Things I'm Talking About

• The heat is back, with today and tomorrow being the worst. To add insult to injury, smoke from the wildfires in Canada may drift into the area, worsening the air quality.
• There have been some protests around the area after the ICE shooting in Maine of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero. One the one hand, department policy is halting most ICE traffic stops, but on the other, Trump has said he wants them to continue.
• The RESALE Act has passed in DC to cap the amount that people can resell tickets at 10% markup above face value.
  • Speaking of which, StubHub's CEO "runs a side company that resells millions in tickets on StubHub," according to the CBC.
• City-State Brewing in NE DC is closing on July 25.
• ​Redlight on 14th is moving to the old Pica Taco spot at 14th and Florida. This has blown up my group chat about whether the new space will be big enough.
• A Prince George's County team documented a carnivorous plant (similar to Venus fly traps): Spatulate-leaved Sundew.
• A pair of Mississippi kites, a raptor whose traditional breeding grounds are the southeast and midwest, have hatched a chick in NE DC!
• You know those stately buildings you see in Fort McNair when you're on the Potomac? They are up for demolition. You can let your thoughts be known by emailing CENAB-FortMcNair_GFOQDemo@usace.army.mil​
• The DC Senior Games registration has opened, with the chance to qualify for the National Senior Games next year in Tulsa. Seniors can compete in everything from cycling to tai chi, to pickleball.
• You can now create and share your own lists in the Not Bored web app (no download required).
• Congrats to S.M. for winning free tickets to the sold out Caroline Rose popup show on Sunday! Premium members get access to exclusive giveaways.

Valerie

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

Last week, we asked: Have you eaten from the infamous food trucks on the Mall? You responded:

• No (66.1%)
• Yes (33.9%)

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: Soussi

"Soussi is also fun for hookah, but their food never disappoints either!!" HappilyEverExploring

Location: 2228 18th 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.

✨ Premium subscribers: Access the events map & calendar!

See all events on a map or calendar, and filter events by category, date, and my top recommendations. Choose between a monthly or weekly view.

And you can add it as an app without downloading anything! Get the full list today.

Our premium subscribers get the full event list (250+!), weekly updates, and early access to exclusive Not Bored in DC events.

Looking for something specific? Check out these options:

• ​Ways to disconnect in DC​
• ​Museum parties & happy hours​
• ​Mosaics classes
• ​Pottery & ceramics classes​
• ​Knitting & crochet classes​
• ​Photography classes​
• ​Run clubs​

• 🤸 Root to Rise Yoga is an evening yoga session on the lawn at Edgewood Community Farm, with a beginner-friendly flow surrounded by the farm's gardens as it gets dark. Wednesday 7/15. $15.
• 🐾 Alexandria Library’s Library Cat and Duncan Dog contests are open to both cats and dogs this year. Submit a photo and short bio for a shot at a trophy and life-sized branch cutout. Now through Monday 8/3. Free.
• 🖌️ Print & Sip is a guided risograph printing session at District Riso where you bring a project, learn the process from setup to final prints, and leave with a stack of fresh work. Two drinks included; printing costs are pay-as-you-go. Wednesday 7/15. $25.
• 🖌️ Terrarium Night at Parklands-Turner Library is a 90-minute hands-on session where you’ll build your own terrarium from scratch, no plant experience required. Wednesday 7/15. Free.
• 🖌️ Spend two hours creating your own custom tie-dye masterpiece at Because Science’s DIY tie-dye party. You’ll get all the supplies you need and walk out with colorful socks, scrunchies, or your own item transformed into wearable art. Wednesday 7/15. $27.

