Georgetowner's January 29, 2014 Issue

Page 1

georgetowner.com

THE

Since 1954

GEORGETOWNER

JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 11 , 2014

VOLUME 60 NUMBER 8

WANDERGOLF The Mukul Resort in Nicaragua

PERFORMANCE

BUSINESS

Russo m To r' e h tc a rc ta S e th d n a r 'Pete of Chadwick's Dies

N O I T I D A R T W E N AOF AMERICAN MUSIC:

s ' y l l a S y Gyps


ST. INIGOES

Fully-restored historic Cross Manor features a 4 BR, 2.5 BA home and two guest homes with 3000’ of water- front, a pier, barns, pool, and tennis court on 110 acres. $3,945,000 | ttrsir.com/id/SM8172431

DAVID DeSANTIS +1 202 438 1542

WEST END

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS

$3,450,000 | ttrsir.com/id/DC8224596

$9,800,000

This custom-built 2 BR, 2.5 BA 2,700 sf penthouse offers an expansive floor plan, a deck with stunning views, and 2-car parking.

MICHAEL RANKIN +1 202 271 3344

This Mediterranean style villa was renovated and expanded in 2002, and features over 15,000 square feet of interior space designed for elegant entertaining. This grand estate is light filled and features handcrafted architectural details throughout. The property is sited on an expansive lot in a park-like setting near Rock Creek Park and Embassy Row.

MICHAEL RANKIN +1 202 271 3344

ALEXANDRIA

KALORAMA

ARLINGTON

$3,295,000 | ttrsir.com/id/FX8250809

$2,750,000 | ttrsir.com/id/4507809

$2,695,000 | ttrsir.com/id/AR8191145

This elegant waterfront residence offers fabulous water views, gracious formal rooms, the finest finishes, a home gym, dock with 2 boat slips and lift, and a 2-car garage.

JEANNE WARNER +1 703 310 6800

This fully detached four/five bedroom home faces Rock Creek Park and offers 4,000 finished interior square feet and a private flagstone patio.

JONATHAN TAYLOR +1 202 276 3344

This Colonial in Lyon Village has 6 BRs, 5.5 BAs, approx. 6400 sf, gourmet kitchen, full-house entertainment system, outdoor kitchen, walk to metro, shops and restaurants.

JOHN ERIC +1 703 798 0097

GEORGETOWN

UPPERVILLE

GEORGETOWN

$2,495,000

$1,975,000 | ttrsir.com/id/FQ8243235

$1,895,000

Newly Priced Victorian semi-detached home on coveted block features expansive living and entertaining spaces and offers 5 BRs and 3.5 BAs.

JULIA DIAZ-ASPER +1 202 256 1887

This rare 5.07 acre parcel offers views of the Bull Run Mountains and the Blue Ridge. The main residence is 4BR/4.5BA and is surrounded by gardens, a pool, and guesthouse.

JONATHAN TAYLOR +1 202 276 3344 RUSSELL FIRESTONE +1 202 271 1701

Elegant Federal-style 4 BR, 4.5 BA home offers top-level master suite with sitting area, 2nd floor master suite with full bath, parking, and deep garden.

JULIA DIAZ-ASPER +1 202 256 1887

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

ttrsir.com 2

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

©MMXIII 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)


DC SCENE

1

2

Photos and Text by Jeff Malet www.maletphoto.com 1. It was panda-monium, as thousands lined up to greet fourmonth-old giant panda cub Bao Bao for her first day on public display at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park on Jan. 18. 2. Nicole McCorkle, Bao Bao’s panda keeper at National Zoo 3. Anti-abortion protestors rallied on the National Mall on Jan. 22 for the 41st Annual “March for Life” up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court Building, despite 15-degree temperatures and a sub-zero wind chill factor. 4.-5. First lady Michelle Obama’s second inaugural gown went on display Jan. 14 at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The gown will be shown for one year in the center of the museum’s popular exhibit, “The First Ladies,” and coincides with the exhibit’s 100th anniversary. 6. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez joined Democratic Congressional Leaders Jan. 15 for a Capitol Hill pep rally to advocate for an increase in the minimum wage.

7

7. Thousands gathered at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Jan. 11 and 12 for the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo. Charlotte from Arlington, Va., poses with the NBC Peacock.

6

3

5

4 GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

3


SINCE 1954

CONTENTS NEW S 4

DC Scene

5

Calendar

6

Town Topics

8

Editorial / Opinion

9 Business

REAL ES TATE 10

Feature Property

11

Mortgage

FOOD & WINE

Wandergolf

TRAVEL

Winter Travel Carribbean 18

20

Pork Week

BODY & SOUL 24

AR T S

26

Murphy’s Love

Performance

27

Museum

28

Timeline

SOCIAL SCENE 29

Social Scene

DIRECT ORY

COVER S T ORY 20

Wine Guide

21 What’s Cooking, Neighbor

I N COUN TRY 12

20

30

Classifieds

Gypsy Sally’s FIND US ON FACEBOOK

The Georgetowner

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:

Thegeorgetownr

“The Newspaper Whose Influence Far Exceeds Its Size” — Pierre Cardin

1054 Potomac St., N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, re-write, or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright, 2013.

4

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

ON THE COVER:

David and Karen Ensor, owners of the recently opened music destination, Gypsy Sally’s, at 34th and K Streets, NW. They are in their Volkswagen bus in the Vinyl Lounge of the musical venue and restaurant. Photo by Timothy Riethmiller, Georgetowner staff photographer


UP & COMING Cookie Class Buzz pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac and head decorator Alexandra Mudry teach students how to bake and decorate sugar cookies. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Buzz Bakery, 901 Slaters Lane, Alexandria, Va. Tickets are $55. Call to make a reservation, 703-600-2899.

2014 Sugar & Champagne Affair honors our local crusaders against animal cruelty. This celebration of all things sweet, showcases the D.C. area’s most talented pastry chefs. Tickets range from $90 to $150. To learn more, visit support.washhumane.org. Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

Art 2.0: The Art of Collecting Online A discussion about buying art online features Myrtis Bedolla, founding director of Galerie Myrtis and others. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 pm. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/art-20-the-art-of-collectingHillyer Art; Space 9; Hillyer Court, NW.

FEBRUARY 5

2014 Sugar & Champagne Affair Hosted by chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray, the Washington Humane Society’s

Play-Doh Cupcake Party at Sprinkles Please join us for a special “Play-Doh Party” at Sprinkles Cupcakes 2nd Floor Party Room. The event is sponsored by the new Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool in Georgetown and will feature Play-Doh Cupcake kits for each child to use and take home as well as delicious mini cupcakes courtesy of Sprinkles. Tickets cost $10 (Advance ticket purchase is required). Visit visit: dctots.com to learn more. 3015 M St., NW.

FEBRUARY 6

Georgetown Arts 2014 The fifth annual art show of the Citizens Association of Georgetown will showcase artwork by local Georgetown residents and artists who have studios in Georgetown. Most works will be for sale, with the proceeds going to support CAG, which aims to preserve the historic character, quality of life and aesthetic values of Georgetown. House of Sweden, 2900 K St., NW. Visit www.cagtown.org

These Chance Foundation dogs need adoption by loving families! My name is Brumble. I am the world's cutest Beagle boy! I am probably around 9 months old and am a real sweetheart. I was shy at the SPCA but am now coming out of my shell and learning how to play and be loved. I would love to find a special home where I will be treated with ho kindness and be a part of the family. I won't last long as I really am CUTE!!!!

permitting -- or in the historic rooms. Winter Wonderland, a family-friendly program, offers a new theme each week, with interactive read-alouds, songs and themed movement. Parents/caregivers must remain with children during the program. The program is for ages 2 through 4 and runs through Tuesday, February 18, from 10 to 10 :45 a.m. To learn more, visit www.tudorplace.org. 1644 31st St., NW

FEBRUARY 12

Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic at

FEBRUARY 10

FEBRUARY 4

Women’s Heart Health Forum At 7 p.m., National Public Radio host Diane Rehm will moderate a distinguished panel discussing Women’s Heart Health. The panel: Dr. Roger Blumenthal, Director of Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Preventive Cardiology Center. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States. The Forum will help women learn more about symptoms, risk factors and prevention that saves lives. This is a free event. Mondzac Performing Arts Center; 6101 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, Md. 20817.

FEBRUARY 8

Calendar

JANUARY 30

66th Annual ‘An Affair of the Heart’ Luncheon and Fashion Show The Women’s Board of the American Heart Association Greater Washington Region presents the 66th Annual “An Affair of the Heart” Luncheon and Fashion Show to benefit heart research and education. D.C. society will step out to this high-end event hosting more than 1,000 attendees. Bloomingdale’s will present the Fashion Show which will feature top designer collections along with exclusive pieces from the Spring 2014 collection. Tickets are $125 per person. To buy tickets and learn more, visit www.affairoftheheartdc.com. Marriott Wardman Park, 2660 Woodley Road, NW.

