REAL ESTATE

The classic colonial, built in 1908, was wholly reimagined and renovated earlier this year by Akseizer Residential. Courtesy HomeVisit.

Live and Learn

SMART TECH AND SOPHISTICATED STYLING CREATE A HOME THAT’S READY FOR ANYTHING

BY SUSAN BODIKER

There’s more to 1639 35th St. NW than meets the eye. From the outside, the traditional white colonial offers no surprises. With its black shutters and gracious porch, it is the very model of an early 1900s Georgetown home, albeit with a herringbone brick walkway lined with a lush array of sculpted boxwoods, hollies and impatiens.

Step inside, however, and there is something more, beyond the open floor plan, elegant furnishings and custom finishes: a very of-the-moment WiFi-enabled network (audio, video, lighting, thermostats, security) that will support even the most demanding work- or learn-from-home challenge — a must in these pandemic times.

Renovated just this year by Akseizer Residential, the fully detached house offers 2,450 square feet of living space on three levels, with four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a large gourmet kitchen, a rear garden with a flagstone patio and gated parking. It also boasts white oak herringbone flooring, Waterworks fixtures (baths and kitchen) and Thermador appliances — all set off by a striking black-and-white color palette. The home is on the market for $2,895,000.

On the main level, the open floor plan flows from the living room, with built-in bookcases and a marble gas fireplace, to the dining area, then on to the step-down kitchen, featuring counters, a backsplash and a waterfall-edge island in marbleveined quartz, extensive white cabinetry The white, bright kitchen, boasting chef’s-grade appliances and a southeast exposure, opens to the rear patio. Photo by Laura Metzler. Courtesy Akseizer Design Group.

and a wall of windows facing south. There is a six-burner range, a double oven, a wine cooler and a soft-touch, concealed Frenchdoor refrigerator with a water dispenser.

A glass-paneled door leads from the kitchen to the landscaped patio and the brick parking pad, easily accessed from the alley by two remote-operated barn doors.

Up on the second level is the primary bedroom, with a deep walk-in closet. Within the en-suite bath are a marble doublesink vanity and a glass shower with three showerhead options: pressure, rainhead and a handheld faucet. At the other end of the hall is a second large bedroom with a wall of built-in storage and an en-suite bath. Between them is a smaller bedroom that could also function as an office or a study.

A fully finished lower level includes the main laundry with a GE side-by-side washer and dryer, a family room with built-in cabinetry that can accommodate a very large TV monitor, a bonus room, a full bath and storage.

Offered at $2,895,000, this 2,450-squarefoot home features four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a garden and a host of smart-tech features. It is listed with HRL Partners at Washington Fine Properties. For details, contact HRL Partners Robert Hryniewicki, Adam T. Rackliffe and Christopher R. Leary at 202-243-1620 or robert.h@wfp.com. For a visual tour, visit spws.homevisit.com/hvid/283120.

JULY 2020 SALES PROVIDED BY WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES

ADDRESS

1671 31st St NW 4880 Glenbrook Rd NW 2848 McGill Ter NW 4834 Quebec St NW 2950 Chain Bridge Rd NW 1418 33rd St NW 2113 S St NW 4406 W St NW 2007 Columbia Rd NW 3014 P St NW 3301 Highland Pl NW 3332 O St NW 2019 R St NW 2929 Macomb St NW 3315 O St NW 3823 Fordham Rd NW 3113 Albemarle St NW 5116 Macomb St NW 2730 Chain Bridge Rd NW 2908 N St NW 2825 McGill Ter NW 3324 Reservoir Rd NW 700 New Hampshire Ave NW #1501 1316 10th St NW 3264 N St NW 3252 N St NW 1629 16th St NW #4 3754 McKinley St NW 4994 Warren St NW 2812 Calvert St NW 2806 Cathedral Ave NW 2000 48th St NW 3332 Dent Pl NW 1739 S St NW 4456 Faraday Pl NW 3307 39th St NW 5135 Yuma St NW 3919 Ivy Terrace Ct NW 3645 49th St NW 1002 N St NW 4662 Charleston Ter NW

