Bridget Todd and all 12 other City Cast podcast hosts (from Austin, Boise, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, and Salt Lake City) compete head-to-head in a high-stakes showdown to answer the question that’s been burning up our company-wide Slack for weeks: which city is the best for a summer weekend trip? From naked bike rides to ‘the country’s best farmers market,’ pickle festivals to Elvis impersonators driving pink convertibles, our hosts ar...
Jul 03, 2025•48 min
In DC, everything is political — even the buildings. One of Trump’s first moves back in office was saying federal buildings should follow “traditional” design styles. Meanwhile, there’s growing buzz about turning the city’s aging office buildings into housing. Public historian Neil Flanagan joins us to break down what these shifts mean for the architecture that shapes DC — and the politics behind it. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can als...
Jul 02, 2025•20 min
Listen, we get it — when it’s this hot, staying inside with the A/C blasting feels like the only option. But don’t let the muggy weather keep you stuck at home. July in DC is packed with fun — indoors and out. City Cast DC’s Bridget Todd, Michael Schaffer, and Ashe Durban are here to guide you through it, from how to manage the Fourth of July to beating DC’s infamous July heat waves. If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you...
Jul 01, 2025•32 min
Voters in Ward 8 are about to decide whether to send Trayon White back to the DC Council — just months after he was indicted on bribery charges and expelled from the body. A re-election would elevate White’s case to the pantheon of DC political scandals. Which got us thinking: What are the other legendary scandals locals ought to know about? NBC4’s Mark Segraves has been covering city politics for years and is going to walk us down memory lane. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up f...
Jun 30, 2025•32 min
We’re talking about DC’s controversial new curfew, the first federal cabinet agency moving out of town in the Trump era, and two very different crazy stories about misbehaving drivers. Plus, in a members-only fourth topic: the implications of The Washington Post’s Metro section merger. Axios’ Cuneyt Dil and City Cast’s Priyanka Tilve are here to get into what it means for the city. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, ...
Jun 27, 2025•32 min
We’re at the end of the most tense and controversial Pride Month in years. Which makes it a good time to take another listen to our conversation with James Kirchick, the author of "Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington". Kirchick’s history paints a very different Washington — but one that has some pretty significant echoes in 2025. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little a...
Jun 26, 2025•19 min
Plastic surgery procedures are booming among Washington men. Some of DC’s most visible residents are getting procedures to emphasize strong jawlines and prominent chins. Journalist Joanna Weiss from Politico magazine is here to tell us about the Square Head phenomenon and how DC feels about plastic surgery. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the s...
Jun 25, 2025•23 min
Looking for vintage, eclectic, and well-made clothes or furniture without breaking the bank? Estate sales might be your new favorite thing. Vic Yepez is a vintage collector and reseller who’s gone viral for her estate sale shoutouts around the DMV. She’s here to share everything you need to know to get in on the estate sale scene. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month....
Jun 24, 2025•28 min
In the past few weeks, Metro has quietly switched to automatic driving. In other subway systems, this has happened without much drama. But in Metro, automatic driving has a fraught history. NBC4’s Adam Tuss has been covering the change and is here to explain what it means for passenger safety, transportation budgets — and the drivers themselves. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little...
Jun 23, 2025•24 min
City Cast hosts are on the pulse of what’s happening in our communities. So Michael Schaffer and all 12 other hosts sat down with City Cast CEO David Plotz to talk about creative local problem solving that might work in your hometown too and to commiserate about stressors affecting most of our cities, from unaffordable housing to bike lanes. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 20th episode: Gala Theatre Nace Law Group Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Learn more about your...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Vinyl Bars are popping off in DC. Like, bars where you go, have some cocktails, and the music you’re hearing isn’t from spotify algorithms — it’s from actual records. Journalist Claudia Rosenbaum has been visiting a ton of them, and she’s here to give us some recs. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 18th episode: Gala The...
Jun 18, 2025•21 min
Despite the administration’s hype, Trump’s military parade fell short of expectations. WAMU reporter Alex Koma was on the ground covering both the parade and the protests and he’s here to break down what actually went down in the streets and how it impacts the city. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 17th episode: Allianc...
Jun 17, 2025•28 min
DC’s city government needs to find a way to balance the budget — and plan for a future where tens of thousands of federal jobs might never come back. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposal is to make a bunch of big cuts — but also spend more on things like stadium projects that she thinks will boost the economy. As you can imagine, not everyone agrees with this. Her budget director, Jenny Reed, sat down with us to walk us through their thinking. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our ...
Jun 16, 2025•28 min
It’s our Friday News Roundup! We’re talking about the logistics and symbolism of this weekend’s military parade, the latest twist in the Eleanor Holmes Norton story, and the mystery of the abandoned casket. Plus, in our member’s-only fourth topic, the scene at The Kennedy Center this week when Donald Trump went to see Les Mis. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Le...
Jun 13, 2025•33 min
D.C. Public Schools announced last week that they’re instituting a cell phone ban in schools — part of a trend around the country and around the city. One early adapter was Georgetown Day School in Tenleytown. That head of school, Russell Shaw, wrote an essay in The Atlantic about why they chose to nix phones. He’s here to explain. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a mont...
