Contest: Win One of 5 Digital Copies of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

We're giving away five (5) digital copies of Disney's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and all you have to do is provide your name, email and mailing address... No trivia questions, running through hoops, etc.. How easy is that? We'll select five winners (one copy per household) and send your digital copy via USPS. All entries must be received by Wednesday, March 25 at 11:59 PM EST, so act fast. Good luck!

Contest: Win 1 of 5 Blu-ray/DVD Copies of 1917

We're giving away five (5) Blu-ray/DVD copies of 1917, courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment; and all you have to do is provide your name, email and mailing address... No trivia questions, running through hoops, etc.. How easy is that? We'll select five winners (one DVD per household) and ship your prize via USPS (after March 24th.) All entries must be received by Tuesday, March 24th at 11:59 PM EST, so act fast. Good luck!

Daikaya, the Izakaya 2F to Celebrate Okinawa with Month-Long Culinary Series, Tuesday, March 3rd Throughout March 2020

Shuri Castle Okinawa (Photo: Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau)

From our friends at Daikaya...

Events + Experiences to Showcase An Exploration of Awamori, Okinawan-inspired Dishes from Chef Katsuya Fukushima + More!

Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020, the celebrated team behind Daikaya, the Izakaya 2F (705 6th Street, Northwest 2F, Washington, DC 20001; www.Daikaya.com; (202) 589-1600; @Daikaya2F) - has announced that they will be partnering with Okinawa’s Prefectural Government to host a month-long culinary celebration honoring Okinawa. This month-long culinary series expands upon Daikaya Group’s (Daikaya, Haikan, Bantam King, Hatoba, and Tonari) ongoing mission to continue celebrating Japanese culture and cuisine throughout the District and beyond.

Oyamel Kicks Off Tequila Mezcal Festival Monday

Photo courtesy of Oyamel

From our friends at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana...

In addition to hosting the Kick-Off Party for the annual Tequila Mezcal Festival on Monday, March 2nd from 6 PM - 9 PM, Oyamel will also host three nights of ticketed dinners in celebration of the agave spirits. Each dinner is inspired by cuisine of Oaxaca, with Chef Omar using unique ingredients from the region like Chicatana Ants, Ayocote Beans and Tlayudas - all exclusive to the cocktail dinners.

Contest: Win Passes to See My Spy

** Please note: One entry per person/household. Multiple entries will be deleted.

We're giving away 25 admit-2 passes to see an advance preview of STX Entertainment's upcoming My Spy, starring Dave Bautista, Kristen Schaal, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Chloe Coleman and Ken Jeong. The screening takes place on Wednesday, March 11th at AMC Mazza Gallerie: It starts at 7:00 PM, but seats are first-come, first-served; so winners are encouraged to show up sooner than later (ideally between 5:45 PM and 6:15 PM.) Seating is not guaranteed. Fill in the entry form below, and we'll select 25 winners to receive a pass for two (2.) Winners will be notified by e-mail. All entries must be received before March 3rd at 11:59 PM EST, so act fast. Good luck!

USA Men’s February 2020 AmeriCup Qualifying Team Announced

From our friends at USA Basketball...

USA to Play Home and Away Games Versus Puerto Rico on February 20 and 23

Featuring 11 players currently active in the NBA G League and including eight players owning NBA regular season experience, USA Basketball today announced the 12-man roster for the February 2020 USA AmeriCup Qualifying Team.

Contest: Win a Pair of Passes to Bandstand

We're giving away a pair of tickets to see Bandstand at the National Theatre on Tuesday, March 3rd at 7:30 PM. All you have to do (to win) is fill out the form below before Friday, February 28th at 11:59 PM, and we'll select one lucky winner to attend the show. Said winner will be notified by e-mail, and can collect their tickets at Will Call. Good luck!

Contest: Win One of 5 Digital Copies of Frozen 2

We're giving away five (5) digital copies of Disney's Frozen 2, and all you have to do is provide your name, email and mailing address... No trivia questions, running through hoops, etc.. How easy is that? We'll select five winners (one copy per household) and send your digital copy via USPS. All entries must be received by Wednesday, February 26 at 11:59 PM EST, so act fast. Good luck!

Contest: Win Passes to See Burden

** Please note: One entry per person/household. Multiple entries will be deleted.

We're giving away 30 admit-2 passes to see an advance preview of 101 Studios' upcoming Burden, starring Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whitaker, Andrea Riseborough, Tom Wilkinson, Tess Harper, and Usher. The screening takes place on Wednesday, February 26th at AMC Georgetown: It starts at 7:00 PM, but seats are first-come, first-served; so winners are encouraged to show up sooner than later (ideally between 5:45 PM and 6:15 PM.) Seating is not guaranteed. Fill in the entry form below, and we'll select 30 winners to receive a pass for two (2.) Winners will be notified by e-mail. All entries must be received before February 23rd at 11:59 PM EST, so act fast. Good luck!

Park View Farmers Market, Now Open at Hook Hall

Click above to enlarge

From our friends at the Park View Farmers Market...

Park View Farmers Market

Indoor year-round Sunday Market at Hook Hall, first for this neighborhood

Park View Farmers Market, (www.Parkview.market) a year-round Sunday market, opened January 12, 2020 at Hook Hall, 3400 Georgia Avenue, NW. Operating from 9 AM until 2 PM, Park View Farmers Market, a first for this neighborhood, connects local farmers, growers and producers to local consumers in the Park View, Petworth, Columbia Heights and surrounding communities.

The King's Speech Theatre Review

Nick Westrate stars in The King's Speech (Photo: Liz Lauren)

A Last Resort

King George V (John Judd, in a riveting, all-too-short performance) declares, "Sitting on thrones is our business." Unfortunately, passing the torch proves troublesome in David Seidler's The King's Speech. One son (Jeff Parker as David) doesn't want it. The other (the eventual King George VI, played by Nick Westrate) can't finish a sentence without stammering. Fear not Blighty. Where there's a will, there's a way; and with the help of an aspiring actor/speech therapist, Westrate's Bertie goes about the arduous task of perfecting the art of speech. It made for a great movie, but director Michael Wilson's version lacks the Oscar-winning film's charm and energy, resulting in a "fine" play, but far from memorable.

Predictions for 92nd Annual Academy Awards

My computer’s down, so I’m going to be extra brief with this year’s Oscars predictions (iPads have their limitations... one of which is typing.) For those of you who actually care about the whys and why nots, I promise to do better next year. Until then, on with the picks.