05.07 - sun sun sun
what’s going on in d.c.
It’s the first night of Union Market’s drive-in series, which in addition to car parking, offers free walk-up seating. Tonight’s feature - Inside Out. The Capitol Riverfront (near Audi Field) is also hosting a drive-in series. Tonight’s showing - Ocean’s Eight.
A pre-pandemic joy, Suns Cinema in Mt. Pleasant, has been closed since the start of COVID. The cinema is holding on though, through streaming films and other fundraisers. This weekend, to celebrate their fifth anniversary, the spot is selling limited edition “party bags” including cocktails and popcorn.
Del Ray’s (in Alexandria) annual spring art market is this Saturday from 10-4. The event features a wide range of handmade items by local artisans.
let’s talk food and drinks
my weekly best bite: Strawberry Rose Lychee Donut from Rose Ave Bakery (set that cell phone alarm to preorder at 5 p.m. on Sundays - the incredible bakery unsurprisingly sells out fast!)
This is the first weekend a new massive outdoor Georgetown venue, Sandlot Georgetown, is open. The spot, a second district location for the Sandlot team, highlights Black-owned businesses and will soon feature weekend entertainment.
The Bidens have been bopping around D.C. restaurants, boosting publicity for local spots. Eater DC is tracking their moves here.
Love Mexican food? Eater D.C. also cataloged some of the region’s best spots (h/t to Reza..)
what’s on our minds?
In a statistic that feels almost too incredible to believe, Children’s National has seen zero cases of the flu since March 2020. The hospital system, which in recent years averaged about 1,100 flu patients per season, credits this significant drop-off to two pillars of the COVID-19 response: mask-wearing and social distancing.
The tides have drastically turned in the U.S. over the past few weeks from #vaccineEnvy to a massive public health campaign to convince reluctant Americans to get their jab/s. Many states and localities are proposing all sorts of creative incentives (free beer at the Kennedy Center was a recent local option), including free (alcoholic) shots on the Jersey Shore and raffles to win new cars. But, cash is king, and according to research, may be the most effective way to sway those Americans on the fence (the fear mongers/conspiracy theorists remain a whole other battle). About 1/3 of unvaccinated individuals polled said that a monetary payment would make them more likely to get a shot - and at the end of the day, the more people vaccinated, the better it is for all of us. (While the tides are turning in the U.S., COVID is obviously at crisis levels in other parts of the world, including India. Here are some vetted organizations that are providing support for India)
If vicarious D.C. Zillow searches aren’t quite pulling in the luxury you’re after, Washingtonian has specs of a new luxury condo at The Wharf - complete with a car elevator, indoor saltwater lap pool, and $12M+ penthouse unit.
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
Frozen in silence: A look inside D.C.’s still shuttered music venues - per Washington Post
The Awkward Feeling of Rooting for the White House Press Secretary - per Washingtonian, “ Half of America is smitten with Jen Psaki, while a swath of the White House press corps sounds quite taken with how polite she is.”
The Child Care Industry Was Collapsing. Mrs. Jackie Bet Everything on an Impossible Dream to Save It. - per ProPublica, “Jackie Thomas was $29,134 in debt and in trouble with state regulators. She hadn’t slept in days. If a judge ruled against her, she’d fail the mothers who could only keep their jobs thanks to the 24-hour child care she offered.”
The Secrets of the World's Greatest Jailbreak Artist - per GQ, “Master criminal Rédoine Faïd loved the movies, and his greatest crimes were laced with tributes: to Point Break, Heat, and Reservoir Dogs. When he landed in a maximum-security prison, cinema provided inspiration once again.”
what are we watching/reading?
In God We Lust, a podcast digging in to the Jerry Falwell Jr. “pool boy” scandal. Full disclosure, as much as I would like to be a podcast devotee, I never have been able to get into them (apologies to 98% of people who have ever recommended a podcast to me). However, this one has totally captured my attention with the intrigue of the entirely hypocritical behavior by the “godly” Liberty University patriarchs (and a Georgetown connection the school’s public affairs team can’t be loving). (h/t to Yas for the rec)
Last summer, I started watching Ziwe’s very intentionally uncomfortable and chaotic Instagram lives where she asks straightforward questions to her primarily white guests that turn, not-so (?) surprisingly, tough (here’s a good example). Given Ziwe’s interviewing skill, it’s unsurprising she was picked up for a full show. That show, Ziwe, premieres on Showtime on Sunday.