FEBRUARY 11

Tudor Place: Winter Wonderland Program Read, sing and play in the gardens -- weather

Verizon Center See over sixty of your favorite Disney characters from dozens of your favorite movies on ice in this special show. This event is very family friendly. The show will be at the Verizon Center through February 17th. 601 F St NW. For tickets visit, http://www. ticketmaster.com/Disney-On-Ice-100-Years-tickets/artist/830558 ★

Hello, Georgetown, We're Open for You. Once again, the village has its Shell service station back at a familiar corner. We are pleased to continue that history and are ready and honored to serve you. The seasoned professionals at Georgetown Shell specialize in domestic and foreign vehicles. Our capabilities range from regular maintenance, preventative maintenance, factory-authorized maintenance services, to diagnostic repairs, such as check engine lights, ABS faults, electrical failures. We are equipped with the latest preventative maintenance machines, diagnostic tools and scanners.

For more information on how to please visit the website at

Free tire rotation with oil change

www.countryclubkennels.com

EXP. 2/31/14

take these furbabies home,

Bobby Ladson Service Manager

Abe Elias Master Technician

Georgetown Shell, Where Excellence Is The Standard 1576 Wisconsin Ave., NW -- 202-965-1999 www.GeorgetownShell.com bobby@GeorgetownShell.com --- info@GeorgetownShell.com GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

5


Town Topics

The Georgetowner’s March Through History . . . and Georgetown By D av id Rof f ma n, P u b li s h e r E m e r i t u s s The Georgetowner newspaper ran the newspaper from these premises for close closes in on its 60th Anniversary, it to eight years. The staff also included Carol seems fitting that your town crier Watson, a wonderful artist; Marilyn Houston, will be relocating to new digs, of who wrote many articles of historic interest; course, in Georgetown. Unlike other newspa- and a young man, fresh out of the army, Randy pers that call Georgetown theirs, this is the only Roffman, my older brother. It was he who drew newspaper that makes its home in Georgetown me into the wonderful world of Ami C. Stewart. -- and has for six decades, albeit at 14 different I never would have guessed at the time that I locations in the community. would spend the next 42 years with the newspaThe Georgetowner newspaper was the brain- per, but it happened. child of Ami C. Stewart, who at the age of 66, In the early 1970s, with Ami’s health failing, began publishing it on Oct. 7, 1954. She knew we moved to 1201 28th St., N.W. The lone brick the newspaper business; she was a longtime building at that corner was our home for the next advertising representative for the Washington 8 years. From our second floor windows, we Evening Star. Her sales territory was Georgetown watched the construction of the Four Seasons and its surrounding environs. She dreamed of Hotel across M Street. We also witnessed the starting a newspaper for Georgetown for several mass arrest of the yippees who tried to shut down years when, with great encouragement from the the government in May 1971, protesting the Randolph sisters, owners of Little Caledonia, a Vietnam War. They marched en masse down M small department store of delightful surprises at Street from Key Bridge. They were arrested and 1419 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. It was on the second put in huge detaining trucks right below our winfloor in Little Caledonia, where Ami Stewart cre- dows. I remember a National Guardsman yelling ated Volume 1, Number 1, of the newspaper. It at us to get away from our window and quit takwas The Georgetowner’s first address. ing photographs. Protestors who were rounded

A

was closing. The Key Theatre, next to Roy Rogers at the corner of Prospect and Wisconsin, had them lined up around the block each weekend night for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” After several years high atop Swensen’s, we had to move again. You might be asking yourself at this point, why did you move so often? Usually, it had to do with the landlord renting out the entire building to a new tenant. Because we were second- or third-floor occupants on short leases, well, we had to go. Our next location was Hamilton Court, the beautiful courtyard developed by Al Voorhees. The courtyard was fronted by a row of new storefronts which included the Old Print Gallery, Cliff and Michelle Kranick’s gallery, an antiquarian book store, and Ann Brinkley’s antiques store. Behind it was a series of spacious offices, of which we occupied one at the rear of the courtyard. We enjoyed our stay here, the setting was in the heart of Georgetown across the street from our beloved, landmark post office. But we had to leave when the architectural firm above us

