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VOLUME 66 NUMBER 3
NOVEMBER 6 - 19, 2019
HOME, SWEET HOMES Fall Real Estate Special
N E W AI R B N B R E GS WH O LE F OO DS: ‘AC T O F G O D’ ? CO P PE PPE R-S PR AYE D K AT Y PE RRY, DAVE CHAPPE LLE
IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE
ABOUT THE COVER
The doors of Georgetown illuminate a colorful sense of place in Washington’s oldest neighborhood. Shot on location from 28th Street to 36th Street by Greg “Fritz” Blakey of Fritz PhotoGraphics.
NEWS · 3 - 6 Town Topics News Bytes
PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Charlene Louis
COPY EDITOR Richard Selden
FEATURES EDITORS Ari Post Gary Tischler
DOWNTOWNER · 7
FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Lauretta McCoy
EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8
GRAPHIC DESIGN Troy Riemer Dennis Belmont
Downtown News
Editorial Letter to the Editor Jack Evans Report CAG Report
PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet Neshan Naltchayan Patrick G. Ryan
READERS SURVEY · 9 BUSINESS · 10
BIDEN, MCAULIFFE ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Ins & Outs
ADVERTISING Evelyn Keyes Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Peggy Sands CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Susan Bodiker Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Jack Evans Donna Evers Michelle Galler Stephanie Green Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Jody Kurash Shelia Moses Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer Mary Ann Treger
BY PEGGY SAN D S
COVER · 11 - 13
Presidential candidate Joe Biden and former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe in Sterling, Virginia. Georgetowner photo.
Changing Doors in Georgetown The Fall Market: Q&A with Brokers
AREA RESTAURATEURS FACE ‘POLITICS ON THE PLATE’
Coming Full Circle Scents and Sensibilities
BY OL GA BOIKESS
October Real Estate Sales
Laurent Menoud of Cafe Milano speaks with moderator Carol Joynt. Courtesy DC OCTFME.
ARTS · 14
‘Bonnard ro Vuillard’ at The Phillips
VERDI AND MOZART AT THE KENNEDY CENTER
FOOD & WINE · 15
BY GARY TISC H L ER
The Latest Dish Dining Guide
Leah Crocetto and Russell Thomas in “Otello.” Courtesy WNO.
CLASSIFIEDS · 16 Service Directory
UP & COMING · 18 Events Calendar
GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES · 18 - 19
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TOWN TOPICS
NEWS
120 Witnesses Testify Passionately About Jelleff Field Witnesses at the D.C. Council roundtable on Oct. 21. Photo by Jeff Malet.
BY PEGGY SA NDS More than 100 student athletes, parents, alumni, community activists and their representatives spoke passionately for over six hours on Monday, Oct. 21, about the use of the Jelleff Recreation Center athletic field at 3265 S St. NW during a District Council Committee on Recreation and Youth Affairs oversight roundtable chaired by Ward 8 Council member Trevon White. The issue at hand was the newly extended usage contract for the Jelleff field, finalized in August by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and Maret School, a private K-12 school at 3000 Cathedral Ave. NW. The new nine-year contract continues the arrangement made in 2009. It allows Maret School’s mainly high school athletes prime-hours usage of the field for 10 school weeks in the fall and 10 in the spring. In 2009, in exchange for the priority access, Maret committed more than $2.4 million to completely build a top-grade athletic field, fencing, lights and a swimming pool at the center. In the new agreement, Maret has committed some $900,000 to upgrade and maintain the playing field in top condition and support renovation of the recreation building. Maret also has worked out
agreements with Hardy Middle School at 1819 35th St. NW and the Washington International School to use the fields at specified prime times. “Without the Maret investment, the field and pool would have sat vacant for many more years,” said Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans. “We are confident that our good-faith effort to be fiscally responsible in continuing a longstanding relationship with an excellent partner was the best decision,” DPR Director Delano Hunter told the oversight committee. But Council member White disputed that. As a result of this exclusive contract, Hardy Middle School students have to trek across town for after-school games and practices, he said. Students from Hardy and the Boys and Girls Club testified that they felt left out of playing after school on the first-rate field when students who were not from D.C. got to play there every day. A number of Maret students — many of whom come from low-income neighborhoods in D.C. — testified in turn, saying: “We are from D.C., too. Jelleff is our home, too.” “In total, D.C. residents enjoy more than 76 hours [out of a total of 91 hours] of permitted field time per
week, on a substantially upgraded field at little or no cost to taxpayers,” Hunter testified. “100 percent of the permits to more than 17 organizations, groups and leagues that hosted their games and meets at Jelleff in 2019 alone went to D.C. residents or organizations. More than 3,613 D.C. residents have enjoyed the pool. 1,300 people use the field weekly. Those numbers speak to the value and benefits that D.C. residents have reaped from this partnership with Maret.” But times have changed, noted many of the speakers. Georgetown and the District are seeing exponential growth in the number of families coming to live in the District. The public schools are growing, as are athletic programs at elementary, middle, private and independent schools and at public after-school programs. The need for playing fields is increasing in every ward. Jelleff has one of the few regulation-size playing fields and surfaces in Northwest D.C. “Even if Hardy doesn’t get more use under a new contract it doesn’t matter,” Hardy School Parent Association co-president Steven Brown told The Georgetowner. “More children across D.C. would have access. That’s what it is all about.” But Hardy and School Without Walls, a D.C. public charter
NOW OPEN—MEMORY SUPPORT
school in the West End, would get priority under DPR rules, Brown noted. As more and more speakers, pro and con Maret’s preferential access, made their arguments, the tenor began to take on a poor-man/rich-man, public school versus private school dispute. “Class war!” proclaimed provocative blogger Dave McKenna on Deadspin. “But this is really about sharing high-demand times on a top playing field,” said Abi Paulsen, who has three children in three different public schools in the area. “We don’t want to exclude Maret,” said Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners Kishan Putta and Elizabeth Miller. “We just want prime hours shared. If that doesn’t happen, we’ll look for other ways to do it.” Council members White and Mary Cheh commented that DPR should have handled permitting to balance the needs of Maret, Hardy and community groups, adding that they have requested information on similar exclusive-use agreements from DPR, “so that this situation can be avoided in the future,” said Cheh.
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4 NOVEMBER 6 2019
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TOWN TOPICS
Canal Renovation Is Moving Along BY PEGGY SA NDS Things are happening along the Georgetown section of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The two-year project to restore and repair Locks 3 and 4, adjacent to 30th Street NW, has been completed. The 31st Street Bridge over the canal and towpath is being replaced. The new replica canal boat is under construction, and new mules to tow it are about to be sought, bought and trained. “The big news is that we are definitely planning a launch date for the boat in the late spring of 2020,” Maggie Downing of Georgetown Heritage told about 100 people at a canal update meeting, convened by the Citizens Association of Georgetown on Oct. 22.
A town meeting and workshop to view two alternative designs and to collect and consider public input on the comprehensive Georgetown Canal Plan will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. The session will take place in the Canal Overlook Room on the far west side of Georgetown Park, 3276 M St. NW. The alternatives are part of an environmental assessment, a required step. “The proposed action alternatives address issues of deferred maintenance and increased preservation of the one-mile section of the C&O Canal,” states Georgetown Heritage, the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service on the project. They will also “include improvements that will enhance education, interpretation and visitor
experiences for those who live, work and visit the park in Georgetown.” The stability of the locks’ walls and waterway has been the first priority of the canal park project, according to Georgetown Heritage. Enhancement of landscape zones and educational opportunities are next. Seven landscape zones have been identified in the plan: the canal walls, the mile marker, the Rock Creek confluence, the grove, the garden, Fish Market Square and the Aqueduct. “We’re about to use some very jargon-y language, all of which can be translated,” Downing remarked at the CAG meeting. “But in the end, what we can really say is that we are excited and the C&O plan is going to be awesome.”
Creation of the comprehensive plan is a complicated process involving a number of agencies. It is being developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, ensuring that the park’s natural and cultural resources are carefully considered. Funding for the plan comes from the Executive Office of the Mayor, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, the Georgetown Business Improvement District and private philanthropy. A combination of public and private sources will fund the plan’s implementation.
