The Downtowner 102010 Issue

Volume 7, Number 17

All the News you can use!

"Abstract

Expressionist

New York" at MoMA Art Wrap

Closing the Book on

Michelle Rhee Politics

Charmed Life

Fall Fashion Haute & Cool

Living

In Pink

Social Scene

Travel Issue

International, National & Local Hotspots

october 20 - November 2 2010 2010

THE

DOWNTOWNER

Vol. 7, No. 17

About the Cover: Robert Devaney, contributor and Washingtonian, whose photograph graces our cover, snapped this shot of the Grand Canyon on a helicopter tour of the region. Read his article on page 16 to find out more.

Publisher Sonya Bernhardt Editor at Large David Roffman Feature Editors Ari Post Gary Tischler Publisher’s Assistant Siobhan Catanzaro Contributors Jack Evans Mary Bird Margaret Loewith Stacey Murphy Bill Starrels Robert Devaney Jordan Wright Renee Garfinkel Kathy Corrigall Dave Nyczepir John Blee Rebekah Richards Donna Evers Robert Devaney Veena Trehan Katherine Jody Kurash Tallmadge Linda Roth Conte Photographers Yvonne Taylor Neshan Naltchayan Malek Naz Freidouni

Tom Wolff Jeff Malet Robert Devaney

Advertising Charlie Louis Justin Shine Elle Fergusson Graphic Design Alyssa Loope Jen Merino Counsel Juan Chardiet, Attorney

Serving Washington, DC Since 2003 “All The News You Can Use”

From our contributors

Contents

Editor’s note

4 — DC Scenes

There are always places to go, things to be seen, food to be eaten, and wine to be drunk. But with work, budget constraints, familial responsibilities, and every other speed bump, choosing a vacation destination is no small decision. Perhaps you have family in France you haven’t seen in a decade, but you’ve always wanted to explore the Midwest. Thailand might be your dream getaway, but the cost of getting there is about the price of a more modest trip in its entirety. Still, it’s important to get away now and again. Whether it be to gain some fresh perspective, allow yourself to breathe, break the daily monotony, or experience something new.

Vacations are good for us.

In this issue, we did not attempt to pitch to you the inclusive vacation package of your dreams, nor did we want to give you a mere list of favorites. Instead, we thought it a wiser and more fun to take you on an in-depth journey of a select handful of locations. We have chosen an international destination, rediscovered a national favorite, and explored options just a few hours away. These are but a meager sampling, I admit, but I hope they get your vacation juices flowing. No matter the reason, I suggest you start planning your next trip as soon as you can, even if it’s three years down the road.

If you have any suggestions or stories of your own, please email them to the paper at editorial@georgetowner.com. We may end up posting it on the web for all to enjoy. Happy readings.

5 — Up and Coming 6-7 — Downtown Observer 8 — Editorial/Opinion 9 — Politics Michelle Rhee Resigns and more 10 — Feature Richard McCooey 12 — Real Estate Featured Property 13 — Neighborhood The Future of Literature 14 — Performance/Art Wrap Interview with Ken Ludwig Abstract Expressionism at MoMA 15 — Haute & Cool Charmed Life: Fall Fashion 16-18 — Cover Story Travel Feature

-Ari Post, Editor

19 — In Country Bed & Breakfast Highlights

Angela Iovino

22-24 — Food & Wine Across the Cuttingboard with Ris Cocktail of the Week

Dr. Angela Iovino is founder and principal of Cultural Study Abroad, offering educational tours of historic locations around the world. She has taught at Georgetown University and The George Washington University for over 25 years. Get in touch with her at info@culturalstudyabroad.com.

25 — Body & Soul Murphy’s Love How to Choose a Therapist 29-31 — Social Scene Right On: Georgetown Citizens Get Down Living in Pink Fashion Fights Poverty International Gold Cup Spirit of Georgetown Honoring Michael Kaiser From Place to Place Donors Preview GT Library Transformation DC Jazz Fest Dinner

Page 17 Published by Georgetown Media Group, Inc. 1054 Potomac St., N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-3292 editorial@georgetowner.com www.downtowner.org The Downtowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Downtowner newspaper. The Downtowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Downtowner reserves the right to edit, re-write, or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Copyright, 2009.

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ene

The Knights of Columbus and Washington DC honored and celebrated the achievements of Christopher Columbus with a national wreath laying ceremony on Columbus Day, on October 11, 2010 at the base of the Columbus Memorial Statue located at Union Station.

U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at a press conference on Capitol Hill September 30, 2010 in Washington, DC. to discuss their accomplishments in this year’s congress. It was their final say on Capitol Hill before recessing for the midterm elections where Democratic control of Congress is in jeopardy.

1.

2. 3.

A worker power washes the exterior of the U.S. Capitol dome (Oct 10, 2010)

Mr. Glenn Jones (left), former Navy EOD officer and Founder & Chancellor of Jones International University, laid a wreath at the foot of The Lone Sailor on October 13 in honor of the Navy’s 235th birthday. Joining Mr. Jones were Rear Admiral Patrick J. Lorge, Commandant, Naval District Washington (center) Rear Admiral Michael P. Tillotson, USN, Commander, Naval Expeditionary Combat Command (right)

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1. The Bucknell Bison’s upset the Georgetown Hoyas 24-21 in a Patriot

League football game on Saturday, Oct. 16.

2. (61) Bucknell junior lineman Ian Del Bello blocks (93) Georgetown Senior George Cullen from Janesville Wis. The Bucknell Bison’s upset the Georgetown Hoyas 24-21 in a Patriot League football game on Saturday, Oct. 16.

3. Carlos Delfino of the Milwaukee Bucks is guarded by JaVale McGee of the Washington Wizards in early NBA action. The Wizards were defeated 96-88 by the visiting Bucks in a preseason game at the Verizon Center in Washington DC on October 14, 2010.

dt

observer

Compiled by Dave Nyczepir

Ward 2 Town Hall Attempts to Bridge Divides At October 14’s town hall, Vincent Gray was well-received by Ward 2, despite only receiving 27% of their vote in the primary. Gray’s opponent, Mayor Adrian Fenty, garnered greater support from Georgetown’s precinct than any other in D.C. Held at Foundry United Methodist Church, open discussion was scheduled to last two hours. In reality, after starting 45 minutes late and another half-hour of formalities, very little time was left for questioning.

The town hall meetings being part of Gray’s effort to find common ground with those who didn’t support him in the election, one would think he’d take plenty of time to talk about the number one issue on Georgetowners’ minds: education. Unfortunately, aside from stressing his commitment to educational reform and a question concerning special education standards, this was not the case.

Gray spent more time talking about his plans to combat unemployment in Wards 7 and 8, an issue that affects D.C. residents as a whole.

D.C. Homicide Count Hits 100 The Washington Examiner reported on Monday, October 18, that D.C. homicides officially reached the hundred mark — 103 to be exact.

While this is an improvement from last year’s

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109 homicides by the same date, District police have again failed to meet the police chief’s personal benchmark.

In the past, Police Chief Cathy Lanier has expressed her belief that limiting homicides to fewer than 100 a year would prove a “tipping point” for the city’s safety. Less vocal about the goal of late, the reduction in homicides is still commendable. In comparison with last year, it took an extra month to reach 100.

No Trash Pickup Thursday The Department of Public Works (DPW) has opted to cancel trash and recycling pickup on Thursday, October 21. This is so DPW employees are free to attend the funeral of one of their own, 51-year-old Larry Hutchins.

Hutchins served the community as a DPW employee for 24 years. Regrettably, on October 13 he was shot and killed in the DPW parking lot. Additionally, a coworker of his was wounded. As of yet, an arrest has not been made, and the name of the other shooting victim has not been released.

The DPW collections schedule has been altered accordingly. Thursday’s trash will be picked up Friday and Friday’s trash on Saturday.

There are sure to be complaints from those who don’t get the memo, but hopefully those in the know will keep Hutchins in their thoughts.

Let us teach you

HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL The Know It Express Launches Bus Service from U Street to Brooklyn

visitors, the service will only operate on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Next time you plan a visit to New York, keep The Know It Express in mind!

