Things I'm Talking About

• It's Spotify Wrapped day, and I love seeing everyone's wrapped. Reply and let me know your top artists, albums, and songs, and I'll tell you my embarrassing #1.
• A few ice rinks are opening soon:
  • ​Canal Park opens Friday (free skates to the first 150 skaters)
  • ​Fort Dupont Ice Arena (indoor) opens Saturday, with free skates for DC residents
  • ​National Building Museum is bringing back their indoor ice skating rink on December 27
• I finished my first mosaic, and I'm hooked. Expect to see lots of crafty things to do--there's something about being able to hold something you made.
• Room Service, the interior design showcase that took over a Union Market hotel earlier this year, is back for a holiday edition for the next few weekends. Not sure how kitschy the designs will be.

​

Valerie

Explore graduate programs focused on climate, environment, and sustainability from 9 local universities — all in one place.

Join the Earth Commons (Georgetown's Institute for Environment & Sustainability) for the DMV Sustainability & Environment Master’s Fair on December 10 from 6-9pm and:

✔️ Chat with program reps
✔️ Compare curricula & career paths
✔️ Get answers on admissions, funding, post-grad opportunities, & more

Whether you’re just starting to explore options or ready to apply, this is a one-stop shop to find the program that aligns with your goals for impact.

👉 Get more details & register now! ​

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

Last week, I asked: What are you most thankful for? You responded:

• Small everyday joys (50%)
• Stability / security (25%)
• My support system (20%)
• Personal growth (5%)

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: Lapis

"I think both tiger fork and lapis are really great for an intro to dc. Lapis has a great vibe and outdoor seating - plus the bar downstairs. And also shareable plates!" Eileen

Locations: 1847 Columbia Rd 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.

✨ Premium subscribers: Events calendar is here!

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Looking for something specific? Check out these options:

• ​Museum parties & happy hours​
• ​Hidden gem theaters​
• ​Where to see fall foliage​
• ​Holiday volunteer opportunities​
• ​Best Christmas markets​
• ​Holiday bars around DC​

• 📖 Two powerhouse women are breaking down money taboos and wage gaps in a conversation about financial transparency, especially in the arts world. Hannah Williams (Salary Transparent Street) and Tori Dunlap (Her First $100K) will share real talk about building sustainable creative careers and why we need to stop being weird about discussing money. Wednesday 12/3. $20+
• 🤓 Vintage Game Night at the Woodrow Wilson House brings old-school board games, live music, and drinks to President Wilson's preserved 1920s mansion. Your ticket includes two drinks and snacks, plus you can add on a tour of their secret Prohibition-era wine cellar. Wednesday 12/3. $20.
• 🎭 Rules for Living is a wickedly funny holiday comedy where family dysfunction gets turned into brilliant choreographed chaos at Christmas dinner. This London hit makes its American debut at Round House, and it's the perfect antidote to your own family holiday stress. Wednesday 12/3-1/4. $75+.
• 🎭 Get ready to laugh your socks off while doing some good at this comedy show and coat drive featuring Yasmin Elhady from Hulu's Muslim Matchmaker plus a killer lineup. Bring a coat or winter gear to donate and help keep neighbors warm this winter. Wednesday 12/3. $7+.
• 🤓 Ever wanted to learn a skill that makes you sound like a secret agent at parties? TOOOL DC's monthly lock picking meetup teaches you the art of opening locks without keys in a super casual setting where you can come and go as you please. Wednesday 12/3. Free.