7-Eleven at the corner of Que and Wisconsin, the legendary French Market was gone and Appalachian Spring crafts had moved down the street. We felt like strangers up there. We moved after five years, down to 1410 Wisconsin, another empty upper floor spacious room, with no wiring. It dawned on us that we had probably wired half the second and third floor buildings on M or Wisconsin by this time. Thank goodness for Randy Reed Electric. While at 1410, Sonya Bernhardt joined the staff at The Georgetowner. In 1998, Sonya became the third publisher and owner of The Georgetowner. Many offices, few publishers: Ami C. Stewart, David Roffman and Sonya Bernhardt. The Georgetowner moved to its 13th location in 2001. The building at 1054 Potomac St., NW, had once been the home of Georgetown’s first mayor. Now it housed “the newspaper whose influence far exceeds its size” – as well as the Georgetown Media Group, which publishes The Georgetowner and The Downtowner newspapers and their websites. From late 2001 until this

2014 Address

1954 Address

Once the location of the famed Little Caledonia, 1419 Wisconsin is the birthplace of The Georgetowner during the 1950s.

The Georgetowner heads to the east side of town at the corner of M Street and 28th, where an office was in the 1970s.

Some of us still cannot get used to the idea that there is no Little Caledonia in Georgetown. Then again, most of the shops that existed here in 1954 are long gone: Neam’s Market, Dorcas Hardin, Dorothy Stead, Baylor Furniture, Little Flower Shop, Doc Dalinsky’s Georgetown Pharmacy, Chez Odette, Rive Gauche, the French Market, the Food Mart, Magruder’s, Muriel Mafrige, the Georgetown University Shop and on and on. All have left us. But The Georgetowner marches on. Soon after its founding, Stewart moved into 1204 Wisconsin Ave., NW. The building was headquarters for the National Bank of Washington. The Georgetowner occupied a small room in the back, one desk, two chairs, one window. Riggs Farmers & Mechanics Bank was across the street. Both banks are long gone. Our third location was 3019 M St., NW. We were next to a funeral home. We, however, lived on. Stewart finally found an office more to her liking. It was situated at 1610 Wisconsin Ave., NW. Ami and her right-hand gal Sue Buffalo

had to expand ... into our space. We next occupied the top floor of the Georgetown Electric shop on M Street, next to Old Glory restaurant. Spacious quarters indeed, and once again we climbed a lot of stairs every day. But we were close to Harold’s Deli, the Food Mart and Nathans. What more could we ask for? While running the newspaper from these quarters, we also founded and ran the Georgetown Visitor’s Center in Georgetown Court off Prospect Street. Robert Elliott, owner and landlord of the courtyard, gave us the space rent free, the merchants chipped in and afforded us the opportunity to publish brochures and pamphlets. Robert Devaney joined our staff at this point in the early 1990s. When Duke Rohr closed the GE shop, we moved once again. This time we returned to familiar digs at 1610 Wisconsin Ave., NW, way up the hill. We felt so removed from everything. The block had changed drastically. There was a

6

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

up were transported to RFK Stadium where they were held for processing. (The May Day 1971 protests in Washington, D.C., provoked the largest-ever mass arrest in American history with more 12,000 individuals detained.) Our sixth location was on the third floor above Crumpet’s, a pastry shop in the 1200 block of Wisconsin Avenue. John and Carol Wright were the owners. This was when writer Gary Tischler joined the staff. Britches of Georgetown was a few doors away. Billy Martin’s Tavern was across the street, as was Swensen’s Ice Cream Parlor. (There was formerly Stohlman’s Ice Cream Parlor, now memorialized at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History.) Climbing those three flights of stairs was rough, especially when balancing two cups of coffee and four Danish. We survived. A few years later, we moved across the street to 1254 Wisconsin Ave., NW, to the third floor above Swensen’s. It was the final years of disco, and Michael O’Harro’s Tramp’s Discotheque

week, the offices were at this address. Now, as we near our 60th anniversary, we are in the process of moving once again, to the northwest corner of 28th and M, the building which once housed American Needlework and then Schrader Sound -- not to mention the Bryn Mawr Bookshop and the office of Captain Peter Belin, famed president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown. Lots of history here. We hope to see you there and all around town when we set up our business office in February. ★ Find us at our new address: Georgetown Media Group, Inc. 2801 M Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20007 202-338-4833 202-338-4834 (fax) www.georgetowner.com editorial@georgetowner.com advertising@georgetowner.com


