City Cast DC

Finding local music can be tough - where do you start? Christopher Naoum co-founded Listen Local First to support D.C.’s homegrown music scene and he’s here to share tips and tricks for making the most of it.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE And we’d love to feature you on the show! S...

It’s January, which usually means the cold weather is setting in, the holidays have wrapped up, and maybe you’re feeling a bit blah. But January doesn’t have to be blah! The team is here to share what they’re looking forward to this month for your definitive guide to January in D.C.  Check out D.C.’s Best Underrated Restaurants Observing a dry January? Here’s a guide to non-alcoholic drinks in the...

Bill Nye, yes the science guy, is also a D.C. guy. The legendary science educator is a D.C. native and has recently moved back. We talked with him back in February about how the city has changed, what it was like when he was a kid, and how it shaped him into the Bill Nye we know now. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with...

Pretty much everyone in DC is obsessed with finding a good place to live, including Jamie Manning, the creator behind the popular Instagram and newsletter Exposed Brick. She chatted with us in March to share her tips and tricks for navigating DC’s rental market.  After the interview, executive producer Priyanka Tilve joins us for a conversation sponsored by Children’s National, about the nonprofit...

Virginia Ali, the woman behind one of the most historic D.C. spots, Ben’s Chili Bowl, recently turned 90. So in honor of the many late-night half-smokes Ben’s has served, we are revisiting a conversation Michael and Bridget had with her back in August about the 65 years of history that shaped the iconic D.C. restaurant.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter...

What are D.C.'s most overrated restaurants? Are Georgetown cupcakes actually the best in the city? And How much is too much to pay for a sandwich? In August, Washingtonian food editor Jessica Sidman joined the City Cast crew to debate her collection of 2023 restaurant hot takes. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City...

In our last new episode of the year, we’re turning it over to you, the listeners. What did D.C. do right this year, and where did our city come up short? Bridget and Mike break down everything the city did right and wrong in 2023. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE And we’d love to featu...

Crime has been one of the biggest issues of the year, with high-profile incidents drawing national attention and Congressional intervention. Carjackings and thefts are on the rise all over the District. Emily Davies from the Washington Post is here to tell us where we’ve landed after a year of intense focus on crime – what’s improved, what’s gotten worse, what’s next, and what it means for the cit...

There’s been a vocal contingent of Alexandria residents grumbling about the planned Washington Capitals and Wizards stadium in Potomac Yard since the second it was announced. The Washington Post’s Teo Armus is here to tell us why people are upset and how loudly they’re shouting.  If you want to attend or testify at info sessions and hearings about the new arena, sign up for alerts at monumentalalx...

DC shows up in films and movies all the time, but how many of those projects actually film in the District? Writer Hannah Docter-Loeb tells us how D.C. has historically been short-changed on this and what the city is doing about it. Plus, check out our interview with the creators of “The Americans” about how they approached filming a show set in D.C.  And Bridget wrote up this great article about...

Metro recently released a dire looking budget. Layoffs, fewer trains and stations, and higher fares are all on the table. We sat down with Metro Chief Randy Clarke for his take on what it will take to springboard Metro into the future. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE And we’d love to...

Cuneyt Dil from Axios joins us to analyze the political fallout of the shocking announcement that the Wizards and the Capitals are leaving DC for Virginia . Plus, RIP for DC’s least-beloved old hotel, a move that also tells a story of the city’s troubled downtown. Per usual, our roundups are powered by the stellar local reporting going on: Cuneyt Dil investigates how D.C. lost the Wizards and Capi...

Well, it’s almost official. Ted Leonsis is probably moving the Capitals and Wizards across the river by 2028. Tristan Navera from the Washington Business Journal is here to explain what this means for the future of downtown D.C. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE And we’d love to featur...

Recently, the New York Times put out an itinerary of how to spend 36 hours in D.C. And our team of locals had some feelings on it! So we’ve got some alternate recommendations for the next time your family is in town. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. (TRY TO CHANGE IT UP EVERY TIME) Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE And...

Recently, D.C. police helped bust a fentanyl distribution ring with global impact, and the two-year investigation all started after a young mother here in D.C. died of an overdose. NBC 4’s Mark Segraves is here to explain why fentanyl is becoming a more serious problem in the District, and how it affects you even if you don’t use the drug. Check out these City Cast DC episodes we mentioned:  The V...

Some recently closed restaurants blame crime as a main reason they're closing — but the stats are a little less clear. The man behind the Eat DC social accounts is here to explain what’s up. Read more here on the RAMW testimony to the DC Council. And sign up to be a member of City Cast DC! You’ll get ad-free listening and other members-only perks. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up...

We’re talking about a new surveillance program with D.C. and the feds that’s supposed to target crime. Plus Axios’ Mimi Montgomery breaks down a crazy house explosion in Arlington. And some new policies on everyone’s favorite subject: Snow days. Check out all the great local reporting that powers our roundups: Fox5 has you covered on the new surveillance cameras. Mimi Montgomery from Axios explain...

A new D.C. effort aims to crack down on open-air drug markets. It’s the city government's latest attempt to grapple with the rise in homicides and other crimes. But is this kind of drug dealing actually tied to the spike in violence? Meagan Flynn of the Washington Post has been covering the effort, and she joins us to get the lay of the land Plus become a founding member of City Cast DC!  Want som...

When the temperature drops, it can be tempting to cozy up inside if you don’t love the cold. But Jade Womack of Clockout DC is here to tell us about the fun, charming things to do around town this winter.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE And we’d love to feature you on the show! Share...

D.C. is a special city. There’s so much to do, see, and taste here. And with so much to experience, we wanted to narrow it down to the most transformative of what the city has to offer. In this final installation of our inaugural City Cast 6 awards, we’re diving into the categories of food and drink, business, and sustainability. If you missed part one of this series, listen here or at dc.citycast...

It’s our first annual list of the City Cast 6: A half-dozen people who have changed D.C. in 2023, for better or worse. We’ve assembled a panel of experts and today we’ll hear them vet folks our listeners picked as finalists for honorees in Politics, Literature, and Music. To listen to part two of this series, where we select winners for the categories of Food & Drink, Business & Development, and S...

Alexandria has moved to ban single-family zoning — which is kinda a wonky concept, but one with big implications that ought to matter to you even if you don’t live in Alexandria. Teo Armus of the Washington Post will help explain why. Plus, we're chatting about a new debate over closing Metro for repairs.  And we’ll be ending with a special segment sponsored by the Heurich House, about their annua...

A potential D.C. referendum called Initiative 83 could pave the way for ranked-choice voting in D.C. At first blush, it sounds like a great idea in a city where a dozen or more candidates are apt to divide up the vote in a Council race. Who could be against it? It turns out, quite a few folks! Alex Koma from City Paper is here to walk us through Initiative 83 and its antagonists. Get ad-free podca...

To call the police or not call them? D.C. is exploring alternative emergency responses in the city. How would they work and what would they do? Gloria Gong, Executive Director of the Government Performance Lab at Harvard University is here to explain. Get ad-free podcast listening, insider updates, VIP access at future events, and a shoutout in our newsletter by becoming a member! Want some more D...

Have you ever wondered how long it would take to visit every metro stop on the Metro? Well, these three friends don’t have to wonder. On July 17th, they became DC transit experts after completing a metro speed run — that is, seeing how fast they could get to all 98 stops on the D.C. metro. They’re here today to explain what they learned along the way, and how D.C.’s system compares to other major...