project. Cost: Free
- At The Pug (1234 H St. NE Washington, DC)
-11/17 from 5 pm-2 am

4. "US Air Force Band: Jazz Heritage Series"
-11/18 at 8:00pm. Cost: Free
-http://www.usafband.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123272764
-At Lisner Auditorium - at GWU (730 21st Street, NW on the corner of 21st & H St)

5. Fall 2011 Law Day Open House
- Prospective law students can sit in on a law class, tour the school's facilities and speak with current students and faculty. At the David A. Clarke School of Law.
-Cost: Free, but registration required
-11/19 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
-University of the District of Columbia (4200 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC)

6. "Georgetown Cupcake" Book Signing
-Katherine Kallinis and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, owners of Georgetown Cupcake (and the stars of the TLC television program "DC Cupcakes"), discuss and sign their new book, "The Cupcake Diaries: Recipes and Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake."
- At Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Rd. McLean, VA)
-11/19 at 2 p.m.

7. Sculpture Garden Ice Rink Opens
-Weather permitting, the rink opens for the season opening 11/ 19 at 10 a.m.
-Two-hour session: $8, $7 for ages 50 and older, ages 12 and younger and students. Skate rental: $3.
-At the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and Ice Skating Rink (700 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, DC)

8. African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting
-A collection of 112 objects that represent ten years of work toward building a permanent collection.
-At the National Museum of African Art (950 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC)
-Nov. 19 through Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily
-http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/mosaic/index.html

9. Hope for America
-Drawing from personal papers, public appearances, and films of Bob Hope and other entertainers, the exhibit explores politics and entertainment in American public life throughout the 20th century and its consequences for the nation's political culture. Cost: Free
-At the Library of Congress - Thomas Jefferson Bldg. (10 First St. SE Washington, DC)
-Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
-More info: 202-707-4606

10. 30 Americans Exhibit
- The exhibit showcases works by many of the most important African American artists of the last three decades. This provocative exhibition focuses on issues of racial, sexual, and historical identity in contemporary culture while exploring the powerful influence of artistic legacy and community across generations. Cost: Free
-October 1-February 12
-More info: http://www2.corcoran.org/30americans/

Upcoming Events 11/3-11/6

1. 90th Birthday Bash
-The Phillips Collection celebrates its 90th birthday by offering free admission, live ballet and music, a cash bar and hands-on art projects. Cost: Free
-At the Phillips Collection (1600 21st St. NW Washington, DC)
-10:00 am Saturday, 11/5

2. NightVisions
-This late-night photo safari invites shutterbugs to roam the region armed with cameras or cell phones, then end the night by submitting the night's photos for a real-time competition judged by photo editors and curators. Cost: $10
-At FotoSpace (1838 Columbia Rd. NW Washington, DC)
-8:00 pm-4:00 am Saturday, 11/5
-http://www.fotoweekdc.org/

3. The Vices That Made Virginia
-A festival of regional foods, wines, bourbon, beer and bluegrass. Cost: $125
-At the Woodlawn Plantation (9000 Richmond Hwy. Alexandria, VA)
-4:00-8:00 pm Saturday, 11/5
-http://woodlawn1805.org/

4. World Series of Flip Cup
-Flip Cup tournament. Cost: $40 per person, $240 per team, register online.
-Embassy Suites (900 10th St Nw, Washington, DC)
-1:00 pm Saturday, 11/5
-202-739-2001

5. DC Reads
-Kurt Schmocke, a former mayor of Baltimore and currently dean of the Howard University Law School, leads a discussion of the bestselling memoir "The Other Wes Moore" (a chronicle by one Wes Moore of his own life -- Rhodes Scholar, White House fellow, combat veteran -- and that of another Wes Moore from a similar background, now in prison for murder). Schmocke's special guests will be the mother of the author Wes Moore and the sister of the "other" Wes Moore. The book is this year's selection of the one-book, one-city program DC Reads, sponsored by the D.C. Public Library. Cost: Free
-202-364-1919
-5:00 pm Sunday, 11/6
-At Politics & Prose Bookstore (5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC)

6. Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show
-Includes appearances by celebrity chefs Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri and Jacques Pepin, 400 specialty food exhibitors, Cookbook authors and more. Cost: $12.50-$27, free children younger than 4
-At the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place Washington, DC)
-10:00 am-6:00 pm Saturday, 11/5
-10:00 am-5:00 pm Sunday, 11/6
-202-249-3400

7. Ghost Tours
-Discover the National Building Museum's "haunted" history. Cost: $12, registration required.
-At the National Building Museum (401 F St. NW Washington, DC)
-8:00 pm, 11/ 6
-http://www.nbm.org/

8. FotoWeek at the Corcoran
- The museum goes free for eight days, including the days it is usually closed, as part of its partnership with FotoWeek DC. On display: Exhibitions including "Hank Willis Thomas: Strange Fruit," "Gordon Parks: Photographs from the Collection," "Selections from the Indie Photobook Library" and "Prix Pictet: Growth." Cost: Free
-At the Corcoran Gallery of Art (500 17th St. NW Washington, DC)
-10:00 am-5:00 pm 11/5-12
-http://www.corcoran.org/fotoweekdc/index.php

*Also, be sure to read this Washington Post article on finding the best places in D.C. to meet up:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/one-week-of-meetups/2011/09/27/gIQAFUUNhL_story.html

American Enterprise Institute event

Left, Right & Christ: Evangelical Faith in Politics

On Friday after our trip to the Washington Post, several of us went to an event sponsored by AEI. This luncheon discussed the role of faith in politics, and addressed the topic with two speakers who held vastly different opinions . The speakers were: D.C Innes, a Professor at King's College and Lisa Sharon Harper, a director at Sojourners.They each spoke and offered their opinions on the role that religion and evangelicalism should play within politics. Once they finished there was a brief Q&A session followed by a delicious lunch of Salmon and salad. It was a great experience and those of us who went learned a lot, and of course appreciated the free lunch!

Washington Post

Friday October 28th our group went to the Washington Post. We were taken on a tour and got to see several different departments and areas. We were also able to see where the live interviews take place and got to speak briefly with several employees, which gave us insight into the work that goes on to produce the newspaper. After our tour, we met with Lori
Montgomery, a reporter who covers U.S economic policy, the Federal budget and more recently debt. We had a Q&A session with her, where we were able to get her perspective on our current economic situation while also learning more about the "Super committee." Our group was very interactive and had great questions, and it was great to get her "insider" perspective .

Ben Bradlee

That was Ben Bradlee who walked past us in the lobby of The Washington Post today.  In my opinion, Bradlee was the most important newspaper editor of the late 20th century.  As Executive Editor, he (on the right) supervised Bob Woodward (left) and Carl Bernstein (center) when they wrote the slowly evolving series of articles on the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon and won a Pulitzer Prize.  Bradlee's role was crucial: he pushed "Woodstein" (that's what he called Woodward and Bernstein) to tighten their reporting and write better stories, then he backed them up when doubts emerged about their investigation.  Bradlee, Woodward and Bernstein were the only three people who knew the identity of the story's most important source, "Deep Throat" -- the most famous anonymous source in the history of modern journalism -- until former FBI Associate Director Mark Felt outed himself in 2005.

If you're interested, I highly recommend reading Bradlee's memoir, A Good Life.  For more on Watergate, you can't beat All the President's Men -- either the original book by Woodward and Bernstein and/or the movie, which stars Robert Redford (Woodward), Dustin Hoffman (Bernstein) and Jason Robards (Bradlee).  I think Robards won an Oscar for his portrayal of Bradlee. 

