‘Richard Peck’
courtesy of ‘ellen.w’

Carl: This weekend will be busy for me, as I need to spend some time shopping for cars, since my old one was wrecked in an accident a few weeks ago. What? You didn’t see my after-accident photo? I also plan to catch up on editing my book and editing a collection of photos I plan to show soon. I’m not one of the younger writers here so I don’t have plans to hit anything up, which to me sounds remarkably like knocking something up. I don’t have plans to do that either.

Jasmine: The single thing I am most excited about this weekend is the National Book Festival. For serious. If you’ve never been, it’s tent after tent of books for sale, free stuff (the posters are always gorgeous, so make sure to pick one up), and authors signing their books and giving talks. One NBF I went to, I stopped by this tent that seemed to have an unusual number of 12 year old girls with home made tshirts, and I eavesdropped on a then-obscure Stephenie Meyer talking about why she is drawn to vampires. So I’m pretty excited for what this year will bring. After that, I plan on dancing my cares away at the Bliss Dance Party at Black Cat and then recovering all day Sunday before another long week at work.

‘Skeeball at H Street Country Club’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

Katie: Friday night I’m headed over to H Street Country Club to check out their new cocktail program, crafted by PS 7’s Master Mixologist Gina Chersevani. I’m excited to sample her cocktail creations and snack on H Street Country Club’s delicious chips and guacamole. I’m also planning on whooping Jenn’s butt in a round of Marion Barry-interrupted mini-golf. Saturday morning I’m going to whip up a stack of pancakes with a friend and show her around my new apartment. Once I’ve recovered from my food coma, I’m torn between celebrating my neighborhood with Clarendon Day or fending off the masses while Jasmine pushes to the front of the James Patterson line at the National Book Festival. Or, I might just say screw it all and head over to the new vintage store, Treasury, on 14th Street and do some shopping because a girl  can never have too much clothing, just closets that are too small. Sunday you can find me in Georgetown throwing back a few beers and acting like a carnivore at The 2nd Annual Buffalo Battle, where Executive Chef Tom Crenshaw of J. Paul’s Georgetown and Executive Chef Richard Brooks of Old Glory BBQ will battle it out in a series of competitions throughout the day to determine whose Buffalo is best. I’m all about the culinary throw-downs, so it should be entertaining.

Jenn: After Katie kicks my ass at mini-golf (because I am the only Connecticut Girl in history to never learn the sport) at the H Street Country Club Friday night, I’ll lick my wounds at Jimmy Valentine’s where DJ friends will celebrate two years of Wasteland. Saturday after a grueling morning bike ride and obligatory pig-out brunch at Saint Ex or Creme Cafe, I want to try and hit Hemphill for John Dreyfuss’s slick Enigma exhibit. Hopefully I’ll have enough energy to visit New Heights’s Gin Joint that night to get over my fear of juniper. Sunday it’s all about bellydancing. Whew. Where’s the nap?

Paulo: Just closed on a new condo out in NoVA, so we… are… moving! Sadly that means this is my last week as a native Washingtonian, but on the up side this will be my first time to have a dishwasher in ten years.

‘Rock Creek Park’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

Shannon: There’s so much going on on Saturday that it’s going to be hard to decide what to do.  I’m torn between celebrating Rock Creek Park’s 119th birthday with guided hikes and presentations in the park, and checking out Clarendon Day’s ice cream eating contest and live music, and heading over to Barracks Row’s Oktoberfest for beer gardens, and going down to the Mall to browse at the National Book Festival.  I can’t remember the last time there were so many different things that I wanted to do in a single day! Sunday will be a lazy day for me, and I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’m looking forward to finally finishing The Lost Symbol (it’s so bad, but I can’t put it down).

Rebecca: Friday night, I’ll be catching the happy hour at Bourbon ($3 on all draft beers) and then the Missouri v. Nebraska game. Saturday, after my footie match, I’m going to volunteer for 16th National Public Lands Day.  Generally, these projects involve removing non-evasive species, cleaning up garbage and other infrastructure based efforts. There are six locations in DC, and plenty more in the surrounding Virginia and Maryland area. Sunday, I’ll be hosting a private viewing party and potluck dinner in honor of the premiere of Ken Burn’s new documentary National Parks: American’s Best Ideas.  This definitely a PBS documentary not to miss.

‘Charcuterie at Vinoteca’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

Tom: Fall is officially here this weekend, it seems.  I’ve got a few work-related tasks out and about in the world, but I intend to revive the ancient “Living Like Kings” policy of my early twenties, with a trip to Cheesetique and Let’s Meat on the Avenue for a charcuterie and cheese plate before Sunday’s football game.  I suspect I’ll have to head out to watch my beloved 49ers, as once again they’re not on the local channels, so that’s on the calendar.  Last week’s trip to the Hard Times Cue Café in Springfield was alright, but I may stay within a short bike-ride of home and go to Ramparts Tavern instead.  I’ll probably also make a stop for some good beer before the weekend, as I’ve got just a week to boost my tolerance before Cap City’s Oktoberfest next weekend.

Corinne: I’ve booked a last-minute jaunt to the West Coast (Tuesday at work, post-red-eye, should be interesting!), but had I stayed here, the weekend options would have been endless. I might have headed to the Hilltop for some of Georgetown’s Homecoming activities. While the football itself wouldn’t have been the main draw, catching up with old friends, a chilled Tombs pint and a steaming chicken madness sandwich would have been temptation enough. In another nod to nostalgia, I might have walked up to the Black Cat Friday night to hear King Chango (anyone remember them?), who will be playing with their original line-up for the first time in seven years. Saturday afternoon I would have helped kick off Oktoberfest season (perhaps deciding for myself if National Harbor’s celebration really is “Das Best”). Sunday I would counteract all that weekend revelry and find some pre-work week Zen with a free yoga class at Lululemon.

Tiff: This is a ridiculously busy weekend in DC and I don’t know how I’m going to fit it all in. Friday night there’s Three Chord Comedy at the Velvet Lounge on U Street. Then on Saturday, in addition to the weekly trip to the farm, there’s the National Book Festival AND Clarendon Day (Where I hear the Arlington Rap will be performed live). Sunday I think I’m finally going to catch the Maryland Renaissance Festival, but will have to pace myself on the turkey legs, since then I’ll be at Los Tios Grill in Del Ray with family and then having cocktails with Jenn.

Don: After a laid-back couple of days last week, this weekend is a surplus of riches for me. Tomorrow night I’m going to join some friends at Nationals Stadium to watch the Nats face off against the Braves. I’m hopeful that it won’t be a bloodbath like this week’s 14-2 loss to the Dodgers. Saturday I’ll pull on my brown flip-flops and spend an hour or two over at Clarendon Day, which circumstances have forced me to miss the last few years. If I feel emotionally prepared for it I’ll head over to Woolly Mammoth on Sunday and catch one of the last two performances of Eclipsed, which Jenn spoke highly of. Either way I’ll pop over and spend a little time at the National Book Festival. Beyond that I’ve got some We Love DC related business and reporting that hopefully you’ll be hearing about in short order…

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.