Georgetowner's October 26, 2016 Issue

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VOLUME 62 63 NUMBER NUMBER 24 2 VOLUME

OCTOBER 26 8, 2016 2016 SEPTEMBER 28--NOVEMBER OCTOBER 11,

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H T R I B E NED R G I S E D E R ' S E NGING SIXTI

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IA BY MILLENN

CRIME ON THE RISE? LA CHAUMIÈRE AT 40 QUR'ANS AT THE SACKLER MERIDIAN BALL, CAG GALA, CITYDANCE RAKEL COHEN OF THE WATERGATE HOTEL


CLEVELAND PARK $4,999,000 Built in 1918, this home has exquisite period details, high ceilings, an attractive master suite, and original hardwood floors. There are beautifully landscaped grounds, multiple terraces, and stunning Cathedral views. A rare opportunity. MICHAEL RANKIN +1 202 271 3344

Quintessentially Georgetown, this exquisite 1865 semidetached home just 2 blocks west of Wisconsin Avenue will transport you to another era with its impeccably maintained original detail throughout. Thoughtfully designed with top quality renovations, this 3 BR, 3.5 BA 1865 semi-detached home features soaring ceilings, gourmet eat-in kitchen, perennial garden and a small pool.

ELLEN ABRAMS +1 202 255 8219 ANNE-MARIE FINNELL +1 202 329 7117

Sited on a quiet hillside street, this turnkey property offers over 4,800 square feet of sun-filled space. Notable upgrades to the five-bedroom home include gleaming hardwood floors, a state-of-the-art-security system, and recessed lighting throughout. Two rear decks and an inviting front porch expand entertaining potential in fair weather.

MICHAEL BRENNAN JR. +1 202 330 7808

Built in 2016 and boasting over 7,000 square feet, this residence is inspired by traditional Tuscan Architecture. The cementitious stucco, brick veneer, Cedar lumber, travertine pavers, and the clay tile roofs are examples of the authentic Tuscan materials.

MICHAEL RANKIN +1 202 271 3344

GEORGETOWN $2,775,000

BERKLEY $1,795,000

BERKLEY $4,995,000

SPRING VALLEY $2,990,000

Fantastic 7 BR, 5.5 BA light filled home in Spring Valley. Over 5,000 sq ft est. Open kitchen with granite counters, cathedral ceiling and skylights. Incredible backyard with large pool, lawn and outdoor dining/entertaining area. Master suite floor with new marble master bathroom, walk-in closet and separate office/den. Outstanding large, wide and flat .410 acre lot.

RUSSELL A. FIRESTONE III +1 202 271 1701

GEORGETOWN $2,750,000

GEORGETOWN $2,195,000

MICHAEL BRENNAN JR. +1 202 330 7808

MAXWELL RABIN +1 202 669 7406 JONATHAN TAYLOR +1 202 276 3344

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE $1,450,000

GEORGETOWN $1,425,000

THOMAS P. DALEY +1 703 395 4220

CHRISTINE BASSO +1 202 302 2508 ADAM SKRINCOSKY +1 703 915 1827

This stunning residence at the Ritz-Carlton affords sweeping views of the Potomac River. Awash with natural light from its southern exposure, the unit offers gleaming hardwood floors, high ceilings, elegant moldings, and premium finishes in every room. The preeminent address is complemented by the adjoining hotel’s exceptionally high caliber of service.

Stunning semi-detached, end unit five bedroom, 4 bath, 2 half bath home with more than 3500+ sq ft in Cathedral Heights/ Upper Glover Park/Observatory area. Meticulously maintained and finished turn key home. Featuring hardwood floors throughout, recessed lighting, crown moldings, period details, 2 chef quality kitchens with Viking, Bosch, and KitchenAid appliances. Tons of upgrades.

Expansive semi-detached Victorian features a modern, open main floor plan with distinct dining, kitchen and living areas, oak and pine floors, 3 fireplaces, 4 BR, and 3 full BA on the upper 2 levels. Washington Monument views from upper level rear terrace. Finished lower level has front and rear access, a family room/den, and 1 BR with half BA.

Rare offering: 2BR+den, 2.5BA condo at The Montrose features southwestern exposure, 2 parking spaces and storage unit. 12 south facing windows, open, modern floor plan with 10ft+ ceilings, oak flooring, center-island kitchen with marble and Thermador appliances. Sun-drenched throughout, limestone baths with Waterworks, custom builtins, walk in closet and private terrace with views.

GEORGETOWN BROKERAGE | +1 202 333 1212 DOWNTOWN BROKERAGE | +1 202 234 3344 McLEAN, VA BROKERAGE | +1 703 319 3344 ALEXANDRIA, VA BROKERAGE | +1 703 310 6800 CHEVY CHASE, MD BROKERAGE | +1 301 967 3344

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October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.

©2016 TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change. Date Source: MRIS (Sales, 12/1/12+, Legal Subdivision: Georgetown)


NE WS 4 Calendar 5 Town Topics 7 Overheard at Lunch 8 Editorial/Opinion

DOW N T OW N E R DC 21

F OO D & W I N E 22 Dining Guide 23 La Chaumière

F E AT U RE S 10 11 2801 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com

ABOUT THE COVER

Rakel Cohen, senior vice president of design and development for New York-based Euro Capital Properties, photographed for The Georgetowner in the Watergate Hotel’s $2-million Next Whisky Bar by Philip Bermingham. Euro Capital restored, revamped and reopened the hotel, the glamorous centerpiece of the 10-acre Watergate complex, earlier this year. FIND US ON FACEBOOK

The Georgetowner

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 2016.

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I N C OU N T R Y & G E TAWAY 24 Marshall, Virginia 26 Antiques Addict

BUSI N E S S 12

Ins & Outs: EagleBank, BO DY & SOU L Kennedy & Co., Lash 27 Murphy’s Love Bar; Keith Lipert 27 Fall Yoga

F I N A NC E 13

Worry About the Election?

RE A L E S TAT E 14 15

Featured Property Commercial Property

C OV E R 18

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ANC Forum Between Garden Tours

V ISUA L A R T S 29 29

Donizetti at WNO Qur’ans from Istanbul

GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES 30

Watergate Rebirth

H AU T E & C OOL 20

Town Topics

Falling Forward

Date:

Time:

Meridian Ball and Women Artists from the Rubell Family Collection 31 Georgetown Rocks, CityDance, Gala for Hungarian Revolution and Gala Guide

Wednesday, November 9 9am-10:30am (Session 1) 1pm-2:30pm (Session 2)

Place: 2001 Wisconsin Ave, NW Washington, DC 20007 To Reserve a space, please RSVP to megan.liu@biswashington.org In your response, please indicate if you prefer to attend Session 1 or Session 2

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up & coming October 28 Halloween in Georgetown: Poe Readings Actors from Guillotine Theatre will communicate with the spirits and read a witches’ brew of poems and short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, including “Morella,” “Hop-Frog,” “The Oval Portrait,” “Annabel Lee” and that poem about the scary talking bird. The requested donation is $10. For details, visit georgetowntheatre.org. Grace Church Georgetown, 1041 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

Calendar

October 29 Halloween in Georgetown: Trick or Treat at

Tudor Place Children of all ages and their families will follow meandering paths to find treats (but not tricks) in every corner of Tudor Place’s North Garden. There will also be pumpkin decorating, other craft activities, face painting and outdoor games amid the autumn colors. Costumes are optional. Tickets are $10 for nonmember children, $7 for member children and $5 for accompanying adults. For details, visit tudorplace.org. 1644 31st St. NW.

Fall Frolic At this festive and free Halloween-themed family event, Glen Echo visitors can explore the arts through hands-on crafts, studio visits and special Halloween activities. The celebration will conclude with a costume parade, weather permitting. For details, visit glenechopark.org. 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, Maryland.

November 3 Enter the Haggis The members of this Toronto-based Celtic folk-rock group, founded in 1995, play fiddle, bagpipes, tin whistle, harmonica, guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, trumpet, accordion, keyboards and percussion. Tickets are $28 to $34. For details, visit wolftrap.org. Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia.

October 30 Dancing with My Baby Registered dance movement therapist and children’s yoga teacher Brigitta White leads this four-session class (other dates: Nov. 6, 13 and 20) in which family members connect through movement, dance, yoga and the expressive arts. Admission is on a pay-whatyou-can basis. For details, visit brigittawhite. com. NOVA Natural Birth Center, 4200A Technology Court, Chantilly, Virginia.

November 1 Dinner with Strategist Anita Dunn Dunn, a former White House communications director, will tell guests “What To Expect When You Are Expecting An Election.” The menu for this intimate dinner includes wild mushroom risotto and chicken parmesan. Space is limited. Tickets are $69 (plus tax and gratuity). For details, visit iricchidc.com. Ristorante i Ricchi, 1220 19th St. NW.

Photo by DonkeyHotey

November 4 Hillary vs. Trump Cartoon Debate Visitors to the annual political cartoons show curated by Art Soiree will gain insight into the candidates and meet artists such as Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher, Ann Telnaes and Tom Toles. The event benefits Cartoonists Rights Network International. Tickets are $20. For details, visit artsoiree.com. Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, 3100 South St. NW.

November 4 and 6 Teatro Lirico of DC Teatro Lirico presents two of the most beloved Spanish operettas, known as zarzuelas. “Agua, Azucarillos y Aguardiente” (Water,

Sweets and Spirits), from the Belle Époque, includes waltzes and mazurkas. The score of “La Tempranica” (The Yearning Soul) has the vibrancy of Bizet’s “Carmen.” Tickets are $40 (Friday) and $30 (Sunday). To learn more, visit teatroliricodc.com. Scottish Rite Temple, 2800 16th St. NW.

November 5 Potomack Company Presidential Auction This year’s Presidential, Historical and Political Auction will feature furnishings personally selected by Jacqueline Kennedy for the family’s Georgetown home before John F. Kennedy’s election. Items include a glass chandelier that held special meaning to Mrs. Kennedy (“my sweet little chandelier”), a garden fountain, wall sconces, personal papers, handwritten notes and the deed of sale signed by President and Mrs. Kennedy upon their move to the White House. For details, visit potomackcompany.com. 1120 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, Virginia.

Fiber Art Sale in Rockville

At this annual sale of fiber art supplies and wearable art by 25 members of the Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery, shoppers will find handcrafted, one-of-a-kind scarves, hats, garments and jewelry, along with yarn and a variety of fabrics, notions and gift items. On the bargain tables will be gallery-quality items and artists’ overstock of equipment, materials, supplies and books. For details, visit fiberartsale.wixsite.com. Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, 10701 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville, Maryland.

JOIN US CULTUR AL LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST SERIES A light breakfast, informal remarks, and a Q&A with the leaders of Washington’s top cultural organizations. NEXT MONTH’S LEADER Rebecca Read Medrano is executive director and cofounder, with her husband Hugo, of GALA Hispanic Theatre, a national center for Latino performing arts based in the landmark Tivoli Theatre in Columbia Heights. Presenting classical and contemporary plays in Spanish and English—including Federico García Lorca’s “Yerma,” which won six Helen Hayes Awards this year—GALA’s name stands for Grupo de Artístas LatinoAmericanos. REBECCA READ MEDRANO Executive Director GALA Hispanic Theatre

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH 8:00-9:30AM THE GEORGE TOWN CLUB 1530 Wisconsin Avenue, NW $20 for George Town Club members $25 for non-members Please RSVP by November 7 to Richard@Georgetowner.com or call 202–338–4833 SPONSORED BY BONHAMS

Bring your jewelry for appraisal by a Bonham’s expert immediately following the breakfast. Don’t miss the opportunity!

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October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.


town topics

NEWS

Georgetown Is in a Halloween Mood

By P eg gy S a n d s a n d T y l e r H e t u

Hyde-Addison Swing: It’s Not Over Till It’s Over “Maybe the kids and parents at HydeAddison Elementary School should just decide en masse not to move out of their school at the end of the year,” suggested Tom Sherwood of NBC4 News on the Kojo Nnambi Show Oct. 21. “The parents need to speak out and turn out in droves,” said Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans. “The situation is outrageous.” The two were referring to the announcement last week by D.C. Deputy Mayor for Schools Jennifer Niles that some 200 children — ages 3 to 12 — would be bussed from Georgetown’s only elementary school, HydeAddison on O and P Streets near Wisconsin Avenue, to the Meyer Elementary School in Shaw. With traffic, travel time could be an hour both ways. Yet plenty of space a few blocks away at Hardy Middle School will be available by summer, when the Hyde-Addison construction work is scheduled to begin. “I and Mayor Muriel Bowser were all for the move to Hardy until Jenny somehow persuaded her differently,” said Evans, expressing his puzzlement. “It works there. It’s available.” Signs reading “Don’t Wing the Swing” have been posted around the area by parents. A meeting is being tentatively scheduled for early December, according to Evans. “It’s not over till it’s over,” agreed Sherwood and Evans on air.

We’re No. 3 in Rats; NPS Wants to Help The National Park Service is partnering with the D.C. Department of Health to control the rodent populations in D.C.’s national parks. Just in time. Within a week of the announcement, the nation’s capital was ranked number three on a list of major cities with rat infestations. (New York and Chicago won the top two spots, respectively.) The NPS agreement, which took effect Oct. 1, tasks DOH staff with inspecting national

Photo by Robert Devaney. Whether you pass by 35th and O Streets and see the off-the-top (literally) Halloween extravaganza by Greenworks Florist or go by the Bubes home at 31st & Q and see mummies and much, much more, Georgetown is creepycrawly with Halloween decorations. Check the Lever home at 31st with the Grim Reaper, and across the street, the giant black cat. On West Lane Keys, there’s a few monsters and down the street, more skeletons. Look over and see Bill Dean’s house all decked out with webs and more. Just about everywhere you look, it seems that the town is especially

parks in the city. There is also a provision for residents to report rats in any national park and request treatment by contacting the Citywide Call Center (311). The latest effort was announced at Dupont Circle, considered a prime haven for rats. During one TV news standup, a rat, perhaps seeking its 15 minutes of fame, dashed into camera view. LaQuandra Nesbitt, M.D., director of the Department of Health, said: “We are extremely excited to partner with the National Park

amped for this Halloween. Is it because of the upcoming election day that will determine whether the next president is Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton? For some, that’s the real trick-or-the-treat — or vice versa. Meanwhile, be aware of vehicular restrictions, whether for parking or through traffic, on various streets from the late afternoon of Oct. 31 to the early morning of Nov. 1. Visit Georgetowner.com for details from the Metropolitan Police Department, as we draw closer to Halloween.

