Hey everyone! This week’s extended PRESIDENT’s Day BEST WEEKEND BETS are, as always, hand selected from BYT ALL CITY and carefully calibrated for maximum fun and minimum stress, and will be punctuated with inspirational images of Senor Chang in “COMMUNITY” which has been, blessedly, approved for return to small screens everywhere this week. AMEN.

A COUPLE OF PSAs before we start:

• UPCOMING BYT EVENTS WISE: We kick off our LOCAL TOURIST series next Friday @ SPY MUSEUM. You should come. Oh, and yes, it WILL SELL OUT-so get your tickets now.
• WE DO A REALLY SWEET SPOTIFY PLAYLIST of all the shows you could POSSIBLY WANT TO GO TO IN DC THIS WEEK-SO LISTEN TO IT/SUBSCRIBE TO IT/ETC.
• We’re hiring! So-if you know any great people with sales/marketing/major brand experience-send them this way.
• Read up on food here, our amazing movie reviews are here, STYLE Licks can be found here, and as always, GAY Best Weekend Bets are coming right up.

OK, ready for the weekend now?

THURSDAY

• Two very solid early evening options depending on what your life/entertainment/soul-feeding choices are:
• The Frida Kahlo : HER PHOTOS show opens @ ARTISPHERE
• and Red Bull Academy hosts a panel at the Dunes, moderated by BYT’s own Marcus Dowling and featuring Sinden and Jessie Boykins. BONUS: BOTH OF THESE EVENTS ARE FREE
• Shows wise-Twilight Sad sadly had to cancel due to visa issues but hey: Saul Williams is @ Black Cat and whatever Guns’N'Roses ARE these days (aka The Axl show) are @ Fillmore and those nice guys over @ Monument Festival are hosting ANOTHER fundraiser (this time for DC Voting rights) over @ DC9. We interviewed both bands that are playing the show-so do your homework here.
• DANCING: The Red Bull Academy officially afterparties @ Tittsworth’s birthday she-bang @ U Street Music Hall so if you love DJs, love people who love DJs or love to hate DJs or people who love DJs-look no further.
• PLUS: INTERSECTIONS ARTS FESTIVAL IS BACK and FAMILY HEMERLEIN is too.
• MOVIE BONUS: In the 1980s, a pilot left behind a surfboard in a remote seaside village in Papua New Guinea, a land known for cargo cults and cannibalism. Twenty years later, the sport of surfing is splintering Vanimo Village. Watch “SPLINTERS”, the movie that tells this story TONIGHT ONLY.
• + other stuff

FRIDAY

• AS ALWAYS- Kick things off with planning ahead. Our SPOTIFY playlist of shows going on sale this week can be found here for your planning pleasure. Everything from Grouplove to Tune-Yards to Fiona Apple on sale this weekend.
• in the mood to switch things up a little: Montseratt House takes a break from their usual shows/DJs etc and hosts a Belly Dance Revue…
• local band support: RA RA RASPUTIN are @ Red Palace and Nunchucks head up an all DMV bill @ Velvet Lounge
• funny people: ANDY KINDLER is @ Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse and trust us-the man knows his hilarious.
• and there’s a new dance party @ LIV called DIGITAL SWAG (for a free download of the mixtape preview-head over to their facebook page)
• theatre option: PETER PAN:THE BOY WHO HATED MOTHERS is a delight.
• + other stuff

SATURDAY

• First things first: stock up on all your meat needs with yet another 13th street Meats Pop-Up shop @ Pharmacy Bar. Sausage fest in the best sense of the word.
• Academy awards are on Sunday so spend some time doing your homework: AMC Theatres is playing a MARATHON of all  BEST PICTURE Academy Award nominees (and yes, there IS 10 this year). Details and tickets can be found here.
• + the Academy Award Nominated Shorts (Live AND Animated) over @ E Street. We reviewed both segments in our FILM section so you can be prepared.
• not in the mood for Academy Awards but STILL IN THE MOOD FOR SOME FILM? Check out a free 2:30pm screening of PHOTOFILM! @ National Gallery of Art
• or check out the FIANDER Film Festival @ The Dunes
• art opening to stop by in the early evening: WARHOL! opens @ The FRIDGE
• totally random party you may very well want to go to: SISQO shows up IN PERSON to headline the monthly 90s party @ EDEN. True story. (on a totally DIFFERENT 90s flashback note-SUEDE are @ Rams Head (?!?!?))
• totally non-random party you may very well want to go to: BLISS is @ U Hall
• always a good dance stand-by: Liberation Dance Party WILL NEVER FAIL YOU @ DC9
• and dub dub and more dub is @ 930 Club with Steeze Promo’s “DUB NATION”
• shows wise: H Street has a strong showing with JAVELIN @ RED PALACE and ELIKEH @ RNR Hotel
• + other stuff

SUNDAY

• so-you have an Oscar party to go to tonight-and nothing to wear? Use our “$40 fashion Challenge” spread as inspiration for maximum impact (gold, bold and more) and minimum stress to your wallet. You’re welcome.
• and yes-WE WILL BE LIVE TWEETING THE ACADEMY AWARDS. AND WE WILL BE FUNNY. WE (ALMOST) GUARANTEE THAT. SO-follow us on twitter (@BYT)
• now – you just need to decide WHERE to watch the OSCARS (we can pretend to be cooler than that here but, lets face it-I’m not at all-I’ve watched them top-to-bottom every single year since I remember and I grew up in a country where time difference involved made that VERY HARD- so, who am I to stop now?).
• OUR SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE:
• The annual HEIGHTS OSCAR party – with HAPPY HOUR ALL NIGHT, Oscar inspired cocktails and small plates, ballots on tables with popcorn, and a bunch of big TVs
• or Art Soiree’s slightly dressier annual party
• or the blow-out @ TOWN
• + other stuff

REMEMBER: THERE ARE A BAJILLION OTHER THINGS TO DO LISTED IN BYT ALL CITY, so use it (to both post your events and search for them) and if you think we may have missed something, comment away–you know you want to.

and as a parting note: