City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
🐼 National Zoo panda debut
January 24, 2025 · 💌 Kaela
Hey, neighbor! Are you a podcast listener? We could really use your help! We’re doing a brief survey to learn more about podcast listeners. Even if you don’t listen to City Cast DC, we still want to hear from you! You’ll be doing us a big favor, and you’ll also get the chance to win a $250 Visa gift card 🤑
What's CITY Talking About?
Musk Gives Up On The Line Hotel
Elon Musk did not end up bidding on The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan as he originally planned. His plan to turn the hotel into a private social club was met with lots of neighborhood opposition, including an online petition that got over 2,000 signatures in just a couple days. The only bid in Thursday’s auction was from Acore Capital, the hotel’s own lender. [Washingtonian]
Road Closures For Anti-Abortion Access March
Over 150,000 people are expected to partake in the 52nd annual March for Life today. Expect road closures near the National Mall starting at 10 a.m., including Constitution Avenue NE and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. [WUSA9]
PG County Botched Snow Clearing
Prince George’s County transportation officials admitted they “fell short” in their response to the big snowstorm on Jan. 5. They said they didn’t have enough trucks to simultaneously plow both busy and secondary roads. [WTOP]
It’s Panda Debut Day
It’s official! National Zoo giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao are ready to greet the public. You’ll need to reserve a free daily pass to enter the zoo, but otherwise won’t need any special tickets. The panda house opens at 8 a.m. and the last admission is at 3:30 p.m. [National Zoo]
Federal DEI Employees Sidelined
Trump’s newest executive order terminates all federal DEI programs, policies, and activities, including putting all diversity, equity, and inclusion employees on paid leave. The administration even threatened consequences for those who failed to report DEI colleagues for DEI involvement or attempts to disguise programs with different language. [City Cast DC 🎧]
- Related: What else can Trump do (or not do) to our city? [City Cast DC 🎧]
Sponsored Content
Shakespeare Reimagined: Folger’s Reading Room Festival
Experience today's bold new voices in making theater at Folger’s Reading Room Festival, Jan. 30–Feb. 2! Enjoy staged readings, workshops, happy hours, and panels with acclaimed playwrights, directors, and artists. Don’t miss this celebration of creativity, collaboration, and storytelling. Learn more.
DC Insider Trivia
We’ve got a lot of noobs here. So, here’s the deal. Every Friday, I ask a D.C.-related trivia question 🤔 Click the button below to answer the question and see if you got it right! If you want more, previous questions can be found at the bottom of this page.
What utensil was invented in D.C.?
- The straw
- A cocktail stirrer
- The dessert fork
- The spatula
P.S. Did you like our connections-style trivia last week? What categories should we use next time? Email us!
What To Do
Friday, Jan. 24
- 🪩 Club XCX | 10 p.m. | $20 | The Wharf
- 💜 All Star Purple Party: Prince Tribute | 8 p.m. | $26 | Downtown
- 🎤 Tunes: Nino Paid (rap) | 7 p.m. | $20 | 14th St NW
- 🎥 Movie Screening: “Universal Language” | 7 p.m. | Free | National Mall
- 🧶 Queer Crafting Night | 6 p.m. | Free | Takoma Park
Saturday, Jan. 25
- ✂️ Vision Board Workshop & Collage | 7 p.m. | $60 | Cleveland Park
- 🧩 Puzzle Swap & Speed Puzzle Competition | 11 - 5 p.m. | Free | Eastern Market
- 🌱 Invasive Vine Removal | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Free | Takoma
- 👠 Drag Show: Sasha Velour | 8 p.m. | $28+ | Bethesda
- 👯 ABBA-Inspired Dance Party | 9 p.m. | $35 | 9:30 Club
- 🖼️ Artist Talk: Legally Blindish | 1 p.m. | Free | Navy Yard
- 🗑️ District Cleanup: Union Square | 11 a.m. | Free | Capitol Hill
Sunday, Jan. 26
- 👖 Happy Daze Clothing Swap | 12 - 3 p.m. | Free | Union Market
- 🛍️ Post Holiday Market | 1 - 5 p.m. | Free | Park View
- 🎞️ Short Films by Akosua Adoma Owusu | 2 p.m. | Free | National Gallery of Art
- 🎵 Tunes: Taimane | 8 p.m. | $20+ | Downtown
- 💃 Afro-Brazilian Samba Performance | 2 - 5 p.m. | $15 | Glen Echo Park
This Weekend’s For the Commanders
Kick-off for Sunday’s highly anticipated Commanders game against the Eagles, is 3 p.m. The winners will head to the Super Bowl! After a weird week, Washingtonians are uniting over football again (how 80s retro of us), and we're here for it!
Free · 5 days a week