Things I'm Talking About

• I am putting this together from the Douro Valley in Portugal. Wrapping up a great trip here for a friend's wedding with some quiet and wine, so a little lighter on things I'm talking about this week.
• The state fair thing on the Mall has dismal attendance (the weather isn't helping) and seems disappointing. I have seen that you can go and see the new metro cars though!
• The heat is feeling oppressive in DC. Stay hydrated and have options for air conditioning with whatever you plan for the 4th.
• There has been some confusion about what time the fireworks on the Mall will start, but it seems like 10:30 PM is the plan on the 4th.
• It’s the second Hot Dog Days of Summer where you run and then order hot dogs and get free beer (or mini snowcone). I walked it last month, it’s very low key and fun excuse to get out of the house. With this weather though…

Valerie

Give your opinion, and check back next week for the results.

Last week, we asked: What's your favorite item for the grill? You responded:

• Hamburgers (31.5%)
• Hot dogs (29.6%)
• Corn on the cob (24.1%)
• Chicken (14.8%)

Tried & True features your favorite go-to restaurants that have been around for a while and serve you consistently good food.

This Week's Feature: Judy Restaurant

"Judy restaurant on 14th. Great Salvadoran food." Michael

Location: 2212 14th St NW
​Website​

😋 What is your favorite tried and true restaurant?

Where do you find yourself going back time and time again? Reply and let me know who should be featured and why, and share the love for a local DC restaurant.

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• 🤓 Spend your evening playing vintage board games and sipping drinks in a historic house that's way cooler than your living room. Your ticket includes 2 drinks and snacks, plus you can add on a Prohibition-era wine cellar tour if you're feeling extra. These are only sporadically put on so go while you can. Wednesday 7/1. $20+.
• 🎈 We the Woolly: Remixing 250 is a month-long celebration of DC’s diversity with free live music, dance, spoken word, circus acts, and family-friendly entertainment happening all July long at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Kick things off on opening night with line dancing from DMV City Slickerz and free red, white, and blue daiquiris from District Daiquiri, plus there’s a photo booth, giveaways, and surprises throughout the whole month. Wednesday 7/1. Free.
• 🏞️ Lace up your sneakers for Hot Dog Days of Summer, a casual 3-mile run or 1-mile walk that kicks off with free cold beer from DC Brau afterward. No pressure, no timing, just a hot dogs and beer with a side of activity. Wednesday 7/1. Free.
• 📜 Channel your inner Bridgerton character at this after-hours White House history ball complete with period costumes, live silhouette artists, and cocktails inspired by 1814 Federal America. You’ll get two drinks, desserts, and fun history pop-ups about when the British burned down the White House. Wednesday 7/1. $30.
• 🤓 Wordplay Wednesday for America 250, features activities where you can karaoke, test your slang knowledge against Revolutionary War terms, and create black-out poetry from the Declaration of Independence. The whole museum stays open late with games, drinks, and a collaborative flag where you can share what the 4th of July means to you. Wednesday 7/1. $5+.

• 🌐 Beat the heat and get into the spirit at Phillips after 5: Summer Fiesta, where you can learn salsa with Baila DC, make your own piñatas and maracas, catch live folkloric performances from Alma Boliviana, and groove to DJ Alcatraz spinning in the galleries. There's also Spanglish lotería with prizes, a Spotlight Talk with a Phillips Educator, and plenty of food and drinks to grab while you explore the cool galleries. Thursday 7/2. $20 (free for members).
• 🍾 Spend Independence Day Weekend at Tiki Vinyl Night, where DJ Cinema Hearts is spinning rare 1950s-1960s surf, exotica, and Halloween vinyl at this retro tiki bar experience in Adams Morgan. Dress up in your best summer camp, Hawaiian shirt, or spooky movie vibes and grab a Zombie cocktail while you’re at it. Thursday 7/2. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Hear real stories from people who’ve built lives here at Immigrant Stories of Independence, an evening of food and storytelling at President Lincoln’s Cottage. Grab dinner from immigrant-owned food trucks, then settle into Lincoln’s Drawing Room to listen to folks from the DMV share their journeys. Thursday 7/2. Free.
• 📜 Channel your inner revolutionary at this Gen-Z focused coffeehouse night where you’ll explore Martha Washington’s estate sale artifacts then sip mock-tails while debating ideas like the colonial rebels did. Perfect for anyone 18-30 who wants history with a side of caffeine and community. Thursday 7/2. $10.

