The Georgetowner: December 18, 2019 Issue by The Georgetowner

SINCE 1954

VOLUME 66 NUMBER 6

GEORGETOWNER.COM

DECEMBER 18, 2019 - JANUARY 14, 2020

REFLECTIONS OF THE DECADE

VE R I ZO N O U TAGE; S TARR E L S ACQ U I T T E D GE ORGE TOWN E RS O F T H E YE AR CH E E RY G I F T S TO BUY I N TOWN K I T T Y KE LLE Y AT T H E WH I T E H O U S E & MOR E

IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

ABOUT THE COVER

In honor of end of the decade, we salute legendary restaurateur Buzz Beler, co-founder of the Prime Rib, who served only the best. He died at the age of 90 in October and was a longtime Georgetowner advertiser. In their service to the country, he and his generation showed us how to be better Americans. Family photo.

UP & COMING · 4 Events Calendar

NEWS · 6 - 8

2019 Year In Review News Bytes

PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney

FEATURES EDITORS Ari Post Gary Tischler

COPY EDITOR Richard Selden

FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Lauretta McCoy GRAPHIC DESIGN Troy Riemer Dennis Belmont

DOWNTOWNER · 9

PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet

EDITORIAL/OPINION · 10

ADVERTISING Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan

Downtown News

Editorial Georgetowner’s of the Year

BUSINESS · 11 Ins & Outs

DC CHAMBER HONORS BASEBALL VISIONARIES

COVER · 12 - 13

BY R OBERT D EVAN EY

Life at the Climax of a Decade Remembering Buzz Beler

Washington’s baseball visionaries receive cap, baseball and a World Series replica trophy. Georgetowner photo.

FASHION · 14 - 15

THE STILL BOUNTIFUL BLOCKS OF GEORGETOWN

The Girl in the Mirror

BY KAR EN R OL L O M U R PH Y

GIFT GUIDE · 16

The Georgetowner’s Guide to Gifting

Shopping at Relish in Cady’s Alley. Courtesy Relish.

REAL ESTATE · 18

Gotham on the Potomac

ARTS · 19

CHILDREN ‘LIGHT UP THE SEASON’

Hirshhorn Premieres Marcel Duchamp Doc Holiday Macabre: ‘The Woman in Black’

BY R OBERT D EVAN EY

Christmas dancers onstage in the Four Seasons ballroom. Georgetowner photo.

FOOD & WINE · 20

Service Directory

BOOK CLUB · 22

Kitty Kelley Book Club

GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES · 23 Social Scene Events

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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

1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2019.

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Dining Guide Cocktail of the Month

CLASSIFIEDS · 21

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Peggy Sands

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UP & COMING

DECEMBER 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS

DECEMBER 22

NATIONAL MENORAH LIGHTING At the annual lighting of the world’s largest menorah, celebrating the start of Hanukkah, the Three Cantors and the U.S. Marine Band “The President’s Own” will perform. Dreidelman will be on hand and latkes and donuts will be served. Admission is free. The Ellipse (south of the White House).

DECEMBER 21 AND 22

CATHEDRAL CHORAL SOCIETY: JOY OF CHRISTMAS This festive program, presented by the Cathedral Choral Society at Washington National Cathedral twice on Saturday and once on Sunday, features Christmas favorites, a newly commissioned carol and a carol sing-along. Tickets are $25 to $83. For details, visit cathedralchoralsociety.org. 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

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DECEMBER 29

SALUTE TO VIENNA NEW YEAR’S CONCERT Alastair Willis will conduct a Viennesethemed performance by soprano Peggy Steiner, tenor Michael Heim, dancers from Kiev Aniko Ballet of Ukraine and international champion ballroom dancers at Strathmore. Tickets start at $49. For details, visit strathmore.org. 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Maryland.

The renowned saxophonist will lead a jazz celebration of New Year’s Eve at the Kennedy Center, including performances in the Terrace Theater and a party in the Grand Foyer. Tickets are $75 and $85. For details, visit kennedy-center.org.

NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH CYRUS CHESTNUT Georgetown’s own Blues Alley will present two New Year’s Eve shows featuring the jazz piano star. Vocalist Integriti Reeves will also perform. Ticket are $110 (6:30 p.m.) and $160 (10 p.m.). For details, visit bluesalley.com. 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

NEW YEAR’S EVE RIVERBASH Hosted by Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Riverbash will ring in 2020 on the Georgetown waterfront at Washington Harbour. Early bird tickets are $90. For details, visit georgetowndc.com. 3000 K St. NW.

JANUARY 5

FIESTA DE LOS REYES MAGOS GALA Hispanic Theatre’s traditional Three Kings Day celebration features the Magi, live animals, local performers, a walk through the neighborhood and gifts for every child. Admission is free. For details, visit en.galatheatre.org. 3333 14th St. NW.

JANUARY 10

AMERICAN OPERA INITIATIVE Washington National Opera will present two concert performances of three new 20-minute operas, accompanied by a small chamber orchestra and followed by a Q&A with the artists and creative team. Tickets are $19 to $35. For details, visit kennedy-center. org. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.

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TOWN TOPICS

2019 Year in Review BY PEGGY SA NDS The Georgetowner has been following a number of important evolving topics in Georgetown. Many are very complicated and far from resolved, but here’s a quick review of several: access to playing fields, the increase in e-bikes and scooters and the fate of Council member Jack Evans.

MARET CONTRACT TO USE JELLEFF FIELD RENEWED

The administration and usage of two of Georgetown’s almost unknown athletic fields became big news in 2019 — and likely will be a major issue in the Ward 2 Council seat election in 2020. In June, a 10-year contract for priority usage and maintenance of the lighted playing field at the Jelleff Recreation Center at 3265 S St. NW, next to Safeway, was up for renewal between the Department of Parks and Recreation and the private Maret School. In 2009, Maret had committed over $2 million to rebuild the deteriorating field and fencing, as well as the pool and lights, in exchange for 12 weeks of preferred use on school days in the fall and spring. But a renewed contract with Maret until 2029, in exchange for some $1 million to maintain and renew the field, was disputed by Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E and by a number of youth athletic

groups, especially those from Hardy Middle School and School Without Walls. The demographics of Georgetown have shifted, with more families, many with children, residing here, resulting in a greater interest in sports. The new contract with Maret was signed, but the controversy caused the city to focus on another neighborhood playing field as an alternative: Ellington Field.

ELLINGTON FIELD TO BE TRANSFERRED TO DPR

With its two field houses and dirt track at 38th and R Streets NW, the playing field of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, two blocks away, has a partial-use contract with Georgetown University across Reservoir Road. But it mainly has been used for years as a community recreation space and dog park. In June, however, it was announced that the administration of Ellington Field would be transferred from DC Public Schools to DPR. Also, unlike the Jelleff field, Ellington Field would be upgraded at city expense and open to all, with first priority given to school athletic teams in the area. “The city has the money,” Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans repeatedly told Georgetowners. A November survey by the Burleith Citizens Association found that neighbors mainly

wanted it to remain the same — under DCPS control and for casual neighborhood use. By December, it appeared as if the transfer of city jurisdictions was a done deal and that the field would be refurbished under DPR, primarily for use by school, then community, youth athletic groups.

$25 MILLION FOR JELLEFF CENTER RECONSTRUCTION

In January of 2019, the discussions about Jelleff also involved the recreation center building. Built in 1953, it has housed the Boys & Girls Clubs on the ground floor and a heavily used basketball court on the second floor for decades. In 2018, the city committed $7 million to make the facility compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. But community groups and the center‘s longtime Director Bob Stowers protested that that wasn’t enough to meet the needs of the area’s growing population of senior citizens, families and youth and adult sports organizations. “We need a real community center as in most every other part of the city,” Stowers argued. By December, Mayor Muriel Bowser had committed $25 million for a new building. “Just tell us what you want,” she said.

MORE E-SCOOTERS, E-BIKES, BIKE LANES COMING

In 2019, a greater reliance on bikes, scooters and ride-sharing services to get around Georgetown and the city became visibly evident. Goals for alternatives to the private car doubled in 2019 and will double again for 2020. The city issued new contracts to two electronic-bike providers for up to 2,500 vehicles each. Four companies were given permits to supply up to 10,000 e-scooters, with a total of 20,000 available by the summer of 2020. Safety concerns, both for riders and pedestrians — including sidewalk and street clutter from abandoned vehicles — are also rising. Three people, two on e-bikes and one on an e-scooter, were killed in 2019 so far. The city is pledging to create an additional 20 miles of protected bike lanes in three years, double the number planned in 2019. But that could lead to increasing problems with parking availability for visitors to the District’s restaurants and shops. THE WORLD FAMOUS

WARD 2 COUNCIL MEMBER JACK EVANS FACES EXPULSION

“It’s been a terrible year,” Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans said at Georgetown University’s annual Christmas party on Dec. 11. He had just been describing the accident the week before at M and 28th Streets, when an Uber driver crashed into his well-known 2010 blue Chevrolet Sebring and broke its axle. The car will survive, but Evans’s position as the Council’s longestserving member may not. On Dec. 3, an ad hoc committee of the full Council — minus Evans — voted unanimously to recommend expelling him from the body. The move needs a second vote, which may happen by the end of the year. If so, it would be the first time in D.C. history that a sitting member has been expelled. Evans’s terrible year started last December, when the Washington Post reported that in October of 2016 he had received stock in a company just as he presented legislation to the Council that would benefit the firm significantly. Evans showed that he returned the stock and withdrew the legislation immediately. But in February, a federal grand jury issued a subpoena for documents; Evans’s house was raided by FBI agents in June. In March, the Post revealed that in written proposals Evans offered his “connections and influence” as a private consultant to law firms doing business with the District. In June, an ethics investigation commissioned by the Metro board, which Evans headed, found evidence of “multiple violations” regarding conflicts of interest. On June 27, Evans left the Metro board when his term as chairman expired. In July, the Council stripped Evans of the chairmanship of its Committee on Finance and Revenue. In November, the Council released a comprehensive report of accusations; Evans’s lawyers attempted to refute the charges, but, on Dec. 3, the Council voted to recommend expulsion. Evans could resign, but he is still facing ongoing investigations by law enforcement agencies. “I have a lot of big decisions to make in the next few weeks,” Evans told The Georgetowner.

