‘Twas the weekend before Christmas and all over town,
All the creatures were stirring, even the clowns (in Congress),
The appropriations were passed by Congress with care,
In hopes that reelection soon would be theirs.

For those of us who aren’t in Congress, there’s plenty of things to do in the DMV on this last weekend before Christmas.

Metro is giving us all a gift by not planning any weekend track work. All 91 Metrorail stations are open this weekend with no rebuilding work going on. After 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, the some Red Line trains my incur 5 minutes of additional travel time.

The Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful LIfe, will be shown this weekend at AFI Silver in Silver Spring and Angelika Cinema in Fairfax. (Photo: Liberty Productions)

It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s a little weird that a movie built around a near-suicide has become THE Christmas movie, but 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life is the bar by which Christmas Spirit is measured. You can watch the Frank Capra classic starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed on TV almost at random, but this holiday season try leaving the house and heading to an area theater to watch it. It’ll help a lot of angels if you’re there with your bells on.

Dec. 19 at 12:45 p.m., Dec. 22 at 1:50 p.m., Dec. 23 at 1:50 and 6:45 p.m. and Dec. 24 at 1:50 and 6:45 p.m. at the AFI Silver, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, and Dec. 21 at p.m. and Dec. 24 at 5 and 7 p.m. at Angelika Film Center, 2911 District Ave., Fairfax. AFI tickets range from $5-$12, while tickets to Angelika are $7.

The plaza at CityCenterDC is decked out for Christmas and hosts concerts this weekend. (Photo: CityCenterDC)

Christmas concerts

CityCenterDC presents free Christmas concerts in December. Friday features The Capital Hearings making spirits bright with their fresh interpretations of beloved carols, vocal jazz and seasonal favorites. On Saturday, the 18th Street Singers, a group of about 45 young professionals in their 20s and 30s, will perform a cappella.

Through Christmas eve on the Plaza at CityCenterDC, 950 I St. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 

Handel’s Messiah

The National Symphony Orchestra performs Handel’s Messiah at the Kennedy Center. (Photo: Artshound)

Get in the holiday spirit with Handel’s Messiah masterpiece, performed each year with a fresh perspective by the National Symphony Orchestra. This year, Nicholas McGegan conducts four gifted singers and The Washington Chorus in this tradition.

Dec. 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $10-$85.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Drink at more than 10 Dupont area bars on Saturday. (Photo: Snow Day DC)

Snow Day Bar Crawl

Drink with 6,000 of your closest friends at the fourth annual Snow Day Bar Crawl. Participants will quench their thirst on exclusive drink deals as they explore D.C. and celebrate the season one bar at a time. Get a signature Snow Day mug, drink specials at more than 10 Dupont bars, free cover, $2 beer refills, $3 rail drinks, $4 candy cane shots and $5 Red Bull vodkas. Participating bars include The Front Page, BlackFinn, Irish Whiskey, Bread & Brew, Bottom Line, Dirty Bar, Dirty Martini, Mad Hatter, Midtown, Public Bar, Recesssions, Rumors, Ozio and Sign of the Whale.

Dec. 20 from 2-10 p.m. starting at The Front Page or BlackFinn. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 day of.

Ugly Sweater Sign Along Party

Sing ugly Christmas sweater kareoke on Saturday at Republic in Takoma Park. (Photo: Life Inspired)

Proof that no tradition is safe from the irony of hipsters, trendy Takoma Park bar Republic is through a much more millennial-friendly version of Christmas with your family. In addition to a live band to accompany your holiday-themed karaoke, the event features chef Danny Well’s secret-family-recipe eggnog, mulled wine to give you a little courage for the karaoke and a $100 gift card to the reveler who sports the ugliest Christmas sweater.

Dec. 20 at 10 p.m. at Republic, 6939 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park. Admission is FREE!
 

The Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church in Washington performs the Messiah on Sunday. (Photo: Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church/Facebook)

Handel’s Messiah

The Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church choir presents is 68th rendition of Handel’s Messiah. Messiah is a commentary on Jesus Christ’s Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, beginning with God’s promises as spoken by the prophets and ending with Christ’s glorification in heaven.