• 🍲 $2 drink happy hour is back at Key Bridge Boathouse with cold drinks, live music, and that perfect waterfront vibe that makes summer actually feel like summer. Grab your friends, skip the car (seriously, bike or walk), and settle in for cheap drinks and good company right on the water. Friday 7/3. $2–8.
• 🖼️ Cut fruit with artist Adele Kenworthy in the garden, then check out interactive art installations inside the historic Heurich House plus grab a craft beer and register to vote. Friday 7/3. Free.
• 🖼️ Spend your Friday evening wandering through local galleries and studios on the Ladies DC Art Walk, where you’ll meet artists, catch live art, and soak in rotating exhibitions around the city. It’s the perfect way to support local creatives while connecting with other art lovers. Friday 7/3. Free.
• 🛍️ Catch local makers selling handmade goods at the Mini Markt in Dupont Circle’s Biergarten during the monthly Art Walk. It’s the perfect way to support small businesses and find something unique while hanging outside. Friday 7/3. Free.
• 🕺 Kick off your Friday night at Transit Pier Concerts with a country line dance night featuring DC Rawhides and Shawn Parsons & The Secret Service. Friday 7/3. Free.

• 📜 Honor the founding generation at a special America250 commemoration for Elbridge Gerry, the only signer of the Declaration of Independence buried in DC. You'll catch remarks from local historians, help place flags at Revolutionary War veterans' graves, and enjoy free refreshments under a tent. Saturday 7/4. Free.
• 📖 Spend your July 4th at the Library of Congress celebrating the Declaration of Independence with live fife and drum performances, hands-on activities, and two special exhibitions including Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft and a look at George Washington and King George III. You can also write thank you letters to veterans and explore the Constitution with Library staff. Saturday 7/4. Free.
• 🧠 Start your July 4th morning with a one-hour vinyasa yoga class at Lost Boy Cider in Alexandria, then stick around for a cider or non-alcoholic drink to celebrate. It’s a solid way to move your body and relax before the holiday chaos kicks in. Saturday 7/4. $29.
• 🖌️ Spend your Independence Day morning at the Anacostia Community Museum for an ice cream social and art workshop where you’ll share Fourth of July memories, then create red, white, and blue artwork inspired by your family’s story and values. It’s a meaningful way to celebrate before heading to your cookout. Saturday 7/4. Free.
• 🕺 Bring a blanket and your voice to Planet Word as they celebrate the 4th of July, a free community sing-along in Franklin Park led by DC’s Nolan Williams Jr. and featuring everything from folk classics to Civil Rights anthems with a live band. Saturday 7/4. Free.

• 🖌️ Get your hands dirty at Bouquet Crafting & Flower Design where you'll harvest flowers straight from the farm and create two bouquets to take home. You'll learn simple tricks for pairing colors and building arrangements that actually look good without overthinking it, and everything you need is already there waiting for you. I created a really pretty moody bouquet last year. Sunday 7/5. $20.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Bring the whole family to learn about the past, build on the present, and imagine the future at the Capital Jewish Museum and National Building Museum. You’ll get hands-on time with vintage Legos and Lincoln Logs, add something to a time capsule that’ll be opened in 2076, snap photos in the photobooth, and tackle a scavenger hunt and sticker design contest. Sunday 7/5. Free.
• 🍾 Grab a partner and head to Del Ray Pop Up Bar for a beer pong tournament where you can compete against other teams, snag some t-shirt swag, and have a genuinely good time. Teams are capped at 10, so sign up early if you want in on the action. Sunday 7/5. $5 per person.🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Celebrate Hill’s Kitchen’s birthday with a cookbook swap where you bring a cookbook you’ve loved and leave with a new one someone else is passing along. There’s cake, wine, and a room full of food lovers ready to chat. Sunday 7/5. Free.
• 🖌️ Spend a relaxed afternoon painting sunny citrus designs with paint-by-numbers at Shop Made in DC in Union Marely. Sunday 7/5. $35.

🤫 Psst! I couldn't fit everything in this issue. See all the events happening over the next week!

• Spirit Of '76 Jubilee
• foam dance party
• DIY matcha body scrub workshop
• National Parks documentary screening
• Rock Creek Park walk

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* Items marked with an asterisks contain affiliate links (for which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you) or sponsored. Events are featured based on if I find them interesting and think others will too, regardless if they are affiliate or sponsored.