Out On the Town

HOLIDAY CINEMA: NAUGHTY & NICE
The American Film Institute's AFI Silver will screen a series of holiday movies from Thanksgiving until Christmas, including It's A Wonderful Life, Fanny and Alexander, Bad Santa and various Muppets films - classics both naughty and nice. The series kicks off Wednesday, Nov. 26, with a screening of the John Hughes classic, Planes, Trains & Automobiles. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Ticket prices vary. Call 301-495-6747 or visit www.afi.com/silver for screening times and more information.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER
Laurel Mill Playhouse presents its family-fun holiday show written by Barbara Robinson and directed by Jeaneo Binney and Patti Knazik. The production begins Friday, Nov. 28, and runs every weekend until Sunday, Dec. 21. Laurel Mill Playhouse, 508 Main St., Laurel, Md. Tickets are $13. Call 301-617-9906 or visit www.laurelmillplayhouse.org.

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
Once named ''the bard of immorality,'' David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross explores the cutthroat, ruthless world of selling, pitting five real-estate agents in a ferocious battle for their lives. Directed by Jeremy Skidmore, this version of Mamet's play from the Keegan Theatre toured Ireland as part of the 2007 touring production. The show opens Friday, Nov. 28, at 8 p.m. Church Street Theater, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $30. Call 703-892-0202 or visit www.keegantheatre.com.

ISN'T IT ROMANTIC
Direct from sold out performances at Milwaukee Rep, this new romantic musical pays tribute to the storied songs of Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart and George and Ira Gershwin - from ''Love Is Here to Stay'' to ''My Funny Valentine'' to ''Let's Call the Whole Thing Off.'' Jimi Ray Malary stars with special guest Lori Williams in this musical written and directed by David Hunter Koch with music arrangements and direction by William Knowles. The show opens today, Nov. 20, 8 p.m., and runs through Sunday, Dec. 21. MetroStage, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $40 to $45. Call 703-548-9044 or visit www.metrostage.org.

LOVE, PEACE AND ROBBERY
Following a weeklong off-Broadway run as part of the New York Irish Theatre Festival, Liam Heylin's dark comedy Love, Peace and Robbery comes to Arlington's Theatre on the Run. Inspired by interviews with a group of men struggling to break the cycle of petty crime and prison, Kerry Waters Lucas directs this Keegan Theatre show featuring Eric Lucas, Matthew Keenan and Bruce Rauscher. The show opens Friday, Nov. 28, at 8 p.m. Theatre on the Run, 3700 S. Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington. Tickets are $25. Call 703-892-0202 or visit www.keegantheatre.com.

PETER PAN
Eve Muson directs this magical musical that originally opened on Broadway a half-century ago. With music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green and book by James Barrie. It's based on the century-old tale of a boy who spends his time in Neverland. Through Sunday, Jan. 4. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney. Tickets are $25 to $48. Call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org.

PUERTO RICO, MI AMOR
The In Series pays tribute to the ''enchanted island'' with Puerto Rico, Mi Amor, a bilingual cabaret of songs, poetry and tropical rhythms celebrating all things Borinquen, from musicians Bobby Capo, Robert Cole and Rafael Hernandez to poets Luis Llorens Torres and those part of the Nuyorican Poets Café. The show is directed by Abel Lopez. Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. At the GALA Hispanic Theatre at Tivoli Square, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $33 to $36 general admission. Call 202-204-7763 or visit www.inseries.org.

SOURCE'S ACTIVATE WEEKEND
Though it actually opened over the summer for its Source Festival, Source is celebrating its grand opening as a reinvented performing arts center this weekend. Events include Saturday's ''Red Light Source,'' a dance party featuring a DJ and midnight cabaret performances from Washington Improv Theater and Special Agent Galactica, and Sunday's Community Open House, a free, daylong open house with performances, workshops and classes on slam poetry, traditional Latin dance and more. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $25 for ''Red Light Source.'' Call 202-315-1305 or visit www.sourcedc.org/activate.

