DC on a Dime

 
 
Washington DC has so much to offer.  On the heels of the Cherry Blossoms, kite festivals, and St. Patty parades DC has a long standing international film festival. 
The 24th Annual Washington, DC International Film Festival is set to kickoff April 15, with eleven days of  new international cinema.  If you like revelry, Thursday’s opening night gala should not disappoint.  Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.

Every Thursday from 5pm-8:30pm of every month, the Phillips  Collection (1600 21st street NW)  combines live jazz, gallery talks,  modern art, and a cash bar for a lively evening.

This Thursday, February 4, Poet Shani Jamila will recite Georgia O’Keeffe’s letters to her husband Alfred Stieglitz, to the accompaniment of violinist Lucan Klyne and music spun by DJ Adrian Loving.

Enjoy!

Celebrate the New Year with a three-course, prix-fixe meal during DC Restaurant Week, January 11-17, 2010.  Visit Open Table  for a list of over 100 participating restaurants.   $20.10 Lunches & $35.10 Dinners.

Don your door with a wreath, collect wood for the fire, and buy a pumpkin.  All these things are tell tale signs of fall.  However, if you really want to get into the fall spirit, check out the local corn mazes,  pumpkin patches, and hayrides.  Click here for full list of fall activities in Virginia. 

Most of these activities are affordable, and always fun.  Pack a lunch, grab some friends, and dive into fall.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage month, the National Zoo is having a Fiesta Musical!  On tap are animal demonstrations, music, dancers, crafts, food and so much more.  This may be the only time you can feed the animals, so don’t miss it.  Oh, and it’s…(wait for it) FREE!

When is it:  This Sunday, September 20

Where is it:  National Zoo

How to get there:  Take the red line to the Woodley Park Zoo Metro station.

From when to when:  11am-5pm

Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival

To kick-off its 2009–2010 season, the Kennedy Center will open its doors for the annual Open House Arts Festival this Saturday, from 12 noon until 6pm.  The event will include free  indoor and outdoor performances, so get there early, to beat the crowd.   Check out this link to see a list of performances and family-friendly activities. 

Admission:  FREE

Location:  The Kennedy Center, 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566

The Courtyard at National Portrait Gallery

The Courtyard Café

As Washingtonians return from vacation to reclaim the city, DC on a Dime wants to share a favorite super-secret-quite-time-spot:   The National Portrait Gallery.

This excellent Smithsonian museum tells the American story through individual portraits of those who have shaped our national culture.  And, since it’s not on the National Mall, there is rarely a crowd.  

However, what we love most about the museum is the Courtyard Café, which is located in the “Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard.”   This expansive courtyard is covered by a giant sky light, so there’s no better place for indoor reading, writing and reflection. 

 

The Café offers a seasonal menu of American-inspired dishes, using local, organic or sustainable ingredients when possible. The menu includes soups, create-your-own salad entrees, sandwiches and panini, and a selection of antipasti with a focus on vegetarian offerings and premium meats. These items are available until 4 p.m. Gourmet desserts, creamery-made ice cream and healthy snacks, such as fruit and yogurt parfaits, also are available.

Express offerings, called “Grab & Go,” include pre-made sandwiches and salads; these items are available until 6:30 p.m. Coffee, espresso, beer and red and white wines also may be enjoyed in the cafe anytime. Free public wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) is available throughout the Kogod Courtyard.

Location:  The museum is located at Eighth and F Streets, NW, D.C., 20001 

Admission:  FREE 

Museum Hours:
11:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. daily
Closed December 25

Fall

After a brief hiatus (summer vacay in Kenya), DC on a Dime is back and ready to assist.  The dog days of summer are getting ever shorter, and fall is on its way in.  The Washingtonian has amassed a list of 36 easy getaways from the DC metro area for the fall, and DC on a Dime recommends a few modifications for the cost conscious.

1.) Try to book your stay after Labor Day weekend.  Accomodation and activity prices usually fall after the high summer season.

2.) Limit your stay to one night.  If you arrive early Saturday morning and depart Sunday evening you can still have time to enjoy the activities offered in the area.

3.) Call ahead.  In the throws of a the recession, clientele strapped businesses are more willing to wheel and deal.  Take a chance and call ahead to see what you can negotiate.  You might get lucky.

Feeling outdoorsy?  Right here in our own backyard is one of the most dynamic geological features in the U.S. of A — Great Falls.  At Great Falls Park, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it cascades over a series of steep rocks and swift turns.  Whether you visit the Maryland or Virginia side, Great Falls will not disappoint. 

What makes Great Falls even more enticing is the rock bottom entrance fee.  If you’re on foot, bike, or horse it’s just $3.   While a vehicle pass costs a mere $5.  And if you’re feeling especially close to mother-earth, an annual pass will set you back $20.

Check out the website for more details.  We hope to see you on either the River or Billy Goat Trail.

The National Harbor is getting into the free outdoor movie game.  Starting this Sunday, and every Sunday until October 25, there will be a family friendly movie shown at the National Harbor’s outdoor plaza, just after sunset.  They call it “Family Sundays.”  And each Tuesday, through September 22, they will show classics movies.  You guessed it, “Classic Tuesdays.”

On Sunday, July 12, treat the little ones you know to a FREE screening of Stuart Little.   And on July 14, you can take your sweetheart to see Some Like It Hot, also FREE.  Check here for more information and to view the weekly schedule.