Shop Local Edition 1
Life as we know it has changed so much. Now, more than ever, we need to support our local businesses. Oftentimes, they serve as the backbone of our neighborhoods. These small businesses can be your local Cheers, where you get your daily caffeine fix, or burn your calories. Everyone is feeling the crush of social distancing so I’m shopping and donating locally. Here are a few of my favorites in the DC metro area.
Hospitality Industry In General
Before social distancing, I ate out a few times a week because of work meetings or getting together with friends over the weekend. In addition, I used to work in the hospitality industry (many years ago, I worked in a James Beard winning restaurant as a floor manager). We’re missing out on seeing people who are making the food, slinging the cocktails, serving the dishes & washing the pots and pans. Let alone, the people who clean hotel rooms, carry the luggage, & the concierges who make reservations for those 3 weeks out booked restaurants. So, if you have a few additional dollars to spare, think about giving to the DC tip jar.
Once a month, I used to walk to the DC Central Kitchen to volunteer a morning shift. I was there often enough that the kitchen staff had me make the lunch for the volunteers who staffed the kitchen for that day, which could be anywhere between 30-50 people. I miss going in and seeing the familiar faces who make the kitchen hum. Donate to them directly and/or support the restaurant industry because those restaurants also support DCCK.
In the Volunteer room 
Trays of salmon that I made for the volunteers & staff
I’ve known the owner of Ice Cream Jubilee, Victoria Lai since we worked together in politics! She left politics to attend law school and later served as a government attorney before she opened her powerhouse ice cream shop. I bring my organization’s interns to her shop every summer to have an ice cream social because she offers Asian inspired flavors as well as flavors that are unique to the DC area. Victoria is committed to her employees in that she increased their pay by 25% and whatever financial support you donate to the shop will provide for ice cream to first responders & healthcare workers. You can read more here. They’re open for take out & delivery and they ship nationwide. My favorite flavor is a limited edition flavor that comes around during Lunar New Year: roasted barley tea ice cream!
Centrolina is one of my favorite restaurants in DC. Why? It’s owned by a woman chef, Amy Brandwein and a lot of the time, her cooking line consists of women. Plus, I love that when she started getting investors for her restaurant, she did call time (just like when I used to do political fundraising). In addition to being a fierce woman chef who employs a lot of women, Chef Amy dishes out phenomenal food. She also has a market (Mercato) as well as a sister restaurant across the alley, Piccolina. They’re doing pick up and delivery. My favorite item on the menu is the branzino.
Las Placitas has been around the block, or rather should I say that they’ve been up and down the block. I remember when they were on 8th SE closer to the fire station/Barracks Row. They also have a location on 14th St NW. Whenever I walk in the restaurant, I automatically feel like the customers have been around (they first opened in 1990). One of my favorites for Salvadoran food such as pupusa and Mexican dishes too.
DC News
If you start to run out of ideas for where you can order food or if you want to get updates on what’s going on around town, take a look at DCist as well as Popville.
I’ll be sharing more and would enjoy getting your recommendations. Throw them in the comments section!
MXM
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