Things I'm Talking About

• With the snow melting, the question on my mind is: when will people stop saving their parking spots?
• The Potomac River is full of poop thanks to wastewater spills this year. A friend yesterday said he could smell it going over the 495 bridge by Cabin John yesterday, and that he could smell it very strongly with his windows closed.
• The I-66 bridge over the Potomac is reduced to 2 lanes (and eastbound route 50 ramp closed) through early June.
• The development of DC makes it harder to visualize slavery in DC as we move through the city.
• Baltimore Aquarium opened up tickets for an April yoga class in the aquarium, and it sold out in less than a day. They have been putting them on once a month so far this year, so follow them on Eventbrite to find out when the next ones go on sale.
• Robyn tickets for The Anthem sold out quickly--and she's added a new show! RSVP for artist presale (begins tomorrow at 10 am).

Valerie

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

Last week, I asked: What was your favorite thing about the Super Bowl? You responded:

• The halftime show (71%)
• I didn't watch (15.9%)
• The football (7.2%)
• The ads (4.3%)
• The food (1.4%)

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: Bistrot Lepic

"Bistro lepic has been my family’s celebration spot (birthdays, anniversaries, etc) since childhood and I love it dearly…Veal cheeks orecchiette! (favorite)" Juan

Locations: 1736 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC
​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: Access the events calendar!

Now you can search and filter events by category, date, and my top recommendations, as well as see it in an easier to read list view or on a calendar. Choose between a monthly or weekly view.

And it's mobile friendly! Go check out all the events.

Our premium subscribers get the full event list (250+!), weekly updates, and VIP access to exclusive Not Bored in DC events.

Looking for something specific? Check out these options:

• ​Ways to disconnect in DC​
• ​Museum parties & happy hours​
• ​DC gym membership prices​
• ​Hidden gem theaters​
• ​Mosaics classes
• ​Pottery & ceramics classes​
• ​Knitting & crochet classes​
• ​Photography classes​

• 🎈 Benning Library is giving away free chocolate treats every Wednesday this month to celebrate National Chocolate Month. Just show up and grab some sweet goodness while supplies last! Wednesday 2/18. Free.
• 📜 Descendants of Black Georgetown will share their family stories and hidden history at this panel discussion featuring DC natives whose families shaped the neighborhood for generations. You'll hear personal stories and see clips from a new documentary about this overlooked part of Georgetown's past. Wednesday 2/18. Free.
• 🖼️ Gallery hop through four Georgetown art spaces with a four-course tasting menu and drinks from local bars as you wander at your own pace. Plus you'll get gallery credit and a chance to win art in their raffle. Wednesday 2/18. $100.
• 🕺 International Wine Day meets live jazz at Ciel Capitol Hill with $7 wine specials and rooftop views. Two jazz sets at 6:30pm and 8pm, plus tables are first-come-first-served so show up early if you want to snag one. Wednesday 2/18. Free.
• 📖 Go beyond the Mona Lisa with French art historian Tosca Ruggieri as she reveals the Louvre's hidden masterpieces and wild history from medieval fortress to modern museum. You'll hear stories about royal intrigue, wartime art heists, and secret corners most visitors never see. Wednesday 2/18. $13.
• 🕺 Cow-poked country dance party is back at Pearl Street with DC Stampede teaching new line dances and spinning the best country hits. Dust off those boots and learn some moves with your friends! Wednesday 2/18. Price not stated.

• 🎭 Kick off the Mother Tongue Film Festival at the American Indian Museum with a free screening plus filmmaker Q&A. This festival celebrates stories told in 27 different languages from around the world. Thursday 2/19. Free.
• 📖 Experience art in a whole new way with special colorblind-correcting glasses during this docent-led museum tour. The museum provides the glasses so you can see the full color spectrum of their collection highlights. Thursday 2/19. Free with registration.
• 🖌️ Create your own handmade books in this freestyle workshop where you pick your project, from simple zines to complex accordion pop-up books. You can even bring unfinished books from previous classes to work on. Thursday 2/19. $36.
• 🤓 Ciel Social Club is teaming up with Bestie Banter for a Black History Month game night that's perfect whether you're bringing your crew or ready to make new friends. Plus, you'll get discounted cocktails featuring Blackleaf Organic Vodka, a Black-owned DC brand. Thursday 2/19. Free.
• 🌐 Ring in the Year of the Horse at this free Lunar New Year celebration with lion dancing, fortune cookies, and family-friendly fun at Central Place Plaza. Experience the festivities without breaking the bank! Thursday 2/19. Free.
• 📖 Learn about an incredible Maryland garden created by a couple who met in New Delhi and transformed a crumbling stone farmhouse into a stunning 100-acre landscape without hiring professional designers. You'll hear their amazing love story and see how they blended their diverse cultural backgrounds into breathtaking gardens. Thursday 2/19. $22.

• 🌐 Chinatown Funk Express is throwing a Lunar New Year celebration with Asian city pop dance music, lion dancers, and a night market full of local vendors. Think disco ball dancing to Korean funk-pop and Japanese city pop plus tasty food and drinks. Friday 2/20. $20.
• 🖼️ Celebrate the opening of "Big Things for Big Rooms" at the Hirshhorn with art-making, live music inside an immersive installation, and gelato. Plus Hirshhorn Insiders get complimentary sparkling wine! Friday 2/20. Free.
• 🎭 Spend an evening celebrating Black history through film, art, music and culture at the Black History Film Festival at the historic Lincoln Theatre. This annual festival showcases incredible storytelling and creativity over six and a half hours of programming. Friday 2/20. Free.
• 🖼️ American Craft Made Baltimore is the East Coast's largest juried craft fair with 400 artists showing off everything from pottery to jewelry to woodwork. You can shop, watch live demos, and even try your hand at some crafts yourself. Friday 2/20. $12+.
• 📖 Artist Mandy Cano Villalobos will chat about her mixed-media textiles that transform fancy old book binding designs using materials from modern consumer culture. She turns leftover stuff into art that makes you think about colonization and environmental damage in a whole new way. Friday 2/20. Free.

