Where to Spend Spring in DC

Even though it snowed earlier this week, it is technically spring. When you think of spring in the District, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is the cherry blossoms. Of course, this is something worth seeing, but if you've lived here long enough, you're probably ready for a change of pace. Thrillist has compiled a list of 11 springtime events that are sure to be a good time, and even better, you'll be away from cherry blossom tourists.

MAR 25 - APR 8
Union Market’s Test Kitchen
Union Market’s free demo series (yes, FREE), helps you up your culinary skills by learning from top talent, Wednesdays from 6-8pm. Spring classes include smoking meat with The BBQ Joint on March 25; knife skills with DC Sharp and Bidwell on April 1; and "something fishy" with District Fishwife on April 8. Reserve a spot, because they fill up.

APRIL 4
Braustomp II
Hit DC Brau for its fourth anniversary party, featuring food trucks and the DC Brau tapwagon, from 4-8pm. Of course while you’re there, you can fill up a growler, sip some pints, and go on a brewery tour. Pietasters and Frum the Hills will provide live music. Tickets are $15 and sell out quickly.

APRIL 6
Washington Nationals Home Opener
Everyone’s undefeated on opening day, so show up at the ballpark ready to officially welcome spring and a ball club full of hope. The home team takes on the New York Mets at 4:05pm. In other words, the Nats are guaranteed to go 1-0. Check out the full schedule for April.

APRIL 9
Best of D.C. 2015
Washington City Paper’s big blow-out celebration is back. Party at the Carnegie Library by visiting stations from more than 50 restaurants, plus 20 breweries and mixologists. Six entertainment stages will liven things up from 6-10pm. VIP tickets are $100; general admission $65.

APRIL 11
Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival
For one day only, Pennsylvania Ave gets transformed into a sprawling Japanese street festival, complete with two beer gardens. Don’t miss your chance to pound chicken yakitori and takoyaki to the tune of J-POP and Taiko drumming while ogling Americans dressed up the Harajuku girls. Show up between 10:30am-6pm.

APRIL 13
Taste the Nation
Elastic waistbands are a must, because your goal is to try a dish from all 80 restaurants represented. Bid on silent auction items before your sobriety gets more serious than a buzz, which will be challenging given 20 hot mixologists will be slinging cocktails. Tickets start at $120, and the party kicks off at 6pm for VIP ticket holders; 7pm for general admission. The event benefits No Kid Hungry.

APRIL 16
Sugar Showdown
The region's top pastry chefs will engage in a dessert battle using root vegetables -- think beets, parsnips, and ginger. For $25 you can try them all paired with sparkling wine from 6-8pm. There will be representation from host restaurant, Poste, plus 2941 Restaurant, RareSweets, Pearl Dive Oyster Bar and more. Tickets are $25 and benefit Brainfood DC. They’ll be available to purchase on the Poste website.  

APRIL 19
Crawfish Boil on the Bayou
Get to Pearl Dive Oyster Palace to throw down some sea critters at its Lowcountry crawfish boil house-party. Go back for seconds and thirds of Louisiana crawfish, suckling pig, grilled oysters, crawfish hushpuppies, pulled pork sammies, and Southern desserts from Chef Colleen Conrad. Tickets are $55 for unlimited food; $90 for unlimited food and drinks, like Abita beer, Hurricanes punch, and wine. The party runs 12-5pm.

MAY 2
Virginia Gold Cup
The Virginia Gold Cup brings people together who pretend to like steeplechase racing so they can toss on wild hats and drink juleps in Virginia horse-country. The fun runs from 10am-7pm. And yes, in addition to horses, Jack Russell terriers will also take to the track (sort of). Tickets are $85 (includes parking).

MAY 3
The Bloody Mary Festival
Let’s start by pointing out that something called "The Bloody Mary Liberation Party" exists. It's hosting The Bloody Mary Festival at Blind Whino, bringing together the DC-area’s top Bloodys. Think Range, Del Campo, Founding Farmers, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to party in a technicolor church. Tickets are $50 and include three hours of unlimited tastes (1-4pm), lunch, and live music.

MAY 25
Oyster Shuckfest
City Tap House’s first ever oyster bonanza focuses on the cool pairing of oysters and mead (booze made from honey) such as Charm City Mead mignonettes and mead shooters. There will also be $1 raw oysters, fried oyster po' boys, and grilled oysters on the patio. In between slurps, take in the bluegrass band and play some corn hole from 2-6pm. 