Upcoming Events 10/27-10/31

1.Halloween Bar/Pub Crawl
-http://canights.com/event/district-of-columbia/the-bier-baron-tavern/1029-halloweekend-pub-crawl-washington-dc
-http://www.bierbarondc.com/
-Starting at Bier Baron (1523 22nd St. NW Washington, DC) in Dupont Circle
-Register on 10/29 between 12pm to 7pm


2. Are You a Pumpkin Fan?
-Check out these pumpkin-themed events including pumpkin carvings and tastings of Pumpkin flavored drinks and food.
-http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/best-bets/pumpkin-events,99007.html


3. Story League Halloween Mini-Show and Mixer
-Washington writers, poets, comics and Average Joes tell true first-person stories about Halloween. Stop by to hear an hour of Halloween-related stories, then hang around for a meet-and-greet fueled by $5 Absolut cocktails. Because of the theme, costumes are encouraged, but not required.
-At Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC)
-7 p.m. Thursday, 10/ 27


4. Nightmare on M Street Bar Crawl
-The 12th annual Nightmare on M Street is the biggest one yet, with 17 bars offering $2 Coors Light, $3 Blue Moon, $4 Bacardi drinks and other food and drink deals. Register between 5 and 10 at McFadden's, the Front Page or Mackey's, then get crawling. Among the participants: Public Bar, Sign of the Whale, the Madhatter, BlackFinn, the Mighty Pint, James Hoban's and Dirty Martini.
-Starting at McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon (2401 Pennstlvania Ave. NW)
-5:00 pm-1:00 am Saturday, 10/29
-$17.50 in advance; more at the door.


5. Town Tavern Halloween Party
-Saturday, 10/29
-Town Tavern's party starts with an optional $10 open bar from 8 to 10. Stick around for a costume contest, where $100 prizes will go to the "sexiest, funniest, and most creative costumes."

6. Want a Falafel Sandwich at Amsterdam Falafelshop (in Adams Morgan) for $1?

-Coupon here: https://sowhatsthedeal.com/promotions/1-falafel-sanwich-amsterdam-falafel?utm_source=freeindc&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=freeindc_post

Intern Spotlight: Shauna Plesmid

SHAUNA PLESMID

Shauna is the online communications intern at Campus Progress, a division of Center for American Progress. She fits in perfectly with her office's very interactive atmosphere. Shauna has a wide array of duties and tasks that keep her very busy. She gets to attend and do the photography for many events within the D.C area. Several of her pictures can be seen on the organization's website. Shauna is one of only three people at Campus progress who has complete unrestricted access to the behind the scenes working of their website. This access has allowed her work to become extremely popular and widely viewed. One picture in particular, from her coverage of occupy DC,currently has the 2nd most views of any picture on the site. In addition to photography, Shauna is also able to contribute to and edit the website's graphics all while sitting on a "bouncy-ball" at her desk! Shauna is doing extremely impressive work and if you would like to see a little of what she has done, check out this link :
http://campusprogress.org/articles/the_best_occupy_sign_weve_seen_yet/

Les Misérables

Our group was fortunate enough to see Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center on October 13th. Les Misérables is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. The well known tragic tale chronicles the lives and interactions of several French characters over a 17 year period. The Kennedy Center performance was a "new 25th anniversary production of Boublil and Schönberg's legendary musical" which featured new staging and spectacularly re imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Les Misérables is the longest running musical in the world and includes the widely famous songs; "I dreamed a dream" and "one more day," just to name a few.The story of Jean Valjean was wonderfully preformed and was quite an experience for all of us--whether we knew the story line or were being exposed to it for the first time.