Town Topics

News Buzz By R ob e rt Devaney

Son Suspected in Stabbing of Parents Dies; Father Dead The tragic story about a Jan. 19 double stabbing in a Q Street home got worse. Fifty-six-year-old Bradford Nelson Elliott suffered a heart attack and died at a hospital Jan. 20, according to the Metropolitan Police Department, before being formally charged with homicide. Bradford Elliott was the only suspect in the stabbing death of his 88-year-old father, Le Roi Elliott, Jan. 19. The 81-year-old mother, Vaughn Elliott, was also injured during the same attack, which took place at the Elliotts’ home in the 3300 block of Q Street, NW, across from Volta Park. They had lived there since the mid-1980s. Bradford Elliott was reportedly mentally ill and lived in the Q Street home with his parents. It was Vaughan Elliott, who called 9-1-1 around 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 19. Bradford Elliott answered the door with blood-soaked hands when police arrived and was arrested, MPD told the Washington Post. He was being treated at a hospital, while in custody, and a Jan. 22 court appearance had been scheduled.

Muth Guilty of Murdering His Wife, Viola Drath Albrecht Gero Muth, accused of killing his 91-year-old wife Viola Herms Drath in August 2011 in their Georgetown home, was found guilty of first-degree murder Jan. 16 in D.C. Superior Court. The jury deliberated less than one full day before reaching its verdict. Muth will be sentenced in March and could receive life in prison. Drath was found dead in the third-floor bathroom of her home on Q Street on Aug. 12, 2011, after being strangled and beaten. Medical examiners determined Drath’s death to be a homicide – and not a result of falling, as Muth first contended. There had been not forced entry into the house. He was arrested a few days later on P Street, after being locked out of the house and wandering around the neighborhood and sleeping in nearby Montrose Park. A veteran journalist and married previously to an Army colonel, Drath and Muth were married in 1990 and known around town for their dinner parties with a mix of political, diplomatic, military and media VIPs. Drath was 44 years older than Muth. Prosecutors argued that Muth showed a pattern of abuse against his wife and was motivated by money, saying he had no steady job and was not included in Drath’s will. “He was a good little con man,” prosecutor Glenn Kirschner told the jury. During trial testimony, Drath’s daughters, Connie and Francesca (from her first marriage), talked about Muth’s money arrangements with his wife and of his emails to them about items he wanted upon her death. Seen around Georgetown in faux military garb, the cigar-smoking Muth was perceived by neighbors and shopkeepers as an oddball. He said that he was a member of the Iraqi Army -which the Iraqi government denied. Delays to the trial start date were due in part to Muth’s failing heath because of his decision to restrict his eating. He participated from his hospital bed via video conferencing and was not

Honoring Those Who Serve: Thanks, MPD

at the courthouse. The jury did not see Muth in his deteriorated condition nor did he testify.

Police Traffic Cameras Go Live, Feb. 1 After a month’s delay, 100 new traffic cameras, controlled by the Metropolitan Police Department, are set to issue drivers moving violation tickets, beginning Feb. 1. While drivers are used to getting tickets via photo for speeding and going through a red light, the new round of ticketing includes violations for failing to stop completely at a stop sign or failing to stop for pedestrians. Some drivers fail to stop completely at the stop-sign white line that is painted in front of the crosswalk. So, remember drivers: no more Jersey bounces or California rolls. In its “D.C. StreetSafe” program, the MPD says: “Tickets will be issued when vehicles fail to stop at a stop sign. The MPD has a total of 32 stop sign cameras to identify vehicles passing a stop sign without coming to a full stop.” The nearest locations in and around Georgetown are: 35th and R Streets; Calvert and 39th Streets; 24th and N Streets. Prices of fines are the same, as if a police officer issued them to you.

Neighborhood Crimes: Robbery – “with force and violence” – 1200 block of 27th Street, NW, 6:31 p.m., Jan. 16: woman fought off female attackers near Rose Park but her shopping bag was taken. Armed robbery – 3400 block of N Street: The Georgetown University Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Second District are investigating an armed robbery of a Georgetown University student. The student reported to GUPD that while walking in the 3400 block of N Street N.W., he was robbed at gun point, 1:50 a.m., Jan. 21, by three black male suspects wearing pulled-up hoodies. Taken was a backpack containing personal property. The suspects were last seen running on N towards 36th Street N.W. There were no injuries. Call MPD at 202-715-7300, or contact the university’s public safety department at 202687-4343. On Jan. 25, both a burglary and a theft occurred around 7 p.m., on the 3000 block and the 3300 block, respectively, of M St., NW, MPD reported.

Evermay Draws Big Crowd for CAG The year’s first monthly meeting for the Citizens Association of Georgetown at Evermay Jan. 15 drew one of its biggest crowds, as the S&R Foundation’s Kate Goodall spoke to the crowd about the foundation’s goals as social incubator and its Illuminate seminars at Halcyon House. Its Overtures Series of musical performances begins March 11. Artist-in-residence Ryo Yanagitani serenaded the audience with Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” written in 1801, the same year that Evermay was built.