Where to Watch the NCAA Tournament

As of this weekend, March Madness will officially begin! If you're ready to watch your favorite college teams compete, and hopefully, win your office pool, there are quite a few restaurants in DC that want to watch the game right along with you! Get your brackets ready and mark down these venues to watch the game, courtesy of Eater DC: 

1. Smith Public Trust
They’ll have all of the games on their large screens starting at noon, but in addition to the proliferation of foam fingers and shouting fans, there will be brewery specials on different days of the tournament. Look for specials on House Studio, Sierra Nevada, Victory Brewing Company, Three Stars, Soap Clothing, Boulevard and Atlas Brew Works.

3514 12th St NE
Washington, D.C. 20017
Visit website
(202) 733-5834

2. Noelia Italian Kitchen
Their deal caters more to the March Madness fans who prefer creating brackets and checking the scores later than those who want to watch every minute of every game. Any guest can fill in a bracket (one per meal) and at the end of the tournament, the person (or people) with the best bracket will get lunch or dinner from Noelia for a year.

1319 F Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Visit website
(202) 347-1020

3. Cork
The Dupont wine bar is staying on theme and they will sell Sweet Sixteen wine flights for $16. The Cork Market has also started selling a BBQ wing package with their in-house hot sauce and blue cheese dressing for basketball fans that would rather set up their own parties.

1720 14th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 265-2675

4. Roofers Union
Roofer’s Union probably doesn’t expect anyone to skip out of work for the games where the 16 and 11 seeds fight it out for entry into the round of 64, but they will be open at 11:30 a.m. for prime viewing on both Thursday and Friday.

2446 18th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 232-7663

5. Jack Rose Dining Saloon
The AdMo whiskey bar’s Rooftop Madness starts on Wednesday and runs through the 29th. Expect deals for $5 pints, $6 punch and $7 whiskey and half price specials on bite sized dishes like their wings, clam dip and shrimp hushpuppies.

2007 18th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 588-7388

6. City Tap House
The games will almost be a background to their four-tiered, two day competition called Tap-It-Ology. Starting at noon on Thursday, sixteen craft beers will compete for the title of Official Beer of March Madness. The sixteen beers (which include Atlas and DC Brau contenders) will be discounted to $5 during the hours of competition and whichever beers sell the most pints will move on to the next round.

901 I St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20536
Visit website
(202) 644-9433

7. Redline
This crowds at the gastropub can be just as spirited as those at the Verizon Center; not surprising that they’re showing all of the games on their big screens. They’re currently taking reservations for tables (info@dcredline.com).

707 G St NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Visit website
(202) 347-1248

8. Meridian Pint
The Columbia Heights bar will open early on Thursday and Friday, but additionally, they’ll offer $4 drafts on four local beers (because it’s the road to the Final Four -- get it?). DC Brau’s Penn Quarter Porter, Port City’s Optimal Wit, Devil’s Backbone’s Vienna Lager and 3 Stars’ Ghost will be the $4 drafts. The bartenders will be handing out brackets and will give away up to $500 in prizes.

3400 11th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20010
Visit website
(202) 588-1075

9. The Star and Shamrock
Tomorrow, this bar will likely be St. Patrick’s Day Central, but it will also be the start of their bracket giveaways and drink specials. Also, their celebratory deals have the distinction of lasting through March 29.

1341 H St NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Visit website
(202) 388-3833

10. Town Tavern
Adams Morgan has no shortage of sports bars, but this might be the only one offering a free pitcher of beer (for parties of ten or more that book in advance). For those just showing up, there will be $12 Bud Light Pitchers, $3 Budweiser and Bud Light bottles and $6 burger baskets. They will be open early for every tournament game.

2323 18th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 387-8696

11. Penn Social
Thursday and Friday, the Penn Social bar will open at noon. For those that are a little pickier about their gametime libations, they will have over 30 beers on tap.

801 E St NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Visit website
(202) 697-4900

12. Bracket Room Sports Lounge & Eatery
For the third year in a row, Bracket Room will run it’s Shot Madness contest. Patrons can fill out brackets before the tournament and once the games are underway, they can start voting for their favorite shot. The winner of Shot Madness will be Bracket Room’s official shot of the year and will get championship treatment (read: a discounted price) until next year’s Shot Madness. And yes, they will be open early for the games.