Dec. 21 from 5-8 p.m. at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW. Admission is FREE, but a free will offering will be accepted. RSVP here.

Chanukah: Lights & Music

Bethesda Row and Chabad Center of Bethesda hold the seventh annual Chanukah Family Spectacular on Sunday. (Photo: Robert Dyer)

Bethesda Row and Chabad Center of Bethesda hold the seventh annual Chanukah Family Spectacular at Bethesda Row. This year’s Chanukah: Lights & Music will feature a giant techno-Menorah adorned with thousands of colered LED lights that flash and pulsate to music. The festivities inclue a musical performance by Hassidic rapping sensation Mor-To-Life as well as hot latkes, jelly donught and chocolate Chanukah gelt.

Dec. 21 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Bethesda Row, Bethesda Lane, Bethesda. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Downtown Holiday Market

The Downtown Holiday Market in Penn Quarter is open through Dec. 23. (Photo: Downtown D.C. BID)

This is the last weekend for the 10th annual Downtown Holiday Market, produced by the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District. It features outdoor shopping, music, entertainment and more in Downtown D.C. At this year’s outdoor marketplace, located on F Street between 7th & 9th Streets NW, shoppers will find more than 150 exhibitors and artisans offering a diverse array of quality items including fine art, crafts, glass, jewelry, pottery, photography and clothing. The market’s festive atmosphere will be complemented by decorative accents and lighting, tasty treats, hot beverages and live musical entertainment.

Through Dec. 23 from noon-8 p.m. daily on F Street NW between Seventh and Ninth Streets. Admission is FREE!

Winter Lights Festival

Gaithersburg’s Winter Lights Festival is open nightly through New Year’s Eve. (Photo: City of Gaithersburg)

The City of Gaithersburg’s Winter Lights Festival is welcoming visitors for its 19th season. The 3.5 mile drive through Seneca Creek State Park takes you past more than 365 illuminated displays and 65 animated vignettes that light up the night. Themed areas include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, the North Pole, and more. Proceeds from the festival benefit local charities.

Through Dec. 31 from 6-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Seneca Creek State Park, 11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg. Admission is $12 per car Monday-Thursday and $15 per car Friday and Saturday.

2014 National Christmas Tree

The National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse is lit nightly through Jan . 1 until 10 p.m. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The 2014 National Christmas Tree was lit Dec. 4, but if you weren’t lucky enough to snag a ticket, now is a perfect time to visit without the crowds. This year’s design includes approximately 180 green and red LED net lights, 180 green and clear twinkle LED string sets and about 300 snowflake ornaments. The Pathway of Peace around the tree features 56 unique Christmas trees to represent each U.S. state, U.S. territory and the District of Columbia. The National Christmas Tree Music Program brings in a wide variety of talent to celebrate the season from Dec. 10-22. Performances on Tuesday through Friday from 5-8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 1-8:30 p.m, plus Monday, December 22 from 5-8:30 p.m.

Nightly through Jan. 1 from dusk to 10 p.m. at the Ellipse in front of the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

ZooLights

The entrance of ZooLights at the National Zoo. (Photo: Mike Becvar)

ZooLights decks the National Zoo out in environmentally friendly LED lights for the holidays. More than 500,000 lights will be used on everything from light-up elephants to twinkling floral displays. There will also be live performances from local artists, plenty of food and gift-worthy goods for sale.

Through Jan. 1 from 5-9 p.m. at the National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 

ICE!

ICE! is open at Gaylord National Resort with a Frosty the Snowman theme through Jan. 4. (Photo: Gaylord National Resort)

ICE!, the life-sized ice show is back at Gaylord National Resort, this year featuring Frosty the Snowman, everyone’s favorite snowman. Carved from over 2 million pounds of colorful ice, enjoy larger than life scenes from the classic tale, slide down two-story high ice slides and watch artisans in action at the new Frostbite Factory, an interactive live carving area. As part of Christmas on the Potomac, the Gaylord atrium is also transformed into a winter wonderland with a free nightly indoor snowfall at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m., more than 2 million lights that illuminate the glass atrium and outdoor garden areas, the free fountain show with the water and lights “dancing” to the music of the Christmas story at 7 and 9 p.m. and classical Christmas carols at 6 and 8 p.m. There is also a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree made of synthetic “candy” glass suspended from the center of the atrium.