• 🎭 The DC Asian Pacific Film Festival is a four-day film festival screening new and rarely-seen AANHPI and indigenous diaspora films across three DC-area venues, with Q&As after every screening. This year's program includes Andrew Ahn's debut feature Spa Night (10th anniversary screening) and Hito Hata: Raise the Banner, the first narrative film written, directed, and produced by Japanese Americans. Thursday 7/16-7/19. $15.
• 🏞️ Fungi Frolic is a guided walk through Cleveland Park and Rock Creek Park to find and identify local mushrooms. Thursday 7/16. Free.
• 🌲 The US Botanic Garden Conservatory stays open until 8pm on select summer evenings, and this one has live music from Night Hawk, an indie rock band that mixes finger-style guitar with violin. Grab a botanical mocktail or some gourmet ice cream while you wander the plant collection. Thursday 7/16. Free.
• 📜 Tour the DACOR Bacon House, a 200-year-old Federal-era mansion two blocks from the White House that’s been home to American diplomatic history since the early 1800s. The curator-led tour is followed by an optional cash bar happy hour. Thursday 7/16. $20.
• 🎭 Watch “Rocky” under the stars on the Library of Congress lawn with your own blankets, chairs, and snacks. This classic underdog story is now part of the National Film Registry! Thursday 7/16. Free.
• 🧠 Oyster Shucking Master Class at BINGE Bar DC teaches you to shuck from scratch, with 12 oysters, a mocktail, and a knife to take home. Thursday 7/16. $100.

• 🤓 Watch 32 coffee artists battle it out in a bracket-style latte art competition at Swing's Coffee in Alexandria. Whether you're there to compete, cheer on friends, or just appreciate some creative foam designs, you'll be entertained for the whole five hours. Friday 7/17. $15.
• 🕺 Stick around after hours at the Asian Art Museum for Asia After Dark, where you’ll see the largest bronze ever cast in Southeast Asia come to life through spotlight talks, a dance performance choreographed by renowned artist Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, a film screening, and a conversation with the creators. Friday 7/17. Free (register in advance).
• 🎭 Bring a blanket and your friends for Cinematery: National Treasure, an outdoor movie screening at Congressional Cemetery where you can hunt for adventure (and maybe some hidden treasure vibes) while watching Nicolas Cage. You can bring your own snacks and drinks or grab something there. Friday 7/17. $20.
• 🖌️ Ever wanted to turn your dreams into art? This sip ‘n paint workshop with artist David Ignacio lets you paint whatever your subconscious is cooking up, no artistic skills required. All materials are provided, and you’ll spend two hours creating abstract paintings inspired by your dreams or feelings. Friday 7/17. Free.
• 🍲 Get Plated x Ellie’s Bridal is a wedding showcase at a bridal boutique in Alexandria where you can taste catering menus, meet local vendors, and get a feel for what a well-fed wedding actually looks like. Friday 7/17. Free.
• 🕺 Gracie Abrams “Daughter From Hell” Listening Party at Byrdland celebrates the release of indie pop artist Gracie Abrams’ new album on its drop date, with exclusive giveaways and gifts when you pick up the record. Friday 7/17. Free.
• 🤓 The DMV D&D Group’s Nerd Nite Out is a casual hangout at Rocket Bar in Gallery Place for the local tabletop and gaming crowd. Friday 7/17. Free.
• 🌐 A garden soiree at the Embassy of France opens up the Maison Française for an evening of French wine, crêpes, and live music from French singer Julien Xuereb, plus swing dance lessons and a DJ. Friday 7/17. $116+.
• 🕺 If you were glued to MTV in the 2000s, you need to experience Daft Punk Is Playing At My House, where DJs Phoenix & Dionysus spin all those iconic indie sleaze tracks that defined the decade. Think LCD Soundsystem, Justice, Chromeo, and so much more. Friday 7/17. Free (first 50) or $5.
• 🤓 Wingspan Board Game Night at The Paper Heart is a casual evening learning and playing the bird-collecting engine-builder, open to first-timers and regulars alike. Friday 7/17. Free.

