The Cherry Blossoms are coming! This is my favorite time to be in D.C.!!!
Ahead of the bloom, the cherry blossoms are already out in full force at the Cherry Blossom Pub, a pop up bar with light food fare and specialty cocktails in Shaw. It will remain open until April 15.
Right now, there are two different peak bloom predictions: either March 17 - 20 or March 23 - 27! How dreamy would it be to paddle boat in the tidal basin underneath the beautiful, full, pink blooms of the cherry blossom trees?
The kick off to the 2018 National Cherry Blossom Festival begins March 28 at the Warner Theatre in downtown D.C. with the opening ceremony. While I'll miss the Kite Festival (March 31) this year, I'll be back just in time for the Petalpalooza fireworks show on April 7 at The Wharf in SW. I'd love to make it a date and retire back to our room for a private show with more intimate sparks.
The Cherry Blossom Parade will be on April 14 downtown, where we could watch the elaborate floats and marching bands before having lunch and a sweet snack afterwards (me!). Curiously, there's an immersive digital art exhibit at ArtecHouse entitled Sakura Dream that features a moonlit floating environment with koi fish and cherry blossoms that react to your presence.
If you prefer to enjoy the season in the presence of a smaller crowd, let's set sail onboard the Odyssey orSpirit of Washington, where we can enjoy lunch or dinner, live entertainment, and spectacular views of the cherry blossoms alongside the Potomac River.
In terms of sports, the spotlight this month is on NCAA March Madness. Though the city does not have the pleasure of hosting this year, we could totally do our own watch party at any number of bars in the area if you want to catch a game together. And before you ask - I don't bet on anything but myself!
There are still some great match ups in DC sports this month that I would love to catch with you, like when the Washington Capitals take on the Winnipeg Jets on March 12, or when the Wizards play the San Antonio Spurs on March 27 at the Capitol One Arena. Happily, baseball is really back - I'd love to catch the Nationals play the Astros on March 15 & 21, or the Mets on March 17.
In an ode to St. Patrick, the Wharf will start its tribute to the Emerald Isle early by bringing Ireland on the Wharf on March 10th from 2pm-6pm. The event, sponsored by Kirwan's Irish Pub and Guinness, features live music with several family friendly activities. Continue the pre-St. Patrick's Day celebration on the next day, March 11, at the 48th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown starting at noon. Don't exhaust yourself, though, lest you miss the main event on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) - Shamrockfest, the largest St. Paddy's Day festival in America, will be at RFK Stadium. Yes- I'm totally down to party with you there with Shaggy singing in the background. I have a clover of my own for good luck *wink wink*
I love food - as you may well be able to tell from my Twitter feed - and the annual Washingtonian Magazine list of 100 Best Restaurants in D.C. debuted just last month. I checked and there are 63 I have not tried - 63 far too many! Wanna help check the boxes on the rest? At the top of my wishlist of places to try- Komi, Tail Up Goat, and Bresca!
If you're not up for dinner, we could always just drown our worries from work away in booze? There's more than enough "drank" to keep your whistle wet as we march through the month. My fave liquor, tequila, gets the spotlight treatment at Oyamel during the two week Tequila and Mezcal fesitval which starts on March 5. On March 13 & 15, Oyamel hosts two unique dinners celebrating premier tequila and mezcals with a 5 course pairing. Over at Union Market, we can enjoy a sip and paint event at Watercolor Cocktails with artist Marcella Kriebel and mixologist Gina Chersevani (and then follow up with our own creation of beautiful liquid alchemy) on March 14 at 6:30pm. If you're in the mood to enjoy a more traditional meal with an excellent wine, let's head over to restaurants like Honeysuckle, Hazel, and Cuba Libre during the Spring Wine Fling from March 26 - April 1. These, and more, participating restaurants will be offering wine flights at a prix fixe price ($15 for 3 and $25 for 5).
If beer is your drink of choice, of course a month in D.C. never goes by without a "fest" of sorts. Fittingly,Clover Beer Fest at Yards Park on March 17 is our lucky chance to try an extensive assortment of Irish [some green] beers and ciders. For those who plan ahead, the 10th annual National Wine and Food Festival pours into the National Harbor on April 28-29 from 12:00pm-6:00pm with tickets on sale now.
One of the best film events returns to D.C. again - the Environmental Film Festival! From March 15-25, a number of institutions showcase pieces that highlight a number of environmental topics of interest. The most intriguing (to me): Dirtbag, a reflection on the life of nomadic mountain climber Fred Beckley;Human Flow, Ai WeiWei's examination of the refugee crisis that has resulted from famine, climate change, and war; and Last Animals; and Wildlife and the Wall, a look at border wildlife and landscapes now in contrast to what they might look like if a border wall were to be built.
If you're in need of comedic relief, look no further than Tiffany Haddish, break-out actress from last summer's movie hit Girls Trip. Haddish will host a live performance from the Warner Theater on March 10. She is so funny and, by many accounts, not to be missed! If you're not able to snag us tickets to see her, perhaps a trip to Baltimore is warranted so that we can fall out laughing at Kevin Hart during hisIrresponsible Tour at Royal Farms Arena on March 23 & 24.
I love a good "Don", and Verdi's Don Carlo at the Kennedy Center would certainly be a pleasure to see. It's on the stage from March 3 to March 17. An intriguing play called The Arsonist is on stage at The Woolly Mammoth Theatre from now through October 14th. The plot revolves around a respected, upstanding citizen who has taken unknowingly taken in two guests, later revealing themselves to be arsonists, into his home. If you want to plan the perfect throwback Thursday date, it would have to include The Wiz, a favorite update to The Wizard of Oz, which is on at Ford's Theatre now through May 12!
The Obama portraits are the talk of the town right now, and I am totally up for a museum date if you'd like to see them in person at The National Portrait Gallery. While there, we can check out some of the other exhibits like The Sweat of Their Face: Portraying American Workers. One of the exhibits I am most interested in seeing at the moment is at one of my favorite museums, The Phillips Collection. Ten Americans: After Paul Klee focuses the eye on important artists in the American Abstract Expressionist and Color Field, who took their cues from Paul Klee. Of course, my favorite features are Jackson Pollock and Norman Lewis.
As usual, there are several exceptional exhibitions on at Freer-Sackler, one of the most interesting installations being Terminal by Subodh Gupta. Additionally, I hope to visit sometime soon for the chance to see the two tributes to Persian culture that they have on display - Feast Your Eyes: A Taste of Luxury in Ancient Iran and The Prince and the Shah: Royal Portraits from Qajar Iran.
The Hirshorn Museum also never disappoints, and one of the newest exhibitions, Brand New: Art and Commodity in the 1980s, is a thought provoking look at recent history.
I've never been to Burning Man but it's certainly on my bucket list! In the meantime, the closest we can get might be the installations at No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man in the Renwick Gallery.
***My recommendation for a date including most of these things is a minimum 4 hours. Of course, an overnight or full day date ensures we can enjoy one or several of these things without feeling rushed.
Ready to do it? Contact me so I can make arrangements for two!***