WHAT does DC have to offer??

**Disclaimer: I don't pretend to be an expert on any of this. I am simply speaking from experiences that I have had thus far, as well as from the desire to expand my search for interesting activities.**

I think Irina and I have been very lucky to have come across the International Club of DC because that is where we find most of our embassy events, concerts, art gallery events, balls, and open bars... "Membership" in the club only requires that you sign up for the listserve, and you can either purchase tickets for events or offer to volunteer (and attend for free!). Irina and I like the latter.

Things to do DC is also another similar organization in DC offering a wide variety of events and boasting a slightly younger crowd. You can't volunteer at any of these events, but some of them sound too good to pass up!

Put your name and email down on embassy listserves. If you ever find yourself at an embassy, try to find an employee or the cultural director and ask about event emails. Currently, I receive the Swiss and South Korean emails. Switzerland sends a collective list out about once a month. South Korea sends an email out per event (maybe 2 or 3 per month).

Check out the museums! I recently visited the Sackler Gallery where they have a Buddhist exhibit on display. Several times a year, the Hirshhorn Museum holds an "after hours" party where revelers can come to party, drink and enjoy the artwork. My roommate was there last night and had a great time (apparently they had outdoor air conditioning...).

Check the local papers and blogs. I love checking out the Going out Guide in WaPo and also going to the Washingtonian website. They update their events lists with concerts, food events, local and international cultural events, farmers markets, etc. It's amazing.

The E Street Cinema is always playing indie and foreign films. And the Goethe-Institut (German cultural center), right up the street from the Cinema, always has events going on (films, exhibits, language classes). Again, it's a good idea to check with individual embassies to see what's going on.

Get involved in your community. I know in the Foggy Bottom community, one of my friends became involved in their gardening club. The end product was a beautiful little garden on an island in the middle of New Hampshire, I Street and 24th Street.

Because Irina and I were international affairs majors in college, I think we tend to focus our interests mainly on global events. However, Washington DC has such a vibrant (and somewhat kooky) culture outside of the political and corporate vibe people typically associate it with. I've posted several pictures of some of my favorite events that I feel are "typically DC".

DC's inability to clean up after snowstorms...

Cherry Blossom season!

The Washington Capitals (first playoff game of the 2009-10 season) - and any other DC sports team (Redskins Nation, anyone? How about Stephen Strasburg?). But I have a soft spot in my heard for the Caps :-)

DC Pride Parade 2010. The gay community is alive and well, offering up many opportunities to see drag queens and shirtless men. Woot!

See also, Dupont Drag Race (every October, a week or two before Halloween)

We're only just starting to explore everything DC has to offer, so stay tuned...!

-MK-