Industry Night with Nycci Nellis

You’ve heard Nycci say food is her profession but fashion is her passion — can we put fashion and home design under the same umbrella? On the next Industry Night, Nycci takes today’s design aesthetic with Mariel Heredia, Director of Design for Van Metre Homes & Jill Switzer, Creative Director, Eleanor Thomas Studio. But first, Lena Galperina the Visitor Experience Director at Artechouse takes us o...

Festival season has been on hiatus but guess what? It is making its way back. Snallygaster the beast of a beer festival, roars back into DC October 9. On the next Industry Night, one of the masterminds of Snalley, Greg Engert joins Nycci along with Adrien Widman, of Ocelot Brewing and Rachael Marie, Executive Chef of Slice Joint. But first, what is happening in Bethesda?! No longer a sleepy suburb...

On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks with her good friend Amanda McClements of Salt & Sundry fame. Amanda has built a mini lifestyle empire over the last 10 years by infusing her impeccable aesthetic with accessible pieces. They chat retail during all phases of the pandemic and how local retail survives and thrives, especially since she has a new Salt & Sundry pop-up now in Bethesda. And it’s K...

So in Nycci’s previous life, she was a total club girl. Limelight in NYC, M80 in Boston Club Zei in DC. The good ol’ days. What is the status of clubs and “clubbing” today in DC? What has the pandemic done to DC’s ever-growing nightlife? Industry veteran Beau Biabani joins Nycci on the next Industry Night to talk about his new hot spots, the music, the vibe, and the drinks. Grab your dancing shoes...

On the next Industry night, Nycci talks with Shari Wallack, author of from Hell to Challah. Like all of us, Shari went through her own journey during the height of the pandemic and was able o make it through via good people and baking. Also making it through by truly helping others, Nicole Brassington a nurse practitioner who co-founded Bespoke Global Health Initiatives an organization that suppor...

On the next Industry Night, the RAMMY nominations were announced, a new mask mandate has been made and so much more intel from RAMW’s Kathy Hollinger. And, Shane Pomajambo, owner, designer, and art curator of newly opened, WHINO in Ballston Quarter chats this new destination location that mixes food, drinks, and art/art collectibles. Artists, Aaron “Woes” Martin & Rodrigo Pradel join the conversat...

Many of you may think Nycci is all about Gluttony — all the good food and even better drink. Part of that is true but she is really about living well. And sometimes that involves good wine, sometimes it involves decadent food and sometimes a trip away or just a great pair of shoes. Don’t be so myopic people — there are so many ways to live well On today’s Industry Night, Esosa E — aka the Raw Girl...

On the next Industry Night, Dr. Travis Parno and his team from Historic Saint Mary’s City recently discovered the St. Mary’s Fort and other artifacts recovered during the excavations — he takes us on his dig. But first, Mark Bucher is back talking about the incredible growth of Feed the Fridge, the D.C.-based program that’s turning food insecurity into meal security. That’s Industry Night, Tuesday...

On the next Industry Night, Nycci chats with Carla Sanchez of @SpicyCandyDC fame who is now introducing the DC Are to her Bolivian heritage via the recently launched Casa Kantuta. Casa Kantuta takes visitors on a culinary and cultural experience thanks to Maria Helena, owner of Saya Sal, and mixologist Luis Aliaga. That's Industry Night, Tuesdays at 7pm on RealFunDC .

There has been a lot of talk about the staffing shortages in the Restaurant Industry. On the next Industry Night, Nycci Talks with Tim Banks, associate professor and department chair for the Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies at Howard Community College and Howard Community College student and cake business owner. Rachel Carver. The problem can not be fixed without education. But first, a...

Do you ever go to an area and think — how did they do this? The Navy yard, the Washington Harbor, Georgetown Park, Buzzards Point — are but a few examples of areas that legit did not exist in the flesh but did exist in some pretty magical minds. On the next Industry Night, Nycci chats with Herbert Miller of Western Development Corporation, Michael Stevens with the Capitol Riverfront BID, and Greg...

There are a lot of changes out there. What does it look like for retail in the DC Area? How do we make sure that our city’s streets stay vibrant with diverse and interesting retail? On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks retail retention with the experts: executive director of the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), Leona Agourdis, Philippe Lanier, one of the top commercial real...

On the next Industry Night on Real Fun DC, Nycci talks with wine importer, Estebe Salgado & winemaker of Bodegas Arrayan, Maite Sánchez Márquez about the terroir and tastes of Spanish wines. But first, Nycci catches up on the latest restaurant openings and Rammy info with RAMW’s Kathy Hollinger.

On the next Industry Night, magical botanicals -- elixirs, crystals, overall health — are overall of interest to Nycci and fortunately, Deb Shaffer of enchanted botanicals takes us on her journey from breast cancer survivor to an arbiter of wellness. But first, Nycci talks with aureate and activist Tony Lewis, Jr. activist and author Tony Lewis Jr. As a community leader, and re-entry expert, Tony...

Just because restaurants are ALLOWED to be at100-percent it doesn’t mean that they can. Pre pandemic there was a growing staffing crisis and almost post-pandemic not enough employees to staff all the hospitality establishments. On the next Industry night, Nycci is joined by Kathy Hollinger of RAMW, hospitality industry recruiter, Chris Floyd of Capital Restaurant Resources, Hollis Wells Silverman,...

When Wolfgang Pick announced he was going to open a Cut steakhouse in the Rosewood hotel a few years back there was the usual Foodie backlash —- another steakhouse! But let’s be honest — DC is known as a steakhouse town but we really don’t have many — and especially good ones. So when Cut opened there was a collective sigh that a hip and hospitable steakhouse was here — but then there was a fire a...

It will surprise no one to learn that stereotypes & unconscious bias are rampant in the hospitality Industry. Enter Empowering The Diner an educational events series that aims to empower diners to have better experiences in restaurants. On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks with long-time local hospitality professionals Erica Christian & Kapri Robinson. And, Carlos Rice & Darris Dameron, the dyn...

On the next Industry Night, Nycci talks with chefs Paolo Dungca & Chef Tom Cunanan about DC and how it has always been a haven for cuisines and cultures that were not readily available in other American cities. In the last 10 years that notion has exploded in a variety of ways. Not only are more options available but the execution has been elevated. And, RAMW’s Kathy Hollinger is back to explain t...

On the next Industry Night, Michelin stars have dropped around DC, and the North American Chief Inspector (anonymous!) talks about who is in and who is out. Chef Ryan Ratino is in! Retaining the one-star at Bresca and earning two stars at his recently opened Jônt, Ryan talks about the business of receiving these kinds of accolades. Lindera Farms has a cult-like following and forager/producer Danie...

On Industry Night, Nycci catches up with the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s President, Kathy Hollinger about the status of the restaurants during Covid and how they are going to deal with the next hurdle, staffing. And, Nycci takes a deeper dive into the making of the area’s first retailer that’ mission is to discover and appreciate, Black-owned, lifestyle and home goods brand...

On the next Industry Night, one thing the pandemic has made crystal clear is that our outside space is sacred. Jessica Petrino from appliance experts AjMadison, landscape architect, Robert Bell of Bell Design, Inc., and lighting specialist, Reed Libby from Affordable Sprinklers join Nycci Nellis to talk about creating an outdoor oasis. But first, Moon Rabbit's Kevin Tien shares his experience as a...

On the next Industry Night, chef/owner Danny Lee, (of some of DC’s most loved restaurants, Mandu, Chiko, Anju), shares his experience as an Asian American & offers guidance on what we can all do to put a stop to racism & hate. Later in the show, Nycci says goodbye to Rosé all day and hello to Sake with DC Sake Co's Reiko Hirai.

Have you been invited to join Clubhouse? What is this new social media phenomena and why should you be on it? On the next Industry Night, Rita Goodroe, International speaker and business strategist talks why who, what, where and how Clubhouse is the next great networking platform. Erik Bruner-Yang pops back to revisit "Pandemic Year in Review" & his Power of 10 Initiative’s evolvement. Industry Ni...

It’s been a year since the pandemic shut us down. On the next Industry Night, Nycci Nellis goes on a data discovery mission on the industry’s numbers with MarginEdge’s co-founder, Bo Davis, and owner of Ford’s Fish Shacks Tony Stafford. RealFunDC’s Tommy McFly pops in with a Cherry Blossom Festival updates.

During these pandemic times, as discussed on this show often, businesses have had to pivot and swivel and contort themselves in all sorts of ways to survive with hopes of thriving. Elliot Spaisman of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Valerie Zweig of RX Chicken & Maria Iturralde of Saya Salteña joins Nycci on Industry Night to chat about Collaborative Kitchen spaces. Kathy Hollinger of the Restaura...