Things I'm Talking About

• ​40% of the posts that DC's Metropolitan Police Department instagram account have reposted are about holiday-themed bars in DC. I reached out to let them know after they reposted a reel of mine, but no response. Fun little easter egg.
• I'm trying to shop local for all of my gifts this year.
  • ​Loyalty Books for gifts for nieces and nephews
  • ​Big Bad Woof is where I get my pet-related gifts
  • ​Propper Topper for the people I don't know what to get
  • Secondhand shops like Fia's Fabulous Finds and Elephant in my Room for unique finds
  • If you have a music lover in your life, HR Records is offering 20% Dec 15-22 for in store purchases.
• I went to Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Meredith Marks' DJ set at Hook Hall and while her set was trash, Hook Hall is actually a fun venue for a DJ set!
• The Traitors game show is casting normal people for the next season.
• Maryland lawmakers overrode Governor Moore's veto, meaning that a study on the impact of data centers will go ahead.
• GSA has agreed to hold off on painting the Old Executive Office Building, pending a court case brought by DC Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners.
• The White House is considering demolishing 4 federal buildings in DC without input from GSA.
• National Links Trust, which operates DC's 3 public golf courses, was issued a notice of default by the government, with Trump looking to take them in a new direction.
• With the end of the year approaching, the newsletter will come out on the 24th and 31st, but may have a smaller list of events than normal due to break schedules.

Valerie

Give your opinion, and check back next week for the results.

Last week, I asked: What hobby are you most interested in? You responded:

• Cooking/Cocktails (30.8%)
• Pottery/Ceramics (17.9%)
• Knitting/Crochet/Fiber Arts (17.9%)
• Photography (15.4%)
• Painting (12.8%)
• Woodcarving/Woodworking (5.1%)

Tried & True features your favorite go-to restaurants that have been around for a while and serve you consistently good food.

This Week's Feature: Zaytinya

"I take so many people to Zaytinya's. Great for pre-show dinner and a great patio for lunch in the warmer months" Johanna

Locations: 701 9th Street NW
​Website​

😋 What is your favorite tried and true restaurant?

Where do you find yourself going back time and time again? Reply and let me know to be featured and share the love for a local DC restaurant.

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• ​Museum parties & happy hours​
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• 🧠 Join a supportive writers group where beginners and seasoned writers share everything from poetry to scripts in a judgment-free space. This community has been meeting for almost eight years. Wednesday 12/17. Free.
• 🎈 Celebrate Hanukkah with latkes, jelly doughnuts, gelt, and live music from Machaya Klezmer Band at the 2025 Annual Hanukkah Party while exploring the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. Wednesday 12/17. Free.
• 🍾 Belt out your favorite Christmas classics at Santa's Whi-ski Lodge karaoke night where Chicken+Whiskey transforms into a festive wonderland complete with over-the-top holiday decor. Grab a cocktail and take the mic from 8-11 PM for some serious holiday fun. Wednesday 12/17. Free.
• 🖌️ Make two unique crushed glass ornaments with easy step-by-step help at Crushed Glass Ornaments at Pherm Brewing in Gambrills where you can customize colors and designs while enjoying drinks and food trucks. Wednesday 12/17. $50.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Cozy up with fellow book lovers at Teaism Penn Quarter to chat about "Fresh Water for Flowers," an international bestseller about finding happiness in unexpected places. Perfect for anyone who loves deep conversations over warm drinks and connecting with new friends who get your book obsession. Wednesday 12/17. Free.

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Swap out your old reads and find new favorites at the 2025 Book Swap where you can refresh your bookshelf and share stories with others. Thursday 12/18. Free.
• 🖌️ Learn the meditative art of hand stitching while creating your own Affirmation Journal using African mudcloth and meaningful embellishments like cowrie shells. You'll also get some guided breathwork and beginner yoga to make it extra restorative. Thursday 12/18. $30.
• 🌐 Get ready for some serious latke debates at this Chanukah party with dreidel competitions and ugly sweater contests. You'll feast on latkes and donuts while settling the age-old sour cream vs. applesauce question, plus there's a toy drive for a good cause. Thursday 12/18. $18.
• 🎈 Celebrate the 5th night of Chanukah with Fried & Festive: A Chanukah Party featuring latkes, donuts, a dreidel competition, and a fun ugly sweater contest. Thursday 12/18. $21.
• 🕺 You'll hear something pretty special when the Isidore String Quartet performs on actual Stradivari instruments at the Library of Congress, including a 1690 viola that just joined their collection. They're playing Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven in the gorgeous Coolidge Auditorium. Thursday 12/18. Free with tickets.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Skip the awkward small talk and go ice skating instead at Washington Harbour, then warm up with drinks and winter menu bites at Tony & Joe's. Meet new people without the pressure of standing around making conversation. Thursday 12/18. $30.

• 🖌️ Get cozy with your crew and create custom sweater-themed press-on nails while sipping drinks at this fun DIY workshop. No nail art experience needed, just bring your creativity and they'll provide all the supplies! Friday 12/19. $39.
• 🖼️ Celebrate the season with a free holiday art party at Union Market featuring live mural painting, a vinyl dance party, tarot readings, and plenty of unique art and treats to explore. Friday 12/19. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Start with drinks and apps at Crafthouse, then hit the ice rink at Reston Town Center for a fun winter night out with twinkling lights and fire pits all around. Skating is totally optional if you'd rather just hang out and soak up the festive atmosphere! Friday 12/19. Free to join (skating $14).
• 🍾 For the Girls is throwing their last DC party of 2025 at Saint-Ex with an all-female DJ lineup and inclusive LGBTQ+ energy. This 21+ dance party runs late, so bring your dancing shoes and leave the boys at home. Friday 12/19. $23.
• 🕺 Have fun learning salsa with a free beginner lesson before open dancing to a DJ at the Back Room Salsa Night in Glen Echo Park. Friday 12/19. $12+.

