9.03 - upping the ante
It’s not just you who felt particularly sweaty each time you went out the door this summer - the data is in, and D.C. had its fifth-hottest summer on record. Here’s to hoping fall brings a bit of a reprieve…
what’s new in washington d.c.?
Itching for some live comedy? Head to Logan Circle tonight at 7 PM to watch a crew of socially distanced stand-up comedians.
If you’re looking for new ways to be creative, check out Shop Made in DC’s variety of virtual class offerings. Upcoming classes include an intro to block printing, drawing portraits and pets, and hand lettering. Once registered, Shop Made in DC will send you any necessary materials and a Zoom link for the live class.
let’s talk food
One of my favorite restaurants, the Georgian restaurant Supra in Shaw, recently opened a new location in Park View - Tabla. Tabla is a little more casual, but still features the delicious khachapuri (cheesy bread) and soup dumpling offerings, while adding in some more fusion inspired takes - like a Mexican street corn khachapuri.
I’m currently on a strong bagel kick, and it looks like Brightest Young Things is as well. They reviewed some of D.C.’s most popular bagel locations, spanning from Call Your Mother in multiple locations to Bread Furst in upper NW D.C. - one egregious exception? Bethesda Bagels.
what’s on our minds?
After ten years of consecutive growth, D.C.’s tourism industry will likely be crushed this year. Washington D.C.’s tourism group, Destination DC, released figures yesterday estimating that 2020 tourism in D.C. will be less than half of what it was last year - at 11 million versus 23 million in 2019. This report comes on the heels of a separate report by the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District indicating that the daytime population of downtown D.C. dropped 90% from February.
In a finding with global ramifications, researchers studying a robust universal basic income program (UBI) in Kenya found that even a very small UBI deeply helped families and individuals struggling with the pandemic. Recipients were less depressed, 5-10% less likely to experience hunger, and 4-6% less likely to have an ill family member. The UBI didn’t solve all issues, but it’s increasingly clear that it helped.
Curious about the Obama’s style? Here’s a quick photo essay per Washingtonian of their White House residence.
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
How Girls In Wards 7 And 8 Are Playing During A Pandemic - per dcist, this photo essay and article profiles three programs helping girls find outdoor outlets this summer despite coronavirus limitations.
The Eco–Yogi Slumlords of Brooklyn - per The Cut, “How did a couple who built an empire of yoga studios and homes with ‘living walls’ end up as pandemic villains?”
The Inside Story of the $8 Million Heist from The Carnegie Library - per Smithsonian Magazine, “Precious maps, books and artworks vanished from the Pittsburgh archive over the course of 25 years.”
Can ‘Athletic Intelligence’ Be Measured? - per The New York Times Magazine, “Teams in the N.F.L. and other leagues believe performance on a tablet can predict success in a real game.”
what are we watching/reading?
The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win by Maria Konnikova. My mom, quite the voracious reader, recommended this gem to me. It’s a fun read about a New Yorker contributor, psychology PhD, and, most importantly, complete poker novice - at the start, she doesn’t know basics like how many cards are in a deck or what snake eyes means. On somewhat of a whim, she decides to take on the highest stakes poker world. She’s a snappy writer and it’s a great story about the limits of skill and the power of mindset.
Community on Netflix. This isn’t a new show, but in the midst of the golden age of NBC sitcoms (The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec), this one kind of got lost - at least for me. At a surface level, it features a ragtag group of friends at Greendale Community College that are looking for direction, meaning, and yes, community. But, what’s really special about this show is its creative, funny, and subversive elements. Highly recommend this show to those of you sick of binging The Office for the umpteenth time.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, please share with your friends. Or, if you have any thoughts or want to say hey, just respond to this email.
‘til next time -courtney