Extra, extra ... The 51st is here

Hey D.C., it’s time to wake up – September has ended and we're here with the first-ever edition of The 51st. We know! This is crazy! We can't believe it either! Your new favorite worker-led newsletter has taken its first breaths in this world. From now on, you can expect to hear from us every Thursday around lunchtime, delivering a hearty, balanced, and only sometimes nauseating (we don't make the news) plate of local stories to your inbox. 

For our inaugural dispatch, we’ve got a run-down of D.C. Council happenings, a take on Love Is Blind D.C. (sorry, we had to), a jam-packed agenda of fall events, and much more. Keep scrolling for our first Ask a D.C. Native column, a round-up of civic engagement opportunities this month, and a special request of you, our readers. 

And if you like what you see here, go ahead and forward this newsletter to a friend. It would make our day — and maybe theirs. 

Happy reading!
Colleen Grablick

The D.C.Council is back, but not better than ever

What we're following as the CMs wrap up a fraught legislative session.

We’re back on the local politics beat, the D.C. Council has returned to the Wilson Building, and one of the District’s elected leaders is mired in an FBI scandal… time is a flat circle! 

To catch you (and ourselves) up, we’ve rounded up some of the big issues to watch as the councilmembers pack their calendars with hearings and votes. This fall marks the end of the two-year legislative session, meaning any bills that don’t move forward will need to be reintroduced in the next session. 

Of course, there is one particularly large elephant on the dais this October, and that is the future of Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White.

Federal officials arrested White in August over allegations that he schemed to accept $156,000 in bribes to help a local businessman gain new contracts with the city. White faces a trial that could take place in 2025 and threatens him with more than a decade in prison. While his colleagues were quick to profess that White remains innocent until proven guilty under the law, his political career is a different story. On their first day back, the council voted to remove White as chair of his committees and created an Ad Hoc committee to investigate the allegations and propose sanctions. On the light end, the committee could recommend a censure or reprimand, the legislative equivalent of a stern scolding. More seriously, it could recommend that White be booted from the council altogether – a la Jack Evans.

This all comes as White prepares for re-election this November. If he’s expelled this fall after winning re-election, White would simply rejoin the council next January. Chairman Phil Mendelson says he’d like to avoid that by simply pushing any possible vote on expulsion until after White is sworn in for his third term, but even if White is ultimately ousted, nothing would stop him from running for his old seat in the required special election in the spring.  

In addition to all of that, there's actual legislating to be done — some of which is already underway. This week lawmakers passed legislation that attempts to help some of the workers (crowd cheers!) left high and dry by Bowser and DDOT's decision to phase out the Circulator (crowd boos), and, in a rare moment of true collaboration (crowd squints skeptically) Bowser and Mendo penned emergency legislation that removes eviction protections for struggling renters (crowd boos again.)

Catch up on all of this and more.

7 things I can't stop thinking about after watching the Love is Blind episode drop

Leo’s ill-fitting pants, Nick D claiming Henry Cavill as a celebrity doppelgänger, Monica’s unfazed reaction to Stephen calling her a “mutt,” and more thoughts from 51st writer Natalie Delgadillo.

The day has finally arrived. After literal years of waiting, Netflix released the first six episodes of its D.C. season of Love is Blind on Wednesday, Oct. 2. 

I’m telling you perfunctorily, because there’s absolutely no way you didn’t know that already. The content has been contenting. There are games and events and stories galore. Twitter (X, I guess) is alight. We are a city crazed for Love is Blind. 

And, frankly, who can blame us? This is good entertainment. I myself have read pretty much every word that’s been written about this show, and binged all six initial episodes (a couple in the company of my fellow editors at The 51st). 

If you, like me, can’t bring yourself to read another cast member biography, perhaps I can interest you in a different sort of article: One comprised completely of my own thoughts and opinions, intensified by the harrowing four hours I just spent immersed in this alternate reality.

Here’s some stuff I can’t get out of my head, for better or worse (mainly worse). 

All the meaningful shots of cast members eating large meals

It has to be discussed. Cast members have accused Love is Blind producers in legal proceedings of depriving them of food and water and plying them with alcohol during filming. There were more shots this season than I ever remember seeing of contestants eating, and I have to believe it was intentional. 

Leo’s ill-fitting pants

As this respected local art baron graciously informs us more times than I care to remember, he is extremely “financially blessed.” Why, then, did he constantly look like he just had a growth spurt? I understand – sometimes when you sit, the pant leg comes up and exposes an ankle. But Leo was showing calf. I have no idea how to account for this decision-making and came away having decided it was purposeful. Perhaps it’s a fashion trend exclusive to the upper echelons. 