FLAMENCO VIVO CARLOTA SANTANA
The Washington Post credited this joyous New York company with one of the Top 5 Dance performances of 2007. Now the internationally renowned troupe returns with a vividly beautiful Nutcracker-style holiday celebration, Navidad Flamenca, naturally sparked with the fire of flamenco. Sunday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda. Tickets are $25 to $48. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

FUEGO FLAMENCO IV
GALA's annual festival celebrating the Spanish style of dance runs for three weeks, showcasing the work of two artistic companies. The festival kicks off with Ida y vuelta presented by Fundación Conservatorio Flamenco Casa Patas of Madrid, Spain. Thursday, Nov. 20, through Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. The weekend after comes Flamenco en Familia, a free day of interactive demonstrations in flamenco. Saturday, Nov. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival ends with the world premiere of Dos Mundos, choreographed by Edwin Aparicio and performed by Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company. Saturday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m. GALA Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org.

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET
America's oldest professional ballet company hits the Kennedy Center for the first time in six years to celebrate its 75th season with two exhilarating programs: A Mixed Repertory Program featuring two D.C. premieres and George Balanchine's The Four Temperaments and Giselle. Mixed Program is set for Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 7:30 p.m., and Giselle Friday-Sunday Nov. 28-30, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 30, at 1:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $34. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

CATIE CURTIS & LORI MCKENNA
The charming Curtis, part of Massachusetts thriving lesbian folk scene, is touring in support of her charming new album Sweet Life - not to mention the national election results. ''Good voters, come celebrate all that's right with the world,'' announces her website in listing her upcoming gigs. She's touring with fellow Mass. singer-songwriter McKenna. Friday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $25. Call 202-397-7328 or visit www.birchmere.com.

GAVIN MIKHAIL
Last year, this Nashville-based indie piano-rocker beat out over 1,700 other artists to win a trip to record in the U.K. - a fan competition on Eventful.com. Now, he's stopping at Jammin' Java after enough fans demanded a D.C. stop on his MySpace page - yes, using technology is the new way to show your support. Friday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m. Jammin' Java, 227 Maple Ave. E. Vienna. Tickets are $10. Call 703-255-3747 or visit www.jamminjava.com.

FAIRFAX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Formerly an assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Laura Jackson is the latest - and only woman - to try her hand at conducting the FSO. Under her direction, the orchestra will perform Rainbow Body by Theofanidis, Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major. Featuring guest violinist Rachel Lee. Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax. Tickets start at $25. Call 888-945-2468 or visit www.fairfaxsymphony.org.

THE GAY BLADES
This New York ''trash pop'' duo makes edgy, aggressive music that recalls The White Stripes -- with just guitar, drums and shared vocal duties. The only thing gay about the duo, in fact, is its name. Monday, Nov. 24, at 9 p.m. DC9, 1940 Ninth St. NW. Tickets are $8 to $10. Call 202-483-5000 or www.dcnine.com.

THE MACHINE
Hailed by Rolling Stone for its ''chilling accuracy'' as America's best live Pink Floyd show, this New York tribute band offers a cross-section of music from the seminal experimental rock band's 30-year repertoire along with a state-of-the-art lighting and multimedia show. Saturday, Nov. 29, at 9 p.m. The State Theatre, 220 North Washington St., Falls Church. Tickets are $20. Call 703-237-0300 or visit www.thestatetheatre.com.

MASTERPIECES OF RUSSIAN VOCAL MUSIC
The Russian Chamber Art Society will present an evening celebrating the beauty of three giants of Russian composition: Rachmaninov, Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky. Featured vocalists are the Metropolitan Opera's soprano Irina Rindzuner and baritone Kreshnik Zhabjaku, a Carnegie Hall recitalist. Monday, Nov. 24, at 7:30 p.m. The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., Alexandria. Tickets are $35. Call 703-354-7354 or visit www.thercas.com.

NSO POPS
Marvin Hamlisch conducts D.C. and the Duke, which celebrates three D.C. jazz legends: Duke Ellington, ragtime composer James Reese Europe and the Kennedy Center's own Dr. Billy Taylor. Joining the Pops is the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band, several instrumentalists and Howard University's Afro Blue vocal jazz ensemble. Friday, Nov. 28, at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 29, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $20 to $85. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

WARSAW PHILHARMONIC
Antoni Wit conducts the acclaimed national orchestra of Poland in this performance of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. in Be Minor, Op. 74 and Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23, as well as Polish composer Kilar's contemporary piece Orawa. Ukranian pianist Valentina Lisitsa, who lives in rural North Carolina, is featured in this performance, the last of a 17-city swing through the United States. Friday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m. The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $21 to $65. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

CONNER CONTEMPORARY ART
The Atlas Arts District's Conner Contemporary Art is currently featuring three solo exhibitions: Family, nude drawings representing Zoe Charlton's female cousins; War, digital photographs of toy models from David Levinthal representing the U.S. invasion of Iraq; and a new graphic, surrealist-inspired video from Gabriel de la Mora featuring the battering of a life-sized Mexican piñata. Now through Jan. 3. Conner Contemporary Art, 1358-60 Florida Ave. NE. Call 202-588-8750 or visit www.connercontemporary.com/current.

