Inside Kamala Harris' D.C. life
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Vice President Kamala Harris visits Smize & Dream Ice Cream shop in D.C. Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images
From Howard University to the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris has a deeper history with local D.C. than most Beltway politicians.
Why it matters: If nominated, Harris' warm embrace of everyday Washington will stand in stark contrast to former President Trump's arm-distanced view of a city he says is in need of a federal takeover.
The big picture: Harris has lived in D.C. for years: She was previously a California senator before becoming vice president and lived here as a Howard University student in the '80s.
- She's married to lawyer Doug Emhoff and is "Momala" to his two children from a previous marriage, Ella and Cole Emhoff.
State of play: Harris currently lives in the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory. There she's hosted events like an AAPI Heritage Month celebration featuring local restaurants such as Moon Rabbit and Tiger Fork, and a party celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
- But before that, Harris lived in a two-bedroom West End condo, which she and Emhoff sold in 2021 for $1.85 million. She used to hit up the nearby Trader Joe's and Bluestone Lane (Harris would get the avocado smash, Emhoff the green baked eggs).
But Harris' D.C. roots stretch far beyond her political days — she graduated from Howard University in 1986.
- While there, she protested apartheid outside the South African embassy, was a sorority member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, listened to jazz at Georgetown's Blues Alley, and attended local events like Georgia Avenue Day.
Zoom in: On the culinary spectrum, Harris breaks from a long line of well-ish steak-loving presidents. The VP has established herself as a turkey-brining, dosa-making, apple-and-bacon-pairing foodie who loves anchovies on pizza and hot sauce on collards.
🐟 On her plate: Harris orbits the usual D.C. power spots — Cafe Milano, Le Diplomate — but her tours of the local restaurant scene run wider, starting with her years at Howard noshing at near-campus favorites like Florida Avenue Grill, Ben's Chili Bowl, and Popeye's.
- As Veep, she's spotted frequently with the second gentleman, often sharing Italian food, brunching at woman-owned Centrolina in CityCenter, or grabbing takeout at LGBTQ+ friendly Floriana in Dupont Circle (the restaurant was already decked out in "Kamala-la la la" holiday decor).
Between the lines: Folks in the local food scene seem to relish the VP as much as she enjoys dining out, according to Washingtonian. Chefs gushed about her eating whole fish, sourcing local produce at her residence, and tipping well.
The intrigue: Most recently, Harris dropped by Tyra Banks' D.C. ice cream shop on opening day with her nieces — which some tea leaf readers took as a sign that she was ready to take over from scoop-obsessed Biden.
🍷 In her glass: A former member of the Congressional Wine Caucus, which advocates for U.S. winemakers, Harris knows her sauv b's from Sancerres. She's sipped glasses at Cork Wine Bar on 14th Street and the now-closed Proof – but she allegedly isn't too much of an oenophile to ask for a couple of cubes in her white.
- That said, most of the Harris-themed drink specials — because of course D.C.'s political drink specials are flowing — are inspired by the coconut tree meme, so get ready for Kamalacolada summer.
- It's a boon for local businesses, too. A D.C. gay club reportedly sold around 300 "piña kamala" shots the day she announced her run.
As for workouts: She's jogged the Lincoln Memorial stairs and power-walked around town with Emhoff, and she's frequented some of the D.C. SoulCycles.
Plus: She apparently knows her jazz and soul music and popped into Brightwood's HR Records last year to pick up some vinyl.
Go deeper: Inside J.D. Vance's Washington life