Upcoming Events 10/20-10/23

1. DC Record Fair!
-The Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd in Arlington), 10/23, 11:00am early admission - $5 Fair, 12:00pm - 5:00pm - $2
-Vendors from up and down the East Coast augmented by guest DJs. Brought to you by Som Records, DC Soul Recording, and The Vinyl District.
-http://www.culturecapital.com/event.php?id=16603

2. The 2011 Human Rights Film Series
-At American University, 10/20, 5:30-8pm, Free
-Film screening of Not in Our Town: Light in the Darkness followed by discussion
-http://www.american.edu/provost/human-rights/film-series/2011.cfm

3. Wale Concert
-10/22, 7pm, At Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD (8656 Colesville Road)
-$23, http://fillmoresilverspring.com/index

4. A Fall Dining Guide
-From food critic, Tom Sietsema, of 40 of D.C.'s best restaurants.
-http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/dining-guide-tom-sietsema-fall-2011.html

Rent a bike?

Have you seen the red bikes?  They're rentals.  Capital Bikeshare launched about a year ago and now the red bikes are ubiquitous.  $5 gets you a membership 24 hours and the first 30 minutes are free.  There are stations at Woodley Park, Cleveland Park and about a hundred other places.  I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like a great system.  More info: http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/

Upcoming Events 10/13-16

Truckapalooza at GWU

1. Over 20 food trucks lined up on GWU campus between 20th&21st Street NW




2. 10/14, 11:00am - 2:00pm, Free but you'll want to bring cash for food




3. Metro: Foggy Bottom or you can walk from Farragut West or North

Capitols Kick-off Party

1. Come join the kickoff party for the Washington Capitals 1st away game and recieve two free beers (Shocktop or Bud Light)




2. 10/13, 6-8pm, 19th Bar (1900 I St NW)




3. Giveaways include an autographed jersey and stick as well as game tickets




4. RSVP here: http://sowhatsthedeal.com/events/95?utm_source=freeindc&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=freeindc_post

Taste of Georgetown

1. Event will feature more than 60 dishes from 30 restaurants to sample, a fun new "Pumpkin Food Fight" restaurant competition, Washington CityPaper Wine, an Ale & Spirits Pavilion, and the jazz talents of Blues Alley.




2. Tickets are $5 for one tasting and $20 for five tastings, with proceeds benefitting the Georgetown Ministry Center's services supporting the homeless.




3. 10/15, 11am-4pm, Wisconsin Avenue, NW between M & K Streets




4. http://www.tasteofgeorgetown.com/

JMU Alumni Career Panel!

Today four JMU alumni (Martene Bryan- federal government, Brian James- industry association, Cindy Pendleton- national security, and Jason Pitt- non-profit organization) came to speak about life after JMU. They talked about everything from their transition to finding jobs in Washington, D.C., to what to expect after you finally hear back from a job and you're asked to do an interview. The class participated in a question and answer session for about an hour, asking general questions about when to start applying for jobs, what to do about finding a place to live in D.C., and how to best spend your time both before and after graduation taking advantage of certain opportunities in order to position yourself for that dream job.

After the first hour, the class broke off into four groups, each with one alumni where we were able to have personal one-on-one conversations about our own specific plans and situations post-JMU. The alumni also read over resumes, giving tips and advice on how to revise them overall, and how we might tailor them to each job we apply to so we can play up our past experiences in a way that would resonate better with the skills needed for the job we'd like to have. In addition, all of the alums expressed an interest in helping us in any way they could regarding finding jobs in the future, or even just to meet up for coffee. It's so great to know that the bond of being a Duke still continues long after graduation! Go Dukes!

Shakespeare Theatre Company Presents: Fela!

On September 22 we went to see Fela!, a musical presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company that was full of energy, vibrant colors and plenty of interaction between audience members and the cast. Fela! is based on the life experiences of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. He was one of the hottest musicians in Nigeria during the late 1970s. His travels around the world and experiences with constant oppressive armies within his country inspired Fela to use his music as political warfare in order to bring freedom to the people of Nigeria. Overall, it was a great night full of constant laughter and moments of deep reflection on past events that have helped to shape the future.

