What's With Washington

The city's chances at statehood have improved in 2021, but there’s still one big obstacle: the filibuster. This is a special bonus episode of 51st, from WAMU's What's With Washington. To support the show, visit wamu.org/supportwhatswith.

Join Mikaela for another night of virtual trivia on November 19th! Test your knowledge of the Washington region along with special guest Rachel Kurzius of DCist. You’ll also get a chance to win a pair of What’s With Washington argyle socks. The trivia event is on Thursday, Nov. 19 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. ET. It’s free and open to everyone. To participate, please pre-register at wamu.org/events by Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. All registered participants will receive an email with instructions on how to connect on Zoom. Live closed captioning service will be provided.

Join Mikaela for another night of What’s With Washington Virtual Trivia on October 1st! Test your knowledge of the Washington region’s history, geography, culture and ...hint hint... D.C.’s push for statehood during this live Zoom event. You’ll also get a chance to win a pair of What’s With Washington socks. The event is on Thursday, October 1, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. ET. The event is free and open to everyone. To participate, we ask that you pre-register on wamu.org/events by 5 p.m. on October 1st (The event is free, but donations are welcome!). All registered participants will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to our virtual event on Zoom. Live closed captioning service will be provided. Register now at wamu.org/events. See you then!

Calling all D.C. trivia nerds! It’s time to test your knowledge and face off in WAMU’s first-ever virtual trivia event! Join Mikaela Lefrak on Thursday, May 14 from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. for live, D.C.-themed trivia. Test your knowledge of D.C. history, sports, culture and quirks in this free, community-building event that’s open to everyone. To participate, we ask that you pre-register on Eventbrite by 3 p.m. on May 14 (The event is free, but donations are welcome!). All registered participants will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to our virtual event. Register now at wamu.org/events.

To see the latest coronavirus coverage, visit WAMU.org and DCist.com. We're updating our stories around the clock. We've also created a Facebook group. To join, search for "D.C. Area Coronavirus Updates" on Facebook. The reporters behind What's With Washington have been hustling to cover COVID-19 in every way they can, and in this episode, we're highlighting some of their work. Daniella Cheslow, WAMU's power and influence reporter, joins Mikaela to break down a question many of us are asking: Why is it taking so long to get lots of people tested? Then, we look for ways to help our community and our region with stories from Elliot Williams, Maureen Pao, Jonquilyn Hill and Eliza Berkon. More details on how to help: Mikaela Lefrak (Arts and Culture Reporter, WAMU) talked about how you can donate blood at your local hospital. Elliot Williams (Staff Writer, DCist) talked about the Mutual Aid network for Wards 7 and 8. You can also access the Mutual Aid Network's spreadsheet (bit.ly/dcmutualaidspreadsheet) or connect on Facebook. Maureen Pao (Reporter, WAMU) talked about how you can donate non-perishable food items or volunteer with The Capital Area Food Bank (www.capitalareafoodbank.org). Jonquilyn Hill (Producer, 1A and WAMU Podcasts) talked about how the Homeless Children's Playtime Project (playtimeproject.org) is putting together playsets for kids living in shelters. You can support their work by making a donation. Eliza Berkon (Reporter, WAMU's Affordability Desk) talked about buying a gift card to your favorite local restaurants and donating to D.C.'s Virtual Tip Jar.

The former Iranian Embassy and ambassador's residence on D.C.'s Embassy Row have been boarded up for decades. But recently, a listener noticed construction outside one of them, and asked us to investigate. The story of the mansions involves wild '70s parties, the Iranian Revolution, and a landlord you wouldn't expect: the U.S. State Department. Monna Kashfi, the executive producer of WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi Show and an Iranian politics expert, joins the show. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To ask a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

A few weeks ago, What’s With Washington went on the road (to NPR’s D.C. headquarters, that is) for our first ever live event. We talked about what makes a good What’s With Washington question! There was a muralist! And there was a Washington-region trivia quiz! Host Mikaela Lefrak grilled WAMU and DCist reporters on their Washington knowledge. On this episode of What's With Washington, highlights from our live event. Take our listener survey: whatswith.org/survey If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

You've seen the terrible drivers and empty store shelves. But is there a deeper reason why Washingtonians can't handle the snow? Or are we just wimps about winter weather? WAMU editor and Midwesterner Letese' Clark joins Mikaela to figure out the basis for our snow panic. Then Mikaela finds some real winter joy with photojournalist and Southerner Tyrone Turner. Take our listener survey: whatswith.org/survey If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

What’s with the height limit on D.C. buildings? And if there were no limit, would the city be more affordable? Mikaela Lefrak gets a view from the top…of the Washington National Cathedral! Then, WAMU's chief zoning nerd Martin Austermuhle shares the history of this complicated rule and how it impacts affordable housing in the District. You're invited to our live event on January 28th at NPR Headquarters! For more information and tickets, visit wamu.org/events. Take our listener survey: whatswith.org/survey If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

Stymied by dating in the District, a listener wonders if her chances will improve when Amazon brings new jobs -- and perhaps an influx of dating prospects -- to the DMV. Business and Development reporter Ally Schweitzer speculates about whether the gender ratio will change and Mikaela phones a friend in Seattle to understand how Amazon has changed the other Washington. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. Take our listener survey: whatswith.org/survey

Not everyone in D.C. is a white collar square, but nonetheless, ill-fitting navy suits and Ann Taylor Loft dresses are what come to mind when you imagine a “D.C. uniform.” Where does this stereotype come from, and is it even true? Mikaela Lefrak and 1A producer Jonquilyn Hill hit the streets to check out local fashion and figure out if D.C.’s retail clothing game has hit a ceiling. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

What does it mean to "buy seasonal" in the D.C. area? A listener seeks a guide to the region's local produce, and to answer, reporter Esther Ciammachilli takes us on a tour of the region’s agricultural economy, from a Virginia farm to a D.C. restaurant that uses only ingredients they can buy directly from farmers. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

As far as neighborhoods go, Georgetown has a bad rap...for public transit. The usual refrain? Georgetown residents didn't want a Metro station because they thought it would introduce crime to their community. Transportation reporter Jordan Pascale takes several field trips and joins Mikaela to explain the REAL reasons why Georgetown has no Metro station. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

A listener asks whether D.C. has any "iconic" foods -- since Maryland's got the blue crab and Virginia has ham. Dish City hosts Ruth Tam and Patrick Fort join Mikaela to deconstruct the idea that our city has no iconic foods. Then, the group shares some crabs and learns why the ham is so important to the state of Virginia. You can learn more about D.C.'s foods on Dish City, available wherever you get your podcasts. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith.

As a musical genre, go-go is hard to capture with words. But walking through D.C., its beats are instantly recognizable. Mikaela and All Things Considered Host Jonathan Wilson dig into go-go's history and legacy, and DCist Senior Editor Rachel Kurzius talks about recent efforts to suppress go-go and the resounding "nope" that is the Don't Mute D.C. movement. Bonus: We head to the go-go to check out W.H.A.T. Band. If you LOVE What's With Washington, become a member! Head to wamu.org/donate to support the show and more great podcasts from WAMU. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. Songs in this episode: "Mr. Magic" by Chuck Brown "Da Butt" by Experience Unlimited "Bouncin' Around" by Sirius Company "Hello" (Adele Cover) by Backyard Band

Despite its name, this once-popular dessert doesn't include a single vegetable. It does, however, share its name with one of D.C.'s most famous buildings. In this mini episode, Mikaela and editor Gabe Bullard dive into the retro delicacy's history and explore how it got its distinctive name. There's also a taste test (beware: mouth sounds abound). Season 2 launches October 29. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

Daycare is so expensive some parents are postponing their plans to have kids. Elly Yu and Martin Austermuhle join Mikaela to demystify the hidden costs of childcare in the DMV. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

A listener wants to know why the Maryland flag is such a mesmerizing mess, leading Mikaela to look into the three main flags of the DMV. DCist's Rachel Sadon tries to figure out why the district's flag is everywhere and vexillologist Jack Lowe joins Mikaela to share some history and explain what his title even means. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

When a listener writes in asking why the National Zoo doesn't have a wombat, you can count on Mikaela to confront the zookeepers about their decision-making. Then, Poncie Rutsch joins Mikaela to talk about the surprising history of the National Zoo. Hint: It includes a taxidermist, a bison hunt and a menagerie of animals on the National Mall. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

So you think you recycle...but where do your plastic bags, jam jars, and soda cans actually go? Jacob Fenston joins Mikaela on a field trip to the recycling plant to find out once and for all. Bonus: a local artist finds a way to recycle what the region can't! To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

Bikes often end up on the sidewalks in the DMV even where there are bike lanes. Tyrone Turner joins Mikaela to get to the bottom of a question posed by a frustrated pedestrian. And an urban planner tries to make sense of the chaos. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

"Are there still jazz clubs where up-and-coming artists perform?" Sasha-Ann Simons joins Mikaela to answer a question from a recent transplant to Damascus, MD. And we learn what role one embassy played in D.C.'s jazz history. To submit a question, visit wamu.org/whatswith. The What’s With Washington podcast is made possible by our listeners. To support the show, visit wamu.org/donate/.

Introducing What's With Washington, a podcast that answers your questions about the Washington region.