• 🤝 Jump into an above-ground pool at The Wharf to support Special Olympics DC's Polar Plunge. You'll have a crowd cheering you on as you take the chilly plunge for a great cause. Saturday 2/21. $15+.
• 🤸 Learn proper deadlift technique without feeling broken in this small-group clinic that focuses on smart training over ego lifting. Plus you get donuts afterward, which honestly makes everything better. Saturday 2/21. $59.
• 🍾 NYC's beloved Daft Disko party is taking over Flash's Club Room with four hours of French house, disco, and electronic beats from Daft Punk to Justice. Saturday 2/21. $24+.
• 🖌️ Learn traditional Kente cloth weaving from Ghanaian expert Chapuchi Bobbo Ahiagble, who'll share the fabric's history and teach you to use a cardboard loom. Plus there are other hands-on yarn crafts for all ages at this cozy mill workshop. Saturday 2/21. Free.
• 📜 Walk through Battleground National Cemetery with a park ranger to decode the symbols and stories carved into Civil War monuments. You'll discover how these quiet stone markers connect Washington's past to today's conversations about memory and sacrifice. Saturday 2/21. Free.
• 🌐 Gallop into the Year of the Horse at this Lunar New Year Festival with lion dances, cultural performances, food vendors, and maker markets spread across two Smithsonian locations. You'll need to register in advance for the Arts + Industries Building portion, but the museum activities are open to everyone. Saturday 2/21. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Duke and Michigan are facing off at Capital One Arena for what's sure to be an intense college basketball showdown. These teams have serious history, and Duke's been dominating the series 22-8. Friday 2/21. $118+*
• 📜 Step inside St. Augustine Church for a guided tour of DC's first Black Catholic parish, led by longtime parishioner and historian Dena Grant. You'll hear stories of resilience and community that have kept this 15th Street congregation going strong for generations. Saturday 2/21. $20.
• 🧠 Turn your tiny apartment balcony or kitchen windowsill into a thriving garden at this container gardening workshop at the National Arboretum. You'll learn which plants love DC weather, get hands-on with soil mixing, and take home a fabric pot plus seeds to start your green thumb journey. Saturday 2/21. $25+.
• 🧠 Treat yourself to a full day of self-care workshops with journaling, affirmations, sip & paint, plus an open bar and food to keep you fueled. You'll leave with mini bouquets, new friends, and that good feeling that comes from putting yourself first. Saturday 2/21. $95.

• 🌐 Celebrate the Year of the Horse at DC's beloved Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade featuring lion dancers, marching bands, and a spectacular firecracker finale on H Street. Over 65 years of tradition with colorful floats, cultural performances, and community groups making this one of the city's most exciting celebrations. Sunday 2/22. Free.
• 🌐 DC's Chinese Lunar New Year Parade kicks off the Year of the Horse with dragon dancers, cultural performances, and a firecracker finale on H Street. Grab some dim sum in Chinatown first, then find your spot to watch this colorful celebration unfold. Sunday 2/22. Free.
• 🧠 Get your hands dirty at this seed starting workshop where you'll learn to grow everything from tomatoes to native perennials and take home at least six healthy seedlings. They'll crack open the farm's seed vault so you can pick what you want to grow! Sunday 2/22. $10.
• 🍲 National Margarita Day Party brings line dancing, free bull rides, and taco specials to Alegria Bar for a cowboy-themed celebration. Dust off your boots and bring your best yeehaw energy for this all-day dance party. Sunday 2/22. Free.
• 🍲 Celebrate Black History Month at this tasting party featuring a dozen beers from Black brewers across the DMV. You'll get to try everything from golden ales to IPAs while chatting with the brewers themselves in metrobar's cozy heated railcar. Sunday 2/22. $38.
• 🌐 Celebrate a century of Black History Month at this community block party with 50+ vendors, author panels, food, drinks, and an art exhibition showcasing DMV Black creatives. Sunday 2/22. $15.
• 🖌️ Bring your own flowers and a vase to this flower potluck workshop where everyone shares blooms and learns arrangement techniques together. You'll get to pick from everyone's contributions and create something beautiful to take home. Sunday 2/22. $50.
• 🛍️ The Black Gay Flea Market brings together 15+ Black queer vendors from across the DMV, plus DJs Fay and Jam 2x spinning on the back patio at Doubles. You'll find unique finds while supporting local businesses and dancing to great music. Sunday 2/22. $8+.
• 🛍️ Lucky Girl Market is bringing Y2K vintage finds, flash tattoos, and spiritual goodies together for one dreamy shopping experience. Early bird tickets get you in from 11am-1pm with a drink included, or just show up after 1pm for free browsing. Sunday 2/22. $10+.
• 🌲 Shad Night is back in person for the first time since 2020, bringing together fishing enthusiasts for an evening of community and shared stories. Perfect if you've been missing those pre-pandemic gatherings or want to connect with fellow anglers. Sunday 2/22. Price not stated.

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

Click the Login link below the form and use the email you're subscribed with.

⚡ More events. More access. Zero FOMO.

Our premium subscribers get the full event list (250+!), weekly updates, and VIP access to exclusive Not Bored in DC events.

​👉 Upgrade to Premium here​

Know of something cool happening? Submit an event for consideration!

* 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.