A morning roundup of news, opinion, and links from City Paper and around the District. Send tips and ideas to citydesk@washingtoncitypaper.com.

Bars and restaurants often turn to cocktail consultants to plan their beverage menus. Cocktail masters enjoy the chance to exercise their creativity by designing drinks for different menus. The trouble comes when bars and restaurants don’t execute the drink menus well.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS: 

  • Two teens from Burundi’s six-person robotics team fled to Canada. [Post, WUSA9]

  • Attorneys argue history in fight over the future of a plaza in Adams Morgan. [WAMU]

  • Elon Musk says he’ll get you from D.C. to NYC in 29 minutes. [WBJ, NBC4, FOX5]

  • Extreme heat will last through the weekend; chances of thunder showers. [NBC4, Post]

  • Crosswalk and speed bumps installed where 6-year-old boy was hit and killed. [FOX5]

  • Study shows Metro workers are paid the same as their counterparts in other cities. [Post]

  • Remembering the life and legacy of Anacostia activist Theresa Howe Jones. [WAMU]

  • YouTube TV live streaming service is coming to D.C. [WBJ]

  • A shark named Hilton is swimming toward Maryland. He weighs 1,326 pounds. [Post]

  • Maryland employs goats to mow highway medians. [Post]

RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Jeffrey Anderson (tips? jeff.anderson@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Judge orders new elections for Metro’s transit union. [Times]

  • Pepco to up grid capacity to keep pace with population growth. [Current]

  • Racine joins state AGs trying to preserve rights for immigrants who arrived as children. [Post]

  • Grosso moves to reform school discipline policies. [Post]

  • Predatory speed trap nets $20 million for the city, annually. [WUSA9]

  • D.C. to test science-based think tank to solve city problems. [WAMU]

ARTS LINKS, by Matt Cohen (tips? mcohen@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Paperhaus sign with Misra Records, announce new album, and premiere music video for its first single. [Billboard]

  • Humble Fire talk about their new album and how D.C. influences their music. [DC Music Download]

  • D.C. area native comedian Brandon Wardellreturns home for a show at The Kennedy Center. [Washingtonian]

  • Watch Rare Essence perform a Tiny Desk Concert. [NPR Music]

  • Watch Priests tear the house down at Pitchfork Festival. [YouTube]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Laura Hayes (tips? lhayes@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • To what lengths have you gone to get that perfect Instagram food photo? [WCP]

  • Did you know José Andrés occasionally raps? [Washingtonian]

  • Imm Thaiopens in the former Chao Ku space. [Eater]

  • Dishes you probably haven’t tried at Union Market. [DC Refined]

  • Saints Row Brewing coming to Montgomery County. [Bethesda Mag]

HOUSING COMPLEX LINKS, by Andrew Giambrone (tips? agiambrone@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Could D.C. create more arts space through pop-ups on to-be-developed parcels? [WCP]

  • Gentrification or poor administration? Soccer permits cause neighborhood racket. [DCist]

  • Real estate giants JBG Cos. and Vornado complete merger, start trading stock. [Bisnow]

  • Lobbying firm leases large office space at the Southwest Wharf redevelopment. [Bisnow]

  • Huge mansion in Massachusetts Avenue Heights sells for $14 million, to Morocco. [WBJ]

  • Proposed World War I Memorial, to go in Pershing Park, gets scaled down. [Curbed DC]

  • Transit activists call for H Street NW bus lane and Pennsylvania Avenue bikeway. [GGW]

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