Explore DC

EXPLORE DC Looking for ways to be creative with your Shabbat dinner?

Pick an activity Shabbat so that you and your guests can explore DC and experience Shabbat in a whole new way.

JAZZ IN THE GARDEN What: Jazz in the Garden (https://www.pavilioncafe.com/jazz-in-the-garden) is a free concert series on the grounds of the National Gallery of Art throughout the summer!

“The free concert series features jazz artists performing a wide variety of styles—Traditional New Orleans jazz, blues, swing, Ska, Funk, Blues, Pan-Caribbean salsa, boogaloo, Go-go, and more. During jazz concerts, the Pavilion Café offers a special menu of creative American cuisine and refreshments.

Alcoholic beverages may not be brought into the Sculpture Garden but may be purchased at the café."

When: Friday Evenings May 18th through August 24th, 5:00-8:30 p.m.

Where: Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive entrances at 9th St, NW, Washington, DC There are food trucks there, but we recommend you make a picnic from Whole Foods Market for your guests with your nourishment, and then attendees buy alcoholic drinks as needed once you're in the garden (Note: pre-purchased alcohol isn't allowed in, but food is!). We recommend a summer picnic with things like cheese & crackers, a veggie platter, anything from the salad bar, and of course some desserts!

We also recommend that for buy-in and to ensure a higher rate of guests showing up, that you charge a few dollars. Try an $8 ticket and use it to buy a bottle of wine (in the garden) for your kiddush!

PRO-TIPS

Outside alcohol not allowed on premises.

Arrive early to secure a spot- we recommend a co-host or guest be assigned to that. Arrive by 4:30 or 5 to secure a large enough space for your group.

Make a rain plan, just in case. Concerts may be cancelled due to bad weather.

Don’t forget silverware - grab it as you’re leaving Whole Foods Market!

You can elevate your dinner by bringing challah and tealights. Wine will need to be purchased at the event, or you can pick up something nonalcoholic from Whole Foods Market to use instead.

Make sure to tell your guests where they can meet you, exactly. No one wants to be the awkward person staring across a sea of picnic blankets. That reminds us...

Bring some picnic blankets/things to sit on. Creating the space is half the fun, and the blanket sets apart that space from the general attendees to your Shabbat experience watching jazz.

PITANGO SHABBAT (WITH GELATO MADE LIVE)

What: Pitango is a local Jewish and family-owned business started in 2007 by Noah Dan. The small chain specializes in fantastic gelato and sorbets, sourcing things like milk and eggs locally to bring you the highest quality and freshest items. Gelato and sorbet at churned onsite! OneTable invites you to enjoy Shabbat dinner at the Pitango cafe location that serves Italian sandwiches, salads, and cocktails, among other delicious things! In choosing this option, while you dine, the amazing staff at Pitango will talk you through what it takes to make their amazing gelato in-house, and will even create a batch while you’re all there for dinner. For dessert, you'll have the choice to have the literal freshest batch in the house!

When: Any Friday! Dinner just needs to be booked one week in advance (by Friday the week before) to include the gelato demo/fresh gelato option.

Where: 1841 Columbia Road, NW in Adams Morgan, Washington, DC 20009 We recommend charging $10-12 for guest buy-in, plus, that will cover their sweet treats, since who doesn’t want gelato!?

We suggest one dish per person (or one dish per person minus 1), family style, ordered in advance to avoid confusion at the table. Order 4-5 salads, and 4-5 sandwiches to equal the same amount of dishes per person, plus a charcuterie plate (or cheese only!) to feed your group. You’ll also want to get a regular cup of gelato per person so everyone can enjoy. To enjoy a bottle of wine for the group for kiddush, factor in another $30 into your cost.

PRO-TIPS

Notify us that you intend to host at Pitango WITH the live gelato component once you post your dinner on the platform.

Pitango can create a custom flavor for your crew- want mimosa gelato for dessert, or dying to try avocado gelato? Now, you can! If you want to get a customized gelato flavor, know that you can add $1 to the cost of each cup of gelato to add nuts/chocolate to a flavor or $1.50 to each cup of gelato to add alcohol. You might want to ticket a bit higher to make it happen!

Feel free to bring your own challah and candles or tealights. They are very down with Shabbat practice!