The Know It, a popular D.C. tourist information site where D.C. travelers can trade tips, is launching a bus service which will connect U Street and Brooklyn. Washington dwellers and New Yorkers have always had a close relationship, and now spending a long weekend in one or the other is that much easier with The Know It Express. Brooklyn is an obvious destination for many who migrate to New York City, with its easy accessibility to the heart of Manhattan, despite its much lower living expenses and trendy, vibrant culture. Now transplants and non-transplants alike from both cities can visit their friends and families without the hassle of being dropped off at inconvenient locations.

The travel service aims to make a trip between the two cities both convenient and pleasant. With cozy seats, Wi-Fi internet, and in-seat outlets, The Know It Express is miles ahead of other popular bus companies. Wi-Fi internet and in-seat outlets will not be ready for the first trip on October 22 but will soon be functional.

The bus service gives travelers a comfortable atmosphere to work, relax, and anticipate their visit or return. Additionally, the bus has five storage spaces for bikes, a godsend for any exercise aficionados.

The Know It Express will depart from Washington at 8:00 am and arrive in New York around lunch time. The bus will leave Brooklyn at 5:30 pm. Specifically targeting weekend

Halloween for Adults If you feel like trick-or-treating is less than appropriate for those over 14, do not fear. D.C. is filled with spooky and fabulous Halloween events that everyone can enjoy.

For those looking for a Halloween plan on Friday, October 29, head on over to the National Zoo for some wild fun! The National Zoo is hosting Night of the Living Zoo, a festive Halloween bash. For $40 (30 for Friends of the National Zoo) you can enjoy a night of Halloween mischief at this 21 and over bash. Live music and live animals will set the scene while you mingle with other partygoers. Palm readers and fire eaters will give you the chills, so the Magic Hat beers served at the bar can warm you up.

It’s sure to be a ghostly good time!

For some Halloween excitement on the night of Saturday, October 30, check out the onenight-only Halloween performance at the Warehouse Theater. Titled Spook-O-Rama, the variety show features Miss Joule and Malibu’s fire play, Sabrina Chap’s ragtime, Miss Rosie’s hoop dancing, and more. Along with music, games, and a raffle, Spook-O-Rama promises to be fun and freaky. Tickets cost $20, and the folks from Baltimore’s Tilted Torch prefer you’d come in Halloween attire.

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National Travel Taking Flight From the Strip: the Grand Canyon Rocks and Rules

By Robert Devaney

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Photos by Robert Devaney

AS VEGAS — Las Vegas, Nevada, is a blessing and a bet. Once a simple railroad stop with its underground springs and “meadows,” as its name means, the city sits at the intersection of America’s great deserts and west of one of this nation’s greatest natural wonders: the Grand Canyon. During the Great Depression and the construction of the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas decided to allow and profit from gambling and other sins. And it has not looked back much since . . . until now.

Amid today’s economic downturn (Nevada has the highest state unemployment rate), I arrived a few weeks ago at Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino for the Society of Professional Journalists’ convention. Somehow, that seemed apropos for a profession facing its own awkward challenges.

It was my first business trip to Las Vegas, but I was no stranger. I first visited at the age of six during a family trip—we drove from New York City to Los Angeles in our new station wagon. My aunt and uncle, who last worked at Caesar’s Palace, had moved there in the early days. My brother would later work at the Las Vegas Hilton.

This time around I walked along Las Vegas Boulevard—the strip—for an evening with the lights, sights and crowds. I crossed the street to the Bellagio, as its elegantly choreographed water show held everyone’s attention. Next door was Caesar’s Palace, which boasts its own Serendipity3 restaurant at the sidewalk front.

With the Georgetown location opening soon, it seemed time to sample a pricey, great hamburger at the bar. Vegas, mind you, is full of fancy burgers: from KGB, Kerry’s Gourmet Burgers, to the $777 burger at Paris Hotel’s Brasserie.

Early the next morning, before our business sessions, I wandered through the new City Center with its top-end stores, which looks like a Beverly Hills transplant. One local musician, walking home from his night’s gig, told me it did not belong in Las Vegas, which made me wonder what really does.

