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What's cool in DC this week - and what's coming up

2/26/2015

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I can only apologize for being so lax - I have no idea why I forgot to write this blog last week! And I'm intimidated by how many fun things I did in DC since the last blog. I performed a story at Speakeasy, which was fun. I celebrated my birthday with cake and wine at the delightful Dicksons Wine Bar, before reading from my teenage angsty diary at the really hilarious Mortified. I have to say, this is one of my favorite shows at the moment. Keep an eye on their website for the next dates. And I rounded off that week of storytelling by trekking through the snow to Atlas on H Street to see Speakeasy women photojournalists as part of the ongoing Atlas Intersections Festival.

The snow sent us shivering to the movies. I laughed with delight at The Lady Eve at the AFI's leading ladies of golden age cinema film festival. I shed many a tear at McFarland, USA (temperamental school sports coach brings meaning to the life of disadvantaged kids through cross country running - true story), and tried to hide my enjoyment of the trashy but pleasant DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). But honestly, I'd seen most of the Oscar-nominated films, so very much enjoyed the DC Center's Oscars Night party at Town. I went last year and it was clear it was a very fun place in which to watch the Oscars. Our ticket included popcorn, snacks, a bit of emcee and drag queen fun, and of course the event itself on the big screen. I was disappointed to see Birdman winning the best picture when it so clearly was not - however, presumably those in showbiz have a natural tendency to favor films made about them and their experiences... Nevertheless, it reduces the credibility of the awards when silly decisions like this are made. In my humble opinion... But I did enjoy the popcorn.

We dabbled in art at the Phillips Collection, where I'd been really excited to see the Man Ray and Mathematics exhibition, which alas turned out not to do much for me. It was okay, but I couldn't work up as much enthusiasm as with many of their recent exhibitions. However, I did work up significant enthusiasm about their quiche in the Tryst cafe in the museum... 

As for theatre, we went to see Treasure Island, a London production by the National Theatre Live, screened live at Sidney Harman Hall. It was excellent, though alarming in its peril. Everyone should remember to keep an eye out for these high quality performances.

And while it was too snowy/slippy to go for a proper walk, we did something that made us feel like crazy hardcore daredevils: we walked on the frozen canal in Georgetown! Everyone else was doing it, so we bowed to peer pressure, or at least peer endorsement. We didn't drown, but were filled with delight. Hooray for the snow!   


What's coming up in the next week that sounds fab in DC

Three festivals to entertain you this weekend: F
estival are clearly like buses - none for ages, then all at once (a bit like the N2 and N4...) This weekend will you choose the DC Indie Film Festival with its tempting list of films and events (I'm intrigued by the virtual reality movie). Or will it be
the Intersections Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center with its array of interesting performances. Lots of music and dance, in particular. Or the DC Jewish Film Festival with an impressive number of films on Saturday and Sunday.  

Thu 26th Feb -
Essentially tonight is about cool science talks. Your only decision is whether to go down the hipster route at Thirst, or the celebrity route with Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Fri 27th Feb - Go to Folger Shakespeare Library to hear poets on the topic of power, or up to the Wonderland Ballroom for Don't Block the Box comedy.

Sat 28th Feb - Start your afternoon with Sunnier Side Up Movie Shorts at the DC Indie Film Festival. Then you can fit in both of these, which each have a late afternoon and evening show: Zip Zap Circus sounds like they're going to deliver a potentially very cool show (at 5:30 and 8). Note you can also go to their free circus workshop (3:30)! You can also squeeze in Catch Me - a Magic Duel, which is a charming face-off between two magicians in a random lovely house in Adams Morgan... I really liked it last time it was on. 

Sun 1st March - There are some great-sounding DC Indie Film Festival offerings today. I really like the sound of the international animation shorts. Or there's a quirky 'pop opera' called Bare, which is likened to the move Saved.  Or hear ten female authors read crime fiction at Kramer Books.

Monday 2nd March - Head to Kramer Books for an evening of independent fiction.

Tue 3rd March - Sixth and I are having a 'genius festival', and tonight Michio Kaku talks about his book, The Future of the Mind. Or head up to Petworth Citizen when my 'Make a 5 Minute Documentary on Your Celllphone' KnowledgeCommonsDC class is having a free 'film festival' to screen our work. You can register, or just turn up.   

