08.20 - not a regular tuesday
Big news - we’re live on Instagram! If you want more pictures, ideas for things to do, and d.c. content throughout the week, give us a follow @magintentionsdc
what’s going on in d.c.
TIL there’s such a thing as professional Quidditch…and that the league is having its national championships this weekend in Elkridge, MD (near the BWI airport). Tickets are $35 to watch for the weekend.
The convention center is hosting another pop culture-centric event that begins today - this time, it’s Awesome Con, the D.C. version of the ubiquitous Comic Cons. Ticket prices vary by the day, ranging from $45-$65. Back to the Future’s Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are two of the top billed celebrities this weekend.
The Arlington County Fair is back this weekend, and among the traditional carnival rides and fair staples, the event also features the trendy goat yoga classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
let’s talk food and drinks
my weekly best bite: Truffle grilled cheese and Dashi heirloom tomato salad at Maxwell Park Navy Yard (by my fav chef Masako Morishita)
Alexandria’s Restaurant Week begins today, with 70+ participating restaurants.
A good breakfast pastry can’t be beat - here’s nine area spots with the sweet options (+1 for A Baked Joint’s cinnamon rolls and anything from Navy Yard’s Yellow)
looking ahead: Petite Soeur, a chocolate shop with bonbons and french butter cookies, will open this fall in Georgetown; Specialty grocerFoxtrot will open their Dupont location in October (and add charcuterie and sandwiches to their menu)
what’s on our minds?
The tragedy unfolding in Afghanistan is incomprehensibly sad and it can feel paralyzing watching the videos and images from afar. There are ways to support the 2,500+ Afghan refugees arriving in Virginia though, each of whom desperately needs help after suddenly abandoning their homes and possessions. KAMA DC compiled a list of places to donate or volunteer to support and well-regarded Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) is collecting donations for urgently needed food, housing assistance, clothing, and other basic needs. You can also donate items to The Berliner (Georgetown), Lapis (AdMo), Ivy and Coney (Shaw), and Orangetheory Fitness Georgetown.
Also depressing - the terrifying bomb threat and standoff near the US Capitol that disrupted many Washingtonians and Congressional staffers day yesterday. The suspect eventually surrendered after ranting on a Facebook livestream about how the election was stolen and other MAGA “Stop the Steal” talking points. A college student walking by saw the suspect throwing money from his car and gave the quote of the year afterwards…“I’m not from D.C., so I didn’t know if this was, like, a regular Tuesday.”
There’s movement on the Georgetown - Rosslyn gondola as the city is planning to purchase a lot that could serve as the Georgetown gondola terminus. Stealing this headline from Washingtonian because…lol. “Haha OMG the Georgetown Gondola Could Actually Happen.”
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
“All Roads Lead to Mar-a-Lago”: Inside the Fury and Fantasy of Donald Trump’s Florida - per Vanity Fair, “Roger Stone, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Ben Shapiro—they’ve all made their way to the Sunshine State, fueling and profiting from a tabloid culture that turns politics into spectacle, arguably Florida’s greatest export.”
Trying—and Failing—to Save the Family of the Afghan Who Saved Me - per The New Yorker, “Twelve years ago, Tahir Luddin helped us both escape after we were kidnapped by the Taliban. Now I am struggling to get his family out of Kabul.”
The Sopranos of Berlin: A Brutal Crime Family and a Billion Dollar Jewel Heist - per GQ, “When a rash of sensational museum robberies stunned Europe, police zeroed in on a fearsome crime family—and a flashy new generation of young outlaws. Joshua Hammer unravels the case of a billion-dollar jewel heist and the race to catch a brutally audacious band of thieves.
what are we watching/reading?
Nine Perfect Strangers on Hulu. If you liked Big Little Lies or Little Fires Everywhere, Nine Perfect Strangers (adapted from Liane Moriarty’s novel) might be the perfect end of summer show for you. Nine complicated “strangers” arrive at a creepily ethereal wellness retreat run by Nicole Kidman only to find out this retreat goes far beyond custom smoothies, acupunctures, and sound baths.
The Chair on Netflix. Any show featuring Sandra Oh is worth watching in my book. I’m not totally sure about the premise - a dramedy about college professors isn’t necessarily my top choice - but again, Sandra Oh (the infamous Eve from my favorite show, Killing Eve).