Service and maximize our opportunity to protect the public health and safety of the District’s residents and visitors by reducing rodent activity through proactive surveys, inspections, baiting and enforcement. This adds to our citywide ‘Rat Riddance’ efforts that work to minimize the city’s overall rat population.” Of course, as everyone in Georgetown is well aware, rats love our village, too.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 Palisades Citizens Association Meeting

Following a 2 p.m. softball game between the east and west sides, there will be food, music and rides from 3 to 6 p.m. 1555 34th St. NW. For details, visit voltapark.org.

The Palisades Citizens will meet 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Palisades Recreation Center at Dana and Sherier places NW; includes a forum with ANC 3D candidates.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E Meeting

Glover Park Citizens Association Meeting

The next ANC 2E public meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Georgetown Visitation Prep, 35th Street at Volta Place, main building. For details, visit anc2e.com/meetings.html.

The Glover Park Citizens will meet 7 p.m. at Stoddert Elementary School and Glover Park Community Center, 4001 Calvert St. NW. Mayor Muriel Bowser is scheduled to speak.

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Community Calendar SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30 Volta Park Day

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Georgetown-Rossyln Gondola Public Information Meeting The feasibility study for the gondola between Georgetown and Rosslyn will be released at a public meeting, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Theater property at 1351 Wisconsin Ave. NW. ZGF Architects will discuss the study with Georgetown Business Improvement District President & CEO Joe Sternlieb and Rosslyn BID President Mary-Claire Burick. For more details, visit GeorgetownRosslynGondola.com/public-meeting.

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TOWN TOPICS

K, Water Street Transportation Plans Take Shape

The process is slowly taking shape, said Handsfield, who wants to keep the neighbors in the loop. “We hope some of the concepts may be implemented by next summer.”

Surveillance Camera Rebate Program to Expand

K Street and Water Street neighbors met again this week with Georgetown Business Improvement District, District Department of Transportation and Advisory Neighborhood Commission officials to get an update on the slowly evolving streetscape and transportation plan for their immediate area. Making progress are plans for an on-road cycle trail that would separate bike traffic from visitors strolling the wide paths of the waterside park, according to BID Transportation Director Mike Handsfield. Also in the morethan-concept stage are improvements to missing and new sidewalks, as well as the elimination of free parking areas at the end of the waterfront road, which have been causing dangerous traffic snarls. In addition, a new tourist-bus dropoff and parking plan — probably involving passenger pickup and delivery on Wisconsin Avenue and bus parking in a less congested area away from the waterfront — is in the works.

Last year, the city offered D.C. business, commercial, nonprofit and religious building owners and leasees an incentive to install surveillance cameras on the exterior of their properties to aid in criminal investigations. The idea was to provide grants of up to $200 for each camera purchased, up to a maximum of $500 for a private residence and $750 for a larger entity. This week Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the surveillance camera rebate program — part of the Safer, Stronger DC campaign — was so successful that it was being expanded. “Over 1,000 applications for rebates were approved to fund over 2,400 cameras across all eight wards,” reported Michelle Garcia, director of the Office of Victim Services. Installed cameras must be registered with the Metropolitan Police Department, which has the ability to request video footage while investigating criminal activity that may have occurred within the vicinity of the cameras. “The cameras have been used multiple times by the MPD and have helped significantly in the apprehension of criminal suspects,” said the mayor.

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New Law Will Help Cyclists Get Accident Benefits A bill was signed into law last week that could be very significant for the exploding number of bicycle commuters and weekend riders on Georgetown’s heavily trafficked narrow streets and byways. Titled “The Motor Vehicle Collision Recovery Act of 2016,” it gives bicyclists “a fair shot to get some insurance money for medical or personal costs due to an accident in which they do not have major fault,” according to Greg Billing, executive director of Washington Area Bicycle Advocates. “Until now, if a bicyclist could be found to have even one-percent fault for an accident, that bit of negligence could be and often has been found by insurance companies as grounds to completely deny accident benefits,” Billing said. With the new law, if the bicyclist is found to be the less negligent party, he or she may be eligible for up to 100 percent of the insurance benefits. Determining the percentage of negligence in an accident can be complicated. It can go to court. But usually it is negotiated between the insurance companies, Billings explained. Now the cyclist or a pedestrian can get insurance even if he or she is found to be partially at fault for the accident. Common examples may be that the cyclist is wearing dark clothing on a dark night and his or her bike lights are dim; or that (very common) the cyclist is driving close to parked cars to avoid riding in the middle of a traffic lane, then is hit by a car door being opened or when a car is leaving a parking spot. The accident may be partially the fault of the cyclist, but more fault is usually assigned to the driver of the motor vehicle (which is seen as more lethal).

Homeless living next to the C&O Canal on National Park Service land. Other situations in which cyclists are judged to be slightly negligent or not at all may be surprising. For instance, “it is 100-percent legal for a cyclist to drive in the middle of a car lane, even if he or she is greatly slowing traffic,” Billings said. Similarly, unlike for automobile drivers, it is legal for bikers or pedestrians to be in traffic wearing earphones or talking on a cell phone. However, if a cyclist causes an accident by failing to stop at a red light, it is considered serious negligence, which could disallow insurance benefits. “We try to teach drivers, bikers and pedestrians all to behave with attention and responsibility,” Billing said of his organization. “We really want to avoid accidents.”

Crime Report

Update: Crime Uptick in Georgetown? BY PEGGY SANDS

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number of violent crimes, some with weapons, were reported in Georgetown over the past two weeks. They leave some people questioning if the area may be seeing an uptick in criminal activity (though not homicides), as have some other parts of the city. There appears to no clear reason for the increase. • A reported sexual assault occurred at Georgetown Waterfront Park at 7:22 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, when the alleged victim was groped by a suspect, who also tried to “pull the cell phone out of the victim’s hand. Suspect ran away when the victim ran to other park visitors for help who called 911,” reported the U.S. Park Police. The incident remains under investigation. • A n armed carjacking occurred at 1510 Dumbarton Rock Court NW at 10:15 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14, as the car owner was unloading groceries from her vehicle in front of her home. Three males and one female, all African American, one with a silver handgun, demanded, “Give up the

car,” a silver BMW 135 convertible. The police reported the vehicle was recovered Oct. 19 in Riverdale, Maryland. Several suspects were held for identification and investigation. • Four men robbed a store and beat a woman in the shop at Reddz Trading, a high-end consignment store in the 1400 block of Wisconsin Avenue, at 10:52 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 13. The crime has been classified as theft and simple assault; the woman, who may have been an employee, fell to the ground during the violence. • A n armed bank robbery occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank, 2901 M Street NW, at 1:45 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11. Police were asking for help to find the suspect. Various acts of vandalism have been observed on and around Olive Street in the late afternoons by Jon Renzepis, a Citizens Association of Georgetown board member, who tried to stop several young men on wheelies slamming into the bumper of a car and attempting to steal a bike pump off a locked bike. They ignored his entreaties.


TOWN TOPICS

Homeless Tent City Is Back Last November, city housing officials made a sweep of some 40 homeless men and women living in white tents under the K Street Bridge, close to the renovated Watergate Hotel and the Kennedy Center. According to the official removal documents, the group created an “actual or potential hazard to the public.” The individuals had to go to a shelter, where they could apply for city housing or move on. A fence was installed. Shelter vans provided transportation to shelters. Temporary secured storage was granted for their more valuable possessions. They were cleared out. But this summer the “tent city” is back. This time, dozens of homeless have staked out a camp of eight to 10 large tents under the Whitehurst Freeway’s Virginia Avenue offramp. It looks more permanent than the little white tents did. “They’re an eyesore and unsanitary. They’re breaking the law and some are dangerous. Something has to be done,” say many Georgetowners. “We have to get tougher.” “You have to feel some empathy towards them,” said Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Bill Starrels, whose district is adjacent to the encampment. “Everyone feels bad about them, but we have to get it under control. Stuff goes on.” By stuff, Starrels meant unlawful activity by “different kinds of people coming in.” Recently neighbors noticed the presence of a large number of newish looking bikes at the camp. When city investigators looked into a possible heist ring, the bikes disappeared. “It’s a mess,” said Starrels. Most of the options have been tried. It is not against the law to sleep in public, but it is illegal to set up a camp and sleep in a tent. There is also no doubt that the more that charitable organizations supply tents, sanitary facilities and toilet paper, the more homeless will settle there. But many of the longtime homeless say the city shelters are unacceptable: full of bugs, disease and violence. “I get really claustrophobic there,” Brett Shane Parker told the Washington Post. “No one wants to jail them. The neighbors have to be persistent about demanding the city clean it up,” Starrels sighed. “If anyone has a magic solution, let me know.”

Overheard at Lunch: D.C. Gossip Girl BY KATE OCZYPOK

Jimmy Kimmel in Town Elizabeth Webster of the District Council met Jimmy Kimmel, who was in town for the Mark Twain Prize, honoring Bill Murray. Kimmel and other comedians were staying at the Four Seasons, and he went to Martin’s Tavern Oct. 22. Speaking of Martin’s: An email dumped by Wikileaks mentions the classic Georgetown restaurant. Obama adviser John Podesta was asked two years ago to get President Barack Obama to visit there, as every president since Harry Truman has stopped by, but Obama has not yet. (Can’t break the Martin’s streak, you know.) Podesta’s forwarded the email and labeled it “For scheduling.” Obama still has time — and will have some more as he will remain in D.C. after his term is up. While Kennedy, Nixon and others have dined at Martin’s, none dined there as a sitting president. So, we got about 86 days for that.

Zoo Welcomes Adele One of Adele’s sweetest devotions seems to be to zoos, or at least to animals. Earlier this month, the English soul singer got a private tour of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo led by Associate Director for Animal Care Sciences Brandie Smith, the Washington Post reported. Adele has also visited the Toronto Zoo and Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo while on her “Adele Live 2016” tour.

Cobie Reports to Fort Belvoir Robin in “How I Met Your Mother” — actress Cobie Smulders, that is — stopped by Fort Belvoir in Virginia recently for a special screening of “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.” Wondering about the military connection? In the film, Smulders plays Army Major Susan Turner, who leads Reacher’s old investigative unit. Tom Cruise plays Reacher, a character created by novelist Lee Child.

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W.T.T.A.S.D.F.A., Part Two Though it should come as no surprise to anyone, actress Lena Dunham was spotted at New York’s Penn Station wearing a “Hillary 2016” T-shirt. She was apparently en route to D.C. to tape “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” This summer, Dunham spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Clinton.

Elizabeth Webster and Jimmy Kimmel at Martin’s Tavern.

Italian State Dinner Tasted ‘Bittersweet’ President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama held their last state dinner Oct. 18, honoring Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini. Chef Mario Batali served an “America Meets Italy” menu to guests including Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton of “The Voice,” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth (one of those who called the occasion “bittersweet”), NBC’s Tamron Hall and Savannah Guthrie, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld and Chance the Rapper. Among the top Italian Americans on hand were Mario Andretti, Andrew Cuomo and Nancy Pelosi.

We Take Trains and So Do Famous Actors, Part One Coen brothers film star John Turturro, currently appearing in HBO’s “The Night Of,” was seen leaving town after the Italian state dinner at the White House last week (see above). Turturro didn’t fly first class or leave in his own chauffeured car; he was observed taking Amtrak, just like the rest of us.

Hillary Clinton and Katy Perry

‘Love Trumps Hate’ Concerts Announced Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is pulling out all the stops leading up to the Nov. 8 election. A series of concerts dubbed “Love Trumps Hate” will be taking place in the coming weeks, The Hill reported. The concerts, presented in battleground states, will feature Jon Bon Jovi (Oct. 27 in Pittsburgh and Nov. 5 in Tampa), Jennifer Lopez (Oct. 29 in Miami) and Katy Perry (Nov. 5 in Philadelphia).

D.C.’s Favorite Halloween Candy Is . . . The website Influenster has come out with the top Halloween candy in all 50 states and that other Washington place. D.C.’s number-one sweet treat isn’t Snickers or Kit Kat. It turns out we twuly love Twix. Marylanders go for nuts; the state’s favorite candy is Almond Joy. As for that other world, Virginia, the prize there went to Reese’s Pieces (cue “E.T.” — for those of you over 30 who get that joke).

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

The Georgetowner Endorses . . . There’s an almost obligatory judgment going around about the 2016 presidential election campaign: that voters have never before been faced with a duo of candidates who carry more baggage than an oil sheik embarking on a private jet. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are considered the most (pick one) reviled, mistrusted, loathed, hated, slick candidates in the annals of American elections. There may still be millions of voters out there trying to make up their mind to make up their mind. Do I vote for Trump, the equivalent of doing a bungee jump on a frayed rope when I can’t afford the funeral, or for Clinton, who is still getting buried by email revelations and who is so secretive, the thought goes, that not only her secrets but my secrets are safe with her (until Wikileaks gets hold of them)? All this is hyperbole, of course, especially at this stage of the great game. Nonetheless, we urge voters to vote for Hillary Clinton for President of the United States. Don’t do it just as a vote against Trump, although that, all by itself, is reason — in fact, a million reasons — enough. Don’t even do it because she’ll be the first woman to become president. Do it because it’s the right thing to do. Do we write this with enthusiasm? Yes. Because only Hillary Clinton, in her rhetoric and in her proposals, has offered hope, that greatest of all political clichés. She has, more often than not, sounded positive notes and offered a vision of a bipartisan future. We believe there is no other kind. We don’t believe the I-alone-can-save-you-big-time rhetoric of her opponent. Granted, Clinton has gone into the muck with Trump — “basket of deplorables” comes to mind — and when she does, she sounds exactly like what those who mistrust her believe she is: a politician of the worst sort. Try to think back, though, and compare the Trump convention — that hellish screamfest of “Lock her up!” — with the Clinton convention, where the possibility of tolerance and inclusion was, for a change, tolerated and included. For all of the above reasons, The Georgetowner endorses Hillary Clinton for President of the United States. Locally, The Georgetowner endorses:

He’s running unopposed, which should leave him time to help solve our ongoing deluge of Metro problems. — Eleanor Holmes Norton for Delegate to the House of Representatives, because of her eloquent voice and championship of home rule. — David Grosso, running as an Independent, for reelection to an at-large seat on the District Council. — Robert White, a Democrat, for the other at-large seat. — Brandon Todd, running unopposed for the Ward 4 seat on the Council. — Trayon “Ward 8” White, running unopposed for the, you guessed it, Ward 8 seat. — Former mayor and former city council chairman Vincent Gray, to return to the Ward 7 Council seat that launched his D.C. political career. There are ten candidates for eight seats on the Georgetown-Burleith-Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 2E). Check your D.C. Voter’s Guide to find your district. ANC candidates running unopposed are Ed Solomon (SMD 01), Joe Gibbons (SMD 02), Mara Goldman (SMD 04), Jim Wilcox (SMD 06), Monica Roaché (SMD 07) and Zachary Schroepfer (SMD 08). The Georgetowner endorses them all. Those competing for the other seats are Greg Miller and Rick Murphy (SMD 03) and Lisa Palmer and incumbent Bill Starrels (SMD 05). We had to discuss these choices longer than we thought. For SMD 03, The Georgetowner endorses Greg Miller for his earnestness and environmental expertise. He will provide a different and bright perspective here. For SMD 05, The Georgetowner endorses Lisa Palmer, a knowledgeable board member on three nonprofits and the mother of young twins. She will bring fresh energy and ideas to the problems specific to lower Georgetown, especially in the areas of traffic and public safety. And, yes, there should be more women on the ANC. Vote Nov. 8, and God Help — we mean, Bless — America.