SUBDIVISION/NEIGHBORHOOD

GEORGETOWN SPRING VALLEY MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS SPRING VALLEY KENT GEORGETOWN KALORAMA PHILLIPS PARK KALORAMA GEORGETOWN CLEVELAND PARK GEORGETOWN KALORAMA CLEVELAND PARK GEORGETOWN SPRING VALLEY FOREST HILLS KENT KENT GEORGETOWN MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS GEORGETOWN WATERGATE SHAW GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN DUPONT CIRCLE CHEVY CHASE SPRING VALLEY WOODLEY PARK WOODLEY PARK PALISADES GEORGETOWN DUPONT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK CLEVELAND PARK SPRING VALLEY BURLEITH SPRING VALLEY LOGAN CIRCLE BERKLEY

BEDS

6 6 6 6 5 4 5 5 6 4 5 4 5 7 5 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 2 5 3 4 3 6 5 8 5 4 3 4 5 4 4 3 4 4 5

FULL BATH

5 7 7 6 6 4 4 5 5 4 5 4 5 5 4 5 6 6 5 5 3 4 2 4 3 3 3 5 4 5 3 4 3 3 5 5 5 3 3 3 5

HALF BATH

1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 - - 1 1 2 - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 1

LIST PRICE

$6,100,000 $5,350,000 $5,200,000 $4,350,000 $3,950,000 $3,995,000 $4,137,000 $3,999,000 $3,450,000 $3,495,000 $3,495,000 $3,800,000 $3,500,000 $3,250,000 $3,250,000 $2,900,000 $2,995,000 $2,695,000 $2,999,900 $2,599,000 $2,350,000 $2,295,000 $2,250,000 $2,300,000 $2,195,000 $2,100,000 $2,195,000 $2,099,900 $2,099,999 $1,995,000 $1,975,000 $1,795,000 $1,875,000 $1,895,000 $1,795,000 $1,795,000 $1,849,000 GMG, INC. $1,875,000 $1,799,000 $1,775,000 $1,795,000

CLOSE PRICE

$6,100,000 $5,000,000 $4,900,000 $4,350,000 $3,950,000 $3,800,000 $3,700,000 $3,690,000 $3,450,000 $3,450,000 $3,425,000 $3,350,000 $3,257,500 $3,250,000 $3,100,000 $2,900,000 $2,760,000 $2,735,000 $2,700,000 $2,425,000 $2,360,000 $2,300,000 $2,250,000 $2,213,000 $2,195,000 $2,100,000 $2,100,000 $2,035,000 $2,000,000 $1,995,000 $1,975,000 $1,925,000 $1,875,000 $1,865,000 $1,800,000 $1,795,000 $1,785,000 AUGUST 12, 2020 13 $1,775,000 $1,775,000 $1,775,000 $1,772,500

Virginia’s Second-Home Market Is Hot, Hot, Hot... and Transformed

BY KATE OCZYPOK

Like most people this year, chances are you’ve wished for a change of scenery. Whether you’re tired of looking at the walls of your two-bedroom apartment or threestory townhouse, you’re not alone.

According to Mansion Global, owned by Dow Jones, ever since COVID-19 came to the U.S., there has been one priority among high-end homeowners living in cities: to get out and stay out. Second-home markets have seen record numbers in sales and rentals.

“We knew there was a pent-up demand as sales had been flat in the countryside for a number of years,” said Gloria Rose Ott, vice president and broker associate for Sotheby’s International Realty. “Super-low interest rates and stock market earnings gave more people flexibility. But, in my opinion, the phenomenal surge in buying is directly related to COVID and its impact on our lives.”