Through Jan. 4 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St., Oxen Hill in National Harbor. Adult tickets range from $21-$34 and children’s tickets range for children 3-11 range from $14-$28 depending on dates. Tickets and the schedule are available here.

Richard Sandoval’s Washington restaurants Masa 14, El Centro D.F. and Zengo will celebrate Cinco de Mayo by offering classic, strawberry and mango margaritas on May 5 for just $5 each.

Masa 14, El Centro D.F. and Zengo will offer $5 original, strawberry and mango margaritas on Cinco de Mayo. (Photo: giglig.com)

Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, will offer the three margaritas at the bar/lounge during lunch and dinner, as well as at the 64-seat rooftop deck from 3 p.m. to close. Five small plates featured on the restaurant’s new spring menu will be available at the bar/lounge for $5 each: mini brisket tacos, al pastor tacos, octopus ceviche tostadas, Veracruz chicken chalupa and mini an ancho chile mahi mahi quesadilla. Additionally, the restaurant will have DJs spinning music from 7 p.m.-close.

El Centro D.F., with locations at 1818 14th St. NW and in Georgetown at 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW will offer a buffet of Mexican comfort fare from 5-11 p.m. for $10. Dishes include carnitas, brisket and nopal tacos with molcajete, verde and morita salsa, pico de gallo, crema and lettuce; refried beans; Mexican rice; chips with salsa and guacamole; mini chorizo empanadas; chicken tinga flautas; mini mushroom quesadillas and mini open-face tortas. A DJ will play from 7 p.m.-close.

Zengo, 781 7th St. NW, will offer complimentary chips and salsa and passed hor d’oeuvres in the lower level lounge beginning at 3 p.m. in addition to the margaritas. A DJ will play from 7 p.m.-close.

Bethesda Row holds restaurant week

Bethesda Row’s restaurant week kicked off today with 15 restaurants offering three-course lunches for $15 and three-course dinners for $30.

Participating restaurants include 100 Montaditos, American Tap Room, Assaggi Mozzarella Bar, Café Deluxe, Jaleo, Lebanese Taverna, Luke’s Lobster, Mamma Lucia, Mon Ami Gabi, Mussel Bar & Grille (lunch only), Nando’s Peri Peri, Parker’s American Bistro, Raku (dinner only), Redwood and Vapiano.

Luke’s offers a small clam chowder, blueberry ice cream sandwich and shrimp roll combo (chips, drink and pickle) for lunch or Maine Trio (1/2 lobster roll, 1/2 shrimp roll and 1/2 crab roll, two claws, soda, chips and pickle) for dinner. Assaggi features a seared ahi tuna carpaccio, local sea bass and semifreddo for lunch while Mon Ami Gabi offers onion soup au gratin, steak frites and crème brulée. A list of all restaurants’ specials are at the Bethesda Row website.

BlackFinn’s former Bethesda location suddently closed in March. (Photo: Bethesda Magazine)

BlackFinn closes Bethesda restaurant

The BlackFinn American Saloon, which had been at 4901 Fairmont Ave, Bethesda since 2007, closed suddenly last month without warning.

Richard Greenberg of Greenhill Capital, the restaurant’s landlord, told Bethesda Magazine that the company, which was behind on rent, wasn’t told the eatery would close. He said they had attempted to make arrangements to keep the restaurant open and even reached one agreement that BlackFinn management never signed.

The restaurant suddenly closed, posting “BlackFinn American Saloon in Bethesda has Permanently Closed its Door for Business. We want to extend a sincere thank you to the Bethesda community for the support you have shown during our time serving you. Thank you, Team BlackFinn”

The D.C. location is still open.

Greenberg said Greenhill changed the locks and posted no trespassing signs two days after BlackFinn closed. He told the magazine it “remains to be seen” if the owners of the restaurant will attempt to claim the property inside the space. “They went silent and this is what happened.”

Greenhill is looking for another tenant, likely another restaurant.