— Jack Evans, for the Ward 2 Council seat.

Jack Evans Report

‘Yes’ to Statehood on Nov. 8 BY JAC K E VA N S We took another step forward in our fight for statehood last week, with the D.C. Council approving a constitution to go before the voters Nov. 8. While this Councilpassed constitution is largely in line with the draft that the Statehood Commission approved earlier this summer, it includes several important changes. To my mind, the two most important revisions are changing the name of our future state from “the State of New Columbia” to “the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth,” and mandating a full constitutional convention within two years of statehood. The convention would have the purview to amend, adapt or abolish the entire draft constitution that the voters will consider in two weeks. On the name, I was happy to introduce an amendment to change New Columbia — a name that came out of the 1982 D.C. Constitutional Convention — to Washington, D.C., the name by which this area has been known for more than 200 years. My colleague Charles Allen further amended the name so that “D.C.” would stand for “Douglass Commonwealth” to honor abolitionist Frederick Douglass. I felt it was important not to sacrifice the name and identity we have developed as a community over generations. Fears that we’ll somehow be confused with the State of Washington fall away when you consider that most people already think of Washington, D.C., when “Washington” is mentioned. Beyond maintaining our communal identity, this name will allow us to keep our postal code — critical for all of us who still send paper mail — and a long list of other seemingly minor, but potentially distracting, items that would come up if

Georgetown Homeless: Time for Tough Love? No doubt most people feel sorry for the homeless in our midst. Georgetowners are generally generous and compassionate; we feel an obligation to help the poor. Liberal guilt also abounds. So we look aside as mainly homeless white men — many of them probably vets — move back near the newly reopened Watergate into a large, permanent-looking tent city. Others spread out on the wide benches along the

National Park Service’s Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. Georgetowners can’t even sit there to enjoy the glorious days of Indian summer. With daylight saving time ending soon, office workers feel uncomfortable walking past sleeping idle men in public spaces. “Something has to be done,” many Georgetowners say. “But what?” Well, some cities are trying tough love. It’s the heartbreaking decision that parents FEATURES EDITORS

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ter, mental and addiction services or take a oneway ticket out of town — with a possible arrest warrant if they return still indigent. D.C. and Georgetown could do it. Tough love. But there’s not much will. We’re a liberal, freedom-loving, diverse and tolerant city. Most D.C. voters do the so-called “love” part — the “oh, let them be” part — pretty well. The “tough” part — insisting on change — they don’t do so well. Is it time to toughen up?

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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have to make when their adult children become completely irresponsible. They give their loved ones a choice of only two options: shape up or move out. Citizens in liberal cities like Denver, Colorado; Berkeley, California; and Portland, Oregon, recently passed new laws with funding and the full support of local organizations. They offer the longtime homeless in town two options: commit themselves to supervised shel-

we changed our name. The second measure of note, an expansive constitutional convention within two years of statehood, will allow for a robust public process to create the enduring form of government for our new state. The current draft constitution has been reviewed, revised, considered and revised again, but it certainly lacks some of the provisions we will want to exist for the next 200 years. The current constitution will allow us to present a document to Congress and to the president for consideration and approval. Later on, the constitutional convention will allow us to improve upon this document in a pre-planned and official way. Among the other accepted amendments to the proposed constitution were: changing the name of the legislative body from the “House of Delegates” to the “Legislative Assembly”; that proposed changes emerging from the constitutional convention will be enacted by a simple referendum; and that any subsequent amendments will need to be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Legislative Assembly, followed by a public referendum. Like the United States Constitution, the document we will be asked to consider as voters in two weeks may not be perfect. I believe it will be a living document that will establish the structure and purview of our new state’s government, but will leave much to be further determined by the legislature and people of the new state. What is important is the inalienable right of self-determination. This will be our constitution and we will be able to amend or abolish it if we determine such actions to be necessary and proper. For those reasons, I plan to vote “Yes” to statehood on Nov. 8.

Richard Selden

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

Pennsylvania Is Clinton’s Keystone State BY MARK PLOTKIN

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he state that is the most important for Hillary Clinton to carry is Pennsylvania. In a previous column, I wrote about the state of Ohio. In that column, I made the point that when Democrats carry Ohio, they win; when they lose Ohio, they lose. This has been the case in every election since 1964. In 2016, Ohio might not be a predictor of victory for the Democrats. Rather, it may be just gravy for the Clinton campaign. The magic number is 270 electoral votes. All sorts of calculations are being formulated to reach that number. It is now thought that Clinton can reach 270 without Ohio and even without Florida. There are 17 other states that have voted for the Democratic nominee in the last six elections, going back to 1992. Florida and Ohio are not in this category. George W. Bush carried Ohio in 2000 and 2004. Florida has split three times; it has gone for the Democratic nominee three times and for the Republican nominee three times (2000 is still in dispute in some quarters). Pennsylvania has been a constant. Every time, going back to 1992, the Democratic nominee has carried the Keystone State. The last time the Democratic nominee lost Pennsylvania was in 1988. That nominee was Michael Dukakis.

Pennsylvania has been accurately and vividly described as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between. My very first experience in politics was in the state, working in a governor’s race in 1970. I drove the entire state from York to Potter City. I can attest to that political description. Clinton will rack up enormous numbers in the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, especially in Philadelphia (up to a 450,000-vote majority). The reason they are confident in the Commonwealth is that she is doing exceedingly well in the well-off Philadelphia suburbs. Romney carried these areas in 2012. This time, Republican women are repulsed by Trump. One poll has Clinton winning in those well-off suburbs by an astounding 36 points. Trump will win areas usually carried by the Democratic nominee, but it looks as if that will be more than offset by the numbers Clinton will get in the Philadelphia suburbs. Other reliably Republican states such as Arizona and Georgia — even Utah — are now targets for the Clinton camp. Tuesday night, Nov. 8, above all, watch Pennsylvania. Political analyst and Georgetowner contributor Mark Plotkin is a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a contributor to TheHill.com. Reach him at markplotkindc@gmail.com

Rigged Elections in D.C.? Really?

Chief Lanier Gets D.C. Send-Off BY RO B ER T D E VA N E Y

Now at the NFL, former Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier was sent off with storytelling — and a mild roasting — at her retirement ceremony last week at the Marriott Marquis. The newly engaged Dr. Stacey Evans and MPD Officer Antonial Atkins flank retired police chief Cathy Lanier at the Oct. 21 dinner. Photo by Robert Devaney.

Debbie Allen’s New Show Takes on Gun Violence

BY G A RY T I S C H L ER

Through Saturday, the Kennedy Center is hosting the East Coast premiere of the three-time Emmy winner’s “Freeze Frame,” a multimedia show that aims to “Stop the Madness.”

BY PEGGY SANDS

W

ith the 2016 presidential election just two weeks away (early voting in D.C. started Saturday), the talk last weekend was all about rigged elections. But how much of a threat is it, particularly in Georgetown and D.C.? And what do we mean by “it,” actually? Almost everyone agrees about the basic principles of voting: A voter must be a citizen, age 18 or older, officially registered. And he or she may vote only once. However, there is almost no agreement as to how, exactly, an election can be rigged and which type of voter fraud is the most serious threat. These terms seem to mean completely different things to Democrats and Republicans. For Democrats, “voter fraud” is mainly about purposely voting in the name of another person. Democrats are also very concerned about voter suppression. They point to new state laws that limit early voting or Sunday voting — a tradition in some minority communities — and protest new ID requirements and restrictions of on-campus voting by college students. Republicans see voter fraud differently. They point to the fact that most districts’ voting rolls are old, containing many names of voters who have moved or died. They are concerned about voting by non-citizens, who can register to vote when they get a driver’s license — a

process that often does not require proof of citizenship. Studies by the politically conservative Heritage Foundation have shown that thousands of non-citizens have voted, especially in concentrated immigrant communities. Republicans are also concerned about college students voting twice — by absentee ballot and on campus — since there is no system for national cross-checking. And they, too, have stories of voter intimidation at polling stations. Partisans in both parties worry about ballots being lost or incorrectly counted. “This is almost impossible now,” said Ken McGhee, general counsel to the District Board of Elections, during an Oct. 21 demonstration of the new express wireless digital voting machines to be used in voting stations throughout the D.C. metropolitan area. The machines tabulate the votes both electronically and on a paper tape collected at the end of election day, along with the hard ballots. They also digitally record the voting “book” — the sign-in sheet of voters. The names are automatically checked against absentee-ballot and voter registration records in Virginia and Maryland. And the likelihood of a rigged election here in D.C. is almost nil, according to McGhee, who laughingly asked why anyone would bother. “We’re not a battleground state. The biggest voting problem we have in D.C. is that people here believe their vote doesn’t count.”

Arena Celebrates a Beloved Cofounder’s Life and Legacy BY G A RY T I S C H L ER

Old friends, family members and theater artists she inspired gathered at Arena Stage Monday for a memorial service to Zelda Fichandler, who cofounded the company with her husband in 1950.

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Election 2016: Part 3

ANC Forum: Hyde-Addison, Parking, Homeless By Peg gy Sa nds

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he Hyde-Addison Elementary School student move, parking and the increase in the number of homeless were the main topics discussed Oct. 24 in an almost two-hour forum with the 10 candidates for eight seats on the Georgetown-Burleith-Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 2E). The unopposed ANC candidates are: SMD 01, Ed Solomon; SMD 02, Joe Gibbons; SMD 04, Mara Goldman; SMD 06, Jim Wilcox; SMD 07, Monica Roache; SMD 08, Zachary Schroepfer. Competing for seats are: Greg Miller and Rick Murphy for SMD 03 and Lisa Palmer and incumbent Bill Starrels for SMD 05. The forum moderators were John Lever, former advisory neighborhood commissioner and a CAG board member, and Topher Mathews, CAG board member and writer of the Georgetown Metropolitan blog. Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans opened the forum, sponsored by the Citizens Association of Georgetown, at historic Dumbarton House. Evans was visibly upset about the sudden decision of Deputy Mayor for Schools Jennifer Niles to move some 200 children aged 3 to 10

to a school in Shaw for, probably, the next two years during the renovation of Hyde-Addison, when Hardy Middle School is available a few blocks away. “I thought Mayor Bowser agreed with me about Hardy, but then Jenny changed her mind,” Evans said. “I don’t know why. But Georgetowners must speak out strongly against it.” “It’s a disgrace,” said Monica Roache, an unopposed ANC incumbent and school administrator in Arlington. “They’re tearing the school apart.” All the candidates agreed. Positions differed on D.C.’s proposal for one-side-of-the-street designated resident parking. The two SMD 05 (mostly below M Street) candidates, incumbent Bill Starrels and challenger Lisa Palmer, disagreed: he favors the proposal; she does not. At its October meeting, the ANC voted 5-3 to write a letter to the District Council opposing the idea. On the homeless issue, Palmer spoke at length about her prior experience in New York City and Los Angeles as a social justice advocate and the need to “recognize that homeless people are human beings. The problem is a

ANC 2E candidates — including incumbents and challengers — at Oct. 24 forum: Monica Roache, Ed Solomon, Lisa Palmer, Jim Wilcox, Mara Goldman, Joe Gibbons, Bill Starrels, Greg Miller, Zachary Schroepfer and Rick Murphy. Photo by Robert Devaney.

neighborhood one to solve and decide what support is appropriate or not,” she said. “I actually had a homeless gentleman come to my home to address the issue.” “It’s very difficult to know how to deal with them as individuals, especially if they don’t want to go to a shelter and prefer to live freely outside,” said incumbent Ed Solomon, a businessman.

Opposing candidates Rick Murphy and Greg Miller, both professionals with institutions involved in Georgetown issues, were questioned about their ability to put the interests of the community ahead of those of their employers. Commissioners have recused themselves in such cases, the two said.

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FEATURE

Between Garden Tours, Funds Go to Work BY ALIS ON S CHA F ER

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he money sprouts every spring in Book Hill Park, dangles from the rosebushes at Montrose Park and shades the old brick sidewalks. The greenery that makes Georgetown so special comes from the green raised by the Georgetown Garden Club. Every May, the club hosts a garden tour. Neighbors are implored to open their backyards to the curious; club members in straw hats take shifts answering questions about rudbeckia and pelargonium (black-eyed Susans and geraniums to the rest of us); tourists and locals step into the lush landscaping normally hidden behind high brick walls. “The secret life of Georgetown is found in the gardens,” says Victoria Rixey of the Georgetown Garden Club. “Where else could you be greeted by a handsome ambassador in his own garden? Or visit the secluded retreat of a young family? Or see where a senator relaxes on a spring evening?” The tour is popular. Last year, it raised nearly $60,000, every penny of which went to nurture and replenish the neighborhood’s patches of green, ranging from Volta, Rose and Montrose parks to Tudor Place and the waterfront. One of this year’s new donations is helping

Members of the Georgetown Garden Club standing with their work at the Montrose Park rose garden.

fight water runoff in Dumbarton Oaks Park. Another new grant allowed Tudor Place to buy the same software used to catalog plants at Mount Vernon. Now, with Tudor Place’s plants duly loaded into a database, visitors can use their smartphones to identify and learn more about what’s in the ground. “The program is called Garden Explorer,” says Marjie Calvert, head of next year’s garden tour. Montrose Park’s rose garden, right by R Street, is another project that has benefited from the garden tour. Though the Garden Club has

maintained the rose garden since 1953, if not earlier, new roses and old plans are giving the ellipse a fresh look. “The design is in keeping with the original Colonial Revival plan designed by Horace Peaslee in 1919,” says Georgina Owen Horsey. Montrose dates from 1910, she adds, making it one of the oldest parks in the National Park system. The garden tour’s proceeds are everywhere. Trees for Georgetown has lived up to its name by planting hundreds of trees, meanwhile restoring signs and historic fences. The playground and playing field in Rose Park, the heirloom boxwood hedges at Tudor Place, the bike paths along the waterfront park and the habitat garden in Volta Park are all tended and cared for with money from the tour. And perhaps most fittingly, given the garden tour’s origins in the early 20th century, the tour supports the Student Conservation Association, which aims to get young people involved in hands-on work on the land. The tour was organized in 1928 by Mrs. Edmonia Whitehead (one of the all-time-great first names) to get kids out into nature, teaching them — as the members of the Georgetown Garden Club know well — that working outdoors is part of a life worth living.

