Good morning. Sunny with a high of 34 today and a low of 14 tonight. Saturday will see a balmy 37, and it could get into the low 40s on Sunday, so you could arguably grill out before the Commanders play Philadelphia at 3 on Sunday.
• What is Philadelphia, you ask? Philadelphia is a city located north of DC whose football fans may have scotched the city’s bid for HQ2, where gameday food is different than in other cities, where authorities have to remind people not to swim in Dumpsters, a place sometimes included on “best places to live” lists, a city where you can sell $50 pints of snow even when there’s free snow on the ground. Apparently some people there are unhappy that the Commanders’ owner, Josh Harris, also owns the Philadelphia 76ers. The Eagles are favored, but Washingtonian Today nevertheless hopes Philadelphians have much to rue over delicious sweet-cheese filled pretzels from Wawa on Monday morning. (And here are some bars and restaurants where you can watch the game.)
I’ll never steal your water glass, you can find me on Bluesky, and there’s a link to my email address at the bottom of this post.
I can’t stop listening to:
“Maddy’s Song” by Pigeon Pit. I love all this Olympia band’s reference points—Heavenly, the Pastels, Small Factory, Mountain Goats among others—and the tunes are so good I was forced to make peace with some harmonica solos on their kickin’ new LP, “Crazy Arms.”
Here’s some administration news you might have blocked out:
• President Trump will survey disaster damage in North Carolina and California today.
• A judge blocked his order to end birthright citizenship, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.” (Washington Post)
• Pete Hegseth is on track to be confirmed tonight. (AP) The administration “is moving to abolish a Pentagon office responsible for promoting civilian safety in battlefield operations.” (Washington Post)
• John Ratcliffe was confirmed as CIA director. (Politico)
• Trump revoked Mike Pompeo‘s security detail. (NYT)
• Federal agencies must end telework and remote work within 30 days, OPM says. “But, because the document referred only to terminating ‘remote work agreements,’ it caused some confusion among agencies and government-watchers.” You see, telework and remote work are distinct programs—the type of nuance not easily addressed in a 65-word order. (Government Executive)
• An aide to House speaker Mike Johnson advised against issuing a subpoena to Cassidy Hutchinson in the GOP’s investigation of the January 6 investigation, because that action could trigger the release “disclosure of ‘sexual texts from members who were trying to engage in sexual favors'” with the former Trump aide. (Washington Post)
• The MAGA crowd likes to dine at Butterworth’s, a French bistro in Capitol Hill where there’s no burger on the menu, Raheem Kassam is an investor, and managing partner Bart Hutchins says “There’s not a $5 beer on the menu. I don’t think I’ve ever made a chicken wing in my life.” (WSJ)
One wild real estate listing, by Kate Corliss

Zillow Gone Wild lamented that this Silver Spring listing is nearly a perfect castle—except it doesn’t have a moat. Fact-check: The home does, in fact, feature a 100-foot moat. A footbridge leads over the water, which is filled with koi fish when the weather is warm. The 2004 construction, located at 2702 Martello Dr., also boasts some sick acoustics. “The original owner, from our understanding, was a sound engineer for the Bee Gees,” says listing agent Daniel Kotz of Douglas Elliman. “This was his creation.” In addition to eight bedrooms and seven full bathrooms, the castle offers a four-car garage and two acres of land. This is the first time it’s been on the market since 2022. Before putting it up for sale, the current owner had been renting it out on Airbnb.
Recently on Washingtonian dot com:
After all that speculation that Elon Musk might buy the Line Hotel, he didn’t even send someone to bid on it.
The late Ramsey Clark‘s house in Falls Church is for sale, and other open houses of note this weekend.
Start making your Black History Month plans now.
Take a look at our new print issue. (Or better yet, go pick up a copy! Some of us have kids in college.)
How many of our 100 Very Best Restaurants have you visited? Take the quiz.
The idea for DC’s ranked voting initiative began in a vegetable patch in Northeast DC.
This Fairfax kitchen is where in-the-know Venezuelans buy their tastes of home.
Two lovely weddings: One that featured quotes from “Fleabag” in a reading; a Reagan building wedding that featured lots of calla lilies. (Calla! The word I always miss in Spelling Bee!)
Local news links:
• Trump pardoned Lauren Handy, among other anti-abortion activists. (Washington Post) The move precedes today’s March for Life, where more than 150,000 people are expected. (Washington Post) FLASHBACK: Handy claimed she stored 115 fetuses in her house. She got nearly five years for blocking access to a clinic in DC in 2020.
• The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde says she’ll continue to pray for Trump. (AP)
• DC joined attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over its birthright citizenship executive order. Please don’t ask anyone in District government about it. (Gosh, I hope no one at the White House reads the Washington Post)
• In related news, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser doesn’t want to make Trump into a “boogeyman.” (WBJ)
• How could Trump’s executive orders affect the local real estate market? (Urban Turf)
• A third woman has accused FBI agent Eduardo Valdivia of sexual assault in his tattoo studio. She was 18 at the time of the alleged assault, a charge Valdivia’s lawyers say they doubt the evidence supports. Valdivia shot a passenger on Metro in 2020 and was charged with attempted murder but was acquitted in 2022. (Washington Post)
• A Maryland woman was indicted in the crash that killed Khyree Jackson. (Washington Post)
• Could fanatically well-governed Arlington get even better at government? (ARLnow)
• “Nickel Boys” director RaMell Ross grew up here. (WAMU)
• Arlington man visits Florida, becomes Florida man. (WSVN)
Weekend event picks, by Briana Thomas:
• The pandas will see you now.
• Warren G commemorates the 30th anniversary of Regulate at Howard Theatre.
• FRIDAY! FRIDAY! FRIDAY! SATURDAY! SATURDAY! SATURDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! IT’S MONSTER JAM AT CAPITAL ONE.
See more of Thomas’s picks here.
Did you miss our 100 Very Best Restaurants List? It’s here. If you love your workplace, now’s your chance to nominate it for Washingtonian’s next Great Places to Work contest. Register here to get the ball rolling.
Have a great weekend. See you bright and early Monday.