Things I'm Talking About

• Thank you to everyone who came out to volunteer with Food for All DC yesterday! We packed grocery bags for 100 homebound clients with Thanksgiving groceries. Thank you for your efforts!
• Thanksgiving is upon us, and while many are out of town, some of us enjoy the quietness of the city. This is a great weekend to play tourist.
• If you want the best stuffing you've ever had, I've been making this Bread & Sausage Stuffing for 20+ years and it's always something that people ask me to make again.
  • While sweet Italian sausage is good, I think it shines with a pork and apple sausage (I'll mix my own with ground pork since I can't find it in stores) or the D'Artagnan rabbit & ginger sausage if I'm feeling fancy.
  • If you're gluten free, you'll want to about double the chicken stock and cream & add in slowly until it gets to a consistency you want.
  • French bread is best, but sourdough can be fun to add a little more depth.
• Chipotle is having a buy one get one deal today if you don't feel like cooking
• There are a million holiday popup bars around DC this year. I've put together a list of all of the ones I could find.
• It's peak gingko foliage around DC right now. Here's where to leaf peep around the city.
• If you're getting a little sick of the consumerism around the holidays, the Alternative Gift Fair is coming up where you can give your friends & family gifts of good works.

​

Valerie

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

Last week, I asked: Are you ready for Thanksgiving? You responded:

• No (51.7%)
• Yes (48.3%)

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: Dolan Uyghur

"The samsa and kawa samsa are great starters at Dolan, and I’m with you- the hand pulled noodles (any of them) are where it’s at. " Lisa

Locations: 3518 Connecticut Ave NW in DC; 13872 Metrotech Dr in VA; 400 S Maple Ave in VA; and 20-A Maryland Ave in MD
​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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• 🍾 Get your holiday cheer on at this over-the-top Christmas pop-up bar at Puttery with floor-to-ceiling tinsel, seasonal cocktails, and all the festive feels. Your ticket gets you 90 minutes of open seating plus a welcome drink to kick things off right. Wednesday 11/26-12/28. $22+.
• 🖌️ Need a chill creative break before Thanksgiving? This mixed media card-making session lets you craft holiday cards or just play around with art supplies while enjoying light snacks. Wednesday 11/26. Free.
• 🍲 Cozy up in your own private heated igloo at The Watergate Hotel where you and up to five friends can sip festive cocktails and munch on holiday treats. Perfect for a special night out when you want all the winter magic without freezing your toes off. Wednesday 11/26-2/21. $350 food/beverage minimum + $50 rental fee.
• 🍾 Ruben's is throwing a Friendsgiving party with $1.99 tacos all night, BOGO drinks until 1 AM, and house music from SKETNOKAMI and KÖTA WËRKS. Perfect excuse to gather your crew for tacos and dancing until 4 AM. Wednesday 11/26. Free.
• 🤓 Test your spelling skills while sipping drinks at The Drunk Spelling Bee, where misspelled words get cheers instead of groans. Bring canned goods for their holiday food drive and get 10% off your tab! Wednesday 11/26. $9.

• 🤸 Start your Thanksgiving morning right with DC's biggest Turkey Trot at Freedom Plaza, where you can run a 5K, walk the Little Turkey 1-Miler, or even enter your pet in the best-dressed turkey costume contest. Every step helps fund meals and support services for neighbors in need. Thursday 11/27. $15+.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 If Thanksgiving plans are up in the air, the 10th Annual Edgewood Orphansgiving offers a welcoming potluck dinner with turkey, sides, and board games for anyone staying local. Thursday 11/27. Free.
• 🤸 Start your Thanksgiving morning with a burst of energy at the Bladensburg Turkey Trot 2025, a free 1-mile walk or run along the scenic Anacostia Riverwalk Trail followed by light refreshments. Thursday 11/27. Free.
• 🎈 Experience a magical evening at the Winter Lantern Festival in Tysons, VA where you can wander through hundreds of glowing lanterns, catch live acrobatic shows, and enjoy tasty local food. Thursday 11/27. $20.*

