🌸 Bad Bunny's Favorite Burger Hits DC

Good morning, DC. It's 35 degrees and the sun sets at 4:47 PM—we've entered the portion of winter where 'grabbing a drink after work' happens in complete darkness.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

December in DC means choosing between too many good options. The Beths—the New Zealand jangle-pop band with crunchy guitars and hooks that stick for days—plays the 9:30 Club December 9-10. Tonight, British playwright Sam Holcroft's "Rules for Living" gets its American debut at Round House Theatre: a Christmas dinner that spirals into family meltdown—relatable. Saturday brings a choice: Georgetown Jingle's ten pop-up outdoor music performances or the Wharf's holiday boat parade with 60-plus illuminated vessels gliding past the waterfront. The National Museum of Women in the Arts opens a Ruth Orkin photography retrospective December 12—Orkin captured postwar America with an eye for both glamour and ordinary life. And if you'd rather skate than stroll, the National Building Museum's Skate Spectacular opens December 27.

Anna Mary Robertson Moses didn't pick up a brush until her seventies. By the time she died at 101, her work hung in museums worldwide. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is showing "Grandma Moses: A Good Day's Work"—more than 80 paintings of rural farm scenes, winter landscapes, and Christmas gatherings. The museum sits steps from the Downtown DC Holiday Market, making for an easy afternoon: browse the vendor-lined streets, then duck inside for free admission. Both run through December 21, with SAAM open 11:30 AM-7 PM. And if you're walking that direction anyway, the Capitol Christmas Tree lit up Tuesday evening—it'll glow from dusk until 11 PM through early January.

7th Street Burger, the NYC smash burger chain that counts Bad Bunny among its regulars, opens its second DC location this Sunday at 1850 M Street NW in Dupont Circle. First 100 customers get a free burger—a tradition the chain has held at previous openings. Expect thin, crispy-edged patties including the signature Spicy Jalapeno Smashed Cheeseburger and Loaded Beef Fries that built the chain's East Village reputation. Georgetown opened in June 2024; the crowds proved the concept travels.

Tonight marks the anniversary of Prohibition's repeal, and Matt and Tony's in Alexandria is celebrating with "The History of the Cocktail"—a tasting dinner tracing drinks from the 1800s to now. If you miss it, DC Cocktail Week runs through Sunday with 100-plus bars offering cocktail-and-bite pairings at fixed prices. The lineup reads like a RAMMYS highlight reel: Jane Jane on 14th Street (Cocktail Program of the Year), Tune Inn on Capitol Hill (Best Bar), and Baan Mae from Restaurateur of the Year Seng Luangrath.

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

Lincoln Theatre | A Charlie Brown Christmas | Broadway-style live production with Vince Guaraldi score | 7 PM

Round House Theatre | Rules for Living | British comedy about Christmas dinner gone wrong, American premiere | 7:30 PM

Southwest Duck Pond | Jingle Block Rock | Free festive event with Santa photos, donut decoration, Step Afrika meet-and-greet | 4:30 PM

Heurich House Museum | Christmas Markt | 45+ small-scale makers, German snacks, mulled wine | 4 PM

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Wednesday

42 🌡 30 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 5 mph

Thursday

41 🌡 26 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 14 mph

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9:30 Club | The Happy Fits with Pom Pom Squad | 7 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Tab Benoit with Jesse Dayton | 7:30 PM

The Theater at MGM National Harbor | Motor City Live - A Motown Tribute | 7:30 PM

Echostage | Kaytranada | 9 PM

Soundcheck | Eliminate | 10 PM

9:30 Club | The Wood Brothers with The Wildmans | 7 PM

The Barns at Wolf Trap | Mark O'Connor | 7:30 PM

The Theater at MGM National Harbor | Motor City Live - A Motown Tribute | 7:30 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Take 6 | 7:30 PM

EagleBank Arena | Camila | 8 PM

Music Center at Strathmore | Dave Koz | 8 PM

Echostage | Kaytranada | 9 PM

Soundcheck | IN PARALLEL | 10 PM

Seven straight losses. Playoff hopes officially dead. The Commanders fell 27-26 in overtime Sunday after Nik Bonitto swatted away Mariota's two-point conversion—a finish that perfectly captured a season that keeps finding new ways to hurt. Mariota filled in for injured Jayden Daniels with 294 yards and two touchdowns, and Zach Ertz quietly made history: his 10-catch night moved him past Shannon Sharpe for fifth-most receptions ever by a tight end. Washington (3-9) heads to Minnesota Sunday. At this point, they're playing for pride.

Till next time,