Free cultural events for the week beginning Thursday, August 27

Once again you are on your own for a month.  I'll be spending this time with my family in Michigan, Wisconsin and Germany.  Remember most venues have a regular publication of events and you can also cull the weekly listing in The Current for free events.  My one regret is that another of my "projects" - that my Local opinion debate Letter to the Editor of Monday,/August 24 entitled "Where's the help for D.C tourists?" - stirred up nada!  How unfortunate that our very appealing city has no easily accessible, convenient welcome city for tourists to secure material and get personal advise.  Yet there are so many logical venues where one could be established.

I hope you might also find my other blog, worth checking out: http://www.ronlehkersrants.blogspot.com

Thursday, August 27

Concert: American roots concert series features "Blue moon, cowgirls" with early country harmonies - US Botanic Garden – 5 PM to 7 PM

Concert: Indian musician Ustad Shafaat Khan performs classical and folk style featuring the sitar tabla and vocals - Millennium Stage - Kennedy Center - 6PM

Book Talk: Michael Maccoby discusses, "Strategic Intelligence: Conceptual Tools for Leading Change" - P&P - 7PM

Tour:  Georgetown's Old Stone House - led by a Park Ranger - 3051 M Street NW - 2:30PM - and repeats at the same time each Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday

Discussion: "Textiles and identity in Africa" – curator – George Washington University Museum and textile Museum – 701 21st St. NW. – 6 PM

Friday, August 28

Concert:  "Familiar Faces perform go-go and R&B - Woodrow Wilson Plaza - Ronald Reagan Building - Noon - 1:30PM

Concert:  Egyptian oud player, Ramy Adly in concert: - Millennium Stage - Kennedy Center - 6PM

Film:  Iso Takahata's 1988 film, "Grave of the Fireflies" - reservations required -             www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc - Japan Information and Cultural Center - 1150 18th St. NW - 6:30PM

Film: Hitchcock's "Rear Window" - Carter Barron Amphitheatre - 8:15PM

Concert: Afro Bop Alliance performs Latin jazz – Sculpture Garden – National Gallery of Art – 5PM - 8:30 PM

Saturday,  August 29

Film:  "The Wiz" - Carter Barron Amphitheatre - 8:15PM

Yoga class: Heather Markowitz leads a "stop and smell the roses" yoga class – United States botanic Garden – 10:30 AM – 11:30AM

Film: Luchino Vinconti's 1963 film, "The Leopard" – East Building Auditorium – National Gallery of Art – 2 PM

Park walk: Meridian Hill Art walk – Meridian Hill Park – W St. between 15th and 18th St's. NW – 10AM

Park walk: Georgetown waterfront Park – meet at the fountain in Georgetown waterfront Park – Wisconsin Avenue and K St., Northwest – 11 AM

Sunday, August 30

Film: Dario Argento's 1970 film, "The bird with the crystal plumage" – East Building Auditorium – National Gallery of Art – 4 PM

Concert: The Chanteymen perform a sing-along of shanties and sailor songs – Millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM                                            

Monday, August 31

Book Talk:  Greg Grandin discusses his biography, "Kissinger's Shadow:The Long Reach of
America's Most Controversial Statesman" - P&P- 7PM

Book Talk:  Katha Pollitt discusses, "Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights" - Bus Boys:Tacoma - 6:30PM

Concert: Rafael and orchestra perform salsa music – Woodrow Wilson Plaza – Ronald Reagan building – noon – 1:30 PM

Tuesday, September 1

Book Talk:  John Markoff discusses, "Machines of Living Grance: The Quest for Common Ground between Humans and Robots" - P &P - 7PM

Concert: Stephen Combs, baritone with pianist Jamie Roberts – Church of the Epiphany – 12:10 PM

Discussion of recordings: Flawn Williams and Katie Davis discuss radio pieces from Big Bend National Park of the sound of nature – reservations required – Goethe Institut - 812 7th St.NW goetheinstitutw.eventbrie.com – Kennedy Institute 7 PM

Wednesday, September 2

Book Talk: Dina Gold discusses, "Stolen Legacy: Nazi Thefts and the Quest for Justice at Krausenstrasse 17/18 Berlin" - P&P - 7PM

Lecture: John Y. Cole, director of the Library of Congress Center for the book discusses "Jefferson and the Library of Congress" – Thomas Jefferson's library exhibition – Jefferson building – Library of Congress – noon

Special event: Commemorating the End of WWII and the 70th anniversary commemoration of  VJ Day – reservations suggested – 703 – 696 – 3399 – WWII Memorial – 17th St. and Independence Ave., Southwest – 10:30 AM

Thursday, September 3

Book talk: Hector Tobar discusses "Deep down dark: the untold stories of 33 men buried in a Chilean mine, and the miracle that set them free" – Busboys and Poets – Tacoma – 6:30 PM

Book talk: Linda Hirshman discusses her book "Sisters-in-law: how Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg went to the Supreme Court and changed the world" – P&P – 7 PM

Free Cultural Events for the week beginning Thursday, August 20

With fewer events listed for this week, it is a great opportunity to check out the new displays at many of our FREE museums - a great place to learn and cool off!  Check out the Weekend Section of Friday's Washington Post.

