Things I'm Talking About

• The Petworth Pretty Kitties Cat Crawl was a success!
  • Thank you to all of the cats and humans who participated on Saturday! We had a great crowd, and a lot of just wholesome fun and cat appreciation.
  • Bundles from Humane Rescue Alliance's adoption van got adopted! Enjoy your forever home, Bundles!
  • The question I keep getting is: when's the next one? I am planning on doing one in the fall, and then making it a yearly fall event. Watch this space for more info.
  • Check out the recap video on Instagram.
  • If you had a good time and want to support Not Bored in DC, sign up for the premium version of the app and you'll get access to better ways to find events too!
• Bouldering Project is opening a second location in DC USA in Columbia Heights
• A bungee jumping spot is opening up in Harper's Ferry on May 16th. You will not find me anywhere near that with my fear of heights, but I wish all of you daredevils the best.
• The 1812 Museum is open 2 Saturdays and 2 Wednesdays a month if you've ever wanted to see the inside the former mansion in Dupont.
• Potential East Potomac Golf Course renderings were released, with the golf course taking up the park land of Hains Point. Golf Digest has a good rundown of the takeover and legal challenges.
• The Atlantis is having a rooftop happy hour all summer long. I think it's the coolest rooftop bar in DC, and it's worth it to buy a random concert ticket and check it out (& discover some new music).

Valerie

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

Last week, we asked: What is with this weather? You responded:

• We are being punished (54.5%)
• What do you mean? I love it (36.4%)
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Paint a plant pot. Sip a cocktail. Tour the White House — after hours.

On Thursday, May 7 from 6–8 PM, The People's House is hosting a spring paint and sip inside their Rose Garden exhibit. You'll paint a plant pot, enjoy seasonal cocktails, and when you're done, get exclusive after-hours access to the museum's exhibits on presidents, first families, and White House history.

Tickets are $45 and include all supplies, seeds to take home, and 2 drink tickets. Extra drinks and snacks available if you want to keep the night going.

👉 Get your tickets here »​

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: Panda Gourmet

"Panda gourmet changed my entire opinion on mapo tofu and is a dc classic" Ariel

Location: 2700 New York Avenue Northeast
​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 who should be featured and why, and share the love for a local DC restaurant.

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• 🕺 Secret Sounds at STFU keeps the lineup a mystery until showtime, so you'll discover R&B and neo-soul artists as they hit the stage. It's an intimate speakeasy experience with curated cocktails and that underground energy you can't find anywhere else. Wednesday 5/6. Free.
• 🤓 Switch and board game night at Fat Pete's BBQ where you can feast on barbecue then battle it out in Mario Kart upstairs or try new board games downstairs. Wednesday 5/6. Free.
• 🎭 The Motion at Arena Stage takes four scholars through a mind-bending journey where a simple debate becomes something much bigger, exploring memory, identity, and what makes us human. It's the kind of smart, emotionally gripping theater that'll have you talking about it for weeks. Wednesday 5/6-6/14. $49+.
• 🎭 Pack a blanket for this free outdoor movie series kicking off with Pirates of the Caribbean at sunset, plus lawn games and food trucks. It's the perfect excuse to hang out in Alethia Tanner Park on a Wednesday night. Wednesday 5/6. Free.
• 📖 Astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi is coming to Georgetown to talk space science, NASA missions, and what's next for humanity beyond Earth. Your ticket gets you valet parking, drinks, and light bites along with the conversation. Wednesday 5/6. $40.
• 🤓 Looking-For-Group Happy Hour at Quincy Hall is perfect for finding your next D&D crew or just making new friends who love tabletop games. Whether you want to run a campaign or join one, everyone's welcome to hang out and connect. Wednesday 5/6. Free.
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• 🖌️ Paint plant pots while sipping cocktails in a replica White House Rose Garden and get exclusive after-hours access to all the exhibits when you're done creating. You'll go home with your painted pot, seeds to plant, and some great photos. Thursday 5/7. $45.*
• 🕺 Listen to Bridgerton's most swoon-worthy songs performed by a string quartet while surrounded by flickering candles at St. Francis Hall. It's like stepping into Lady Whistledown's drawing room for an hour of pure musical magic. Thursday 5/7. $79.*
• 📖 Historian Alexander Heffner is breaking down how we can have better political conversations without all the yelling and misinformation. He'll cover everything from the Declaration of Independence to presidential speeches to how we can actually talk to each other online. Thursday 5/7. $15.
• 🖼️ Check out brand new artwork from local artists across all eight DC wards at this special Art Bank celebration at MLK Library. You'll get to see pieces that will eventually rotate through DC government buildings, plus there are light refreshments. Thursday 5/7. Free.
• 🤓 Game Night and Mocktails at Georgetown Library combines board games with crafted non-alcoholic drinks for a perfect low-key evening. Choose from over 20 games while sipping creative mocktails and maybe making some new friends. Thursday 5/7. Free.

