Arlington Fittest Again + Air & Space Galleries Debut

Good morning, DC. Summer weekends never seem to be long enough, Monday is back. Today, big gains, bigger moon rocks, and a gelato plot twist—let’s dive in.

In today’s District Download:

• Arlington tops fitness index

• Air & Space opens 5 galleries

• Dolcezza debuts luxe soft serve

Let’s get to it.

THE DIGEST

💪 Arlington flexes on America for eighth straight year

Arlington just clinched its eighth consecutive title as America's fittest city, according to the American College of Sports Medicine's 2025 Fitness Index—at this point, they might as well engrave the trophy. Our nation's capital snagged silver for the third year running, thanks in part to having a whopping 235.3 trail miles per 100,000 residents (translation: you're officially out of excuses for skipping that morning jog). The rankings factor in everything from smoking rates to walkability, and this year they even added pickleball courts to the mix—because nothing says "fitness" quite like Arlington's heated pickle-battles. DMV dominance comes down to our embarrassment of riches: well-maintained parks, sidewalks that actually connect places, and the ability to walk for coffee without needing to fire up the car. The takeaway from fitness experts? Even small moves count, so maybe take the stairs at the Metro station—unless it's Dupont Circle, in which case, godspeed.

🍦 Dolcezza's gelato guru discovers soft serve

After two decades of churning out D.C.'s most beloved gelato, Dolcezza co-founder Robb Duncan has fallen head-over-heels for soft serve—calling it like discovering a secret door in a room he's been sitting in for 20 years. The mad scientist of frozen desserts (who met his wife at an ayahuasca conference in Brazil, because of course he did) is now geeking out over $130-per-kilo Sicilian pistachios from Mount Etna's volcanic slopes at the new H Street location. Duncan's journey from software engineer to gelato guru included jerry-rigging a gas generator at a Georgetown church and trading homegrown cannabis with the priest for power access—just your typical small business origin story. While a listeria-related recall last year knocked Dolcezza out of 4,000 grocery stores nationwide (even though their products weren't affected), Duncan's pivoting back to his roots: collaborating with local chefs and crafting sundaes. The soft serve revolution is coming to other Dolcezza locations soon, though at $10-15 a cone, your wallet might need to start doing some stretches.

LOCAL BUSINESS

🚀 Air and Space Museum unveils five shiny new galleries

The National Air and Space Museum's years-long renovation hits a major milestone July 28 when five revamped galleries and the National Mall entrance reopen to the public. Highlights include the return of the touchable moon rock in the Boeing Milestones hall, a glowing Soviet Venus probe in the climate-focused innovations gallery, and a brand-new "Futures in Space" exhibit featuring stories from scientists who lived in a Mars simulation for over a year. The refreshed IMAX theater also gets 375 new seats, perfect for watching space documentaries without that classic museum-chair neck cramp.

🛥️ K Street gets glitzy new French spot

Former Convivial chef Cedric Maupillier is back from his brief post-restaurant-closure identity crisis (skiing instructor? climbing guide?) to helm this French Riviera fantasy land complete with VIP Champagne lounge, dress code, and enough gold accents to make your Instagram followers seasick with envy. The menu leans heavily into coastal luxe with bouillabaisse Marseillaise, Dover sole, and apparently enough caviar to satisfy D.C.'s mysteriously flush seafood enthusiasts. Opening July 29 with DJs spinning until 1 AM on weekends, Barbouzard is designed for those who own yachts—or at least want to eat like they do while scrolling through photos of them on their phones.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Here’s what’s going on around DC this week:

Monday

🛸 Five new galleries open at National Air and Space Museum

After years of renovation, the Smithsonian's most-visited museum unveils five revamped galleries featuring everything from a touchable moon rock to a glowing Soviet Venus probe, plus stories from scientists who lived in a Mars simulation for over a year.

📍 National Mall | 🕐 Opens at 10 AM

🎭 Drunk Shakespeare continues at Sage Theatre

One professional actor performs Shakespeare after five shots of whiskey while the troupe attempts to keep the show on track—think Hamlet meets happy hour with surprisingly coherent iambic pentameter.

📍 Sage Theatre | 🕐 7 PM

Tuesday

🏀 Mystics vs. Chicago Sky: Salute to Service Game

The Washington Mystics host the Chicago Sky in their continuing "Battle of the Rookies" series at CareFirst Arena, with special tributes honoring military service members throughout the game.

📍 CareFirst Arena | 🕐 7:30 PM

💃 Dancing on the Waterfront continues in Georgetown

Free waterfront dancing returns for another Tuesday evening along the Potomac—bring your dancing shoes or just your enthusiasm as instructors guide beginners through salsa, bachata, and other Latin rhythms.

📍 Georgetown Waterfront Park | 🕐 6 - 9 PM

WEATHER

Monday

93 🌡 77 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 6 mph

Tuesday

95 🌡 77 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 5 mph

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Tuesday

9:30 Club | Wilderado | 7 PM

The Wolf Trap | Pink Martini | 8 PM

DC SPORTS

⚡ Weekend Wins and Training Camp Fever Grips the District

The Mystics snapped out of their post-break slump with an impressive 69-58 defensive clinic over Seattle on Saturday, holding the Storm to their lowest output of the season as Washington looks to climb back into playoff position. Football fever officially returned Sunday as Commanders training camp opened to thousands of fans in Ashburn, where sophomore sensation Jayden Daniels dazzled with touchdown strikes to new weapon Deebo Samuel—the hype train for a Super Bowl run is officially boarding. On the NWSL front, the Spirit made roster moves ahead of their August return, placing striker Ashley Hatch on the season-ending injury list for maternity leave while adding defender Lauren Gogal as a national team replacement. Meanwhile, the Nats head to Houston for a three-game series starting Monday, desperately seeking their first road series win since May as they continue their 20th anniversary season rebuild.

Did You Know? Dupont Circle hides a 75,000-square-foot former streetcar tunnel beneath its traffic swirl. Abandoned since 1962, the subterranean “Dupont Underground” now hosts art exhibits, light shows, and pop-up markets—proof that in D.C., even the forgotten transit lines have a second act.

Till next time,

District Download