Saturday, April 26: Juste Lounge, the cool neo-soul-and-hip-hop spot across from the new Convention Center, holds a monthly happy hour called Mingles Saturday. It includes drink specials, a free buffet dinner and -- this is key -- hip-hop and old-school DJs until 4 a.m. The only way to get an invitation is to visit the club's Web site, http://www.justelounge.com, and sign up for the mailing list. Once you do, you'll hear about all the club's special events and receive coupons for discount admission and drinks.

Thursday, April 24
The Sports Club LA's Zebra Bar and Lounge, located in the classy Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the West End, hosts a monthly guest bartending event that benefits the Cheers for Children charity. For April, the group netted former Congressman, NBA all-star and three-time All-American Tom McMillen. He'll pour your drinks, make small talk and sign an autograph or two. Just remember to tip well -- the cash you give him will benefit Operation Smile, a group that brings reconstructive facial surgery and health care to poor children around the world. Happy hour tips off at 6:30 and runs until 9:30.

After 16 months of matching beats to classic and obscure films, DJ Adrian Loving is ending Cinemusic's run at Visions. The theme tonight is Sampler's Paradise, and while films like "Funk Hunt," "Scratch" and a James Brown documentary run on the lounge's multiple screens, Loving and DJ Dredd will spin their own groovy soundtrack of old-school hip-hop and funk.

Friday, April 25
With the wave of specialty gins flooding the market, it's doubtful anyone expected the supposedly common-as-muck Beefeater Gin to win a recent New York Times taste test. Tonight at Politiki's Top of the Hill lounge, you can sample Beefeater by itself, or with mixers, and see why it's better than you think. The free tasting is from 6:30 to 8:30 and "proper dress" (no T-shirts, shorts or flip-flops) is required.

Major League Baseball hasn't even made an announcement about the Montreal Expos' future destination, but the organizations that want to bring baseball to downtown Washington and Northern Virginia are already fighting over where the stadium should go. If you'd like to hear an update on the Virginia side, there's a "Bring Baseball to Northern Virginia" rally tonight at the Clarendon Ballroom in Arlington (which, we note, was part of Washington until 1847, when Arlington and Alexandria retroceded from the District). DJs, raffle drawings and speakers are on the agenda. If the weather's nice, beers are on the roof.

Saturday, April 26
More sports action today, as the Redskins host an annual draft day party at FedEx Field. Shockingly, admission and parking are both free. The afternoon features live music by Love Seed Mama Jump (the band performs at home games during the season), appearances by Coach Steve Spurrier and some of the newest Redskins, half-price food and drinks and more entertainment. Gates open at 11 and the party goes until 9.

Juste Lounge, the cool neo-soul-and-hip-hop spot across from the new Convention Center, holds a monthly happy hour called Mingles Saturday. It includes drink specials, a free buffet dinner and -- this is key -- hip-hop and old-school DJs until 4 a.m. The only way to get an invitation is to visit the club's Web site, http://www.justelounge.com, and sign up for the mailing list. Once you do, you'll hear about all the club's special events and receive coupons for discount admission and drinks.

While Glen Echo Park's Spanish Ballroom is renovated, weekly swing and contra dances are being held in the park's renovated bumper car pavilion. Tonight, however, the featured music is salsa, with a performance by Peligro. An hour-long dance lesson (included in the $10 admission) is offered at 8 and the band plays from 9 until midnight.

Sunday, April 27
The dark, confessional electronic-folk-rock duo Arab Strap is opening for Bright Eyes at the 9:30 club tonight, but things will get interesting after the show, when Arab Strap's Aidan Moffett and Malcolm Middleton will act as guest DJs at the nearby Cafe Saint-Ex. It's going to start late -- they won't arrive at Saint-Ex until after Bright Eyes leave the stage, probably around 11:30 or midnight. But they'll go until 2, and what they choose to spin will be anyone's guess, although I'd put my money on eclectic Scottish bands. Saint-Ex owner Mike Benson says this is the first in a series of guest DJ nights featuring musicians who happen to be passing through town.

Monday, April 28
Is it just me or is "American Idol" less interesting this time around? Once Frenchie was out, that was it. So why curl up in front of the television and listen to Simon "Blame Me for the Spice Girls and S Club 7" Fuller when you can do the singing yourself? Every Monday, Lulu's sponsors a karaoke night, now called "Lulu's Idol," with drink specials and prizes. The songs tend to be '80s and Top 40 classics, but surely you can sing Billy Joel better than the lot on Fox.

Tuesday, April 29
Live opera, Italian wine and a four-course dinner. That's the plan tonight at Tuscana West, where Taste DC has arranged a meal that includes calamari, risotto and veal scaloppine sautéed with crabmeat and asparagus tips. Each course is paired with a different wine, and, between courses, vocalists will perform arias by Mozart, Verdi, Bellini, Rossini and Puccini. The all-inclusive $67 ticket is available from http://www.tastedc.com.

Wednesday, April 30
A decade ago, when the acid jazz movement had yet to make much of an impact on these shores, a group called Us 3 was given permission to raid the vast Blue Note catalogue for samples. "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)," which sampled its hook from Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island," became an international hit. Two years ago, Blue Note gave similar permission to DJ Smash, who, with a little help from friends like Guru and Todd Terry, remixed tunes by Ronny Jordan, Dianne Reeves, Salif Keita and other Blue Note artists. The result was "Phonography," an electronic jazz sensation. Earlier this year, Blue Note released "Phonography 2," which features more of the same: Smash remixes Bobby McFerrin's "Pat and Joe" and Medeski, Martin and Wood's "Uninvisible," while DJ Spooky takes on Don Byron's "Belmondo's Lip." The result is a funky, groove-heavy disc that will even get purists' feet tapping. Tonight at Five's regular Abstract Motion night, DJ Smash -- with help from DJ Taha -- brings the Blue Note party. The roof deck should be open, so enjoy.

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