City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
🌱 DC’s best plant-based restaurants
January 22, 2025 · 💌 Kaela
Hey, neighbor. D.C. is feeling overwhelming. And when that happens, the only cure I’ve found is refocusing on my community. Texting friends, helping neighbors, reading local news. So, today we’re dishing out some medicine in the form of a neighborly chat with long-time Dupont residents about how they spend a perfect day in their neighborhood.
If you’re looking for a way to invest back into your community, we’d love to have you as a City Cast DC member. Our work is only possible through your kind support!
What's CITY Talking About?
DC’s New Interim US Attorney
The Trump administration has named Ed Martin D.C.'s interim U.S. attorney, the position that represents the federal government in D.C. court cases. Martin was an advocate for Jan. 6 defendants and a leader of the "Stop the Steal" movement prior to the Capitol riot. [NBC]
Ex-Spies Say New Casino Is Security Threat
A group of over 100 ex-spies are fighting a proposed Fairfax County casino, saying it would be a national security threat. They argue the casino’s proximity to secretive government intelligence and diplomatic offices would let adversaries easily recruit or blackmail people with security clearances. [Washington Post 🔒]
- Related: Did you know there are an estimated 10,000 spies in D.C.? A former spy told us how to spot one. [City Cast DC 🎧]
Musk Set On Buying The Line Hotel
Elon Musk plans to buy The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan in a public auction this Thursday, saying he wants to turn it into a “private social club.” The hotel was foreclosed late last year. The purchase indicates Musk’s intentions to set roots in D.C. as the chairman of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. [Washington Examiner]
Washingtonian Names Top Restaurant of 2025
The Washingtonian named Albi their top restaurant of the year. The Levantine restaurant has a Michelin star, and its chef Michael Rafidi won the James Beard award for best chef in the country last year. The rest of Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants list drops tomorrow. [Washingtonian]
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What To Do
Wednesday, Jan. 22
- 🧑🍳 Cookbook Author Talk: “Mortar and Pestle” | 7 p.m. | $15+ | Mt. Pleasant
- 🧩 Speed Puzzling at Aslin Beer Co. | 7 p.m. | $20+ | Alexandria
- 🇦🇲 Evening at the Embassy of Armenia | 7 p.m. | $65 | Kalorama
- 🎶 Tunes: Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes | 8 p.m. | $20 | Downtown
- 📚Lost City Books Winter Salon | 7 p.m. | Free (walk-in space only) | Adams Morgan
Thursday, Jan. 23
- 🎵 Local Tunes: Home Remedies (indie) | 8 p.m. | $20 | Union Market
- 🛼 A Sapphic Skating Rink Party | 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. | $2 | Brentwood
- 🍻Dry January Party | 5:30 - 10 p.m. | $19 | Downtown
- 🎤 Opera On Tap at Wonderland Ballroom | 7 - 9 p.m. | Free | Columbia Heights
- 🖼️ Art Talk: Abstraction from the Andes | 2 p.m. | Free | National Gallery of Art
- 🎛️ Black Audio Society | 7 - 10:30 p.m. | $15 | Truxton Circle
🫶 It’s been a long week already, and we’re just trying to find ways to cope with the barrage of post-inauguration news and changes. How are you looking after yourself this week?
We’ll be talking about it on our City Cast DC podcast on Friday and would love to include your suggestions!
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