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business

Business Ins & Outs By Peg gy S a n d s a n d R i c h a r d S eld en

In: EagleBank Hangs a Shingle on N Street After closing its former branch at 1044 Wisconsin Ave. NW months ago, EagleBank reopened in Georgetown Oct. 11 at 3143 N St. NW, just east of Wisconsin Avenue, next to Paolo’s Ristorante.

In: Kennedy & Co. Unpacks on Potomac Street Residential and commercial real estate firm Kennedy & Co., headed by Kathleen Kennedy, moved into its own building at 1231 Potomac St. NW, just north of Booeymonger. The company purchased and renovated the building after spending a couple years on the 1600 block of Wisconsin Avenue.

In: DC Lash Bar Opens on Book Hill An eyelash boutique opened Oct. 17 in the former space of Nectar Skin Bar at 1633 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Founded by sisters Josie and Stephanie Nguyen, DC Lash Bar specializes in eyelash extension application, also offering brow shaping and full body waxing.

In: Westlight Condos Now on View With one-bedroom units starting at $625,000 — going up to $4.5 million for three-bedroom units with den — EastBanc’s Westlight development at L and 23rd Streets NW is being shown to potential buyers by appointment. The 600- to 3,000-square-foot luxury condominiums feature amenities such as a 25-meter heated rooftop pool, an expansive sundeck, a fitness center, a private clubroom, a business center and, for those committed to braving metro-area traffic, an underground parking garage. Also slated for the project are a 21,000-square-foot West End Neighborhood Library and 7,300 square feet of upscale retail. The 71-unit building was designed by internationally acclaimed architect Enrique Norten of Mexico City, who also designed the 53rd Street branch of the New York Public Library, the Design 41 project in the Miami Design District and Rutgers Business School.

Rendering of the Westlight Condominium Project. Photo courtesy of EastBanc.

Out: Keith Lipert Gallery Moving, Refocusing

Sold: Canal Inn Goes for $2,250,000

A treasure chest of uniquely designed objects, often gifts for members of the diplomatic and business communities, Keith Lipert Gallery will close its doors at 2922 M St. NW at the end of January 2017. Refocused on providing service to corporations, Keith Lipert Corporate Gifts will reopen at Canal Square, 1054 31st St. NW, Gallery 145. “I’ve built a corporate gift business on the same principle as the Gallery, that a meaningful gift is deeply personal,” said Lipert in a statement. “This growing practice has now taken precedence, and I decided to close the shop to fully dedicate my attention to this area.” Born and raised in London, Lipert moved to Georgetown in 1989 after nine years in New York. He opened the gallery in 1994.

The Canal Inn, a boutique inn located at 31st Street and the C&O Canal, sold for $2,250,000, commercial real estate investment services firm Marcus & Millichap announced Oct. 7. By our calculations, that’s $672 per square foot for the 3,350-square-foot property. The building that houses the inn, at 1061 31st St. NW, has stood next to the canal since 1831. After renovations in 2012, the Canal Inn has 10 rooms, a third-story loft and 11-and-a-half bathrooms. According to Marcus & Millichap’s Christian Barreiro, the property will be kept as an inn or a bed and breakfast for the immediate future. “After 25 tours and five offers on the property, the deal closed at its full list price,” he said.

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Finance

Should ‘We the People’ Worry? By J o h n E . G i ro ua r d n this starkly divided political season, the clients I talk to every day seem to be unanimous. Regardless of party registration, they all believe that if the opposite party wins, the markets are headed for extreme volatility. And they’re afraid. But they aren’t alone; the founding fathers were afraid too. They didn’t trust government, so they deliberately created a system of checks and balances that required all three branches of government to agree before any significant policy changes could be adopted and implemented. That Washington gridlock that everyone hates? It’s a direct result of these checks and balances. It also suggests that President Trump’s or President Clinton’s power to affect the U.S. economy and set long-term policy is not as great as many fear. Unlike the stock market, politics, at least, has a stop-loss strategy. It’s called Congress. Most investors, however, think differently. In fact, 43 percent believe the economy does better under Republican presidents and 24 percent believe it does better under Democratic presidents. (Thirty-eight percent think it doesn’t matter.) The reality? Since 1960, the S&P 500 has averaged 8.71-percent growth under Republican administrations and 13.29-percent growth under Democratic administrations. Going back to Truman, the markets have gone up during the administration of every president except Nixon/ Ford (the combined eight years) and Bush 43.

I

Knock on wood, but right now Obama is in a position to conclude his administration as the only president with eight years of positive returns. The stock market has correctly called 19 of the last 22 presidential elections. In the years that the S&P was down, the incumbent party lost — the exception being 1980. Good news for those “with her.” If we look at the Dow over that same time period, the worst scenario for the markets was a Republican president and a split Congress. Next worst was a Republican president and a Democratic Congress. The best markets were under a Democratic president and a split Congress. Second best was a Democratic president and a Republican Congress. As interesting as it is to second-guess the impact of elections on the markets, both are unpredictable. That’s why, regardless of the outcome, investors would be better served by focusing on their personal and professional goals and aligning their investing strategy with their life — while protecting their portfolio from those things in life we cannot control. That being said, you should look hard at both candidates — and vote. John E. Girouard, CFP, ChFC, CLU, CFS, author of “Take Back Your Money” and “The Ten Truths of Wealth Creation,” is a registered principal of Cambridge Investment Research and an Investment Advisor Representative of Capital Investment Advisors in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Stunning Federal style row house in the heart of Georgetown. This meticulously kept home offers 1 large master bedroom with 1 large bathroom, a lovely living room w/gas fireplace & hardwood floors throughout. There is a separate dining room and renovated Kitchen. A spiral staircase leads to the spacious bedroom w/plenty of closet space and a luxurious full bath. A private rear patio with fountain is perfect for entertaining. Contact owner for showings. Price $899,000 Erin Blakely 571-418-2356

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Offered at $2,995,000

Washington Fine Properties Anne Hatfield Weir and Heidi Hatfield 202-243-1635 | anne@hatfieldweir.com

PERSONALITY

Cleveland Park. Sophisticated, sunny classic TH. 4 BRs, 3.5 BAs includes 1st flr office/BR, BA & top flr MBR suite w/frpl & balcony. Family rm,3 frpls, custom bltins & ELEVATOR. Patio, greenhouse & 2 car parking. $1,249,000

Lynn Bulmer CHEVY CHASE 202.364.1700

202-469-2662 202-236-7313

This elegant Federal home features large, luminous rooms with high ceilings, tall windows and gleaming hardwood floors. On the first level are a living room overlooking P Street, a dining room and a spacious eat-in kitchen. A bright dining or sitting area stretches across the rear of the house, with a wall of glass and French doors opening onto a sequestered terrace. On the second level are two bedrooms, including a master bedroom with en-suite bath, plus a library and a hall bath. Two additional rooms and a full bath are found on the uppermost level. The home’s separate garage is accessed from Orchard Lane.

202-257-2410

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Creekside is the Talk of the Town!

Artist Rendering. Projected opening in 2019/2020

We’d love to introduce you to Creekside, Ingleside at Rock Creek’s upcoming addition! Creekside combines graceful, classic architecture; open, elegant floor plans; and exceptional services and amenities with an active, engaging lifestyle— plus the added security of a full continuum of quality on-site health services.

An Ingleside Community

Call 202-407-9676 today for a personalized tour!

We are taking charter club deposits — be among the first to select your choice of apartment style & location!

Ingleside at Rock Creek is a CARF accredited, not-for-profit, continuing care retirement community.

3050 military road nw, washington, dc • 202-407-9676 • www.ircdc.org

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October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.


Real Estate

Commercial Property 1438 WISCONSIN AVENUE NW Plans and permits – pending approval by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs – are available upon request. C-2-A zoned for fast food, retail and residential. First floor maintains a storefront restaurant and basement. There are two separately divided units above the restaurant that consist of a split-level 2BR-1BA unit and a 1BR-1BA studio. Property is offered in as-is condition. All showings must be accompanied by agent per seller request. Apartment tenant lease may be renewed or terminated with prior notice given to tenants. Current apartment rents are $3500 per month for two-bedroom apartment and $1000 per month for studio plus all utilities, respectively. Seller financing is available.

$5,000 to $12,000 per month

2,936 square feet Michael Arias 617-671-8180 Michael.Arias@capitalbrokersgroup.com Capital Brokers Group

Old-fashioned service, now on your phone, too.

We have over 128 years of treating customers right. And you can take our “high-touch” banking right along with you, too! We have every product you’d expect, and our mobile app makes it easy to stay close to your money. It’s just one more reason why your banking should come home to NCB. Stop in today!

Main Office 316 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003 • (202) 546-8000 Friendship Heights Office 5228 44th Street, NW,Washington, DC 20015 • (202) 966-2688 www.nationalcapitalbank.com NCB Mobile acess is free. Fees may apply from your wireless carrier. You must be enrolled in Online Banking before using Mobile Banking. Not available for Cash Management customers at this time.

When you’re ready to move, we’re ABLE to move you. Able Moving & Storage, Inc. is a full service moving company specializing in residential and commercial moves. With over 50 trucks, 150 full time employees, and over 100,000 square feet of state-of-the-art warehouse facilities, Able can help you with any of your moving needs.

Leisure Living in the Virginia Piedmont

RAGTIME

Built on the 11-acre site of an old settler’s cabin, this 3-bedroom log home blends the old with the new. It features a lovely master suite, 3 fireplaces, porches, all on one level. Offered at $395,000

NEW/OLD CABIN

Built in 1990, 3 bedroom, 3 bath cabin marries modern conveniences to rustic charm. Porches and decks overlook 8 lovely acres. Offered at $396,000

Please call us at 703-330-3772 for a “Free Written Estimate”.

Cheri Woodard Realty

QUAINTANCE ROAD

Cheri Woodard Realty

1920S CLASSIC

1927 2 bedroom cottage with many updates and large, sunny MBR. Lovely eat-in kitchen, wood stove, high ceilings and great character on 4 acres. Offered at $330,000

Sound 3 bedroom farmhouse on 21 acres. Ready for restoration. Original architectural details. Barn and stable. Offered at $395,000

Ask About Our Special Discounts & Services Country Places

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COUNTRY HOME

Country I live inHome the Blue Ridge mountains and in DC and specialize in helping you find your perfect second home less than 2 hours from downtown. Michelle Galler (703) 217-9405 | mgaller443@chatel.us

Country Home

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COUNTRY HOME

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GMG, INC. October 26, 2016

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The world’s most desired homes — brought to you by Long & Foster and Christie’s.

Potomac, Maryland

$4,300,000

Observatory Circle, Washington, DC

$2,885,000

Dupont/U Street, Washington, DC

$1,550,000

Exceptional property located inside a gated 2 acre lot with 7BR,9.5 BA, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool & tennis court and 5 car garage. High ceilings on all 4 levels, elevator, pool house with sauna, music room and a private apartment-like suite. Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

Intelligently designed, 5,000 ± SF of modern-luxury living! 6BR, 3BA + 4HBA. LR/DR open to media rm, library & chef’s kit. MBR w/dressing& sitting rooms. Finished attic w/HBA. LL spa w/jacuzzi & hot tub. 5 car prkg. Close to Cathedral Commons. Luke Buchanan/Andrew Amurrio 202-270-1881/202-557-6736 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

Renovated Victorian in one of DC’s most desirable neighborhoods, Currently 2-family home – could easily be converted to single family dwelling. A total of 4BR, 3.5BA. 2 Parking spaces. Philippe Suissa/Tom Drury 301-336-2400 Foxhall Office 202-363-1800

Kalorama, Washington, DC

Georgetown, Washington, DC

West End, Washington, DC

$1,298,000

$1,295,000

$985,000

Rarely available apt in The Carthage. Two spacious BRs, 2.5BAs, LR w/FP, sep DR w/hardwood floors. New sliding glass doors to gorgeous balcony, laundry in unit. One assigned garage space. Wendy Gowdey /Foxhall Office 202-258-3618/202-363-1800

Stunning Potomac River & Rosslyn views! Rarely available 2BR, 2BA spacious corner unit w/1,700 SF in Flour Mill. Updated kitchen.Light-filled from 3 exposures. Floor-to-ceiling windows. 2 balconies. Pet friendly. Robert Hernandez/Luke Buchanan 202-802-8446/202-270-1881 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

Fantastic West End location! Bright, front facing, large 2 BR + den/BR, 2BA. Large living- dining area. Well laid out space with high ceilings. Lots of updates. One car garage parking. 24 hour desk. Close to Metro, next door to Trader Joe’s. Tom Bryant/Georgetown Office 202- 253-5220/202-944-8400

Cathedral West, Washington, DC

Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

Bethesda, Maryland

$875,000

STUNNING! Re-designed PH w/open areas & fabulous living space. 1,900 SF includes 2BR, 2.5BA, Chef’s kit, W/D & 2 gar pkg. “Best Addresses” fullservice building w/year-round pool & saunas. 1 pet under 25 lbs. Marge Lee/Louise Sullivan 202-253-4618/202-494-7675 Miller Chevy Chase Office 202-966-1400

$799,000

Coveted LINCOLN PARK turret Penthouse w/panoramic views! 1,400 SF, 2BR, 2BA, expansive dining room, fireplace, hardwood floors, washer/dryer, eat-in kitchen. Close to Eastern Market, 8th St & H St restaurants, grocery stores, 3-METROS, Bike Share. Victoria Hall/Georgetown Office 202-213-3525/202-944-8400

$725,000

Sunny, brick Cape with 3BR, 2BA. Large living /dining rm w /FP. Table space kitchen w/exit to rear garden. Hardwood floors & freshly painted. Close to schools, shops, restaurants, Capital Crescent Trail & bus routes. Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE • MORTGAGE • TITLE • INSURANCE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • RELOCATION SERVICES

LongandFoster.com 866-677-6937 16

October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.