• 🕺 Ready to sing along and dance to your favorite 2000s pop punk hits with a DC Go-Go twist? Check out Panic! at The GoGo for a 2000s Pop Punk Dance Party at DC9 where you can even grab the mic and join the fun. Friday 11/28. $10 + fees.
• 🎈 The Folger Frost Fair turns the Shakespeare Library into a month-long winter wonderland with printing press demos, craft stations, storytimes, and holiday activities for the whole family. It's inspired by those old London frost fairs when people partied on the frozen Thames! Friday 11/28-1/4. Free.
• 🎈 Experience a winter playground like no other at Winter Wonderfest with a 100-foot tubing slide, winter train rides, a snowball throwing challenge, and even a hidden speakeasy for those 21 and over. Friday 11/28 through Tuesday 12/30. $30.
• 🍲 Discover Your Wine Style is a guided blind tasting where you'll figure out exactly what wines make your taste buds sing, plus you get artisanal cheeses and discounts on bottles you love. Friday 11/28. $45.
• 🍾 Looking for a night out with an all-female DJ lineup and a welcoming LGBTQ crowd? Check out For The Girls at Cafe Saint-Ex on Friday, 11/28. $12.
• 🖌️ Skip the Black Friday shopping madness and spend the morning making art with your neighbors at the Anacostia Community Museum's Coffee and Gratitude event. You'll get coffee, light breakfast, and a chance to create gratitude-inspired art while checking out their Black arts education exhibition. Friday 11/28. Free.
• 🎈 WinterFest at Wunder Garten turns NoMa's favorite beer garden into a cozy holiday village with twinkling lights, fire pits, seasonal cocktails, and weekend markets. Bring your crew (and your pups in holiday sweaters) for the perfect winter hangout spot. Friday 11/28-12/21. Free.
• 📖 See a printing press like the one that printed Shakespeare’s First Folio in action during the Printing Press Demonstrations at the Shakespeare Exhibition Hall. It’s free and runs from Friday 11/28 through Saturday 1/3/2026. Free.
• 🍲 Step into the holiday spirit with the Home Alone for the Holidays Pop-Up at Francis Hall where you can sip creative cocktails inspired by the classic movie and enjoy festive bites in a space decked out like the McCallister house. Friday 11/28. Price not stated.

• 🍲 Put your taste buds to the test at this $15 vs. $50 blind wine tasting where you'll sip six wines and try to guess which ones cost more. You'll get artisanal cheeses to pair with your tastings and discounts on any bottles you want to take home. Saturday 11/29. $45.
• 🤸 Take on the challenge of the Taco Bell DC 50K where you’ll run between nine Taco Bell stops, eating a menu item at each one while racing against the clock. Saturday 11/29. Free.
• 🎈 Kick off the holidays with CityCenter's 12th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting featuring a 75-foot tree, live music, balloon artists, face painters, and NBC4's Eun Yang hosting the countdown. Plus you can snap photos with the giant reindeer and under the Palmer Alley Dream Closet art installation. Saturday 11/29. Free.
• 🛍️ Hunt for book treasures at MLK Library's bargain basement sale where you can score used books and library merch while supporting a good cause. Cash, credit, and Venmo all work, plus you can donate up to two bags of your own books. Saturday 11/29. Free.
• 🕺 Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas with the Eric Byrd Trio on the big screen followed by live jazz that brings the holiday spirit to life. Saturday 11/29. $20.
• 🤸 Get your whole family moving to DC's signature sound at this Go-Go Fitness dance workshop that combines workout moves with authentic Go-Go music. Just bring water, a towel, and your dancing shoes for this high-energy hour that celebrates the city's musical roots. Saturday 11/29. Free.
• 🤸 Kick off your Saturday with the new Neighbors Run Club and stick around for the ice plunge afterward. Bring your friends, your stroller, whoever wants to sweat it out at Woodly Gardens. Saturday 11/29. Free.
• 🤓 Bring your old board games and swap them for new ones at this community exchange where you can refresh your game collection without spending money. Just make sure everything's in good shape with all the pieces! Saturday 11/29. Free.
• 🖌️ Make your own embroidery hoop ornaments at this relaxing workshop where you can follow holiday examples or create your own custom design. Choose between a set of 4 or 8 ornaments, and no experience needed! Saturday 11/29. $35.
• 🛍️ Market on the Street turns Takoma Park into a pop-up shopping paradise with 20+ local artists selling handmade jewelry, vintage finds, and perfect holiday gifts. Celebrate Small Business Saturday and meet the makers behind everything you're buying. Saturday 11/29. Free.

• 🖌️ Make your own festive wreath using natural materials you can gather right on the farm, with all supplies and guidance included in this Wreath Making Workshop. Perfect for adding a personal touch to your holiday decor or creating a thoughtful gift. Saturday 11/30. $20.
• 🏞️ Join a community 5K walk in Accokeek that combines getting active with raising awareness about digestive health in Black and Brown communities. You can bring food donations for the Capital Area Food Bank too. Sunday 11/30. Free.
• 🖌️ Make your own unique oyster ornaments with real shells and hand-painted designs at this Oyster Ornament Workshop with She's Artsy. Sunday 11/30. $59.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Catch some serious basketball action when the Capital City Go-Go takes on the Greensboro Swarm at CareFirst Arena. It's elite basketball without the elite prices, plus the whole family can enjoy the fun atmosphere. Sunday 11/30. $20+*
• 🧠 Learn to wrap gifts like a pro with tips from professional gift wrapper Dawn, plus bring up to 3 of your own oddly-shaped boxes to practice on. All materials provided, and you'll finally master those tricky corners! Sunday 11/30. Free.
• 🖌️ Create your own adorable bento cake and pick between red velvet or vanilla, plus choose an edible image to make it totally yours. All supplies included for this hour-and-a-half class in Manassas. Saturday 11/30. $60.

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

• Robyn dance party
• Wreath-making workshops
• Sneaker Con
• Georgetown Cookie tour
• K-Pop holiday market

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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.