Whole Foods Closure Due to Act of God? BY PEGGY SA NDS Glover Park, Burleith and Georgetown residents have been mourning the loss of the popular Whole Foods grocery store at 2323 Wisconsin Ave. NW since March of 2017, when it was suddenly closed “due to a rodent problem.” But the matter grew into a contract and remodeling dispute between Wical Limited Partnership, the owner of the building, and Whole Foods, which had just been acquired by Amazon. On Oct. 28, D.C. District Judge Royce Lamberth set a trial date of May 26, 2020, to hear the entire matter. The key issue is to determine whether or not the rodent problem was an “act of God.” “Until it decides whether the rodent infestation counts as an act of God, the court can’t rule on any part of the case,” Lamberth wrote. “The infestation must be of such character that it could not have been prevented or avoided by foresight or prudence.” Both parties stand to lose millions of dollars in rent — paid, delayed and retroactive — and legal fees if the other side prevails. The issues have escalated from the initial closure of the store by D.C. Department of Health for “persistent signs of a rodent problem,” that is, mouse and rat sightings. In March of 2017, the closure was permitted under the lease for 60 days to take care of the problem. During that period, it appears, Whole Foods decided to use the closure as an opportunity to do some interior remodeling. The lease did not THE WORLD FAMOUS
allow a closure of more than 60 days barring a “force majeure” — circumstances beyond the responsible party’s control, such as a natural disaster or other “act of God.” When the closure extended well beyond 60 days, Wical sued for breach of contract. Wical claims that Whole Foods had decided to use the closure to substantially remodel the interior of the store. Whole Foods claimed that Wical had breached the contract by delaying signing the remodeling permit requests and that the closure beyond 60 days was allowed due to circumstances beyond its control. Further, Whole Foods maintains that the rodent problem was due to Georgetown’s well-known, ongoing rat infestation issues and the nearby baseball field. Wical claims that Whole Foods didn’t maintain proper conditions in the store, which allowed a large extended family of rodents to make a home there. The whole matter was taken to district court about a year ago. In September, Judge Lamberth ruled out a request by all the interests for a summary judgment, a ruling on the merits or on discrete issues of a case without a trial. “Neither side has shown ‘that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact,’” he wrote. Now the judge will decide if the closure was due to an act of God or not. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is also the publisher and owner of the Washington Post and a parttime resident of Northwest D.C.
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The Whole Foods grocery store at 2323 Wisconsin Ave. NW has been closed for two and a half years. Georgetowner photo.
Designer Clothing, Handbags & Accessories Friday, November 22nd at 10am
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NOVEMBER 6 2019
5
TOWN TOPICS
Zoning for Short-Term Rentals Approved BY PEGGY SA NDS D.C. homeowners will be allowed to rent rooms or their entire homes on a short-term basis — using Airbnb or similar online platforms — for up to 90 days annually, even if they are not in residence. This was confirmed on Oct. 24 when the D.C. Zoning Commission approved zoning codes to match legislation passed almost a year ago by the District Council. But no one is sure when property owners can get the now-required business licenses. The Department of Regulatory Affairs must still adopt rulemaking procedures and hire staff to implement the law. On its part, Airbnb requires three to six months to update hosts’ accounts to show that they are properly licensed. The zoning change does not apply to largescale apartment buildings or to secondary homes. Short-term rentals of those types of properties were prohibited by the law passed on Nov. 15, 2018. The law also prohibits tenants from renting out their units, requires hosts to have working smoke detectors and liability insurance and imposes civil penalties for operating illegal short-term rentals.
BY KATE OC ZYPOK Mayor Muriel Bowser opposed the 2018 bill as too restrictive. Instead of vetoing it, she just didn’t sign it, allowing it to become law without her signature. But for that law to take effect, certain regulatory and budgetary steps had to be taken. Though they could not block Airbnb-type rentals altogether, opponents agreed to move the process forward on Oct. 18 provided that the new zoning restrictions, at least, would be enforced. It could still take some time for the new rules to go into effect. First, a 30-day waiting period is required before final action. Then, unless it is called emergency relief, DCRA must adopt a rulemaking to implement the law, which requires a comment period of 30 to 45 days. DCRA then must hire staff to process the new licenses. In the meantime, hosts are in limbo. While, technically, they now can legally offer short-term rentals, they need a license to confirm they can do so. Until now, regulations on home-based rentals have rarely been enforced. But with new attention being paid to the issue, some hosts are concerned about neighborhood tattletales.
Cady’s Carless on Weekends BY PEGGY SA NDS Cady’s Alley in Georgetown will be a pedestrian-only thoroughfare, closed to automobile traffic and parking, every weekend from 6 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The policy went into effect on Oct. 25 to 27, the weekend of Oktoberfest.
NEWS BYTES
As reported in The Georgetowner, drivers desperate to detour around the late-afternoon traffic jam on M Street formed by vehicles going to and from Key Bridge continually plow through Cady’s Alley. This will no longer be possible on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, at least through the end of the year.
GEORGETOWN AIMS TO BECOME ‘BEE CAMPUS’
As part of Georgetown University’s commitment to increase native and nonnative pollinators on its campus, the school is seeking to become the first “Bee Campus” in the District. Universities and colleges that have this designation offer pollinatorfocused courses and workshops, post signs to educate the community and share “Bee Campus USA” news online.
GU’S SLAVERY, MEMORY AND RECONCILIATION WORK
Georgetown University President John DeGioia recently updated the community on the university’s commitment to address its “enduring and persistent legacies of
slavery,” including support of communitybased projects in Louisiana and elsewhere benefitting descendants of enslaved people. The yet-to-be-named projects will be financed through fundraising and not by a student fee, a proposal that Georgetown students endorsed last spring.
ZUCKERBERG KICKS OFF GU SERIES
Georgetown University students were able to ask Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg questions at a university event on Oct. 17. Over 100 students submitted questions for a GU Politics initiative called “Democracy in the Digital Age.” The series is to feature conversations with leaders in politics, technology, government and other fields.
CRIME & SAFETY BY PEGGY SAN D S
A 35-year-old man “of no fixed address” sprayed “some sort of pepper spray at MPD officers” on Monday, Oct. 28, in front of a Georgetown resident on the 2600 block of O Street NW. Over a dozen Metropolitan Police Department officers arrived to subdue the loudly protesting Wade Westmoreland in front of the home of two Georgetowner staff members.
A small crowd of tennis players witnessed the man being cornered by police as he came onto O Street through Rose Park. He was arrested on a bench warrant and for assault on a police officer, according to Second District Commander Duncan Bedlion.
Cultural Leadership Breakfast Thursday, November 14, 2019 8 to 9:30 a.m. 1310 Kitchen and Bar by Jenn Crovato 1310 Wisconsin Ave. NW Police assailant was arrested Oct. 28 at 27th & O Streets NW. Georgetowner photo.
Dr. Michael Witmore Director Folger Shakespeare Library Michael Witmore taught at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison before becoming the Folger’s seventh director in 2011. He will talk about the library’s two-year renovation and expansion project, beginning early in 2020, and the programs to be offered during and after. Admission is $25. To RSVP, email richard@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833.
6 NOVEMBER 6 2019
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ALL SOULS DAY EVENING PRAYER The Church remembers all of the faithful departed in a special way during the month of November. Please join the parish community for a sung Evening Prayer on November 4 at 7pm in the church. All are invited to bring a framed photograph of any deceased friends
and loved ones to Evening Prayer. If you are unable to participate on November 4, please bring a photograph on November 10 to be remembered in our liturgies during November. Photographs may be collected on November 24.
DOWNTOWNER
BY KATE OCZ Y P OK
HEARING PLEADS FOR SAFER ROADS FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS
A new National Christmas tree was planted just in time for the holiday season.
NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE PLANTED
The National Park Service planted a new National Christmas Tree that will be lit December 5th during the 97th National Christmas Tree Lighting. The new tree on the Ellipse is a 30-foot Colorado blue spruce from Florida. The former tree, planted in October 2012, was damaged by a windstorm in January 2014. It was damaged again four years later when someone tried to climb the tree.
A DC Council hearing on safeguards for walkers and bikers turned emotional last week when accidents like a hit-and-run that killed a Southeast DC teenage girl were brought up. Over 60 people spoke in support about measures considered to help DC streets say safer, The Washington Post reported. Some proposals include lower speed limits.
DC ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO HELP TEACHERS
DC launched a new program to help local public schoolteachers to buy a house. The program, called “Landed,” is a West Coast based company that helps teachers purchase homes in the neighborhoods they live in. The company works in expensive cities (like DC). WTOP reported that Landed CEO Alex Lofton said the company will match up to $120,000 in a down payment.