Find your agent at — www.LongandFoster.com/LuxuryHomes

2016 HEART WALK WASHINGTON DC

Georgetown, Washington, DC

$1,545,000

Gorgeous 3 level townhome near Volta Park. 3BR, 2BA, large master bedroom w/sitting area, beautifully renovated kitchen. Lower level au-pair suite w/separate entrance, lots of storage. Enchanted garden. Kornelia Stuphan/Georgetown Office 202-669-5555/202-944-8400

Foxhall Village, Washington, DC

$939,500

Georgetown, Washington, DC

$1,449,000

This is a must see! Great floor plan, wonderful location, beautifully renovated & updated! Move-in condition. New HVAC within the last 5 years, hardwood flooring, hi-end lighting, fab owner’s BA w/jetted tub, sauna, steam shower, walk-in closet + wet bar. 1 car gar + 1 surface parking spot + easy street parking on Reservoir, 35th + 36th St. Miller Bethesda Office 301-229-4000

Old Town Alexandria, Virginia

$929,000

Rare opportunity to own a great Foxhall Village home! Newly renovated 4 BR, 2BA Tudor townhome. Two story addition offers den+sitting room. In-law suite. A standout home with a fabulous backyard/patio/garden. Garage & parking. Scott Polk/Georgetown Office 202-256-5460/202-944-8400

A rare opportunity!! 2660 SF 5BR, 3.5BA 1790 tavern with wonderful old world charm. 1 block to the river and near shopping, restaurants & more. Includes 3 frplcs, period details & built-ins, and kit/fam room to a huge private patio & garden area. House needs work and prices reflects this. Roby Thompson/Woodley Park Office 202-255-2986/703-683-6610

Forest Hills, Washington, DC

Forest Hills, Washington, DC

$625,000

Motivated Seller. Great layout with 2 BR Suites w/balconies w/green western exposure in Cleveland Park. Open floor plan with Brazilian Cherry Floors. 2nd BR suite great for office or guest. Washer/Dryer. EZ to 2 metros, shopping. Pet Friendly. Garage Parking (1). Chevy Chase Uptown Office 202-364-1300

For the love of home.

The Long & Foster DC Dashers Team is preparing to walk in the 2016 Heart Walk, sponsored by the American Heart Association. We will walk to raise funds for heart disease and stroke research and education. Grab your sneakers! Join us! For details contact: Yodit Gebre-Willis Yodit@LNF.com

$241,888

Light-filled studio facing Rock Creek. Walk-in closet. Great bldg amenities: concierge services, 24/7 front desk, 2 pools, gym. Board approved in-unit washers. Condo fee incl util. Underground access to Giant. 1blk to Van Ness Metro, restaurants & shopping. Cats OK. Chevy Chase Uptown Office 202-364-1300

®

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE • MORTGAGE • TITLE • INSURANCE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • RELOCATION SERVICES

LongandFoster.com 866-677-6937 GMG, INC. October 26, 2016

17


E T A G R E WAT REBIRTH

BY RICHARD

S

‘SWINGING SIXTIES’ REDESIGNED BY MILLENNIALS

enior vice president of design and development for New York-based Euro Capital Properties, Rakel Cohen designed the Watergate Hotel’s 7,000-square-foot Moretti Grand Ballroom herself, the stylish young woman tells an interviewer. After purchasing the shuttered property in 2010 for $45 million in cash, Euro Capital, founded by Rakel’s husband Jacques, put in about $125 million more and reopened the hotel last spring. The ballroom is uniquely striking, with fabric and marble in shades of gray and a ceiling like a starlit night. Where did she learn about design? She doesn’t know, maybe from her father. It’s “in my blood,” she says. At the University of Maryland, Cohen studied not design, but finance and marketing. “I didn’t feel that I need to study something that I’m good at already.” Raised in Montreal, she speaks with a French accent, sometimes searching for an English word. She and her husband, scion of a French real-estate empire, live on New York’s Upper West Side. They have four sons and two daughters, the youngest a-nine-month-old girl and the eldest a 10-year-old boy. The children speak French at home and English at school. She likes how American education is “all based on positive,” telling children that “it’s going great, you’re great.” The Cohens are strictly observant Jews; Rakel apologizes for not shaking hands with the interviewer or the photographer, both males. Choosing a designer for the public spaces was a “very tricky process,” she says. “No one had this language that we felt would really reflect the exterior.” Israeli-born and Londonbased, industrial designer and architect Ron Arad studied with Luigi Moretti, the chief Watergate architect. In Arad’s designs, Cohen points outs, there is “nothing not curved.” Moretti’s ruggedly curvilinear Watergate

Monica Lewinsky, known for her affair with President Bill Clinton which featured in his 1998 impeachment, stayed at her mom’s Watergate coop. Twitter/ MonicaLewinsky.

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October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.

SELDEN

The Watergate Hotel at night. Paul Morigi, Getty Images.

complex was meant to respond to the features of its site: the Potomac riverfront and, along it, the Inner Loop Expressway that never replaced the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. The National Cultural Center, which became the Kennedy Center, was supposed to have curves, too, but for budgetary reasons ended up shaped like a shirt box. “Everything kind of has a feeling of floating,” says Cohen. In the lobby, around the spiral staircase, one might be on an ocean liner (the hotel was in fact managed and renovated by Cunard at one point). The guest rooms, more than 90 percent of which have river views, have fixtures and furnishings like those on a yacht. In addition to the standard rooms and suites, there are six diplomatic suites and two presidential suites, which go for about $12,000 per night. The rooftop bar, Top of the Gate, was an immediate hit. “We are getting like 400 people there,” says Cohen. Recently opened are chef Michael Santoro’s Kingbird, the hotel’s finedining restaurant, which focuses on “ingredient-driven American cuisine, with a uniquely French twist,” and Argentta, a 12,500-squarefoot spa and wellness center offering three skin and body care lines. What does the term ‘lifestyle hotel’ mean to her? “Where you have energy in a place,” she says. “Four Seasons is luxury, W is lifestyle. We’re combining both of them.” All these custom curves, sensitive gradations and fine materials didn’t come cheap. “We spend $2 million just on the whiskey bar, $2 million on just the front desk,” says Cohen. Quoting Jim Morrison quoting Bertolt Brecht, the Next Whisky Bar off the lobby was designed by Arad with curving walls constructed of 2,500 illuminated — and full — bottles of whisky. Not to mention that ballroom. Referring to the hotel’s 50-foot indoor pool, framed by

mosaic tile, Cohen says: “We could have done the [expanded] ballroom there.” But one of the goals was to keep as many of the hotel’s original features as possible. The pool became part of Argentta and the ballroom ceiling was instead raised seven feet, requiring some heavy-duty re-landscaping. The new pre-function space has natural light and looks out on green walkways. From the start, the Watergate landscaping was one of the complex’s distinctive features. The five buildings are arrayed on 10 acres, twothirds of which are open. Tiered with planters, fountains and a second swimming pool, the grounds were designed by Boris Timchenko, who also worked on the National Geographic Society headquarters, the Washington Hilton and Jackie Kennedy’s Georgetown garden. Master-planned,“starchitect”-designed, mixed-use developments still make news, but this modernistic, self-contained community on the Potomac was a shock to Washington. Announced in October of 1960, the Watergate project faced a tortuous approval process. It was almost three years before ground was broken, in August of 1963, and it took more than seven years for construction to be completed.

ITS HISTORY, MORE THAN A POLITICAL SCANDAL The break-ins (there were actually two), the cover up, Woodward and Bernstein’s reporting, the impeachment proceedings and President Richard M. Nixon’s resignation — what the world calls ‘Watergate’ — took place between 1972 and 1974. But the geographic designation has a much longer history. There actually was a water gate, where the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal met the Potomac.

After the canal’s demise, beginning in 1935, concerts were performed on a floating stage facing the stone steps where dignitaries arriving by boat were meant to be welcomed. In the 1940s, a restaurant, the Water Gate Inn, began a run of about 20 years. The Washington Gas Light Company had its gas works along the Potomac on the site from the mid-19th century through the late 1940s. In the 1950s, the World Bank was considering the property, including the frontage where the Kennedy Center later went up, for its headquarters. But early in 1960, the site of the future Watergate was purchased for $10 million by Società Generale Immobiliare (SGI), a corporation based in Rome. SGI’s ties to the Vatican led to protests; the Holy See sold back its share in 1969. The planning team included SGI’s chief architect Gábor Ács (who seems to be still alive at age 89 or 90); Moretti, a Royal School of Architecture graduate who designed buildings for Mussolini and was involved in urban design throughout his career; and Milton Fischer of D.C. firm Corning, Moore, Elmore and Fischer. SGI’s project manager was Giuseppe Cecchi, who relocated from Milan. Then in his

Actress Elizabeth Taylor and husband, Sen. John Warner of Virginia, lived at the Watergate. Photo by Blake Patterson.

30s, Cecchi formed his own company, International Developers Inc. (IDI), in 1975. He is still president and CEO of the IDI Group Companies, headquartered above the Rosslyn, Virginia, Metro station. The company has developed roughly 14,000 condos (including those at Leisure World of Virginia), nearly 3 million square feet of office space and three hotels. Cecchi’s son John and his wife Kristin, who cochaired the Georgetown Gala, launched IDI Residential in 2008. The actual builder of the Watergate was Magazine Brothers Construction Corp., the company that built the Georgetown Inn, which opened in 1962. During the permitting process for the overall design and the individual buildings, much was


questioned, disputed and negotiated: the architectural style, the bulk, height and density, the obstruction of views, the office-residential mix. Later came lawsuits from residents concerning the quality of the mechanical systems and construction (there were leaks) and, thanks to Attorney General John Mitchell having a Watergate address, a protest following the 1970 Chicago Seven verdict. The first completed building, in May of 1965, was Watergate East, 2500 Virginia Avenue. Its 238 coop apartments began to be occupied that October. Soon after, the retail space filled up, offering, among other amenities, a post office, a bank, a florist, a liquor store, a Safeway and a Peoples Drug. The hotel and its connected office building came next, opening March 30, 1967. On the top floor was a restaurant, the Roman Terrace (Italian, naturalmente). Fatefully, one of the original office tenants was the Democratic National Committee, occupying the entire sixth floor. To run the hotel, Cecchi brought in Gabor Olah de Garab, who escaped to Italy from Soviet-occupied Hungary in 1948. After studying hotel management in Lausanne, Switzerland, and working at Italian luxury hotels, Olah de Garab was the Watergate Hotel’s general manager for 18 years. He later retired to Cecchi’s Leisure World and died in 2014, age 89. All five pieces fell into place early in 1971 when the last building, 600 New Hampshire Ave. NW, containing offices, was completed. In October of the following year, Les Champs, a cluster of more than two dozen luxury boutiques including Gucci and Yves St. Laurent, made its entrance. The scene was set for the downfall of Nixon and his “Republican Bastille,” as the Watergate had become known. Beginning with Republican Party fundraiser Anna Chennault, widow of World War II General Claire Chennault, several Nixon administration officials became Watergate residents, notably Mitchell, Secretary of Commerce Maurice Stans, Secretary of Transportation John Volpe, Republi-

can National Committee Chairman Bob Dole, Nixon speechwriter Victor Lasky and Nixon’s personal secretary Rose Mary Woods of tapeerasing fame, whose apartment was burglarized in 1969. The initial break-in by Committee to ReElect the President operatives came on May 28, 1972, when DNC phones were bugged, then monitored from the Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge across Virginia Avenue. During a June 17 follow-up break-in, the burglars, who had rented two rooms in the Watergate Hotel, were arrested. In the early 1980s, the complex recovered from its Nixonian notoriety as President Ronald Reagan’s White House West, stomping grounds for “the Group,” an inner circle of Reagan’s California fundraisers and advisors. Among the members were State Department Chief of Protocol Lee Annenberg and her businessman husband Walter, U.S. Information Agency Director Charles Wick and Nancy Reagan’s friend Betsy Bloomindale and her husband Alfred. The Group frequented Jean-Louis, chef Jean-Louis Palladin’s restaurant, which had opened in 1979, bringing the city some serious culinary recognition. When Palladin died of lung cancer in 2001, his New York Times obituary said: “Chefs and food lovers from around the world would take the walk from the Watergate lobby through a corridor lined with wine bottles to Jean-Louis. In the small dining room, where the amber walls exuded warmth and elegance, they would scan the short menu, written each morning by Mr. Palladin himself.” The Washington Post obit, headlined “Jean-Louis Palladin, Watergate Chef, Dies,” mentioned the restaurant’s wine cellar of more than 60,000 bottles and its relatively low profitability of less than $50,000 per year, which led to its closing in 1996. All in all, there are about 600 units in the Watergate’s three residential buildings, East, West and South. Among the famous residents other than those mentioned elsewhere have been Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Alan Greenspan,

Top Left: Watergate Hotel owners, Rakel and Jacques Cohen. Paul Morigi, Getty Images. Bottom Left: The Next Whiskey Bar, inspired by the Doors song. Paul Morigi, Getty Images. Top Right: Check-in for the hotel’s June 14 grand opening party: “No need to break in.”Paul Morigi, Getty Images. Bottom Right: Jean-Louis Palladin, the charismatic chef who opened the Watergate Hotel’s Jean-Louis Restaurant, brought Washington, D.C., culinary excellence and verve and transformed the dining scene. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Russell Long, Clare Boothe Luce, Robert McNamara, Paul O’Neill, Condoleezza Rice, Mstislav Rostropovich, Ben Stein, Herbert Stein and John Warner and Elizabeth Taylor. And Monica Lewinsky’s mother, Marcia. Photographer Philip Bermingham, who has lived there since the late 1990s, calls it “either the safest pace in the world or the most dangerous place in the world,” given the presence of, for example, the Doles, Rice, Madeleine Albright and Caspar Weinberger, along with the nearby Saudi Embassy. When Plácido Domingo was artistic director of Washington National Opera, he would joke to Bermingham, “Neighbor, can I give you a ride [to the Kennedy Center] in my limo?”

