Entertainment/Nightlife

38. Attend free one-hour performances daily at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. You might hear a world-class jazz trio, or see a local dance group. After the show, take the elevator to the roof to admire the city's monuments and buildings. 2700 F St. NW; +1 202 467 4600.

39. Watch stage classics become startlingly contemporary and relevant at the Shakespeare Theater Company (450 7th St. NW; +1 202 547 3230), which opened a second performance space last year, the gleaming Sidney Harman Hall, at 610 F St. NW.

40. Spot a famous author at Politics & Prose, a small neighborhood bookstore that presents a powerhouse roster of writers for its nearly nightly readings and talks. We're talking Toni Morrison, Annie Leibovitz, and Christopher Plummer. 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; +1 202 364 1919.

41. Chill at the 18th Street Lounge, an in-the-know hideaway once owned by electronica duo Thievery Corporation. DJs spin some of the coolest downtempo music in town, and a great jazz band plays on Friday and Saturday nights. 1212 18th St. NW; +1 202 466 3922)(Enter through the door to the left of the mattress store).

42. Catch both up-and-coming and white-hot indie bands at the 9:30 Club, the live music venue that continues to be the city's—and one of the nation's—best. 815 V St. NW; +1 202 265 0930.

43. Escape the Friday night bar scene, and go to the Folger Shakespeare Library's PEN/Faulkner Readings. Great authors from Calvin Trillin to Elizabeth Gilbert read their own work in an elegant setting. 201 E. Capitol St. SE; +1 202 544 4600.

44. Salsa late into the night at Rumba Café, Habana Village, and Bossa, a trio of Adams Morgan clubs that get packed on weekends but are less crowded on weeknights. Cool off with a refreshing mojito.