Strange Loops, Sweet Swaps & Sizzling Chemistry

Your Monday dose of what's actually worth your attention

Good morning, DC. Monday's here with that fresh-week energy where the city's creative buzz feels electric—time to see what's brewing beyond the usual noise.

In today’s District Download:

  • A Strange Loop at Atlas

  • The big cake exchange

  • Matchas and more matchas

Let’s get to it.

THE DIGEST

🔄 A Strange Loop gets an accessible twist at Atlas

A collaboration between Visionaries of the Creative Arts and Deaf Austin Theatre is putting a fresh spin on the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop at Atlas Performing Arts Center, casting a mix of deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing performers to create a truly accessible theater experience. The meta-musical follows Usher, a Broadway usher writing a musical about himself writing a musical about himself—and in this production, the title character is split between hard of hearing actor Gabriel Silva and hearing actor Tyler "T" Lang as his voice. The show's self-referential, boundary-pushing exploration gets enhanced by ASL interpretation and open captioning, proving that accessible theater doesn't just serve underrepresented audiences—it makes everything more dynamic for everyone. The original Strange Loop swept awards after premiering off-Broadway, won the Tony for Best Musical in 2022, and even had a stint at Woolly Mammoth in 2021 before landing back in D.C. with this innovative approach. Catch it through August 10, and don't forget to use the deaf clap instead of traditional applause.

🍰 Big Cake Exchange bakers cook up community, one layer at a time

Capitol Hill's Jill Nguyen and Tiffany MacIsaac have turned their pandemic baking obsession into a D.C. institution with the Big Cake Exchange—an event that drew 200+ bakers to the National Museum of Women in the Arts in July, each toting homemade creations from funfetti to three-tier mocha caramel masterpieces. What started as 90 amateur bakers swapping slices in March has doubled in size, proving that D.C.'s food community is hungry for connection beyond Instagram likes and group texts. Nguyen, who went from sourdough starter to Capitol Jill Baking (complete with senators as customers), says the city's collaborative spirit sets it apart—when local business owners need lease advice or sourcing tips, they turn to each other instead of Google. MacIsaac, founder of the now-shuttered Buttercream Bakeshop, sees it as essential support for the area's many female entrepreneurs trying to build something sweet. The proof is in the (empty) pudding: by event's end, 300+ cakes had vanished, leaving only frosting smears and crumbs as evidence of D.C.'s serious cake appetite.

LOCAL BUSINESS

💸 Service fees here to stay despite tipped wage slowdown

The D.C. Council's decision to pump the brakes on Initiative 82's tipped wage increases—capping them at 75 percent of the full minimum wage instead of the original 100 percent—won't make those restaurant service fees disappear anytime soon. Most restaurateurs who've already tacked on surcharges (ranging from 6 to 22 percent) say they're sticking with the new model, since employee retention has improved and everyone's finally adjusted to the system. Some holdouts who were bracing to add fees are now breathing easier and skipping them altogether—like Cinder BBQ's Matt Krimm, who was eyeing a small charge if wages hit $12 but is now "riding it out." The plot thickens with Congress's new "no tax on tips" policy that gives tipped workers up to $25,000 in federal deductions, potentially putting service-fee-reliant staff at a disadvantage—though most restaurant owners say that won't change their fee strategies.

🍵 Five matcha spots brewing up green goodness across the DMV

From ceremonial hand-whisked bowls to quirky bubble tea creations, the D.C. area's matcha scene is having a major moment with spots serving everything from traditional "matchacanos" to Instagram-worthy concoctions. Georgetown's takeout-only Two Nine Cafe creates just ten ice-shaken matchas daily using premium Uji powder, while Falls Church newcomer Midori Tea House hand-whisks ceremonial blends with unexpected twists like maple sea salt and Austrian Einspänner cream. Spot of Tea brings the fun factor with three D.C. locations slinging colorful creations like mango sticky rice matcha and an "Earth Day" drink that gets its blue hue from butterfly pea flower. Whether you're chasing the perfect soft-serve float at Kyo Matcha's Virginia outposts or keeping it simple at Centreville's minimalist Bon Tea House, the region's got your green tea cravings covered.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

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

Monday

🌲 Twin Peaks: Conversation With The Stars

Dive into the surreal world of David Lynch's cult classic as cast members from the iconic TV series share behind-the-scenes stories and answer fan questions about the show that defined '90s television weirdness.

📍 Capital One Hall | 🕒 7 PM

Tuesday

🎸 idobi Summer School

Alternative rock education gets loud as idobi Radio's summer concert series brings emerging bands and fan favorites to the stage for an evening of punk, emo, and indie anthems.

📍 The Fillmore | 🕒 5 PM

⚾ Athletics at Nats

Oakland comes to town for affordable baseball action as the Nats take on the A's during one of the season's best ticket deals.

📍 Nationals Park | 🕒 6:45 PM

The Boy Who Lived returns to the stage in this two-part theatrical epic that picks up 19 years after the final book, following Harry's son Albus through his own magical adventures at Hogwarts.

📍 The National Theatre | 🕒 7 PM

WEATHER

Monday

83 🌡 67 | 🌧️ 5% | 💨 5 mph

Tuesday

82 🌡 70 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 5 mph

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN

Tuesday

The Fillmore | idobi Summer School | 5 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Los Straitjackets: Nick Lowe | 7:30 PM

Warner Theatre | Xdinary Heroes | 8 PM

Capital One Hall | Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox | 8 PM

Wolf Trap | Jacob Collier | 8 PM

DC SPORTS

⚾ Nats Swept, Mystics Stumble & Training Camp Stars Shine

The Nationals got steamrolled at home this weekend by the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers, capping off a devastating three-game sweep with Sunday's 14-3 blowout that extended Washington's losing streak to five games and left them 22 games under .500. The Brewers completed their first season sweep of the Nationals with the victory, outscoring Washington 38-14 across the series behind a relentless offense that racked up 25 hits in Friday's opener alone. Meanwhile, the Mystics couldn't shake their post-Olympic break struggles, falling to the Atlanta Dream 99-83 on Sunday after leading 23-12 in the first quarter—the loss dropped them to 13-15 and ninth place in the standings, having now lost two straight and five of their last seven games. The bright spot continues to be Commanders training camp in Ashburn, where the Jayden Daniels-to-Zach Ertz connection looks as "unbreakable" as ever, with the duo consistently connecting in red zone drills and maintaining the chemistry that produced 66 catches and seven touchdowns last season.

Did You Know? Washington D.C. sits on a massive network of abandoned streetcar tunnels that once carried millions of passengers, but the most famous is the "ghost station" beneath Dupont Circle—a beautiful, tiled underground palace that now hosts everything from art installations to secret dinner parties, proving that even the city's forgotten infrastructure refuses to stay boring.

Till next time,

District Download