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TOWN TOPICS

Bill Starrels, Former Commissioner, Found Not Guilty of Threats BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY Former Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Bill Starrels was acquitted on Dec. 11 for alleged threats against Beshar Mehiar, owner of Charcoal Town Hookah & Shawarma at 1027 31st St. NW, and his customers, because of latenight noise. Of the May 24 confrontation, Mehiar, in an affidavit at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, said that Starrels told him: “I’m going to shoot you, your customers, and the Muslims standing outside.” (The statement was later proved to be a fabrication.) Starrels had been charged with a misdemeanor, one count of “attempted threats to do bodily harm.” During a bench trial last week in D.C. Superior Court, however, according to WTOP, “Judge John Ramsey Johnson heard argument from the defense that police body worn camera video of the responding officer showed Mehiar fabricated the threat. Defense attorney Joseph Gonzalez argued that when the officer arrived, the restaurant owner made no mention of any threat and was only angry that Starrels was complaining about the noise.” The judge, after hearing from the Metropolitan Police Department that a noise

ICONICGEORGE! PRESENTED BY

Bill Starrels. Courtesy Bill Starrels. complaint did not raise to the level of a police report, found Starrels not guilty. “Although Mr. Starrels never wavered in his belief that he would achieve a full acquittal, the public nature of these false allegations made them particularly painful,” Gonzalez told The Georgetowner. “He is grateful for the steadfast support of his family, friends and the Georgetown community.” For his part, Starrels told The Georgetowner that he is “pleased that justice prevailed.” He served on the Georgetown ANC from 2000 through 2017 and remains active in the community.

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TOWN TOPICS

NEWS BYTES BY KATE OCZ Y P OK

GEORGETOWN ON THE BLUE LINE?

Adding Georgetown to the Metrorail system was proposed in a study focusing on Blue, Orange and Silver Line capacity and reliability. One concept involved building a Rosslyn II station and a tunnel under the Potomac to make a new Metro loop connecting the Pentagon, Rosslyn, Georgetown and the Dupont and Shaw neighborhoods. Other ideas tossed around: a Blue Line service from the Rosslyn II station to Georgetown and Union Station and a Blue Line service from Rosslyn II through Georgetown along or close to Wisconsin Avenue, meeting up with the Red Line at Friendship Heights or Bethesda.

GU BASKETBALL PLAYERS SUSPENDED

Josh LeBlanc, a Georgetown University men’s basketball player, is now off the team after he and two other Hoyas were accused of burglary and harassment. LeBlanc, along with Myron Gardner and Galen Alexander, who intend to transfer, had restraining orders filed against them for allegedly harassing a female student and stealing from her home.

PARENT CHARGED IN GU BRIBERY CASE

A California woman allegedly paid $9,000 to have someone take online classes for her son to help him graduate from Georgetown University. Karen Littlefair, 57, agreed to plead guilty and will most likely get four months in jail and a $9,500 fine, despite the charge carrying up to 20 years in prison.

PROJECT AT SUPERFRESH SITE APPROVED

After four years, the Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve a development at the former Superfresh grocery site off Massachusetts Avenue NW. The project will bring a mixed-use building with over 200 units and five townhomes. The units will sit above a MOM’s Organic Market.

Superfresh before the Ladybird project.

Knee-High Walls Proposed for Washington Harbour BY PEGGY SAN D S Six or seven times a year, an arduous decision takes place at Georgetown’s Washington Harbour, the luxury waterfront complex of restaurants, offices and condos — one of them the residence of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — built in the 1980s. When a large storm is forecast, owner Global Holdings Management Group must decide whether or not to raise the 10-foot walls along the Potomac River to prevent flood damage. The tall protective walls, embedded between the decorative pillars of the complex, must be manually lifted up by cranes ahead of the storm. “Even for the small water events, of which there are a lot more than a 100-year flood, you still have to raise the gates the full 10 feet,” said Barbara Mullenex, managing principal for the D.C. office of Perkins Eastman, retained by Global Holdings about a year ago to study the problem. “It’s an all-or-nothing kind of thing. That leaves room for human error.” In April of 2011, the complex experienced extensive damage and a partial shutdown when the protective walls were not raised in time. “And once the tall walls are up, Washington Harbour’s restaurants and retailers are still hurt,” said Craig Panzirer, senior vice president and director of leasing at Global Holdings, an international real estate company led by Israeli real estate and shipping magnate Eyal Ofer. “The walls reduce access to pedestrians passing by

along the boardwalk. They are unsightly and kind of close in the facility, so nobody wants to be there, and rightfully so.” Pointing out the lack of middle ground, at the Dec. 3 meeting of the Old Georgetown Board, Panzirer and Mullenex proposed building a permanent “knee-high” wall along the entire stretch of the riverfront. It would serve both as a raised walkway and as a protector from smaller rises in water level. “On average, the two-and-a-half-foot wall would be sufficient to handle about 65 percent of the rain events that hit the area annually,” said Mullenex. “That means reducing the times the tall flood gates have to go up to two times a year.” “It’s really important that this problem is being addressed,” said Lisa Palmer, advisory neighborhood commissioner for the waterfront area. “The Citizens Association of Georgetown presented very good critiques of the plan at the ANC meeting of Dec. 2 and I agree as well with the OGB’s recommendations.” “Cities across the globe are increasingly dealing with more intense storms and rising sea levels,” said architect H. Alan Brangman, one of the three OGB members. “We know what Venice is going through. We know what happens in the Netherlands. So there’s got to be a solution somewhere in the world that perhaps we may be able to employ here.”

Verizon Outage Continues into Third Week BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY A Verizon outage that began on Dec. 2 has stretched into its third week, affecting parts of Georgetown and nearby neighborhoods. According to the phone and internet provider, a worker accidentally cut into cables that run along the 31st Street Bridge, now under reconstruction. At the time, Verizon spokesman David Weissmann told

the press that a contractor “inadvertently cut a bank of conduits containing Verizon cables.” The bridge, which crosses the C&O Canal, is being rebuilt by the District Department of Transportation. While service for many residential and business customers was restored, some remain without their Verizon connections.

A Verizon truck on 31st Street near the bridge work. Georgetowner photo. 8 DECEMBER 18, 2019

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Places, such as a dentist office on MacArthur Boulevard and Dumbarton House on Q Street, lost connections — and lost business and use of alarm systems. “Since December 2 when a large number of our cables were cut, Verizon crews have been working around the clock to restore service to our customers,” Weissman told The Georgetowner on Dec. 13. “A significant portion of that work is complete. We had previously indicated that we expected to have all customers back in service prior to 12:01 a.m. Saturday, barring unforeseen circumstances or inclement weather.” Weissman continued: “Last night (December 12) we found water flowing in one of our manholes we entered to work on reconnecting customers. The water damaged a previously undamaged part of the cable. We are working to identify the source of the water flowing into our manhole and halt the flow so we can restart our repair work. While that process is underway, we have resequenced our work to focus on repairs to other cables affected by the December 2 outage. “We expect to continue to bring customers back into service today and

over the weekend. We also expect that repairs to the water-damaged cable will stretch into next week, and we anticipate bringing customers on this cable back into service next week. Additional damage to our cables or inclement weather may affect our planned schedule.” Such words did not calm those still affected by the outage. On Dec. 14, Marc Nicholson, who lives on the east side of Georgetown, wrote at Nextdoor.com among others: “I’m now in the 14th day of no landline phone and no DSL internet service from Verizon. (I’m using a neighbor’s computer to write this.) I take faint hope from the continued presence of a Verizon repair truck doing underground work in front of the Georgetown Library, but I wonder if there are many others out there still lacking service. (I’m in the 3000 block of R St.) I also wonder if anyone knows the name of the regulatory body which oversees Verizon in the District, since I’m contemplating filing a complaint, given the very prolonged delay in restoration of service. I suspect Verizon is underresourcing these repairs, which is why they are dragging on so long.”

