Brightest Young Things

I am suffering from a pretty extreme pre-Seasonal Affective Disorder. Jason even suggested I get one of those lamps and let it shine in my face while I read my depressing/deprecating British pre-WWII novels and wear kaftan-like house dresses because I cannot find my umbrella and don't want to leave the apartment because all you can see out of a 7th floor window is gloom and gray.

ON THAT NOTE- THE WEEKEND IS HERE!!!!!!!! Who's excited? (never mind, don't bother trying to raise your hand, I know it has become one with the snuggie by now).

But in an effort to make the best of any situation (after all, I've made it through a war and a childhood with only one type of cereal, I am pretty sure I can make it through a DC fall), I am dedicating this edition of "Best weekend Bets" to "Cold Comfort Farm", one of my favorite movies of all (and especially gloomy) times, in which Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale, pre Hollywoodization) an orphan, flees London to live with her cousins on a farm that everyone, even God, seemed to have forgotten. Joanna Lumley (aka Patsy from "Absolutely Fabulous"), Rufus Sewell, Ian McKellan and a cast of other terrific British actors round out the super cast, and there is intrigue and head dresses and rolling in the hay and nasty things happening in woodsheds. In other words-it's heaven.

Here is a charming montage set to Robert Goulet, no less, to set the tone:

After you watch that and read Marcus' Electronic/Dance music update for additional ideas, we can move on.

THURSDAY
Only 3 days are left of Fotoweek so try and cram some quality activities in:
-Josh Cogan's Soundprints Vol. 1 open at Sixth and I. RSVP Recommended. Fatback DJing. Everyone winning
-Flashpoint opens what seems to be a really cool show called Pac-Guy
and
-Pyramid Atlantic hosts the Artist reception for Portraits 2.0, which I have not seen but City paper went ahead and called an absolute must, so believe what you need to believe.

After that, should you not have weaseled your way into any of the afterparties for these shows I URGE YOU TO GO SEE DEASTRO AND MAX TUNDRA AT DC9.
Follow my urge.

FRIDAY
Couple of good options:
Start the night out checking out the best short, weird movies around with Guerilla Film fest's opening today at the Goethe Institut.
Then make your way to the Cat: shoegaze at the Slumberland anniversary show (make sure to read Rick's very educational features on the label), dance at Kicks and then speed over to COMET to see George Smallwood be amazing after 11pm.
All around solid.

SATURDAY
Wake up early, get a head start on your holiday shopping (cannot really believe I am professing this), go see "The Wizard of Oz" FOR FREE and snuggle up to a hot chocolate and hopefully someone. Body heat is way better for S.A.D than those lamps, I'm told.

Later on, The Fridge is hosting a cool food/art event for their I RAN exhibit and since you're already headed that way go and see White Denim and Brazos at RNR Hotel Afterwards (Peppermint is upstairs and free)

Over in NW, locals hold reign: The State Department is at Velvet Lounge and Olivia Mancini releases her new CD on the 2nd Saturday at the Black Cat (Mousetrap is upstairs)

For something completely different head over to Govinda gallery for a special musical performance by Carsick Cars, PK-14, and Xiao He in conjunction with their "China underground" exhibit (which looks A-MAY-ZING). Starts at 8pm. Timing conflict/don't want to go to Georgetown? The bands are also playing Velvet on Friday (but you don't get to see the photos as well)

Then before you know it, it is
SUNDAY
Ride your bike around in TWEED (for ideas what to wear, look here, or as a matter of fact, just watch "Cold comfort farm"), see "Brighton Rock" for free at the National Gallery of Art and then be faced with a disproportionate amount of cool things to do on a Sunday night:
-DEVO is at 930 club and still not sold out (45 bucks, fyi)
-XX is at DC9 and so sold out it is not even funny (hipster is as hipster does, I guess)
-Neil Hamburger brings his extra offbeat comedy to The Black Cat
-and The Lights are at Comet

NOW-YOU TELL ME WHAT I MISSED.