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

U-topia at 1418 U Street NW is a great spot on the U street corridor. Jazz and art come together to help you celebrate an excellent meal… Brazilian jazz on Thursdays, 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

La Carbonara at 1926 9th Street NW is in Shaw’s Little Ethiopia. This recently opened Italian restaurant has received mix reviews, from excellent to bland, perhaps depending on the day of the week. If you are feeling adventuresome, give it a try and let us know.

Local 16, at 1602 U Street NW is a nice place to go during the week. The weekend is totally different and it can get crowded and uncomfortable. The menu is American food with an Italian influence. Local 16 has a beautiful roof top deck.

“Ink Storm” at Transformer Gallery, 1404 P Street NW: “This exhibition highlights how artists CHEN Shaoxiong, DAI Guangyu, and Paula TSAI, three emerging Beijing based artists who re-interpret and re-invent traditional Chinese uses of ink through video, drawing, and mixed-media installation, incorporate ink into their work, ink, and how each individual exploration offers compelling contributions to contemporary art discourse.”

“Mirage Series” by Steve Alderton at Touchstone Gallery, 406 7th Street NW: “The series includes portraits, cityscapes, still-lifes, and landscapes. One landscape includes what appears to be two farm structures viewed from across a field; the hot, shimmering light of a summer’s day has had its effects. Another painting shows a cityscape, with a mass of loosely rendered buildings. In both works, the atmosphere has seemingly blurred many of the specifics–but there is enough information in the watery images to transfix and invite one in. The artist’s technique successfully conveys the essence of his message, but also effectively leaves room for personal interpretation. The result is strong and engaging.” (more…)