Each month, the Smithsonian American Art Museum hosts Luce Unplugged, a best-kept-secret of a concert series that’s featured stripped-down sets from great acts like John Davis, Birdlips, Deleted Scenes, and Aaron Thompson. For the series’ September installment, the Luce folks reached out to Washington City Paper to curate a lineup. We picked three acts we love: Grammy-nominated rapper/crooner/producer Kokayi; The Caribbean, and Alex Minoff. The show is free, and City Paper‘s newly minted arts editor Ally Schweitzer will be in the building. Bonus: Get there early for the D.C. Brau tasting at 6 p.m.! Come and join us! 6 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F streets NW. Free. (Jonathan L. Fischer)
EAT THIS
Poste Moderne Brasserie is bringing back Pilates on the Patio. Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., tomorrow through Oct. 6, former Poste employee and D.C.-area Pilates instructor Chauna Bryant will lead a 45-minute class on the restaurant’s patio, followed by complimentary sparkling wine. Chef Dennis Marron also offers a healthy post-Pilates brunch menu with dishes like chicken paillard with arugula, mach, tomato, and brûlée goat cheese as well as egg white omelets and granola parfaits. Each class has 25 spots and costs $19 per person. Spots can be booked in advance here. Poste, 555 8th St. NW. (202) 783-6060. postebrasserie.com. (Jessica Sidman)
OH AND ALSO
Missed yesterday’s International Kimchi Conference? Never fear—-this weekend brings another opportunity to stuff your gullet with the tasty fermented treat. Check out the annual KORUS Festival, a three-day Korean cultural fest taking place this weekend in Centreville’s Bull Run Park. Events kick off this evening with an opening ceremony, and tomorrow and Sunday’s lineup is packed: a 5k! “Celebrity performances”! A K-pop contest! And best of all, a kimchi tent. KORUS Festival begins at 4 p.m. today at Bull Run Regional Park, 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville, Va. Free.
One has to be careful where to put the emphasis when referring to the Small Press Expo. It’s not a small Press Expo, it’s the Small Press Expo and refers to independent, alternative or handcrafted comic books. Over 3,000 people attended 2011’s con, and this year it’s even bigger. Lots of local cartoonists are scheduled to appear, as well as big names such as the Hernandez Brothers, Chris Ware, Adrian Tomine, and Daniel Clowes. Over 140 books and comics will debut at the show. There’s a small film series, two full days of talks and interviews, and more cartoonist tables than ever before. Since SPX began in 1994, it’s grown and prospered while raising funds for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. SPX now has a dedicated comics collection in Library of Congress, an annual library gift program (this year’s went to the Pratt Library in Baltimore), and the sought-after Ignatz Awards on Saturday evening. (Mike Rhode) The Small Press Expo runs Sept. 15-16 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, $10-15.
Photo by Darrow Montgomery
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