‘Very hot and still the air was…………’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

It’s the last weekend of August- are you trying to fit in just that last little bit of summer before Labor Day? Here’s how we’re making the most of our time this weekend.

Kirk:  This is my birthday weekend, so I’ll be out an about and not on my own dime.  My parents are taking me to Cava Mezze in Capitol Hill on Friday for some delicious Mediterranean food. My Saturday will feature some as of yet undetermined party spots, and then Sunday will be all about Freefest.  I’ve still not nailed down my lineup, but I’m definitely going to fit in Blink 182, just to say that I saw them.

Katie: I’m moving apartments this weekend, so the entire thing will be taken up with trips to Ikea, the Crate & Barrel outlet in Alexandria and Target. Doesn’t that sound fun? No? Yeah, no. If I were going to be frolicking freely around the city instead of unpacking coffee mugs and arranging my closet, I’d do all kinds of things out in the sun, as I’m feeling crunch time as the summer season dwindles. (AH! Say it ain’t so!) I might take a nice water taxi ride from Alexandria over to the National Harbor and check out Ashton Kutcher’s celebrity eatery Ketchup just for kicks and giggles. I also hear fun things about Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar over in those parts, who doesn’t love Jay-Z on the piano? Sunday I’d probably find a key lounging spot with some iced coffee – maybe say a stop by Tryst on my way to Meridian Hill Park. That sounds perfect. Too bad I’ll be wrangling boxes, packing peanuts and clothing hangers instead.

Shannon: This weekend I’m going to take advantage of the final days of Restaurant Week (though if you can’t make it this weekend, many restaurants are extending the promotion).  And I’m also going to take advantage of the final days of summer (sigh) by spending an entire day at the pool with some sweet tea vodka, my summer drink of choice.  I’d also like to stop by my favorite nearby winery, Three Fox Vineyards, for a day of wine tours and lounging around in a hammock.  Because what says summer better than laziness and drinking?

‘Guglielmo Marconi’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Jasmine: This Friday, I will be at the No Scrubs 90s Dance Party at the 9:30 Club, which is a brilliant combination of my loves of 90s music and dance parties. Saturday, I’ll be checking out the Columbia Heights Day Festival — they are reported to have everything from Guitar Hero games to a petting zoo during the day, and then the party moves to the bars after dark. Count me in.

Tom: I’m fresh off a week of vacation in California, so this weekend is all about re-establishing my love for DC.  I’ve got a choir rehearsal to attend Saturday, getting ready for a concert at Falls Church Presbyterian next weekend, but I’m thinking there’s a need to visit all my favorite places this weekend: Boulevard Woodgrill for brunch, the farmers market at Courthouse, and a DC Tweetup at the Pour House (password is tweettweet).  I think it’s possible I may take my bike out to the trails this Sunday and ride out to National AIrport and back.  But really, I’ll be boning up for the final week of the Four Courts Pubquiz Challenge that’s run all summer.  Vehicular Mayhem is in fourth place, and we’re going to be pushing hard to see if we can’t stay there.

Tiff: On Friday night, we’re going to catch Mitch Fatel at the DC Improv. His set is pretty dirty, even for standup comedy, but instead of the misogynistic blue material favored by many comics, Fatel’s stuff is all about how he looooves women. A lot. On Saturday I’ll be making the weekly farm pickup, and then we’ll be hitting the DC Tweetup at the Pour House on Saturday night. On Sunday, I think it may be time for margaritas and queso at Los Tios in Del Ray. Yes, you’ll have to cross a river, but I promise the margaritas are worth it.

‘The Argonaut Bar’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

Jenn: It may be an H Street night Friday. I’m intrigued to check out the Hometown Sounds vibe at The Argonaut, where only local tunes will be spun. Afterwards maybe finally I’ll get to see the supposedly awesome all-purple interior of Little Miss Whiskey’s, then hit Jimmy Valentine’s all-red interior for Wasteland. Saturday sees dinner with a friend who’s a bit of a foodie, so maybe dinner at Zentan to try that sexy slaw Katie likes, followed by an attempt to get up to their rooftop pool bar. And Sunday if I wasn’t hosting a little shindig myself, I would be at the DC Tribal Cafe’s 4 Year Anniversary party at Asylum, to watch some amazingly talented tribal bellydancers.

Cathy: I’ll be out of town this weekend, but if I were here… I would definitely snap up my last opportunity to visit the Corcoran during their Free Summer Saturdays. Friday night, I would be dining at Rasika and any other place I could find a great reservation for Restaurant Week. Sunday I would spend out and about on the Mall – maybe on a run or throwing around a ball – soaking up these last few days of humidity so I can REALLY enjoy it when fall rolls around!

Carl: I will be spending the weekend moving my office into the basement, where I will have more space, and also I will be getting ready for Mother Weaver to visit the following weekend. And studying, writing, cooking, and generally staying indoors. If I had time, I would be working on my tattoo photography project , getting a gin and tonic at Fox and Hound, where they have the best calamari, and visit the zoo to see the lions vs. llamas battle. What? You didn’t know the zoo raised llamas as food for other animals? You should check it out.

‘Every Food Fits – Pile o’ Peaches’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

Rebecca: I’m out of town again this weekend and will be missing quite possibly the BIGGEST event of 2009–Friday night’s No Scrubs: 90’s Dance Party featuring Will Eastman and Brian Billion at the 9:30 Club. When I am ever going to get a second chance at wearing an extra large flannel shirt, backwards baseball cap, my Doc Martins and rock out to tunes by Salt N. Pepa, Nirvana and Ace of Base.  If you’re looking for a music preview check out this mp3 mix. Admission is $10, which in 1990s dollars was like a weeks allowance, so it’s well worth it.  Be sure to warm up with some Crystal Pepsi, Hot Pockets and Teddy Grahams.

Corinne: A friend will be in town from New York this weekend, so maybe we’ll duplicate some of his last visit with po’ boys and Mason jars of beer at Eatonville or a brunch of waffles and fried chicken at Crème …though there’s no question I’ll go for the bottomless mimosas over the scandalous $4 sodas (with a charge for refills) this time around! Were I feeling really adventurous, I’d finally check out the Maryland Renaissance Festival or  “Air Fair 100!” where an afternoon air show at the College Park Airport will feature skydiving and wing-walking. But let’s be honest, a poolside cocktail and leisurely stroll through Eastern Market sound a little more my speed this August weekend.

Paulo: I’m looking at condos. Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll find a tiny 300 sq ft studio unit beside Franconia-Springfield station for under three million dollars in these down-market times. No, seriously, the fact that foreclosed DC-area condos and houses still go for as much as they do despite the popping of the real estate bubble is testament to just how much more money you all need to send my way so I can buy the property of my dreams and invite you all to parties with string quartets and champagne and cocktail wieners.

‘Wild DC – Relaxation – 6-7-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Don: I thought perhaps my darling wife and I might make an outing to Teddy Roosevelt island, where we got engaged. However the almost certain Friday rain and possible weird weekend weather might mean slogging through the mud and getting blown around in the process. We’ll probably pass on the outdoors till the following weekend and instead celebrate the life of Willis Carrier. It seems unlikely we can grab tickets to Signature’s Dirty Blonde on this short a notice but we’ll look into it. Thankfully we know for sure we can get into the free showing of Carle’s work and the not-quite-free-but-pretty-reasonable-$15 Paul and Storm show at Jammin Java in Vienna. Yeah yeah, I know, Vienna…. but JJ’s a fun place to see a small act and the better-than-Sticky-Rice sushi joint Sweet Ginger is just a few blocks away.

Tom Bridge

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.