👋🏻 Anna here, with an insider's look at how Nats Park picks its new food vendors.

Tacos. Banh mi. Boozy slushies. Eleven local businesses are joining the vendor lineup at the stadium this season.

Why it matters: Nats Park has won awards for its standout stadium food, and the team is upping their game to keep hungry fans returning.

The intrigue: The new vendors were chosen in a "Shark Tank"-style competition, in which 23 DMV businesses presented their specialty fare and ballpark dreams to a panel of judges — including yours truly.

• It's the second time the team has done it. The first, in 2015, yielded a bunch of cool new vendors including Haute Dogs & Fries, which you can still snag at the ballpark today.
• The mix of contenders mirrored D.C.'s food scene — decades-old businesses and young startups, global chefs creating everything from West African street eats to German schnitzel.

The ultimate question: Can small businesses go big? Serving fans at a 41,000-seat stadium is like its own endurance sport. Vendors are expected to supply top-quality fare over 81 games — kudos if it's Insta-worthy — plus during post-game concerts and events, all while running their established businesses.

• A lot of the specialty prep by local providers has to be done offsite, like when Medium Rare brewed its top-secret steak sauce for sandwiches.

Behind the scenes: Assembling the vendor roster is like putting together a menu. My fellow judges and I looked for consistency, approachability, dietary needs and, of course, deliciousness (knowing there's the added obstacle of outdoor temps).

• Scalability was a big question. Beef suya skewers or spaetzle bowls are delicious, but can a chef turn out thousands per game?
• Also, what are fans into right now? Cue more "plant-based" vendors at the park and specialty cocktails alongside non-alcoholic options.

"We're 100% paying attention to what D.C. is reacting to," Lisa Marie Czop, senior VP of ballpark operations, tells Axios. The mix has become as global as the city itself — Venezuelan arepas and Salvadoran pupusas alongside hot dogs and ice cream.

🏆 The winners: Kam & 46 (Section 105) ... Taqueria Picoso (Section 117) ... Lucky Danger (Section 238) ... Cotton & Reed (Section 109) ....

The full list

A European wellness company is planning to open an "urban oasis" in D.C. with thermal baths and pools, dozens of saunas, and resort-style waterslides.

Why it matters: Therme Group announced yesterday that the project will sit on 15 acres of Poplar Point, an empty site along the Anacostia River across from Navy Yard.

How it works: Therme DC will be divided into three areas to "play, relax and restore."

• Plans call for swim-up bars, mineral pools, and relaxation beds, as well as immersive art and lush greenery. Plus, "a wide variety" of restaurants.

There'll be family-friendly areas in addition to adults-only areas and wellness treatments.

Driving the news: The Bowser administration said the project could generate $1.5 billion in tax revenue over 25 years, 5,000 construction jobs, and 720 permanent jobs.

Zoom out: Poplar Point has similarities to the RFK Stadium land — it's a large waterfront site (110 acres) that belongs to the National Park Service.

• D.C. has wanted to build something new on it for decades.
• Therme will anchor the new development, alongside 70 acres devoted to a riverfront park and trail system.

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A new professional soccer league competing with Major League Soccer could come to the DMV.

How it works: United Soccer League is currently a tier under the MLS, but its owners just voted to launch a new top division league.

• With the creation of USL Division One, the existing USL Championship would become a second division and the USL League One would become a third division.

One big change: Like in Europe, USL leagues will operate with promotion and relegation starting in 2028. Teams that finish top of their division would rise to the next tier, while the bottom teams would drop down.

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💸 President Trump will urge Congress to "get on board" with D.C.'s budget fix to restore over $1 billion in local funding, according to White House insiders. Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to put a bill on the floor soon. (Politico)

🖋️A federal judge declined to immediately reverse Trump's takeover at the U.S. Institute of Peace, which DOGE staff entered with D.C. police Monday. The independent think tank's lawyers argue it was an unlawful seizure "by force." (NPR)

❌ Another federal judge barred the administration from deporting a Georgetown University scholar, accused of spreading Hamas propaganda, until further ruling. His lawyers refute the charges and argue no crimes have been committed that violate his visa. (WTOP)

🌸 Peduncle elongation achieved! The "#BloomWatch community's favorite stage" (and most fun phrase) is happening at the Tidal Basin as cherry blossoms near their peak. (NPS via X)

• Meanwhile, Metro's cherry blossom trains arrived early.

👀Discover new local events.

25th Annual Congressional Basketball Game at George Washington University Smith Center on April 9: It's more than just a game—it's a tradition that brings together members of Congress, staff, and lobbyists in a spirited competition for a greater cause. $7.50-$17.50.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

New season, fresh scene — three exciting bars just opened for your first spring weekend.

Bar Betsie (Union Market)

• The Jane Jane team's hotly anticipated cocktail bar feels a little cheeky, a little camp and a lot of fun — cue deep red velvet booths, shooters and fried pickle dip. Serious cocktail cred goes to JP Sabatier, behind concoctions with prickly pear-infused mezcal and "super foam."

Whitlow's at the Wharf

• The newest Whitlow's takes over the Brighton's massive waterfront space. Memorabilia, cold beers and American pub fare nod to its 1940s roots, but Whitlow's is more happening than ever with live entertainment and their own tiki boat, Whitlow's on Water, docked outside.

A cool hotel haunt...