During the convention, we met with clients for steaks at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris. During breaks, I visited the Miracle Mile Shops, part of the Planet Hollywood complex. There were lots of shops, but Bettie Page, with its retro clothes and lingerie, is unique. The Sugar Factory, offering $25 lollypops, is also pretty sweet. I got to play a little roulette at the casino’s Pleasure Pit (yes, dancing girls!) and relax at the Pleasure Pool for two hours. Alas, I did not see Holly Madison’s Peep Show at PH, nor have I yet experienced Cirque du Soleil’s “The Beatles’ Love” at the Mirage.

My extra time in Vegas was saved for one, singular sensation: a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon. I had saved the best for last.

There are several aviation companies operating out of McCarran Airport. I chose Maverick Helicopters with its slick, new Eco-Star copters. Admittedly, I was reminded of John McCain. We arrived at the airport for our morning flight, as each pilot lined up the mostly European tourists. It is an expensive roundtrip—$400 plus—with the landing just above the Colorado River in the Western Rim of

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the Grand Canyon. From the hotel and back, the entire journey takes four hours. An important tour tip: reserve a mid-day flight for the best illumination of the canyon, as the canyon is overtaken by shadows if the sun is not high enough.

Our pilot went over safety requirements with his seven passengers. We strapped ourselves in, put on headsets and felt the copter gently hover in line with its team of four others above the airport tarmac. “Ready?” asked the pilot.

We popped into the sky above Las Vegas, seeing the four-mile strip with its glimmering hotels, and veered east toward the Grand Canyon. We looked down at Lake Las Vegas—hard to believe that it’s man-made—and then Lake Mead and the mighty Hoover Dam came in sight. Just downstream stands the new bypass bridge, officially The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, named for a Las Vegas Sun editor and Nevada governor, as well as Arizona’s football player turned soldier who was killed in Afghanistan. Completed 75 years after the Hoover Dam, the bridge takes traffic off the dam’s packed two-lane road and is seen as an eco-

nomic and psychological advantage for the region.

The etches of Lake Mead’s waters and curves of smaller canyons still caught our gaze as the pilot flew over the extinct volcano Fortification Hill and announced where the military had an airfield for practicing aircraft carrier take-offs and landings during World War II. With desert light whizzing by, we flew near an edge and spied the new skywalk ahead.

“Here we go,” said the pilot, as he took us into Grand Canyon, turning, softly tilting and descending 3,500 feet.

We landed at a spot 300 feet above the Colorado River, part of the Hualapai Indian Nation, with picnic tables for our champagne toasts. We were by—and beside—ourselves in the stately rock of the Western Rim. The cool morning air and absolute quiet were stunning.

Parts of the canyon have rocks more than one billion years old. I put a few pebbles in my pocket. You had to look up far and wide to take it all in.

All too soon, it was time to climb back into the helicopters and ascend the Grand Canyon, weaving along the light and shadows of the rock faces and up and over the wide desert, where our aircrafts stopped for re-fueling. We got out again in what felt like the actual middle of nowhere. Aloft, we approached the other end of Las Vegas, as the pilot pointed out Nellis Air Force Base and reminded us that legendary Area 51 was up north several miles. We eased above downtown and flew over the strip, landing back at McCarran. All too quick, but a trip of a lifetime.

Las Vegas also provides air and ground trips to the Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon—the more famous and more breath-taking section, if you can believe it. Farther away to the east lies Grand Canyon National Park lies (I once flew over it in a helicopter, but it didn’t land).

America’s adult playground continues to struggle with lower gambling revenues, while it has so much else to offer. The cirques keep running, the singers still perform, the hotels get shinier and the restaurants more upscale. One new hotel, the Cosmopolitan, sitting between City Center and the Bellagio, opens Dec. 15.

Yet, down the road, beyond the wastelands, reclines an old friend, the mother of ancient attractions: the Grand Canyon. Its playground has been open for millions of years and still can give Vegas visitors a real rush.

International Travel

Photos by Angela Iovino

SICILY

By Angela Iovino

O

nce called Trinacria, which roughly means the Triangle, Sicily is a three-cornered island at the edge of western Europe that tips towards North Africa and points at Greece, connecting East to West. Six thousand years and eleven periods of foreign domination have enriched the island’s architectural history along with its folklore and gastronomical traditions to create a social and cultural patrimony of great distinction. Over centuries, Phoenician, Greek, Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine, Moorish, Norman, Swabian, Angevin and Aragonese all arrived to enjoy Sicily, and all left their own mark on the island’s art, food, and culture.

