In art, the bird can be a sign of beauty or a sign of unease. Dove or raven? Songbird or The Birds? For D.C. native Cindy Kane, her avian art—now on display at Cross MacKenzie Gallery—fuses beauty with danger. In “Wing to Wing,” Kane decries environmental degradation by painting detailed, naturalistic renderings of her winged subjects in byzantine patterns, set against an undercurrent of human-created dread about their future on the planet. Kane makes clear that her paintings, though filled with creatures, are no guarantee of the survival of the species over the long term. Read more >>> The exhibition is on view Wednesdays through Saturdays noon to 5 p.m., to Oct. 5, at Cross MacKenzie Gallery, 1675 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Free. (202) 337-7970. crossmackenzie.com. (Louis Jacobson)
EAT THIS
Momofuku CCDC launches brunch this weekend with dishes like bacon, egg, and cheese buns ($12); roasted rice cakes with chorizo, jalapeno, and poached egg ($14); and ginger chicken jook with celery, cilantro, and crispy shallots ($14). Those who swear the only cure for a hangover is ramen will be pleased because most of the regular menu is available during brunch. Brunch hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Momofuku CCDC, 1090 I St. NW. (202) 602-1832. ccdc.momofuku.com. (Laura Hayes)
OH AND ALSO
Friday: Food Network star and author Alton Brown reads from his latest cookbook, EveryDayCook, at Politics & Prose. 7 p.m. at 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free.
Friday: At Rockville’s American Dance Institute, performance artist Steven Reker presents Rememberer, an evening-length piece that combines music, movement, light, and sculpture. 8 p.m. at 1570 East Jefferson St., Rockville. $15–$30.
Friday: Norwegian noise-improv ensemble Golden Retriever performs an intimate show at Takoma’s Rhizome with Propan and Chester Hawkins. 8 p.m. at 6950 Maple St. NW. $10.
Friday: The National Gallery of Art’s East Building reopens today after a three-year renovation. Before heading to the museum, check out our review of its new exhibitions. 10 a.m. at 4th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Free.
Saturday: Death Valley Girls’ latest album, Glow in the Dark, recalls a time when Los Angeles was the center of rock ’n’ roll. The Southern California quartet’s garage punk is slathered with organ, references to the occult, and manic psychedelia. It’s glam rock with a bite, heavy metal that wants to be pop. The overall effect—what Death Valley Girls call “dystopian doom boogie”—ignites a primal need to dance like the world might end in the morning. Read more >>> Death Valley Girls perform with Cinema Hearts at 10 p.m. at Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW. $12. (202) 364-0404. cometpingpong.com. (Justin Weber)
Saturday: The Argentine ensemble Femina, that combines elements of pop, rock, and hip-hop, performs at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre. Read more in our Fall Arts Guide. 8 p.m. at 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington. Free.
Saturday: Kishi Bashi takes the stage at the Fillmore in support of his latest album, Sonderlust. 9 p.m. at 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. $22.
Saturday and Sunday: Kick off your holiday shopping or just buy something special for yourself at Crafty Bastards, City Paper‘s annual arts and crafts fair, taking place at Union Market. 10 a.m. at 1309 5th St. NE. $6.
Sunday: Artistic rivalries make for good drama, even if—especially if—they’re not entirely historically accurate. Cervantes: El Ultimo Quixote, Jordi Casanovas’ biographical play about Spain’s most famous author, actually gets a lot right, principally his not-always-friendly rivalry with the poet and playwright Lope de Vega, who surpassed him in fame during his lifetime. Through at times dark, particularly Cervantes’ time as a prisoner of war in Algeria, Cervantes is surprisingly life affirming, with heartfelt performances by Oscar de la Fuente and Soraya Padrao. Read more >>> The play runs Sept. 8 to Oct. 2 at Gala Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. $25–$45. (202) 234-7174. galatheatre.org. (Mike Paarlberg)
Sunday: Close out the weekend at the Black Cat, where The Electric Six, a rock band out of Detroit, performs with In the Whale. 7:30 p.m. at 1811 14th St. NW. $15.
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