EASTERN PHILOSOPHY AND the state of flux inform artists Nicole Lenzi's "performance-based drawing installation" that she'll be creating on the fly at Flashpoint Gallery.
Lenzi will use "common materials" such as tape, molding, tiles, line and light (those last two aren't exactly "materials," of course) on the gallery floor.
» Gallery at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW; Oct. 17-Nov. 15; 202-315-1310. (Gallery Place-Chinatown)
Photo courtesy of Nicole Lenzi
CELINE DION is a legend. From "Beauty and the Beast" to "Titanic" to her takeover of Las Vegas, she has acquired millions of fans and mountains of adulation.
I mean, personally I'd rather have a lobotomy with an ice pick than hear "My Heart Will Go On" at a dance party, but if you love this overblown Canadian songstress, you're not alone. And you're lucky, cause you can go see her perform tonight!
» Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW; Mon., Sept. 8, 8 p.m., $49.50-$188; 202-397-7328. (Gallery Place)
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
YOU DIDN'T MISS an episode, so why would you miss seeing Elmo-like David Archuleta or the dreadlocked Jason Castro croon half-hearted covers when the American Idols Live! Tour comes to Verizon Center?
» Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW; Thu., 7 p.m., $42.50-$68.50, 202-628-3200. (Gallery Place-Chinatown)
Written by Express contributor Jason Koebler
Photo courtesy of Fox
AS THE FIRST female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi has been a trailblazer. She's been a political presence in Washington for decades, breaking barriers all the while. And her new book, "Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters," chronicles her transformation from stay-at-home mom to one of the most influential people in our government. She'll be speaking about her history, politics and the role of gender in all of the above at the strong>Sixth and I Synagogue tonight. For less than $25, you can get two tickets to the lecture and a copy of her book. Yes, that's in your power.
» Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW; Wed., July 30, 7 p.m., $23.95 for two tickets and a copy of her new book; 202-408-3100. (Gallery Place)
Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images
CALLING ALL WANNABES! Did you see some stuff at the Capital Fringe Festival that you liked? Looking desperately for a career in oddball artforms? Well, tonight is your final opportunity to attend the Fringe Training Factory at Martin Luther King Library. You can take any of the following workshops:
» Intro to Beatboxing
» Simple Clarity in Performance — The Lecoq Approach
» The Art of Creating Political Theatre
» Curious Works/Curious Audiences
» Introduction to Acting through Physical Score
» Taking It and Dishing It Out: The Messy Art of Grand Guignol Stage Violence
» SpeedTease: Burlesque in a Nutshell
» Look Ma, No Pixels! Digital Media in Live Performance
Click here to check times for the workshop of your choice. Again, tonight's your last change. Get your SpeedTease on.
» Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW; Tue., July 22, $10; 202-737-7230. (Gallery Place-Chinatown)
Metro Installing Debris Collectors on Its Tracks
Map It:
Gallery Pl-Chinatown Judiciary Square Union Station
IF YOU'RE WAITING for a train at Union Station, Judiciary Square or Gallery Place-Chinatown, you might spot new small yellow contraptions on the track bed, like the one pictured here.
If you see a copy of the Examiner or City Paper — or, perhaps, Express — get pushed under the contraption by the magic forces of train-powered wind, the things are doing their job.
Metro today announced the deployment of debris collectors at select stations as part of a new program to try to reduce the number of track fires, often sparked by newspapers and similar items getting blown into tunnels and other problematic places.
If the program is successful, Metro says it could expand the use of the debris collectors to other parts of the rail system.
Photo courtesy Metro
SUE CONLEY AND PEGGY SMITH have returned to the old farm, so to speak.
The D.C. natives ventured out West a decade ago to cook at some of the Bay Area's most exclusive eateries. But at Cowgirl Creamery, they've wrangled everything from Abbaye de Belloc to Humboldt Fog to the award-winning Red Hawk.
In addition, the Creamery stocks dariy prodcuts including hand-whipped creme fraiche, fromage blanc and cottage cheese, along with charcuteries and treats such as plush nougat.
» Cowgirl Creamery, 919 F St. NW; 202-393-6880. (Gallery Place-Chinatown)
Written by Express contributor Christopher Correa
Photo by James M. Thresher/The Washington Post
FIRST IT WAS PIOLA, the Italian pizza chain that's popular in Brazil — and now Rosslyn. Then Vapiano, a German-owned collection of Italian eateries, made its entry last year. Now two other foreign restaurant franchises are apparently looking to the D.C. area as prime expansion territory.
As Penn Quarter Living reports today, South African-based chicken chain Nando's will open at 819 7th St. NW, bringing the Gallery Place and Chinatown areas the global chain's spicy trademark Peri-Peri chicken.
Meanwhile, over at 18th and M streets NW, there are stirrings that the British noodle chain Wagamama will open a location in space formerly occupied by the now-closed Cuban lounge Yuca, which sits across the courtyard from Vapiano. It's a rumor that Kate Shamon, a Boston-based spokeswoman for Wagamama, didn't confirm; she told Express there's no news to report on any future locations in D.C. Currently, Wagamama's U.S. portfolio includes two locations in Boston.
According to a Vapiano publicist, the chain's H Street NW location, which is currently undergoing renovations, will open in early summer.
» "Nando's Restaurant Coming to 819 7th St NW (Old Skate Shop)!" [PQ Living]
Express contributor Marc Zawel contributed to this post.
WHEN THE REYNOLDS CENTER FOR AMERICAN ART AND PORTRAITURE opened to the public in July 2006, it offered a chance for Washingtonians to not only get reacquainted with two old institutions — the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery — but also with one of the city's most historic buildings.
The Old Patent Office Building, which had been painstakingly renovated over six years, is the city's third-oldest federal building and anchors a spot downtown — bounded by 7th, 9th, F and G streets NW — that Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the capital had designated for a grand government building. As a home to the U.S. Patent Office, the Greek Revival structure became the nation's "Temple to Invention." An exhibit by the same name that chronicles the building's great history is closing on Jan. 21.
Continue Reading "Closing Soon: America's 'Temple to Invention'" »
IF YOU WERE DOWN near the Verizon Center last night, you no doubt ran into thousands of teenyboppers heading to the Disney Channel's "Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana" extravaganza. This writer was stationed at the Starbucks at 7th and E streets NW getting some work done before dinner at Jaleo and lost count of the number of kids dressed in Hannah-themed gear who needed to use the bathroom before the show. The baristas didn't even try to stop the unauthorized use of the restrooms, which are usually for customers only.
As The Post's J. Freedom du Lac writes:
If you weren't there for the most significant cultural gathering for tweenage girls since, say, 'N Sync touched down at RFK Stadium in 2001, then you can't possibly understand what you missed. If you must know, though, put about 20,000 teakettles on the stove and let them whistle until you can't take it anymore. And then leave them on for another 30 minutes while songs from the two "Hannah Montana" soundtracks play. Also, put on a spangly outfit, turn out the lights and invite a bunch of friends over to wave glow sticks and light some fireworks.Those fireworks continued on Metrorail after the show. After battling revved-up kids crowding the Red Line platform at the Gallery Place-Chinatown station, this writer found a rail car that, thankfully, wasn't too packed. But it was home to a gaggle of teenage girls who were dancing and singing so loudly that they drowned out the music on our iPod. It was one of the worst commuting experiences we've had in recent memory.
Thanks, Hannah Montana.
» "For Crying Out Loud!" [WaPo]
Photo by Kevin Clark/The Washington Post
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