• 🖼️ The Anacostia Community Museum transforms into an after-hours art party with DJ sets, spiked apple cider, and hands-on screenprinting demos while you explore their Black arts education exhibit. Thursday 12/4. Free.
• 🛍️ Find unique gifts and support local makers at the Christmas Markt, a multi-day holiday market with 40-50 DMV vendors inspired by traditional German markets. Thursday 12/4 to Sunday 12/7. $10+.
• 🖌️ Skip the generic store-bought cards and make your own beautiful holiday cards using mono printing. You'll create your own printing plate and press a lovely stack of handmade cards that'll actually mean something to whoever gets them. Thursday 12/4. $55.
• 🕺 Get ready to recharge with Winter Wellness at Phillips after 5, where DC band Everyday Everybody performs while you create vision boards, learn self-massage, and enjoy bio-therapeutic sound meditation. Plus there's art exploration, DJ sets, liqueur tastings, and holiday milk buns to round out your winter evening. Thursday 12/4. $20; free for members.
• 🍱 Explore five unique holiday pop-ups with themed cocktails at Destination: Dreamlands at Duke’s Grocery and Problem Child including a gingerbread wonderland, Bamboo Land, and a Stranger Things bar. Thursday 12/4. Price not stated.
• 🍲 Meet chocolate maker Fanja Fawbush and taste her tree-to-bar chocolates made with Madagascar ingredients like baobab pulp, local vanilla, and even a surprisingly smooth 95% dark. She'll share stories from her island homeland while you sample the full Éka chocolate series. Thursday 12/4. $30.

• 🖌️ Learn about the badass women who actually led the Abstract Expressionist movement while creating your own bold painting inspired by Helen Frankenthaler, Lee Krasner, and other rule-breaking icons. You'll get art history lessons plus all materials to make an 11x14 canvas masterpiece. Friday 12/5. $65.
• 🍽️ Taste of Scotland lets you sample 40+ varieties of Scotch and whisky while enjoying a holiday feast, plus the next day brings a free parade with Scottish clans, puppies, and Santa. The tasting event supports local kids' programs, so you're doing good while having a great time. Friday 12/5. $150+.
• 🍲 Free wine tasting at Takoma BevCo and you can sample different wines! Friday 12/5. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Sing holiday carols while sipping cocktails at The Stacks for a festive happy hour with live music and themed activities like pet photos with Santa. Friday 12/5. Free.
• 🍲 Get ready to feel like you've been shrunk down to elf size at the nation's first official Elf on the Shelf pop-up bar at Morris American Bar. You'll sip magical Christmas cocktails in a North Pole wonderland complete with glowing lights and festive treats that'll make your inner kid squeal. Friday 12/5. $15.
• 🕺 Step Afrika!'s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show brings high-energy stepping, clapping, and stomping to Arena Stage with DJ Nutcracker and his Arctic friends. This family-friendly holiday extravaganza sold out last year, so grab your tickets early for this dazzling percussive dance celebration. Friday 12/5. $59+.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Sip botanical cocktails while wandering through holiday displays and dinosaurs made from plants at this after-hours Botanic Garden party. You can make your own mulling spice blend and check out model trains chugging past plant dinosaurs outside. Friday 12/5. $35.
• 🍾 Time to dust off your ugliest holiday sweater for this Bollywood dance party at Rewind by Decades with three DJs spinning Bollywood, Punjabi, and Top 40 hits. Friday 12/5. Free before 11pm, $25 after.
• 🛍️ Hillwood's museum shop is hosting a special pop-up where you can browse and buy artwork, photography, and jewelry made by the museum's own staff members. You'll get to meet the artists behind the pieces, from woven bracelets with semi-precious stones to abstract paintings and creative photography. Friday 12/5 and Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🍾 Pop Princess Party brings all your favorite Britney, Taylor, Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, and Gaga hits to the dance floor with DJ Tezrah spinning all night. Sing along badly and dance like nobody's watching. Friday 12/5. Free.