• 🖼️ Watch master artists transform ordinary trees into living sculptures at the Potomac Bonsai Spring Festival, where you can see incredible displays, live demonstrations, and hands-on workshops all weekend. It's happening at the National Arboretum and celebrating both the museum's 50th anniversary and America's 250th. Friday 5/8-5/10. Free, with workshops extra.
• 🎭 Bring your coziest pajamas and favorite blanket for this family movie night featuring dragon-themed short films at Hillwood's gardens and mansion. Kids can hunt for treasures, make crafts, and settle in for award-winning films perfect for ages 3-8. Friday 5/8. $12.
• 🤓 Meet your fellow DMV geeks at this bar crawl through NoMa starting at Metrobar and hitting a few walkable spots. Perfect for making new friends whether you're new to the city or just want to hang out with people who get your references. Friday 5/8. Free.
• 🍾 Time to dust off your skinny jeans for tumblrcore., the indie sleaze & tumblr era dance party at Union Stage. Dance to all those moody pop and alt rock tracks you obsessed over in 2014. Friday 5/8. $21.
• 🍲 Chef Chekesha is cooking up a six-course plant-based feast at Common Good City Farm with everything from vegan scallops to strawberry rhubarb panna cotta, plus live music and mocktails. Your ticket supports their pay-what-you-can farm market and community food programs. Friday 5/8. $50.
• 🎭 Bring your crafting supplies and settle in for The Princess Diaries at this craft-a-long movie night. Your ticket gets you in plus a drink while you work on whatever project you want during the film. Friday 5/8. $25.
• 🖼️ Check out Burnished: Pueblo Pottery at NMWA, featuring 24 stunning clay vessels created by women Pueblo potters over two millennia. You'll see everything from traditional water storage ollas to ceremonial bowls, including works by legendary artists like Maria Martinez. Friday 5/8-9/27. $16 admission; free for members.
• 🍲 Tacos & Tequila Fest II is taking over The Bullpen with free tequila shots, free tacos, and high-energy DJs from 4-10PM. It's part of a whole weekend takeover with rooftop after-parties and multiple venues if you want to keep the party going. Friday 5/8. $34.

• 🌐 Skip the passport and explore 27 European countries in one day as embassies across DC open their doors with food tastings, cultural activities, and behind-the-scenes tours. You can try Austrian apple strudel, play with LEGOs at Denmark's embassy, and even win a trip to Greenland! Date Saturday 5/9. Free.
• 🤸 Start your morning with outdoor yoga and a crystal singing bowl sound bath in the beautiful gardens at Tregaron Conservancy. You'll flow through some gentle yoga then melt into relaxation mode with those dreamy bowl sounds. Saturday 5/9. Free.
• 🌲 Peek behind the gates of Georgetown's most gorgeous private gardens during the 96th Annual Georgetown Garden Tour. You'll wander through hidden courtyards and secret green spaces that are usually off-limits to the public. Saturday 5/9. $50.
• 📜 Peek inside 9 gorgeous Capitol Hill homes and gardens during this Mother's Day weekend tour that's been running for 69 years. You'll get refreshments and to see some beautiful historic architecture. Saturday 5/9-5/10. $45+.
• 🤸 Bike through DC with library staff on this 7-mile Tour de DCPL ride that hits four libraries plus the Frederick Douglass Historic Site. It's a no-drop ride, so beginners are welcome and no one gets left behind. Saturday 5/9. Free.
• 🌐 The Polish Embassy is throwing a friendship fair with pierogi making, live mural painting, trivia with prizes, and cornhole on the lawn. You can actually step inside the embassy grounds and celebrate 250 years of Polish-American friendship! Saturday 5/9. Price not stated.
• 🧠 Practice your tarot reading skills with other beginners and experienced readers at this hands-on session. Extra decks and pendulums provided if you don't have your own! Saturday 5/9. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Peek inside about ten gorgeous Mt Pleasant homes and gardens on this self-guided neighborhood tour, plus stick around for a cocktail reception afterward. Saturday 5/9. $45.
• 🤸 Cello Yoga combines live cello music with beginner-friendly yoga in the stunning Great Hall at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. You'll flow through poses while a cellist improvises alongside your movements, creating a totally unique way to unwind. Saturday 5/9. $20.
• 📜 Walk through Congressional Cemetery to hear stories about mothers of all kinds, from Lucy Bell who fought for her family's freedom from slavery to Barbara Gittings, the "Mother of the Gay Rights Movement." Saturday 5/9. $10.
• 🍲 DC's best restaurants are battling it out for margarita supremacy and you get to be the judge at this epic tasting competition. Sample margaritas from all the competing spots and vote for your favorite while soaking up the fiesta atmosphere at Dock5. Saturday 5/9. $44.

• 🌲 Treat mom (or yourself) to a peaceful forest bathing experience at the National Arboretum where you'll slow down, breathe deep, and connect with nature through guided meditation and reflection. The two-hour session ends with a mini tea ceremony, and you can walk as much or as little as feels good. Sunday 5/10. $35.
• 🎭 Pixar's "Up" is screening for free at the Kennedy Center's REACH, and it's the perfect excuse to ugly-cry in public over that opening montage. Grab your tickets online starting two Wednesdays before the show. Sunday 5/10. Free.
• 🤓 Bravo Bingo Brunch is perfect for anyone who knows way too much about reality TV drama. Test your Bravoleb knowledge while sipping themed cocktails and enjoying brunch combos at Lulu's Wine Garden. Sunday 5/10. Free to play.
• 🌲 Bike slowly through the Anacostia Trail and Kingman Island with Feminist Bird Club while stopping to spot birds along the way. A combo of easy cycling and nature watching, plus optional lunch at The Roost afterward. Sunday 5/10. Price not stated.

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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.