22 spooky, pumpkin-centric, otherwise-autumn-themed events for your fall calendar

Humidity, mosquitos, and sunburns are out; leaf peeping, turtlenecks, and haunted corn mazes are in. Fall in the District is a special time of year, full of cider donuts, pumpkin patches, and the occasional government shutdown. Here’s our guide to making the most of it – including festivals, concerts, cemetery tours, and So. Many. Oktoberfests.

Seasonal classics

OCTOBER 10 

National Gallery Nights’ Día de los Muertos Celebration
Set your alarms! These events are so popular (and committed to equal access) that you have to enter a lottery to get in. On October 10 celebrate Día de los Muertos with the Afro-Mexican beats of East Los Angeles’s Las Cafeteras, folk arts and crafts, and Latino art throughout the gallery. (National Gallery of Art, East Building;6-9 pm, FREE)

OCTOBER 19-20

Georgetown Fall Market
This event has everything you need to get you into the fall spirit – pumpkin painting, face painting, live music, and cozy fall food specialties. When you’re finished with the market, wander down Georgetown’s cobblestone streets, or visit Dumbarton Oaks for peak fall foliage. (3217 P Street NW; 11am-4pm; FREE) 

OCTOBER 19-20

Mount Vernon Fall Harvest Festival
Turn back the clock and experience an 18th-century fall at George Washington’s historic home. Learn how horseshoes were made, sample bread freshly baked in a traditional clay oven, and help make soap the same way they did in the 1700s. (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, Virginia; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Kids $11, Adults $24)

12 things to do around D.C. this weekend

The air is getting crisper but there’s still plenty more outdoor fun to wring out of the year, including afternoon dance parties, picnics with wine, and roads closed to traffic so bikers and pedestrians can wander free. If you’re looking for something cozier, there’s also events for bookworms, poetry lovers, and theater geeks. 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3
Dance For All @ Dupont Underground
Ballet? Underground? That’s right. This immersive world of dance was dreamt up by The Washington Ballet’s new artistic director Edwaard Liang. Set to the Emmy award-winning melodies of composer Blake Neely, this singular experience will unfold in the abandoned tunnels under Dupont Circle all weekend long. (Dupont Underground; 7:30 p.m. on October 3,4,5, and 3:00 p.m. on October 5; $25-$50)

Pridetoberfest at Wunder Garten
In D.C. there’s always a reason to celebrate Pride, including as part of Wunder Garten’s month-long Oktoberfest programming. On Mean Girls Day (“On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was”), catch award-winning drag performer Every Pleasure and L. Rogers, a contestant on this year’s The Voice, and hit the dance floor courtesy of DJ Glen North. (Wunder Garten; 6:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.; FREE)

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
Theatre Week
Kick off thespian season with discounted shows, including a Tony Award winner about a Harlem salon, a Prince-George’s-County-based play about a self-proclaimed “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group,” and a political satire starring Matthew Broderick. (Multiple venues; Various times; $20, $40, or $60)

Mount Vernon Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour
Watch the sun slip below the Potomac as you sip Virginia varietals and listen to live music on the East Lawn of George Washington’s historic home. Take a special after-hours tour of the mansion and enjoy food from the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant at this weekend-long event. (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, Virginia; 6 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.; $50-$60)

Ask a D.C. native: What's the best carryout in D.C.?

Welcome to our inaugural "Ask a D.C. native" column, where an expert answers your questions about the city we all love. This week, Christina Sturdivant Sani addresses a topic of high interest: carryouts.

For me, this answer is a no-brainer. But I should start by stating a couple of things. 

First, I won’t assume everyone knows what a carryout is. For the uninitiated, it’s typically an Asian-run food establishment where you literally have to carry your food out because there’s no place to sit and eat. They usually offer signature American Chinese dishes, subs, and breakfast options. 

But what most D.C. natives are drawn to is their fried chicken wings and fries with a slathering of mambo sauce—a condiment akin to barbecue sauce, ketchup, or sweet and sour sauce. But don’t be mistaken, every carryout has its own version of mambo sauce. I repeat: Each Recipe Is Not Created Equally! Before even indulging, mambo sauce connoisseurs can predict whether it’s a good batch based on its consistency and shade of red. This, among other reasons, is why you can favor one carryout over another. 

Second, the thing about D.C. carryouts is that they’re scattered across neighborhoods like corner stores and gas stations. You don’t have to travel across town for a good one—typically, you can find your favorite within a 5-block radius and call it a day. So while I’ve frequented a lot of carryouts over the years, I have not visited every single one in the city. Therefore, this recommendation is based on a dozen or so spots I’ve tried.