DOWNTOWNER HIT-AND-RUN KILLS PEDESTRIAN BY KATE OCZ Y P OK

NEWSEUM TO CLOSE AT YEAREND

The Newseum, D.C.’s museum dedicated to journalism, is closing its doors along Pennsylvania Avenue on Dec. 31. While it attracted 800,000 visitors and did well in after-hours events, it was never able to stay afloat financially. According to WAMU, some of the museum’s artifacts will go into storage and others will be given back to their original owners. There’s no word yet on whether the museum will reopen in another location.

ROUGH FEW WEEKS FOR METRO

It’s not the most wonderful time of the year for Metro. On Dec. 9, a man intentionally put himself in front of a train at Farragut West, resulting in his death. Delays extended through the evening rush. The next day, Red Line trains experienced a track problem outside Van Ness, causing single-tracking between Van Ness and Friendship Heights. Then, just before 5 p.m., service was temporarily suspended between Van Ness and Dupont Circle due to reports of smoke and fire on the tracks near Woodley Park.

CRIME & SAFETY BY PEGGY SA NDS

A man was struck by an SUV along U Street NW on Nov. 30, the Washington Post reported. Around 3 a.m., the victim was in the road along U and 12th Streets. A darkcolored SUV fled the scene after striking the man, who was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

CLYDE’S BOOKKEEPER CHARGED WITH FRAUD

Jessica J. Lucas, a bookkeeper for the Old Ebbit Grill on 15th Street NW, part of Clyde’s Restaurant Group, has been charged with wire fraud. Lucas allegedly defrauded the group of over $364,000, according to DCist.com. Prosecutors said Lucas ordered more money than needed for the restaurant’s cash fund and pocketed the extra. Documents said her illegal activity started in January of 2015, ending three years later.

‘FIDDLER’ TAPS LOCAL BAKERY’S CHALLAH

Woodley Park’s Baked By Yael had its challah bread cast in the production of “Fiddler on the Roof” at the National Theatre. According to Washingtonian magazine, Yael Krigman, owner of the shop, calls her challah “honest and authentic.” The challah, which is shown during an iconic Sabbath meal scene, met all the criteria for appearing onstage: it was shiny, big enough to be seen from a distance and dense enough to be passed back and forth.

D.C. AG SUES GREYHOUND FOR AIR POLLUTION

D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine sued Greyhound Lines for allowing buses to idle at Union Station for longer than is legally permitted. An investigation documented 50 Greyhound buses that parked, stopped or stood at Union Station with their engines running for more than 20 minutes.

Spiritual Guide to Georgetown CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE Tuesday, December 24 – Christmas Eve 4pm Church and Hall 5:45, 7:30, 9:30pm Church 11:30pm Lessons and Carols 12 Midnight Wednesday, December 25 – Christmas Day 9:30 and 11:30am, Church

Sunday, December 29 – Feast of the Holy Family Regular Mass Schedule, No Hall Mass Wednesday, January 1 – Feast of Mary, Mother of God 10am, Church

Police remain at 1432 Wisconsin Ave, NW hours after raid. Photo by Andy Cline.

Police Raid 2 Marijuana Pop-Ups in Georgetown “Looking out of my office window at Wisconsin Avenue and O Street on Wednesday morning, Dec. 4, suddenly I saw between 10 and 15 police cars pull up, some going the wrong way. At least 20 officers dressed in black, some carrying weapons, trotted up the avenue to a pop-up store on 1432 Wisconsin Avenue,” one eyewitness told The Georgetowner. “Next thing I see are three men handcuffed with hands behind their backs and being taken to police cars.” The raid was almost a repeat of another on Dec. 3 at 33rd Street and Wisconsin Avenue. “There were three arrests yesterday [Dec. 3] and four arrests today [Dec. 4],” Metropolitan Police Department Second District Commander Duncan Bedlion told The Georgetowner. “A few weeks ago, we began to receive an uptick in citizen complaints about drug activity and even a report of hearing gunshots,” Bedlion wrote to Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Joe Gibbons. “Thanks to the hard work of our Crime Suppression Team, a search warrant was executed at the location acting as a marijuana ‘pop-up’ and the three subjects were arrested. In addition to the arrests, a large amount of narcotics were seized.” “These quick actions were also a result of close cooperation and partnership of

neighbors and community organizations like CAG,” Gibbons said. “It’s good for everyone to know we are all working together to have legal, safe businesses.” Possession of minimal amounts [two ounces] of marijuana for personal use was made legal in the District in 2014. Transfers of marijuana can also be made, but it cannot be sold. The law reads: “transfer without payment up to one ounce of marijuana to another person 21 years of age or older.” And you can’t smoke it in any public place; there is a $25 fine if caught. Some establishments will give a portion of marijuana as a legal gift for a purchase of a store item. “Thank you to the community for sharing your concerns so that we could take quick action. You may also follow these cases through the court process and contribute a victim impact statement if applicable,” Bedlion emailed Gibbons. “Our Community Prosecutor Doug Klein can assist for those that are interested. His email is douglas. klein@usdoj.gov. The store that was raided on Wisconsin Avenue is called Up N Down. “It had only been there a month or so,” said Leslie Maysak, executive director of the Citizens Association of Georgetown. CAG’s office is across the street from the crime scene.

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EDITORIAL

Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner. com or call 202-338-4833

Embrace the Gift of Giving At its best, giving on a personal scale is not just habitual or seasonal but an expression of love, like a poem (which, by the way, is a very good gift to give). Unlike gifts to loved ones, relatives and friends, gifts to strangers are expressions of a broader love, the impulse to do good. They should be made both in a planned way and, sometimes, spontaneously, as a sort of duty-free action. Charitable organizations — from those of international scope to groups as local as your block — are out in profusion this time of year, but the most worthy are not always self-evident. In choosing groups and causes to support, here’s some good advice: Look for the people who help people, and those who want to help you help others. Check them out this season: food banks, shelters, promoters of world literacy, reducers of poverty, lobbyists for peace, aiders of sick adults and children. See what your house of worship, someone else’s, another nonprofit or even a government agency is up to. Volunteer. Go to a shelter, help collect food, seek out ways to connect the needy with resources. There are many less blessed than we are; give them a reason to have hope. Tip big, even if it’s a bit of a strain. Give some of what you have in excess — or, better yet, things that you might not want to let go, but would mean so much: books that have comforted you, some outgrown toys, a handknitted sweater or a favorite winter coat. Most of all, give the thing most of us, this frantic season, seem to have so little of to spare: time itself. Spend time with others, those already out there on the giving landscape, those who deserve your time. Be curious. Say hello to people you don’t know. Lend a hand. Teach and learn. Don’t bask in that warm feeling of car and food commercials. Create your own. Watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Spread a little optimism and hope. Love the ones you’re with, as the song goes, but don’t just limit yourself to people you know. Even now, charity — and its companions, hope and tolerance — remain the best of virtues, topping even comfort and joy. The following are nonprofits that The Georgetowner suggests for your seasonal giving. Email editorial@georgetowner.com with your own recommendations and we will add them to our online version of this list. Big Brothers, Big Sisters, an extended family of love and support: bbbsnca.org Children’s Defense Fund, now more than ever: childrensdefense.org The Citizens Association of Georgetown, working for the betterment of our town: cagtown.org The Georgetown Ministry Center, always at work for the homeless: georgetownministrycenter.org The Georgetown Senior Center, in dire need of support: georgetownseniorcenter.org Reading Is Fundamental, so true: rif.org 10 DECEMBER 18, 2019

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Georgetowners of the Year: 2019 The naming of Georgetowners of the Year has been a tradition of The Georgetowner newspaper for decades. This year’s group, selected by the editorial board, includes: a woman who is much more than a top real estate agent; a semiretired publicist whom all the utilities by now know well; and a church marking its 225th anniversary as a source of societal strength and spiritual nourishment.

Holy Trinity Church.

Nancy Taylor Bubes.

NANCY TAYLOR BUBES: CHARITY AND BUSINESS LEADER

Edward Segal.

EDWARD SEGAL: WATCHDOG

When politicians, city officials, utilities and mobile transportation concerns hear the name Ed Segal, they know they are about to meet someone who means business and cares deeply about his community. For a few years now, Segal, who lives near 28th and O Streets, has been monitoring the frequency of and response to gas leaks in his neighborhood: “There have been at least 148 natural gas leaks … in Georgetown since 2016. A majority of the leaks have been the most dangerous kind as described under Federal guidelines and D.C. law. Washington Gas has spent at least $17.8 million since 2016 to fix thousands of gas leaks across the city.” Segal maintains a blog that tracks gas leaks on an almost daily basis at georgetowngasleaks.wordpress.com. Lately, scooters have caught his attention, with about 10,000 new ones expected next year. Other local matters will no doubt soon be making his naughty-or-nice list. He is also a heck of a good neighbor. For such accomplishments — above and beyond — Ed Segal is a Georgetowner of the Year for 2019.

