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 KENNY POWERS since, thank sweet lord Jeebus, "Eastbound and Down" is back on HBO this Sunday.

A COUPLE OF PSAs before we start:

• We're hiring! So-if you know any great people with sales/marketing/major brand experience-send them this way.
• If you're feeling a little down on DC-read our 101 REASONS TO LOVE DC stories-PART 1 and PART 2 in which local athletes, artists, bloggers, festival organizers, choreographers, chefs, mixologists and more share their favorite things about our fair District.
• WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE AN EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR YOU TOMORROW! our first in 2012-so be excited.
• 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

• first off, as you may know: SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK IS IN FULL SWING RIGHT NOW. WHEEEEEEE. Follow them on twitter here and get ready to see your fingertips bleed by Friday
• as always, we recommend squeezing some art/culture in there first: the Annual Washington Project For the Arts Show+Auction is in full swing. You should go.
• or-check out the Holly Bass anchored tweet slam/perfomance extravaganza @ Artisphere
• 2 fabulously talented ladies sing their hearts (and probably the rest of their insides) out tonight:
• ZOLA JESUS is @ U Street Music Hall (read our interview with her here)
• and FLOCK OF DIMES, which is Jenn from Wye Oak's new band, is @ Black Cat
• also: the Mother of all live band karaoke shows lands @ Fillmore with a special performance by HariKaraoke Band. Just imagine yourself-on that stage, with that sound system, and NO ONE TO STOP BY from singing WHATEVER YOU WANT. #DREAMS #NIGHTMARES.
• theatre option: the post-apocalyptic comedy CIVILIZATION: ALL YOU CAN EAT just opened @ Woolly Mammoth and should be a nice anti-dote to all that mushy love stuff you had to endure this week.
• + other stuff

FRIDAY

• Kick things off with planning ahead. Our SPOTIFY playlist of shows going on sale this week includes everything from Sharon Jones to Mayer Hawthorne to The Cranberries (?)(!)
• OSCAR CATCH UP TIME: Nat Geo's Global Glimpses is showing Best Foreign Movie nominees all weekend long, and while A Separation is almost entirely sold out there are still tickets available to see Bullhead, In Darkness, Monsieur Lazhar and Footnote. BONUS: each screening comes with a party/reception included.
• then-are you in the mood to get that spirit of Mardi Gras going? Well, RED PALACE is hosting a Beads & Bayou burlesque show which seems as sticky and sweet as a fresh loaf of king bread.
• local shows wise: Lissy Rosemont of Junior League had a baby, played live shows WELL into her pregnancy and is now back, no bump, spunk intact and @ RNR Hotel, full band in tow.
• shows worth traveling to Baltimore for: They Might Be Giants is @ Rams Head Live. If we could, we'd go see them live every time.
• theatre option: If you are under 35 you get to see the new, Beyonce-songs-included, DC Braud version of TWO GENTLEMEN IN VERONA (and all the other Shakespeare Theatre Company plays) for only $15. DO IT!
• and Neal Brennan, the co-creator of the Chappelle show is @ Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse.
• + other stuff

SATURDAY

• OSCAR CATCH UP TIME #2: this Saturday and next 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.
• shows wise: IMP/930 club continues to book the beejesus out of U Hall - and tonight's anticipated performance of DEAD MILKMEN is another example, and with Aeroplane performing the late show, it may be a pretty good night to just park yourself there.
• dance parties wise: 80s nostalgia option- RIGHT ROUND @ Black Cat has been around for years and for good reason: it's pretty great.
• 90s nostalgia option: PEACH PIT is back @ DC9
• EVERYTHING option: FATBACK is back.
• music+charity option: Hillyer is hosting a concert feat. to benefit BREAK THE CYCLE.
• theatre options: it is your second to last night to catch ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION @ Theater J, a show about a beauty-parlor, a-capella, drag queen quartet running for (Republican) US Presidency. BONUS: use this code BYT15 and save $15 off your ticket. Nothing not to like.
• + other stuff

SUNDAY

• BRUNCH! The Hamilton has taken to hosting a all-you-can-eat-gospel brunch on Sundays for a bargain price of $25. What are you waiting for?
• OSCAR CATCH UP TIME #3: during daytime go check out the Academy Award Nominated Shorts (Live AND Animated) over @ E Street. We reviewed both segments in our FILM section so you can be prepared.
• then in other daytime activities: the "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT" exhibit @ Strathmore looks amazing/fascinating/terrifying.
• early evening option: the Mansion on O is a pretty magical place and while I am not 100% sure where they're squeezing a live band in there, seeing a live band in there should be pretty magical too
• Theatre option: looking for something a little different/dare-we-say-edgy? We highly recommend checking out either REALLY REALLY @ Signature OR ELEPHANT ROOM @ Arena Stage
• then-it IS a long weekend so you may want to step up your raging game. H Street offers plenty of options: SMUDGE is @ RNR, Cherub are playing Red Palace and more.
• + other stuff

MONDAY

• now-Monday first thing AM we will be running a separate HIT LIST for optimizing your President's day activities but here are a few things to definitely keep on your radar:
• keep an eye out for President's day brunches like this one @ Acre 121 (after all, Monday is this week's Sunday)
• Pearl Dive Oyster Palace is hosting a crawish boil from 12 to 4 PM.  I have been informed that guests will enjoy all you can eat crawfish and Abita Amber along with suckling pig and house made corn bread.
• MOS DEF is @ 930 CLUB
• + 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:

Previously in best weekend bets:

• 5/10: Best Weekend Bets
• 5/3: Best Weekend Bets
• 4/26: Best Weekend Bets
• 4/19: Best Weekend Bets
• 4/12: Best Weekend Bets
• 4/5: Best Weekend Bets
• 3/29: Best Weekend Bets
• 3/22: Best Weekend Bets
• 3/15: Best Weekend Bets
• 3/8: Best Weekend Bets