November 6 the Textile Museum is launching the first of the season's Evenings at the TM series with "Daily Splendors: An Exploration of the Culinary and Decorative Arts from Africa to Asia." Amy Riolo, an internationally recognized culinary expert specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture and cuisine is having a book signing and lecture. After the talk there'll be a range of food cooked from her book, "Arabian Delights: Recipes & Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula." $15/Textile Museum members; $20/non-members. To
register, call  202 667 0441, ext. 64.

Get complimentary smoked turkey tastings ahead of Thanksgiving lunch time at all four Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company locations, with turkey cooking tips, from November 6. If you want a whole smoked turkey for the day, order one by 11 a.m. November 25. Whole turkeys to feed between 8 and 16 guzzlers, plus two quarts of side dishes range between $59.99 - $99.99, or portions from $4.99 a pound.

Locanda pays tribute on Veterans' Day to those brave men and women with an offer to them of complimentary lunch and dinner service. It will also donate their profits from the entire week of Veteran’s Day to Veteran’s service organizations. 633 Pennsylvania Ave SE. Call 202 547 0002 for reservations.

Poste Moderne Brasserie and Kluge Estate host the first of monthly wine pairing dinners on November 13th.  Chef Robert Weland is using produce from his organic garden and local producers and wines from Virginia. At this first one, assistant Winemaker Jonathan Wheeler from Kluge and Chef Weland will discuss the joys of sustainable food and Virginia wine with guests. The tasting menu features, among other dishes, Sunchoke Velouté  with pickled mushrooms and sunchokes; Slow Cooked Local Farm Egg with haricots verts, guanciale, tarragon, pistachios paired with Albemarle Viognier, 2006; Crispy Veal Sweetbreads with kabocha squash, salsify, and sparkling cider foam all paired with Albemarle Viognier, 2006 and Pineland Farms Prime Rib of Beef served with pickled mushrooms, bayley hazen blue cheese, and chickweed salad paired with Kluge Estate “New World Red”, 2004. $85 a head, 6.00 p.m. Poste Moderne Brasserie, 555 8th St NW. For reservations call 202 783 6060.

Top area chefs take the stage November 11 to combat hunger at the 5th Capital Food Fight to raise money to combat hunger.  Ted Allen co-hosts with event chair José Andrés as Stephen Lewandowski (Tribeca Grill NY), David Deshaies (Citronelle Michel Richard), Tony Conte (The Oval Room) and Peter Smith (PS 7's) vie in on-stage cooking battles to take the championship from last year's Capital Food Fight winner Barton Seaver, who will be there to defend his title.  Guests can nibble on offerings from 50 of the best restaurants in town. The event is part of DC Central Kitchen, which each day recycles 1 ½ tons of surplus food to make 4,500 meals for area social service organizations.  It also empowers chronically unemployed men and women in the kitchen and life skills they need to get and keep good jobs in the food service industry. Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, 6.00 – 9.00 p.m. Tickets $175 or sponsorship on-line at http://www.capitalfoodfight.org.

Taberna del Alabardero celebrates Spain's seafood season with a month-long seafood menu. Executive Chef Dani Arana will cook sea bream, red snapper, swordfish, langoustine, arctic char, clams and more, flown in from Spain. 1776 "Eye" St NW, 202 429 2200. 

Who knew he could cook? Former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and The Oceanaire Seafood Room's Chef Rob Klink team up to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research. They've created a heart-healthy, classic version of Beef Barley Soup that will be featured on the restaurant's menu for the entire month of November.  The soup will be available for $5.95 a cup or $7.95 a bowl and  proceeds from the soup will be donated to the Capitol Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to support research aimed at curing diabetes and its complications. 1201 F St NW, 202 371 0044.

November 9, 2008, four leading bar lights - Todd Thrasher of PX; Tad Carducci (Tippling Brothers), Charlotte Voisey (Hendrick’s Brand Champion and mixologist for William Grant & Sons) and Derek Brown (Komi, Cocktail Ambassador to New Orleans Cocktail Museum) -  come together for “5 for $50,” a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres fund raiser for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at PX, above Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper in Old Town Alexandria, owned by Chef Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong of Restaurant Eve. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s® (NCMEC) mission is to help prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation; help find missing children; and assist victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families, and the professionals who serve them. $50 a head. 728 King St, Old Town Alexandria, 703 299 8384.

Saturday, November 15 is the official start of Ice Skating and Hot Chocolate on the National Mall!

Every Sunday in November get an unlimited Champagne and Brunch Buffet at Black's Bar & Kitchen, while BlackSalt is offering drink specials and shucked oysters throughout the month.

On Saturdays and Sundays throughout the month, M Bar is fixing $4 "Renaissance Man" cocktails all day.