All Souls Bar jigsaw puzzle

In the days before the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the delightful markers of spring was the first opportunity the weather afforded to drink a damned cocktail on a patio without shivering. That’s the picture that emerges in the 500-piece jigsaw puzzle from All Souls Bar, the Shaw neighborhood drinkery that, like all the other bars in the city, is now closed to customers looking to imbibe in-house. The rueful scene shows relaxed patrons in a pre-pandemic era socially mixing—not distancing even a little!—while cupping beverages in the bar’s cozy outdoor area. A separate puzzle depicts a close-up of one of the whiskey-and-rosé cocktails for which I would have easily traded a case of N95 masks just a few weeks ago. As far as bar merch goes, puzzles have to be among the most coronavirus-specific options out there. The proceeds go to bar staff, but the benefits flow to the reluctant puzzle-solvers who would rather be drinking a perfect Manhattan patio-side. Move quickly—the puzzle sold out fast on its first run and had to be restocked. The puzzle is available for purchase at shop.allsoulsbar.com. $48. —Kriston Capps

#HirshhornInsideOut’s Maker Morning series

If your walls are covered with movie posters or dusty diploma frames, there’s no need to worry. The Hirshhorn believes that art can be found anywhere, and has been encouraging patrons to try their hand at recreating famous pieces through the #HirshhornInsideOut campaign. Earlier this month, as part of the campaign’s Maker Morning series, the museum encouraged its social media followers to recreate the work of Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. Mondrian, who is known for his contributions to 20th century abstraction, believed that “the first aim in painting should be universal expression.” In much of his most famous work, he limited his color palette to the basics—white, black, yellow, blue, red, and gray. Although you might not recognize the name, you’ve certainly seen one of his primary-colored pieces. According to the Hirshhorn, creating your imitation painting is as simple as cutting paper into squares and lines, then arranging them in one of his grid-like patterns. If you don’t have ready access to colored paper (or other traditional art supplies), get crafty. Use the plain sides of scrap paper and sharpies or pens to create his sharp black dividing lines. You can even use eyeshadow or other makeup to pigment the squares. Not only will working on your very own Mondrian help pass the time, but you’ll have a fun new piece of wall décor to admire while you’re at home. Learn more about the #HirshhornInsideOut campaign at hirshhorn.si.edu and get the instructions for the Maker Monday challenge on Facebook. Free. —Sarah Smith

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