• 🧑‍🍳 Learn to temper chocolate and create silky ganache while making six artisan truffles with Celebrity Pastry Chef Dawn Alston. You'll get to take home a beautiful box of your creations, plus there's charcuterie and BYOB for the 21+ crowd. Saturday 12/20. $105.
• 🍱 Walk Upshur Street and collect fresh cookies from participating shops along the way - get your holiday gifts and a snack along the way. Saturday 12/20. Free.
• 🏞️ Beat the Christmas rush with a peaceful hike through Rock Creek Park where you can choose between 8 or 12.5 miles of wooded trails in one of the world's largest urban parks. Meet at Cleveland Park Metro and enjoy nature right in the city before the holiday craziness kicks in. Saturday 12/20. $5.
• 📖 Celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday with afternoon tea and Regency dancing at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Period costumes are encouraged, and you can check out paintings that Austen herself saw in 1796. Saturday 12/20. Limited dance tickets available, tea sold out.
• 🌲 Explore holiday displays and dinosaur trains in a calm, sensory-friendly setting at the US Botanic Garden after regular hours. You'll see poinsettias shaped like DC landmarks plus model trains chugging past plant dinosaurs outside. Saturday 12/20. Free.
• 🖌️ Skip the big box store gifts and make gorgeous vintage Czech beaded ornaments using traditional wire and glass bead techniques to create sparkly snowflakes and stars. You'll leave with heirloom-quality decorations that actually mean something. Saturday 12/20. Sliding scale pricing.
• 🍾 Dress up as Santa and hop between four Cleveland Park favorites with your crew for this holiday bar crawl featuring exclusive drink specials at each stop. You'll hit Laredo, Buffalo & Bergen, Fat Pete's, and Nanny O'Briens over four festive hours. Saturday 12/20. $29.
• 🖌️ Get your hands colorful at this mindful alcohol ink coaster workshop where you'll create your own 4-piece set while sipping hot chocolate. Perfect for unwinding during the holiday season, and no experience needed! Saturday 12/20. $15.
• 🖌️ Make your own colorful mosaic holiday ornaments with all materials included at this hands-on Mosaic Ornament Holiday Workshop led by Mizz Mozaic. Saturday 12/20. $55.
• 🍱 A Very Palestinian Bake Sale at Lulu's Cafe is serving up traditional sweets like basbusa, sahlab, and maamoul with all proceeds going to support a family in Gaza. Saturday 12/20. Donation.

• 🕺 Live jazz and poetry readings featuring local DC artists at Mt. Pleasant Library sounds like the perfect Sunday afternoon combo. The American Poetry Museum is bringing together spoken word and smooth sounds for anyone 13 and up. Sunday 12/21. Free.
• 🕺 Nelson Fuentes & Friends are bringing holiday laughs to Room 808 for a cozy comedy night that'll help you unwind from all the seasonal chaos. Perfect excuse to get out of the house and laugh with strangers who get it. Sunday 12/21. $19.
• 🖌️ Get your hands sticky at this gingerbread house decorating workshop where you just focus on making something sweet to take home. Sunday 12/21. $45.
• 🖌️ Learn to make an adorable fondant yeti cake topper in this hands-on class with expert Steph Lawshe at Fran's Cake & Candy Supplies. You'll master shaping techniques and bring home your cute creation after 3 hours of fun. Sunday 12/21. $157.
• 🛍️ Tail Up Goat is having a yard sale with all their restaurant gear - plates, cookware, wine glasses, chairs, and tons of kitchen stuff up for grabs. Get there right at 2pm because they'll close early if everything sells out! Sunday 12/21. Prices vary.
• 🖌️ Get your hands dirty making your own ceramic holiday tree at this festive pottery workshop where you'll learn shaping, glazing, and decorating basics. Perfect for beginners and you'll walk away with a handmade holiday decoration that's totally yours. Sunday 12/21. $46.
• 🌲 Take a break from the rush with a Mindful Bird Walk & Forest Bathing with Campfire & S'Mores where you can slow down, enjoy nature fully, and end with a cozy campfire treat. Sunday 12/21. $20.
• 🛍️ Escape the cold at Balè Moya's cozy Christmas market where you can sip Ethiopian coffee, browse beautiful collections, and shop 30+ local DC vendors all in one warm spot. The first 50 people get 10% off, plus there's art, games, and soft Christmas carols to set the perfect holiday mood. Sunday 12/21. Free.
• 🍲 Share your favorite high-nutrient dish and swap recipes with others who care about healthy eating at this Nutritarian Potluck and Resource Sharing. Sunday 12/21. Free.

🤫 Psst! I couldn't fit everything in this issue. See 90 events happening this weekend and next week like:

• ZooLights & holiday activities
• Turn acorns & twigs into forest creature figurines
• National Building Museum ice skating
• Kwanzaa party
• Learn bluegrass guitar skills

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* Items marked with an asterisks contain affiliate links (for which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you) or sponsored. Events are featured based on if I find them interesting and think others will too, regardless if they are affiliate or sponsored.