D.C. ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS MAYOR’S NEW ARTS OFFICE ILLEGAL
The DC Attorney General’s Office is saying that Mayor Muriel Bowser violated DC law by creating a new office to manage the city’s art collections. Bowser created the Creative Affairs Office last summer. The office came after a tussle with DC Council about who will control the city’s arts infrastructure including grant funding, public art projects and more, DCist reported. Last week, Deputy Attorney General Brian Flowers issued a memorandum that said the Bowser-led office doesn’t have the right to control DC’s art—the power for that already goes to the Commission on Arts and Humanities.
BUD LIGHT TURNS NATS FAN MOMENT INTO AD
The Washington Nationals fan who notoriously held on tight to his two beers as a ball hurtled toward him is now part of his very own Bud Light ad. During Game 6 of the World Series, Budweiser aired a commercial showing his viral moment. Nationals Park is shown in the ad.
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Conan the military dog, who helped in the al-Baghdadi raid, will be honored at the White House.
HERO MILITARY DOG TO VISIT WHITE HOUSE THIS WEEK
Conan, the military dog that was injured in the al-Baghdadi raid will visit the White House this week. President Donald Trump tweeted and declassified the dog’s name and an altered image of him presenting Conan with a medal, WTOP reported. Conan was injured when he came across live electrical cables but is expected to make a full recovery. He has taken part in dozens of missions and has worked with special ops for four years.
BEI BEI THE PANDA TO SAY BYE TO DC
A Nats fan who held onto his beers got his own commercial.
The National Zoo’s giant panda is heading to China on November 19th, departing the area as part of an agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The panda has spent four years in the area. Bei Bei was born in August 2015 and named by former First Lady Michelle Obama and Madame Peng Liyuan, China’s First Lady, WAMU said. He is part of a nearly 50-yearold program where pandas born here live in China once they are four years old.
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OPINION
EDITORIAL
CAG UPDATE
Work to Be Done on Canal, Retail Sector BY C H ERYL GR AY Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833
Take Down That Crane! Enough is Enough, Thor Equities New York-based real estate developer and investment firm Thor Equities closed on its acquisition of 3000 M St. NW for $53.35 million in July of 2016. The property once housed the Latham Hotel, Michel Richard’s Citronelle restaurant and the more casual La Madeleine. All closed in 2012, reportedly due to “water damage.” Said Thor Equities on the time: “The 10-story, 125,000-square-foot corner building features 280 feet of wraparound frontage on 30th Street and M Street, the prime retail corridor in Washington, D.C.” The firm added that it planned “to redevelop the retail space along M Street to create a premier flagship location, with up to 27,000 square feet on the ground,
lower and second levels. The company is also repositioning a portion of the property into a luxury boutique hotel with up to 100 rooms, a high-end restaurant, and additional food & beverage space.” What happened? Now there’s nothing but an empty shell of rusting multistory girders, topped by an unmanned and swaying work crane. No work; nobody on site. This situation — or non-situation — has been this way since early 2018, and the community is fed up. Let’s make some noise. Tell the property owners and government to get this project back on track. This eyesore makes Georgetown look bad.
Two of the issues that most concern many Georgetowners are how to recapture the beauty and history of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and what to do about the seemingly increasing number of empty storefronts in our commercial area. These two topics are the subjects of the Citizens Association of Georgetown’s October and November community meetings. On Oct. 21, CAG members met at Pinstripes to discuss the renovation plans for the Georgetown section (the first mile) of the C&O Canal, put together jointly by the National Park Service and GeorgetownHeritage,aprivatephilanthropicgroup. An environmental assessment of the latest canal plans has recently been posted on the NPS website at parkplanning.nps.gov/georgetowncanalplan. Public comments are welcome until Nov. 16. InCAG’sview,theParkServiceandGeorgetown Heritage have gone a long way to respond to the wide-ranging comments they received last spring on the previous plans. The current plans are simpler and greener, and they emphasize and publicize the canal’s unique history. They enhance enjoyment of the site with new seating, viewing and boating areas, and also increase accessibility. Much of the work involves needed renovations to the towpath, walls and canal itself. In addition,
a new canal boat, to be pulled by mules, has been ordered and is expected to be delivered next September. Further details need to be worked out to ensure the preservation of the canal’s heritage. There will be opportunities to discuss design issues and options at particular sites as the plans evolve. It will take many years and lots of fundraising to reach the vision outlined in the plans, but if reached it should add tremendously to the beauty and enjoyment of this section of the canal. If residents have the time, they might enjoy walking the onemile stretch of the canal, plans in hand. It starts at Mile Marker 0, next to Thompson Boat Center, and ends at the ruins of the Aqueduct Bridge, just beyond the Whitehurst Freeway. They will be amazed how much they will see and learn. On Thursday, Nov. 14, CAG, the BID and Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E will co-sponsor a community meeting to discuss the problem of empty storefronts. The goals are to brainstorm causes and possible ways to address the situation and to explore how Georgetown residents and community organizations can contribute to solutions. The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Georgetown Park’s canal overlook room (next to the canal, across from the former Dean & DeLuca). Please join us! Cheryl Gray is president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown.
JACK EVANS REPORT
D.C. Is Now the Sports Capital BY JAC K EVAN S 3000 M Street, NW. Georgetowner photo.
Letter to the Editor Chambers, Not Hiss, Hid ‘Pumpkin Papers’ Your most recent edition, which discusses spies and intelligence officers who lived in Georgetown (there is a difference), was quite good. I would suggest an important clarification. Your article states, “Alger Hiss, Senate and later State Department employee, spied for the Soviet Union and once hid his intel in a pumpkin.” A fuller description of Alger Hiss’s role in Soviet espionage would have been, “Alger Hiss spied for Joseph Stalin before, during and after World War II, and ultimately served nearly five years in federal prison for perjury, after denying his espionage activities while under oath.”
Hiss, personally, had nothing to do with the “Pumpkin Papers.” His courier for Soviet military intelligence was Whittaker Chambers, who broke with communism over the Hitler-Stalin Pact and turned over to the federal government documents Hiss had given him for delivery to Russia. Chambers hid them briefly in a hollowed-out pumpkin on his farm in Westminster, Maryland, which is why they are called the “Pumpkin Papers.” Also, Alger Hiss was a senior officer of the State Department who attended the Yalta Conference, and was a lot more than just an “employee.” —Theodore C. Barreaux
Do you think Strasburg will stay with the NATS? YOUR OPINION MATTERS. Post your response. Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner 8 NOVEMBER 6 2019
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In 2018, the Washington Capitals became the Stanley Cup champions after they bested the Las Vegas Knights in a heated series. We all remember the fans rocking the red and flooding 7th Street outside the arena. Who can forget the team’s multiday party and Ovi’s swim in the fountain at the Georgetown waterfront outside Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place? The Capitals broke a 26-year-long sports championship drought. And now the sky has opened. We didn’t have to wait long for D.C. to have another team create its own space in sports history. Earlier in October, the Washington Mystics ascended to claim the WNBA championship title in a five-game series against the Connecticut Sun. Hockey, basketball and football. This town has seen its share of championship teams. Only the World Series remained unclaimed, and that changed last week. The Washington Nationals became the 2019 World Series champions in the most unbelievable way possible. On Oct. 1, just to get into the playoffs, the team was competing in a one-game, winner-take-all matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Nats’ 4-3 win set them up to be the most resilient and exciting team in the postseason. The National League Division Series brought the Nats face to face with the Los Angeles Dodgers, arguably one of the best teams in baseball. Given the Dodgers’ 106-win record, it was hard to believe that the Nats bested Bellinger, Kershaw and Pederson to force a
game 5. Howie Kendrick became the hero with a grand slam in the top of the 10th to win the series, ending the Dodgers’ season. Only the St. Louis Cardinals stood in the way of the World Series. To everyone’s surprise, including mine, the Nationals became the National League champions by sweeping the Cardinals. Enough said, for this series. This team endured the most stressful game-defining moments. They almost always overcame an early home-run deficit when they went on to win a game. The World Series proved that this Nationals team had everything going for them, even when the umpires made multiple controversial calls. Just as the Capitals and the Mystics claimed their own titles in their own way, the Nationals achieved greatness by defying the odds. We had fun watching them make history. A baseball team hasn’t brought a trophy to town since the Homestead Grays won the series in 1948. We’ve been able to compete with, challenge and win against teams with strong ties to their own communities and states. Add world championship teams to the list of reasons why we are as good as — and better than — teams from Wisconsin, California, Missouri and Texas. Statehood for D.C. will continue to be a fight. We’re all in on that fight, but for now we’re more than happy being the sports capital again. Jack Evans is the District Council member for Ward 2, representing Georgetown and other neighborhoods since 1991.