Nancy Taylor Bubes is known as a top real estate agent for Washington Fine Properties, recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 100 in the entire nation for the past five years. Her sales, service, team and listings may be epic, but she is also known as the lady with the Halloween house. Her house at 31st and O Streets, which she shares with husband Alan and her children, transforms annually into the town’s best trick-or-treat attraction. This year, ghouls sported gear from the World Series Champion Washington Nationals. Yes, the hard-working Bubes likes to grab those big listings in Georgetown and Kalorama for her high-end clientele, but she also likes to give back to the community in a big way. Bubes helps out many a community group by volunteering and contributing money to the cause — whether personally or through WFP. These include the Citizens Association of Georgetown, the Lab School of Washington, Landon School, St. Andrews School, Georgetown Ministry Center, Friends of Volta Park, Friends of Rose Park, Adas Israel, Habitat Group and Georgetown Village. She is a very lovely and special lady, and Georgetown is all the better because of her. For such accomplishments — above and beyond — Nancy Taylor Bubes is a Georgetowner of the Year for 2019.

What’s your New Year’s resolution? YOUR OPINION MATTERS. Post your response. Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH: SPIRITUAL HOME

A little parish founded in 1787 by the Jesuits, Holy Trinity is the oldest Roman Catholic parish and church in continuous operation in Washington, D.C. It is finishing a two-year celebration of its 200-yearold school and 225-year-old church, on 36th Street near Georgetown University. Founders Day in October involved joyful activities all over the church property. Holy Trinity has grown to a shining parish on Holy Hill — now with a gathering of 2,500 faithful each week at seven Sunday Masses. Indeed, it is seen as quite the fancy parish, with John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline having attended Mass there. It has been known for its liberal bent, although that is not always the case. Its 52nd pastor, the Rev. Kevin Gillespie, S.J., is a former president of St. Joseph’s University. All in all, the parish contains 101 ministries, groups, programs and committees. Recently, it rehabilitated and reopened Holy Rood Cemetery and added a columbarium for new burials. Whether working with its sister parishes in El Salvador and Haiti, wrapping gifts for the needy in McKenna Hall or preparing for Christmas Midnight Mass, Holy Trinity is a work in progress and in love. For such accomplishments — above and beyond — Holy Trinity Church is a Georgetowner of the Year for 2019.

See you next year! Our next issue is January 15, 2020

BUSINESS

OUT: RÍ RÁ

INS & OUTS

Rí Rá, which opened on Dec. 30, 2013, at 3125 M St. NW, the former space of Mie N Yu and, before that, Hamburger Hamlet, announced that it would close at the end of January. Meaning “the king of good times,” Rí Rá is a popular Irish pub that offers live music. One of its centerpieces is a statue of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint.

BY RO B E RT DEVA NEY

REBRANDED: CAFE BONAPARTE IS NOW LUTÈCE BY BONAPARTE

Serving Georgetown since 2003, Cafe Bonaparte at 1522 Wisconsin Ave. NW reopened as Lutèce by Bonaparte on Dec. 12 with a new look, menu and chef, Martin Senoville. According to the Popal Group, which also owns the Berliner at the Georgetown waterfront and Lapis in Adams Morgan: “Straight from the city of light, the 32-year-old chef will make his debut onto the American dining scene. Hailing from a family of chefs, Senoville began working in Paris kitchens at the age of 18. Senoville’s menu will include tried-and-true classics and innovative takes on French fare, featuring dishes like pan-fried foie gras, lobster french toast and for the herbivoreinclined, vegetable barley bowl.”

MOVING: ARTIST’S PROOF

Last week, Artist’s Proof owner Peggy Sparks told her clients and friends: “After seven years in Georgetown, the gallery will be relocating to Bethesda, Maryland, in the new year. Your support has been integral to our success, and we hope to continue to assist you with your art needs. In the meantime, it’s full steam ahead with our featured artist and their works on our website and upcoming shows at the W Hotel and various commercial spaces in the District!” The gallery, previously located in Cady’s Alley, opened at 1533 Wisconsin Ave. NW in 2014.

IN: CHASE BRANCH AT WISCONSIN AND P

Foie gras mi-cuit with raspberry vinegar labneh.

On Dec. 10, another bank opened in a building that once housed a classic Georgetown business, beloved by residents and seen in movies. JPMorgan Chase will hang out another Georgetown shingle at Wisconsin Avenue and P Street. The property, at 3217 P St. NW, comes with a parking lot. Across from the Thomas Sweet ice cream parlor, the building housed the famed Neam’s Market for decades. Marvelous Market opened there in 2000 and closed in April of 2014. Except for the occasional pop-up store, the building has been empty for more than five years. (There’s another Chase branch opening near Wisconsin and M, next to the Capital One Cafe.)

Rothy’s, a Megan Markle favorite.

IN: ROTHY’S ON M

A Meghan Markle favorite, Rothy’s shoes exude hip style and ecological sensitivity. The store opened at 3068 M St. NW on Dec. 16, announcing: “At Rothy’s, we create beautiful, comfortable, washable shoes — sustainably. To date, we’ve transformed over 30 million plastic water bottles into stylish flats ... Our owned and operated factory in Dongguan, China, sets the standard for sustainable, responsible manufacturing. Continually striving for zero waste, we combine the best of 3D knitting technology and handcrafted assembly to create our signature style and comfort.” Time’s Person of the Year Greta Thunberg just might want a pair.

MEMORY SUPPORT—NOW OPEN Ingleside at Rock Creek is introducing a different approach to Memory Care. The innovative Ingleside Memory Support program is persondirected and based on the Ingleside Well Being Philosophy. We developed an extraordinary experience for family members and their loved ones with neurocognitive impairments, including Alzheimer’s and other dementias. With everyday opportunities for socialization and enrichment, and brand new, private suites— clearly Ingleside Memory Support is one step above all the others. SCHEDULE YOUR PERSONAL VISIT TODAY! INGLESIDE AT ROCK CREEK www.ircdc.org/memorysupport 202-407-9676

Ingleside at Rock Creek is a not-for-profit, CARF-accredited, SAGECare-certified, life plan community.

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DECEMBER 18, 2019

COVER

Life at the Climax of a Decade BY GARY T IS CHL ER It’s late December in the year 2019 and on some surface level all things look normal, or maybe it’s just beginning to look a lot like Christmas. That’s the time of year when media mavens of all sorts and delivery systems — from the remaining shrinking stock of print publications large and small to television networks and social media platforms — take a deep breath and hit Wikipedia to look back, across the warp time of the past 12 months. This year, like some added burden, we also take stock of not only the previous year, but the decade that is ending. Yes, 2020 is just around the corner, and that must signify something. Turns out that the task at hand is impossible, because the time between then and now seems even longer than it really is. Those of us who were arguably some form of adult in 2010 feel weighted down by the almost unbearable fastness of being and living at the end of the decade. The almost light speed by which we receive the news of events and change is one of the key themes of the decade. If you had to name some of the key elements that have surfaced in our lives and in how we conduct ourselves, it’s, in one word, technology, and, in several, social media: Facebook and Twitter, the unmooring and disconnection of information from our homes to our personal phones and our constant-companion machines. A 16-year-old girl from Sweden was honored as Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” for her eloquent and dramatic warnings and leadership on climate change. It was an honor afforded in 2016 to the newly and unexpectedly elected president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, who, characteristically, made snarky comments 12 DECEMBER 18, 2019

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about Greta Thunberg on his Twitter account. It’s fair to say that Trump’s election has changed the United States in dramatic, epochal ways in a short period of time. His arrival as president and on the world stage has brought the warp factors of chaos and confusion, the restless tone to our lives. No matter how you feel about the man — and most people’s feeling are strongly held — his singular innovation as president has helped bring about a tectonic change in how the American body politic conducts itself. That innovation is his constant use of his Twitter account, his omnipresence in the social-media universe. If you live with your devices and machines on social media, as a form of sending and receiving information, there is no real escape from the effects of Trump World — what he says on Twitter — which during the course of populist rallies more and more reminiscent of ancient Rome is transmitted to and by the media, pro or con, as fodder for the next day’s or even the next hour’s news. If you’re trying to consider the impact of one whole year, as well as a decade, things become especially difficult if you’re having trouble digesting what happened last week, yesterday or an hour ago, let alone a year or 10. One eye is on the need to make it to the next Best Buy sale or find last year’s Christmas ornament, while listening to or watching the charges of impeachment against the president. This is true for many things — the next YouTube sensation, Beyoncé’s album rollout, the weather, mass shootings, cute cat videos and miscellaneous verbal outrages — but it is especially true for the effect of Trump and Trumpisms in a time where the phrase “social media is on fire” is as common as

“go walk the dog.” “What just happened?” is a real thing, much more real than trying to remember what happened 10 years ago. Consider the news sheet just in the past few days. At this writing, the House of Representatives, still somewhat freshly controlled by the Democrats, is rolling out the two-pronged articles of impeachment against President Trump, on the way to a committee vote to impeach. A House vote (or indictment) may come next week, amid late-night dog-and-cat fights on the floor. The impeachment hearings and process dominated the news, accompanied often by the cacophony of commentators and the questioning of various federal government professionals, including officials from intelligence agencies and the State Department. In the background were the deeply discordant notes of gunfire, with violent crime rising across the country and in our own backyard. With the intensity of the hourly and daily news and the Trump and Trump-supporter narrative of fake news, witch hunt, con job, kangaroo court and so on, dismissive and discursive, it was almost impossible to believe that we were living at the climax of a decade. That decade saw the history-making second campaign and reelection triumph of the nation’s first African American president, Barack Obama, and, perhaps in reaction to that, the rise of a sharply conservative Tea Party movement on the right. President Obama’s second campaign seemed almost normal in its conduct. The opponent was Mitt Romney, intelligent, with some heft in his career, including service as governor of Massachusetts. The result was much the same as in the prior election. Obama won handily in the end, although the exultation and self-congratulation among the American people for the breaking of the racial barrier was somewhat more muted. The Democrats could have broken the glass ceiling in 2016, when everyone assumed that Hillary Clinton in her second attempt would win easily. To everyone’s shock, that didn’t happen. Politicians and citizens are still trying to figure out what happened; liberals and Democrats are still blinking a little, as if in a bad dream. Trump, the winner, still thinks he was cheated out of three million or so popular votes. The decade was, in the end, not so much a decade of great events but an age of portents — sweeping changes in attitudes about race, gender and sexuality, including pink hats and the Me Too and Black Lives Matter

movements. The political battles were about immigration and minority rights, include the right of gay people to marry. MAGA, the Trump red-cap slogan, meant that his America would dominate the world’s stage while retreating from it and from standing Obama treaties, especially regarding the environment. The great tragedy of the Syrian war, with its hundreds of thousands of casualties, is not over, although the savage terrorist group ISIS, with its nationalistic ambitions, has been crippled. There is, no question, an ongoing economic boom, as measured in Wall Street terms and low unemployment figures, spurred by low interest rates. Trump, as perhaps any president might, takes full credit for it. He can also take credit for making, enveloping and turning the GOP into the party of Trump. And, last but not least, he has characterized a free press as an enemy of the people. And yet, we are in the midst of an impeachment battle over a phone call between the new president of Ukraine, still embroiled in a struggle to remain apart from its bristling neighbor Russia, and the president of the U.S., and an alleged effort to maneuver a foreign nation to help Trump investigate his potential political rivals at home. Congress intends, it appears, to impeach him for “high crimes and misdemeanors,” for “abuse of power” and for “obstruction of justice.” The details of the impeachment process as it plays out and perhaps swings to a swift (or not) trial in the Senate, where the GOP dominates, will engulf the news, the Twittersphere, the front pages and nightly news for days to come. It may seem, for a time but not all time, that this decade began with the November 2016 election results. For the rest of the news, for some good news, beyond the divisions that are hardening like a bad vein, we should look to the best parts of our diversities, the clarion-true moments in our history and in our inspirations, the good deeds done and shared in the 2010s, the daily dollops of laughter and music, richly shared, the patriotic songs, the rock and roll, the rap and the songs of protest. After all, the cat and the dog in the cartoon strip “Mutts” are walking daily in the snow, debating the individuality of snowflakes as if they were Aristotle and Plato, Shakespeare and Tolstoy, your mom, your pop, the sages of everyday life, you and me.

COVER

Timeline of the Decade HEADLINES, 2010 TO 2019 2011

From left to right: The space shuttle Discovery on its way to the Air & Space Musem • President Donald Trump with former President Barack Obama shortly after being sworn in • At the “March for our Lives” hundreds of thousands of students and parents filled the streets of Washington D.C in 2018 • The White House is lit up in rainbow colors in recognition of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage • Surveying the damage after the August 13, 2011 earthquake in Washington DC • “Am I Next?” laments 9th grader Raemi Charles at the National School Walkout to End Gun Violence • Photos courtesy of Jeff Malet

Prime Rib Founder Buzz Beler, 90 BY NIA TAV L ARIDE S S T R ATO S Legendary restaurateur Constantine Peter “Buzz” Beler, of the Prime Rib restaurant, passed away on Oct. 23. Although he was 90, his death comes as shock to the many people who loved him, because Buzz seemed to be eternally youthful. He was a well-educated man who was intensely proud of his family and Greek immigrant roots. He felt that the restaurant business was a part of him. He learned the business in his youth from working with his parents, Peter Beler and Cleo Hariklea “Hattie” Beler, who owned and operated the North Inn Restaurant in Baltimore. He served his country and worked hard. Never forgetting his history, Buzz appreciated his upbringing and heritage. He loved to tell his patrons that he served only the best olives and olive oil from his family’s village in Greece. He and his brother C. Nicholas Beler, who predeceased him, wanted to create a fine-dining establishment that looked like a 1930s movie set, with Art Deco design, excellent food and live jazz. They created a true Manhattan supper club in D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia. “The Rib,” as many affectionately refer to it, built a strong business with a loyal patronage of politicians, celebrities and everyday patrons, who wanted to celebrate an occasion at a memorable place. Décor that featured black lacquer, leopard carpet and an extensive collection of original art by French Art Deco-Art Nouveau artist Louis Icart made the Prime Rib noteworthy. Buzz loved good food and saw to it that his clientele dined on high-quality food, with an emphasis on superior beef. He liked

consistency, listened to his staff and was a good boss; many of his employees have stayed on for over 30 and even 40 years, providing some of the best service in the industry. Describing this special place barely gets to heart of the man that Buzz Beler was. Buzz was modern yet old-school. His fashion style was filled with color, just like he was. He had charisma, told great stories and loved hanging out with his friends to watch football. He was smart, enjoyed young people and provided them with teaching moments. Although he defined an era of glamour and prestige, Buzz was unpretentious, and cared deeply for people. The Prime Rib is special because of Buzz; he will be omnipresent there, greeting everyone while drinking a glass of pinot noir. He is survived by his son, Peter Hill Beler, of Northern Virginia. Farewell, old friend.

INCIDENT IN GEORGETOWN At age 71, Buzz Beler personally nabbed the ringleader of a quintet of welldressed young men that had skipped out on a $1,282.66 check — more than $800 of which was the liquor tab — at the K Street Prime Rib. Correctly surmising that they would proceed to Cafe Milano on Prospect Street in Georgetown, he sped over in his Mercedes. “It was just the kind of place I felt they would go,” Beler told Lloyd Grove, who wrote up the incident in the Washington Post’s Reliable Source column in 2001. When the partiers tried to make another getaway before the police arrived, he took matters into his own hands.

CityCenterDC begins construction. U.S. forces kill al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan; announcement prompts nighttime celebration in front of the White House. Arab Spring: uprisings, revolutions, civil war throughout Arab world. Earthquake kills thousands in Haiti. Earthquake and tsunami kill thousands in Japan.

2013

Twelve people killed at Navy Yard in shooting by lone gunman. Jeff Bezos buys Washington Post. Boston Marathon bombing kills three and injures 260. Boston Red Sox win World Series for the first time since 1918. The Islamic State (ISIL) begins terrorist attacks, taking huge chunks of territory in Middle East. Nelson Mandela dies. Pope Benedict XVI resigns; Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina elected 266th pope.

2015

Pope Francis visits Washington. Georgetown University acknowledges legacy of slavery and makes plans for amends. Voter-approved law goes into effect, allowing private and medical use of marijuana in D.C. Hillary Clinton announces second run for president. Riots break out in Baltimore after death of Freddie Gray in police custody. Terrorist attacks kill 130 people in Paris and suburb of Saint-Denis.

2017

Inauguration of President Trump. Women’s March on Washington. The Wharf opens in Southwest D.C. In Las Vegas, 59 people killed, including lone shooter. North Korea test-fires missiles; leader Kim Jong Un earns Trump nickname: “Little Rocket Man.”

2019

Washington Nationals win team’s first World Series championship. Washington Mystics win team’s first WNBA championship. Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans, embroiled in scandal, awaits vote on expulsion. Hong Kong protestors call for territory’s greater autonomy and democracy. Donald Trump, first sitting president to enter North Korea, about to become third president to be impeached.

2010

Snowmageddon (17.8 inches of snow) shuts down D.C. Vincent Gray defeats incumbent Adrian Fenty in primary and David Catania in general election to become mayor of Washington, D.C. Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) signed into law. Oil spill in Gulf of Mexico is biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history. After being trapped for 68 days, 33 Chilean miners are rescued.

2012

Georgetown University and Georgetown community agree on strategic plan for the university. President Barack Obama is reelected. Twenty children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

2014

Democrat Muriel E. Bowser elected mayor. Corcoran Gallery of Art’s landmark building and college of art and design taken over by George Washington University; collection goes mainly to National Gallery of Art. Eric Garner dies after police confrontation on Staten Island. Russian military intervention in Ukraine leads to annexation of Crimea. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 presumedly lost over Indian Ocean; Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shot down over Ukraine.

2016

Snowzilla (likely more than 17.8 inches of snow) blankets the federal city. Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture opens. Donald J. Trump elected 45th president. Brexit — Britain’s departure from the European Union — approved in British referendum.

