🌸 Not your first back-to-school season

Good morning, DC. Happy Monday, I hope you did your best to squeeze the most out of the few summer weekends we have remaining.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

Your Saturday morning latte just got a remix—coffee raves are percolating across D.C., turning neighborhood cafes into daytime dance floors where the only thing stronger than the espresso is the bass drop. What started with a February wake-up party at downtown's Dolphin Cafe has evolved into a full-blown movement, with spots like Navy Yard's Llamabar hosting weekly DJ sets and Santo Cafe on Capitol Hill planning September throw-downs. The sober-curious trend is fueling the buzz as Gen Z trades bottomless mimosas for bottomless energy, proving you don't need alcohol to get down—just really good coffee and house music. This September, Daybreaker is taking the concept to new heights with a Kennedy Center rooftop rave from 9 a.m. to noon, because nothing says "refined culture" quite like dropping beats while sipping cortados with a view of the Potomac.

August means one thing in D.C.: parents panic-buying glue sticks while local do-gooders mobilize an army of backpack-stuffing volunteers to help under-resourced students start the year strong. From Central Union Mission's Operation Backpack to Housing Up's ambitious goal of distributing 800 backpacks, the region's nonprofits are collecting everything from calculators to crayons through mid-August. Teachers aren't left out either—platforms like DonorsChoose let you directly fund Ms. Mitchell's math kits at Excel Academy or help Janney Elementary's kindergarteners score new books and art supplies. For those who prefer hands-on helping, the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center is recruiting volunteers to work directly with kids facing homelessness, proving that sometimes the best lesson plan involves a little community love. Pro tip: if you've been putting off that Amazon wishlist shopping, now's the perfect time to feel good about clicking "add to cart" on 47 boxes of tissues.

The French bakery that conquered New York City (and Oprah's heart) is setting up shop at 701 King Street, breathing new life into the former Foxtrot space that left Old Town feeling a little less gourmet. Maman already has seven D.C. locations and recently opened in Mosaic District, but Alexandria will get the full treatment: nutty chocolate chip cookies that made Oprah's "favorite things" list, plus a Martha Stewart collaboration menu featuring everything from tomato tarts to crème brûlée sugar buns. The rustic French café promises to welcome "sleepy New Yorkers" and "moms-on-the-go" alike, though we're pretty sure they mean sleepy Alexandrians and moms juggling King Street parking. No opening date yet, but given that their cookies have celebrity endorsements, expect lines around the block when they do.

The Long Branch community is proving that when you spend 21 years feeding your neighbors, they feed you right back—a GoFundMe for El Golfo Restaurant owner Ada Villatoro has soared past $56,000 as she battles stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Villatoro, who immigrated to the D.C. area in the mid-1980s and built her restaurant into a neighborhood cornerstone, has spent decades giving back—from feeding first responders after the 2016 Flower Branch Apartments explosion to providing meals for healthcare workers during COVID. Now facing mounting medical bills that insurance won't fully cover, she's getting the same community love she's always shown others. The campaign started with a $30,000 goal but keeps climbing as word spreads, proving that sometimes the best recipe for healing is a generous helping of neighborhood support.

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

Minor league baseball action heads to Southern Maryland as the Atlantic League Stormers take on the Blue Crabs for a Tuesday night showdown on the diamond.

📍 Regency Furniture Stadium | 🕒 6:35 PM

The Eastern League SeaWolves visit Prince George's County for a midweek matchup against the Baysox, perfect for a family-friendly evening of baseball and ballpark snacks.

📍 Prince Georges Stadium | 🕒 6:35 PM

The magical world returns to D.C. as the Tony Award-winning play continues its run at The National Theatre, bringing wizardry, wonder, and next-generation Hogwarts drama to the downtown stage.

📍 The National Theatre | 🕒 7 PM

86 🌡 70 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 5 mph

89 🌡 75 | 🌧️ 25% | 💨 6 mph

The Atlantis | Henry Morris with Jeff Draco | 6:30 PM

Jiffy Lube Live | Jonas Brothers | 7:30 PM

Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts | The Wood Brothers | 7:30 PM

Pearl Street Warehouse | Oliver Francis with Jordanxbell | 8 PM

The Nationals found their offensive groove on Saturday night, rolling past San Francisco 4-2 behind Brad Lord's first career victory as a starter and home runs from James Wood, Paul DeJong, and Josh Bell—a welcome bounce-back after being shut out in their previous two games. Over at CareFirst Arena, the Mystics dominated Dallas 91-78 on Sunday as rookie Kiki Iriafen exploded for a career-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, showing the young talent that could shape Washington's WNBA future. The Spirit battled to a gritty 0-0 draw with rival Gotham FC on Saturday, benefiting from a red card to Geyse that left the visitors with 10 men while goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury earned her 42nd career clean sheet to tie for fourth-most in league history. Unfortunately, D.C. United's struggles continued with a 2-0 loss to New England Revolution on Saturday night, as goals from Leonardo Campana and Carles Gil extended their winless streak in a season that's been tough to watch for the Black-and-Red faithful.

Did You Know? The White House has its own movie theater with 42 red velvet seats and a popcorn machine, installed in 1942 when FDR got tired of Secret Service agents clearing entire commercial theaters just so he could catch a flick. The presidential cinema has hosted everything from state dinners with film screenings to Obama's Super Bowl parties.

Till next time,