“Raise your hand if you have ever had a bad experience in the bedroom,” said Alorie Clark, hostess of Bedroom Business: A Conversation for Men and Women last Sunday. The audience was shy at first but soon everyone was raising their hand. “And how many of you actually said something to your partner about it?” Clark asked. Almost everyone put their hand down.

The panelists kept the discussion and audience members alive. (Photo: Sara Maldonado/DC on Heels)

hermione and ron anime sex

Talking to your partner about performance, likes and dislikes when it comes to business in the bedroom can be a tough conversation, particularly if one of you is dissatisfied. Bedroom Business, a panel discussion about sexual communication took place June 22 at The Loft at 600 F in Washington, D.C.

Sitting on the panel were Dr. Richard Griffith, Tunde Akinyeke, Senovia Ross and Natasha Amand. Grifffith is a licensed clinical psychologist in the District. His professional experience includes conducting comprehensive psychological assessments, providing individual and group psychotherapy, marital/couples therapy and program development. Akinyeke is a contributor to singleblackmale.org and a new contributor to verysmartbrothas.com. Ross of LMFT Professional Counseling & Therapy Services specializes in marriage and relationship therapy. And St. Amand is a licensed professional therapist in the D.C. metro area and the founder of Freedom Revealed Consultants and St. Amand Counseling Associates. She counsels many individuals and couples in areas of finding balance, harmony and peace in their relationships and most importantly with themselves.

Audience members received some goodies and met with various area sex experts. (Photo: Sara Maldonado/DC on Heels)

But how did this event even arise? “I was having a conversation with a dating coach professional who revealed that a lot of men were ending relationships with women because they weren’t satisfied in the bedroom. The dating coach and I had an extensive conversation about the importance of sexual pleasure and how the lack of communication is ruining relationships,” said Clark.

Throughout the discussion with panelists and the audience, this seemed to go both ways. Many audience members cited stories of bad bedroom experiences ending a relationship. However, many also talked about the levels of a relationship and their mate’s potential as large push-pull factors. Men in the audience said that if they were truly interested in a woman for a long-term relationship, they would be more willing to communicate their likes and dislikes with her. If she was just Ms. Someone-for-Now, they would be less inclined to reveal the truth and simply dump her or stop talking to her.

“My goal for this event, and all my events is to give men and women an opportunity to safely and comfortably discuss controversial topics. Love, dating [and] relationships are hard to figure out, but each side (gender) is doing the other a disservice by not communicating and offering insight,” Clark said. “We need to work to understand each other and I hope my events are bridging that gap.” She hosts similar events quarterly in the DMV.

The heatwave should begin breaking today and the weekend temperatures are expected to be about 77 degrees on Saturday and 83 degrees on Sunday, great weather to get out and enjoy the many outdoor events in the DMV. But even if the 40 percent chance of rain materializes on Saturday, there are indoor events to keep you occupied.

On Metro, Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. Red Line trains will run every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont, with additional trains between Grosvenor and NoMa-Gallaudet during daytime hours. Orange, Blue and Yellow line trains will operate every 20 minutes. The Yellow line will only run to the Mount Vernon Square-Convention Center station and not to Fort Totten.

Attendees at the opening night film for AFI Docs. (Photo: AFI Docs)

AFI Docs documentary film festival

AFI Docs, formerly known as Silverdocs, is the American Film Institute’s annual five-day international documentary film festival. Celebrating its 12th year, films are shown in landmark venues in the DMV including the AFI Silver Theatre. Of the almost 2,000 documentaries submitted, 50 feature films and about 30 short are being screened. Some “catalyst” screenings, including ones on homeless youth, the Internet and skyrocketing college tuition, will include detailed panel discussions with filmmakers and experts afterwards. If you missed the opening screening of Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey, Holbrook’s award-winning one-man show Mark Twain Tonight!,you can catch it on Sunday at 4:15 p.m. at the Silver Theatre. The closing feature is Life Itself based on film critic Roger Ebert’s 2011 memoir of the same name, which will be screened at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the National Portrait Gallery.

Through June 22 at various locations including the AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, the Newseum, the Naval Heritage Center, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Archives and the Goethe Instiut, all in Penn Quarter. Tickets range from $11-$14.

Chris Kattan will perform a standup comedy routine at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse. (Photo: NNDB)

Chris Kattan

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Kattan — seen most recently on The Middle — hits the standup comedy circuit with four shows in Arlington. He appeared on SNL from 1995-2003 with recurring characters including Mr. Peepers, Mango, Azrael Abyss, Kyle DeMarco, Gay Hitler, Suel Forrester and, most notably, one half of the Butabi Brothers with fellow cast member Will Ferrell.