2018

Washington Capitals win team’s first Stanley Cup championship. Amazon selects Arlington as HQ2 site. Brett Kavanaugh confirmed as Supreme Court justice after divisive Senate hearing. Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi murdered in Istanbul at Saudi consulate.

& to many more! Look for Gary Tischler’s Life Stories online this week GMG, INC.

DECEMBER 18, 2019

The Girl in the Mirror Reflecting forward on the year to come, seeing a year of love, kindness, better decisions and new vision. That’s why putting your best face forward is always on the list of New Year’s resolutions. A dramatic eye, a red lip and laser focus on the goals ahead makes ringing in the new year — with unwavering hope for better days ahead — always on trend. The Girl in the Mirror says: You got this!

Happy New Year!

14 DECEMBER 18, 2019

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Lauretta J. McCoy Fashion/Beauty Editor @beautycomestoearth Photography Michael R. Wilson @rackfocus Model Leslie Wilcox @lesliiecaroliine Makeup Lauretta J. McCoy @ beautycomestoearth Hair Susanna Young @susanna.young.7photo Retoucher Yvonne Taylor @yvonnetaylorphoto Photographer’s Assistant Jelani Blakey @ bizman8 The Face Moisturizer: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Primer: Skin Equalizer Makeup Forever Foundation/Concealer: NARS Pat McGrath Mothership Eyeshadow Palette V Marc Jacobs Beauty Eyeliner Blacquer MAC 35 Lash NARS Star Scene Cheek Palette MAC Lipstick: Spoiled Fabulous Metallic Gold Dance With Me Retro Red Dior Addict Lacquer Plump

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DECEMBER 18, 2019

HAUTE & COOL

The Georgetowner’s Guide to Gifting BY ALLYS ON BURK HAR D T It’s time to make your list and check it twice. No matter if they’ve been naughty or nice, it’s time to spread some holiday cheer. Why not step out and take a stroll through the enchanting streets of Georgetown? The shops here offer the perfect mix for everyone on your list. However big or small, you can expect a festive flair to them all. Come experience the yuletide spirit and may your holidays be merry and bright! Allyson Burkhardt is the founder of Let’s Get Dressed! Image & Style Services. Visit her on the web at letsgetdresseddc.com.

1 J.CREW Girls’ Velvet Bow Headband $22.50 J.Crew

8 BARBOUR Penton Quilted Jacket $495 Barbour

2 BLEECKER Straw Set $14.50 Pottery Barn

9 BARBOUR Landmass Gilet $180 Barbour

10 CUBELLA Sponge Coral Necklace $365 The Phoenix

YVES SAINT LAURENT Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick, Rouge Libre $39 Sephora

4 COS Wool-Leather Gloves $89 Cos 5 ANTHROPOLOGIE Garnet Velvet Puffer Scarf $48 Anthropologie

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WASHINGTON NATIONALS Can Cooler $29.50 South Moon Under

VINEYARD VINES Kids’ Hooded Fleece OnePiece Pajamas, Red Velvet $70 Vineyard Vines

KATE SPADE Luxe Pearl Wallet $218 Kate Spade

BROOKS BROTHERS Washable Merino Ski Sweater $118.50 Brooks Brothers

13 WANDLER Hortensia Mini Bag $795 Hu’s Wear 14

HOT WHEELS ID Smart Track $179.95 Apple Store

DR. MARTENS Junior 1460 Patent Lamper $60 Dr. Martens

As we celebrate our 65th year, we realize this milestone was made possible by the support of clients, friends, and readers like you. We offer our thanks, and wish you much peace and great joy during this holiday season and throughout the New Year.

1310 Kitchen & Bar A Cleaning Service AARP Anna Bananna Apollo Orchestra Aveda Bel-Air House Bonhams Bonhams-Virginia/DC Cafe Bonaparte Cathedral Choral Society Cathedral Realty Celebrity Cruises Chamber Dance Chatel Real Estate Christian Zapatka City Dance Clyde's of Georgetown, Inc. Coldwell Banker- Erin Crowder Compass Realty_McFadden Partners Country Club Kennels cross mackenzie ceramic arts Das Ethiopian DC Chamber of Commerce DC College Saving Plan DC Department of Small and Local Business DC Dept of Park and Recreation DC Jazz Fest. DC Mayoral Office DC Saving Plan District Offices Down Dog Yoga Doyle New York Dumbarton Concerts Evelyn Keyes Weddings Everards Clothier Evolve Salon Fallingwater

Filomena's Restaurant Folger Theatre Four Seasons Hotel Georgetown Genau Group Georgetown BID Georgetown Cafe Georgetown Carpet Georgetown Flea Market Georgetown House Tour Georgetown Medstar Georgetown Olive Oil Company Georgetown Sun Cryo Georgetown Tobacco Georgetown University Georgetown Visitation Glen Echo Park Glenmore Manor Halcyon House Helios Laser Center High Street Cafe Hinckley Pottery Holy Trinity Ingeleside Inn at Willow Grove Joel Truitt Builders Julia Diaz-Asper Kreeger Museum Long & Foster- Debbi Minkoff Long & Foster Real Estate Long & Foster/Margaret Heimbold Long & Foster/Terri Robinson Margaret S Lamberton Real Estate Martin's Tavern Mather Lifeways Michelle Galler-RE Middleburg Spring Races Moki Media National Archives

National Building Museum Newseum The Oceanaire OCTFME Paradise Antiques Patisserie Poupon Peta Potomack Company Rocklands Rosewood Hotel Round House Theatre Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Saint Nicholas Church Salamander Resort and Spa Senator Larry Pressler Sheridan MacMahon Snyder Property Tutt, Taylor, Rankin Sotheby's International Realty Sterling Properties and Management Syra Art Tenleytown Main Street Theatre J Thomas Landscapes Thomas Talbot Real State Volta Park W.T. Weaver & Sons Wagner Roofing Company Washington Ballet Washington Concert Opera Washington Fine Properties Washington fine Properties-Marilyn C. Washington Fine Properties-Nancy Taylor Washington Gas Washington Winter Show Weschler's Auctioneers Williams & Williams Auctioneers Wolf Trap

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DECEMBER 18, 2019

REAL ESTATE

Gotham on the Potomac STARCHITECT ROBERT A.M. STERN BRINGS HIS SINGULAR VISION — AND DAZZLING VIEWS — TO WASHINGTON’S SOUTHWEST WATERFRONT BY SU S A N BODIKE R To fully appreciate the grandeur of 1331 Maryland Ave. SW, the last phase and missing residential piece of the Portals project, it pays to start at the top, on the enormous roof deck — or “Sky Walk” — where L’Enfant’s masterful grid and a panoramic view of the city are laid out before you. And that is by design. For 1331, Robert A.M. Stern was inspired to create a new style of architecture in this downtown neighborhood, admittedly not known for residential housing — one that engaged more organically and dynamically with the larger landscape while honoring

Photo by Guillaume Gaudet.

PAT R I C K S W E L L

Marshall, Virginia • $10,000,000

“the dignity and visual interest” of the streets around the National Mall. With its artful arrangement of brickwork, windows, balconies, terraces and setbacks, the building brings New York sophistication to historical Washington. Its façade successfully balances the austere aesthetic of the surrounding Federal-style institutions with the modern classicism for which Stern and his firm are known. Beauty is as beauty does. In the case of 1331, it serves to open this new “monument” to light, space and, of course, views, while setting the stage for exceptional luxury within, starting with the high-ceilinged, marble-clad entryway with six fluted columns, black-and-white herringbonepatterned Zebrino flooring and circular stairway. Bespoke artwork, warm lighting and thoughtfully arranged seating invite you in and entice you to explore further. Other amenities, equally grand, include a wood-paneled library with a contemporary gas fireplace, a landscaped interior courtyard, a pet spa and dog park and a 4,000-square-foot professionally equipped fitness center with separate exercise studios and on-demand classes.

C AT E S B Y

Middleburg, Virginia • $9,950,000

1331 affords a dazzling view in every direction. Courtesy Republic Properties Corp. Up on the sky terrace level, there is a spacious lounge with multiple seating areas, a marble fireplace, a kitchen and a boardroom for meetings or dinners. Outside, there are three firepits, five semiprivate outdoor living rooms with grilling stations and (this is my favorite) a heated infinity pool overlooking the Tidal Basin. 1331 offers a variety of premier homes, 373 in all, ranging from studios — 505 to 615 square feet, with a starting rent of $2,000 per month — to an expansive 3,392-square-foot penthouse with three bedrooms, a den and three and a half baths, with a monthly rent of $25,000. All feature kitchens luxuriously fitted with Bosch or Thermador appliances, quartz or Calacatta marble counters and backsplashes, Italian

SALEM HILL

Marshall, Virginia • $3,690,000

wood custom cabinetry in kitchens and baths, customizable Elfa closet systems and sleek tile and glass bathrooms. Sky suites (floors 10 to 12) and sky suite penthouses are served by a private elevator bank. On a recent visit, we were treated to a tour of several apartments. Penthouse 10 offers 2,434 square feet of abundantly lit open space with three bedrooms, three and a half baths, a formal living room with built-in shelving, an open kitchen, a great room and phenomenal closet space. There are no balconies here, but the home enjoys incredible views from every room, including the owner’s bath, where a statement tub looks out over the Potomac. The monthly rent is $20,500.