CORCORAN GALLERY
President-elect Barak Obama is now featured in the Corcoran's special exhibition Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power. A rare color print from the celebrated B&W photographer, the large-scale portrait was taken at the 2004 National Democratic Convention shortly before Avedon died. It's the final portrait in Corcoran's retrospective of Avedon's work, including many rarely seen and some never-before-exhibited or published photographs spanning five decades. The exhibit is on view through Jan. 25. Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW. Tickets are $14. Call 202-639-1700 or visit www.corcoran.org.

GALLERY 10
One of D.C.'s oldest art galleries, and one committed to the edgy and unexpected, Gallery 10 is exhibiting the latest from Judith Richelieu, who has exhibited her art in D.C. for 20 years. Constructed: Sculpture & Collage combines two- and three-dimensional art in various combinations, with subjects ranging from sunsets to a Beretta gun. Now through Saturday, Nov. 29. Gallery 10 Ltd., 1519 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-232-3326 or visit www.gallery10dc.com.

NEPTUNE GALLERY
The Neptune Gallery presents Another Level, its second exhibit by John Aquilino, this time in its new gallery. Using a rich palette and deft hand, Aquilino's impressive urban compositions explore dense architectural massing in Baltimore. Through Saturday, Dec. 20. There is a reception for the artist on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. Gallery Neptune, 5001 Wilson Lane, Bethesda. Call 301-718-0809 or visit www.galleryneptune.com.

1409 PLAYBILL CAFÉ
1409 14th St. NW Washington 202-265-3055 Cost: $$ Serving harried theatre goers and local barflies with the same aplomb, this 10-year-old Logan Circle stalwart is the perfect answer, whether hearty bar fare or a multi-course dinner are on your personal menu. Sumptuous artichoke dip, generous nachos and Playbill's signature ''Naomi's Fries'' star on the appetizer menu while nearly every entreé offering will have you yelling ''encore!'' -- and loosening your belt a notch. Vegetarian options on this mostly traditional American-fare menu abound, while regular dinner specials expand the offerings with flavors from more exotic locals. And be sure to ask about the restaurant's monthly international wine and multi-course dinner special featuring recipes, ingredients and wines unique to that month's featured country or region.

18TH & U DUPLEX DINER

2004 18th St. NW
 Washington 
202-265-9599 Cost: $$ Perched on the border of the Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle neighborhoods, Duplex Diner has long served as a lively and casual gathering spot for D.C.'s gay movers and shakers. The dining room is as social as the bar, with much table hopping and hobnobbing. The food is classic American comfort -- a generous meatloaf, a terrific mac and cheese, unbeatable pork chops, a savory rib eye and a new wedge salad comprised of iceberg lettuce, thick chunks of bacon and bathed in blue cheese dressing -- that adds to the at-home-with-friends feel.

ALBERTO'S
2010 P St. NW 2438 18th St. NW Washington 202-986-2121 Cost: $ Quality can be found at any price. On the low-end of the financial spectrum, Alberto's definitely delivers quality. Alberto De Souza, who owns the two-outlet Alberto's with his wife, Jillian, combines his Chicago-trained sensibility and French influences -- by way of serving as Sofitel Washington's executive chef -- in a stone oven. The result? ''Go Bears!,'' if you go Chicago style, or c'est magnifique! for a, say, thin crust with goat cheese and capers. By the pie, it's the perfect rustic dinner in, or the soothing nightcap slice as you stumble home. Free delivery around Dupont and Adams Morgan.

BANANA CAFÉ
500 Eighth St. SE Washington202-543-5906 Cost: $$ Once the sole reason to frequent Capitol Hill's Barracks Row, Banana Café now has many fellow restaurants around it offering a wide array of options. But the choice is still clear. With its consistently delicious menu offering a blend of Cuban and South American dishes, fast friendly service, delightful decor and ambiance, large outdoor patio, not to mention their perfect margaritas, Banana Café is still the destination restaurant on Eighth Street SE. Be sure to venture upstairs to the piano bar to catch the incomparable Gordon Kent on piano.