Now, without further ado, the best carryout in D.C. is…

What I ate around D.C. this week

In our recurring Arts & Eats series, we’ll tap a plugged-in local to take us on a D.C. tour de food (or arts). For our inaugural column, D.C. food writer and content creator Cornelia Poku cataloged a week of eating focused on familiarity, comfort, and friends.

At the beginning of the week, a content creator friend of mine (it pays to have friends in high places) invited me to dinner at Cuba Libre in Gallery Place, where we were treated to an immaculate multi-course meal to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. After a couple of margaritas, we downed their Cuban pork feast — pork cooked three ways. We had guava barbecue ribs, glazed grilled pork belly, and slow-roasted pork shoulder, all served with rice, beans, and sweet fried plantains. (Until Oct 15, any order of the Cuban pork feast comes with a free dessert.) We were absolutely stuffed. 

Later in the week, I made my way to Cotton and Reed near Union Market for a friend’s birthday.

Our team is mighty but small; we can't cover it all! Here's what you might've missed this week...

• The Washington Teachers' Union and D.C. Public Schools reached a tentative agreement. [Washington Informer]

• The founder of Life Deeds, a nonprofit serving vulnerable D.C. residents, was allegedly the FBI informant in the Trayon White bribery case. [Post]

• The opening of The Aston, a new shelter in Ward 2 that predictably rustled West End NIMBY feathers, has been delayed again. [GW Hatchet]

• Welcome to the District of Pupusas. [Washington Post]

• Why has it been so rainy and grey? [Capital Weather Gang]

• But if rainy and grey is your thing: a round-up of spooky literary events around D.C. [WCP]

• In more D.C. lit news. [NBC4]

• Let's go Cumbia Heights! [The Wash]

The Washrag

A look at D.C. mess – either IRL or online.

It appears the girls (holiday markets) are fighting? Damn...they really will come up with anything to take attention away from Tiny Timber.

It’s the end of the line for the DC Circulator. What are your best/worst/most noteworthy memories on this storied bus service?

On Oct. 1, DDOT began its “planned phase down” of the DC Circulator, which runs six routes around downtown D.C. and Rosslyn for a $1 fare. The Circulator has existed since 2005 – plenty of time to become a character part in the lives and dramas of D.C. residents. Did you meet your partner on the Circulator? Make a new friend? Have a good cry? Experience a harrowing moment of existential dread?

We want to hear about it. Email us at hello@51st.news.

Meet our team: Natalie Delgadillo

It takes a village to make The 51st. We’ll occasionally dedicate some space in this newsletter to introducing a member of the team.

What’s your relationship to D.C.? Are you from the area, and if not, why did you move here?

I’m from L.A. originally and like many people I came out here for work. That was nine years ago – safe to say I liked it. 

What do you love about local news, and why did you decide to become a co-founder of The 51st?

I got into local news when I became a staff writer at DCist in 2018. I loved writing about my own community because I felt like I could really see the impact of my work. There’s something uniquely satisfying about it, in my experience. When DCist was shuttered, I thought I would be done and figure out something else to do. But then I thought, if we have the chance to create a worker-led outlet focused on serving D.C., we should go for it. I was super inspired by Hell Gate and Defector and other models like this, and I figured someone has to do it here – may as well be us. 

Your civics download

You’ll find this handy guide to public meetings at the bottom of every edition of The 51st. We’ll refine and improve along the way! So if you think we’re missing resources or you have trouble making sense of something we’ve included, please reply to this email with your suggestions or questions.

The D.C. Council will consider a bill Tuesday (10/8) at 12 p.m that would limit how much landlords can charge tenants who want to have a pet, AND that would require at least one city homeless shelter to allow pets by 2026. 

The next day (10/9) at 9:30 a.m., the council’s Committee on Health will hear public input on a bill that would require public schools to have a minimum of 30 hours per week of nursing coverage. 

Also on Wednesday (10/9) at 1 p.m., the D.C. Housing Authority Stabilization and Reform Board will convene at 1 p.m. The agenda is here, you can watch the meeting via Facebook Live on DCHA’s page, and you can sign up to speak here at least 24 hours in advance. (Need some background on what this board is? No problem, you can find that here.)

So that’s all for now. We hope you read something that informed you, delighted you, or angered you in a productive way. You can head to our website to read all of these stories in full. Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend, and I could not be more excited to say…see you next week! 

Take care,
Colleen Grablick