New members are fired up: Last night the newly sworn-in members of Congress held receptions for supporters. I happened to be at an event hosted by MoveOn that celebrated the fresh Democrats. Never before had I been to a political party with such an active dance floor. (Progressives do love to dance!) Bernie Sanders made an appearance, as did US Representative Rashida Tlaib, who minced no words during her time up on the microphone.
the crowd goes NUTS the moment Rep. Rashida Tlaib says: “We’re gonna go in there and we’re gonna impeach the motherfucker.”
via @LevineJonathan 👀
— j.d. durkin (@jd_durkin) January 4, 2019
The crowd was extremely fired up at the “i” word—is this a sign for the priorities of the new Congress?
Good morning, and happy Friday. A reminder that we are still in a partial government shutdown. I’m Brittany Shepherd, the author of this morning newsletter. Feel free to contact me at bshepherd@washingtonian.com or find me on Twitter. Sign up for this newsletter here.
Put me in, Coach: Axios is launching another new vertical on Monday: sports! Sportsios?
Why this matters: Looks like Axios Sports will be a mix of “sports Twitter” and business news, which may be a breath of fresh air to the site that draws criticism for its brief style and access-based content.
DC statehood is getting another shot in the new Congress. Yesterday, DC Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton once again introduced a statehood bill.
What bars do you think the new members are going to hang out? Ask this question and more during Ann Limpert’s 11 AM live chat.
What we have cooking at Washingtonian:
- Jennifer Wexton has installed the transgender pride flag outside her new Congressional office. She told us why.
- Here’s where you can drink $1 mimosas this weekend.
- Want to feel cultured during the furlough? Show your government ID at these local theaters and get fancy.
- While there are many things you can’t do during a shutdown, we put together a nifty list of the activities you can do. Make the most of DC, even while our government is a mess.
- What makes a DC power restaurant? We asked playwright (and Alexandria native) Sarah Burgess.
Our picks for things to do around town:
ELVIS The GALA Hispanic Theatre celebrates Elvis Presley’s birthday with its ninth annual “Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club.” Hosted by “The King” and sidekick Kittie Glitter, the event will feature seven cartoonish and action-packed match-ups interspersed with burlesque dance routines. The fights are always a secret until the night of the show, but previous matchups have been both absurd (My Little Pony vs. Leatherface) and punny (Queen’s Freddie Mercury vs the Queen of England). Throughout the show, audience members can win prizes like a Velvet Elvis painting. Through January 5. 21+. $25-$35.
Good reads:
Benjamin Wallace-Wells puts on his deerstalker, takes a puff on his Calabash pipe, raises his magnifying glass to his eye, and asks: Who killed the Weekly Standard? (New Yorker)
Big events from Washingtonian
You’re engaged?! Celebrate with us at Love Unveiled, the ultimate wedding showcase for all couples on January 27 at Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC. Buy tickets now before it sells out!
Brittany Shepherd covers the societal and cultural scene in political Washington. Before joining Washingtonian as a staff writer in 2018, Brittany was a White House Correspondent for Independent Journal Review. While she has lived in DC for a number of years now, she still yearns for the fresh Long Island bagels of home. Find her on Twitter, often prattling on about Frasier.
