Window treatments

Do you ever walk down O Street and notice that the only window decorations college students can come up with are rows of empty, multicolored bottles of alcohol? Well, maybe the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities has, and they’re trying to start a new trend. Now through March 31, the Commission is sponsoring the “Windows into DC” exhibit at the D.C. Convention Center. The Convention Center already houses a multimillion-dollar art collection within its walls, but they’re going to fill their empty window space with works by thirteen different local artists. The Convention Center is at 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, just a short walk from the Metro Center station.

Andy Warhol at GW

Believe it or not, there was a time when pop art was more than a cool function in Mac Photobooth. This style of art, popular in the 1960s, was forever immortalized by photographer and modern icon Andy Warhol. As part of the Warhol Photographic Legacy Program, the Andy Warhol Foundation is giving out over 28,000 of Warhol’s photographs to colleges around the nation for them to put on display. Georgetown didn’t make the cut, but GWU got a nice little collection, sixteen of which are currently on display in their Luther W. Brady Art Gallery along with other works by Warhol’s hippie-era contemporaries. To get there, take the Blue or Orange line to Foggy Bottom/GWU.

Wednesday Poetry

Don’t feel like writing your English midterm paper? Convince yourself that it’s a worthy use of your time to go to a poetry reading instead. Tonight, March 3, from 7-9 p.m., the Arts Club of Washington is hosting a free reading from up-and-coming poets Tom Healy and Gabrielle Calvocoressi. Plus, there’s a book-signing afterward, and refreshments that you wouldn’t be able to find in Midnight Mug. The Arts Club is located at 2017 I Street, and the best way to get there is by cab.

An Eclipse in Georgetown

Students don’t seem to go to movies all that often. Aside from the general suckiness of most movies that have come out lately (yes, that includes Valentine’s Day), seeing them in the theater has gotten ridiculously expensive.

But this Tuesday, at the conveniently-located Georgetown AMC theater, you can see The Eclipse, a critically-acclaimed Irish independent film which debuted last year at the Tribeca Film Festival, for free before it opens at E Street in April. Following the screening, there will be a question-and-answer segment with the film’s director Conor McPherson and star Ciaran Hinds. Space is limited, so RSVP at TheEclipseRSVP@gmail.com. The movie starts at 6:30 p.m., and the theater is located at 3111K Street.

Redheads Have More Fun

No matter how many Olympic medals Shaun White wins, it seems like redheads will never get past the “gingers have no souls” stereotype that South Park started so many years ago. But artists Melissa Hackmann and Kathy Beynette are out to debunk some of these stereotypes—and embrace a few—with their current exhibit at the Lee Arts Center.

The collection, entitled “Redheads,” is on display through February 28, and it explores the different conceptions about those with the ginger gene through mixed-media acrylic paintings. The gallery is located at 5722 Lee Highway, and the best way to get there is by cab.

Cool Movies

March of the Penguins isn’t the first movie to ever be made about the South Pole, although it’s definitely the most “aww” inspiring. After aviator Richard Byrd became the first man to fly over Antarctica in 1929, the footage filmed of his voyage was compiled into the Oscar-winning documentary With Byrd at the South Pole. This Thursday at 7 p.m., the National Archives will be screening the film in conjunction with the Explorers Club Washington Group. To get there, take the Green or Yellow line to the National Archives station.

Curl of Your Dreams

Do you think you could handle a sport of high drama, fierce competition, and gut-wrenching suspense? No? Then how about one where you sweep ice with brooms?

If you’ve ever been interested in (or baffled by) curling, arguably the strangest of all Olympic sports, then you might want to stop by the Washington Hilton Garden Inn Downtown sometime between this Friday and Sunday. There, you can witness the Capital Curling Expo, an informational and educational event where you can learn about curling technique, history, and even local playing opportunity.

Who knows, maybe a Georgetown Curling Team will be in our future. The Hilton is located at 815 14th Street NW. To get there, take the blue or orange line to McPherson Square.

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Yes, there’s snow outside. But don’t let your Free for All consist of your couch, Hulu, and booze you siphoned from your roommate’s supply! For those of you who have cabin fever, we’ve got suggestions:

African Stories

Thanks to its too-long time slot, c-list celebrity guests, and Al Roker, most people don’t really associate The Today Show with anything of real social value. But if you go to the Honfleur Gallery between now and February 26, you might change your mind about the journalism of Today host Anne Curry. Her photographic works, along with those of a few other artists, are featured in Stories, an exhibit intended to raise awareness about the current condition of Africa. The photographs are arranged into groups, each one of which tells a story of a different unsettling aspect of life that is prominent in Africa today. The gallery is located at 1241 Good Hope Road, near the Anacostia Metro stop on the Green line.

OK, so you can’t go today. Honfleur Gallery is closed for the time being.

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Government Girl

Here at Georgetown, we love Bill Clinton (shown left, inexplicably holding a rice cake). Unfortunately, with other residents of D.C. (and in the red states) he’s not such a popular dude. In her memoir Government Girl: Young and Female in the White House, former political aide Stacy Parker Aab recounts her days working for the Clinton administration, and the repercussions of the Monica Lewinski scandal on the lives of everyone affiliated with the executive branch, especially the younger women. This Thursday, February 4, the author will be giving a talk about her new release at the K Street Barnes and Noble Borders at 7:30. To get there, take the Blue or Orange line to Farragut West.

All the World’s a Stage

There’s an old adage that says that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. If you’ve ever seen an on-campus student production and complained about it, you might’ve considered taking this saying to heart and auditioning yourself. And for those of you without any acting experience (or talent), the Silver Spring Round House Theater Education Center is here to help. This Friday from 4-5 p.m., they’re hosting free acting classes for people of all ages and abilities. Take one of these, and you’ll be thanking the Academy in no time. Round House is located just three blocks from the Silver Spring Metro stop on the Red line.

