View in browser 

The long weekend can’t come fast enough, and this newsletter is packed with ways to recharge, rejoice and give back to the community for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Cap off the weekend with delicious deals when Restaurant Week returns on Monday, as well.

Here’s our bite-sized version of what to do this weekend — the 🤠 Emoji Roundup:

🌎 Where to volunteer for the MLK Day of Service.

✨KenCen hosts an “all-star breakdance crew of seven of the world’s best disabled dancers.”

⛸️ Now, it's cheaper to ice skate at Cameron Run.

🏮 The Tết Grand Festival promises the latest Lunar New Year celebration in the DMV.  

🦸‍♀️ Fandoms assemble at the Germantown Library.

☕ High tea with a Southern-inspired menu, gospel and other musical performances at The Salamander DC. 

🔥 Lit Sunday: Get down at the old-school hip-hop bar crawl at 14th and U.

📽️ Free pick: Civil rights and social justice films at BlackRock Center for the Arts.
🕺 Raheem DeVaughn, The Legendary DJ Kool and more perform at National Harbor Winter Takeover benefitting causes of the DMV Divine 9.

🎵 Reggae Fest D.C. at The Howard Theatre.

🍻 Onesies and (bar) crawling for adults only. 

⌛ Happening Monday: Winter Restaurant Week begins; National Parks are waiving fees and Leslie Odom, Jr. joins a free musical tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

🔮 The Future Scene: “Cats” at the National Theatre; more restaurant weeks in Alexandria and National Harbor.

Next week, we'll be sharing how you can ring in the year of the rabbit on Lunar New Year. Keep your friends in the loop by sharing our newsletter. Anyone can subscribe for free at nbcwashington.com/theweekendscene.

Have a great weekend.

-Tommy + Sophia

Let’s Eat! It’s Almost Restaurant Week

Winter Restaurant Week is one of the best reasons to go outside in January. It’s back Monday, Jan. 16 to Sunday, Jan. 22.

Dozens of restaurants will offer deals for multi-course brunches and lunches ($25) or dinners ($40-$55). Some menus offer wine pairings, cocktail specials and to-go options.

You know the drill: Make reservations early. Here's the full list of participating restaurants.

Not sure what to pick? Here are some highlights from the smorgasbord:

• Foray into fine dining at Michelin-starred Bresca or Cranes, each offering a $55 menu, or L’Ardente, serving deals just for lunch.
  
• Restaurants participating for the first time include Ellington Park Bistro, Le Clou, Nama Ko (pictured above), Rosemary Bistro Cafe, Surveyor, Takara 14, Tiki on 18th and Vagabond in D.C., plus Bar Ivy (Arlington), Big Buns 50 (Fairfax), Franklin Farm (Herndon), CIRCA at Boro (Tysons) and North Italia Reston in Virginia, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington says.
• ICYMI: Tommy's still salivating over sampling the summer Restaurant Week offerings from Taqueria Xochi and Bar Chinois, so we may have to go back. 
• City Cruises hosts its first-ever Restaurant Week dinner cruise for $55.
• Restaurants with MLK Day brunch offers include Boundary Stone and Matchbox.

Scroll allllll the way to the end of this email for a special dessert course: Restaurant Week pro tips from Cornelia Poku of Black Girls Explore DC.

More Things to Do This Weekend:

Wheelchair Fencing World Cup Washington 

Saturday to Tuesday

Have you ever seen wheelchair fencing before? The sport’s world cup is happening in Loudoun County. It's free to spectators at the National Conference Center in Leesburg. Details.

MLK Day Peace Walk & Parade

Monday

The peace walk will step off at 10:45 a.m. from Shepherd Park, and the parade will follow at St. Elizabeth’s at 11 a.m. The 2023 theme is “recapture the dream.” Details.

Let Freedom Ring! with Leslie Odom Jr

Monday, 6 p.m.

The Kennedy Center is hosting a musical tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. featuring Leslie Odom Jr. on the Millennium Stage. Ticket giveaway begins Monday at 4:30 p.m. Details.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

It’s often said that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day on, not off, as people across the country honor the civil rights leader by giving back to their communities.

From cleaning up the environment to packing care kits for neighbors in need, we’ve listed 15+ ways to volunteer for the MLK Day of Service in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

MUSIC SNOB

Shows You Gotta Know About

Soul Glo, 7 p.m. Friday, Songbyrd, $10/$15
This Philly hardcore group is the most exciting thing in punk around these days, and “Diaspora Problems” was one of the best rock LPs of 2022. Smart, funny, intense and inventive. Details.

Junior Marvin and the Legendary Wailers, 8 p.m. Friday, Hamilton, $20 (standing)/$30 (seated)
Jamaica-born, London-raised and America-schooled blues-rock guitarist Marvin accepted an invitation into Bob Marley’s band more than four decades ago and continued touring with the Wailers after the legend’s death. He’s been leading his own incarnation of the Wailers for some time, now, approaching legendary status himself. Details. 

ADVERTISMENT

Tommy spoke with D.C. mixologist — and star of Netflix's "Drink Masters" — Lauren Paylor O’Brien about 2023 cocktail trends, how to pick a good canned cocktail and dry January tips.

Cornelia Poku — Black Girls Explore D.C.

Cornelia Poku is the brain (and everything else!) behind one of our favorite social media channels, Black Girls Explore D.C.

For making our mouths water across the District, she’s our Scene Setter this week.

You can follow her on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

We haven't talked to you since last Restaurant Week! What's new with Black Girls Explore DC? 
No worries! It's always good to catch up. Things are going great so far! Still posting across Tiktok, Instagram and Twitter. Plus, I am now also a contributor for the City Cast DC podcast and DCist.
 
You say Black Girls Explore DC happens in your free time. How many hours each week go into maintaining your community and those delicious food pics?
Yes, blogging takes up so much of my time, which is why I'm so happy that I still love doing it! The time commitment depends on how many places I've visited that week. But, on average, I would say between 15 to 20 hours a week.  
 
What's your Restaurant Week pro tip? 
That's a great question! Here are my two tips:

First, do not miss out on the $25 three-course lunch options. They are harder to find, but there are so many to choose from. Check out the website and dig around to see who is offering lunch, and then double check the menu to make sure it costs $25.

Second, if you’re comfortable with sharing, remember that the more friends you go with, the more dishes you can taste and try! Who doesn't love a bite of something different?

Tell us about the D.C. dish that most recently blew your mind.
OK, this is a tough one. Can I share a few actually? 

The first was the jollof at Moi Moi on K Street. It's very unusual to make jollof with basmati rice, but it was fabulous and the dish was so smoky — which is a flavor much closer to how jollof is made in West Africa. 

The second was the mushroom galette at Irregardless on H Street. It was stunning. I loved the earthiness from the mushrooms and the light flakiness of the crust. It was so delicious.

The third was the salmon rillette at Unconventional Diner which was fishy and savory and had the teeniest balance of bright fruit flavor from the sauce. I could just eat a bucket of that.

Editor’s note: the galette is pictured above.

This Q&A has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

About Tommy and Sophia

Tommy McFLY (@TommyMcFLY) brings you the best things to do around Washington as a News4 correspondent. A millennial Gemini husband and dog dad originally from Scranton, Tommy celebrates the things that bring our town together. 

Sophia Barnes (@barnessophiag) started writing for NBC Washington and The Scene in 2016, covering everything from museum openings to protests to quirky animal stories. She’s an American University alum who loves good food and live music — say hi if you see her around the DMV.

Unsubscribe  |  Privacy  |  Terms

©2022 Copyright NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations 30 Rockefeller Plaza - New York, NY 10112