"Roads of Arabia" at the Sackler Gallery

6 Winter Picks

Roads of Arabia, through Feb. 24, Sackler Gallery (asia.si.edu). The groundbreaking exhibit takes visitors on a road trip to the ancient trade routes along the Arabian Peninsula. It reveals exquisite riches, including treasure from the 1st-century B.C. tomb of a young royal girl from the lost city of Gehrra...discovered in 1998.

The Colonial Fair & Market, Sept. 22-23, at Mount Vernon.

Best of Fall Entertainment

Fair Game

Any time you can assemble 50 people donning colonial attire to do anything, it’s a party, right? OK, maybe not. But if they’re talented artisans who demo 18th-century craftwork such as woodcarving, leatherwork, furniture making and delicate weaving, the result is impressive—and it’s the theme of the Colonial Market & Fair at Mount Vernon (Sept. 22−23, mountvernon.org).

Summer Faves

All the Pretty Paper

A note of caution: Don’t wear these dresses in the rain. But certainly gawk, because they’re stunning. “Prêt-à-Papier: The Exquisite Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave,” opening June 16 at the Hillwood Museum (hillwoodmuseum.org), showcases life-size reproductions of history’s couture smashes—made entirely of paper. Borchgrave, a Belgian artist, works the rag paper into shapes that mirror silks, damasks and brocades from designers such as Mariano Fortuny and Charles Frederick Worth. She also crafts six new pieces for the exhibit.

"Every Four Years: Presidential Campaigns and the Press" at the Newseum.

Spring Favorites in Washington

What, There’s an Election This Year?

Countless debates, measured words, scathing attack ads—and that’s usually before breakfast.

Yes, it’s an election year. And while the timing never changes, the process and messages most certainly have.

Provided by MWAA

The winning design by Howard University students.

Winning Designs at Ronald Reagan National Airport

For the next few days, Ronald Reagan National Airport plays host to some furniture displays, created by students at local universities and colleges. The designs are meant to capture the essence of homes in the Washington, D.C. area and evoke the spirit of modern American design using only American made products vetted by MADE: In America.

Participants arranged the interior designs as part of the first annual MADE: In America Student Design House, a juried competition. The four finalists’ displays are on the Concourse Level of Terminal B/C and in Terminal A until Tues., Feb. 7.

Celebrated children's book authors Kwame Alexander and Nikki Giovanni host special events during Black History Month at the Airports.

Celebrating Black History Month at the Airports

To commemorate Black History Month, Washington Dulles International and Reagan Washington National Airports host special events this February, including a poetry slam with local students and presentations by children’s book author, Kwame Alexander, who was recently nominated for an NAACP Image award.

Blake Echols; Imagination Stage

Nick Hernandez (center with headphones) is the source of the musical beats in Imagination Stage's latest production "P.Nokio."

Web Exclusive: Interview with Nick Hernandez of "P.Nokio"

Even though most of Nick Hernandez’s audience has scarcely heard of vinyl records, the hip-hop producer, better known as “Nick tha 1da,” finds his biggest inspirations from dusting off records he finds in dollar bins.

“If you listen to Top 40 radio today, at least 60 to 70 percent of songs are covers, or they use music from different genres and different times,” he says. “People tend to miss that—all artistic endeavors have some sort of influence from another artistic period.” 

National Gallery of Art

The space housing Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters, including Manet, is back after a two-year renovation at the National Gallery of Art.

13 Ideas for Winter Fun

Boys Are Back in Town

Man, it was tough having the National Gallery of Art’s (nga.gov) prized
works away from our adoring eyes for two years. But on Jan. 29, the French impressionist and post-impressionist masterworks by Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Manet will be back after a 24-month renovation of the galleries devoted to their sweet brushstrokes. Some of the works were in storage, and many toured like rock stars to Tokyo and Houston.

“Hairspray” Revived: Dance Happy

“Hairspray” and I have a long history together—from a dusty VHS my older sister insisted we watch to-the award winning NYC Broadway show a decade ago and, naturally, numerous viewings of the 2008 remake with Zac Efron and John Travolta.

But the best rendition I’ve seen in that nearly 20-year span is the toe tapping inducing, uproarious and perfectly executed performance by the local troupe at Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, Va.), on stage through Feb. 5. John Waters would be proud.

Scott Suchman

Local actor and professor Edward Gero appears for the third time as grouchy Ebeneezer Scrooge in Ford Theatre's "A Christmas Carol."

Spotlight on Edward Gero in "A Christmas Carol"

Edward Gero believes there’s more than one way to teach a lesson to the masses.

Gero, 57, spends his days as a full-time theater professor at George Mason University and his nights beguiling audiences on stage in a variety of roles—including his third time reprising Scrooge at Ford’s Theatre in “A Christmas Carol” this winter.

“The lesson in the story is universal, and it really does transcend time,” Gero says. “It’s a story about redemption and how it’s never too late to learn something about yourself.”