MetOpera in HD

While we're on opera, one of the nice things about Generation O is that you can get great tickets for an opening night without forking over $350. Black tie is optional, but even if you leave your elbow-length gloves at home it makes for great people-watching. On the other hand, even the discounted ticket can seem steep if, like me, you tend to fall asleep within ten minutes of the lights going down, no matter what's on stage or screen. But for just $22 you can nap relatively guilt-free during the Metropolitan Opera's live high-definition broadcasts of selected operas in theaters around the country. The schedule for the rest of the season is here. Ballston Common airs the live performances, which are held on Saturday afternoons. Hoffman Center 22 near the Eisenhower Ave. Metro airs the live performances and an encore the next day at 3. They definitely call for snack packing- even the shortest tops three hours and most have two intermissions. If you're new to opera, Puccini's La Boheme (April 5, 1:30-4:50) is a touching classic, if a little bit of a downer. If you're daring enough to brave Wagner's major downer Tristan und Isolde (March 22, 12:30-6:05)...bring a pillow.

The Flying Dutchman

While I often purchase tickets on Goldstar for events, I cannot stress how important it is to do some research before purchasing there. For certain events, it is often cheaper to find tickets through the venue or a group who operates out of the venue. I wrote about this before.

The following applies if you are under 35-

The Flying Dutchman is playing at the Kennedy Center. If you join Generation O you can purchase tickets for $25 for rear orchestra, $35 for side orchestra or $50 for prime orchestra for March 20th or 25th. Now, if you go to Goldstar Events, you can only purchase ticket for the same nights (plus the 15th) for Premium Orchestra- $85.00, Prime Orchestra- $70.00, Orchestra- $49.00, First Tier- $49.00, Second Tier- $34.00. PLUS a service fee of between $6.50-$10.00. Ouch.

The Complete History of America (abridged)

I ventured down to the Lansburgh Theatre on Wednesday night for The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s “The Complete History of America (abridged)”. Promising 600 years of history in 6000 seconds seemed ambitious and in my opinion it proved too ambitious. I had hoped for (this is probably lame on my end) something more…educational. History was glossed over and more time was spent on sex jokes than on historical jokes.

But don’t get me wrong, it was FUNNY. Getting started, the audience, which only filled about 2/3 of the theater, was fairly cold and self-conscious but the company took time to get everyone into their groove, which really helped. A group of lively middle school students took up the first four rows and the inappropriate jokes became much funnier with their presence. The three men who performed the show were outside the theater after the show to sign programs which was awfully sweet and I’m sure the middle school class went crazy over the brush with “celebrity.”

My only other complaint is the out of left field sketch with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The two candidates held a debate and it mainly consisted of over used observations and jokes anyone living and breathing in DC has already heard a couple thousand times. It was a completely unnecessary addition, most of the audience lost their groove, and the sketch was oddly placed between Korea and Vietnam. Following the “debate,” the audience had to refind their way into 20th Century history.

But maybe I’m just bitter because the show let out the same time that the Capitols game did and Metro was only running 4 car trains every 14 minutes?

Anyway, for discounted tickets try www.goldstarevents.com

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (abridged)
The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Lansburgh Theatre
450 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
March 11 - April 13, 2008

Wine Tasting Benefit at Marx Cafe

My wine consumption is usually limited to leaning against the kitchen counter and finishing bottles of Three-buck Chuck (with some help) while I'm cooking with it. I've been meaning to learn more about it and possibly develop slightly more sophisticated drinking habits but it's been slow going. But not only is help on the way for the clueless and thirsty, it's for a good cause. Mount Pleasant Mainstreet is holding a wine tasting at Marx Cafe on March 18 from 7-9. Proceeds will benefit residents of an apartment building on Mt. Pleasant Street that went up in flames on March 12. While you're at it, you can drop off donations of food and clothing for the building's residents at Neighbors' Consejo at 3118 16th St. And what better way to take advantage of your resulting acquired taste and good karma? Some shiny new wineglasses from the shiny new Target.

