Borderstan Weekend October 3/4

Here are my picks for things to do during the weekend in Borderstan, really close by or in the city… restaurants, galleries and theater.

Banana Leaves Asian Restaurant & Sushi Bar, at 2020 Florida Ave. NW. We have eaten there a couple of times and the food has always been wonderful and fresh, with a good variety of Chinese, Japanese and Thai. It is a good bet and reasonably priced. But, they have a somehow sketchy and confusing web page to order online. Take a close look at the menu online before calling for a delivery.

Azi’s Cafe, at 1336 9th Street NW. This is one of the pioneer business in the Shaw area. Their coffee is great and the service superb. They have a selection of sandwiches, soups and salads for the rest of the day. If you feel like a light meal, always a good spot.

La Tomate, Italian Bistro, 1701 Connecticut Ave. NW. Italian food, relatively pricey. It has a great location on the Dupont Circle area with nice outdoor seating. Make reservations. The reviews are mixed, but the place is always crowded.

“Barbara Cook’s Spotlight: Jane Krakowski” is Oct. 3 at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F Street  NW. A theater cabaret performance.

“Donnell Rawlings’ Ashy Larry” from Comedy Central’s “The Chappelle Show,” at the DC IMPROV, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. Shoujld be good.

David Sedaris, Wed. Oct 7, at the Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st Street, NW: “With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today.” Sedairs is a favorite of many friends.

National Philharmonic Orchestora is at the Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane North, Bethesda: “BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1, BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2, BEETHOVEN Choral Fantasy.”

Bajofondo plays on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW.  Bajofondo is a South American band influenced by Tango music and musicians from Argentina and Uruguay. As a South American, I would personally like this very much.

The annual Russian Bazaar is at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, located at 4001 17th St. NW:”Two days to experience the best of Russian culture, food, entertainment and shopping.”

“Art, Wine & All That Jazz,” 9601 Ox Road, Lorton: “The Workhouse Arts Center, a program of the Lorton Arts Foundation, is presenting its first annual Art, Wine and All That Jazz Festival. While the festival is the first for the Workhouse, it is following in the footsteps of many historic performances. The Workhouse was formerly the famous Lorton Prison for 100 years. During the 1950s and 1960s, the quad was the setting for various concerts by musical stars such as Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Jazz groups performed regularly. In 2007, Mikhail Baryshnikov gave a private performance for the opening celebration/fundraiser.”

The Velocity DC Dance Festival is this weekend, October 2 and 3, for only $15, Sample six of the best dance companies from DC (and beyond) at the beautiful Sidney Harman Hall at 610 F St. NW.

The exhibition,”Big!” is at the National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The exhibit celebrates the museum’s 75 anniversary with a collection of all things that are big. It is on display through Jan. 3, 2010.

“Jersey Boys” plays at The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Av. NW: “2006 Tony Award®-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide–all before they were 30!”

The annual DC AIDS Walk 2009 is this Saturday, Oct. 3. Come out and join the thousands of people in the the 23rd Annual AIDS Walk Washington, which begins and ends at Freedom Plaza. AIDS Walk Washington is a fundraising 5K walk and timed run benefiting the HIV/AIDS programs of Whitman-Walker Clinic. Your participation and generosity will make a big difference in the lives of those most affected by HIV/AIDS. You still have time to join the team of your choice… including my team, the Luis Gomez Photos Team (our third year supporting WWC).