DCist Exposed

Here's a great show that I don't think is getting as much publicity as it deserves. DCist is hosting the sophomore DCist Exposed. Basically, you take a city full of mostly amateur photographers, invite 'em all to submit their best work, select some standouts, and turn them loose on an art-hungry public. DCist says many of the 2007 photographers had never even framed their work before last year's show, but have continued to sell prints and even hold solo shows around the city.

This year brings 47 photographers' works to Civilian Art Projects, a newish Penn Quarter gallery that promotes emerging artists. The show runs March 7-25.

Check out the flickr site showing all the works here.

HotTip

In March, Abaca Imports will hold a 20 percent sale on everything, including concrete garden benches like this one ($420), available in 12 finishes. If you're on their email list, though, you can get an extra 5 percent off before the sale opens to the public.

What you'll find? 8-foot reclaimed teak dining tables, lacquered consoles and side tables, ceramic planters large and small, and basically everything to see you through the next few seasons of entertaining and beyond. The sale goes for everything in the shop, the barn-like garden outbuilding, and the garden in between.

The shop is located 1t 1201 North Royal Street in Alexandria, in a sweet little block that's also home to Bastille and MetroStage. If you're getting cabin fever (like we are!!!!) it's worth checking this trio out before the sale. Visit Sunday morning, and after the shopping you can indulge in some of Bastille's calamari and shrimp beignets with sheep milk yogurt and harissa dip.

I've got a bit of a crush on these natural-silk dupioni pillowcases ($18 to $100), which were handstitched in Thailand. I spotted them tonight at Qi in Old Town Alexandria. The Asian antique importer is holding its annual clearance sale right now, with savings ranging from 20 percent to almost 75 percent. A sweet little Chinese endtable, c. 1920, is crying out to hold a stack of home design magazines and was marked down to $275 (was $345). Also on sale are silk lamps, crystal chandeliers, beds, storage units and dining room sets. Some are antique, some are modern, some have more character than others. But that's the fun of the hunt, isn't it? :-) One tip: Visit this weekend, when Qi throws open the doors of its back rooms, to be sure you see everything available. Qi, 722 N. Henry Street, Alexandria, Va., 703-838-1600.

Design for Sale

Design Within Reach is holding its semiannual sale, with many products discounted more than 10 percent -- including furniture like the Womb chair shown above (normally $2,645) in black or red fabric, plus Egg chairs, Swan chairs, lighting and accessories.

Some locations will also be auctioning off limited edition Florence Knoll benches, with proceeds benefitting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

For more information, contact Design Within Reach's Georgetown Studio, 3307 cady's Alley NW, at 202-339-9480.

Vietnamese Art

Forgive me for launching the blog with a bunch of art posts, but Dragonfly is hosting five Vietnamese artists showing in the U.S. for the first time. The studio will host a reception on Thursday, Oct. 18, from 5 to 8 p.m. (RSVP by Oct. 12 at 202-265-3359), featuring the artists demonstrating their lacquer painting and painting on silk. I went to Hanoi in 2000 with my husband -- one night we were up in our hotel room around 9 p.m. when we realized we'd gotten the departure date wrong by 24 hours. Our flight left first thing the next morning. We raced out into the night, careening through a series of narrow alleys to the artists' market, and scooped up as much lacquerware as we could carry. I also nabbed a square cloth wallcovering with a geometric design in navy and terracotta. It graces my spiral staircase to this day. Like my last-minute art scramble finds, these artists' pieces would probably work in both a modern setting or a more traditional one. If you miss the reception, the exhibit runs until Nov. 25.

Luxury & Grit

I can't think of a better way to launch my new home design blog than by promoting "Luster: An Art Happening." I first met Philippa Hughes, one of the evening's creators, while writing about the city's modern art scene. She's one of those people who gets so excited when talking about art that you find yourself trying to snag an invite to check out her own collection. She's got a great eye, opting for pieces that use pattern, subtle detail and saturated color to tweak the viewer into asking questions that have no simple answers.

So it makes sense that her next event, a collaboration between Philippa's Pink Line Project and Project 4, is an art exibit that will "explore ideas of luxury and excess amid the debris of an abandoned brake shop." The event will feature cocktails, live music (by eightyeight) and works by Steven M. Cummings, Daniel Davidson, Drew Ernst, Kate Hardy, Ju$t Another Rich Kid, Geoffrey Mann, Gregory McLellan, Ted Noten, Cory Oberndorfer, Painted Lady Performance Project, Chris Tousimis, René Treviño and Trevor Young.

Luster is happening Saturday, Oct. 13, from 7 p.m. to midnight, at Lee Jensen Brake Service, 1333 14th Street NW. Click here for details.

If you go, drop a line and let us know how it went!