RETURN OF 1960S GLAMOUR The Watergate Hotel closed Aug. 1, 2007, for a renovation by Monument Realty that — due to the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers — never got underway. (Earlier, when the developer sought to convert the hotel to coop apartments, residents in the other buildings were opposed.) After an auction with no takers, a failed bid by Monument to repurchase the hotel and a winning bid that collapsed, all in 2009, Euro Capital Properties made its move the following year. Overseen by architect Bahram Kamali of BBGM and Grunley Construction, the renovation by Euro Capital completely replaced the systems, increased the number of guest rooms

to 336 and reconfigured the public and meeting spaces. Much of the original architecture was preserved, not only for aesthetic purposes, but because the entire complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The goal of the hotel’s redesign was to return to the pre-Watergate Watergate, so to speak, while also incorporating playful references to the “All the President’s Men” era (the toll-free phone number 844-617-1972, key cards that read “No need to break in,” Nixon’s voice in the bathrooms). The lobby colors are bold, with a lot of red. “This is the color of the ’60s,” says Cohen. “I didn’t want the kitchy ’60s, but very, very elegant.” The scent, too, is red: Red Flower Oakwood, a botanical. And the music (“Show me the way to the next whisky bar…”) is 1960s. The Watergate Hotel’s ambiance is retro, in other words, but also reflective of a new Washington, the Washington with a mixeduse development called CityCenterDC. Cohen feels that D.C. residents are more open now, comfortable with a pampered lifestyle. Thinking back to her college years, she says, “People were embarrassed to go to Tysons Corner.” D.C.’s more sophisticated arts and food scenes seem to go well with an appreciative glance at what might be called Washington’s Swinging Sixties. “We want to bring this hotel back before the scandal,” says Cohen, a millennial who hadn’t been born when Nixon resigned. “I think Washington deserves it. The hotel scene needs to catch up.”

GMG, INC. October 26, 2016

19


Haute & Cool

Veronica Beard Ripley Ruched Blouse

Falling

$450 Hu’s Wear

Forward

By Al lyson Bu r kh ar d t ummer days may have drifted away (sniff). But, hey, let’s look on the brighter side. It’s time to turn our attention to more seasonally appropriate attire. Fall gives us the chance to wrap ourselves in luxurious fabrics that beg to be touched. And this fall offers quite a bit more distinction in dressing. Here is your head-to-toe guide to the season’s standout trends. There’s nothing more beautiful than the amazing colors that come with the changing of the leaves. So, which colors should you be wearing to transition to cooler temps? Channel the autumn foliage. This season’s rich hues are meant to be more embracing. Cognac is a standout neutral that gives a feeling of warmth. Pair it with creamy shades or with a mix of vibrant reds, clay, saffron or pine. From fur to velvet, multiple senses will be engaged. A soft suede cap adds downtown cool to a thoroughly modern style — and may even protect you from a bad-hair day. Your favorite boho blouse? No need to pack that away. Try adding a “statement fur” and all eyes will be on you. Invest in some dark floral velvet booties, a lighthearted print with a dash of danger. And so super-soft … your hands will be all over it. So let’s fall forward and try something new . . .

S

Cinq à Sept Cora Shearling Vest $1,295 Saks Fifth Avenue

See by Chloe Madie Colorblock Suede Hobo Bag $505 Cusp

Allyson Burkhardt is owner of Let's Get Dressed! Image and Style, a Washington agency. Reach her at Allyson@letsgetdresseddc.com.

Yigal Azrouël Crop Suede Jacket

Marilyn Baseball Cap $150 Rag & Bone

$2,190 Intermix

Joie Blayze Floral Velvet Booties $348 Neiman Marcus

Jenny Snap Cuff $48 The Frye Company

20

October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.

7 For All Mankind Knee-Seam Sueded Skinny Jeans $199 Bergdorf Goodman


downtownerdc.com

Town Topics By Kat e O cz yp ok

Neighboring Governors Last of the Red King Meet With Mayor Crabs Mayor Muriel Bowser, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe got together in D.C. Oct. 12 at the Washington Hilton. At this first regional meeting, the triumvirate got a Metrorail update from Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority GM Paul Wiedefeld and a briefing on D.C.-area opioid and substance abuse.

Cuba Libre Gets Habanero Chef

Limited time: Sweetgreen's warm dinner bowl.

and ginger cabbage slaw, with a variety of spices and flavors. Inspired by Bruner-Yang’s recent trip to China, the bowl will be available for a limited time beginning Nov. 3. King crab from Dutch Harbor arrives at Ocean Prime today.

Did you know that Alaskan king crab is one of the most prized species of crab in the world? The mammoth crustaceans are rare because of their limited harvesting period. Luckily, Ocean Prime on G Street NW will receive one more shipment of red king crabs from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, today, Oct. 26. So grab some crab, but don’t forget your wallet — they’re priced at $80 per pound.

Angel Rogue of Cuba Libre.

Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar on 9th Street NW has a new executive chef: Angel Roque, a habanero (native of Havana). Cooking since childhood, Roque began his culinary career as a courier. He was previously executive chef at the prestigious Restaurante Café del Oriente in Havana. In the Cuba Libre kitchen, Roque will be reunited with his old friend, porteño (native of Buenos Aires) Guillermo Pernot.

Kelsea Ballerini to Break Out at 9:30 Club

Country pop star Kelsea Ballerini.

Tennessee-born country pop star Kelsea Ballerini will perform in D.C. at the 9:30 Club Nov. 10. Ballerini, 23, was named Country Music Television’s Breakout Artist of the Year Oct. 20. She was also nominated for two CMA Awards, which will be presented Nov. 2.

Nora Is Selling Her Restaurant and Building

Cabaret Comes to Mr. Henry’s

Capitol Hill's Mr. Henry's.

Capitol Hill welcomed the debut of a new cabaret series Sunday, Oct. 23, at Mr. Henry’s Restaurant near Eastern Market. D.C.based singer and actor Barbara Papendorp joined singer and pianist Amy Conley onstage. Special guests included performing arts contractor Aaron Reeder and D.C. theater actor Harv Lester. Among the highlights were performances of Noël Coward’s “A Room With a View” and “Mad About the Boy” and Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It” and “Night and Day.”

Community Meetings on MLK Library Modernization The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, D.C.’s central library on G Street NW, will close next spring to undergo a complete modernization. Meetings at area libraries in November and December will give residents a chance to see the latest designs, view the construction timeline and learn how and where library services will be offered during the three-year closure.

Alleged Franklin Park Shooter Arrested by Park Police The U.S. Park Police arrested a 32-yearold Washington man named Kerwin Leon Bowman last week after an Oct. 12 shooting in Franklin Park near McPherson Square. Four shell casings were found in the park, a gun was recovered and witnesses said they saw Bowman leaving the area in a blue sedan. He was charged with felony possession of a firearm.

Chef Nora Pouillon.

Vienna-born chef Nora Pouillon of Dupont’s Restaurant Nora, said to be the nation’s first certified organic restaurant, is looking to retire. She plans to sell the 37-yearold, dinner-only restaurant and the building housing it, the Washington Post reported. Restaurant Nora got a mention in D.C.’s first Michelin Guide, released earlier this month.

D.C. Council Advances Right-to-Die Bill The D.C. Council will discuss legislation permitting doctors to prescribe drugs to enable terminally ill patients to end their lives, the Washington Post reported. The Council opted to put the matter on its agenda for Nov. 1, when it will hold the first of two required votes on the bill.

Flying Bach Will Touch Down at the Warner The Red Bull Flying Bach, an adaptation of Bach’s “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” the classic collection of keyboard preludes and fugues, is coming to D.C.’s Warner Theatre Jan. 6-8. Featuring b-boy crew Flying Steps and conductor Christoph Hagel, the baroquemeets-hip-hop performance is said to break down barriers between high society and urban culture.

Sweetgreen Rolling Out Bruner-Yang Bowl Hometown fast, casual and healthy chain Sweetgreen is partnering with Maketto chef Erik Bruner-Yang to offer a warm dinner bowl of roasted chicken, tofu, wild rice, cashews

Red Bull Flying Bach.

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Your Dining Guide to Washington DC’s Finest Restaurants

THE OCEANAIRE 1201 F St., NW 202–347–2277 theoceanaire.com

Ranked one of the most popular seafood restaurants in D.C., “this cosmopolitan” send-up of a vintage supper club that’s styled after a '40’s-era ocean liner is appointed with cherry wood and red leather booths, infused with a “clubby, old money” atmosphere. The menu showcases “intelligently” prepared fish dishes that “recall an earlier time of elegant” dining.

TOWN HALL

2340 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202-333-5640 townhalldc.com Situated just north of Georgetown on Wisconsin Ave, Town Hall has been a neighborhood mainstay in Glover Park since 2005. Whether you’re popping in for dinner, drinks, or weekend brunch, Town Hall is the spot you’ll want to call home to Gulp, Gather & Grub. Free parking is available nightly after 7 p.m., and during warmer months, our outdoor courtyard is one of DC’s best kept secrets.

Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Dinner Mon.–Thu. 5–10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5–11 p.m., Sun. 5–9 p.m.

ENO Wine Bar

DAS Ethiopian offers you a cozy twostory setting, with rare outside dining views and al fresco patio dining. DAS is located at the eclectically brilliant historic corner of the internationally renowned shopping district of Georgetown.

HAPPY HOUR: Offered nightly Tuesday Thursday from 5 - 7pm & Sunday from 4 - 6pm. Enjoy select $5 wines on tap. Join us on Sunday’s for 30% off bottles, Tuesday’s for Magnum Madness, & Thursday evenings for live music. Our delightful wines are best enjoyed with local charcuterie, cheese and small plates.

A tent under which all come to feast is the very Amharic definition of DAS. From neighborhood diners, nearby students and journalists to international visitors and performers, all enjoy the casual but refined atmosphere that serves up the freshest Ethiopian dishes from local and sustainable food sources.

MARTIN’S TAVERN

1264 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-7370 martinstavern.com Fifth generation Lauren Martin learns about the family business from her dad, Billy Martin, Jr. Since 1933, the warm atmosphere of Martin’s Tavern has welcomed neighbors and world 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. Serving Brunch until 4 p.m. 7 days a week!

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CAFE BONAPARTE

1050 31ST ST., NW 202-617-2424 thegrillroomdc.com

1522 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202–333–8830 cafebonaparte.com

Tucked up along the historic C&O Canal, a national park that threads through the Georgetown neighborhood, The Grill Room at Rosewood Washington, D.C., specializes in hand-cut, bone-in, artisan meats, bracingly fresh seafood and tableside preparations. Framed with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and fluid geometric lines, the ambiance is one of relaxed refinement. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

DAS Ethiopian 1201 28TH ST., NW 202–333–4710 dasethiopian.com

THE GRILL ROOM

2810 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW 202–295–2826 enowinerooms.com

Tues - Thurs 5 p.m. - 11 p.m., Fri - Sat 4 p.m. - 12 a.m., Sunday 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Free 2-hour parking at Four Seasons.

SEA CATCH Restaurant

1054 31st St., NW 202–337–8855 seacatchrestaurant.com Overlooking the historic C&O Canal, we offer fresh seafood simply prepared in a relaxed atmosphere. Beautiful waterside outdoor dining available.

Complimentary 3 hours parking. Lunch / Monday - Saturday 11:30 - 3:00 Dinner / Monday - Saturday 5:30 - 10:00 Happy Hour Monday - Friday 5:00 - 7:00

Filomena Ristorante 1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202–338–8800 filomena.com

Filomena is a Georgetown landmark that has endured the test of time for over 30 years. Our old-world cooking styles and recipes brought to America by the early Italian immigrants alongside the culinary cutting-edge creations of Italy’s foods of today executed by our Executive Chef and his team. Open 7 days a week 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Free salad bar with any lunch entrée Mon-Sat and try our spectacular Sunday Brunch Buffet complete with carving stations, pasta stations!

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.

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.

We look forward to calling you a “regular” soon!

Grill from Ipanema

Malmaison

Family-owned restaurant serving authentic Brazilian food in Washington, D.C., for more than 23 years. Our Executive Chef, Alcy de Souza, cooks with the heart and soul. Live music on Thursday nights is a romantic blend of bossa nova, jazz, samba, choro and forró. Monday – Thursday 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday 4:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday noon to 11:30 p.m. (brunch until 4 p.m.) Sunday noon to 10 p.m. (brunch until 4 p.m.) Parking validation available for breakfast, lunch and brunch.

Malmaison opened in June 2013 and features elegant French dining in Washington D.C’s historic Georgetown waterfront. Housed in a majestically refurbished industrial warehouse reminiscent of NYC’s Meatpacking District, the modern restaurant, pastry shop and event lounge features the culinary talents of legendary 2 Michelin Starred French Chef Gerard Pangaud and Pastry Chef Serge Torres (Le Cirque NYC).

1858 Columbia Road, NW 202-986-0757 thegrillfromipanema.com

3401 K ST.,NW 202–817–3340 malmaisondc.com

Advertise your fall dining specials in our dining guide. Contact: advertising@georgetowner.com


FOOD & WINE

La Chaumière at 40: ‘Trendy While Conservative’ BY RO BERT DEVANE Y

“I

naugurations are good for business,” says Martin Lumet, co-owner, with chef Patrick Orange, of La Chaumière, the refined and rustic French restaurant now celebrating 40 years in Georgetown. While Lumet knows change is coming to the White House, he is well aware that his patrons — whether politicians, administration officials or neighbors — come to the M Street classic because it does not change. La Chaumière aims to be “trendy while conservative,” Lumet says. When he recently redid the place, it stayed still the same. “Consistency is important,” he says, even to the point of using the same garlic. “You want your customers to be happy.” Opened in 1976 by Gerard Pain (who died in 2012), the restaurant — its name means “cottage” — has a cozy ambiance, with a working fireplace near the center of the room and walls hung with farm tools and sketches of country life. Diners are in another and quiet world, right on Georgetown’s busiest street. With 130 seats, the place is surprising large.

Above: The main dining area of La Chaumière, celebrating 40 years at 2813 M St. NW. Left: La Chaumière co-owners, Martin Lumet and chef Patrick Orange. Photos by Robert Devaney.