LAST CHANCE!
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9
BUSINESS
INS & OUTS BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY
CONDOS TO FORCE OUT GYPSY SALLY’S, OTHER BUSINESSES
A condominium development planned for 3401 K (Water) St. NW appears to be advancing. And, as expected, commercial renters in the space will be departing. The planned 49-unit condo complex will convert the existing structure and add five stories, with a parking garage beneath, as well as a penthouse and a pool. After some changes to original designs in 2016,
At the corner of 34th and K (Water) Streets: The Berliner and, upstairs, Gypsy Sally’s. What will happen to the JFK mural? Georgetowner photo.
the project — by IBG Partners and Wilco Residential, with designs by architecture firm BBGM — looks set for action next year. The Old Georgetown Board will soon be reviewing the plans for final approval. The first business to bail officially is livemusic venue Gypsy Sally’s, which opened in 2013 and was the subject of a Georgetowner cover story in February of 2014. On Gypsy Sally’s Facebook page last week, co-owner David Ensor wrote: “As you may have heard, our landlord recently sold the building where we have resided since 2013. It will be developed into condominiums. With great sadness, Gypsy Sally’s will have its final loadout on January 5th, 2020 … Thank you for giving us this chance of a lifetime and for walking on this journey with us. We hope to see you in the coming weeks so that we have the opportunity to thank you in person and maybe swap a few memories. It has truly been a long, strange, and wonderful trip … Peace, David and Karen.” Other businesses on the property include the Popal Group’s Berliner beer hall on the ground f loor, an exercise place and a delivery service.
Rendering for the 2900 block of M Street NW. Courtesy Hickok Cole.
38 UNITS COMING TO 2900 M STREET?
The Pierre Gaunoux Rev. Trust is proposing to build 38 add-on units and a four- or five-story building to the back of its properties at 2900-2924 M St. NW. The block’s tenants include Ike Behar, Georgetown Olive Oil Co. and Georgetown Veterinary Hospital. Office units would be at the bottom of the new structure, with residential units on the upper levels, parking garage included. The project is being designed by Hickok Cole Architects. The Old Georgetown Board will review the plans on Nov. 7.
IN: BAR AT WOLFGANG PUCK’S CUT REOPENS
A fire in the kitchen of the Rosewood hotel’s Cut restaurant shut down the entire hotel on Oct. 10. The hotel is back in operation after a brief evacuation due to smoke conditions. Its bar reopened two weeks ago, but the restaurant will be closed until Dec. 1. The fire, caused by a mechanical failure, was confined to the kitchen but affected the ducts of the building at 1050 31st St. NW, next to the C&O Canal. No one was injured.
RETURNING: GEORGETOWN CARPET
In Glover Park since 1981, Georgetown Carpet is moving from 2208 Wisconsin Ave. NW to 1815 Wisconsin Ave. NW, next to Safeway. The new space was vacated by Noodles & Company. As first reported by gloverparkdc.com, longtime owner Ben Tabar must vacate the Glover Park building, which is part of a 40-unit condominium project.
COMING: TATTE BAKERY & CAFE IN MEIWAH SPACE
Founded 12 years ago by Tzurit Or in Brookline, Massachusetts, Tatte Bakery & Cafe has expanded to a dozen Boston locations and plans to open in D.C. in the spring at 1200 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Expect stylish white tiles in the space that once held Meiwah restaurant, with an Israeli menu of “Halva Latte, Shakshukah, Crunchy Halloumi, Jerusalem bagel, pistachio croissant or chocolate rose,” wrote Or on Instagram. “D.C., we are coming your way, and we have so much to give!” Didi Cutler contributed to this report.
IN: CHASQA, HEIR OF HERITAGE INDIA
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“They’re back,” announces the business at 2332 Wisconsin Ave. NW, rebranded as Chasqa. “After serving the Glover Park-Washington, D.C., community as chefs for Heritage India for over two decades, Executive chef Surender is back with the executive chef team of Dawa Tamang and Pawan Khadka.” The name comes from India and means, the business says: “Craving, Zest, Passion, Curiosity, Obsession, Hooked, Addiction, Liking and Attraction” — as in “Your fix for flavor.”
COMING: JANTI CAFE, FOR A TOUCH OF TURKEY
Opening soon (“Pek Yakında”) is Janti Cafe, a Turkish coffee house and market at 1826 Wisconsin Ave. NW, adjacent to Cafe Divan. The best of Turkish coffee, pastries, hot and cold sandwiches, salamis and Turkish cheeses will be available.
Chef Surender. Courtesy Chasqa.
Changing Doors in Georgetown BY PEGGY SANDS As you can see from the beautiful coverstory photos in this issue, one of the greatest pleasures of walking and driving around the historic neighborhood of Georgetown is to view the distinct doors of homes large and small. They are the signature of the residents’ sense of architectural style. But if a homeowner wants to restore, replace, change or especially redesign a front door entrance in Georgetown, be forewarned: “It’s difficult and very subjective.” According to Joel Truitt, 83, a contractor who has been doing restoration work — even custom-building front doors — in Washington, D.C., for almost 50 years: “To do anything more than repaint a front door in Georgetown requires a building permit from the DCRA [Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affiars]. That triggers a mandatory review by the District’s Fine Arts Commission. Approval of a new door will depend entirely on which architects sit on
the commission’s review panel that day. And they have the final say of Zeus,” he added. “A new door doesn’t have to exactly match the ones next door, but it has to be compatible with the style of the building and historic neighborhood. Even colors, while broad ranged, should be fairly traditional in hue — a golden yellow but not neon, for instance. Door jambs, transoms and especially canopies that are highly different from the rest of the area probably won’t be approved. But it’s subjective.” Truitt should know. He has had to argue hard in a second review for changes that architects in the first review had firmly suggested. What happens if a homeowner just goes to Home Depot, buys a beautiful new door (with, say, a window in the upper half) and installs it? “That will almost certainly result in a work stop order and at least a $2,000 initial fine,” Pruitt said.
The Old Georgetown Board was the first of the historic review boards in Washington, established in the 1950s. The idea was to preserve by force of law the neighborhood’s historic features. But the OGB has some of the most restrictive regulations in the country, Pruitt told The Georgetowner. In the 1970s, when Pruitt and other neighbors on Capitol Hill proposed an architectural review board for their area, they were determined not to make the regulations as strict as Georgetown’s. With the help of neighbors who happened to be lawyers, congressional staff members and even a deputy assistant secretary at the Department of the Interior, Doug Wheeler, legislation for a Capitol Hill review board with fewer restrictions was passed by Congress. “It has become the model for historic districts around the country,” Pruitt said. Georgetown remains special.