SPRING GLADE

Middleburg, Virginia • $3,500,000

Gracious Georgian Manor home, 11,000 sf, built in 1930 | 7 BR , 7 1/2 BA, 7 FP | High ceilings, formal gardens & private setting | Stable w/30 stalls & 2 apartments | 4 BR guest house/entertainment complex, 4-car garage w/office | 4 tenant houses, skeet range, pool & tennis court | 241 acres | Land mostly open & r olling w/ bold mountain views, numerous ponds & vineyard

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

Helen MacMahon

Paul MacMahon

Paul MacMahon Helen MacMahon

(540) 454-1930

M AYA P P L E FA R M

Middleburg, Virginia • $3,400,000

(703) 609-1905

M O N TA N A FA R M

Delaplane, Virginia • $2,850,000

Original portion of house built in 1790 in Preston City, CT | House was dismantled and rebuilt at current site | Detail of work is museum quality | Log wing moved to site from Western Virginia circa 1830 | 4 BR, 4 full BA, 2 half BA, 9 FP & detached 2-car garage | Historic stone bank barn and log shed moved from Leesburg, VA | Private, minutes from town | Frontage on Goose Creek | 37.65 acres

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com

18 DECEMBER 18, 2019

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(703) 609-1905

(540) 687-5588

(703) 609-1905

H A L C YO N H I L L

Rectortown, Virginia • $2,250,000

(703) 609-1905 (540) 454-1930

HARMONY CREEK

Hume, Virginia • $1,650,000

Hilltop setting with beautiful distant views | Farm house circa 1920, completely restored and enlarged | 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 fireplaces, wood floors, large country kitchen | 129.15 rolling & useable acres | 3-bay equipment shed/work shop, guest house, 4-stall barn complex, riding ring, spring-fed pond and stream

Paul MacMahon Helen MacMahon

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905 (540) 454-1930

(703) 609-1905

110 East Washington Street Middleburg, Virginia 20117

ARTS

We also saw one of the model apartments, 1018, a 1,004-square-foot one-bedroom apartment with a den, two full bathrooms and a balcony overlooking the marina and the center courtyard (monthly rent: $4,835). As we marveled at the dramatic view, a CSX train rolled silently by, traffic hummed on Interstate 395 and a plane took off from Reagan National. 1331 has a variety of luxury hotel services, including move-in concierge, in-home package/dry cleaning delivery and pet watching. Residents can take advantage of special rates at the Mandarin Oriental, just a few steps away. Minutes from the Wharf, the National Mall, the Capitol and Nationals Park, the building also offers easy access to Union Station, Northern Virginia and the airport. 1331 Maryland Ave. SW is listed with Salley Widmayer, Stephen Vardas and William Rosbottom of Long & Foster | Christie’s. For information, contact Salley Widmayer at 202-215-6174 or salley. widmayer@gmail.com. For a visual tour, visit 1331maryland.com.

Hirshhorn Premieres Marcel Duchamp Documentary WATCH THE TRAILER AT GEORGETOWNER.COM A new documentary about revolutionary 20th-century painter, sculptor and conceptual artist Marcel Duchamp (1887– 1968), “Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible,” was premiered at the Hirshhorn Museum on Nov. 23. The sold-out screening and talk helped launch a special Hirshhorn exhibition, “Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection,” on view through Oct. 12, 2020. The exhibition features the recent gift of more than 50 major works, including more than 35 by Duchamp, promised to the museum by D.C.-based collectors Barbara and Aaron Levine. Director Matthew Taylor, who lives in New York with his wife and producing partner Michelle, has made over 100 short

films. Four new feature documentaries by the Taylors are currently in production. Matthew Taylor has also worked with ballet dancers to create contemporary multimedia installations and undertaken travel photography around the world. As director, his vision was to bring Duchamp to a broader audience and present him as a guiding light in an increasingly technological world. While tracing the key moments of Duchamp’s career, “The Art of the Possible” demonstrates how the French-born artist, a pioneer of the Dada movement, transformed the direction of 20th- and 21st-century art. The film makes extensive use of excerpts from interviews that Taylor conducted over several years with a range of scholars and artists.

A replica of “Fountain,” Duchamp’s stillcontroversial 1917 “readymade.”

Holiday Macabre: ‘The Woman in Black’ B Y S T E P H AN IE GR EEN

Op Art at your feet. Zebra-patterned marble and black and white mosaics turn this spiral staircase into a work of art. Photo by Susan Bodiker.

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The holidays may seem an unlikely time to enjoy a Gothic ghost story. Why relish in horror during the season of light? But there’s something about a bit of the macabre to make us appreciate the coziness of Christmas all the more. That’s what I thought when I left the cold and dank of “The Woman in Black” at the Shakespeare Theatre Company and stepped into the festive vitality of downtown Washington. At the newly named Michael R. Klein Theatre at the Lansburgh through Dec. 22, this is truly one of the best theater experiences you’ll have this time of year — or any other. Based on the novel of the same name by Susan Hill, this play has been a perennial favorite in the London drama scene. We should consider ourselves lucky that “The Woman in Black” made her way across the pond. It’s a pretty formulaic ghoulish tale: likable guy is summoned to a haunted house to settle the estate of a deceased client. Boy meets ghost and spends the remainder of the story pursuing her behind locked doors, in misty graveyards and in the darkest recesses of his mind. Pretty standard stuff you read in Edgar Allan Poe. But there’s something about the specter of the lady in the shadows that stays with you — and has seduced thousands of theatergoers. She even enchanted Harry Potter; Daniel Radcliffe starred in the movie version in 2012. I was so terrified the night I saw the play that when I returned home I found myself looking for spooks in my closet and under the bed. This haunting is mostly down to the staging. The deft sound and lighting effects give you glimpses of the lady ghost without a full reveal. Employing Hitchcockian strategies, the play makes your imagination your own worst enemy.

Daniel Easton and Robert Goodale in “The Woman In Black.” Photo by Tristram Kenton. Courtesy STC. There are no knives, blood or garish displays — just a few screams and expert storytelling and you’re curled up in your seat. What’s even more astonishing is that this tale is told by only three people, including the title character. Actors Daniel Easton and Robert Goodale take on a number of different personas in the play-within-a-play format, all with equal viability. The Woman in Black herself remains a silent character, but, in the end, her legend speaks for itself.

The Woman in Black Shakespeare Theatre Company Michael R. Klein Theatre 450 7th St. NW Through December 22 shakespearetheatre.org

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DECEMBER 18, 2019

Dining Guide

FOOD & WINE

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.

CAFE BONAPARTE

1522 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–8830 | cafebonaparte.com 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.

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.

JOIN THE DINING GUIDE! EMAIL ADVERTISE@ GEORGETOWNER.COM OR CALL 202-338-4833

20 DECEMBER 18, 2019

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BY JOD Y KU R ASH The first time I ventured to Puerto Rico was well over a decade ago in mid-December. Along with the colonial architecture and Latin charm of the walled city of Old San Juan, I was tickled to wander the cobbled streets and gaze at the holiday decorations — brightly lit palm trees, twinkling lights in the streets and shiny ornaments displayed on colorful houses — all while wearing sandals and a strappy sundress. This was my first time experiencing the yuletide season in the tropics. At first, the feeling of seeing sparkly Christmas trees in 85-degree weather seemed strange … but it grew on me quickly. The only thing missing from my Caribbean Noël was a festive, Christmas-y drink to match the tropical vibes. As it turns out, Puerto Rico has a holiday drink of its own. It’s called the coquito, which translates into “little coconut.” While it’s often referred to as “Puerto Rican eggnog,” no eggs are used in the drink. The similarity is in the texture and the spices. Recipes differ, but the principal ingredients are rum, coconut cream or milk, condensed milk and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla. Ryan McGrogan, GM of Cuba Libre bar and restaurant in D.C.’s Penn Quarter, describes it as “a cocktail that exhibits the culture of Puerto Rico — celebrations, community, family, pride and, of course, flavor.” This drink is steeped in tradition in Puerto Rico. McGrogan says: “When someone makes a good coquito, they are recognized for it. As the holiday season rolls around, neighbors and friends will collect empty liquor bottles with the tops and clean them out and bring them to the person making it. Hundreds of bottles may be dropped off, but the maker will choose

The Coquito 1.25 oz. Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum 1 oz. Brinley Gold Coconut Rum Cream

Shipwreck

1 oz. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut 1 oz. half-and-half Nutmeg Combine all ingredients in a tin shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain into a glass snifter. Top with a pinch of ground nutmeg. A cinnamon stick makes a nice garnish.

the bottles he sees fit to be given as gifts that might be more special to his friends. He then will choose from the remaining bottles, which he will either sell or keep for personal use. They always have their personal-use bottles. Some go as far as to create their own label for the bottles.” The taste of a coquito varies depending on the maker. McGrogan says that some add ice cream, such as pistachio or coffee, which changes the flavor amazingly from the classic recipe. Other popular modifications include flavored rums, rum cream and even pitorro (Puerto Rican moonshine). If the joyful season is a little too short for you, you can head south. According to McGrogan, “Puerto Rico celebrates Christmas longer than any other culture I am aware of. Parties every night. If you are invited to a party ... you go. And you bring friends. It is two months of celebration and all are welcome.” Should you decide to stay local, pop into Cuba Libre for a bit of Latin hospitality and sample the bar’s first-rate coquito, or mix up some holiday cheer at home.

