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Here are D.C.'s 2026 RAMMY Award finalists: New restaurants, best chefs and beyond

The RAMMYS are back — who's in the running.

Food and Drink

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="RAMMY Awards" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/08/04/2025-rammy-awards-chef-restaurant-bar-winners" data-vars-content-id="b9fe27c8-da75-400f-8d0b-2ee5804e3218" data-vars-headline="Here are D.C.&#x27;s 2026 RAMMY Award finalists: New restaurants, best chefs and beyond" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/08/04/2025-rammy-awards-chef-restaurant-bar-winners" target="_self">RAMMY Awards</a>, D.C.&#x27;s annual hospitality industry honors, just announced their 2026 finalists.Why it matters: The RAMMYs are like a local version of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="James Beard Awards" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/31/james-beard-awards-2026-finalists-dc" data-vars-content-id="b9fe27c8-da75-400f-8d0b-2ee5804e3218" data-vars-headline="Here are D.C.&#x27;s 2026 RAMMY Award finalists: New restaurants, best chefs and beyond" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/31/james-beard-awards-2026-finalists-dc" target="_self">James Beard Awards</a>, spotlighting some of the best dining and drinking spots in town — along with the chefs and teams behind them.

Feds: Those Commanders stadium parking decks are too big

News

Let&#x27;s tone down those <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="11-story parking garages" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/19/commanders-stadium-parking-garages-height-11-stories" data-vars-content-id="f322f804-821c-403f-bafb-8db2bcfabae7" data-vars-headline="Feds: Those Commanders stadium parking decks are too big" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/19/commanders-stadium-parking-garages-height-11-stories" target="_self">11-story parking garages</a>, federal planners are telling the Commanders.Why it matters: While the classical-looking stadium is getting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lots of love" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/01/22/commanders-stadium-renderings-national-capital-planning-commission" data-vars-content-id="f322f804-821c-403f-bafb-8db2bcfabae7" data-vars-headline="Feds: Those Commanders stadium parking decks are too big" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/01/22/commanders-stadium-renderings-national-capital-planning-commission" target="_self">lots of love</a>, the Commanders are hearing the first major criticisms of their broader plans at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="RFK redevelopment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/29/what-the-new-rfk-stadium-neighborhood-will-look-like" data-vars-content-id="f322f804-821c-403f-bafb-8db2bcfabae7" data-vars-headline="Feds: Those Commanders stadium parking decks are too big" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/29/what-the-new-rfk-stadium-neighborhood-will-look-like" target="_self">RFK redevelopment</a>.

AI pressure grows on the DMV's young workforce

Business

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the job market in the DMV, and it&#x27;s likely to hit younger and entry-level workers particularly hard, a pair of recent reports found.Why it matters: Younger workers and college grads were already facing a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="grim" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/31/hiring-rate-jobs-employment-iran" data-vars-content-id="9ab080ab-f6ba-4fb2-ad54-6a40fde9f52e" data-vars-headline="AI pressure grows on the DMV&#x27;s young workforce" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/31/hiring-rate-jobs-employment-iran" target="_self">grim</a> and &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="frozen" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/25/jobs-market-ai-indeed-retail" data-vars-content-id="9ab080ab-f6ba-4fb2-ad54-6a40fde9f52e" data-vars-headline="AI pressure grows on the DMV&#x27;s young workforce" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/25/jobs-market-ai-indeed-retail" target="_self">frozen</a>&quot; job market, and AI may make it worse.

Caps ticket prices spike amid Ovechkin retirement rumors

Sunday's game is on track to be the most expensive regular-season home match in team history.

Sports

Caps ticket prices for Sunday&#x27;s game are spiking — fueled by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Alex Ovechkin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/04/03/alex-ovechkin-wayne-gretzky-goal-record-nhl" data-vars-content-id="5bae21c8-92e5-48a5-a3fd-50f26ffe8bb9" data-vars-headline="Caps ticket prices spike amid Ovechkin retirement rumors" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/04/03/alex-ovechkin-wayne-gretzky-goal-record-nhl" target="_self">Alex Ovechkin</a> retirement buzz that it may be his final home appearance.Why it matters: Ovi isn&#x27;t just a hockey icon — he&#x27;s D.C.&#x27;s biggest sports star of a generation. If this is the final lap, it marks the closing chapter of a Stanley Cup-era run that defined modern Caps fandom.

Poll: Which cherry blossom is the next Stumpy?

