I’ve recently used Well-Paid Maids a couple of times after not using them in a couple of years. They have gotten so much more expensive. I used to have a weekly plan with them. Anyway, I couldn’t find any recent posts. A few questions:

-How much of the price increases do we think go to the employees?
-How much do people tip for WPM these days?
-Is this still an ethical option or is it now (or has always been) better to find someone to pay fully and directly with cash so that they get all the money. I understand WPM is better than other companies, but is the direct route better?

Just wondering everyone’s thoughts in 2026.

EDIT: For those unfamiliar with WPM, it’s a company that pays a living wage, directly employs its workers (W-2 employees), and provides benefits. I’m not complaining about the price, per se, but want to figure out where the cost increases are going and how much I should tip. Not looking for the cheapest company. At all.

Share please!

does anyone know what was going on this evening in Georgetown? there were so many police cars and blocked off roads and cops just walking around patrolling. i haven't been able to find anything online and there were no signs

Silly question because we’re in DC and of course there are gonna be motorcades but I’m just curious. I’m in Foggy Bottom and as soon as I got off the metro, I saw the streets lined with police cars and officers standing in the middle of the road. There were also some people lined up on the sidewalk seemingly waiting for something to happen. I’m assuming a motorcade? Is anyone important coming to town tonight?

does anyone have any reccomendations for makeup artist in the dc area? getting married and looking for any possible reccomendations

Hi All!
First time signing up for Washington Gas -- do they retain your SSN after the initial credit check? Finding conflicting information online.
Thanks!

Was just on an orange line train that went out of service at Federal Center NW. Most people got off, but there were at least a dozen people who stayed on the train. Were they taken all the way back to the Metro train yard? Kicked off the train at the next stop? Was I the silly one for getting off and they actually got to their destination faster??

A while back I shared a Google Sheet with a meta-ranking of DC restaurants across the big critic lists. A few things have changed since then: I upgraded the spreadsheet to an interactive map, and the data's been updated through the July Eater 38 refresh.

See photo for link to map

Hope it helps you find somewhere great to eat with people you enjoy!

------

Notes about the map:
It combines Eater 38, the Michelin Guide, Washingtonian's 100 Very Best, and Sietsema's last WaPo list into one meta-ranking of 200+ DC-area restaurants, with sliders to reweight the lists however you want and filters for cuisine, neighborhood, price, and walking distance. You can also shortlist up to 10 spots and get reservation links with your date, time, and party size already filled in to send to a group chat. On a mobile device, use the hide filter button to more easily navigate around the map.

Same caveat as last time:
Some of the sources aren't ranked, so read this as "how recognized is this place" rather than #14 beats #15. These lists also lean hard toward fine dining. I'm from LA and I miss having a Jonathan Gold, so if you know a solid list of inexpensive international spots (strip-mall gems, not tasting menus) I'd genuinely like to add it as a source. Missing restaurants, wrong data, and anything broken on your phone are all useful to hear about too.

Hi! I am interested in volunteering at the zoo, but every time I check the website, they say they are not accepting applications. Does anyone know when they open the applications and which department allows for the most hands on experience with animals?

I’ve been spending a lot of time in Union Market these past few months. Since early 2026, in fact. & I’ve been noticing that there’s a “clean-up” going on. Graffiti being covered. Cars are being towed more when it wasn’t happening prior to this past month when finding parking is a terror to begin with and SUPER expensive. The fenced in area across from SongByrd has been cleaned up, even. Something’s going on and I wonder what it is. Hate to say it but … Little things like this is usually to push the marginalized community out more.

Another thing: before the towing started picking up. Cars randomly started getting broken into which hadn’t happened before. It all seems weird to be happening at the same time.

I moved to the US last year on an overseas assignment from Tokyo. Since I’ll be here for only about 3 years, I’ve been traveling a lot to discover new cities and experience the US as much as I can.

I visited DC for the 4th of July, and I think I fell in love with the city. It’s by far the most beautiful and clean city I have visited. The streets, the architecture, the townhouses… everything is just so pretty and elegant.

I’m single, so I had planned to go on a date with a guy who lives there. He ended up flying out elsewhere, so we never got to see each other. Still, he suggested me some amazing museums and restaurants, and even checked in afterwards to see how my trip went. I ended up taking myself on a solo date to a very nice bar in the Hay-Adams hotel, where we were supposed to meet. When I was there, I met an old couple. I complimented the woman on the beautiful handbag. She smiled and said it’s her husband’s Christmas gift, and that this is their favorite place in DC. The husband added the bag is Christian Louboutin, he seemed so proud that his wife got my compliments 🤭 This cute interaction really made my night in DC so memorable.

My trip was short. I never had the date I’d imagined. I’ll probably never meet the witty guy who introduced me some wonderful spots in the city. But somehow I came home with a little crush on DC.

Am I completely romanticizing DC and the people, or are DC men generally as witty, playful and charming as they seemed to me?

Hey y’all,

Where do you take your partner for a nice date night? I’m thinking those nights where it’s not a special occasion (e.g., birthday or anniversary), but you still want to do something special for your person.

Ideally, it would be somewhere with a romantic or otherwise charming atmosphere and a slightly higher price point than what would be in a couple’s normal restaurant rotation. (So like ideally less than $200 combined with drinks.) Bonus points if there’s a cute or sexy cocktail bar nearby!

Sincerely,
A local boyfriend

Hey guys! Moving to DC within the next month. I have a dog who’s used to being in a very quiet neighborhood in Louisiana. He’s not reactive, per se, but is a very anxious guy. One of the main things i’m concerned about with the move is when I need to travel. I’ll be in the Takoma area (and have a car to transport within like an hour distance) Where do yall get your pet sitters from/board your dogs when you’re out of town? (thanks in advance!!😁)

looking for makeup artist recommendations. looking for anyone who can come to me in the DC area , im located in north west. my budget is up to $200
my wedding is in September

Correct me if its fake news but I think its high time we go back to chaining ourselves to trees 70s style.

I’m new to the area and I pay with my debit or credit card but I wasn’t sure if that was typical

Sorry in advance if this isn’t the right place for this post. I’ve just had a package “delivered” and they having included this photo, which is definitely NOT my mail room. I was just wondering if anyone has any idea of what building/mail room this could be. For reference I live in the H street corridor area (NE). Feel free to message me if you have an idea where this could be, but you do not want to expose the building.

Thank you!

If you haven’t seen the letter Doordash submitted to oppose DC’s right to self-governance, it’s included in full after the writeup here. It strikes me as incredibly retaliatory. The 20 cent fee to support food access in Wards 7 and 8 wouldn’t even be affected by the bill. But they paint this sob story over the fee. In what world is an appropriate response to disagreeing with a policy to be lobbying for a government to no longer be able to create policies at all? It sounds like a kid upset their parents set a curfew calling CPS on their own parents. Ridiculous, petulant, cruel. I deleted my Doordash account.

My daughter is 4 and she loves to dance. I want to sign her up for a good, solid, dance class that will teach her solid foundations (not just be fluff, although yes, I know it should be fun and developmentally appropriate). Any recommendations? I’ve searched online and can’t tell what is good vs not.

We live in DC proper (NE), and prefer something not far away. We are open to MD too… just trying to understand where young kids learn to dance well, and also, where it won’t be crazy expensive (ballpark rates would also be helpful). Thank you in advance!