Ott personally covers Virginia’s Fauquier, Loudoun, Rappahannock, Prince William, Clarke, Warren and Frederick counties, as well as some of the Shenandoah Valley and Charlottesville — commonly known as Hunt Country and the Piedmont — on a case-by-case basis.

“Yes, the market is hot, but it is also transformed,” she said.

In the past, second-home/country buyers were looking for recreational purposes like horseback riding, hunting and gardening. Now, buyers are seeking refuge, a space to spread out and distance from their neighbors.

“There’s less congestion, less traffic to Catesby Farm. Courtesy Sheridan-MacMahon

and from various destinations and more selfcontained, semi-off-the-grid properties for families to enjoy and feel safe,” Ott explained. Like Ott, fellow Hunt Country realtor for Thomas & Talbot Emily Ristau has seen “incredible activity” in the business. Based in Middleburg, Ristau works in Loudoun and Fauquier counties, occasionally venturing “over the mountain” to Clarke County.

“Generally, the market slows in July and August, with people going away on vacation,” she said. “People are now staying close and not leaving. A lot in town are getting second homes out here.”

WIND FIELD FARM

Middleburg, Virginia • $11,000,000 c. 1853 colonial | House & property have been meticulously restored | 8 BR, 9 full BA & 3 half BA | 9 FP, antique pine floors, high ceilings, detailed millwork, gourmet kitchen | 466 rolling acres | Mountain views & frontage on Goose Creek | Guest house, office, 8 stall barn w/apt, 4 additional stalls, lighted sand ring, tenant houses, greenhouse, c. 1800 lime kiln cottage | Property is fenced, ponds, creeks & woods w/ trails Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905

DEERFIELD Upperville, Virginia • $5,800,000 221 acres | Brick manor house c. 1844 | 4 BR, lovely kitchen, multiple porches, pine floors, 7 FP, original mantels, large windows, detailed millwork | c. 1810 log cabin/pool house, guest house, 2 tenant houses | Equestrian complex on separate 40 acre parcel, 24 stall stable, indoor arena, outdoor ring, jump field and 3 BR cottage, sizable pond | 6 Parcels

Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930

ARLINGTON FARM Marshall, Virginia • $4,950,000 296 acres of farmland off the Atoka Road | Working farm in crops and hay and improved with multiple large farm buildings and 3 cottages | Beautiful building site for a main house if desired | Conservation easement allows for 1 division and permits construction of an indoor area and additional equestrian and farm buildings | Mix of open land, creeks, pond, woods, pasture, crops and rolling topography Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930

SPRING GLADE Middleburg, Virginia • $3,900,000 French Country home, recent renovations | 4 BR, 5 full & 2 half BA, 5 FP, hardwood floors, flagstone terrace | Beautiful drive to hilltop setting overlooking lake & mountains | Improvements include pool, 2-car garage, 2 BR guest house & apartment | Lovely boxwood gardens | 79.89 acres

Paul MacMahon Helen MacMahon (703) 609-1905 (540) 454-1930

PHEASANT’S EYE Middleburg, Virginia • $3,200,000 Solid stone home c. 1790 expanded to 5 BR | First floor master suite and large family room additions | 10 FP, antique floors and millwork | Extensive outdoor living spaces, large pool and terrace, multiple outbuildings | 2 car barns used to garage 20+ cars | Accommodates large scale entertaining

Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930

info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com

STONE BRIDGE FARM Leesburg, Virginia • $2,725,000 Main house c 1890 with total renovation & expansion 2003-2004 | Stone and stucco exterior | 4+ BR, 5 1/2 BA, 3 FP, exposed beams, vaulted ceilings, recording studio | Beautiful gardens, in-ground pool with spa | Terrace overlooking spring fed pond, 72.1 acres, 2 barns, totaling 14 stalls | Fenced and cross fenced, mature woods with riding trails | Close to Leesburg and Middleburg

Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905

HILLCREST Upperville, Virginia • $1,425,000 Spectacular hilltop setting, bold mountain views and Paris valley views | Home updated in 2017 | 4 BRs, 4 BA, 3 FP, gourmet kitchen, vaulted ceilings, skylights, lovely gardens, walkways and terrace | Improvements include in ground pool with spa | 2 stall barn with tack room, room for horses, spring fed pond |13.37 acres next to parkland surrounded by large estates

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

4 CHINN LANE Middleburg, Virginia • $1,295,000 Impressive and elegant home | Main level master suite opens to large blue stone terrace & private garden | Gorgeous finishes through out the home | Stunning living room opens to the dining room & a wall of windows and french doors | 2 wood burning fireplaces, new roof, new siding and updated kitchen and baths, lots of storage | Absolutely turn key | 2 car garage and greenhouse Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930

110 East Washington Street Middleburg, Virginia 20117

Ristau, who has a second home herself in Georgetown, advises buyers who want to take the plunge to make sure there is ease of access between your two properties. She thinks the Hunt Country is especially popular because it’s a short ride to Dulles Airport.

Ott cautioned second-home buyers to work with local agents and brokers who know every back road and hilltop in the region. It’s her version of “shopping local.” Agents in the market know more about the history and idiosyncrasies of particular properties, roads and areas.

“In the end, we become your neighbors. And we rely on one another very differently in the countryside,” Ott said.

Ott often tells her clients, “You’ll know it when you see it.” She reminds them that a story online may draw them in, but it’s seeing things like 100-year-old oak trees, antique brass on a front door handle and the like that makes a buyer say, “This is what I had in mind.”

If you haven’t bought a home in recent years, expect to see the practice of real estate relying heavily on technology, including digital photography and video. And COVID has, of course, changed the typical homebuying process. With socialdistancing and quarantine requirements, it is now more essential than ever to show in photos what a property is all about. Expect to have lots of phone conversations with your realtor and, when you do meet in person, wear a mask (remember: no handshakes or hugs).

Ott noted that there are specific instructions about not touching surfaces in a home, such as light switches and belongings. Buyers are asked to leave children with a babysitter, too.

As far as what to expect going into the fall season, Ott said brokers rely on trends to build their business plans for the year and to manage their inventory and time. “This year, we have been occupied by safety and urgency and even some panic,” she commented. “My hunch is a bit of the buying surge has subsided, but there is a higher-than-average demand for country property that may start as a second home and morph into a primary one.”

At first, Ristau responded to the same question much like the rest of us have been saying all year: “I have no idea! Every day is something different.” She went on to say she thinks the market will probably be a lot like today, with buyers interested in more space to spread their wings a bit.

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Grilled Mushroom & Scallion with Fresh Soba & Vegan Dashi. Shaved Beef with Simmered Onion, Fresh Udon & Duck Bone Dashi. Courtesy Shibuya Eatery.

LATEST DISH

BY LINDA ROTH

Kramerbooks & Afterwords owner Steve Salis will soon morph the landmark Dupont bookstore and 24-hour café at 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW into a bar and restaurant — with all-day breakfasts and signature Ted’s Bulletin pop tarts — called Kramers. There will also be a new retail space, All Day by Kramers, offering items like flowers and haircuts in addition to books. Chef Vincent Griffith has developed a French-inspired modern American menu for the new concept.

Ruthie’s All-Day is slated to open in September at 3411 5th St. South in Arlington, Virginia, helmed by partners Matt Hill, formerly of Liberty Tavern Restaurant Group, and Todd Salvadore, formerly of RW Restaurant Group. This neighborhood restaurant and bar will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (including takeout, of course), as well as catering.

Mike Friedman has enhanced weekend mornings and afternoons at his All Purpose Pizzeria at 1250 9th St. NW in Shaw

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Carrot Agnolotti & Crispy Prosciutto from ABC Pony. Photo by Rey Lopez.

with a Jewish deli called Delikatessen. The concept includes to-go cocktails that bartender Sam Nellis is adapting for the deli, including a Manischewitz mimosa (oy vey) and an egg cream with bourbon. Bagels come from Bullfrog Bagels.