Vote for your favorite short king in our poll.

Things to Do

Glorious <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Stumpy" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/03/15/stumpy-cut-down-cherry-tree" data-vars-content-id="43042002-44f8-4694-bc49-c87efa948902" data-vars-headline="Poll: Which cherry blossom is the next Stumpy?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/03/15/stumpy-cut-down-cherry-tree" target="_self">Stumpy</a> news: Cuttings from D.C.&#x27;s favorite lil&#x27; tree (<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="RIP to our short king" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/03/15/stumpy-cut-down-cherry-tree" data-vars-content-id="43042002-44f8-4694-bc49-c87efa948902" data-vars-headline="Poll: Which cherry blossom is the next Stumpy?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/03/15/stumpy-cut-down-cherry-tree" target="_self">RIP to our short king</a>) bloomed for the first time this spring at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Arboretum" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/20/best-cherry-blossoms-without-crowds-dc-arboretum" data-vars-content-id="43042002-44f8-4694-bc49-c87efa948902" data-vars-headline="Poll: Which cherry blossom is the next Stumpy?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/20/best-cherry-blossoms-without-crowds-dc-arboretum" target="_self">National Arboretum</a> — and could make their <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="grand Tidal Basin return" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/Interior/status/2037208947203957084" data-vars-content-id="43042002-44f8-4694-bc49-c87efa948902" data-vars-headline="Poll: Which cherry blossom is the next Stumpy?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/Interior/status/2037208947203957084" target="_blank">grand Tidal Basin return</a> as early as next year.👑Yes, but: It will take years for Stumpy&#x27;s saplings to fill his royal roots, so we must crown a successor in the meantime.

Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C.

"The Punisher" and "His & Hers" star is planting roots around his hometown.

Hollywood hotshot Jon Bernthal recently dropped $3.75 million on a home in Chevy Chase, D.C., real estate sources tell Axios — a sign &quot;The Punisher&quot; is planting roots back home.Why it matters: In a town where senators count as celebrity sightings, &quot;The Bear&quot; and &quot;Walking Dead&quot; star showing up at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wizards games" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/2013376385692123593" data-vars-content-id="2295a3de-c2ba-4f2e-9250-797a8bff49f7" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/WashWizards/status/2013376385692123593" target="_blank">Wizards games</a> and beloved <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="red-sauce joints" data-vars-click-url="https://www.popville.com/2026/01/dcs-own-spotted-jon-bernthal-filomena/" data-vars-content-id="2295a3de-c2ba-4f2e-9250-797a8bff49f7" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.popville.com/2026/01/dcs-own-spotted-jon-bernthal-filomena/" target="_blank">red-sauce joints</a> qualifies as actual star power.

"Melania" premieres at the Kennedy Center amid backlash

Amazon's $75M "Melania" documentary makes its Kennedy Center debut.

Melania Trump&#x27;s big-budget <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="documentary" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/05/melania-trump-amazon-prime-documentary" data-vars-content-id="8b2d07d5-e774-408a-ac9f-704d9ff5c942" data-vars-headline="&quot;Melania&quot; premieres at the Kennedy Center amid backlash" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/05/melania-trump-amazon-prime-documentary" target="_self">documentary</a> premieres at the Kennedy Center on Thursday. But the $75 million film&#x27;s rollout is drawing more attention than the movie itself.Why it matters: The buzz around &quot;Melania&quot; has all the trappings of a Washington drama — elite circles, culture-war backlash and high-stakes questions about money and optics.

How to get rid of your Christmas tree in the DMV

Culture

There are several ways to dispose of your Christmas trees in D.C., all of which speak to your essence as a human being.Why it matters: Goodbye, holiday season. Hello, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="judgey January" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/01/24/snow-storm-shovel-shaming-rules" data-vars-content-id="9d7e146e-b4fc-4f55-b60c-64a6c8d7f5f6" data-vars-headline="How to get rid of your Christmas tree in the DMV" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/01/24/snow-storm-shovel-shaming-rules" target="_self">judgey January</a>.

How Metro became D.C.'s favorite brand

Collabs with streetwear designers, flash pop-ups and smooth service have sales climbing.

