11.12 - happy, free, confused and lonely
what’s going on in d.c.
Yards Park is hosting "Side Yards” tonight, with all sorts of circus-esque entertainment (contortionists, magicians, escape artists, sword swallowers, etc.) and other activities like tarot reading and balloon artists. The free event runs from 5:30-8:30.
No Kings Collective is presenting UMBRELLA, a three-day art fair at 14th and W St NW with over 100 artists. You might remember the original iteration of this event in 2019 that took over the former Martha’s Table space in 2019. (No Kings Collective was also behind the REDEYE night market last weekend that drew major crowds/lines).
The Phillips’ 100th birthday celebration is today from 11-8, featuring their fall exhibitions, a DJ, food trucks, and other activities. There is a registration for non-members, but Phillips members can walk in to the event.
The Rock’n’Roll half marathon is on Saturday, which you’re probably well aware of if you’re running it (like my cousin Katie!). If not, be mindful of street closures (or cheering opportunities).
Sustainably favorite Everlane is now open in Georgetown, marking the ninth physical for the eCommerce focused brand. The two-story store is at 32nd and M St NW. On the luxury side, Armani is now open at CityCenter next to Chanel.
let’s talk food and drinks
my weekly best bite: this week was a tie - Grilled Tempeh Ribs at Elle and the veggie Viet Vibes bowl at Immigrant Food (coincidentally Washington Post’s food critic Tom Siestema just reviewed the location)
Hungry Harvest is hosting a Festival of Goodness at Southwest DC’s Culture House (the building with the great mural) Saturday from 12-6. The event will feature music, food trucks, crafts, and other events. Tickets are $10, with proceeds going to hunger alleviation organizations. Culture House is also hosting a friendsgiving event on Sunday from 12-5 with a number of vendors and food.
There’s a Britney Ball at NoMa’s Wunder Garten tomorrow night, celebrating all things Britney Spears. The event runs begins at 8:30 and will include a Britney impersonation contest with tickets to the upcoming Once Upon a One More Time on the line. Today’s also the day that Britney’s 13-year conservatorship may end.
Today feels like a good day for comfort food - Washingtonian was prepared, with a compilation of 13 of their food critic’s favorite comfort dishes. If none of those strike your fancy, Eater also published a list of 22 top sushi spots in the area.
what’s on our minds?
D.C. government announced a $49M grant program to help businesses launch locations in two areas of D.C. oft-cited as food deserts - wards 7 and 8. Wards 7 and 8, home to ~150k people, only have three grocery stores total and few sit down restaurants. As part of the initial phase of the grant, seven restaurants and a grocery store will open in the wards, including DCity Smokehouse and HalfSmoke. Children’s Hospital is also rolling out (literally) mobile clinics into the wards to provide services and vaccine distribution.
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
Poison in the Air - per ProPublica, “The EPA allows polluters to turn neighborhoods into ‘sacrifice zones’ where residents breathe carcinogens. ProPublica reveals where these places are in a first-of-its-kind map and data analysis.”
The Billion Dollar Question - per Elle, “Why can’t the military fix its violence against women problem? Congress is on the precipice of ushering in the biggest shift in military policy since the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. But would it have saved 21-year-old airman Natasha Aposhian?” (ed. note - one of Congresswoman Jackie Speier is one of the most consistent advocates for reforming the military’s systemic violence issues - she’s also a survivor of the Jonestown massacre).
Where Did All the Public Bathrooms Go? - per Bloomberg CityLab, “For decades, U.S. cities have been closing or neglecting public restrooms, leaving millions with no place to go. Here’s how a lack of toilets became an American affliction.”
The Great Organic-Food Fraud- per The New Yorker, “There’s no way to confirm that a crop was grown organically. Randy Constant exploited our trust in the labels—and made a fortune.”
what are we watching/reading?
Taylor’s version of Red dropped at midnight - the rerecording of Taylor Swift’s 2012 banger that includes a 10 minute version of All Too Well (fun fact - I got to see her perform this album at my college for VH1 Storytellers). You’ve probably been streaming this all morning or don’t really care - there’s not much in between.
Not to let Taylor take all of the November 12 thunder, today’s also Disney Plus day - the streamer’s two-year anniversary. Today will feature deals on subscriptions and the drop of Shang-Chi and Jungle Cruise. Disney Plus needs all the hype/content it can get - its subscriber growth is slowing, missing Wall Street forecasts.