Vapiano celebrates strawberry season

The fast-casual Italian restaurant Vapiano is featuring fresh strawberry dishes and cocktails to celebrate spring and strawberry season. The strawberry options will be available through May at all D.C. area locations including M Street, Chinatown, Dulles Town Center, Reston Town Center, Bethesda and Ballston.

Special dishes include the house-made strawberry spinach salad with baby spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, red onion, pine nuts and raspberry maple dressing for $9.95; and the crema di fragola, a dessert with mascarpone crème and fresh strawberries for $2.95 for a small or $3.95 for a large.

Vapiano will also feature three strawberry-inspired cocktails, including the strawberry and rosemary martini made with Stoli vodka, Cointreau, orange juice and soda water garnished with a strawberry and rosemary spring for $9.25; the strawberry basil sangria for $8.95; and the belafina pink moscato with strawberry garnish for $8.25.

City Tap House celebrates Savor’s return

City Tap House at 901 9th St. NW is celebrating Savor: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience’s return to the National Building Museum with a weekend of events. Tickets to Savor are sold out.

A Sierra Nevada Tap Takeover will be held May 8 from 8 p.m.-close. All 40 of City Tap House’s draft lines will be dedicated to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., which will pour its year round, seasonal and rare styles. Prices range from $5-$10 per draft. Members of Sierra Nevada’s national sales team will be on hand, and City Tap House’s culinary director Brian Cooke will recreate specialty bites found at the Sierra Nevada’s Taproom in Chico, Calif. including their famous Torpedo Beer Cheese.

Colorado Brewers Night will be held May 9 from 10 p.m.-close. The beer lines will have Colorado breweries Oskar Blues Brewery, Left Hand Brewing, Avery Brewing Co., Great Divide, Odell Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing, Boulder Beer Co., as well as Funkwerk’s Brewery. Prices range from $5-$10 per draft. For the perfect pairing, Cooke will create a variety of Colorado-inspired specials including Colorado Rack of Lamb and a rendition of Denver’s famous green chili sauce. Also, representatives from the Colorado-based breweries will be on hand throughout the evening.

On May 10, a Locals Only brunch will from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Guests will enjoy a la carte dishes off Cooke’s regular brunch menu along with 10-12 suggested pairings from D.C.-based breweries such as 3 Stars Brewing Co., Evolution Craft Brewing Co., D.C. Brau Brewing Co., Atlas Brew Works, Port City Brewing Co. and Virginia’s Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, among others. Prices will range from $5-$7.

Also, the official Flying Dog Brewery Savor After Party will be held May 10 from 10 p.m.-close. Frederick’s Flying Dog Brewery is one of Savor’s official beer collaborators and they’ve partnered with Firestone Walker Brewing Co. out of Paso Robles, Calif., to create the official Savor 2014 beer, a blended robust porter with portions that have been barrel aged called Hydra Cuvee. City Tap House will tap a keg of the limited edition beer for guests who stop by after the Savor event has concluded. Additional beers from Flying Dog Brewery and Firestone Walker Brewing will also be available throughout the evening with prices ranging from $5-$10 by draft.

The new BC Steak in Gaithersburg. (Photo: Jessica L./Yelp)

Gaithersburg’s Bugaboo Creek is now BC Steak

Capitol BC Restaurants has transformed its Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse at 15710 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg, and renamed BC Steak.

It is the first of the company’s 10 steakhouses in New England and the Mid-Atlantic to unveil the sleek new concept and menu. Gone are Bugaboo’s the animatronic moose and bison heads that come to life. The only remnants of the former Bugaboo Creek are two black antler chandeliers in the renovated Silver Birch Bar. Bill Burnett, BC Capital’s president and COO, said that children armed with iPads and smart phones don’t blink an eye at an animatronic moose. So to compete with other steakhouses like Outback and Longhorn, they’ve developed the new concept.

“We needed to change the name, change the décor and get a fresh start,” said Burnett, a former vice president for companies that run Houston’s and The Capital Grille.

That new $500,000 look keeps the lodge feel, but pulls out the clutter, giving the 7,300-square-foot restaurant a more refined look with red velvet couches, lounge chairs and landscape paintings.

