Never mind the traditional white-washed homes of the Greek Cycladic islands or Italy’s remote villas with pools and climbing wisteria. Those are for pedestrian travelers without a bona fide sense of freakish wonder. Think instead of the Palolo Worm Festival in Samoa, where “local families grab their nets and cheesecloth and wade into the water, hoping to scoop up a delicious serving of headless worms.” This is the stuff of Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders, a new book from the media company of the same name featuring descriptions and photography of some 700 global destinations that probably no one you know has ever considered visiting. The book—by Atlas Obscura co-founders Joshua Foer and Dylan Thuras, and associate editor Ella Morton—is billed as “more cabinet of curiosities than traditional guidebook,” an almost encyclopedic effort to “revel in the unexpected, the overlooked, the bizarre, and the mysterious.”The authors read at 7 p.m. at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. $15–$45. (202) 408-3100. sixthandi.org.(Liz Garrigan)

EAT THIS

ENO Wine Bar’s pop-up raclette station launches today and will continue into winter. The warm, gooey cheese dish dates back to 13th century Germany and Switzerland. For $18, you can scrape everything from bread, potatoes, onions, and pickles through melted cheese. Try it with a glass of Gewürztraminer ($18) to get the full Alpine effect. The raclette station will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 5-8 p.m. ENO Wine Bar, 2810 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, (202) 295-2826, enowinerooms.com/hotspots/georgetown-d.c. (Laura Hayes)

OH AND ALSO

Author Colson Whitehead, whose latest book, the Underground Railroad, was just nominated for a National Book Award, discusses his work with WAMU’s Jonathan Wilson at Politics & Prose. 7 p.m. at 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free.

Jazzy pop duo The Bird and the Bee takes the stage at the Black Cat with opening act The Sweet Hurt. 7:30 p.m. at 1811 14th St. NW. $18–$20.

Houston-based soul band The Suffers brings its high-energy, effortlessly danceable tunes to Rock & Roll Hotel. Read more in our Fall Arts Guide. 8 p.m. at 1353 H St. NE. $14.

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