The Fall Market: Q&A with Brokers BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY For this edition of The Georgetowner’s Fall Real Estate Special, we asked real estate brokers a few quick questions to assess the current situation. In this market, is it best to sell, buy or simply stay put and upgrade your home? In every market, there are opportunities to sell, buy or stay put; the decision depends upon the needs and motivations of the individual. Overall, our housing market continues to enjoy a low interest rate environment, and while we are still facing inventory shortages in some communities, it’s a great time to be engaged in the market. —Lonnie Plaster, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager at Long & Foster There is a good market in any market, and we are seeing opportunities for buyers and sellers alike. The village of Georgetown is one of the strongest markets in the Capital Region, and the year-to-date sales statistics show that it is a very strong and active market. Many of our clients find they are too busy to take on what is like another full-time job in managing a renovation, so they choose to relocate to a home that is “ready to go.” —William F. X. Moody, co-founder and Executive Vice President at Washington Fine Properties
There are great opportunities to buy, and sellers have a strong buyer pool in Washington, especially Georgetown. —Michael Rankin, Managing Partner, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, TTRSotheby’s International Realty Pricing the house is key. A few houses on the market — such Kevin Plank’s house, Jeh Johnson’s former house and a historic home on 35th Street — all dropped in price. How are listings priced most appropriately, in your opinion, and are there any influences or market pressures that would contribute to pricing fluctuations? There are always market influences and pressures that contribute to pricing fluctuations. Setting the right price requires the insights and guidance of a local expert, like those at Long & Foster | Christie’s, to help you evaluate the current market conditions and find that sweet spot. Not only is initial pricing key, but also knowing when to make a price improvement — and that requires intimate knowledge of the local economy and the willingness to strategically stay ahead of any market changes. —Lonnie Plaster Pricing is an art, not a science. The key to success is getting the home priced right from the beginning. It is a thoughtful process and we spend a great deal of time providing our clients in-depth analysis
of the market so they are comfortable in choosing just the right asking price — one where they leave no money on the table but are not considered by the community as “overpriced.” Our process includes a study of other home sales in the past year, homes that are currently under contract, and positioning the home strategically to those homes that are currently active on the market. WFP’s pricing tour is a critical part of the process, where agents from our firm provide a suggested list and sell price. This data is graphed and provided to the seller with average and median prices. We believe it is our responsibility to make our sellers experts in the market and provide them with all of this data so they can choose the right price for their home. Some sellers decide to choose a higher price than the data shows to test the market. This often leads to longer market times and price reductions. —William F. X. Moody There are so many factors that go into pricing, including location, interior renovations and upgrades, as well as lot and garden sizes. —Michael Rankin How does the D.C. economic boom (also considering the “Amazon effect”) affect housing choices? Is inventory low or high in Georgetown? D.C. and the Capital Region offer a variety of housing choices, but in many of these areas, inventory remains relatively low. We will not see the full impact of
Amazon right away, especially because we have been in a full employment environment for quite some time. According to Bright MLS, inventory in Georgetown is down by 16 percent year over year, and months of supply is at 3.8, down by 6 percent year over year. Our median sales price is $1,083,438, which is up 9 percent versus a year ago. The market in Georgetown is strong, but the lack of inventory limits choices for buyers. These conditions are expected to continue, which will likely impact the overall number of sales between now and the New Year. —Lonnie Plaster It is an exciting time in our region, with the Nationals wining the World Series, Amazon coming to our area, a booming stock market and record low interest rates. Consumers’ attitudes are extremely positive and they are actively looking to sell and buy. While there is a good balance between buyers and sellers, we find that condition and price remain key factors. If a house is in excellent condition and priced correctly, it will sell very quickly. There is also a great market with our developer pool looking for homes in need of renovation. —William F. X. Moody The Amazon effect is a big plus for sellers in Georgetown. We already have a strong buyer pool, and Amazon employees relocating will certainly be interesting in Georgetown. —Michael Rankin
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Coming Full Circle A HUGH NEWELL JACOBSEN JEWEL IS READY FOR ITS NEXT INCARNATION BY SU S A N BODIKE R On a winding, brick-lined street in Georgetown’s East Village sits a pale gray row house with an unusual pedigree. Once an 1880s-era Victorian, it was gutted, updated and thoroughly renovated in 1965 by Hugh Newell Jacobsen. The new owners had found the original floor plan too dark and confining. According to Architectural Digest, Jacobsen’s design started a movement called “The Washington School,” which sought to preserve the charms of the city’s historic homes while bringing them up to more modern lifestyle standards. Thanks to Jacobsen, the home acquired what were then considered major innovations: a central spiral staircase (replacing the original stairway), larger windows front and back, a flagstone patio with a water feature and a phenomenal loft space and playroom. The façade blends harmoniously with its neighbors, while the opened-up interior and extended back of the house add much needed light, space and a sense of playfulness. These elements and others still exist, creating an ideal template for further adaptation or reinvention. Every room has possibilities and the layout lends itself to a range of configurations. The home currently offers 2,955 square feet of living space on four levels, with four bedrooms, three full baths and two half baths, built-in bookcases and a lovely round skylight above the third-floor landing. Flagstone steps lead to a massive black door with a glass awning. Inside, the reception area is separated from the library by a freestanding wood room divider, which contains closets on the foyer side and a bar on the library side. The library also has a
wall of built-in bookshelves and cabinets. Beyond the entry is the central spiral staircase, with sinuous bright-orange handrails. Curved walls surround the stairs, which connect all levels of the home. On the far side of the stairs is a spacious living room with a gas fireplace and French doors that open onto a wood deck facing the rear garden. Two bedrooms and two full baths apiece reside on the second and third upper levels. The owner’s bedroom has extensive builtins, custom shutters and an en-suite bath. A sunny guest room overlooks the garden. On the top floor, one of the bedrooms has a deep balcony. In the loft space, there is a fabulous playroom with a built-in desk, a wood-slatted hideaway and an exposed brick wall. Downstairs, on the lowest level, there is a galley kitchen with a separate breakfast space and a stacked washer-dryer. The family room — once the formal dining room — has flagstone flooring and opens outward to the private patio through a wall of floor-to-ceiling doors. Amazingly, for all its modernity, Jacobsen’s renovation plan was approved with few changes by the Fine Arts Commission. The only required modification was the addition of wood trim to the windows for a more traditional silhouette. The four-level townhouse at 3038 Cambridge Place NW is listed at $2,100,000 with Margaret Heimbold at Long & Foster | Christie’s. For details, call 202-812-2750 or email margaret.heimbold@longandfoster. com. For a visual tour, visit spws.homevisit. com/mls/279931/3038-cambridge-pl-nwwashington-dc-20007.
Cambridge Place in 1966 with signature tall windows. Courtesy LIFE Magazine.
Front of house today with traditional elements like this window trim. Photo by S. Bodiker.
There’s a room on the top floor that’s big enough to swing in. Courtesy LIFE Magazine.
Front of the house in 1966
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Scents and Sensibilities
OCTOBER 2019 REAL ESTATE STATS
WITH ITS NEW HOME FRAGRANCE, LONG & FOSTER MASTERS THE ART OF STEALTH STAGING BY SU S A N BODIKE R It’s as plain as the nose on your face. Scents evoke memory, sensation and emotion. And what is more emotional than buying or selling a home? So much of your life is contained in those rooms, and so many dreams yet to come. With this in mind, Long & Foster — which encourages buyers to “Dwell in the Uncommon” — is taking an uncommonly creative approach to home marketing with the introduction, this holiday season, of its first signature scent: LF68. (The company was founded in 1968.) Long & Foster Director of Marketing Elena Solovyov explains the inspiration behind the scent this way: “Emotions are a major factor in the real estate experience. A bespoke home fragrance allows us to tap into those emotions and help our customers experience their perfect home and create lasting memories.” But it has to be the right fragrance. You can’t just spray some floral elements into the air and hope
MEDIAN PRICE SOLD: $1,001,250 NEW: $1,345,000 ACTIVE*: $1,622,498
for the best. Led by Solovyov, the Long & Foster team worked with French perfumer MANE to craft a scent that would reflect the brand’s image of sophistication and refinement, while creating a sensory experience that would enrich the customer presence and boost “dwell-time” in the home. The result? A luxurious yet fresh blend of champagne rose, rhubarb, lemon and powder, along with delicate lavender redolent of a spring dinner party. This distinctive scent is now a Long & Foster exclusive. Christian Dior once commanded, “Make me a fragrance that smells like love.” With LF68, Long & Foster believes it has created a scent that smells like home.
INVENTORY SOLD: 20 NEW: 26 ACTIVE*: 62
For more information, visit longandfoster. com/homescents, call Elena Solovyov at 202420-8836 or email luxuryhomes@longandfoster. com. Photo by Rachel Sale. Courtesy Long & Foster.
