🌸 Seychelles-inspired rooftop opens in Shaw

Good morning, DC.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

The District and its Virginia suburbs are going all-in on Day of the Dead this weekend, with eight celebrations scattered from MOCA Arlington's evening picnic to Congressional Cemetery's community ofrenda on November 1-2. The festivities run the gamut from family-friendly face painting and sugar skull decorating at The Wharf to Alexandria's $19 bar crawl with drink specials and an after-party that stretches until 10 PM. Bluemont Station Brewery is screening Coco both days while serving mole Mexican stout and prickly pear seltzer mules, because nothing says honoring your ancestors like craft beer and Pixar. The Mexican tradition invites the living to celebrate rather than mourn the dead through vibrant altars, marigolds, and offerings of favorite foods, a stark contrast to Halloween's spooky commercialism that wrapped up just yesterday. Most events are free and welcome photos of loved ones for community altars, though the black-tie fiesta at the Mexican Cultural Institute on November 8 requires both formal attire and tickets. Even honoring the dead has a dress code in DC.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area landed third place in WalletHub's 2025 best winter destinations ranking, which analyzed nearly 70 major metros based on travel costs, attractions, weather, and safety rather than scenic beauty. The DMV scored particularly high for attractions (4th) and travel convenience (3rd), though local costs ranked a less impressive 27th, reflecting what residents already know about the price of basically everything here. WalletHub praised the region's "mild and manageable winter conditions" and strong cultural offerings, from museums to landmarks to seasonal events, positioning it as a cold-weather destination without the harsh extremes of northern cities. The ranking comes as DC prepares for its annual winter tourist influx, with visitors drawn to monuments draped in holiday lights, indoor Smithsonians when it's too cold outside, and the kind of winter weather that requires a coat but won't bury your car. For locals, the validation is nice, though it mostly confirms that the same museums we walk past daily and Metro delays we endure year-round somehow look charming when you're only here for a long weekend.

The Harp Cask and Kiln opened last Friday in the former Brookland's Finest space at 3126 12th Street NE, bringing 25 draft lines (the most taps any DC bar has opened with in years), shepherd's pie croquettes, and ox tongue pie to the neighborhood. The team behind the pub—Cork County native Ruairi Deburca, beverage director Jacob Schoonover, and chef Ashley Lee—all worked together at Capitol Hill's Barrel and wanted to create a community gathering spot with properly poured Guinness, cocktails with Gaelic names, and a kids menu for families. With 66 indoor seats, a 26-seat patio, and nine TVs for match days, The Harp aims to be the neighborhood heart that Irish pubs are back home, minus the part where you actually have to fly to Cork.

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Chef Keem Hughley opens Realm tomorrow atop the Hyatt House at 899 O Street NW, trading his former restaurant Bronze's sci-fi Afrofuturism for coconut-based curries, mango-tamarind crabcakes, and lemongrass-smoked chicken inspired by the Indian Ocean archipelago. The rooftop lounge features fire pits, skyline views, and a menu deliberately designed to break DC's Mediterranean rooftop bar monopoly with dishes from Seychelles—a cuisine you won't find anywhere else in the region. Hughley describes it as solving for "how we create a sustainable business model in DC that's not Mediterranean," which translates to tropical drinks, French technique, and the kind of exotic menu that makes you forget you're still within walking distance of the Convention Center.

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

Anacostia Neighborhood Library | Rhythm and Moves | Learn the newest line dance moves in this free health initiative | 5:30 PM

Georgetown University Law Center | Something for the People | Screening of a film exploring how go-go music catalyzes community action against gentrification | 5:30 PM

Morris American Bar | Morris Masquerade | Don your spookiest or most glamorous costume and mask for themed cocktails, live DJ, and dancing | 7 PM

MLK Jr. Memorial Library | Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival | Short film series in partnership with 100Reporters | 11 AM

Get your name in front of thousands of DMV area locals 3x/week.

Wednesday

58 🌡 49 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 8 mph

Thursday

66 🌡 49 | 🌧️ 70% | 💨 12 mph

The Atlantis | Beach Fossils | 6:30 PM

9:30 Club | Purity Ring | 7 PM

Union Stage | ThxSoMch | 7 PM

Capitol One Arena | SEVENTEEN | 7:30 PM

The Fillmore | Maddox Batson | 7:30 PM

Weinberg Center for the Arts | Il Divo | 7:30 PM

The Howard Theatre | Autechre | 8 PM

The Fillmore | Lenny Pearce | 6 PM

The Atlantis | Yaelokre | 6:30 PM

9:30 Club | Nation of Language | 7 PM

Capitol One Arena | SEVENTEEN | 7:30 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Kathy Mattea | 7:30 PM

The Anthem | Giveon with Charlotte Day Wilson and Sasha Keable | 8 PM

Echostage | Chris Lake | 9 PM

The Commanders fell to 3-5 after a 28-7 Monday night loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, with the game tied 7-7 at halftime before Kansas City dominated the second half behind Patrick Mahomes' 299 yards and three touchdowns. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota filled in for injured rookie Jayden Daniels (hamstring) and threw for 213 yards with a TD to Terry McLaurin, who returned from a quad injury only to reaggravate it late in the game, while the run game managed just 60 yards total. The defense picked off Mahomes twice early but couldn't stop the bleeding in the second half, giving up big plays of 27, 31, 38, and 24 yards as Kansas City extended its winning streak over Washington to nine straight games dating back to 1983. The Commanders host the 5-2 Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night at Northwest Stadium, desperately needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive after dropping to 1-4 on the road this season.

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Till next time,