CLASSIFIEDS / SERVICE DIRECTORY

CHEVY CHASE FLOOR WAXING SERVICE

Polishing, buffing, and waxing to preserve and protect your fine wood floors, using old-fashioned paste wax. Family owned and operated for 30 years. Licensed Bonded Insured 301656-9274, Chevy Chase, MD

SERVICE PRIVATE TENNIS LESSONS

$25 for one hour private lesson in Georgetown and NW DC 202-333-3484 -Mark Harmonjacqueline47@yahoo.com

EXPERIENCED HOUSE KEEPER AVAILABLE

A live out house keeper available 5 days week and includes light cooking. English Portuguese speaking. Experienced and references available upon request. Please call (202) 966 -8465 and feel free to leave a message.

GUARDIAN ANGEL LANDSCAPING SERVICES

Fall yard maintenance, general hauling, and can sell and deliver seasoned firewood. For all your household needs please call Robert (240) 477-2158.

EVERYTHING MUST GO!!

Everything Must Go!! SALE – SALE Entire contents of large Embassy owned Mclean 5 Bedroom house must be sold. Including TV’s, sofas, bedroom furniture and much more. Everything must go sale! Please call 202-298-8568 or email: m.t.s.a2009@hotmail.com

SEEKING 24/7 SECURITY COMPANY

To maintain two buildings, located in Washington, DC and Mclean, VA. Please call 202-298-8568 or email: m.t.s.a2009@hotmail.com

BUILD IT BETTER • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Counter-Tops • Carpentry • Windows/Doors • Plumbing • Electrical • Tile • Shower Doors • General Repairs 301-779-8837 www.iBuildItBetter.com Licensed DC 3661- MD 41353 Servicing DC/MD for over 25 years

THE POWER OF LOCAL.

The Georgetowner is mailed to all 7,700 RESIDENTS & BUSINESS in Georgetown. CALL TO LEARN MORE 202-338-4833

EMPLOYMENT

The historic Oak Hill Cemetery seeks a person to fill a part time (14 hours) position to assist with social media postings and other duties. Commercial social media experience required. $30 to $35 per hour. Send cover letter and resume to loisbrown@oakhillcemeterydc. org . No phone calls please.

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 2C MONTHLY MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 AT 6:30 P.M. John A Wilson Building Room G9 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC

THOMAS LANDSCAPES 202.322.2322 | www.thomaslandscapes.com

Design

HANDYMAN SERVICES Carpentry Plaster & Drywall Doors/Windows Cabinets/Shelves Counter Tops Painting/Finishing And much more

Over 30 years our craftsmen do quality work: remodeling building or restoring

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Derek Thomas / Principal - Certified Professional Horticulturist, Master Gardener

Member of the MD Nursery and Landscape Association & the Association of Professional Landscape Designers

A Cleaning Service Inc Since 1985

Joel Truitt Builders, Inc. 734 7th St. S.E. (202) 547-2707 QUALITY SINCE 1972

ACE WINDOW CLEANING, CO.

Residential specialists inside and outside. Family owned and operated for over 30 years. 301-656-9274 Chevy Chase, MD • We also offer glass, screen, and sash cord repair service • Ask about our no damage, low pressure Powerwashing.

Residential & Commercial Insured, Bonded, Licenced - Serving DC, VA, MD

703.892.8648 - www.acleaningserviceinc.com

Silver & Brass Restoration • Polishing, Plating & Repair

Opening Monday, April 30th 10a.m. – 4p.m.

Regular Business Hours Mondays 10.am. - 4p.m.

Let the experts restore your tarnished, broken and worn heirlooms, tea sets, flatware, trays, candelabras, hollowware, tortoise shell combs, trophies, lamps fireplace tools, brass beds... and more. Bel-Air House Of Silver 4101 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 108, Fairfax, VA (703) 691-4190

www.belairhouseofsilver.com

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DECEMBER 18, 2019

KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB

Christmas at the White House Is Dazzling BY KITT Y KE L L E Y Christmas at the White House this year dazzles with gold ribbons and sparking lights, fir boughs, fir wreaths and the delicious scent of 33 fir trees. Crystal stars sparkle above the red-carpet colonnade in the East Wing to welcome the 7,000 lucky people who received invitations from the president and first lady. Once guests present their credentials and pass through security — which entails three Secret Service stops, two police dog sniffs and one pat-down with a metal wand — they walk to the driveway to enter the people’s palace, where everything shines and glistens in the public rooms.

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Topiary trees are festooned in big red velvet bows, mantels are banked in red roses and doorways lead into rooms of wonder. The gold Vermeil Room pays homage to first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who established the White House as a museum. Her portrait by Aaron Shikler hangs on the wall, a lovely elusive image. Over the fireplace is a smiling Lady Bird Johnson and across the hall is the White House library, containing 2,700 books. It appears to have been decorated by elves who know that Reading Is Fundamental. Tiny books are tasseled to trees and wrapped in ribbons around the mantel is a beguiling

tribute to literacy. Miniature books, leatherbound with tiny gold titles, hang from the room’s Christmas tree. Visitors gasp aloud as they wander into the East Room, pose in the Green Room, exclaim over the China Room, sigh in the Blue Room. The Red Room delights with its creative décor of children’s games — playing cards cascade from the trees with dice, jacks, tiddlywinks and Scrabble squares spelling the message of the season: “PEACE … LOVE … JOY.” The State Dining Room pays tribute to America with a gigantic gingerbread White House (200 pounds of dough slathered with 25 pounds of frosting) surrounded by the country’s landmarks. The display showcases the genius of White House chefs, who have conjured confectionary creations of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Space Needle in Seattle, Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota, the Alamo in San Antonio, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Statue of Liberty in New York and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. The sumptuous tour culminates in the Grand Foyer, where carolers sing amid a crush of fir trees — 20 feet tall — all dusted with snow and gold bulbs and sparkling

lights. Emblazoned high on the wall is the Great Seal of the United States with the words, “E Pluribus Unum,” Latin for “Out of many, one.” As everyone leaves the White House, aides hand each guest a small red package filled with Hershey’s kisses and a lovely laminated pamphlet entitled “The Spirit of America Christmas at the White House 2019.” Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” Her most recent books include “Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys” and “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.” All photos courtesy of the White House.

GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES

‘Ending Cancer Starts With Georgetown Lombardi’ BY CH RIST INE WA RNK E For more than 33 years, the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center has worked to fight and end cancer. Under

Chiranjeev Dash, associate professor of oncology, and Louis Weiner, director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Photo by Sean Shanahan Photography.

the leadership of the 2019 co-chairs and including the National Football League Professional Association, the annual gala on Nov. 23 at the Ritz Carlton featured a “spinning wheel of wonder,” along with other auction fun. Honorees included legendary Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell, philanthropists U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue and Elizabeth Shepard.

Dr. Sachiko Kuno of Halcyon and John DeGioia, president of Georgetown University. Photo by Robert Devaney.

JCB Wows George Town Club

City Tavern Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Jean-Charles Boisset brought his wines and personality to the George Town Club Dec. 6 for a sell-out dinner prepared by chef Paul Stearman. The day before the club’s annual holiday fete, members experienced a rare culinary delight that they’re still talking about.

BY CHRISTINE WARNKE

George Town Club chef Paul Stearman, showing off truffles, with wine expert Jean Charles Boisset. Photo by Robert Devaney.

John Metelski and City Tavern Club President Mary Beth Torpey. Photo by Jeremy Long Photography.

Supporters gathered Nov. 23 to celebrate the founders of the City Tavern Association for their efforts in 1959 to restore the iconic federal landmark on M Street — a tavern built in 1796 and visited by founding fathers. The gala brought members and guests together to dine in the Great Hall and dance into the night, while recalling the club’s unique history.

On Christmas Eve at dusk a bagpipe player will perform at Oak Hill Cemetery to honor those who came before us! In the spirit of the Season we remember the hundreds of Scottish & Irish Americans buried there and the many who fought in the Civil War, the Spanish War, the Great War and WWII.

These residents of Georgetown were police officers, firefighters, shopkeepers, laymen & labors, statesmen, & community leaders, men and women who served their newly adopted country and who made up the fabric of our society. The Pipe Major will then lead a procession of all who wish to join in along R Street from Oak Hill Cemetery to High Street (Now Wisconsin Avenue) and then down to St. John’s Episcopal Church along Beall Street (O St.) where the parishioners of the Church will greet the bagpiper a little after 5:00 PM, following the service, with a reception (with Pie) and music of the Season.

Please join us to remember those who came to American, and Georgetown to become citizens who helped build this great City & Nation!

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DECEMBER 18, 2019

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