Intern Spotlight: Brian McCraw

BRIAN McCRAW

Brian is currently interning at the Human Rights Campaign, the largest civil rights organization dealing with and advocating on behalf of LGBT issues. Brian works in the Field/grassroots department where he spends a lot of time researching and making calls. He is also in charge of coordinating a weekly phone bank where he and his fellow interns make an effort to recruit volunteers while encouraging people to support their efforts. Brian was fortunate enough to attend and be a part of the HRC National Dinner last week. He had the privilege of escorting one of the most significant figures in the American Gay Rights Movement,Frank Kameny, and was able to witness President Obama's keynote speech. Brian seems to really be enjoying himself at his internship and his enthusiasm is contagious. I look forward to hearing more abut his experience throughout the semester!

More Supreme Court Pictures!

Supreme Court visit!!!!

On Friday September 16th our group took a trip to the Supreme Court. It was an extremely exciting outing! We first got to sit where the oral arguments are heard and got a brief description of the room's decor and also a quick run-down of the day to day operations of the court. We were told that oral arguments are open to the public, and that if one is willing to wait, that getting in can be relatively easy! (I know I am willing to camp out overnight to get a glimpse of the justices!!)We were then fortunate enough to speak with the Supreme Court Clerk William Suter who gave us even more information about the inner-workings of the court. He also advised us to take on leaderships roles whenever possible in order to stand out when applying for future jobs and internships.He also described the internship opportunities that the Supreme Court offers and how we could go about applying for them. Finally, we spoke with Antonin Scalia'a Law clerks. These clerk positions are extremely prestigious and just speaking with these individuals was a privilege. They shared with us their personal paths that led them to their spots at the Supreme Court and then opened for a question and answer session. This trip was a wonderful opportunity for our class to experience a historic D.C institution while learning a great deal!

Upcoming Events 10/3-10/10

1. NASA/Art: 50 Years of Exploration Art Show

• National Air and Space Museum, 4th Street and Independence Avenue SW


• 
  
  Ongoing until Oct. 9, 10am-5:30pm daily


• 
  
  Free, http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/arts/NASA-Art-Covers-50-Years-of-Space-Exploration-123746134.html

2. Annual Taste of D.C. Weekend

• Started in 2003, the region's largest and most anticipated food, wine, beer and cultural festival is back with over 60 vendors this year.


• 
  
  10/8: 11-10pm, 10/9: 10-10pm, 10/10: 10-6pm


• 
  
  Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 14th Streets


• 
  
  Free admission, tasting tickets are 10 for $15 or 20 for $25


• 
  
  Check out the full list of restaurants/bands and reserve tickets: http://www.thetasteofdc.org/

3. Downtown Scene Film Series

• 
  
  Final film of the series 10/9: "Downtown 81" followed by Q&A with Maripol and Mike Holman


• 
  
  Corcoran Gallery of Art (500 17th Street NW), 3:30pm, Free


• 
  
  www.downtownscene-film.com/

4. Various restaurants/bars for College gamedays and NFL games

• 
  
  Check out where to watch your favorite team play and score food/drink specials alongside other fans: www.washingtonpost.com/gog/best-bets/where-where-to-watch-college-and-nfl-football,81745.html

5. Stella Artois US Draught Master Championship

• 
  
  Part of the World Draught Masters competition featuring challengers from over 35 countries trying to pour the perfect Stella Artois through the nine-step pouring ritual.


• 
  
  10/7, 9pm-1am at the National Building Museum (401 F Street NW)


• 
  
  Free, but must RSVP to Championships@DraughtMasterUSA.com to be confirmed on the guest list.
  

Group Photo

Almost all of our group saw Fela! at Sydney Harman Hall on September 22. The musical brought the whole crowd to its feet to dance and groove along with the actors. Overall, the show provided big laughs, smiles and an inside look on the history of Nigeria's fight for independence. The group consensus gave Fela! two thumbs up!

LivingSocial Deal for Saturday, Oct. 1

Looking to enter an "Amazing Race"-like adventure this weekend? You are in luck! This weekend on Saturday, October 1 will be the DC "Gorilla Challenge" which is sure to deliver fun and competition. The Challenge asks you and your team to solve clues around the city, take pictures in silly poses and complete interesting activities. Plus you are encouraged to wear your funkiest costume!

