9.17 - good vibes only
With the sun going down earlier and temperatures dropping to a fall-like crisp, I’m starting to feel the seasonal switch. While part of me is excited - who doesn’t love the coziness and brisk air of fall - I am worried about losing so many of the outdoor pleasures I’ve gained during this pandemic once it gets too cold to comfortably be outside.
what’s new in washington d.c.?
As of this week, SoulCycle is back with SoulOutside at Union Market. Prior to the pandemic, I’d fallen off the SoulCycle train a bit, but I couldn’t pass up a chance to take a live outdoor spin class. One of my good friends and I hit up an evening class last night and it was wonderful - personal wireless headphones, lots of distance between the bikes, and all of the good vibes that come from spinning to the same music with 48 other riders. There are multiple classes to reserve each day, but note that most are already waitlisted for the upcoming weekend.
Washingtonian compiled a list of the best kid-friendly fall festivals in the area, but honestly, they sound great for kids and big kids of all ages. Highlighted area attractions include Butler’s Orchard’s pumpkin harvest days, Gaver Farm’s apple cider slushies, and Summers Farm’s giant corn maze.
Four additional Smithsonians open this weekend with ticketed entries: the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Renwick Gallery (no tickets needed for the Renwick).
let’s talk food
Gooey cookie bakery and cult NYC hit Levain opened in Georgetown this week to massive crowds (with an Instagram user reporting 100 minute wait times). Will I wait in line this weekend to go? I mean, absolutely. But, if you’re looking for a different new bakery option (hopefully without the waits), another NYC favorite, Mah-Ze-Dahr, opened its doors in Navy Yard. Mah-Ze-Dahr is best known for its doughnuts, brownies, and cheesecake.
Another new Navy Yard venue to check out is La Famosa. La Famosa is a Puerto Rican-inspired all-day restaurant with a coffee bar, batidos (blended milk, fruit sugar, and ice), and a robust lunch and dinner menu.
what’s on our minds?
dcist compiled a list of the “Strange, Surprising, Very Specific Things We Miss About D.C. Life” with entries ranging from the entryway to Union Station (agree) to the bear statue at the National Zoo (cute). It got me thinking of things I miss the most in d.c. these days - the blast of air conditioning when you enter the Metro on a hot day, stopping at a baked joint on my way to work to grab a coffee, shows at The Anthem, taking a shower at Barry’s after a hard workout (if you know, you know), casually overhearing an interesting conversation, and so many others.
Look at some photos of pups adopted during the pandemic that are brightening their new owners’ lives.
Quick links to other weekly #goodreads:
D.C. Returning Citizens Start Free Exercise And Wellness Program To Fight ‘Long Battle’ Against Health Disparities - per dcist, a group of formerly incarcerated Washingtonians started WEFITDC. The fitness organization is offering free weekly classes in Wards 7 and 8, wards with high COVID-19 rates and very limited fitness options.
The Big Corporate Rescue and the America That’s Too Small to Save, per ProPublica, “Girish Patel doubts his small, 20-year-old shop will survive the pandemic economy. Thirty stories above, aerospace company TransDigm has sustained eye-popping profits thanks to steep layoffs and raised over a billion with help from the U.S. government.”
How Climate Migration Will Reshape America per The New York Times, “Millions will be displaced. Where will they go? … By 2060, “in Florida and elsewhere, the costs of sea-level rise and hurricanes will be compounded by knock-on economic challenges, from growing crime to falling productivity.” By 2070, “some 28 million people across the country could face Manhattan-size megafires. In Northern California, they could become an annual event.”
what are we watching/reading?
16 and Recovering on MTV. Despite stumbling into this one while flipping channels, this may be one of the most important shows on TV right now. The docuseries follows a recovery high school in Massachusetts designed to help teenagers battling addiction. The show is raw without feeling exploitative and highlights how hard everyone in the school - including the teenagers themselves - are working to help them recover. Particularly salient is the model of the school - rather than demonizing the teens, the show treats addiction as the disease it is and provides wrap around services and a refreshingly accepting and supportive environment.
Teenage Bounty Hunters on Netflix. Okay, full disclosure, I haven’t actually watched this one yet. But - it’s top of my list to watch this weekend. The comedy features two girls in a sheltered private school environment who stumble upon a career in bounty hunting. It’s been described as smart, satirical, and a breath of fresh air.
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‘til next time -courtney