1210 N Garfield St
Arlington, VA 22201
Visit website
(703) 276-7337

13. Open Road Grill & Icehouse
Open Road has specials on buckets of beer and wing and beer combos, and will begin happy hour at noon during March Madness games.

8100 Lee Highway
Falls Church, VA 22042
Visit website
(571) 395-4400

14. Ventnor Sports Cafe
Ventnor has its own bracket, specials and more.

2411 18th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 234-3070

DC Area March Film Festivals

If you consider yourself a film fanatic, then you will be quite busy this month! Our area is offering several film festivals throughout March, ranging from the environment to documentaries. Some of these include panel discussions and Q&As afterwards. Washingtonian highlights this month's festivals:

Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
Various Venues
This year’s festival goes on thanks in part to a $15,000 contribution from the National Endowment for the Arts. More than 150 films, including several DC, US, and world premieres, examine climate change, endangered wildlife, clean-water issues, and related topics. A highlight: Filmmaker Luc Jacquet presents a survey of his films, including the Oscar-winning March of the Penguins and Ice & Sky, a new work. March 17-29; selected films $10 to $12, others free.

Northern Virginia Jewish Film Festival
Opening night, Theater J; other screenings, Angelika Mosaic
See 16 contemporary films focused around the Jewish faith or made by Israeli artists. Top picks include The Green Prince, a thriller based on the memoir of Mosab Hassan Yousef, a Palestinian who spied for Israel; Arlo & Julie, a quirky tale of a couple who become obsessed with the mysterious daily delivery of puzzle pieces to their doorstep; and Above and Beyond, about the early days of the Israeli Air Force. March 19-29; $12; festival pass $64.

Bethesda Film Fest
Imagination Stage
Filmmakers from the Washington area will be around to answer questions after their five short films at this festival, making it an excellent chance to familiarize yourself with local talent. Be sure to catch The Stillbrave 100, which chronicles Springfield runner “Tattoo” Tom Mitchell as he completes a 100-mile trail, dedicating each mile to a different child with cancer. March 20-21; $10.

Annapolis Film Festival
Various Venues
Catch 70 documentaries, narratives, and shorts, plus Q&As and panel discussions. Don’t miss the searing Oscar-nominated documentary The Act of Killing, in which members of an Indonesian death squad reenact the murders they committed. March 26-29; $12; festival pass $105.

Weekend Events March 6-8

TGIF! After an appearance from Winter Storm Thor, we are ready for it to be the weekend so we can get outside and socialize! One of the perks of living in a city like DC is that there is always something going on or something to celebrate. From pop-ups to early Saint Patrick's Day parties, here is a brief rundown of what is going on in the city this weekend, courtesy of Thrillist:

MAR 4 - 26

Yona Pop-Up at G by Mike Isabella
You don’t have to wait until Yona opens to try Jonah Kim’s creations. G by Mike Isabella will host a month-long pop-up preview of what to expect at the forthcoming Ballston Japanese restaurant. We’re talking "Miso Porky Ramen," dry-fried wings, steamed buns, and Korean beef tartare. Make a reservation Wed-Sun from 6-10pm.

MARCH 7

Whisky Live DC 2015
Whiskey Live attempts to save you thousands of dollars in traveling the globe to try the world’s best whiskey by gathering them into one peaty place. Sample rare and highly sought-after tipples (plus some old favorites) from 6-10pm inside the Grand Hyatt Washington. A $129 ticket gets you a tasting glass, dinner buffet, and entertainment like live music.

Leprechaun Lap
You’ve been practicing all year with little do-it-yourself bar crawls all to prepare for the return of the Leprechaun Loop. Okay, maybe not, but you can still try to hit 15+ participating bars clustered around Dupont Circle from 1-9pm. You bet there will be roving bagpipers, giveaways, and beer specials.

MARCH 8

New Belgium Presents: The Slow Ride Sessions
You can learn how to pickle, braise meat, and shoot photos while drinking a tasty IPA from New Belgium Brewing at Slow Ride Sessions. The event is in honor of the brewery’s new session brew, Slow Ride IPA. A $45 ticket gets you two beers, a biscuit sandwich, a slow-cooked meat tasting, take-home goodies, chef demonstrations, and more. Move on to Brookland Pint for an after party.