After completing 10 clues, you head back to the start location to win your finishing prize, enjoy live entertainment and food and beverage specials. Prizes include $100-300 for the first three teams, $50 for best costume and $25 for the runner-up.

Registration ends Thursday, September 29 and costs $45, but with the following LivingSocial deal you can register for only $20: http://livingsocial.com/deals/134753-city-race-and-adventure?msdc_id=1. Sign up today!

Check out their website for more information: http://gorillachallenge.com/

Weekend Events!

The weekend will be here soon enough-- and there are, as always, plenty of fun things to do in D.C. Here are a few of my suggestions..

if you want music...

FREE Chuck Brown Concert
(for those who didn't make it to the last one- or just enjoyed it so much you want more!)
Friday 9/23
Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center

WMZQ Fall Fest
If anyone likes country music, this is the place to be.WMZQ is a local country station and they have an all day concert this Saturday.
The event says "all-day" and is at Jiffy Lube Live -7800 Cellar Door Drive Washington DC

If your hungry....

ShopHouse
"Chipotle's Asian-inspired spin-off" that just opened in DuPont Circle. The menu is inspired by street food of places like Singapore and Bangkok.

District of Pi Pizzeria
Award winning deep-dish and think crust pizza with a wide range of toppings and variety.
910 F Street NW


in a studious mood..

Library of Congress-James Madison Building :)
"The Library of Congress is a bit of a misnomer. You don't need to be a member of Congress to check it out. And you don't have to be a literary giant to get a LOC library card in order to use any of the 22 reading rooms and access its 650 miles of bookshelves"
- - Perfect place to get started on our upcoming papers!

Group photos from around the District

Two great outdoor options if the weather is nice this weekend:

1. Eastern Market -- Every weekend, this magnificent historic indoor market expands to the outdoors for a farmer's market and and loads of arts/crafts vendors.  The closest thing D.C. has to a European-style street market.  Probably my favorite thing to do in D.C.

2. The H Street NE corridor is one of the hippest newly emerging neighborhoods in D.C.  And it's hosting an outdoor festival 12noon-7pm this Saturday.  Metro: Union Station, then either take a cab or catch the X2 bus at the corner of N. Capitol and H Street.

Upcoming Events: 9/16-9/23

Greek Festival

• 9/16-9/18, 12pm
• Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (4115 16th Street NW)
• Free! Go for baklava, mousaka and an assortment of other Greek fare. Wash it down with Greek coffee, beer or wine, and hear live music or peruse the books, jewelry and crafts at the Greek marketplace.
• 202-829-2910

The Empresarios Concert

• 9/16, 9pm, $15 in advance and $20 at the door
• The Dunes (1402 Meridian Place NW)
• Spinning Latin beats, dubby reggae and funky house rhythms, the Empresarios are the next name to watch on the city's international party scene.
• 202-436-9118

Fiesta Musical

• 9/18, 11am-5pm
• The National Zoo
• The free celebration will include animal demonstrations, Latino music, dance, crafts, children's activities and Latin American food.
• 202-633-4240

Black Star Concert

• 9/18, 8pm
• Fillmore Theater in Silver Spring, MD
• Tickets are $50-$100
• The widely popular Mos Def/Talib Kweli hip-hop duo have reunited after 13 years, so splurging to check out this concert would be money well spent.
• 301-960-9999

Free screening of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

• 9/21, 6:30-8:30pm
• Center for American Progress (1333 H St NW, 10th Floor)
• “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” tells the stories of eighteen real-life characters and depicts the profound impact of both sides of the controversial policy.
• The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Marc Wolf, the writer, creator and star of the film. Plus, free soda and pizza!
• You must sign-up to attend, so to get more information and RSVP go here:http://campusprogress.org/events/screening_of_dont_ask_dont_tell/