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Abe, Honestly

People complain a lot about D.C.’s famed memorials, be it because they’re tacky (World War II), depressing (Vietnam), or borderline obscene (Washington). But one that nobody ever seems to have much bad to say about is the Lincoln Memorial. From now until February 12, in honor of Abe Lincoln’s 200^th birthday, the National Gallery of Art is showing a special exhibition on the design and creation of this historic and popular monument for one of today’s most universally well-liked past presidents. The exhibition even features the original, scaled-down wooden model of the monument’s iconic statue of Abe. To get to the Gallery, take the Green Line to the National Archives station.

Rainbow Flavor

When I was in elementary-school art class, if I tried to turn in a project with just splattered paint and random cutout pieces of paper, my teacher would’ve failed me. If I tried to eat ice cream while doing so, I probably wouldn’t have made it past the fifth grade. But this wonderful combination of abstract art and frozen delights is just what’s happening now through this Sunday, January 31, at Arlington’s Scoop Beauregard’s Ice Cream and Coffee Shop. The exhibit, entitled “Ice Cream Conversations”, features the work of Arlington artist Rusty Lynn, all of which is available for sale (at a hefty price) at the shop. You’ll have to pay for the ice cream, of course, but the viewing is all free of charge. To get there, take the Orange Line to East Falls Church, and then it’s just a short cab ride to the North Washington Boulevard address.

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See this man’s clothes for free

Make Fringe, Not War

Most college students today have become adequately familiar with the cultural revolution of the Sixties, be it from history textbooks, classic rock radio, or stories from that crazy long-haired uncle who never really left them. But the use of colorful, flowy, fringe-y fashion as a symbol for the movement’s goal of happiness and freedom can often go overlooked, especially to those living in the world of miniskirts and unisex skinny jeans.

This is what gives “Clothing of the Rebellious Soul: Revolution 1963-1973”, an exhibit located in George Washington University’s Luther W. Brady Art Gallery, such a unique lens at a movement which so much has already been said about. More than an ode to denim bell-bottomed jumpsuits, the exhibit uses clothing to show different aspects of the movement, and the way it evolved as the Vietnam War progressed. To get there, take the Blue line to the Foggy Bottom/GWU station.

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For the Rest of Us

Feeling cynical this holiday season? You’re not alone. And there’s no better way to join up with your fellow DC anti-revelers and release your holiday tension than with a celebration of Festivus, the most famous made-up December holiday. This Saturday and Sunday in Adams Morgan, there’s a street-corner kiosk open where you can write down your gripes, whether they be about the holidays, the city, or the universe and all its occupants, and pin them to a bulletin board along with hundreds of others.

Then a guy with a megaphone comes out and, following the tradition founded by that one episode of Seinfeld, reads aloud the collective “List of Grievances.” The kiosk is on the corner of Adams Mill Road NW and Columbia Road, and it’s just a short walk from the Red line’s Woodley Park-Zoo metro stop. Leave your fuzzy Santa hat at home.

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Pandamonium!

Here in North America, most of the panda bears we get to see are in ads for fast-food Chinese restaurants. Maybe that’s why for the past four years, the main attraction at the National Zoo has been Tai Shan, the zoo’s only surviving Giant Panda cub. But unfortunately for us in the western hemisphere, Tai, affectionately known as “Butterstick”, won’t be around for much longer. Per the zoo’s lease from the Chinese government, Butterstick is being returned to his native habitat in China in early 2010. So if you haven’t gotten a chance to see him yet (or even if you have), hop on the Red Line to the Cleveland Park station, and get to the National Zoo before America’s favorite panda goes back to China.

Short Films

I’ll be the first to admit that the only short films I’ve ever seen are the ones that come before Pixar movies. But this Thursday at 12:00 p.m., the National Archives finishes up its Noontime Film Series with a selection of short films which probably won’t feature the animated clouds and bunnies that I’ve grown so accustomed to. Rather, it includes historic, artistic works, such as the Depression-era U.S.A. and a World War II newsreel set to music. That makes it educational, which will allow you to rationalize skipping out on the first of your study days to watch movies. To get there, take the Yellow or Green Line to Archives/Navy Memorial station.

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But which event are we referencing here?

Sarah Palin

Are you sick of pretentious authors who promote their books in bookstores? Want to read something by a real American who’s in touch with other real Americans? Then grab your caribou-hunting rifle and your kid named Trig and head over to B.J.’s Wholesale (yes, B.J.’s Wholesale), where America’s favorite hockey mom, Sarah Palin, will be promoting her new memoir, Going Rogue. She’s been avoiding major cities on her nationwide promotional tour, which is likely why she’s going to a warehouse in Fairfax, VA. I say schlepping is worth it. The event runs from 11 AM to 2 PM on December 5.

Canadian Photography

If you like maple syrup, hockey fights, or Alex Trebek, you already have some appreciation many fine Canadian exports. Art, however, is an aspect of Canadian culture that is often undeservedly overshadowed by the nation’s ability to make round bacon. The Canadian Embassy is here to enlighten us. In celebration of its hundred-year anniversary, the embassy is displaying “Karsh at 100: Portraits of Artists,” an exhibit of one hundred portraits by (apparently) famed Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh. They’re portraits of famous artists who we already know and love, and each one captures the specific artistic style and creativity of its subject. The exhibit runs through December 18, the embassy is at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and you get there by taking the Green Line to the National Archives station.

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