• 🎈 Spend your Saturday morning at the 2026 Lotus and Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, where you can catch guided tours, cultural demonstrations, and live performances celebrating these beautiful blooms. It's one of my favorite sights each summer. Saturday 7/18-7/19. Free.
• 🧑‍🍳 Learn to make baklava from scratch at this hands-on class where Hill’s Kitchen and The Persian Table teach you how to handle phyllo without stress and layer it perfectly with walnuts and Persian flavors. You’ll walk out with a full tray of your own baklava to take home. Saturday 7/18. $100.
• 🎭 Daughters is the Sundance Award-winning documentary following four DC families working toward a meaningful moment with their incarcerated parent. Saturday 7/18. Free.
• 🎭 Grab a blanket and head to the REACH Lawn for a free outdoor screening of The Princess Diaries on the big video wall. Saturday 7/18. Free.
• 🖌️ Learn graffiti art straight from the source in this hands-on workshop with artist Luis Del Valle at the Anacostia Community Museum. You’ll create your own canvas painting using graffiti techniques like bold lettering, splattering, and layering while exploring the history and cultural impact of hip-hop and street art. Saturday 7/18. Free.
• 🕺 King Britt — DJ, producer, and the mind behind the Afrofuturism course Blacktronika at UC San Diego — gives a lecture and live demonstration on turntablism as sonic collage, with vinyl vendors, a gallery, and live electronic sets from B_X_R_N_X_R_D of Black Techno Matters rounding out the afternoon. Saturday 7/18. Free.
• 🖌️ The Art of Cyanotype with Big Blue Sun is a two-hour workshop where you’ll use sunlight, botanicals, and light-sensitive paper to make original prints you take home. Saturday 7/18. $96.
• 🧑‍🍳 The Baker’s Lab at 5-12 Dessert is a small-group ice cream making class in Waldorf where you churn a small-batch base, fold in your own mix-ins, and leave with a handcrafted pint. Saturday 7/18. $69+.
• 🍾 Soleil is a 30+ rooftop day party on Capitol Hill spinning hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, and afrobeats. Saturday 7/18. $15.
• 🎈 Head out to Battle of the Beast Rodeo for an action-packed night of bull riding, barrel racing, and mutton bustin’ that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. Kids get their own free rodeo experience from 5:30-6:00 pm, plus there’s food to grab and bleacher seating (bring a cushion!). Saturday 7/18. $25.

• 🖌️ The Art of Drying & Preserving Flowers is a hands-on workshop at Edgewood Community Farm where you'll learn to dry and preserve flowers using air-drying, pressing, and color-preserving techniques. You'll harvest a fresh bunch from the farm's production rows to take home and start your own drying project. Sunday 7/19. $20.
• 🤓 Beach Party Bingo at Calico is a weekly outdoor bingo game in Blagden Alley with drink specials and prizes running through the summer. Sunday 7/19. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Spend your Sunday watching professional polo matches at Congressional Polo Club while hanging out in the countryside with good food, drinks, and live music. Throw on your brightest colors and biggest hat, grab your crew, and make a whole day of it. Sunday 7/19. $45.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 A real estate team is handing out free ice cream at the Fairlington Farmers Market as a thank-you to the neighborhood, which is a pretty good reason to show up to a farmers market anyway. Sunday 7/19. Free.
• 🖌️ Spend a Sunday afternoon getting spooky at this horror writing workshop with DC Horror Book Club at Solid State Books. You’ll work through prompts and techniques with writers of all skill levels to unlock your creepiest ideas, and all proceeds go toward scholarships for StokerCon 2027. Sunday 7/19. $18.
• 🖌️ Sip & Sculpt Pottery Workshop at MetroBar is a two-hour hand-building class where you’ll learn pinch pots and coils and leave with a piece you made yourself. No experience needed, and a drink is included. Sunday 7/19. $102.
• 🎈 American Spitstory brings spoken word and storytelling to Woolly Mammoth as part of their month-long celebration of DC’s diversity and creativity. It’s a chance to hear people share their stories while you hang out in Downtown DC with free drinks, a photo booth, and good company. Sunday 7/19. Free.

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

• anime watch party
• presidential speeches history talk
• tarot made simple
• free popsicles
• Saturday errands

Click the Login link below the form and use the email you're subscribed with.

⚡ More events. More access. Zero FOMO.

Our premium subscribers get the full event list (250+!), weekly updates, and VIP access to exclusive Not Bored in DC events.

​👉 Upgrade to Premium here​

Know of something cool happening? Submit an event for consideration!

* 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.