December begins tomorrow, and that means only one thing: it's time to take that special person in your life to a holiday concert. Do you want to subject him or her to the same old carols, something historical, or something really weird? Here is a list of your options, not including the many performances of Handel's Messiah or The Nutcracker, to be previewed tomorrow. THE BEST OF THE BEST: >> For those who never want......

>> The holiday gift season is officially here, which means we're going to start seeing a little more emphasis on the latter half of "arts and crafts" around the city, when the search for the perfect present for Aunt Sallie ends with you standing in front of a pile of handmade tea kettle cozies. You might want to start with the high quality stuff, and get to the Washington Craft Show this weekend at the......

Firefighters took almost eight hours to put out a four-alarm blaze overnight in Adams Morgan on the 2600 block of Adams Mill Rd., across from Pierce Park. The fire started at about 1:15 a.m., gutting a four-story apartment building and displacing residents of more than 30 units. The length of time it took to battle the blaze is being blamed on low water pressure in Adams Morgan. WTOP explains that the firefighters originally tapped......

Written by DCist Contributor Laura Logerfo For the central cathedral in a major city, St. Matthew’s somehow blends in. The Cathedral is surrounded by offices that stand nearly as high as the church, and its brick façade resembles that of adjacent buildings. It is situated near one of the busiest and trickiest intersections in DC, where Connecticut Ave., Rhode Island Ave., 18th and M Streets all meet. On weekends, city dwellers pass by the church......

Via Kriston Capps, it seems ANC 3F-04 Commissioner Frank Winstead compiled a scaaaaaary video in an attempt to stir up public safety concerns about the ping pong table located outside Comet Ping Pong on Connecticut Ave. NW. We give Ward 1 D.C. Council member Jim Graham a lot of guff about trying to shut down businesses where violent crimes occur, but clearly the baton of irrational nannyism in local government has been successfully passed.......

This post by DCist Staff writer Eddie Kim According to an article in this week's New York Times Dining section, about half of the days in the year are dedicated to some sort of food or drink. This month we can look forward to National Caviar Day, National Lobster Day and National Cognac Day, just to name a few. But, until we can start lining up for free samples of sevruga caviar, lobster tails, or......

>> Celebrate the start of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a discussion of Japanese cinema and culture at the Freer Gallery. Film scholar Tom Vick presents film clips illustrating changes in family dynamics and Japanese society throughout the 20th Century. [Jefferson Dr. at 12th St. SW, $18, 7 p.m.] >> Catch the latest installment of Geek Comedy Tour 3K at Riot Act Comedy Club (aka HR-57). This collection of nerds waxes poet on......

By DCist contributor Matt Pelkey "Out of the way, you slow f#@%!" Everyone’s probably yelled something to that effect from behind the wheel of a car. Following tomorrow’s launch of D.C.'s new traffic calming program, you may find yourself cursing dawdlers on the road more often. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) are launching the D.C. Neighborhood Pace Car Program, in which drivers voluntarily sign a pledge to......

We're gobsmacked that we forgot to mention Tim "Make it Work" Gunn's planned whirlwind visit to the District this weekend. A native of Washington, he's a veteran of Corcoran College of Art + Design and hit the big time as a mentor to aspiring designers on Bravo's oddly addictive Project Runway. Along with co-author Kate Moloney, Gunn comes to town promoting his new fashion manifesto, Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste, and Style.......

No, we haven't got any specific panda-riffic events tonight. It just seems like a good time to remind you that we're smack dab in the middle of Panda Month. As the weather slowly crawls into the "tolerable" range, it's a great time to check out D.C.'s hottest family at the National Zoo, before summer tourists completely take over Woodley Park. >> After a year-long battle for a liquor license Vegetate has emerged triumphant to......

MONDAY Richard Preston, fresh off his Daily Show appearance, where he confounded Jon Stewart, brings his unique perspective on some of America's oldest residents, California redwood trees, in The Wild Trees. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, 7:00 p.m. TUESDAY With the glut of celebrities proclaiming themselves Buddhists, it's sometimes hard to pin down the historical and ethical roots of this ancient religion. Author Lama Surya Das, who the Dalai Lama calls 'The American......

>> Check out Unbuckled alums Deleted Scenes at Warehouse Nextdoor with the rest of an intriguing line-up, including Brooklyn's rising bedroom blues star She Keeps Bees, the psychedelic-influences The Love Story and Pash. [1017 7th St. NW, 9:30 p.m. $8] >> The usual bass-heavy music pumping through Cafe Citron take a night off for Flamenco Night. The vibrant combination of vocals, musicians and dancing turns any Monday into a rhythm-infused celebration. [1343 Connecticut Ave.......

>> D.C. Improv highlights students who spent a month at the Improv's Comedy School. The evening, lead by MC Matt Kazam, could be a great way to catch one of Washington's rising comics -- 17 trainees will take the stage. [1140 Connecticut Ave. NW, $10, 8:00 p.m.] >> Local techno rockers Trans Am can be counted on to deliver an eclectic mix of music and fans. See the trio, together for over 10 years,......

Today DCist begins a new supplement to our weekly agendas. If you still don't have plans for tonight we've got an assortment of activities to get you off the couch and out enjoying all the area has to offer. >> Jumping on the cherry tree bandwagon, Black Cat hosts The Cherry Blossom Jam. Rap artists Marsha Ambrosius, of Floetry fame, Chrisette Michelle, Frestile and MN8. [1811 14th St. NW, $22, Doors open at 8......

MONDAY Okay. This is kind of a no-brainer. Norman Mailer will be discussing his latest, The Castle in the Forest, with author Alan Cheuse. Wesley United Methodist Church, 5312 Connecticut Avenue, 7 p.m. Two tickets with the purchase of the book at Politics and Prose or $12/ticket. Call (202) 364-1919 for more information. TUESDAY Are you a fan of actors from television show M*A*S*H-turned authors but are just sick at the sight of Alan Alda?......

