Good morning! Sunny and gusty today, with a daytime high of 32 and a nighttime low of [record scratch] 15. Speaking of numbers, a Washington Post chat participant Tuesday noted that this season’s Commanders and the 2019 Nationals both had “#47s bouncing balls off of poles to take the lead and send their teams onto the next round.” Tremendous pull there. You can find me on Bluesky, and there’s a link to my email address at the bottom of this post. Also, sorry for the late publish, but we had some tech issues this morning. This post will normally appear around 7 AM.
I can’t stop listening to:
“A Still Life,” by ZOPA, because 1) I’m pretty sure I recognize several of the guitar sounds on this tune; and 2) It’s kind of fun that Michael Imperioli is in a shoegaze-y indie-rock band. The group plays at Pearl Street Warehouse tonight.
Here’s some Trump news you might have blocked out:
• An abundance of Trump appointees will face senators today: Marco Rubio (State), Pam Bondi (DOJ), John Ratcliffe (CIA), Russell Vought (OMB), Chris Wright (Energy), Sean Duffy (Transportation).
• Flags on Capitol Hill will be raised for Trump’s inauguration. (NYT)
• Inauguration Day transportation news: Metro will open at 4 AM, and Pentagon Station will join the list of stations that will be closed. (Mayor Bowser’s office)
• Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg will attend the inauguration. (NBC News) And Zuckerberg will host an inaugural ball reception. (Tara Palmeri) Michelle Obama will skip the event. (NYT)
• Steve Bannon continues to troll Musk. (Politico)
• Trump wants an “External Revenue Service.” (Politico)
• Inauguration Day “could be the coldest since President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009.” (Washington Post)
Another way to spend Inauguration Day, by Daniella Byck:
Monday is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a National Day of Service—no matter your politics. Volunteer opportunities on MLK Day tend to fill up fast, but there are still a few places you can go to give back to the community. Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria is gathering volunteers to make prayer blankets and compile hygiene kits for those in need. For an outdoor project, wear shoes that can get dirty to clean up local parks in Montgomery County.
Can’t make it to an event on Monday? There are opportunities on the weekend, too. Choose from a number of service options during Volunteer Arlington’s Day of Service on Saturday, starting at Washington-Liberty High School. Projects include putting together snack bags for students, cleaning trails and streams, passing out Narcan, and more. In DC, you can start the morning with a good deed by volunteering to spiff up Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on Saturday.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
• José Andrés has no plans to move his Bazaar if the Trump Organization reclaims the old Trump Hotel.
• Some area chefs are raising money to help people affected by the fires in LA.
• Try some of these new DC-area spots during Winter Restaurant Week.
• Photos from last week’s Washingtonians of the Year event.
• The Alexandria Boutique Warehouse Sale returns February 1 and 2.
• “It’s not a Trump bump. It’s a Trump surge.” Realtors dish about the area’s white-hot market for luxe properties.
• The forthcoming Union Station restaurant Karravaan was partly inspired by the railside eateries Sanjay Mandhaiya grew up with.
• From Mamie Eisenhower‘s mink coat to Bernie Sanders‘s mittens, here are some durable inauguration fashion moments.
Local news links:
• Jessica D. Aber, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, will resign. Trump is reportedly considering someone who represented him in his documents case to replace her. (Washington Post)
• Virginia legislators “advanced a slate of proposed constitutional amendments that could enshrine voting rights, reproductive rights, and marriage equality into the state’s Constitution, setting up a potential ballot showdown next year.” (Virginia Mercury)
• A new DC program will encourage office-building conversions. (WBJ)
• These DC Zip codes had the highest jump in prices last year. (Axios D.C.)
• Maryland Governor Wes Moore‘s budget plan includes higher taxes on the wealthy. (Washington Post)
• Montgomery County could ban plastic bags and raise taxes on paper bags. (Washington Post)
• Cheverly is suing Bladensburg. (WUSA)
• DC residents can once again apply for an e-bike subsidy (DDOT)
• Fake coyote at the Wharf. (PoPville)
Wednesday’s event picks, by Briana Thomas:
NMWA Nights at National Museum of Women in the Arts: Browse the collection, sip drinks, listen to soft sounds from DJ Geena Marie, and create zines and buttons in the studio. ($25).
What the Constitution Means to Me at Round House Theatre. The Bethesda theater’s portrayal of playwright Heidi Schreck’s 2017 Broadway show features new material that explores democracy through the lens of past generations and today (Through February 16, $50).
Crochet Amigurumi Workshop at Del Ray Artisans Gallery ($80).
An Italian cuisine-themed book talk at Bold Fork Books with local author Anna Vocino ($30).
Read more of Thomas’s picks for this week.
That’s it! See you tomorrow.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