BEACON BAR & GRILL
1615 Rhode Island Ave. NW Washington 202-872-1126 Cost: $$ If some may consider the Human Rights Campaign building at 17th and Rhode Island a sort of heart of the gay community, perhaps the Beacon Bar & Grill across the street is its stomach. Really, nothing says gay venue like a great happy-hour bar menu -- $5 apiece for mini burgers, crab quesadillas and plenty more. Then there's the elaborate Sunday buffet brunch, with unlimited mimosas, champagne or Bloody Marys; the Saturday night prix fixe wine dinners; or Tuesday's three-course pasta dinners. From bar fare to eggs benedict, Beacon Bar & Grill hits every appetite. Sneak up to the rooftop Beacon Sky-Bar, when open, for one the best views around.

FLORIANA'S
1602 17th Street NW Washington 202-667-5937 Cost: $$ Floriana's offers Old World charm for a New World clientele. From its romantic dining area to its chipper service, the effect is to make you feel at home, part of one big happy family. Whatever you do, don't come here while on a diet, because the rich sauces and delicious pastas made by hand are not to be missed, especially Floriana's classic lasagna. And you might as well start off with the superb butternut squash ravioli appetizer, the sweetness of which contrasts nicely with freshly ground black pepper. The restaurant, named after its proprietor and head chef, also turns out a nice rack of lamb and shrimp and scallops served with a decadent cheese risotto that actually melts in your mouth. This 17th Street spot also offers abundant outdoor dining on the patio in season, so you can watch the still plenty-gay neighbors go by.

FREDDIE'S BEACH BAR & RESTAURANT
555 South 23rd St. Crystal City 703-685-0555 Cost: $$ Perched atop Crystal City's restaurant row for over seven years, Freddie's Beach Bar has never been the wallflower on the strip. With his signature color purple, neon and beach ephemera dripping from every surface, proprietor Freddie Lutz has created a beachside oasis that'll warm you up and take you to the shore no matter what the weather. And like all top-notch island resorts there's no lack of entertainment -- from Freddie's Follies drag shows to karaoke there's always something to keep the lively, friendly crowd on their toes, just as the menu offerings are sure to keep them in their seats. Freddie's extensive beach menu features an array of hearty appetizers, burgers, and entreés. The crab cakes are some of the best we've had and the buffalo chicken sandwich is mouth-watering. And don't miss the Sunday brunch buffet, offering everything from eggs benedict to General Tso's chicken.

JACK'S RESTAURANT & BAR
1527 17th St. NW Washington 202-332-6767 Cost: $$ The location has proven hit or miss, but Jack's seems to be making a hit. With a mix of European flair and American simplicity -- peppered with a dash of Turkish exoticism -- Jack's is drawing festive crowds to both the bar and bistro. Half-price bottles of wine/champagne on Tuesdays and Thursdays don't hurt, especially when paired with fare that ranges from burgers to pork loin al balsamico. Bon vivants will certainly appreciate the ambitious cocktail menu and Jack's unique birthday celebrations.

KRAMERBOOKS & AFTERWORDS CAFE
1517 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington Cost: $$ For decades, Afterwords Cafe has whipped up a flavor more akin to Greenwich Village than the capital. Whether it's a weekday breakfast of blueberry pancakes or a tower of late-night, signature ''Sharezies'' -- maybe crab cakes, mussels and mushroom crostini? -- Afterwords gives D.C. a taste of the bohemian bistro that nearly never sleeps, even if the Metro does. Don't make a mistake of missing the rockin' beer and wine list, to be enjoyed on the patio or in the cozy, wooden bar.

LOGAN TAVERN
1423 P St. NW Washington 202-332-3710 Cost: $$ Logan Tavern opened five years ago and quickly became the Whole Foods-neighborhood hotspot, a diner and bar -- and outdoor patio -- large enough to see and be seen, and be seen eating. Now, after an expansion earlier this year, it's nearly twice as big as before, growing with its surroundings. Through all the changes, the menu has stayed relatively constant, and you still can't go wrong with a heaping helping of Crab & Shrimp Mac 'n Cheese or a Big Chopped Salad, or the pork loin and the grilled tuna from the main menu. And there's still no more happening spot for brunch in the Logan Circle area. It's hip to build your own Bloody Mary ingredient by ingredient, and the fruity mimosa concoctions are fun, too.

