Move over, Washington Post TikTok Guy. There are some new TikTok accounts in town.
Local users of the video social network are using the app to show off parts of the D.C. area that they love. Whether it’s visits to local parks to tours of the best brunch spots, these clips are more than just an fun look into life in the District — they’re also a great way to get to know hidden gems or even hop into the comments to share your thoughts on your favorite spots.
Here are the 10 accounts you should be following:
If you like food…
Don’t let the name mislead you: @breakfastinbrooklyn1, with nearly 11K followers, devotes her videos to her favorite places to eat in D.C. Her videos range from short features on particular cafes, like Souk or Dua Coffee, to roundups of essential brunch spots. She even notes how these businesses have made customers feel safe during the pandemic. According to replies to feedback from other TikTok users, you can expect upcoming videos on halal options and vegetarian options in the District.
You can also follow @DMVBites, which, although new to TikTok, has already posted videos of mouthwatering donuts and ice cream spots.
If you want to support Black-owned businesses…
Maryland residents Liz Beal, 23, and Shi Johnson-Bey, 25, have set out to document Black-owned businesses in the area using their Tiktok @TheBlackListDMV. Despite joining TikTok just over a week ago, their videos, featuring their visits and reviews of different Black-owned restaurants in the region, have accrued thousands of views. And they don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
“Some of the really good comments we get say stuff like, ‘Yeah this is just down the street from me! I never knew. I definitely want to check it out.’ Those are really great to receive,” Beal says.
The two tell DCist they plan to continue to build out their TikTok and Instagram accounts with their videos, but the ultimate goal is the launch of a website that’ll include a complete directory of Black-owned restaurants in the D.C.-area. The website will be customizable based on location, dietary restrictions, or type of meal.
In the meantime, the duo says they have bunch of footage of restaurants they will soon turn into new TikToks, which Beal estimates take about two hours each to make. And they are adamant that their definition of DMV includes Baltimore — despite what commenters on the videos may say.
“Oh, I’m from Baltimore,” Johnson-Bey tells DCist. “I count Baltimore as part of the DMV because it’s D.C. Maryland, and Virginia. Baltimore is in Maryland.”
Ultimately, the duo hopes to not just introduce viewers to new spots, but also to serve the DMV’s Black-owned businesses.
“There’s a lot of hardworking people running these businesses, and you know, in this day and age, any type of exposure can really give a leg up to some of these places,” Beal says.
If you’re in it for the aesthetics…
Follow along with stylish couple Charnelle Singletary, 28, and Karl King, 29, on their TikTok account @Styled2Be, with nearly 19K followers, as they review restaurants around the region, show off their favorite spots to take photos in the District, and more.
Social media is no mystery to Singletary who has been a fashion blogger since 2016. She runs her own popular Instagram and blog. TikTok, however, was a way to get creative and break out of her comfort zone.
“It gave us an outlet to do that to where we didn’t have to be in a specific niche,” she says. “We can be whatever we wanted to — whether it was cooking or restaurant reviews or fashion related or photography or just best places to visit in the DMV.”
King jokingly calls it tomfoolery. “If it’s corny enough, you might laugh,” he says of TikTok. “It brings a smile to people’s faces.”
One of their recent videos, which has more than 270,000 views, shows Singletary posing in front of different murals around D.C. They had originally gone out to these murals to take photos for her blog and then decided to turn it into a TikTok.
With shooting and editing, each video can take several hours. The positive response to their videos showcasing the District have pleasantly surprised the couple. They say a lot of viewers have downloaded their restaurant reviews of local restaurants and commented their thoughts on places the couple should visit next.
“It’s been really cool,” Singletary says. “Getting people, even if they’re just getting out of their house for a little bit, to just go and get some food based off our reviews.”
If you’re new here…
When Ashley Buchanan, 37, began posting video tours of her small D.C. studio to her account @historyinhighheels earlier this summer, they were viewed more than 870,000 times. One particularly viral video even featured Vice President Mike Pence, who lives across the street from Buchanan, taking a stroll past her window.
The historian, who moved to D.C. last May for a postdoctoral fellowship at Dumbarton Oaks, has long-blogged about her travels, fashion and history under the moniker History In High Heels. Her TikTok, however, has been exclusive to her experience in D.C.
The Florida native tells DCist she has loved using her account to bring people along for the ride as she explores more of the District. Plus, using TikTok has helped her connect with the D.C. community more during the pandemic.
“[TikTok] has a really powerful algorithm for better or for worse, and I’ve definitely seen it target more people in D.C. which helped me make connections locally,” she says.
If you’re new to the District or just visiting, Buchanan’s videos may be for you. They often show her exploring her favorite places in D.C. (yes, that includes the monuments), and touring her workplace (the beautiful Dumbarton House), and, of course, her tiny apartment. If you’ve ever squeezed yourself into a teeny studio apartment and struggled to make it stylish, her videos might resonate with you — perhaps also give you some useful tips.
Other well-viewed videos from her account also give viewers a look into the day-to-day work as a historian.
“I get hundreds of messages a day from girls,” Buchanan says. “They want to be history majors. But they have no idea how to get a job with a history degree … They see that this is legitimate. This is real. This is something I can actually do.”
If you like weddings…
If you’re a big wedding person, @AbbyJiu’s account is a must-have on your list. Jiu, a local wedding photographer, has devoted her account to dreamy weddings, practical tips for engaged couples, and how wedding fails have been quickly fixed.
Some of her recent videos have featured breathtaking wedding shots from the Lincoln Memorial, intimate shoots with D.C. couples who have eloped during the pandemic, and lavish venues all around the District.
If you like the outdoors…
If you want to get outside a bit, have you considered exploring Maryland? @EllieJacbson2 is and showcasing her journey around the state with #ExploringMd. Her videos will take you to gorgeous overlooks, rocky beaches, and woodsy hikes. Even if you can’t get out a bit, you’ll certainly feel like you’re there with her.
Better yet, she meticulously catalogs every place she’s been into this public Google Doc, so you can also plan your own outing. Jacobson also documents how much trash she has picked up along the way, so if you try and imitate her adventures, do your part for the environment!
If you’re a sports fan…
He may look like Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, but don’t be deceived. Kevin Kramer, a 46-year-old who lives just a few miles from Nationals Park, is just his doppelgänger. With his TikTok account, @IamKevinKramer, Kramer not only pokes fun at his similarities with Scherzer but also showcases his love for the Nats. In one video, he visits Ben Chili Bowl owner Virginia Ali and carries one of her halfsmokes to Nationals Park to find Ali’s “BFF Stephen Strasburg.” In another, he shows how often Nats fans ask to take photos with him, thinking he’s Scherzer. All the while, his videos are sure to cheer on the team.
If you love photography…
If you want to capture the perfect shot, look no further than @SeaofBlush and @yaboijaymoy.
@SeaofBlush’s videos show some of the most beautiful parts of Maryland, from blooming sunflower fields to secret beaches. She also gives helpful tips on how to take dreamy photos among the flowers. On top of that, she documents all the locations she’s been to on her blog.
Meanwhile, @yaboijaymoy is a D.C.-based photographer. He and his wife travel around the District taking photos at the monuments and giving budding photographers tips on how they did it. If their video of Moya’s wife dangling over the reflecting pool for a photo makes you sweat, know that the finished product is stunning.