3306 O St NW 5136 Palisade Ln NW 4636 Hawthorne Ln NW 1177 22nd St NW #9J 4529 Lowell St NW 3127 O St NW 4524 Westhall Dr NW 2343 King Pl NW 1001 New Hampshire Ave NW 5011 Warren St NW 1236 28th St NW 1111 24th St NW #45 4219 50th St NW 3334 Reservoir Rd NW 2319 Nebraska NW 5000 Garfield St NW 3021 Dent Pl NW 3033 Cambridge Pl NW 2866 Arizona Ter NW 2516 Q St NW #Q201 800 25th St NW #200Xl 6412 31st St NW 3408 O St NW 2210 Hall Pl NW 4257 Fordham Rd NW 4408 Westover Pl NW 3755 W St NW 6934 33rd St NW 1335 27th St NW 4457 Greenwich Pkwy NW 3313 Q St NW 5110 Macarthur Blvd NW 3725 W St NW 5000 V St NW 3534 S St NW 808 New Hampshire Ave NW
Georgetown Kent Wesley Heights West End Wesley Heights Georgetown Palisades Berkley West End Spring Valley Georgetown West End Spring Valley Georgetown Palisades Kent Georgetown Georgetown Kent Georgetown Foggy Bottom Barnaby Woods Georgetown Glover Park Spring Valley Wesley Heights Glover Park Hawthorne Georgetown Foxhall Georgetown Palisades Glover Park Palisades Georgetown West End
BEDS
FULL BATH
5 6 6 2 5 4 3 4 3 5 3 2 7 4 4 3 2 3 4 2 3 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 2 3 3 1 4 3 3 3
5 6 7 2 4 3 4 4 4 5 3 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 3 1 3 3 1 3 3 3 1
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FULL LIST OF PROPERTIES ON GEORGETOWNER.COM
$8,500,000 $7,700,000 $5,250,000 $4,950,000 $3,990,000 $3,525,000 $2,080,000 $2,080,000 $1,999,000 $1,965,000 $1,849,000 $1,849,000 $1,849,900 $1,825,000 $1,775,000 $1,740,000 $1,679,000 $1,680,000 $1,799,000 $1,675,000 $1,695,000 $1,610,000 $1,595,000 $1,595,000 $1,549,000 $1,549,000 $1,499,000 $1,500,000 $1,440,000 $1,477,000 $1,500,000 $1,350,000 $1,348,000 $1,330,000 $1,275,000 $1,275,000 $1,275,000 $1,275,000 $1,255,000 $1,230,000 $1,275,000 $1,210,000 $1,019,000 $1,200,000 $1,225,000 $1,200,000 $1,195,000 $1,195,000 $1,195,000 $1,195,000 $1,159,000 $1,130,000 $1,049,000 $1,100,000 $1,069,000 $1,082,046 $1,095,000 $1,025,000 $999,000 $990,000 $1,045,000 $977,500 $1,060,000 $970,000 $949,000 $960,050 $950,000 GMG, INC. $950,000 NOVEMBER 6, 2019 $849,900 $910,000 $825,000 $870,000
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ARTS
‘Bonnard to Vuillard’ at the Phillips BY AR I P OS T I often marvel at the power that French painters from the late 19th century have over me. It doesn’t matter why I am going to a museum or what show I am there to see. If I pass by a French painting made between about 1870 and 1900, my eyes start, my chest swells, my feet go heavy and I have no choice but to stop and look — even if just for a moment. Thankfully, I don’t seem to be alone in this trance-like affliction of affection. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism are not exactly insider secrets of the art world.
“After ”Afternoon in the Garden,” 1891. Pierre Bonnard. Courtesy Phillips Collection. noon in the Garden” by Pierre Bonnard Photo courtesy of the Phillips Collection.
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There is something precious and revelatory about that moment in art history, something that can never really happen again. It was the moment that a generation of artists discovered a new way to depict the world in color, value and shape, which at once glorified the world around them and dealt an irrecoverable blow to the classical pursuit of art as a faithful representation of life. The artists in the nexus of that moment were about as liberated as an artist can ever be. It wasn’t just that they could paint whatever they wanted however they wanted. It was also that — for a brief period — every time they did anything, it was almost as if for the first time. Now at the Phillips Collection, “Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life,” on view through Jan. 26, explores the tail end of Post-Impressionism through the Nabis, a group of painters that constituted the last great movement of this era. In the exhibition, rarely seen works by some of the group’s leading figures — including Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis and Paul Ranson — exemplify how the Nabis employed flat colors, decorative patterning and silhouetted forms to convey their responses to the world.
MUSIC BY CANDLELIGHT 2019–2020 SEASON
HOLIDAY CONCERTS 2019
Saturday, December 7 at 4pm & 8pm
Danú: An Emerald Isle Christmas
Colorful Irish ensemble Danú brings their all-new Christmas program to Georgetown!
Sunday, December 8 at 4pm & Sunday, December 15 at 4pm
A Celtic Christmas
Join us for Dumbarton Concerts’ longest running holiday tradition!
Saturday, December 14 at 8pm
Helicon: Winter Solstice
Virtuosic artists from Charm City Junction and The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet take the stage for Helicon’s winter celebration.
ORDER TICKETS AT DUMBARTONCONCERTS.ORG 3133 Dumbarton Street NW Washington, DC 20007 • 202.965.2000
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“Interior with Red Bed or The Bridal Chamber,” 1893. Édouard Vuillard. Courtesy Phillips Collection. Lest we get too entangled in a narrative of doe-eyed revolutionaries, it is worth noting that the name “Nabis,” which the group gave itself around 1891, comes from the Hebrew word for prophet. Their visionary approach — both acclaimed, loathed and self-professed — asserted the primacy of form and color as abstract equivalents of human feeling. The Nabis’ emphasis on an artistic language of suggestion was in sympathy with the ideals of Symbolist writers, poets and musicians, with whom they closely collaborated. During their short-lived yet fertile period of collaboration, the Nabis created a wide range of imagery, from the mystical to the mundane, the witty to the sardonic. In seeking to break down what they saw as artificial barriers between the fine and decorative arts, they explored the “poetry of everyday life” as it played out in living rooms, on street corners and in gardens and landscapes. It is fair to say that many of these paintings are odd, garish, deformed and unattractive. In Vuillard’s “Interior with Red Bed or The Bridal Chamber” of 1893, it is impossible not to notice the bulbous, jack-o’-lantern face of the central figure or the overwhelming, sickly yellow tone that pervades the entire painting. At the same time, it exhibits a surprising lack of vanity for a painter. There is a kind of bravery and vigor in Vuillard’s willingness to let certain elements of his painting fail, and to give primacy to sheer experimental creativity over polish, finish or attractiveness. The subject itself is also in bold defiance of the era’s reigning academic conventions. The Academy, which controlled the lion’s share of the market as well as critical influence, was still focused on grand historic and religious subjects. The Nabis romanticized the temporal intimacy of middle-class life: listless drawing room scenes, interstitial moments between children and nannies, the backside of conversational huddles along a boulevard. Coupled with this appeal to the beauty of the mundane was an altogether different but equally progressive integration of graphic design principles into the arena of fine art. Probably no artist balanced these two influences throughout his work as did Bonnard. One of the great draftsmen of his era, he spent decades paring down his landscape and interior paintings to near
formless tapestries of soft color and light. However, in other circumstances, his sense of line, composition and design was sharp as a razor’s edge. In paintings like “Interior with Screen,” “Afternoon in the Garden” and “Scene with Red Rooftops,” the delineation between planes of space is nearly obliterated, as the world might look through a foggy window at dawn. Then there is his three-paneled screen, “Stork and Four Frogs,” which opens the exhibition, and a study for a poster he made for La Revue blanche, an avant-garde Parisian periodical. Drawing influence from Japanese ukiyo-e prints, European graphic design and typography, they are radiantly sharp compositions. It is exhilarating. Rarely do you get to see Bonnard cranking his design sensibility up to a 10; he almost always seems to be reining himself in, denying himself the power of line and value that came to him so naturally. By 1900, the Nabis had begun to part ways, and their art developed in various directions. Their innovative experiments would exert an influence on the development of 20th-century abstract art that can still be felt and seen today — as visitors to the other galleries at the Phillips can experience for themselves.
Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life Through Jan. 26
The Phillips Collection 1600 21st St. NW
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursday until 8:30 p.m.) Sunday, noon to 6:30 p.m. $12 adults, $10 seniors and students, 18 and under free phillipscollection.org 202-387-2151
FOOD & WINE
THE LATEST DISH BY LIN DA ROT H
L’Annexe Library. Photo courtesy of L’Annexe.