June 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. Tickets cost $25 online or at the door.

Elikeh

Elikeh will perform at Topicalia. (Photo: John Shore)

The D.C.based http://elikeh.net/ Elikeh is performing at Tropicalia tonight. Elikeh is an Afropop band that specializes in the catchy melodies and infectious rhythms of West African popular music. The band uses elements of Togolese rhythms as a foundation for exploration into American-influenced blues, funk and rock.

June 20 at 8 p.m. at Tropicalia, 2001 14th St. NW. Tickets are $12 in advance online or $15 at the door.

Pixar in Concert

Clips from the movies will be shown as the National Symphony Orchestra plays music from Pixar movies. (Photo: San Francisco Synmpony)

The National Symphony Orchestra gets animated when it performs Pixar in Concert, the music from Pixar’s greatest films – Ratatouille, A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, WALL-E, Up, The Incredibles, Brave, Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, Cars and Toy Story and more – while scenes from the movies are projected onto screens outside and inside Wolf Trap.

June 20 at 8:30 p.m. at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets cost $30-$58 online or at the gate.

Safeway Barbecue Battle

Pennsylvania Avenue will become a barbecue battle this weekend. (Photo: Safeway Barbecue Battle)

The 22nd annual Safeway Barbecue Battle kicks off Saturday with an intensely heated and smoky competition among 41 of the nation’s best pitmasters vying for a $40,000 grand prize. Samples, beer and cooking demos will be plentiful and 30 bands will provide entertainment.

June 21 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and June 22 from 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 9th and 14th Streets. Admission is $12 in advance and $14 at the gate.

Alexandria’s Food & Wine Festival

Taste food from local restaurants and sample wines from Virginia wineries at Alexandria’s Food & Wine Festival. (Photo: Alexandria’s Food & Wine Festival)

Alexandria’s Food & Wine Festival features tastes of local foods and wine, as well as artisans, a children’s corner and live entertainment. The event transforms John Carlyle Square into a lively festival venue. Sample food from local restaurants including Walker’s Grille, Alexandria Cupcake, Las Tasca, Hilton Old Town, Rita’s Ice, Trademark, Whole Foods, Delia’s and Rice & Spice and wines from Virginia wineries including Democracy Vineyard, Lake Anna Winery, Mattaponi Winery, Horton Winery and Unicorn Winery.

June 21 from noon-5 p.m. at John Carlyle Square, 300 John Carlyle St., Alexandria. Admission is free, but eight food tickets cost $20 (samples require a various number of tickets) and admission to the wine tasting test is an additional $20. Tickets are available on-site.

Mid Summer Wine Fest

Sample Maryland wines at the Mid Summer Wine Fest in Silver Spring. (Photo: Milk Lady Events)

At the fourth annual Mid Summer Wine Fest expect free wine samples from Maryland vineyards, live honkytonk, salsa dancing and snacks from local performers. There will also be a strong showing from local farmers as well as a Ukrainian virility dance performance.

June 21 from 2-7 p.m. at the B&O Station, 8100 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Admission is $31 in advance until 9 p.m. on June 20 and $39 after.
 
 

Geek Chic Fashion Show

Cosplay fashions will be features at the Geek Chic Fashion Show. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Fantom Comics and PollySue’s Vintage Shop team up to co-host the Geek Chic Fashion Show, a fashion show for geeks. Instead of high-fashion designers, models will be dressed in nerdy street styles, casual cosplay, steampunk couture, high-fashion superheros, tiny princess supervillains and more. Proceeds benefit Con or Bust, a non-profit that sends fans of color to science-fiction and fantasy conventions.

June 21 at 7 p.m. at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton St. NW. Admission is $5 at the door.

Bedroom Business

At Bedroom Business, professionals will give advice to improve your love life. (Photo: Twoology)

When’s the last time you had a bad bedroom experience? Why was it so bad? Was it you or your partner? Do you secretly struggle with how to improve your bedroom skills? Is there something you wish you knew how to do? Do you have a bedroom partner with a particular issue? Want to figure out how to talk to them about improving? At Bedroom Business: A Conversation for Men and Women, professionals will offer advice, products and workshops. There will also be a panel discussion about communication in the bedroom. Panelists include Dr. Richard Griffith, a licensed psychologist, Tunde Akinyeke, a blogger, Dr. Natasha St. Amand, a licensed professional therapist, and Lauren Williams, owner of The Bobby Pen blog.

June 22 from 3-6:30 p.m. at The Loft at 600 F, 600 F St. NW. Admission is $15 here.