• 🛍️ Sneaker Con is taking over the Convention Center with rare kicks, trading opportunities, and a special Godzilla collaboration that sneakerheads will love. Whether you're hunting for that perfect pair or just want to see some seriously cool footwear, this two-day event has something for everyone. Saturday 12/6-12/7. $34+.
• 🍲 Taste your way through the largest Ethiopian community outside Ethiopia on the Little Ethiopia Food Tour, exploring historic U Street and Shaw while enjoying authentic flavors and stories. Saturday 12/6. $71.
• 🖼️ Celebrate the season with Winter's Eve at Glen Echo Park where kids can enjoy holiday crafts, live music fills the air, and open studios and galleries invite you to explore creativity up close. Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🧠 Ever wondered what it's like to work with bees? This hands-on beekeeping workshop will teach you the basics of caring for these amazing little creatures. Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Fort Dupont Ice Arena is officially reopening with a ribbon cutting ceremony and your first chance to glide on the fresh ice with Mayor Bowser. Free skate rentals for DC residents, plus figure skating demos and learn-to-skate sessions throughout the day. Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🍲 Georgetown's cookie tour is back where you shop local businesses and collect a dozen holiday cookies along the way. One ticket gets you a full dozen to keep or share, plus VIP options include goodie bags and bonus treats. Friday 12/6. $68+.
• 🛍️ Sick of holiday consumerism? Takoma Park Alternative Gift Fair offers gifts that make a difference. Meet nonprofits and find out how you can give gifts of change to your loved ones. Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🎈 Watch dozens of boats decked out in holiday lights cruise along the Potomac at the 25th Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights with food, a pop-up beer garden, and fun dockside activities to enjoy. Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🌐 Experience a colorful parade of Scottish clans in tartans, pipe and drum bands, and even some friendly hounds at the 54th Annual Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade through Old Town Alexandria. Saturday 12/6. Free.
• 🎈 Experience the charm of the season at the Swedish Holiday Market and St. Lucia Concert with handmade gifts, tasty treats, and a beautiful outdoor concert to celebrate St. Lucia. Saturday 12/6. Free.

• 🍲 St. Vincent Wine is throwing themselves a 5th anniversary party and you're invited to the all-day feast with unlimited food, wine, live jazz, a chocolate fondue fountain, and tarot readings. It's basically the perfect excuse to day drink with good people in Park View. Sunday 12/7. $96*
• 🖼️ Need psychic powers? Come to the Psychic Fair of Maryland to find psychics, mediums, and tarot readers, or shop for crystals and unique items. Sunday 12/07. $7 general admission.
• 🕺 Experience a wild mix of burlesque, sideshow, and circus acts at the Burlesque and Variety Brunch featuring former Barnum & Bailey clown Jim Dandy and Delilah Dentata. Sunday 12/7. $23.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Meet other single queer women and sapphics 35+ on this guided walking date through Adams Morgan followed by a mixer and optional brunch at Mixxed. You'll get matched with a small group based on compatibility, then explore colorful murals and historic streets together before returning for deeper conversations over food. Sunday 12/7. $15+.
• 🤓 The Crossword Show with Zach Sherwin is like watching your smartest friends solve puzzles while a comedian riffs on every answer, building to a mind-blowing finale that connects everything together. It's brainy entertainment that doesn't require crossword skills, just a love for wordplay and clever comedy at Planet Word museum. Sunday 12/7. $23+.
• 🕺 Yolks on You! A Burlesque and Variety Brunch brings together a former Ringling Bros. clown and award-winning burlesque performers for the weirdest, most delightful brunch show you'll find. Think sideshow acts, puppets, and phenomenal talents while you enjoy the DC Comedy Loft's brunch menu and drinks. Sunday 12/7. $23.
• 🤓 Bring any puzzle you've got and swap it for something new at this puzzle lover's paradise where jigsaw, crossword, sudoku, and brain teasers are all welcome. You'll get to chat with fellow puzzle fans, play board games, and maybe find your next obsession. Sunday 12/7/2025. Free.
• 🌐 La Cosecha transforms 4th Street NE into a magical candlelit celebration for Colombia's La Noche De Las Velitas, complete with paper lanterns, free hot chocolate from Michelin-starred Elcielo, and live music from DC-based Colombian-American band District of Colombia. Saturday 12/7/2025. Price not stated.
• 🧠 Practice your Spanish in a relaxed setting while sipping Puerto Rican spirits at La Cosecha with Dr. Xiomara Rivera Pagán guiding the conversation. Sunday 12/7. $10.

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

• Tree lightings
• Black truffle dinner
• Wine tasting
• DJ Meredith Marks
• Hot cocoa crawl

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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.