Thursday, August 20

Benjamin Botkin lecture series and film discussion: Steve Zeitlin, director of  City Lore in New York City presents, "The poetry of everyday life" – screening and discussion of, "Boom: the Erie Canal" and "The grand generation" with Paul Wagner of Paul Wagner films – Mumford room – Madison building – Library of Congress – 6th floor - 4 PM

Concert: "Take Five!" – The James Zimmerman ensemble – Smithsonian American Art Museum – 5 PM – 8 PM

Art display and lecture: Artist Roger Shimomura's work juxtaposes every day images with racially charged imagery, confronting Asian – American political and ethnic issues from the artists 40 year career – McEvoy Auditorium – Smithsonian American Art Museum – 6:30 PM

Concert:  Reginald Cyntje, trombonist, and his band play jazz, Caribbean rhythms, and Afro beats – millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Friday, August 21

Book talk: author Michelle Goldberg in conversation with journalist Anna Louise Sussman discuss "The Goddess Pose" – the life of Indra Devi who popularized the yoga in the West –P&P - 7PM

Concert: Billy Strayhorn: East and West of the blues – trumpeter Freddie Dunn and group /– millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Sustainable Fair – Showcases initiatives of DC environmental groups – Fairmont Hotel – colonnade room – 2401 M St. NW. – 11:30 AM – 2 PM

Saturday, August 22

Yoga class: Heather Markowitz -  founder of "With love DC" will lead a yoga class – US botanic Garden – 1030 – 11:30 AM

Concert: United States Navy band brass Quartet – millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Family activities – Dolly Madison day with various fun events and festivities – including tours of Dumbarton house – Dumbarton house – 2715 Q St. NW. – noon – 3pm

Sunday, August 23

Art Lecture: Justina Yee discusses "Impressionists and the Paris commune: Lions our chickens?" – West building lecture hall – National Gallery of Art – 2 PM

Film: Federico Fellini's 1955 film "I'll Bidone" a con artist plays tricks on the gullible poor – East building Auditorium – National Gallery of Art – 4PM

Monday, August 24

Book talk: Stephen Harding's "The Last to Die a defeated Empire, a forgotten mission, and the last American killed in World War II" A look at life in Japan in the WWII's concluding days – Busboys and Poets – Tacoma – 6:30 PM

Concert: Acappella group, "Pitches be Crazy – Woodrow Wilson Plaza - 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW– Noon – 1:30 PM

Discussion: Tuskegee airmen discuss their service during World War II – Tacoma Park Library – 416 Cedar St. NW. – 7 PM

Tuesday, August 25

Book talk: Matt Paris Burriesci with Emma Snyder and the book, "Dead White Guys: a father, his daughter and the great books of the Western world" – Busboys and Poets – 14th and V St., Northwest – 6:30 PM 

Book talk: Ronnie Greene "Shots on the Bridge: police violence and cover up in the wake of Katrina - P&P – 7 PM

Concert: Organist Brink Bush performs Bach's "Goldberg Variations" – Church of the Epiphany – 12:10 PM

Wednesday, August 26

Book Talk: David Vine discusses his book "Base Nation: How U. S. military bases abroad harm America and the world" – P&P – 7 PM

Concert: Harbor Nights Summer Concert series features  singer, guitarist and drummer Damien Grasso – Washington Harbor – 3050 K St. NW. – 630 – 8:30 PM

Discussion: Anthony Gualtieri discusses "Neighborhood heroes: the Homestead Grays and a changing Washington" – Cleveland Park Library – 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW. – 7 PM

Thursday, August 27

Concert: American roots concert series features "Blue moon, cowgirls" with early country harmonies - US Botanic Garden – 5 PM to 7 PM

Concert: Indian musician Ustad Shafaat Khan performs classical and folk style featuring the sitar tabla and vocals - Millennium Stage - Kennedy Center - 6PM

Free Cultural Events for the Week beginning Thursday, August 13

Wow! I can't believe the number of interesting and exciting events I have returned to.  It's good to be back.  I've made a new discovery that I am eager to share with you – the ease with which one can go to the book talks at Politics and Prose. And what better way to try it out than to go to this listing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE_N5SyZpUQ - and hear the talk by Jeff Hobbs, "The short and tragic life of Robert peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy league."  I don't believe I've ever heard a more dramatic, emotional book talk.  And while I am only two-thirds of the way through the book, I've already found it dramatic, disturbing, confounding and informative - although I'm not sure what to make of it. I hope you'll join me in considering it.

I know it will find the place in my other blog which I hope to resume and conclude shortly.  And that you won't mid my poor use of capital letters as I try using my Dragon Dictation Machine!