Wed 4th March - Remember: Perfect Liars Club is on Wednesday! It's sold out but if you want to come, here's your strategy... A few tickets will go on sale at 6pm. There's usually a line so be prepared. And if you have failed, just around 7:30, after the ticket guy knows how many ticketholders actually arrived, he's been known to release an extra ticket or two... Tickets for April 1st go on sale on Thursday 5th March at 1pm here. 

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The Coolest Things Happening in DC this Week - and What's Coming Up

2/10/2015

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This weekend was all about Silver Spring. Naysayers may mock, but while many of us are assuming Silver Spring is not the place to hang out, the hipsters are settling in. Nowhere is such an influence more obvious than in Bump 'n' Grind, a coffeeshop-record-store oozing with the requisite 'craft coffee', vegan cookies, and industrial vibe that made us visit twice in a single weekend. But mainly because we couldn't get a seat in fellow hip coffeeshop round the corner, Kaldi's. Good grief, Silver Spring - I never even made it to the delightful Jackie's for brunch. I was there for the AFI's festival of Leading Ladies of Hollywood's Golden Age. I saw An Imitation of Life and Double Wedding and had a delightful time. And since it was weirdly delightful weather on Sunday, we Capital  Bikeshared all the way home to Georgetown, through Rock Creek Park. It couldn't have been lovelier. I'm warning you: Valentine's weekend in Silver Spring may be calling to you... 


As for the rest of the week, Perfect Liars Club was a great success. Pics and details here. There's still a few tickets left for next month - buy them now! We went to a really interesting dramatic reading at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre (though ducked out early in pursuit of cheese at Sona). And we went to an outstandingly beautiful production of Manual Cinema at Artisphere. You must make a resolution to check out what they have happening there, because it is unarguably one of the most interesting venues in the area. Manual Cinema involved a movie screen projected onto the Artisphere dome, but while it looked like an animated film, all of it was being done live from below, using overhead projectors, shadow puppets, mime and more, and a live band for the music. Absolutely compelling and wonderful. We also went to see Dunsinane (mainly motivated by my teenage crush on Siobhan Redmond, the star). It was top quality theatre and my beloved Siobhan was luminous. Highly recommended. It's on til the 21st, though selling out fast. The remainder of the week involved cheese and wine at Eno. On more than one occasion. Ahem, more than two, even... Eno has really overcome its earlier soulless ambience and transformed into a cosy, cool neighborhood wine bar in Georgetown. Hooray!


What sounds cool in DC this week


Tue 10th Feb - It's SpeakeasyDC tonight, and your very own Brit About Town, Layla is performing a story. The theme: long shots, last resorts and desperate acts. 


Wed 11th Feb - As well as being my birthday, it's Mortified, and I'm performing there too! Mortified is a rather hilarious show where people read from their teenage diaries and the like. Sold out, but you never know... 


Fri 13th Feb - Head to the American Art Museum after work for a free drawing class. 


Sat 14th Feb - If you're not at the AFI for a romantic old movie, you should be at the 9:30 club for SpeakeasyDC's iconic Valentine's Day show, Sucker for Love. Or there's a Valentine's Day soiree at the French Embassy. Or head to The Fridge for an evening with The Sweater Set, writers and performers of Perfect Liars Club's theme song. With cupcakes and crafts, this sounds very London.


Sun 15th Feb - Learn to dance the tango at Malmaison. 


Mon 16th Feb - All the kool kidz are talking about Secret  Monkey Social Club, a pop-up punch and jazz bar at the Dolcezza Factory at Union Market. Uber was made for these moments. 


Tue 17th Feb - A Photographer's Life of Love and War is on at the National Geographic. Plus Behind the Science with Joe Palca is back - the topic tonight is global health. 


