🌸 Virginia leading the way

Good morning, DC. On this day in 1984, the District entered the municipal bond market for the first time, marking a major step toward financial independence for the city. It was a turning point that helped DC fund infrastructure projects without relying solely on federal appropriations.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

October just declared war on free weekends, serving up 14 events that range from Keith Urban at Jiffy Lube Live to Edgar Allan Poe reenactments in Alexandria's gaslit streets. The variety is the real flex: Vienna Oktoberfest delivers Bavarian culture on three stages for free on October 4, while Mount Vernon pairs candlelit mansion tours (including Washington's wine cellar) with unlimited Virginia wine tastings overlooking the Potomac through October 12. For those who take their autumn traditions seriously, Cox Farms transforms 20+ acres into Fields of Fear every Friday and Saturday through November 9, where tickets sell out almost as fast as you can decide whether you're actually brave enough to go. Northern Virginia Magazine's own Taste of NoVA food festival hits October 11-12 with unlimited samples from 120+ local vendors, though at $100+ per ticket you'll want to arrive hungry and ready to make it worth your while.

So remember how Amtrak promised us this revolutionary NextGen Acela that would change everything about Northeast Corridor travel? Well, someone who's been riding the old version for a quarter century just took it for a spin and has thoughts. The upgrades are there if you squint: smoother ride, quieter cars, better cafe setup, and seats that won't leave you with back pain. But here's the kicker: they absolutely massacred the overhead storage, swapping out those glorious cavernous bins for what essentially amounts to bus racks, which is a problem when you're hauling anything larger than a tote bag. The train's also uncomfortably bright at night, and if you're unlucky enough to snag a table seat, prepare to become intimately familiar with your neighbor's kneecaps. Despite hitting those promised higher speeds in brief stretches, the whole DC to New York trip clocked in at basically the same time as before, with delays baked right in. It's still the best way to get up and down the Eastern seaboard without dealing with airport security theater, but don't expect anyone to write home about the upgrade.

The barbershop-boutique-restaurant hybrid that became an Adams Morgan cult favorite just opened its bigger, glossier sibling near Union Market, and it's already Michelle Obama-approved after she used the space to record a podcast. Chef Erik Bruner-Yang runs the restaurant (h)ours with dishes like white Bolognese inspired by Ethiopian spaghetti and whole fried lobster, while the retail side stocks Rick Owens and Casablanca next to Hoka sneakers because DC fashion deserves better than Brooks Brothers stereotypes. Memberships start at $75 monthly for perks like priority reservations and speakeasy access, but the real draw is having a third space designed by locals who actually understand that DC is more than just government buildings and marble columns.

Chef Josa Maldonado spent time cooking at Pujol in Mexico City, the French Laundry in Napa, and a Michelin spot in Copenhagen before landing in Union Market to open Eunoia with the couple behind Dupont's Toolbox pilates studio. His menu reads like a passport stamp collection with seaweed mole featuring potato miso and coconut milk, scallop aguachile with squid ink leche de tigre, and an eggplant lasagna that nods to Bulgarian moussaka after one of the owners made him the real thing. The menu shifts with the seasons because Maldonado believes the earth should dictate what's on the plate, rotating from garden themes now to forest come fall and sea by spring.

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

Hi-Lawn | Mid-Autumn Night Market | Lantern-illuminated Hong Kong-inspired market with food from Tiger Fork, Hi-Lawn, and local vendors | 6 PM

The Line DC | Lost City Books Salon Reading | Four local and visiting artists and writers share their work | 7 PM

Culture DC | Lina Makoul | Palestinian singer-songwriter blends contemporary and modern sounds | 7 PM

National Gallery of Art | National Gallery Nights Lottery Closes | Last chance to enter lottery for "Strike a Pose" themed after-hours event on October 9 | 12 PM

Wednesday

72 🌡 53 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 7 mph

Thursday

69 🌡 54 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 6 mph

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The Anthem | The Story So Far with Neck Deep | 7 PM

Capital One Arena | NBA YoungBoy | 7:30 PM

The Howard Theatre | Jesse McCartney | 8 PM

The Fillmore Silver Spring | Bladee | 8 PM

Lincoln Theatre | Mipso with Palmyra | 8 PM

The Hamilton Live | Unleashed | 8 PM

Soundcheck | JVNA | 10 PM

The Atlantis | quinnie | 6:30 PM

9:30 Club | Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers with Eggy | 7 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Pink Martini | 7:30 PM

Lincoln Theatre | Neko Case with Des Demonas | 8 PM

The Howard Theatre | BunnaB | 8 PM

The Fillmore Silver Spring | Jorge Celedon | 9 PM

Soundcheck | Emorfik | 10 PM

The fall football season is hitting its stride across the DMV, and the usual suspects are living up to the hype. DeMatha started strong by taking down Pennsylvania powerhouses Imhotep Charter and St. Joseph's Prep, while Quince Orchard continues their defensive dominance after shutting out Paint Branch to open the season. Good Counsel and Gonzaga are also undefeated through early September, setting up what should be some electric WCAC matchups as conference play heats up in October. If your Friday nights aren't already claimed by bleacher seats and concession stand hot dogs, now's the time to catch these teams before playoff intensity kicks into high gear.

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Till next time,