Jun 12, 2025•22 min
It’s officially summer travel season — but DC’s airports have had a rocky few months. Some senators called this week for independent investigations into safety failures that may have contributed to the midair collision that took place outside DCA in January.To break down everything you need to know about traveling out of DCA, Dulles and BWI this summer, we're talking with certified airport expert Scott Keyes from Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to s...
Jun 11, 2025•27 min
Today our hosts Michael Schaffer and Bridget Todd sit down to talk jazz in DC. Bridget grew up being taken to jazz shows around DC by her dad, which made her the city’s littlest jazz enthusiast. She’s been thinking a lot about the subject since her dad passed away, and today we’re going to talk through the past and the present of jazz in the District — and how you can experience it like Bridget. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 10th episode: PaintCare Alliance Francaise InKind - Get $2...
Jun 10, 2025•25 min
If Pride has been wiping you out, DC has no shortage of cafes to bring you back to life. Digital creator Domonique Panton, aka As Told By Dom, has made it her mission to visit every single café in the city…and she’s here to tell us some of her favorites. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 9th episode: PaintCare Alliance Francaise InKind - Get $25 off your next order of $50 or more! Gala Theatre Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Intereste...
Jun 09, 2025•13 min
We’re talking about the seeming plan to close Dupont Circle park for Pride Weekend, we’re talking about whether the DC Council should just up and overturn citizen ballot initiatives, and we’re saying so long — maybe — to Dave Thomas Circle. Plus, a members-only fourth topic: The state of the Kennedy Center. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about t...
Jun 06, 2025•34 min
A European mega-spa is coming to the banks of the Anacostia — one that the city says will become a transformative destination. But the company behind it was recently the subject of a pretty unflattering New York Times report. Is their DC project on track? We talked to the Washington Business Journal’s Daniel Sernovitz and Ben Peters. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a mo...
Jun 05, 2025•21 min
On Monday, the National Park Service announced plans to close the Dupont Circle park during this year’s Pride celebration. But after overwhelming backlash, they reversed course the very next day—confirming that the park at Dupont Circle would remain open for Pride festivities. It’s just one more wrinkle in what’s already a complicated Pride season under the current administration. Few people can speak to that better than DC Pride’s founder Deacon Maccubbin. He’s here to tell us everything that’s...
Jun 04, 2025•29 min
Is there anything more perfect than a breakfast sandwich? In a quest to find the best one in DC, Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman asked the internet for its best recs—and the replies came pouring in. Within days, he had a list of more than 60 to try. And after some seriously tasty fieldwork, he’s narrowed it down to the top 10 breakfast sandwiches in DC. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listeni...
Jun 03, 2025•25 min
Your bus lines are changing! That’s right – starting on June 29th, the bus lines that you take to go to work, to see friends, those are getting a pretty major makeover. Every last line in the Metrobus system is gonna have a new name. Most of them are gonna have new routes. Some will have new stops. It’s like the big bang of buses. Now, we had a lotta questions about this, so we talked to Allison Davis who leads Metro’s Office of Planning about the thought behind this and how you can prepare for ...
Jun 02, 2025•31 min
DC officials are about to start hashing out the budget. Today, we’re wondering if progressives have the muscle to push back. Plus: The end of the H Street Streetcar, and the problem with Gordon Ramsay’s visit to DC. And in a member’s only fourth section, we’re looking at the downturn in spending on going out to eat, and whether it is yet another sign of economic apocalypse for our city. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a mem...
May 30, 2025•32 min
June in DC can be tricky, there’s a lot going on, and the FOMO is real. But don’t stress! City Cast’s Julia Karon and Ashe Durban are here with your guide to the best events, from films to parties, so you can make the most of the month. If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast community. For even more tips on how to make the most of June in DC, check out Hey DC’s take on what to do this month. If you enjoye...
May 29, 2025•34 min
With fewer job postings being listed and people eating at home more – DC is on edge money-wise! It’s had us all anxiously awaiting more information about DC’s 2026 budget. Now, Mayor Bowser has finally unveiled her proposal. WAMU’s Alex Koma is here to tell us what’s in it and what’s not. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this May...
May 28, 2025•24 min
There is a massive military parade planned for DC on June 14. Though the city is built for mass gatherings, this kind of military display is actually rare — and comes with a lot of challenges, like whether DC’s streets can handle the weight of modern tanks. Cuynet Dil from Axios has been covering it and he’s here to tell us what he knows. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10...
May 27, 2025•19 min
We’re talking about the shocking shooting of a pair of Israeli embassy employees and what it means for DC. We’re talking about more big changes coming to Metro. Plus, how DC ranks in the latest rating of park systems, Mahjongg in Chinatown, and — for members only! — some of our personal hot takes about DC. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sp...
May 23, 2025•34 min
For decades, DC’s laws have been built to give tenants some muscle against landlords who might try to sell their buildings. But now that’s changing — with proposals before the DC Council that would shrink TOPA, the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act. In the old days, the politics of this would have been pretty clear, but nowadays there’s a twist, since some progressives have come to worry more about the supply of housing than the fate of individual tenants. Emilia Calma from the DC Policy Center...
May 22, 2025•25 min
It’s late spring, which means it’s the perfect time to get outdoors and head to a vineyard. But this year, there’s something else in the air: the threat of tariffs driving up the cost of imported wine. Dave McIntyre from the Washington Post is here to tell us which local wineries are worth the drive, and how to not break the bank. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month....
May 21, 2025•18 min