M AL M AISO N CAFÉ

NEW HOURS MON-SUN | 9AM TO 6:30PM

Lumet, who arrived in the U.S. in 1982, purchased La Chaumière with Orange in 2006. The two had met while working at La Colline, a Capitol Hill favorite for decades. A few years after the purchase, Lumet renegotiated the property lease, securing La Chaumière for years to come. Orange — an alum of Hotel Plaza Athénée — has been at La Chaumière for 23 years. He finally went back to visit Paris last month after 10 years. “I am more American than French,” he says (with a French accent). The restaurant’s key to success is of course the food, especially chef Orange’s creations with fish — such as pike and Dover sole — and game, including wild boar and rabbit, as in Hare à la Royale. On the menu in a couple of weeks: alpaca, fresh from West Virginia, where Lumet owns property. Other specialties are duck, calf’s liver, tripe stew, boudin blanc, sea scallops and cheese soufflé. And when they run out of cassoulet, they break hearts. As for dessert, Lumet is a fan of the flourless chocolate cake.

Steadfast patrons complete the scene at La Chaumière. Some are legends themselves, including Secretary of State John Kerry and his wife Teresa Heinz, Chuck Hagel, Henry Kissinger and Donald Rumsfeld. From showbiz have come Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Claire Danes, Clint Eastwood and Roger Waters. Naturally, many neighbors dine there, notably Hugh Jacobsen, often seen during lunch. Indeed, this is a place both for celebration dinners and tête-à-têtes. But one conversation we all missed. One night, after the last meal was served, Helen Thomas scolded Gen. David Petraeus, who was sitting with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, about the war in Iraq. No one else was in the restaurant. Nevertheless, the incident made it into a book by Bob Woodward, who lives up the street. With Marielle Minges, general manager, and Paul Zucconi, formerly of La Colline, Lumet keeps the business organized — and works to “keep people talking,” he says, about the French country cottage in good, old Georgetown.

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IN COUNTRY

Marshall, Virginia, Has Gone Gourmet

T

he latest trend in the Virginia countryside is the gourmet transformation of sleepy — and mostly previously ignored — Marshall, 11 miles south of Middleburg at exits 27 and 28 off Interstate 66. Consider the scrumptious signature Moonshine Cake at the celebrated Red Truck Bakery, owned by Brian Noyes. Next door, entrepreneur Sandy Lerner closed her Middleburg Home Farm Store and now has a small army renovating the old Marshall Bank building to open Gentle Harvest. The new food and drink emporium will feature organic, locally grown and raised produce, meat and poultry. Across Main Street, the Whole Ox is a sophisticated butcher shop during the day and a cozy bar and bits-and-bites restaurant in the evening. You’ll find frenched rib lamb chops and skirt, rib eye, flank, filet and strip beef, among other cuts. At Field & Main, Star and Neal Wavra have created an upscale dining experience from field to table, with seasonal entrées such as hearthfired squash with charred broccoli, roasted carrots and fresh goat cheese and pork roast, served for parties of two or family style. The two have also opened an adjacent Chicago-style hot sandwich walk-up shop, Riccordino’s.

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transformed for its 68th annual Christmas shop. Think fashion, jewelry, garden accessories, toys, books, antiques and ornaments from around the world. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with $5 admission.

Before departing Marshall, consider this: many true locals flock to the Old Salem Café for a rib-sticking breakfast served up by Kevin Whitener. And don’t forget Nick’s Deli, where you’ll run into D.C. politicos and journalists who weekend in the area. Pam’s fried chicken is perfect for fall tailgates. In the chic village of Little Washington, internationally acclaimed artist Anna

Weatherley will host a show and sale of her exquisite hand-painted porcelain at the Inn at Little Washington Tavern Shops on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. That’s also the final day of their fabulous farmers’ market. We can’t ignore Middleburg completely, so mark your calendar for a holiday shopping spree Nov. 3, 4 and 5, when Emmanuel Episcopal Church parish house will be

Dining room of Field & Main (left); mac and cheese (above). Ryan Haury Photography.


IN COUNTRY

IN COUNTRY CALENDAR October 27 ‘Art of the Scarf’

In conjuction with its “Art of the Scarf” exhibition, An Artful Life Gallery will host a presentation on “New Ways to Tie and Wear Scarves.” The exhibition features the work of more than a dozen artisans who create wearable scarves and shawls in many mediums. For details, visit liveanartfullife.com. 6474 Main Street, The Plains, Virginia.

November 3 to 5 Emmanuel Church Christmas Shop Emmanuel Episcopal Church will be transformed into a holiday wonderland reminiscent of the famous Christmas fairs in Europe. Now

in its 68th year, the Christmas Shop gathers vendors selling unique gifts, fashion, jewelry, garden accessories, toys, books, antiques and ornaments from around the world. Admission is $5. 105 East Washington Street, Middleburg, Virginia.

October 29 Grand Reopening of the Fun Shop The Fun Shop celebrates its 60th year in business — and the grand reopening of the newly renovated store — with prizes, giveaways, refreshments, sales and 25 percent off storewide (for purchases of $100 or more, sale items not included). 115 West Washington St., Middleburg, Virginia.

Halloween Block Party in Purcellville The 6th annual Purcellville Halloween Block Party will include a costume contest for all ages, a free comedy improv show by the Last Ham Standing and the Loudoun County Ghostbusters live and in person. For details, visit purcellvillehalloween.com. 21st Street between O Street and Main Street, Purcellville, Virginia.

Grand Opening: Small Animal Clinic at Piedmont Equine Piedmont Equine opens its small animal clinic with a day of educational and fun fall events, including vendor and animal-rescue booths, clinic tours, live animal demonstrations, dog training sessions, pumpkin painting, an agility run for kids, veterinary-focused talks about pet health, food trucks and music. For details, visit piedmontsmallanimal.com. 4122 Zulla Road, The Plains, Virginia.

Unison Heritage Day Unison Heritage Day celebrates village life in the Piedmont at the Unison Store with food, drink, music, silent and live auctions and village tours, all benefiting the work and programs of the Unison Preservation Society. Tickets are $30 at the door and $25 in advance online. For details, visit unisonva.org. 21081 Unison Road, Middleburg, Virginia.

November 2 Go Green Committee Meeting Middleburg’s Go Green Committee meets in the Town Office on the first Wednesday of every month. The committee addresses environmental and related issues affecting the wellbeing of the community. 10 West Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia.

November 3 Fall Family Night The Middleburg Community Center hosts a celebration of fall with the final Middleburg Concert on the Steps, scarecrow making near the herb garden and s’mores on the terrace patio. To RSVP by Oct. 25, call 540-687-6375. 300 West Washington Street, Middleburg, Virginia.

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ANTIQUES ADDICT

’Twas the Time of Darkness By M i c h e l l e G a l l er

T

he setting sun shrouded the typical early colonial home in darkness. For the ordinary American colonist, bright lighting simply was not worth the candle; the need for more light was secondary to the cost and inconvenience of providing it. Most Americans lived by the light of the hearth, postponing the many tasks requiring more light until the sun came up. To get an idea of how dim the lighting was, consider an 18th-century writer who described as bright as day a ballroom lit up by amassed candles. He may well have been talking about a level of light equivalent to that generated today by a 25-watt bulb. Candles provided the most satisfactory illumination, but, due to the candle tax of 1706, which also forbade the making of homemade candles, wax candles became too expensive for most households. So, the colonists

An 1824 painting by Henry Sargent shows how dim a candlelit room could be.

often used oil lamps to supplement firelight and costly candles. The simplest kind of oil lamp was made by pouring some fish oil or kitchen grease into a cup and putting a string wick into it. This type of lamp was called a crusie, the word thought to have come from the Scottish word ‘cruse,’ a vessel for oil. It was a very simple arrangement: a circular iron pan with one side shaped into a channel to receive a wick. Opposite this channel, a handle was attached with a wire link. Then an iron spike shaped like a boat hook was attached to the end of the handle. The hook would be jammed into the chink of a wall or secured to a shelf or mantle. Improvements to the primitive crusie lamps spawned the betty lamp, probably the most widely used lighting device in colonial America. This type of lamp (named betty from the German word “besser,” which means better) was preferred because it had a hinged lid that closed, so less grease was spilled. Peter Derr (1793-1868) of Berks County, Pennsylvania, was one of the more famous betty lamp makers. Many of his lamps, which were usually dated and initialed, are in museums and private collections. When they do show up at auction, they command prices upwards of $5,000, although more common betty lamps can still be bought for as little as $100. A feeble light was just one of the inconveniences for those who burned the midnight oil,

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since oil-burning lamps produced acrid fumes and smoke. So, in 1784, the first radically improved lighting device — a lamp more congenial to the common purse and irritable eyes alike — came on the market. The new lamp, an invention of Aimé Argand of Switzerland, fed oil from an elevated container to a tubular wick, with air passing over the wick’s outer and inner surfaces. Later designs added a glass chimney, which served as a blower. Lighting entered a new era. These lamps became immensely popular in America. American pressed-glass manufacturers eagerly put vast quantities of cheap, attractive, easy-to-clean models on the market. While they never surpassed candles in popular favor, the lamps increased enormously the demand for whale oil, which became too costly for ordinary households as demand rose. By 1850, paraffin, a less expensive alternative, was introduced. By 1840, gas lighting was the last major breakthrough of the period, before both oil and gas lighting succumbed to electric lighting. Thomas Edison consciously modeled his plans for an electric lighting system on gaslight technology. By the time of his 1879 invention of a practical electric lamp, the gas infrastructure was in place and manufacturing facilities were in operation. Since gaslights could be operated independently, Edison designed his lamps to be capable of independent operation too.

A pair of brass and frosted glass Argand lamps sold at auction for $400. Courtesy Skinner Auctioneers.

Early Argand lamps can be found for $500 and up, depending on the materials, the workmanship and the color of the shade. Even though betty lamps were of an earlier period, they are less costly since they are much simpler devices. A betty lamp for the 1700s in original condition was recently listed on eBay for $189. A wide array of converted gaslights — from sconces for a few hundred dollars to ornate chandeliers for several thousand — are available via shops and auctions. Antique lighting is a great way to accent any style of décor. At Queen Victoria’s death in January 1901, electric lighting was still in its infancy. Small towns in the countryside were almost exclusively lit by candles and oil lamps. It wasn’t until after World War I that the flip of the switch became the predominant source of light in the American home. The electric light had vanquished the night. Michelle Galler is a Georgetown-based antiques dealer, design consultant and realtor. Her shop is in Rare Finds, in Washington, Virginia. Reach her at antiques.and.whimsies@gmail.com.


body & soul

Cultivating Our Body and Mind Connection By D en i s e C o o k

October’s falling leaves and shriveling flowers and plants represent the upcoming winter in our hemisphere. The days get shorter, the nights get longer and the opportunity to turn inward expands. Before television and even newspapers, as humans we were able to sense these phenomena and the energy of the season. Fall is a season of grief and having to let go. The season also governs organization, setting limits and protecting boundaries. Have you felt the need to clean your closets? Have you made new resolutions around relationships in your life, either at home or at work? This is a good thing. It is also a good time to focus on projects and on cultivating our body and mind connection. The lungs are the organs associated with the fall. One can become more mindful in letting go of anything that we might be holding onto in order to make room for new experiences and new beginnings. Death, after all, is part of the cycle of our life. Death and replenishment of cells is a daily process and part of our evolution. Change is something that is happening all the time. Every experience that we have throughout our life carries with it an energy or an emotion — a vibrational movement of energy. Every experience we have can either can get stuck in our bodies or move in and out freely. The decision is whether to stay in movement or sit still. As with cleaning our closets, it is a good time to make sure you are cleansing your body and being an active partner in shedding the cells that are dying, as well as releasing the “emotional energy” that gets trapped when the body is going through changes.

Movement is the key to letting life flow through us and to not getting stuck in any one particular state of being. Early this year, Washington, D.C., was ranked the healthiest city in America by an MSN poll. This was based on the number of bike trails, gyms and other studios available that offer healthy ways to move our body. Although, at times, it seems that within the city we are further from nature than ever, the opportunities are there if you choose to seek them out. Health is a decision. Mental health and physical health are inseparable. In Eastern philosophy, physical bodies are classified into three basic foundational energies. This is a general blueprint to the path of optimal healing for the mind and body. Not every tending exercise is the perfect fit for “every-body.” In the fitness field since the age of 16, I have taught, taken and participated in everything out there, from Aerobics to Zumba. However, when I found yoga it drew me in.

I always come back to the benefits I receive from getting personal with my body with a daily yoga practice. I have been on my mat for half my life now, as I approach my 50th birthday. I still love participating in all kinds of activities: indoor cycling, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking and skiing, to name a few. It is my yoga practice that has sustained my ability to be healthy enough to continue to do these things without injury. It has also given me a sanctuary in the business of life to stay not only physically healthy, but mentally balanced. There is no magic formula to ease the pain of being human, but as Buddha said, “Suffering is optional.” Denise Cook is a full-time yoga instructor at Down Dog Yoga in Georgetown. An Alexandria native, she previously taught yoga for 18 years in Denver, where she worked with professional sports teams, individual Olympic athletes and collegiate ski teams.

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Murphy’s Love: Advice on Intimacy and Relationships

Seeing a Therapist Together: Yes or No? by Stacy N ota r a s M u r p h y Dear Stacy, You are usually recommending that couples go see a therapist together. I am wondering what it would take for a couples therapist to say that he or she couldn’t work with a particular couple. Is everything under the sun fair game for couples therapy, or are there some categories of problems that are just considered too much or unsalvageable? What if one member of the couple is addicted to something? Does that mean couples therapy will not work? What if one member of the couple has a personality disorder? I guess I’m just wondering if this is a blanket recommendation for all couples, or if there are exceptions. — Wondering Dear Wondering: You just might be on to something when you say I often recommend couples therapy. In the six years that I have been writing this column, I can imagine I’ve suggested couples work at least 100 times. Many therapists who see themselves as working out of a “relational”

perspective prefer to see their clients within their coupled relationship. In other words, I find that if there is a diagnosis affecting one person, treating the issue within the context of the partnership — or at least recommending that my individual clients who are coupled find a separate couples therapist — can have a strong (and fast and long-lasting!) effect. For me, part of this inclination comes from noticing that people are the most motivated to make changes when they see that their symptoms are taking a toll on the relationships that matter most. Whether it’s anxiety, depression, intimacy issues, etc., I’ve found that most people get better faster when we treat the issue as happening within the space between two partners. This means that, for me, even when one partner is affected by a personality disorder, the best chance for long-lasting change comes from developing a safe space for the couple to grapple with the impact of that diagnosis, together. But there are some circumstances that make couples therapy difficult, if not impossible. Every therapist has her own philosophy

around this, but from my advanced trainings in various models of couples work, I have learned that there are a few topics that contraindicate this approach. Ongoing violence or other forms of abuse will make couples therapy virtually impossible, as the threat of retaliation will make any efforts to create safety in the session unsuccessful. Active affairs and untreated addictions also make it difficult for true safety to be achieved. If you are wondering whether your partnership would benefit from couples therapy, the best advice I can give is for you to shop around and ask these questions directly to any prospective counselor (or give me a call and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction). Stacy Notaras Murphy is a licensed professional counselor in Georgetown. Visit her on the web at stacymurphyLPC.com. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@gmail.com.