In the fourth quarter of 2020, Eric Eden and David Deshaies of Unconventional Diner plan to open The Ardent, a 10,000-square-foot Mediterranean restaurant, at 200 Massachusetts Ave. NW in the Capital Crossing development. To create Capital Crossing, one of the largest commercial real estate projects ever undertaken in the District, New York’s Property Group Partners constructed a platform over Interstate 395 and rebuilt the street grid between Capitol Hill and the East End. Yria, serving authentic high-end Greek cuisine, will open at 1118 23rd St. NW in the West End. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant will have its own bakery, open to the public, next door. Yria is the ancient name for the Greek island of Paros, the home of renowned chef and owner
Argiro Barbarigou and her signature restaurant Papadakis, now located in Athens in the foothills of Mount Lycabettus. Her business partner, Alex Alevras, is from Athens. An opening in the first quarter of 2020 is planned. Quick Hits: Will Arlington, Virginia, pizza favorite Pupatella open where Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro was in Adams Morgan? ... CaliBurger, operating out of Wunder Garten in Northeast D.C., has found a brick-and-mortar home at the Boro in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Plans call for it to open as a burger bar in the second quarter of 2020. Just Opened: Chasqa Fine Indian Cuisine in Glover Park at 2334 Wisconsin Ave. NW … L’Annexe. a library-themed cocktail bar serving small plates of Mediterranean cuisine, where Unum used to be at 2917 M St. NW in Georgetown. Owner Fady Saba hired Beuchert’s Saloon chef Andrew Markert to design the food menu. Beverage director Mick Perrigo most recently helmed the bar at Left Door, the upstairs speakeasy in Logan Circle. Hugo Mogollon, executive director of Community Foodworks, is now executive director of FRESHFARM. FRESHFARM and Community Foodworks will merge into a single organization under Mogollon’s leadership and the FRESHFARM brand. Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Visit her on the web at lindarothpr.com.
Let ROCKLANDS make holiday entertaining easy!
Dining Guide
WASHINGTON DC’S FINEST RESTAURANTS
CLYDE’S OF GEORGETOWN 3236 M ST., NW 202-333-9180 | clydes.com
This animated tavern, in the heart of Georgetown, popularized saloon food and practically invented Sunday brunch. Clyde’s is the People’s Choice for bacon cheeseburgers, steaks, fresh seafood, grilled chicken salads, fresh pastas and desserts.
ENO WINE BAR
2810 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW 202–295–2826 | enowinerooms.com HAPPY HOUR: Offered nightly Tuesday - Thursday from 5 - 7 PM & Sunday from 4 - 7 PM. Enjoy select $7 wines on tap. Join us on Wednesday’s for College Nights from 9 - 11 PM and Sunday’s for 30% off bottles. Our delightful wines are best enjoyed with local charcuterie, cheese and small plates.
THE OCEANAIRE SEAFOOD ROOM 1201 F ST., NW 202–347–2277 | theoceanaire.com
The Oceanaire blends a sophisticated atmosphere with simple, seasonal and regionally-inspired cuisine – the result is “the ultra-fresh seafood experience”. From our wines and cocktails to our seafood, steak and desserts, our commitment to sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients is apparent in everything we do. Reserve your table today for an extraordinary dining experience.
FILOMENA RISTORANTE
1063 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–338–8800 | filomena.com A Georgetown landmark for over 30 years featuring styles and recipes passed through generations. Balanced cuttingedge culinary creations of modern Italy using the fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch sauces and pastas. Seen on The Travel Channel, Award-winning Filomena is a favorite of U.S. Presidents, celebrities, sports legends, political leaders. “Don’t miss their bakery’s incredible desserts” - Best in D.C.
ROCKLANDS BARBEQUE
2418 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-2558 | rocklands.com This original location has served barbecue since 1990. We now have more space for you to sit down with family and friends at our new dining room Driving or walking up Wisconsin Avenue, you ask “mmmm, what’s that aroma??” That’s pork, beef and chicken coming out of our wood-only smoker, falling off the bone and ready for a dousing with our Original Barbeque Sauce.
Appetizers Entrees Veggies and Breads
CAFE BONAPARTE
1522 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–8830 | cafebonaparte.com
Finishing Touches Desserts Washington, DC 202.333.2558 Catering 703.778.8000 rocklands.com Please place your orders in advance THANKSGIVING - By Monday, Nov. 25 @ noon CHRISTMAS -By Friday, Dec. 20 @ noon
MARTIN’S TAVERN
1264 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-7370 | martinstavern.com Fifth generation Lauren Martin learns the family business from her dad, Billy Martin, Jr. Since 1933, the warm atmosphere of Martin’s Tavern has welcomed neighbors and travelers looking for great food, service and years of history within it’s walls. Fourth generation owner Billy Martin. Jr. continues the tradition of Washington’s oldest family-owned restaurant.
Captivating customers since 2003, Cafe Bonaparte has been dubbed the “quintessential” European café, featuring award-winning crepes and arguably the “best” coffee in D.C.! Other can't-miss attractions are the famous weekend brunch every Saturday and Sunday until 3 p.m. and our late-night weekend hours serving sweet and savory crepes until 1 a.m.
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ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 2C MONTHLY MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2019 AT 6:30 P.M. John A Wilson Building Room G9 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC
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Evolve Salon is looking for an experienced, talented, and energetic stylist to join our team. Please contact us via email at evolvesalondc@gmail. com and provide your resume and details on relevant experience. 2905 M street NW Washington DC 20007
GEORGETOWN
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IN COUNTRY
At Home With Sheridan-MacMahon A FAMILY BUSINESS BUILDS ON FAMILY MEMORIES IN THE HEART OF HUNT COUNTRY
BY SU S A N BODIKE R It’s easy to be seduced by Middleburg, Virginia — the grand estates and horse farms, the mountain views, the history. How nice it would be, you think as you stroll down picturesque East Washington Street, to wake up to this every day. The MacMahons know exactly how you feel. They live and work here too. Forty years ago, the matriarch of the family opened a real estate brokerage in Arlington, Virginia, and pretty soon was serving discriminating homebuyers from Washington, D.C., to Middleburg and beyond. “This has always been a destination location,” explains principal broker Paul MacMahon, who along with his sister Helen, currently runs the firm. “But now, with the region’s accelerated growth, it’s
even more desirable. You can commute to the Dulles tech corridor in about 35 minutes and — if the timing is right — you can get to anywhere you want to be in D.C. in less than an hour.” But speed is not the major draw here. The pastoral cluster of towns in SheridanMacMahon’s trading area is known for its serenity and ease. “Once you pass through Aldie,” Helen adds, “your shoulders relax.” More important, strict conservation easements ensure that the landscape will remain forever pristine, untouched and underdeveloped; the “view shed” is protected in perpetuity. Listings for the boutique firm “cover the countryside” and include traditional homes, farmland and commercial and equestrian
Paul MacMahon, principal broker at Sheridan-MacMahon.
properties. Every day is different and no two sales are alike. “It’s not a fast process. Sometimes it can take a few weeks, but in many cases it can take up to a year or more,” says Paul. And every house has a story to tell — whether it has seen many owners (like Mount Gordon, which once belonged to a sister of Fred Astaire) or only a few (e.g., an estate once owned by John Mosby). “It’s not unusual for us to represent the same families, their kids and their kids over generations of transactions. We know them. We know their ponies and their dogs. It’s personal.” In Middleburg, everyone may know your
name, but privacy is paramount. “It’s a nurturing place to live, but you can be as social or solitary as you want to be.” It’s where people go “to get away from cookiecutter communities,” traffic and the alwayson life. And if you’re lucky, it’s where the MacMahon family may welcome you home. Sheridan-MacMahon is located at 110 E. Washington St. in Middleburg, Virginia. For information, contact Paul MacMahon at 703-609-1905 or macmahonp@icloud.com; or Helen MacMahon at 540-454-1930 or helen@sheridanmacmahon.com. Visit the firm on Instagram at @sheridanmacmahon.
By the master playwright of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
INSIDE THE GENIUS OF SCULPTOR LOUISE NEVELSON NOVEMBER 7 – DECEMBER 8, 2019
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AT 16TH & Q IN DUPONT CIRCLE | #WHEREYOUHAPPEN MEDIA SPONSOR
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GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES
Events Calendar Ice skating rink at Washington Harbour
NOVEMBER 7
WASHINGTON HARBOUR FALL CONCERT Area families are invited to enjoy a musical act at no charge from 6 to 8 p.m. on the steps of Washington Harbour at the Georgetown waterfront, mixing live music with on-the-water scenery. For details, visit thewashingtonharbour.com. 3050 K St. NW.
NOVEMBER 7 AND 8
FALL DAYS OF DESIGN
The Georgetown Design District’s Fall Days of Design will return with two days of interior design events and a collective cocktail crawl featuring sips and bites at participating stores. Shoppers who collect four or more stamps at design showrooms on their passports can enter a contest to win prizes. For details, visit georgetowndc.com. Cady’s Alley, 3314 M St. NW.