Visit Sicily and you step back into mythology and history, as alive today among the Sicilians as their ties to the electronic age; the unfamiliar human kindness, the astounding architecture, otherworldly landscape, alluring sea and, of course, the food and wine.

You will hear the lore: Cyclops constructing Zeus’s lightning bolts on the slopes of the Etna; Arethusa, fleeing from the avid attentions of the river god Alpheus in Greece, transformed by Artemis into a stream which traveled to the island of Ortygia; a handsome shepherd catching the eye of Galatea, to be killed by the jealous Polifemo under a rock, creating the Aci river.

Two-weeks in Sicily by car would afford you time to visit all the important sites circling the coast, where all the main cities lie: Palermo, Catania, Agrigento, Trapani, and historic Syracuse. An additional week for the seven islands of the Aeolian volcanic archipelago is most enjoyable, especially in June, for unforgettable landscape and water sports.

Start your trip by flying into Palermo, the remarkable city of tree-lined boulevards and jasmine-scented gardens, a Phoenician settlement which the Romans failed to develop but flourished under the Arabs. To this day, many streets by the fish market bare their names in Arabic. Not to be missed is Monreale’s 12th century cathedral displaying the Arab-Norman art and architecture with remarkable mosaics and bronze doors.

If you are in search of the ancient Roman Empire, Naples and Rome understandably offer the strongest glimpse. However, the Romans depended on Sicily’s wheat fields and its strategic military location, leaving behind their huge estates built to control the harvesting and the Roman navy. The town of Piazza Armerina is a prime example. Now converted into hotels and resorts, these estates take you back the luxuries of the ancient world (not actually true—the ancient world remains in ruins).

Long nurturing intellectual cultivation and scientific progress, Sicily has a rich culture all its own. At the court of Frederick II the arts flourished, judicial laws established, and poets, scientists, philosophers, astrologists, and historians explored their world. Long before Tuscany reached its golden age, the Kingdom of Two Sicilies was recognized for its great accomplishments to Western Civilization.

The food on the island has a similarly dizzying effect as the architecture and landscape. One list citing the twenty-five best restaurants in Italy includes six in Sicily, and of these, Syracuse has four. This isn’t too surprising, since Syracuse cooking schools were established as early as the

5th century B.C. where Greeks often sent their young to study.

The sea is not too far from any vantage point in Syracuse, as you stroll down the wide avenues with high fashion boutiques, myriad antique stores and cafes. Palatial hotels lined with blossoming lemon trees offer among the best views.

Two restaurants hold court each night to international guests and their own compatriots: Don Camillio and La Terrazza both have worldwide recognition. The tiny seaside trattorie grill fish and produce good Pasta alla Norma, named after Bellini’s opera, under the flapping canopies and sounds of seagulls.

Remember the goddess Arethusa? The stream of her namesake still gurgles on in Ortygia, just meters away from the site where in 735 B.C. the Corinthians established themselves in Syracuse, and where in 415 B.C. they fought valiantly against the invading Athenians. As the story goes, the Gods appeared as an eclipse, which the Athenians interpreted as a sign that the battle displeased the Gods. However, the Syracusians believed the Gods desired them to win, and as the Athenians retreated, their vessels were set ablaze.

Allow a budget of 60 euros a head at dinner for at least four meals during your two-week adventure. You won’t regret it. Imagine cold almond soup, sea urchin risotto, pastas with hourly fresh seafood, pistachio cakes, jasmine ice cream, watermelon gelatin with chocolate bits, all consumed along the Mediterranean seaside. Your palette will be overwhelmed as your eyes devour the landscape, trying to hold the memory of this first visit to Trincaria, island of the Greek temples to the Gods.

Dr. Angela Iovino is founder and principal of Cultural Study Abroad, offering educational tours of historic locations around the world.

She has taught at Georgetown University and The George Washington University for over 25 years. Get in touch with her at info@culturalstudyabroad.com.

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