City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
📱 The app taking over DC’s food scene
November 19, 2025 · 💌 Kaela
Morning! Heads up “Tap. Ride. Go.,” Metro’s contactless payment system, is officially live on all buses! Now you can tap a credit card directly to pay, rather than use a Metro card.
What's CITY Talking About
No New Michelin Stars for DC
D.C. got no new stars at the 2025 Michelin awards last night in Philadelphia. But, two new restaurants were added as Bib Gourmands: PhoXotic and Your Only Friend. Also, last week The Inn at Little Washington got demoted from three stars to two. [Washingtonian]
Key Bridge Investigation Reveals Critical Mistakes
A federal investigation found that the six deaths from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse could have been prevented with a proper alert system. Investigators also found a series of other safety concerns like critical loose wire that affected the ship’s ability to steer. [Washington Post 🔒]
- Related: The bridge’s reopening date has been pushed several years and will cost significantly more than predicted, up to $5.2 billion. [ABC7]
Phillips Auctions Off Masterpieces
The Phillips Collection is selling several paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove, and others at auction tomorrow, and museum supporters are not happy. The museum director says the sales will strengthen the institution long term. [Washington Post 🔒]
DC’s New “It” Face Trend Is Political
The so-called “Mar-a-Lago Face” is gaining popularity among a certain political set in D.C. Politico's Joanna Weiss tells us why the sharp-jawed look is trending among D.C. men — and how, in Washington, even our aesthetics are political. [City Cast DC 🎧]
NoVa Public Schools Launch Food Pantry Pilot
Ten schools in Prince William County now have food pantries on campus, with the goal of expanding to every school in the county. Students and families can pick up goods during or after the school day. [ABC7]
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Most Sale Prices Are Usually Fake
Checkbook’s undercover shoppers tracked prices at 25 major retailers for six months. The results? Only three had legit sales. Don’t be fooled by Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals—they can often be found year-round, and most “regular” and “list” prices are meaningless. See which stores were the worst offenders.
What To Do
Wednesday, Nov. 19
- 🎨 Hands-On with Waterway Painting at Phillips THEARC (Shipley)
- 🖼️ NMWA Nights at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Downtown)
- 🎶 Abe Mamet Septet at Rhizome DC (Takoma)
- 🍫 Chocolate and Wine Tasting at The Chocolate House (Dupont Circle)
- 📖 An Evening with Bee Wilson at Bold Fork Books (Mt. Pleasant)
- 🥃 Winter Cigar Social at Langston Bar and Grille (Kingman Park)
Thursday, Nov. 20
- 🍽️ An Evening with Pati Jinich and Anna Spiegel at Capital Jewish Museum (East End)
- 🖼️ Third Thursday Extended Hours at The Phillips Collection (Dupont Circle)
- ☕ Tea and Tarot at PLNTR (National Landing)
- 🎶 The Bends at DC9 (Shaw)
- 🌊 Profs & Pints: A Scientific Plunge into Ocean Movies at Hill Center (Capitol Hill)
- 🍻 BIMBY Fall Happy Hour at Buddy’s (Columbia Heights)
- 🎭 A Christmas Carol Opening Night at Ford’s Theatre (Downtown)
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🥰 This Reddit thread on “what makes D.C. home” made my day. Metro station tiles, crossing the Arlington memorial bridge, and walks in Rock Creek Park all got quite a few shoutouts.
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