Thursday, August 13

Book Talk: "The 51 Day War" –  1st hand report on the July 2014 eruption of the decades old Israeli-Palestinian conflict – author Max Blumenthal – P&P - 7 PM

Discussion: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the voting rights act 1965 Ari Berman author of  "Give us the ballad: the modern struggle for voting rights in America" – Busboys and Poets – 2021 14th St. NW. – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Film: Wolfgang Peterson's 1984 film, "The never ending story" – about a troubled boy who dies into a wondrous fantasy world – the Park at city Center – 11 Street and New York Ave., Northwest - at sundown

Concert: Sarah Daneshpour, pianist will present a classical recital featuring works by Bach, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev – the United Church – 1920 G St. NW. – 7 PM

Friday, August 14

Film: The audience chooses a favorite Hong Kong film – Freer Gallery of Art – 7 PM -

Jackie Chan's film has been selected, "the legend of the drunken master"

Concert: Rhythm and Blues artists perform "A tribute to Bobby Womack" – Ronald Reagan building international trade center – 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. – noon to 1:30 PM

Concert: Brazilian jazz performed by "Origem" as a part of "jazz in the Garden" Sculpture Garden – National Gallery of Art – 5 PM to 8:30 PM

Concert: European percussion ensemble, "Duo Drumartica" – Millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Saturday, August 15

Film: "Harvey" – James Stewart is Elwood P Dowd – National Achives – 2 PM

Yoga class: Heather Markowitz, founder of "With love DC" will lead a "stop and smell the roses" yoga class - National Garden – US botanic Garden – 100 Maryland Ave. SW. – 10:30 to 11:30 AM

Tango Class: Bahman Aryana of "Rendezvous tango" will lead a class on the Argentine tango – Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – 2:30PM

Special concert: "1812 overture" with live cannons – US Army Concert band, the U.S. Army chorus and trumpets – national Sylvan theater – Washington monument grounds – 15th St. and Independence Avenue – 7:30 PM

Jazz concert: Charles Covington jazz organ trio – millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Dramatic reading: Arthur Miller's play, "all my sons" – theater lab school of dramatic arts – Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – 2 PM

Films: Italian cinema the 1945 documentary about World War II "days of glory" at 1 PM and the 1959, "violent summer" about WWII in the Adriatic coast  - 3PM – East building – national Gallery of Art

Sunday, August 16

Film: From Kong film Festival, "Diva" – Freer Gallery of Art – 3 PM

Concert: US Marine band – World War II Memorial – 4 PM

Concert: 2015 joint service summary jazz concert featuring the U.S. Army blues, US airmen of note and the US Navy Commodores - Carter Barron amphitheater – 16th St. and Colorado Ave., NW - 7:30 PM

Film: Italian cinema features Elio Petri's 1962 film "the days are numbered" – National Gallery of Art – East building Auditorium – 4 PM

Films: "70th anniversary of WWII's end with the BBC worldwide America film series" - various outstanding films from 12:15 PM through 7 PM – reservations required – contact Jewish community center – wahingtondcjcc.org

Monday, August 17

Book Talk: "Under the bus: how working women are being run over" – author Caroline Friedrickson – P&P - 7 PM

Yoga class: Georgetown yoga presents "sunset fitness in the Park" – Georgetown waterfront Park – Potomac and K streets NW - reservations required – georgetowndc.com/healthydays - 6PM

Concert: Sam Kendrick and Skip Pruitt perform jazz – Ronald Reagan building – 1300 Pennsylvania Ave.NW – noon to 1:30 PM

Tuesday, August 18

Book talk: "Indigenous peoples history of the United States" – Roxanne - Dunbar – Ortiz – Busboys and Poets – 14th and V St.NW – 6:30 PM

Book talk: Robert Draper, author, "Pope Francis and the new Vatican" – P&P -7PM

Concert: California-based saxophonists Stacy Wilson, Stephen Page, Matt Evans and Dana Booher perform as ZZYZK – Church of the Epiphany name – 12:10 PM

Concert: Lee Boys and African Americans sacred steel ensemble featuring unique gospel music – millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Concert: US Air Force Concert band and singing sergeants present, honoring the greatest generation" – West side – US capitol - 8PM - repeats on Wednesday

Wednesday, August 19

Book talk: "Heard and Overheard" – author James W Symington recounts three generations of his family working for the federal government – an idiosyncratic history of recent decades – P&P 7 PM

Concert: The Bumper Jackson's perform modern American roots music – millennium stage – Kennedy Center – 6 PM

Lecture: Justina Yee discusses "Impressionists and the Paris commune: Lions or chickens" West building lecture hall – National Gallery of Art – 1 PM

Thursday, August 20

Benjamin Botkin lecture series and film discussion: Steve Zeitlin, director of  City Lore in New York City presents, "The poetry of everyday life" – screening and discussion of, "Boom: the Erie Canal" and "The grand generation" with Paul Wagner of Paul Wagner films – Mumford room – Madison building – Library of Congress – 6th floor - 4 PM

Concert: "Take Five!" – The James Zimmerman ensemble – Smithsonian American Art Museum – 5 PM – 8 PM

Art display and lecture: Artist Roger Shimomura's work juxtaposes every day images with racially charged imagery, confronting Asian – American political and ethnic issues from the artists 40 year career – McEvoy Auditorium – Smithsonian American Art Museum – 6:30 PM