DO THIS:

Thursday

• I suggest starting your night with the Washington Improv Theater as they kick off the first round of their annual FIST improv tournament.

• Or shop and get your portrait painted at Cake & Kisses in the basement of Asylum.

• Join BYT, ESL records and Flying Dog Ale as we host a preview of our SXSW showcase at Policy featuring the music of Gina Nguyen, Sitali (from Thievery Corp), and Photosynthesisers.

• Afterwards, everyone converges on Town to get drunk and dance in the name of helping the children by ending your night at the Dreams For Kids Benefit with Fatback.  You have the power to make a child THIS HAPPY just by grinding on a stranger and boozing!

Friday

• Begin your evening gallery hopping as Mia Feuer's Supsended Landscapes show opens at Transformer AND Elena Patiño's Laborious Futility show opens at Hilyer

• Make your way North to Mt. Pleasant from galleryland and go to the Crab's Claw house to see Ava Luna playing with Tosin (!!!!)+Kelela and the Silent Whys.

• Push further towards Comet for Windian Record's Personal and The Pizzas, Hollywood and The Cheniers. Proceed to stuff your weary self with pizza, beer and rock.

Saturday

• Dig out the hangover crusties from your eyes and roll over in last night's clothes (oh so effortless) so you can star in a True Womanhood video at the Mt. Vernon Metro stop.

• Check out the National Portrait Gallery's Echoes of Elvis

• Support that one friend of yours who has a photo in the DCist exposed photography show at Long View Gallery

• Then get hazy at Velvet Lounge for Big Bad City with DJ Soul Call Paul.

• If you have the energy, head over and help DJs Lil' Elle, Nacey, Jackie O, and Steve Starks take over DC9 with KIDS after the sold out P.O.S show.

• Then, find an awesome after-party at a stranger's house:

Sunday

• Spend the day in Baltimore looking for this cheeseburger truck and rummaging through cool old signs and mannequins at Housewerks.

• Smuggle a box of Red Velvet cupcakes into a theater of your choice for a showing of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

• Phase 1 kicks off the first Date With the Night: featuring indie music, 2 dollar PBRs and Baltimore lesbians fighting on pool tables.