M STREET BAR & GRILL
2033 M St. NW Washington 202-530-3621 Cost: $$ Sundays at the M Street Bar & Grill are becoming an institution, where table-service brunch and endless mimosas/Bloody Marys are the rule. Yvonne Johnson's jazz accompaniment is the perfect aural digestif with brunch or Thursday dinner. All menus offer solidly American fare with hints of the Middle East and soul cooking at the edges. The two-course dinner for two for $40 makes for a great date -- especially so considering the rooms and suites of the St. Gregory Hotel fill the floors above the restaurant, for those wishing to add their own spice.

NELLIE'S SPORTS BAR
900 U St. NW Washington 202-332-6355 Cost: $$ Now a year old, Nellie's is popular for its big-screen TVs and huge rooftop patio overlooking U Street, but when you want to eat, you don't have to stick to the typical sports-bar staples of burgers, hot dogs and fries. In fact, the real draws on the menu are the Latin-derived dishes, reflecting the restaurant's ties to Cubanos restaurant in Silver Spring. For pub grub, try one of Chef Maria's empanadas or an arepa, a Venezuelan corn muffin puffier and heartier than a pita, stuffed with either delicious chicken salad and avocado or shredded criollo chicken. For a fancier feast, go with the Chicken Marsala or the Ropa Vieja, shredded beef marinated in a Cuban tomato sauce. Go for the goal!

SAINT-EX
1847 14th St. NW Washington 202-265-7839 Cost: $$ Saint-Ex helped usher in the revitalization of 14th Street near U Street, and it's still one of the best places to eat in the area, even if you can't get a spot on the immensely popular outdoor patio. Named after a French writer and aviator, the restaurant features an inviting though small Art-Deco-inspired dining room and a creative, high-quality diner-style menu that's refreshingly unpretentious. Staples include a great burger made with free-range beef, a fried-green tomato BLT, and several sustainable fish options. Saint-Ex makes you feel welcome whether you come for brunch or dinner. Or drinks: The bar features some of the finest -- and strongest -- beers on tap.

SIMPLY HOME
1410 U St. NW Washington 202-232-2522 Cost: $$ Simply Home can make anything look good. Try the restaurant's ''Squid Ink Spaghetti.'' It might not sound too thrilling, but upon delivery, the seafood and green curry meets pasta offering is a work of art, and surprisingly delicious. There are also more familiar dishes for the less adventurous, including appetizers and a variety of Pad Thai entrees. There's a lot to gain from trying something new like Indian Roti Beef or the Burmese Kao Soi Noodles. You can also take a piece of Simply Home's elegant decor home, as the restaurant includes a gift shop selling everything from candles to the elegant, curved glasses the restaurant uses to serve drinks to patrons.

URBANA
2121 P St. NW 202-956-6650 Cost: $$$ This gorgeously appointed modern restaurant in the Kimpton Hotel Palomar features some of the best service in town, with servers eager to direct you to the many winning items on the new Western Mediterranean menu. Start with spirits coordinator Kevin Rogers' fall cocktail list -- don't miss the Dupont ''Gin'' Rickey, a rediscovered Washington original. Next, try a beet salad or a blue prawn salad with bibb lettuce. And then? Well, the star main course is a roasted porterhouse steak for two. At $56, it's roughly the same price as two entrees - and twice as satisfying. You'd be sorry if you didn't order it. New executive chef Alexander Bollinger, fresh from Charlie Palmer Steak House, is up to lots of good at Urbana. This just might become your new favorite place for (regular) special occasions. Or for a reasonably priced Sunday brunch.

VINOTECA
1940 11th St. NW 202-332-9463 Cost: $$$ One of the handful of wine-focused restaurants to open in the past year or so, Vinoteca actually stands out from the rest thanks to its serious focus on filling you up - the portion sizes are relatively generous - and its eagerness to please most everyone. The slider sampler platter, for example, includes the traditional beef burger with cheddar, but there's also the intriguing lamb burger with feta, plus four other patties made from bison, venison, tuna and portabella. The U Street restaurant naturally features an impressive and extensive wine list, as well as several wine flights, or servings of several glasses at a time. The cute names for the wine flights are inviting in themselves, from an all-Merlot Forget ''Sideways'' to a more adventurous, country-specific Italian Bank Job. And if there's rainbow trout on the menu, make that your first ''petit plats.'' Baked in blanc-beure sauce - butter, chives and lemon - this is almost as good as trout gets. The convivial restaurant, with a sizable bar and live jazz some nights of the week, also features a large outdoor patio for fine dining when it's warm enough.