NOVEMBER 9
FREE HAIKU AND ART WORKSHOP This free workshop explores the relationship between haiku, the ancient Japanese poetry form, and imagery. Participants, who do not need prior artistic or poetic experience, will discover how art can inspire poetry and vice versa. Space is limited. To register, visit eventbrite.com. Washington Printmakers Gallery, 1641 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
AU MUSEUM OPENING RECEPTION At this free opening reception, visitors to the American University Museum can preview five new exhibitions and mix and mingle with artists, curators and fellow patrons. No RSVP is required. For details, visit american.edu. Katzen Arts Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW.
JAZZ AT DUMBARTON CONCERTS Local pianist Mark G. Meadows and his band, the Movement, will team up with dazzling vocalist and songwriter Rochelle Rice, adding Meadows’s trademark combination
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of jazz, R&B and gospel to Rice’s fusion of jazz, pop and soul, covering hits from Dizzy Gillespie to Stevie Wonder to Steely Dan. Tickets are $43, $40 for seniors. For details, visit dumbartonconcerts.org. Dumbarton United Methodist Church, 3133 Dumbarton St. NW.
NOVEMBER 15
ICE RINK GRAND OPENING
Transformed from a picturesque fountain, the ice rink at Washington Harbour will hold its grand opening for recreational skating, Skating continues daily, including holidays, through March 15, 2020. Admission is $10 for adults and $9 for children, seniors and military. Skating lessons are also available. For details, visit thewashingtonharbour.com. 3050 K St. NW.
Katy Perry, who practices Transcendental Meditation, performs at the David Lynch Foundation’s “Silence the Violence” benefit concert at the Anthem. Courtesy David Lynch Foundation.
Katy Perry, Others Sing for THEARC BY C H R ISTIN E WAR N KE The David Lynch Foundation hosted a “Silence the Violence” benefit concert at the Anthem Oct. 11, featuring Norah Jones, Mavis Staples and Katy Perry, along with the Celebration Gospel Choir and Jeremy Elliot. The group plans to bring the Transcendental Meditation technique to 10,000 at-risk youth in partnership with THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus). A benefit dinner for THEARC and Building Bridges Across the River followed at the Wharf’s Intercontinental Hotel.
Kay Kendall and Chris Donatelli. Photo by Robert Devaney
NOVEMBER 19
GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT HISTORY PANEL “Georgetown Waterfront History: From Slave Ships to UNESCO Site of Memory” will feature historian Andrena Crockett; Grace Church Rector John Graham, director and founder of the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project; and Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park President Meg Hardon. Admission is free. For details, visit gracedc.org. Grace Church, 1041 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
NOVEMBER 23
CITY TAVERN CLUB FOUNDERS GALA
After a VIP reception and a champagne toast, a seated dinner will feature remarks by Grant Quertermous, curator of Tudor Place. The event will also include a silent auction and an after-party with live music by DC Synergy. For details, email hherfel@citytavernclubdc. org. City Tavern Club, 3206 M St. NW.
KITTY KELLEY IS ON VACATION. THE KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB WILL RESUME UPON HER RETURN.
Dave Chapelle on the Kennedy Center stage. Photo by Tracey Salazar
Dave Chappelle Takes a Mark Twain Hometown favorite Dave Chappelle received the 22nd annual Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Oct. 27 — with tributes from yasiin bey, Neal Brennan, Common, Bradley Cooper, Morgan Freeman, Tiffany Haddish, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Lorne Michaels, Trevor Noah, Q-Tip, Sarah Silverman, Jon Stewart, Frédéric Yonnet and others. Later, the group partied at Cafe Milano past 3 a.m., and on Oct. 28, Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed the theater at Duke Ellington School of the Arts — Chappelle’s alma mater — in his honor.
GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES
51st
Meridian Ball Keeps It Classy B Y R O B E RT D EVAN EY
Meridian Ball co-chairs Roy and Manisha Kapani. Photo by Stephen Bobb Photography.
More than 850 guests in attendance, more than $1.3 million raised — and with 35 embassies pre-ball dinners hosting at ambassadorial residences on Oct. 25. The Meridian Ball delighted and rocked, thanks to co-chairs Manisha and Roy Kapani, at Meridian House, a major D.C. diplomatic influencer.
Hosts Joe and Tia Lotuff flank honoree Eileen McGrath. Photo by Robert Devaney.
Carrington Tarr, Eileen McGrath, Page Evans, Deborah Winsor and Beth Hague. Photo by Robert Devaney.
Spirited Fete for McGrath, GMC BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
Singapore Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Michelle Kosinski and Kimbell Duncan. Photo by Stephen Bobb Photography.
Supporters of Georgetown Ministry Center’s mission to end homelessness gather for the 20th annual Spirit of Georgetown benefit Oct. 23. Co-chaired by Page Evans, Beth Hague, Carrington Tarr and Deborah Winsor, GMC’s largest annual fundraiser honored Eileen McGrath, founder of the GMC Angels, for her longtime devotion to GMC at the N Street home of Tia and Joe Lotuff.
Celebrating Restore Mass Ave BY MARY BIRD Colombian Ambassador Francisco Santos hosted a reception Oct. 23 at his residence with the board of Restore Mass Ave, honoring the “re-greening of Embassy Row,” which has seen a 13-percent tree canopy growth in ten years. Santos noted that Colombia “is the most biodiverse country in the world” and offered his support, as he remarked “what you do locally changes the world.” The group’s goal is to make Embassy Row the best remaining “grand avenue” in the nation and a model for sustainable historic streets everywhere.
The evening’s emcee Reggie Van Lee with D.C. first lady Cora Masters Barry. Photo by Patricia McDougall.
Shoes, Tributes at Southeast Tennis and Learning Center B Y C H R I STIN E WAR N KE
David C. Levy, Bitsey Folger and Jacob Scherr.
The 25th Anniversary of the Recreation Wish List Committee held its gala at Anacostia’s Southeast Tennis and Learning Center Gala Nov. 2 to celebrate the committee’s founding by former D.C. first lady Cora Masters Barry. Accolades abounded for community supporters, sport figures and political leaders, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, publicist Raymone Bain, NBA star Isiah Thomas and longtime followers. The evening program occurred under the dome of this educational and sport iconic site, transformed into a “tennis white and gold theme.” With tuxes or cocktail attire, attendees wore tennis shoes to add to the evening’s fun — some with specialized embossed slogans, such as “Go Nats” or the D.C. flag.
Awardee Raymone Bain, Zora Lawson, granddaughter of Cora Barry, NBA star Isiah Thomas and Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George’s County Executive. Photo by Robert Devaney.
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GEORGETOWN $7,250,000 1315 31 St. NW, Washington, DC John Adler Jr. 202-413-5474 John B. Adler 301-509-2043
PARC SOMERSET $6,700,000 5630 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, MD Marsha Schuman 301-943-9731
GEORGETOWN $4,700,000 3319 Prospect St. NW, Washington, DC Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762
THE RESERVE $3,999,000 896 Alvermar Ridge, McLean, VA Penny Yerks Piper Yerks 703-760-0744
GREAT FALLS $3,699,000 10015 High Hill Pl., Great Falls, VA Penny Yerks Piper Yerks 703-760-0744
SPRING VALLEY $2,995,000 5145 Tilden St. NW, Washington, DC Eileen McGrath 202-253-2226 Kay McGrath 202-276-1235
WESLEY HEIGHTS $2,650,000 4338 Forest Ln. NW, Washington, DC Nancy ltteilag 202-905-7762
GEORGETOWN $2,395,000 1232 30th St., NW, Washington, DC HRL Partners 202-243-1620
AVENEL $2,375,000 8539 Rapley Preserve Cir, Potomac,MD Nathan Guggenheim 202-333-5905
WESLEY HEIGHTS $2,100,000 2811 Foxhall Rd. NW, Washington, DC HRL Partners 202-243-1620
GEORGETOWN $1,995,000 3525 Winfield Ln. NW, Washington, DC Nancy ltteilag 202-905-7762
GLENBROOK VILLAGE $1,795,000 4700 North Chelsea Ln., Bethesda, MD Marsha Schuman 301-943-9731
CLEVELAND PARK $1,795,000 3431 Ordway St. NW, Washington, DC Margot Wilson 202-549-2100
GEORGETOWN $1,550,000 3342 Reservoir Rd., Washington, DC Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-386-7813
CHEVY CHASE $1,455,000 3904 Jocelyn St. NW, Washington, DC HRL Partners 202-243-1620
GEORGETOWN $1,100,000 1244 28th St. NW, Washington, DC Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-386-7813
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