<figure><img alt="Six diverse people modeling retro-style Metro merchandise including sweaters, t-shirts, a tote bag, and a pennant, with brown and white color themes against a tan background." height="1200" id="69af8101-7899-4ac4-92d5-0d52401bf583" src="https://images.axios.com/pFCfxD7e4DEoSdFUqSrU9QHqoTw=/2026/01/09/1767977407512.png" width="1455"/><figcaption>Metro&#x27;s throwback collegiate gear. Photo: Courtesy of WMATA</figcaption></figure>Out: Repping D.C. with sports swag. In: Repping D.C. with Metro swag.While the Commanders flounder and Nats rebuild, our transit system is winning — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="breaking record" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wusa9.com/article/traffic/mission-metro/metro-wmata-washington-transit/65-44a07d75-28c0-4461-b2a3-d6d061bcc1ff" data-vars-content-id="1e80a864-6ee4-4f4a-9f37-b5031ba26f8e" data-vars-headline="How Metro became D.C.&#x27;s favorite brand" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/traffic/mission-metro/metro-wmata-washington-transit/65-44a07d75-28c0-4461-b2a3-d6d061bcc1ff" target="_blank">breaking record</a> ridership numbers and releasing merch that&#x27;s hotter than a Red Line rail at rush hour.Why it matters: Metro turns 50 this year, and it&#x27;s suddenly D.C.&#x27;s underdog du jour — rebounding from its pandemic slump, cleaner and more reliable, with a surprisingly sassy <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="online personality" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/metroforward/" data-vars-content-id="1e80a864-6ee4-4f4a-9f37-b5031ba26f8e" data-vars-headline="How Metro became D.C.&#x27;s favorite brand" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/metroforward/" target="_blank">online personality</a> and undeniably cool swag.

What's in and out for 2026 in D.C.

Time for one of our fave Axios D.C. traditions: The new year&#x27;s in-and-out list. Why it matters: It&#x27;s official: 2025 is so last year.

Everything that happened in D.C. in 2025

It was a whopper of an annum packed with non-stop headlines affecting local living.

If you live in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Washington" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc" data-vars-content-id="7fb84399-ec61-405c-a08f-dd499242d672" data-vars-headline="Everything that happened in D.C. in 2025" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc" target="_self">Washington</a>, 2025 lasted precisely ... a million years.The big picture: It was a whopper of an annum packed with non-stop headlines affecting local living.

Washingtonians go full glow-up to stand out in crowded job market

"They don't want to be thought of as someone's uncle or someone's grandpa."

Some Washingtonians are finding it&#x27;s not enough just to update their resumes and grab networking coffees amid the area&#x27;s hyper-competitive white-collar <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="job market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/05/15/washington-job-market-flooded-by-federal-layoffs" data-vars-content-id="6125b1e1-45d0-49dc-ba5c-4aefdb539137" data-vars-headline="Washingtonians go full glow-up to stand out in crowded job market" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/05/15/washington-job-market-flooded-by-federal-layoffs" target="_self">job market</a> — they need full-on glow ups.Why it matters: If job candidates are looking refreshed on Zoom, it might not be an online filter.

What it's like to get a robot massage in D.C.

Our reporter tested the new Aescape massage bot.

Robots may be coming for your job — but first, they can give you a rubdown.Why it matters: Robot massages are now available in the DMV, courtesy of lifestyle robotics company, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Aescape" data-vars-click-url="https://www.aescape.com/" data-vars-content-id="7b1e9e89-5a1c-43c7-91f1-33f5eb438bac" data-vars-headline="What it&#x27;s like to get a robot massage in D.C." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.aescape.com/" target="_blank">Aescape</a>.

D.C. shares its hottest Dulles renovation takes

"The mobile lounges were invented by Satan."

Travel

Good thing it&#x27;s freezing this week, because we asked for your takes on a potential Trump administration renovation of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Dulles" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/12/03/dulles-airport-trump-overhaul" data-vars-content-id="642fee41-95a0-4dae-96da-e45cda70fa9b" data-vars-headline="D.C. shares its hottest Dulles renovation takes" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/12/03/dulles-airport-trump-overhaul" target="_self">Dulles</a> — and they are piping hot, y&#x27;all.Why it matters: The administration is fielding bids from contractors to give the airport a glow-up &quot;at the speed of Trump.&quot;

Culture

Poll: Which cherry blossom is the next Stumpy?

Cannoli Cowboy brings viral treats to D.C.

Scoop: Actor Jon Bernthal buys $3.75M house in D.C.

"Melania" premieres at the Kennedy Center amid backlash

How to get rid of your Christmas tree in the DMV