Here on the land of the Nacotchtank and the Piscataway People

Welcome back from the long weekend, D.C. If you didn’t get Monday off, there are still ways to honor Indigenous existence in the U.S., from virtual fun runs with the Indigenous led grassroots org Rising Hearts, or here in D.C. Beyond the National Museum of the American Indian, the winner of Best Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art, recently opened its first show of Indigenous art in 30 years. Artist and activist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith is a Citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation and the curator behind The Land Carries Our Ancestors, which includes works from nearly 50 contemporary Native artists.

D.C.’s Newest Starr

City Paper’s Nevin Martell recently visited the latest restaurant from Stephen Starr, El Presidente. While the D.C. restaurateur is best known for the French fare at the runner-up for the Best Restaurant When Someone Else Pays, Le Diplomate, El Presidente pays homage to the cuisine of Mexico City. Starr is also the mastermind behind two other Mexican inspired hot spots, Philly’s El Vez and El Rey.

Martell breaks down El Presidente’s offerings, starting on a “splurgey note with a seafood tower” before digging into its extensive list of “playful” tacos. His favorite? The mahi-mahi, but all “arrived tightly wrapped in flour tortillas, each daintily tied up tight with corn husk threads like a present waiting to be opened.”

News & Events

• There’s no mistaking it now, the weather has officially turned into fall. Kick off the season in Georgetown at the neighborhood’s Fall Market, running Oct. 14—15. Food and craft vendors will take over the streets, including Friends of the Georgetown Library, which hosts a used book sale all weekend. If you’re in need of a new book recommendation, check out City Paper’s roundup of local reads.

• For the fall festival you maybe didn’t know you should be attending: Voted the Best Arts & Culture Festival, the Turkish Festival takes place this Sunday, Oct. 15, on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd and 7th streets.
• It’s a match made in D.C. heaven: Runner-up for Best Drag Performer Tara Hoot teams up with finalist for the Best Vegan Restaurant Sticky Fingers for Cooking’s a Drag. Hoot will lead a cooking demonstration for vegan tater tot casserole and fall cocktails on Sunday, Oct. 15, at Sticky Fingers Diner on H Street Northeast.
• Calico is making great use of the space that earned them a finalist spot for Best Outdoor Bar. At the third annual Late Harvest Festival this Sunday, Oct. 15, guests can pick pumpkins from Calico’s own patch to decorate them at the Blagden Alley bar.
• Last week, we spotlighted some of the city’s best spots for an autumnal caffeine fix, but there’s one more to add to the mix: H Street Northeast’s new Filipino spot, Hiraya. The all-day eatery opened at the end of September and its coffee menu caught our eye. Hiraya’s cold brew is infused with pumpkin spice, and house-made syrups like the caramelized banana-and-brown sugar Turon bring the warm flavors of fall into your latte. Just one more great addition to the Best Three-Block Span for Food and Drinks.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW D.C.’S BEST?

Congratulations to WCP readers Cherie N., Thu N., Ming P., Andre B., and Chloe L. for being the first five to guess correctly on last week’s question!

Now, for this week’s Best of D.C. trivia question:

If you pop into Georgetown for the Fall Market this weekend, you might notice a new addition to the neighborhood. The area is more known for luxe dining and boutique shopping than grocery stores, but one DMV chain—and Best of D.C. finalist—opened a new branch there this spring, expanding market options.

What’s the store’s name and in what Best of D.C. category can you find it?

The first five readers to send in the correct name and category will get a shoutout and a WCP tote bag. Good luck!

Congratulations to WCP readers Andre B. and Alexandra H. for getting the answer!

Over at the Frankenstein Place

Earlier this year, WCP contributor Abby Grifno wrote about The Sonic Transducers, a large crew and shadow cast who act out the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Landmark’s E Street Cinema. The Transducers perform every second weekend of the month, and the Rocky Horror soundtrack is always great, but October feels like the perfect time to catch a show. The makeup, costumes, and gothic scenes scream spooky season. The Sonic Transducers perform Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14. 

The cast speak to Grifno about what initially drew them to join the show, and what keeps them coming back every month. “I’m really passionate about making sure that there is always someplace where people who don’t really belong anywhere else have a place to go,” Leandra Lynn, the host of D.C.’s show and Rocky Horror historian, tells Grifno. “That was always Rocky for me.”

Check out all of our Best of D.C. winners, runners-up, and finalists here. We’ll see you in two weeks for the next edition!