Just Opened: Andrew Darnielle has opened Smokecraft Modern Barbecue at 1051 N. Highland Street in Clarendon, Virginia, featuring Smokecraft’s championship BBQ, which won over 70 awards in 2019. Lunch, dinner and brunch (takeout, too) are complemented by beverages that are a natural for smoked meat, seafood and vegetables. Executive sous chef William Burke fine-tuned his curing and smoking techniques at restaurants including Bull and Bird Steakhouse, Revival Social Dinner and The Smith Restaurant in Burton, Ohio. Smokecraft’s beverage program is designed by chief mixologist Lauren “LP” Paylor, 2019 winner of the Hardy Legends Cognac Competition, who worked at The Dabney, Dos Mamis and Silver Lyan in D.C. … Greg Bolton opened Bob & Edith’s Diner in Arlington at 5050 Lee Highway, where Linda’s Café used to be. The diner has four other Northern Virginia locations: Columbia Pike, Crystal City, Huntington and Springfield … Johanna Hellrigl opened Mercy Me in the Yours Truly hotel at 1143 New Hampshire Ave. NW in the West End. This “Sorta South American” cafe and restaurant was created with Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira of Call Your Mother deli — now with a Georgetown location at 3428 O St. NW — and Timber Pizza Co. Pastries are by Argentina native Camila Arango of Pluma by Bluebird bakery near Union Market.

Darren Norris and Candice Wise have opened Shibuya Eatery at 2321 18th St. NW in Adams Morgan, where Bourbon used to be. It’s the first part of a three-level Japanese food-service project. On the ground level, Shibuya is a carryout operation offering Japanese street food, including to-go sake and Japanese beers. Just outside, a shaved ice machine churns out traditional Japanese snow cones with mochi and fruit called kakigōri. Next to open will be Death Punch Bar on the third level, offering Shibuya’s food menu plus a pool table and a DJ booth. Around Labor Day, Shabu Plus is slated to open on the second floor with Japanese hot pot and kaiseki small plates, as well as a higher-end sake bar. GM Leonard Howell was previously at Le Diplomate. Executive sous chef is D’Angelo Mobley, formerly at Maialino Mare, American Son and the Allegory bar in the Eaton DC hotel. Bar manager Jeremy Wetmore comes from Left Door.

Chef & GM Update: Local Seat Pleasant native Armani Johnson has been named executive chef at ABC Pony, the ItalianAsian café by Erik-Bruner Yang at 2 I St. SE in Navy Yard. Johnson moved up from the sous-chef spot there and at Sally’s Middle Name on H Street NE. Four words: cheddar Old Bay biscuits.

Scissors & Scotch, a men’s barbershop, cocktail bar and lounge, is slated to open at 1 M St. SE in Capitol Riverfront by the fourth quarter of 2020, in the building that’s also home to the National Association of Broadcasters. The Kansas City-based franchise operation hopes to open 10 more locations in the region, including in NoMaUnion Market and Ballston, Virginia. Haircuts come with a complimentary cocktail.

Georgetown Quick Hit: New York’s Levain Bakery will open in Georgetown at 3131 M St. NW where Johnny Rockets used to be. It will be the bakery’s eighth location since owners Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald opened the original in 1995.

Make your reservations now for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s Summer Restaurant Week. Not only is the $35 dinner promotion in full swing, but it’s now Restaurant Weeks, as in two: Aug. 17 through 30. Carryout meals with curbside pickup are also available for solo or family-style dining, with adultbeverage options. The sharable meals cost $60 to $100 for two and $130 to $210 for four. Lunch and brunch choices are $22 a person.

Linda Roth (@LindaRothPR) is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Visit her on the web at lindarothpr.com.