02.25 - polar brr
what’s going on in d.c.
Friday: DC Improv hosts Sheng Wang, a comedian best known to many DCers as Ali Wong’s opener last year. He’ll perform multiple times throughout the weekend.
Saturday: There’s a chocolate tasting at La Cosecha at 10:30 a.m. with $35 tickets | The Polar Plunge, a Special Olympics fundraiser, is at 1 PM at Yards Park with brave plungers entering an above-ground pool created for the event | D.C. United kicks off its regular season with a 6 p.m. match.
Sunday: Georgetown’s Outdoor Voices hosts a free 2-mile Dog Jog featuring treats and pup portraits. The run begins at 10 a.m | Later in the day, Navy Yard’s Bammy’s features a Black Love pop-up shop to celebrate Black History Month.
All weekend: Mardi Gras festivities are happening throughout the weekend and into next week. Here’s some options per Washingtonian, including Hi-Lawn Mardi Gras at Union Market and a parade and fireworks at The Wharf on Saturday.
Next week: Dua Lipa performs at Capital One Arena on Wednesday - her most recent performance in Philly was deemed a “proficient pop extravaganza”
let’s talk food and drinks
my weekly best bite: Enchiladas Rancheras at Mi Vida
There’s a bunch of restaurant pop-ups in the area this weekend, including aerial ballet at Hook Hall and an après ski event at NoMa’s Wunder Garten.
looking ahead: popular NYC French restaurant Pastis will open its second location at Union Market later this year. The spot will feature two outdoor patios and a large indoor eating area.
what’s on our minds?
Business Insider released a thorough investigation into a mass exodus at a major D.C.-area real estate data company, CoStar. Among the findings - IT employees were tasked with making 100s of unannounced video calls in spring 2020 and noting employees’ response time and their attire; CEO Andrew Florance gave a presentation promising “only one person will die if their office reopens” and then segued into boasting about his teenage son’s role as an altar boy at Colin Powell’s funeral. Ex and current employees are boosting an Instagram account recounting their experiences.
Here’s a number of vetted Ukrainian organizations to support given Russia’s attack. D.C.-based Ukrainians and allies have been organizing at The White House and the Russian Embassy in the past days.
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
The Long Crusade of Clarence and Ginni Thomas - per The New York Times Magazine, “The Supreme Court justice and his wife battled for years for a more conservative America. New reporting shows how far she was willing to go after Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss.”
Can Tinx Make The Agony Aunt Cool Again? - per Bustle, “The self-described ‘oldest TikToker ever’ is trading in her mini-mic for the podcaster's chair.”
The Good Doctor - per The New Yorker, “Paul Farmer set out twenty years ago to heal the world. He still thinks he can.” (ed. note: this 2000 profile is worth revisiting in light of Farmer’s recent death).
what are we watching/reading?
The French Dispatch on HBO Max. The Wes Anderson flick hit theaters last year, but you missed it, or want to watch the visually ambitious anthology again, it’s now available for streaming. It’s also showing at Mt. Pleasant’s Suns Cinema tonight if you’d rather watch with a group.
Killing Eve on BBC America. Season four of the always smart and entertaining show premieres on Sunday. The mystery drama centers on the relationship between a masterful and merciless assassin, Villanelle (Jodi Comer) and a detective increasingly obsessed with the case and Villanelle herself (Sandra Oh).
There’s a slew of new TV shows hitting networks + streaming in the next few months. Take a look here - The Tourist, The Thing About Pam, and Bad Vegan sound particularly appealing.