40/40
2
January 17, 2006
Starting this week, we invite the community to make a second run at the
challenge of hosting 40 events in 40 days. If you want to know what this effort
is really about, check out last year’s article
and our follow-up when it came
up short both in events and participation. To fill up the calendar with 40 days
of Greek events, you first need to start with the events that are set in stone,
regardless of whether or not many of you are attending them or not:
Day 2 – January 19, 2006 - Third Thursday – Whitlows on Wilson in
Arlington.
- This venue was the site of the Best Third Thursday Ever four years
earlier, where over 100 Greek-American young adults packed the back room of
Whitlow’s, drinking and playing pool.
Day 30 – February 16, 2006 – Third Thursday (TBA)
- It doesn’t matter that we don’t know where Third Thursday will be
in March yet because it’s the one night each month when you know, like
clockwork, that more than a handful of Greek young adults are getting
together. Our guess is that it will be either in DC or Maryland.
Day 15 – February 1, 2006 - American Hellenic Institute – DC Business
Networking – 1st Wednesday of the Month Happy Hour at Ozio Restaurant and
Lounge.
- An event that’s not that widely publicized which sounds like it more
closely resembles what Third Thursday was supposed to be in its inception.
But as the years have passed with this event, the crowd has surprisingly
gotten younger, less business cards have been exchanged, but the free
appetizers and $4 martinis still remain. (The $4 martinis are for everyone;
the free appetizers are courtesy of the fact that a Greek owned
establishment knows how to treat its fellow Greeks and Philhellenes.) As the
day approaches, check out the events calendar listing and make sure to RSVP.
They’ll be pleasantly surprised when the private “brick room” at Ozio
is overflowing with Greek young adults and their friends.
Day 27 – February 13, 2006 – Δεύτερη
Δευτέρα.
- For anyone who doesn’t read Greek or whose computer isn’t able to
accept this font as Greek, this stands for “Second Monday” the day of
every month that on the past few years St. Katherine’s YAL has extended an
open invitation to Greek young adults and other Orthodox Christians in the
area to stop in and donate a few loaves of meat and few packages of luncheon
meat and the time in assembling them into sandwiches which have been donated
to the local Bailey’s Crossroads Shelter. A few years ago, those in the YAL
discovered that if they moved it from a Friday night as they had done in years
past, that more people would come out and more sandwiches would be made. In
the last few months, they have emphasized doing something social afterwards,
and have thus experienced crowds of 20 people going out to local restaurants
or bars and record numbers of sandwiches made. If you’re looking for a
simple way to make an appreciable difference in the life of someone less
fortunate than you, make Day 27 the day you stop off at the grocery store pick
up a few dollars worth of meat and bread and come to the kitchen at St.
Katherine’s Community Center and join the crowd.
…Four days down, 36 to go.
High Society – The best part about planning a slew of events in the early
part of the year is the number of societies that host semi-formal or
semi-semi-formal events. The Cypriots, Macedonians, and the Hellenic Society of
UVA all have annual events during this time. This year includes a bonus event
with a Cretan Concert coming to town in early February.
Day 10 – January 28, 2006 – Hellenic Society of
U.Va.’s Winter Ball
- Take a two-hour road trip south on Route 29 in Virginia stopping for a
bite half way at Greek-owned Pete’s Park & Eat on your way to
Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. If you get in early, make a
day of it and visit the University’s storied Grounds or drive up the
mountain to Monticello. But make sure to come back down for a fun evening
hosted by a young and enthusiastic group of Greek college students. If
nothing else you’re in a college town where you’re not paying DC prices
to have a good time.
Day 16 – February 3, 2006 – The Music of Crete
- Five Cretan Musicians for one night only performance at St. Katherine’s
Community Center followed by a reception and dancing. This event is
sponsored by the Cretan Association of Greater, Washington, DC and the
Pancretan Association of America so the mix of Cretan and non-Cretans alike
should make for a great event.
Day 24- February 11, 2006 – Pancyprian Dinner Dance
- We hear that it’s in Bethesda this year. Details to follow. This is
typically a hugely attended event.
(We know that the Macedonian Association Dinner Dance in February, possibly
the same President’s Day Weekend on the Sunday night. More details to follow.)
…Four more makes 32 left.
Don’t Forget the Greek Nights - There’s bound to be some Greek Nights in
the mix during these 40 days.
Day 3 – January 20, 2006 – XO at Cloud
- Asteria and Breakdown team to bring their first Greek Night of the year
at Cloud at Dupont Circle which is a venue that has the potential of
providing the right balance between a club and lounge that should make for a
good Greek Night. Cloud looks to be hosting more Greek events there in the
future but this event should provide a good first look at Greek events at
Cloud.
Unfortunately we haven’t thought of a good kick-off event for the technical
start of this event on Wednesday night, so unless someone’s got a good idea,
we’ll just make Third Thursday this year’s kick-off event. If anyone has any
ideas, no matter how off the wall, for the other 33 some odd days left, please
write us at [email protected].
Read
past feature articles.
