Who among us hasn’t fallen victim to that uniquely modern malaise, the early adolescent celebrity crush? (They also date us; as a mid-’90s preteen, my bedroom posters featured the golden-haired Jonathan Taylor Thomas.) There’s something about celebrities that makes them the perfect target for pinning half-formed romantic hopes and dreams. These mind-powered love connections form the basis of CRUSH: Writers Reflect on Love, Longing and the Lasting Power of Their First Celebrity Crush, an anthology of 38 essays chronicling crushes pined for, met, and discarded. The project is the brainchild of memoirists Cathy Alter and Dave Singleton, D.C.-based writers who served as the collection’s editors. Among the targets of infatuation: generically handsome actors like River Phoenix and Jared Leto, as well as unexpected celebrities like, uh, Howard Cosell. Read more >>> Cathy Alter and Dave Singleton read at 7 p.m. at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. $15–$35. (202) 408-3100. sixthandi.org. (Emily Walz)
EAT THIS
Shake Shack has teamed up with Maketto chef Erik Bruner-Yang for a limited edition chicken sandwich. The Crispy Pekin Chicken includes a fried piece of breast meat topped with Maketto hoisin sauce, pickle cucumber, and scallion. It will be available through April 24 at the Dupont Circle, F Street, Union Station, Baltimore Inner Harbor, and Tysons Corner locations for $6.49. Shake Shack, multiple locations, shakeshack.com. (Jessica Sidman)
OH AND ALSO
Canadian post-punk act Operators takes the stage at DC9 for an intimate show with opening act Bogan Via, a Los Angeles-based synth-pop duo. 9 p.m. at 1940 9th St. NW. $12–$14.
Local rock bands Broken Hills and Mattress Financial are joined by two acts out of New Orleans, Woozy and All People, for a performance at Adams Morgan’s Songbyrd Music House. 8 p.m. at 2477 18th St. NW. $10–$12.
Irish rock band Little Green Cars plays Rock & Roll Hotel in support of its latest album, Ephemera. John Mark Nelson, a singer-songwriter hailing from Minnesota, opens the show. 8 p.m. at 1353 H St. NE. $12–$14.
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