Advance warning: Upright Citizens Brigade are doing a comedy show on 22nd Feb at Sixth and I. It will sell out, if past experience tells us anything! As will Perfect Liars Club on 4th March. Act now. 
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The coolest things happening this week in DC - and what's coming up

2/3/2015

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It's been all about Oscars preparation this week, ladies and gentlemen. I wept at Selma. And we were fixtures at Landmark E Street Cinema all weekend, watching the Oscar-nominated Animated and Live Action shorts. Which were largely quite interesting, cool, and recommended. The Live Action are particularly strong this year (my money's on the one about the girl from Afghanistan, though I liked many of them). The Animated ones were good, though none of them took my breath away. I did like Me and My Moulton though. A Single Life should probably win, if 2 minute films can fairly win... Anyway, a lovely way to pass an afternoon. Insatiable for short films this week, we also went to the Eurochannel Short Film Festival at Malmaison. A cool venue for film screenings indeed - and the fries were welcome too!


This week I fulfilled a year-long dream. Ladies and gentlemen, I went to Roller Derby. After the fab movie with Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, and a weird one person play about the sport at the Victoria Fringe Festival in Canada, I was absolutely ready to be dazzled with an array of crazy outfits and make-up, witty names, and a high-adrenaline vibe. Alas, as with many things, reality did not reflect the promise of Hollywood. The outfits were essentially a generic sports type uniform, with one woman adding fishnets. There was almost no music, and they were playing in a little space in a big hall, which made for a quiet ambience, despite the impressively large audience. And despite all the explanations in the program, it was pretty hard to follow what was happening. Of course there was some charm: a bake sale, a craft table, some silly mascots... so far, so hipster chic. That part was very like something I went to that was put on by art students in New Cross in London. The mythology overamped my expectations. In reality, roller derby felt like a sport that's a lot more fun for the participants than for the spectators. That's perfectly valid, of course. I don't really like watching sports and, despite my hopes to the contrary, hey, roller derby seems primarily to be a sport. So while I was delighted to be there, given I don't fancy my chances on roller skates, it's probably going to be a one-off experience for me. I really love their DC Rollergirls logo though...


In terms of theatre and the like, we went to see Of Mice and Men at the Sidney Harman Hall, as part of National Theatre Live. The production was good:  you never seem to get anything but absolutely top quality theatre at these events. We also ventured to H Street (will you be impressed if I tell you we walked all the way from Georgetown!) to see Tim Lee, Scientist-turned-Comedian at the Atlas. He was funny, though a bit patronizing in his zeal to explain science through drunkenness as though we were perhaps a frat boy audience, and irrelevant in his random chat about how his wife just had a baby. And I didn't take kindly to this LA man's Georgetown jibes. But we had fun. Hooray for science comedy. 


The coolest-sounding things in DC this week

Tue 3rd Feb - Head over the the Folger Elizabethan Theatre for an intersection of verse and drama, British style. 


Wed 4th Feb - Perfect Liars Club is tonight and it's going to be awesome. It's sold out but there are a limited number of tickets available on the door from 6pm, so go try your luck!


Thu 5th Feb - Tickets for March's Perfect Liars Club go on sale at 1pm. In the evening, check out the Phillips After 5. It's all about lights. They promise games and music. Also the Capital Irish Film Festival opens tonight and runs all weekend. 


Fri 6th and Sat 7th Feb - Yet again quietly excelling itself with the coolest happenings in town, I couldn't be more excited about the promise of Manual Cinema at Artisphere. Puppets, silhouettes, live music... this visiting company from Chicago are possibly going to deliver something special. 


Sat 7th and Sun 8th - Don't miss the Capital Irish Film Festival. Insatiable for shorts? Check them out at 1pm both days. The AFI's Great Movie Romances also starts, AND Leading Ladies of Hollywood's Golden Age for a whole several months of delightful weekends. I recommend pairing this with Jackie's brunch on a Sunday, or Sidebar cocktails of an evening... 


Mon 9th Feb - I'm really excited to be starting a free class about making my own cellphone documentary. Have you checked out the available all-free classes on Knowledge Commons? Do it.
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    What is this blog?

    Every Friday, Perfect Liars Club MC Layla laboriously curates a list of all the coolest English-accessible things happening in Tokyo for the next week for your delight and entertainment. If you live in Tokyo and like attending great events, you had better sign up.

    How to suggest an event to be included

    Tweet @perfectliarstky or email Layla with details and a link.

    What sort of events does this listings guide include?

    ​Recommendations are biased towards things Layla personally enjoys, like theatre, cinema, sciencey talks, book things, storytelling, comedy, art and random quirky activities.

    Come to my event, Layla!

    You can email Layla to invite her to something cool.

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