07.23 - let there be light
what’s going on in d.c.
If you’re short on Caps, Wizards, or Mystics gear, head over to the Capital One Arena today for a “summertime garage sale” featuring all sorts of gear - all priced between $1-$30. The sale runs from now until 8 pm.
For opera fans, Wolf Trap Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra are collaborating on a show featuring some of opera’s most powerful moments. STARias is at Wolf Trap tonight at 8 pm.
Comedy group The Living Room Show is hosting a “Christmas in July” event at 8 pm tomorrow. The outdoor event is at an undisclosed NW D.C. location - once you buy a ticket, the organizers will let you know where to go. Or, if you’d rather be inside, Lost Origins Gallery in Mt. Pleasant is hosting a 7:30 pm comedy night with Rahmein Mostafavi.
let’s talk food and drinks
my weekly best bite: Paneer Kathi Roll at Indian spot Bindaas
South Block is hosting a block party tomorrow in Clarendon to celebrate its 10th year anniversary. From 11-1, South Block’s party will offer free ginger bomb shots and anniversary t-shirts (for the first 50 attendees).
D.C.’s first Amazon Fresh opened on 14th St NW (next to Sephora) with the “just walk out” technology where shoppers enter the store, scan a QR code, and then leave (to a charge to your Amazon account). Though the store is pretty close to Amazon-owned Whole Foods, this spot will sell national brands that wouldn’t pass muster at Whole Foods (like Kraft Mac & Cheese or Coke products). A second Amazon Fresh is due to open shortly in Chevy Chase.
what’s on our minds?
There were a couple of scary and high-profile shootings this week - one outside of the Nats game on Saturday night and one last night on the busy 14th St. NW outside of Mexicue and Le Dip. And, last Friday, there was a fatal shooting of a 6-year-old girl in Southeast Washington that, unfortunately but unsurprisingly, has received less coverage than the two aforementioned events (although still more than the majority of the other 100+ murders in D.C. this year). Every person deserves to feel safe in their community, whether it’s going to a baseball game, sitting outside to eat, or crossing the street. The sad reality is that some D.C. residents experience gunfire and shootings in their neighborhoods most nights (per a Washington Post report, 40% of D.C.’s shootings occur on 2% of the blocks). But, the solution isn’t to ignore the epidemic until it touches every D.C. resident directly - rather, we should shed light and urgency into addressing gun violence and illegal guns in every part of our city.
Washingtonian has a fun feature of nightclub fashion as crowds head back to D.C.’s nightlife.
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
It’s a Dog’s Market - per The Cut, “No, You Beg. Adopting used to be a good thing that good people could do. These days, you’re probably not good enough.”
Fraud on the Farm: How a baby-faced CEO turned a Farmville clone into a massive Ponzi scheme - per Rest of World, “Farm Bank let players make money, while supporting real farms. Then the CEO vanished with $80 million.”
“We’re Not Allowed to Hang Up”: The Harsh Reality of Working in Customer Service - per ProPublica, “In their own voices, seven customer service representatives reveal what it’s like being caught between abusive callers and demanding employers.”
what are we watching/reading?
The Olympics on NBC/Peacock channels. Despite the lack of pomp and excitement for this year’s games as the Japanese Olympics committee continues to step over itself (here, here, and here), I can’t help but love the Olympics more than any other sporting event. If you want to feel that Olympic spirit around D.C., here are spots showing the games.
Ted Lasso on Apple TV. Staying on that sports kick, the fan favorite and uplifting show featuring a happy-go-lucky American football coach deeply out of his element coaching English soccer, is back for season 2. As you watch, it’s nearly impossible to keep yourself from smiling and rooting for Ted and his sunny demeanor, and luckily, season 2 is getting rave reviews.