It’s Time to Start Prepping for the Holidays
Its Veterans Day weekend and Mount Vernon is hosting a day filled with special activities and current, former and retired veterans get in free. It also appears to be the start of the holiday season with the Washington Harbour and Canal Park ice rinks opening and several shopping events including Emporiyum and Strathmore’s Museum Shop Around happening. And, since the forecast is for chilly temperatures, you can keep warm inside watching independent films at the Arlington Film Festival or sipping hard cider at Cider Week Virginia events.
SafeTrack continues between NoMa-Gallaudet and Fort Totten on the Red Line with the Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland stations closed and buses replacing trains along that section of the line. Trains will operate every 12-15 minutes between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet and every 15 minutes between Fort Totten and Glenmont. Orange and Blue Line trains will single track between McPherson Square and Smithsonian stations with trains running every 20 minutes. Because of that work, the Silver Line trains will only operate every 20 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston ONLY. Green and Yellow Lines will single track between Fort Totten and Greenbelt with trains operating every 20 minutes. Yellow Line trains will run between Huntington and Greenbelt.
Ice Skating
‘Tis the season to strap on the skates and glide. Rejoice in riverfront views at the Washington Harbour ice rink in Georgetown, which opens Friday. On the same day, you can begin to savor the Canal Park ice rink, which offers a winding track set against an alluring cityscape in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood.
The Washington Harbour ice rink is open through March from noon-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, noon-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at 3050 K St. NW. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for children, military and senior citizens, and $6 for skate rentals.
The Canal Park ice rink is open through Feb. 26 from noon-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, noon-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at 200 M St. SE. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for children, military or senior citizens and $5 skate rental.
Mount Vernon Salutes Veterans
In honor of Veterans Day, George Washington’s Mount Vernon salute veterans who served our country with a day of special programming. All active duty, former or retired military personnel are admitted to the estate for free and welcome to place a flower at Washington’s Tomb, where a wreath laying ceremony will be held by Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution at 2 p.m. Other activities include patriotic performances by the Harmony Heritage Singers at 11 a.m. and the United States Air Force String Orchestra at 3 p.m. Visitors can also meet General and Lady Washington from noon-3 p.m.
Nov. 11 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Highway, Mt. Vernon, Va. Admission is FREE for active duty, former or retired military. Admission for other adults is $17, senior citizens are $16 and children 6-11 years old are $9 online or $20, $19 and $10 at the door, respectively.
Museum Shop Around
Tis the season to never stop shopping, apparently. The 27th annual Museum Shop Around brings together gifts from 18 area museums and cultural shops, including Esther’s Place: The Shop at the Jewish Museum of Maryland, the White House Historical Association, Hillwood Museum & Gardens, the International Spy Museum, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Phillips Collection and the National Building Museum. If you get hungry from doing all that shopping, Ridgewells will have food and drink for sale.
Nov. 11 and 12 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Nov. 13 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Mansion at Strathmore, 1070 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Admission is $9 online or at the door.
Alexandria Film Festival
The 10th annual Alexandria Film Festival kicked off Thursday. The festival includes more than 40 films, plus discussions, live music and the Alexandria premier of the first episode of Season 2 of PBS’ Alexandria-set Mercy Street (for attendees with an all-festival pass). Special screenings include a “Foodie Showcase” (Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) with documentaries focusing on the importance of farming, food and health; a “Sports Showcase” (Saturday from 6-9 p.m.) with unique stories about athletes; a “Local Showcase” (Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) and a “Late Night Showcase” (starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday). Several of the films delve into the supernatural, featuring ghosts, unexplained phenomena and a new documentary that revisits the story of Travis Walton’s alleged UFO abduction and how the film Fire in the Sky impacted his life and those around him. Music is also a recurring theme with a West Side Story remake West Side Swordy, featuring the music of Deadmau5 and the documentary, Life of Folk Dancing, that unites cultures and celebrates the joy of international folk dancing.
Through Nov. 12 at various times at AMC Hoffman Center 22, 206 Swamp Fox Road, Alexandria; Market Square, 301 King St., Alexandria; and Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria. Individual tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. An All Fest pass is $50.
Cider Week Virginia
The annual Cider Week Virginia, which actually runs 10 days, kicks off Friday. A few or the events are in the DMV, including a tasting at Anxo on Tuesday and suggested cider pairings on the menu at Jeremiah Langhornes’s restaurant The Dabney. At The Lycem museum on Thursday, the commonwealth’s ciders get the star treatment at events at the Alexandria Cider Festival; Pizzeria Paradiso in Alexandria will have two Virginia ciders on tap; Del Rey Pizzeria in Alexandria will have a cider tap takeover all week; and Rustico in Alexandria, which has declared this to be “Cider Weekend,” pairing pizza and cider for lunch and dinner.
Nov. 11-20 throughout Virginia and the District. For a full list of events, visit the website.
FotoWeek D.C.
Celebrating fine art photography, photojournalism, world-class artists and up-and-coming shutterbugs, FotoWeek D.C. returns to inspire all through powerful imagery. Marvel at scores of gallery openings and photo-related events throughout the city, or submit your photos for competition. This year’s FotoWeek includes more than 150 exhibitions, program and events District-wide including “@NatGeo: The Most Popular Instagram Photos” exhibition and the FotoWeekCentral exhibition, which focuses on contemporary political, environmental and personal themes at the National Geographic Museum. Between the exhibitions, workshops and films lead by renowned photographers, explorers and scientists as well as extended hours, exhibitions, happy hours and events there is something for everyone. An opening party will be held on Friday from 7:30-11 p.m. at the National Geographic Society with an open bar, live music, exhibition viewings and of course, photo booths. See the schedule for other events.
Through Nov. 20 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Weeklong admission to photo central is $30, a flex pass for three or more events starts at $75 and an all access pass is $105. Opening party tickets are $55.
Emporiyum
The Emporiyum gourmet food market returns to Union Market for all your holiday shopping needs. Grab your savvy foodie friends and visit this one-of-a-kind food marketplace featuring the tastiest treats from around the country. Discover delicious foods and purchase gifts and products like gourmet chocolates, local pickles and spirts, and creative salts and spices from a lineup of 95 artisans you won’t find anywhere else including Ramen Burger, Kung Fu Tea, Bon Bon, Fluffness, BooQoo Beignets and Duck Donuts. There’ll be tunes from a DJ, plus sips and samples.
Nov. 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Nov. 13 from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Dock 5 at Union Station, 1309 Fifth St. NE. Tickets are $15-$40.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.