Hey everyone! This week’s expanded Thanksgiving edition of BEST WEEKEND BETS are, as always, hand selected from our revamped AGENDA HOMEPAGE and carefully calibrated for maximum fun and minimum stress, and will be punctuated with inspirational/insane mash-up of Lindsay Lohan/Liz Taylor images since we all know that Lifetime’s LIZ & DICK showing this Sunday is the REAL Turkey this for this weekend.

MUST READS ON BYT THIS WEEK

• OUR EPIC Thanksgiving recipe/dine-out guide from some of our favorite DC Restaurants – perfect for last min inspirations for festivites ahead
• OUR EPIC inappropriate Thanksgiving gift giving guide
• OUR Soundtrack to your Thanksgiving Dinner Playlist
• OUR EPIC Thanksgiving Twitter Round-Up
• and if you’re pretty sick of all of those Thanksgiving posts-check out some very non-Thanksgivingy photos from our Beaujolais party last week
• + as always- a gentle reminder that WE NOW PUBLISH NYC BEST WEEKEND BETS  and other fun NYC content too -tell all your New York friends to subscribe to it + follow us over there on twitter @BYTNYC.
• And you can stay forever in the loop and follow us on facebook & twitter & pinterest too

OK, ready for the weekend now?

WEDNESDAY

• Traditionally, this is THE party night of the week, for all the obvious reasons. And, unlike most “a little bit of shows/a little bit of drinking/a little bit of culture” nights, it is ALL ABOUT the bar scene tonight. Here is what to do:
• Spirits in Black is back and continues its tour of DC’s best bars with this month’s edition being @ The Passenger. The pre-holiday metal cocktail slaughter includes limited edition DC Brau kegs, $4 schlitz’s all night AND yes, some of the best cocktails you’ll have this month.
• ALL THINGS GO are back with the annual RAD TURKEY throwdown @ Bourbon, with Lightwaves and John Thornley DJing.
• over @ LOST SOCIETY-Chris Burns, Gavin Holland and Philippe Chetrit hold the 14th and U fort down (if in need of a change of scenery-head down to Tropicalia for yet another party)
• and for all those super late night bad decisions – the pre-Thanksgiving ShameDown @ Jimmy V’s
• keep our HANGOVER CURES guide on hand for reference and survival of family times tomorrow. You’re welcome.
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

THURSDAY

• HANG OUT WITH YOUR PARENTS. CALL YOUR PARENTS. THINGS LIKE THAT.
• Also-if you are looking to dine out-click here.
• If you are looking for recipe inspirations, click on that same link above.
• If, in a food coma, you are looking for some movie viewing suggestions from your couch-we have a solid round-up in our HOME ENTERTAINMENT guide this week.
• Black Cat is open, and showing movies and pouring $5 cider down your throats.
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

FRIDAY

• Now-chances are, you are still in some sort of immobilized state-whether it is the amount of food, amount of drinks or amounts of family time that caused it-I don’t know.
• BUT-watching a movie is always great. We have everything from the new BOND to the new TWILIGHT to SILVER LININGS playbook reviewed in our FILM SECTION.
• If you’re hanging out with your parents-check out some theatre maybe? We loved the STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HEART, and YOU FOR ME FOR YOU @ Woolly, and MY FAIR LADY is playing @ Arena Stage which may be the perfect opportunity to cash in on those $20 subscriptions they’re offering for young and stage hungry.
• In the mood for funny? Todd Barry is @ Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse tonight AND tomorrow.
• Dancing options for tonight include:
• The Feast Edition of Que Sera @ Napoleon
• RED FRIDAYS with Chris Nitti, Chris Burns, Micah Vellian et al @ U Street Music Hall
• that always a little scary-but-fun sounding partyhard CUPSET jam @ Submerge space
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff (but, not really)

SATURDAY

• with the city all sorts of quiet and mostly tourist less, spending a day roaming around some great art shows, seems like a good idea: Taryn Simon is @ Corcoran, Ai WeiWei is @ Hirshhorn, the Lichtenstein retrospective is still @ National Gallery of Art and Per Kirkeby is @ Phillips. Clicking on the links above will take you to full BYT reviews of each.
• Plus, Roads of Arabia just opened @ Freer Sackler. Spoiled for choice.
• Then, later on:
• the coolest show in town is probably Ted Leo playing a Positive Force benefit show @ St. Stephen’s Church
• the other big (non-sold out yet) show tonight is Delta Spirit and Jeff the Brotherhood @ Fillmore. We have some tickets to give away so click on over here for a chance to win those.
• the biggest, baddest, party down event is the Paul Van Dyk @ Echo Stage
• but also:
• Rich Morels HOT SAUCE is @ Comet Pizza and Ping Pong
• mainstay BYT favorites AXEL F  and Right Round are at LIV and Black Cat, respectively.
• and over @ RNR Hotel-DJ DREDD is hosting a Madonna/MJ/Prince mash-up dance party. All the better to help you work off those turkey calories.
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

SUNDAY

• Before settling in to watch LIZ & DICK and figuring out all the appropriate drinking games you’ll have to play during it.
• Catch an early showing of Bunuel’s TRISTANA @ E street (playing for one week only and featuring a flawless Catherine Daneuve) or a morning screening of To Catch a Thief (at the same place)
• take yourself out to a gospel brunch @ The Hamilton
• and splurge on those BB King tickets @ Howard
• + ALL SORTS OF other stuff

AND REMEMBER: THERE ARE A BAJILLION OTHER THINGS TO DO LISTED IN THE BYT AGENDA PAGES, 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.

TILL NEXT TIME, repeat after me: