As we prepare to bid adieu to summer in the District—although, let’s be honest, we’ll be seeing 90 degree days until October—we rounded up some DMV highlights to help you welcome in the fall.

Back to School

The end of summer means back to school for some, but for those of us who won’t be heading into a classroom this fall, consider spending some time in one of the city’s best, informal learning settings.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, which readers recently named Best Library Branch, is making significant contributions to the preservation of both D.C. history and the city’s alternative media publications. Join them at the returning Describe-a-Thons, where volunteers can learn how to write descriptions of print newspapers. This metadata helps to digitize DCPL’s archives, and allows researchers to search for key words within each issue. The next session will be held Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. 

News & Events

• Shababi chef Marcelle Afram is partnering with the celebrated Capitol Hill baker Jill Nguyen for a Palestinian inspired breakfast pop-up beginning next Friday, Sept. 7 at Best of D.C.’s Best Brewery Finalist, Right Proper. Afram tells City Paper they’re grateful to Right Proper owner Leah Cheston for providing the perfect space for the pop-up venture.
  • Afram and Nguyen connected recently, the Shababi chef says, discovering a “shared passion for ka’ak al-Quds leading to a wonderful partnership.”
  • Expect sweet and savory options, and possibly some lines—Nguyen’s recent pop-ups have garnered substantial attention.

• Best of D.C. Finalist for Best Bookstore, Capitol Hill Books, is relaunching its Second Saturday events. Every month from 5-7:30 p.m. the shop will offer free wine and cheese, or cocktails for purchase. During the events, customers can enjoy 10 percent off their bookshop totals. For more information and to RSVP, contact info@capitolhillbooks-dc.com.

Labor Day Weekend Recs

Traveling is daunting, and the traffic this weekend is inevitable. Washingtonians have some thoughts on the Best Place for a Day Trip if you’re looking to:

• cross state (District) lines: Annapolis, MD
• do the least amount of activity: Lost Barrel Brewing
• stay outdoors: Harper’s Ferry
• enjoy the outdoors indoors: Baltimore Aquarium
• see the arts: Glenstone

Check out all of our Best of D.C. winners, runners-up, and finalists here. We’ll see you in two weeks for the second edition but, in the meantime, a request: If you feel like there’s a category or business missing from our Best of D.C. winners, let us know by filling out this five-question survey.

Congrats to reader Andre B., who correctly guessed that Call Your Mother Deli beat out the second place Runner-up Bethesda Bagels by 78 votes!