The new menu was created by chef consultant Mike Hufler. Prices are more expensive, but food quality has been raised. Entrees range from about $15 for roasted half chicken to $29 for a 7 ounce filet topped with crab meat and béarnaise sauce.

Ron Robbins from the Clyde’s Restaurant Group updated the drink menu, which now includes an expanded wine selection and offers martinis and Manhattans for $5 during happy hour. There is a new shuffleboard table in the center of the bar area.

Rose’s Luxury to open roof garden to diners

Chef Aaron Silverman’s Rose’s Luxury at 717 8th St. SE plans to open its roof garden for reservation-only feasts.

The garden space is still under construction, but when it opens it can be reserved in advance for 8-10 guests for a private dining experience. A dedicated server will bring food and drinks up from the main restaurant.
For $125 per person, not including alcohol, you and your guests will be able to order unlimited dishes from the regular menu as well as a special menu. “Basically, we’re just gonna cook for you until you are full,” Silverman said. After alcohol, tax and tip, the cost will be about $200 each.

Reservations will be accepted online once the rooftop is ready. In the meantime, Rose’s front patio with 10 seasts, opened today for al fresco dining from the regular menu.

Dennis Marron will leave Post Modern Brasserie for Pittsburgh’s Hotel Monoco in July. (Photo: Scott Suchman)

Dennis Marron to leave Poste for Pittsburgh

Dennis Marron, who has been executive chef for several years at Kimpton’s Poste Modern Brasserie at 555 8th St. NW, is leaving the Penn Quarter restaurant for Kimpton’s new Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh.

Marron will head to Pittsburgh in July. The hotel is slated to open in late-2014 downtown. The nine-story hotel in a 1902 Beaux-Arts style building will offer 247 rooms, a fitness center, 9,000 square feet of meeting space and a 120-seat restaurant.

With a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, Marron has years of restaurant experience across the United States, including Scala’s Bistro, Mecca and Indigo in California and Craftsman Restaurant in Minneapolis. In D.C., he worked under chef and owner Jeff Bueben at Bistro Bis, where he perfected the kitchen skills that led to executive chef roles first at Kimpton’s The Grille at Morrison House and then its sister restaurant, Jackson 20. In both positions, Marron introduced monthly pig roasts, and extensive canned beer programs.

Marron’s wife is from nearby Latrobe, and her family still lives there.

Wiedmaier planning restaurant at National Airport

Robert Wiedmaier is the latest to announce a new restaurant at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Wiedmaier, the chef behind Brasserie Beck, Marcel’s and Mussel Bar, is planning a Provencal restaurant that will emphasize French county cooking. It will source meats, fish and produce locally.

ICRAVE is handling the design of the restaurant. Seats at the restaurant will all have iPads and power outlets so diners can order their meals and use the Internet while they’re eating. The unnamed restaurant will open in summer 2015.

Wiedmaier’s new restaurant will join Page featuring southern comfort foods by former Top Chef Carla Hall, Legal Sea Foods, Ben’s Chili Bow, &pizza and Taylor Gourmet, which were previously announced for the pre-security area of Terminal A at Reagan National as it undergoes renovation. An American Tap Room is slated to open in Terminal C next month.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates both Reagan National and Dulles International airports, will open Bar Symon from Iron Chef Micahel Symon, a D.C. Craft Brew station, Smashburger, brb (a burger joint from Thompson Hospitality, which also owns Austin Grille), District Chophouse, Carrabba’s, Chef Geoff’s, &pizza and Potbelly at Dulles later this year. New retail vendors will include Michael Kors, Estee Lauder, L’Occitan, Burberry and Coach.

Bethesda’s Penang restaurant ready to reopen

Penang at 4933 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, is preparing to reopen Wednesday after a $60,000 renovation. The Malaysian and Thai restaurant has been closed several weeks to undergo the facelift.

It is the first time the restaurant has remodeled is it opened in 2001. Owner Kevin Cheah described the new look designed by At Design Partners as vintage warehouse, but modernized with vintage wine racks at the bar, porcelain “wood” planks on the walls and a subway tile bar in an attempt to appeal to a younger crowd.

The menu will remain the same.