Marx Cafe is located at 3203 Mt Pleasant St. RSVP to karen@mtpmainstreet.org .

Gallery Opening

(hello my first contribution piece)

If you have thought about it, there is probably a blog about it. Which is how I stumbled onto The Sartorialist.

Soooooo, I may have complained once, twice, 8 thousand times, about the lack of fashion in DC. Yes, I have hated on Anne Taylor. Yes, I own things from Anne Taylor. So I started looking for a blog to be my inspiration for things I can wear (ahem, working on a budget, not a model body), and look good. I wanted inspiration from REAL people. And so began my daily clicking away at The Sartorialist website. The Sartorialist photographs people on the streets around the world, lookin' good.

And FINALLY MY POINT: Google reader, while I love it, surely does not do justice to many of the photographs on the blog. And, so, let there be a gallery opening!

The Sartorialist
March 15th - April 26th, 2008
Adamson Gallery
Opening Gallery Reception:
Saturday, March 15th
6:30 - 8:30 pm

p.s. the whole "on a budget" and "for a non-model body" requisites don't necessarily apply all the time to The Sartorialist, but whatevs, it is a cool blog.

Ella's Pizza

I found my Ella’s pizza choice. The Norcia is SO good. For meat eaters, it consists of salami, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and tomatoes. Try it next time you are there for lunch or at…

Happy Hour! It’s 4-7 at the bar. Pretty good sangria, Allagash White on tap! Sangria- 3.50 for a glass 15.00 for a carafe. One dollar of American drafts. Personal pizzas are only $5 (including the norcia, quattro fromaggi, and verdura).

Environmental Film Festival

Many many many movies. Many are free.

http://www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org/home.php

I recommend searching by date to find out what's playing on the night you have free. There are some that you have even heard of like "Arctic Tale" and "The 11th Hour."

Pap and Petey's

Pap and Petey's just opened on H St.

Check out one of the below. Looks like all sorts of fun! Extra bonus that happy hour goes until 8pm, allowing people to get over to H St and still enjoy a bargain. Located at 421, it's about 7 blocks closer to Union Station than the other bars down the street (and as always, the X2 is super easy from Gallery Place).

http://papandpeteys.com/Home_Page.html

Happy Hour
*Every Day from 5pm - 8pm
*Variety of specials

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Election Results Watch Party (MS)
*Drink Specials--"Blue State" and "Red State" Themes
*Returns begin coming in around 8pm

Friday, March 14, 2008
The Mike Gillespie Trio
*Jazz Flute with accompaniment
*Performing from 9:00pm to Midnight
*Drink/check minimum: $15.00 per seat (no cover)

Sunday, March 16, 2008
Gordon Kent - Unplugged!

*DC Jazz-Blues-R&B Virtuoso
*Performing from 6:30pm to 9:30pm
*Audience Requests Taken
*Drink/check minimum: $15.00 per seat (no cover)

Monday, March 17, 2008
Return Engagement: Timmy Sparkles with Abu
*Acoustic Guitar & Drums
*Performing from 9:15pm to 11:15pm
*St. Paddy's Day Fun!
*No cover/check minimum

"M" is for Merlot, it's good enough for me.

Check out the Duplex Diner (18th & U) tonight. Items on the menu starting with the letter “m” are half price. That means that meatloaf, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, margaritas, and merlot are all half off! Not a bad deal.

Once

I’m a sucker for the movie “Once.” Totally totally. (Also props to E Street Cinema- when I saw it there, the sound was out for approximately 5 minutes in the very beginning, and the management gave everybody a free movie pass for another visit.) If you missed it in the theatre, check out Washington Film Institute's St. Patrick's Day Party and Irish Film Night at the Goethe-Institut on Saturday the 15th! Go at 6pm to eat a meal’s worth of hors d’oeuvres and check out the film at 7pm or 9pm. The reception (including one drink) is $10 and the film is $10.

http://www.dcfilminstitute.org/INVITE/main.php