“For those of you who haven’t discovered Mount Rainier, you’re in for a treat…It’s bursting with beautiful architecture, a vibrant arts community, and more than its fair share of green and DIY renovations…I’m absolutely smitten. The DC area has its fair share of historic neighborhoods, but I’m not sure if I have visited any quite as vibrant, friendly, or unpretentious as Mount Rainier.”

“If you go, don’t leave without some soft-serve ice cream or the hot, fluffy sweet potato off the hot bar.”

““Many of their products are non-dairy..We have a lot of vegan people here in Mount Rainier,” Brockenberry says. “Most of them come in for the non-dairy” ice cream.””

“Glut has made itself a gathering place where funky music is always in the background and whole grains and medical herbs are in demand. Workers greet customers by name and see them come back for the fresh produce and the expansive selection of incense. Customers, who often help bag their groceries, leave with weeks’ worth of rice, beans and nuts.”