>> Aramark, the ballpark concessionaire at RFK and other stadiums, is eliminating trans fat from its menu, and adding a number of "healthy" options such as veggie hot dogs, pasta salad and fruit cups. In related news, Baseball has been officially declared the least fun sport in America. [Baltimore Business Journal] >> Reigning MLS Defender of the Year and D.C. United backline stalwart Bobby Boswell is holding a launch party for his blog tonight......

United's got a big one lined up tonight. Waiting at their doorstep is CD Guadalajara, better known as Chivas. One of the most storied clubs in the Mexican soccer, Chivas have 11 league titles under their belts, currently a record. They also have the distinction of only using Mexican players throughout their history. Tonight's game is the first leg of a home-and-home series, the semifinal match in the CONCACAF Champion's Cup. U.S. teams have......

A Tenleytown hardware store was robbed by two armed, masked men this morning, prompting a mile-long police chase through the neighborhood, complete with accompanying U.S. Park Police helicopter. If your commute through this area was hell on Earth today, feel free to send these lovely robbers a thank-you note. The Post says that an employee of the Ace Hardware store in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW was ambushed by the robbers while taking......

TUESDAY Got someone in your life who neatly fits within the Young Adult demographic? They’d be pleased as punch to meet China Mieville, whose new fantasy novel, Un Lun Dun, reads like a Pan’s Labyrinth without all the blood-spatter and heavy overtones of European fascism. And, yeah, you grown-ups will probably dig it as well. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY There was a time when “hooking up” really meant something.......

Many of our readers are shocked (shocked!) to find out that we at DCist are ardent supporters of independent retail establishments in our fair city. Sometimes we're even capable of overreaction to the threat of national chains on our beloved mom ‘n pops. Remember when so much doom and gloom followed a Washington Post story on the changing nature of retail on Connecticut Ave? But you’ll have to forgive us if each of our hearts......

MONDAY No, he didn’t make An Inconvenient Truth, but climate change policy wonks will probably turn out to throw Joseph Romm a bone as he signs Hell and High Water: Global Warming—the Solution and the Politics—and What We Should Do. At Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW., at 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY When the men of a remote mountain village in Colombia are abducted by guerrillas, the women left behind learn how to get by......

It's that time of the year again, when people make resolutions they do not plan on keeping. Join DCist in resolving to see more art in 2007, but let's mean it. You could get started this week. >> Studio Gallery will have an invitational show featuring artists from the greater D.C. metropolitan area (January 3 to 28). This will include Suzanne Quinlan, whose work is shown at right. Open Wednesdays to Sundays, 2108 R St.......

Washington may be deserted this week, but there is still art to see. If you are stuck at work without much to do, ducking out early to hit some less-crowded galleries would be an excellent idea. Here a few things to help you conclude 2006. >> You have a couple weeks, through January 15, to see Ruth Duckworth, Modernist Sculptor, a selection of 80 ceramic pieces at the Renwick Gallery. Many of these works are......

MONDAY Marla Ruzicka, who was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq, was a dedicated peace activist who not only labored intensely for the victims of war, but sought to flip the peace movement’s entire paradigm by waging peace within the system, a move that set her apart from her colleagues, but also got results, including landmark legislation for the innocent victims of war and the respect of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.......

DCist and Columbia Records are joining forces this Thursday, November 30th, at Four Fields Irish Pub (formerly known as The Four P's) in Cleveland Park for an exclusive screening of the Oasis movie Lord, Don't Slow Me Down. This tour documentary was shot over the last two years during the band's Don't Believe the Truth world tour. Get there early for the your chance at some of the Oasis CD and DVD giveaways, and stay......

The holiday shopping season is officially in full swing, so the literary reading cup runneth over and ruineth your coffee table with big names. Message from Big Literature: Books make great gifts! Message from DCist: Free readings help keep your entertainment budget low, which is helpful since you already have to spend your entire bonus on gifts for other people. MONDAY: Joan Collins is 73 years-old and still fabulous. We're not sure how she does......

Authors celebrate Thanksgiving, too, so the pickings are slim this week. As always, if you know of an event not picked for this column, leave some details in the comments. Enjoy the holiday! MONDAY Fritz Stern comes to Politics and Prose to talk about the Five Germanys I Have Known. The cute one, the quiet one, the weird one, the sexy one and the troublemaker. It’s like an N*SYNC with a history of genocide. 5015......

TUESDAY We were wondering what the best way to entice you to come hear Maria Arana discuss her new book Cellophane, an alternately hilarious and disturbing tale of her native Peru, but then we remembered it was being held at the Inter-American Development Bank Conference Center Auditorium and we thought, heck, who DOESN’T spend Tuesday night at the Inter-American Development Bank Conference Center Auditorium? 1330 New York Ave. NW. at 6:30 p.m. Free. WEDNESDAY Over......

MONDAY Prolific. Canadian. Rhymes with “cat would.” There’s only one author in the world those three adjectives can be applied to. Margaret Atwood reads from her new short story collection, Moral Disorder: and Other Stories at Borders Books & Music, 1801 K St. NW., at 7 p.m. TUESDAY Hmmm. It’s election day and John Nichols is in town, discussing and signing his book, The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism. What are you......

MONDAY Audrey Niffenegger follows up her best-selling The Time Traveler’s Wife with another Edward Goreyian flight of fancy, The Adventuress. We bet she has one of the prettiest signatures of any author on this page. National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW., at 7 p.m. $10. Reservations: (202) 783-7370. TUESDAY Of course, Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi's flair for visual artistry and imaginative text is on abundant display in Chicken With......