Top Chef: Played out?

Hey, I thought we were supposed to be suffering through the summer doldrums in the District? Not with this amount of news, we aren’t. So let’s waste no time.

• Proof owner Mark Kuller has just entered José Andrés territory with the grand opening of Estadio. [via Metrocurean]
• Pssst, the Secret Safeway is closing. [via Washington Business Journal]

• WaPo‘s Dave McIntyre sees some progress in the local wine movement but still sides with Todd Kliman‘s rebuke from the pulpit, “The Locavore Wine Hypocrisy.” [via All We Can Eat]
• Don’t listen to the corn-syrup lobby; that stuff really is making us fat. [via The Slow Cook]
• D.C.’s Top Chef alumni pick their favorite summer hot dogs. [via Best Bites Blog]
• There’s only one A student among the federal cafeterias, despite new government guidelines to promote healthier eating at its facilities. [via WaPo]
• DCist has a great photo spread on L’Enfant Cafe’s Bastille Day block party in Adams Morgan. We have just two words for you: French maids! Well, sort of. [via DCist]
• And finally, Josh  Ozersky wonders if Top Chef is played out. [via Time magazine]