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ARTS

Ex-Dancer Directs Donizetti at WNO By Gary T is chl er

O

peras, like other performing arts occasions, are full of firsts: first time, first role, first time here, first starring role — not to mention the first note of the night. The opening night of Washington National Opera’s production of Gaetano Donizetti’s exuberant opera comique “The Daughter of the Regiment” will feature Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a noted opera buff (along with the late Justice Antonin Scalia), who has appeared onstage in cameo roles at WNO before. But this time, for one night only, she will be making her debut in a speaking role as the Duchess of Krakenthorp. This will no doubt add a frisson to the life of Robert Longbottom, the noted choreographer and director, who is experiencing a first of his own. Longbottom is known for his work as a director of chance-taking, eclectic, original plays and musicals, including the well-received “Mister Roberts” at the Kennedy Center in 2005, as well as the original Broadway production of “Side Show” and revivals of “Bye Bye Birdie” on Broadway and “Carnival” at the Kennedy Center. But he is directing an opera for the first time. “I know,” he said in a telephone interview, “it’s an amazing experience, but it’s also something I’ve always wanted to do. You could say it’s all theater, and that would be only partly true. With opera, it’s always the music. The

music, it’s the centerpiece of everything. And the whole process is very different, too. It’s not like putting a musical together, trying out new concepts, or that kind of thing. “For a Broadway director, it’s completely different. It would be like starting rehearsals for a Broadway show where everyone already knows all the lines, everything is complete. In many ways, it’s all set. The music won’t change, the songs, the words, the lyrics won’t change. It’s a truly professional environment and your job is to make sure everything comes together. “Still, ‘The Daughter of the Regiment’ is a little different,” he said. “It has this very intricate plot about a young girl who’s been raised by a regiment of soldiers, and she’s young, at an age where romance is in the air, it’s an awkward time. It has comedy, slapstick, a comic, nonsinging part [the Duchess]. The girl, Marie, is a part of the regiment, that’s her family. She has no experience of a mother, and then she meets a handsome young man named Tonio and it turns out that she has indeed a family. And there’s an aunt, issues of class, war — it’s the Napoleonic Wars — and the girl has to learn how to be a woman, and what that means, and what her destiny and her place is. She has 27 fathers and no mother. She has to learn how to be a real woman. It’s got a little ‘Pygmalion’ aspect to it. “And, yes, it’s very much a kind of romantic

comedy. It’s light, full of high energy and all that remarkable music and those difficult arias. So, yes, it comes very close to the territory of operettas. There’s a lot of spoken dialogue — in French — more than the norm in most operas. But, you know, it also touches on gender issues, how to be who you are. It’s romantic and funny, but it has compelling characters, too. “I’ve seen productions of this,” he said, “and it’s been set sometimes in World War II or World War I, but I think this is a perfect setting for this particular opera. It’s the 19th century, it’s Napoleon and it’s also a very operatic time, and a time, a century, that’s something of a golden age for opera, and for Donizetti, too.” Donizetti isn’t always associated with comedy — think of the almost stern and intricate historic mechanics of “Anna Bolena” and “Lucrezia Borgia” and the dark histrionics of “Lucia di Lammermoor.” Longbottom — who began his theatrical life as a dancer, including a stint in “A Chorus Line” — seems most proud of “Side Show,” a musical about carnival life and the lives of co-joined sisters. “It took some convincing in terms of an idea for a show, but in its incarnations it did well with the critics, audiences loved it. But somehow it never quite carved out a huge presence. Sometimes it’s about timing.” “Carnival” was another ground-up show he directed, a bittersweet love story based on a

Lawrence Brownlee and Lisette Oropesa. Courtesy Washington National Opera.

Leslie Caron film called “Lili.” Longbottom has also directed productions of the musicals “Showboat” and “Camelot” at the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York, where WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello is artistic and general director. “It’s a great experience working with her, and with the people here. I love coming to this town,” he said. “This is an audience opera, it’s expansive, a high-energy experience, and the people in it — Lawrence Brownlee is absolutely fantastic, a real talent. “I think ‘The Daughter of the Regiment’ will be perfect for the time,” he said. “By opening night, the election will be over. Maybe we’ll all feel a little liberated.”

Qur’ans from Istanbul Museum at Sackler Gallery By Gary T is chl er n a world where conflict among tribes, nations, regions, religions are the norm, it’s a blessing to live in Washington, where we have a wealth of think tanks, policy centers, lecture series and museums (for free, usually) to help us sort things out and make our way through the countless cultures on the planet. Notably, we have the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer and Sackler Galleries, which together “comprise the nation’s museum of Asian art.” This description doesn’t tell you much, either about the breadth or the depth of the collections, or, perhaps more important, about their impact. The sheer volume is impressive: more than 40,000 objects dating from Neolithic times to our own, from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast and Central Asia and the Near East. The collections contain worlds within worlds. While people are almost predisposed to think about other peoples in terms of clichés — cultural, social, religious, political — what the galleries have consistently allowed us to see are the artistic achievements of peoples with whom we interact in places that today are roiling with conflict and competing interests. The 93-year-old Freer Gallery of Art — famously also home to James McNeill Whistler’s Peacock Room — is currently undergoing extensive renovations; it is expected to reopen Oct. 7, 2017. When the linked Arthur M. Sackler Gallery opened in 1987, it not only supplemented the Freer’s permanent holdings but enabled the conjoined buildings to host special exhibitions. A current and major example is “The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of

I

This single-volume Qur’an was copied by Abd al-Qadir ibn Abd al-Wahhab in Shiraz, Iran, around 1580, during the Safavid period. Courtesy Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Turkish and Islamic Arts,” which is hailed as “the first major exhibition of Islam’s holy text in the United States.” The exhibition — which officially opened Oct. 22 and will continue through Feb. 20 — features more than 68 of the most important Qur’an manuscripts from the Arab world, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan. The lender, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, occupies the former palace of Suleiman the Magnificent’s second grand vizier in Istanbul. Looking at these manuscripts, replete with lavish illumination and delicate, intricate calligraphy, we seem to be gazing at time itself.

They span roughly a thousand years in history, beginning in eighth-century Damascus in Syria and continuing through and after the 16thand 17th-century height of the far-reaching Ottoman Empire. The names found in the origins and journeys of the various manuscripts strike a chord straight out of the daily headlines from the Middle East, the stories of refugees and strife that have become a part of our daily diet of news. Those reports, however, fail to communicate the complex symbolism and beauty, the essence of Islam contained in these

extraordinary Qur’anic manuscripts. Islam began as an orally received religion. But the Qur’an — popularly known in the West as the Koran — transformed the word of God, as received by the Prophet Muhammad through the Archangel Gabriel in the year 610, from oral transmission to written. For centuries after, the sacred text was reproduced and illuminated by supremely accomplished artists throughout the Islamic world. In addition to being the religion’s physical manifestations, the manuscripts, often made for rulers and other members of the Islamic elite, were works of art in and of themselves, creations of great beauty. Their history is a window into the history of Islam and of the countries and empires where it flourished. According to Massumeh Farhad, chief curator and curator of Islamic art: “This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see Qur’ans of different origins, formats and styles and begin to appreciate the power and beauty of calligraphy as well as intricacy of the illuminated decoration.” Julian Raby, the Dame Jillian Sackler Director of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art, pointed out that many of the works had never before left Turkey. “Some were unknown even to scholars,” said Raby, himself an expert in Islamic art. “The Art of the Qur’an” is part of a series of exhibitions at the Sackler under the umbrella of “Arts of the Islamic World,” also including “Turquoise Mountain: Artists Transforming Afghanistan” (through Jan. 29) and “Sky Blue: Color in Ceramics of the Islamic World” (through July 16).

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GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES

Meridian Ball: Entertaining Elegance PH OTOS BY J AME S BR A N T LE Y

The 48th Meridian Ball, held Oct. 14 for the benefit of Meridian programs, maintained its first-class standing as the elegant and fun event of the season. The night was co-chaired by U.A.E. Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and his wife, Abeer Al Otaiba, and Panamanian Ambassador Emanuel Gonzalez-Revilla and his wife, Luciana Gonzalez-Revilla. The classic White-Meyer dinner was chaired by Stephane Carnot and Brooke Stroud Carnot. Tony Podesta and Adrienne Arsht.

President and CEO of Meridian International Stuart Holliday and his wife, Gwen Holliday, hosted the vibrant event.

Guests arrive at the Meridian International Center for dessert and dancing.

SMITH | PALEY THROUGH DECEMBER 30, 2016

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan).

Tara Shirvani and Romain Piston.

Council member Jack Evans and Kandy Stroud.

At 'No Man's Land' Lunch BY M ARY BIR D Cindy Jones, president of the board of trustees of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, hosted an Oct. 14 luncheon to view the current exhibition “No Man’s Land: Women Artists from the Rubell Family Collection.” A show stopper is the sculpture “Lyra III” by daughter Jennifer Rubell, which must be seen—a functional nutcracker epitomizing women as sexual objects or aggressively anti-male. Museum funder and visionary Wilhelmina Cole Holladay saluted Jones’s leadership and the educational purpose of the only museum in the world to represent the contribution of women in the arts. The autumn-themed luncheon catered by Occasions was superb.

Above: Clarice Smith, Gallop, 2009, oil on canvas Below: Albert Paley, Steneby I, 2011, forged steel with blackened finish

The Kreeger Museum 2401 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007 www.kreegermuseum.org

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October 26, 2016 GMG, INC.

Evonne Connolly and Cindy Jones with “Lyra III.”

Pamela Sorensen and Maggie O’Neill.


GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES

Citizens Rock Out at Four Seasons

GALA GUIDE OCTOBER 29 30th Anniversary Lombardi Gala

The black-tie dinner dance features a cocktail reception with a renowned silent auction and an awards presentation that recognizes remarkable individuals for their contribution to the fight against cancer. All proceeds go directly to Georgetown Lombardi to support cancer research, treatment and education. Established in 1970, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the D.C. region. Washington Hilton. Email Sharon Courtin at sc830@georgetown.edu or visit lombardigala. georgetown.edu.

The Georgetown Gala — this year, aka "Georgetown Rocks" — got members and friends of the Citizens Association of Georgetown on their feet Oct. 22 at the Four Seasons. The scene was a fun mix of stylish people, gourmet food, live art, lively music (the Rockets) and uninhibited dancing — with comedians such as Jimmy Kimmel and Bill Hader in the lobby and in town for the Mark Twain Prize.

NOVEMBER 3 Knock Out Abuse Against Women Bill Dean and Hope Solomon. Photo by Robert Devaney.

Phillip and Anthony Lanier. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan.

Jennifer and David Romm. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan.

This year’s gala co-chairs Barbara Martin and Jayne Sandman are the founders of Brand Link DC, a full-service strategic marketing and public relations agency. Co-founded by Cheryl Masri and Jill Sorensen in 1993, Knock out Abuse is a Washington-based organization that envisions a community free from domestic violence and supports organizations that serve women and children who are victims of domestic violence in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. RitzCarlton Hotel. Call Bobette at 202-813-9161 or visit www.knockoutabuse.org.

NOVEMBER 10 Fight Night

Kristin and John Cecchi, gala co-chairs.Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan.

Dylan Threadgill and Rick Rickertsen. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan.

CityDance’s Dream Gala for Hungarian Revolution, 60 Takes Flight Years On PH OTOS BY J AME S BR A N T LE Y

Vernon E. Jordan Jr., Civil Rights activist and CityDance DREAM Builders Investment Campaign chair, unveiled the public phase of the CityDance DREAM Builders investment campaign at his home Oct. 13. Among the 100 guests were Jordan’s closest friends. The campaign aims to raise $9 million for the opening of the DREAM Center for Dance and the expansion of CityDance DREAM program offerings.

Ann Jordan and Tim Shriver share a laugh. Vernon Jordan and Buffy Cafritz.

BY M ARY BIR D

On Oct. 16, the courage of the freedom fighters in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was celebrated in a formal dinner gala at the Mellon Auditorium hosted by Ambassador Dr. Réka Szemerkényi in an evening emceed by distinguished Hungarian-American and former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. A program highlighted by Hungarian concert pianist Csilla Szentpéteri entitled “The Storm of October 1956” was commissioned to evoke the bravery that launched the eventual fall of the Soviet Union as battle scenes flashed on screens.

Ambassador of Hungary Dr. Réka Szemerkényi, Gilan Corn and Mary Mochary.

Chaired by Kevin Plank and Raul Fernandez, what began as a small party hosted by the late Joe Robert in 1990 launched an organization that has raised tens of millions of dollars and created new opportunities for countless at-risk children. Washington Hilton. Call 202-772-0416 or visit fightforchildren. org.

Capital Food Fight Central Kitchen will present its signature fundraising event with offerings from 75 of D.C.’s best restaurants as four top local chefs compete in a live onstage battle hosted and judged by culinary stars. The brainchild of celebrity chef José Andrés, owner of Think Food Group, the event is celebrating its thirteenth year. All proceeds benefit DC Central Kitchen. Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. Visit capitalfoodfight.org.

NOVEMBER 19 Transformer Silent Auction and Benefit Party Transformer’s primary fundraising event provides essential support for comprehensive year-round exhibitions and educational programming. Ambassador of Italy Armando Varricchio and Mrs. Varricchio will serve as diplomatic chairs. More than 25 contemporary artworks by Italian artists are in on view this year at American University’s Katzen Arts Center. Email info@transformerdc.org.

Mary Ourisman and Dorothy Kosinski, director of the Phillips Collection.

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