Nancy Taylor Bubes, Georgetowner and real agent rockstar at Washington Fine Properties, organized a festive thankyou with Marc and Nancy Duber at their newly redone N Street home for the officers of the Metropolitan Police Department Jan. 16. A great mix of neighbors and police officers enjoyed the party so much they round up singing “Amazing Grace” at the end of the evening. -- Photos below.

S&R Foundation President Sachiko Kuno, CAG President Pamla Moore, Kate Goodall of S&R Foundation and pianist Ryo Yanagitani.

Rev. Rodney Teal, pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church, council member Jack Evans, Rev. Wilbur Willis, Commander Michael Reese of the Second District, MPD officer Antonial Atkins and Nancy Taylor Bubes.

Nancy Duber and Kristin Cecchi.

Community Calendar Monday, 6:30 p.m., Feb. 4 – monthly meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC2E), Georgetown Visitation Prep, 35th Street. Thursday, 6 p.m., Feb. 6 – CAG presents Georgetown Arts 2014, House of Sweden, 2900 K St., NW; opening reception. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Feb. 8 – Coffee with ANC Commissioner Ed Solomon - monthly meeting on issues impacting the residents of Burleith and Hillandale - status on Wisconsin Avenue lane reconfiguration, Duke Ellington School modernization project, parking, public safety and open discussion -- representatives from MPD and Georgetown University to attend – at Georgetown Safeway, 1855 Wisconsin Ave., NW.

Friday, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 31 – 41st Annual Cherry Tree Massacre, Gaston Hall, Georgetown University. Other dates: Feb. 1, Feb. 7, Feb. 15. It includes a cappella groups from Georgetown and other universities. For details, visit GeorgetownChimes.org. Saturday, 7 p.m., Feb. 22 – CAG presents Concerts in the Park kick-off party at Pinstripes, the new bowling, bocce and bistro located in Georgetown Park (entrance on Wisconsin Avenue at the C&O Canal). Co-chaired by Colman Riddell, Jennie Reno and Jennifer Altemus, the adults-only benefit helps cover the cost of the CAG summer concerts, which are free and open to all: $85 for CAG members; $95, non-members.

JOHN D. RICHARDSON CO., LTD. General Contractor RENOVATION NEW BUILDING DESIGN SERVICES 202-342-7424 1516 34TH ST., N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20007 JOHN@JOHNDRICHARDSONCOMPANY.COM

SINCE 1976

WWW.JOHNDRICHARDSONCOMPANY.COM Richardson_AD.indd 1

10/8/13 11:03 AM

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

7


EDITORIAL/ OPINON

The Amazing Grace of Virginia Williams

W

e lost an original this past week. Virginia Williams, the mother of former Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams passed away in California after a brief illness. She was 87. We recall going to many a function in the city, a charity event or electoral fund raiser or something involving children or seniors, and there she’d be, up on the podium, singing a gospel hymn, raising up every voice in song. It was always hard to be objective around Virginia Williams. She was an embracer, a handshaker, a look-you-in-the-eye and measuring-you kind of person, as vivid as the right note in “Amazing Grace.” She insisted on getting to know you, enough so that if she had an opinion about something, she’d call you up and share it. When Anthony Williams was comtemplating running for mayor, he called his mother for help. According to comments and stories from the former mayor, he said that that she was the only one who knew anything about politics in his family. So, Virginia Williams, who had just lost her husband, came here and helped her son. She was coming from a place where she raised nine children, six of her own, and three adopted, including Anthony. Williams, the Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia at the time, was a political

novice, and often seemed to remain in that state, which was refreshing. He lacked the kind of charisma that came easily to the Marion Barrys and Bill Clintons of the world. But he had an ace up his sleeve — his mom. In her life, Virginia Williams worked at the post office in Los Angeles, trained to be an opera singer, ran for office and campaigned for Tom Bradley, the first black mayor of Los Angeles. She knew a thing or two about life experiences, some of them painful. She was a woman of faith and shared that gladly, but without pressure. She embraced life, every bit of it, and responded to its grace, its gifts as well as it sorrows. Mayor Williams is said to have once quipped that some people had trouble figuring out if he had a soul or not, and that his mother settled the matter simply by her presence. She was called “Nana” by her large extended family, which grew a lot larger when she came to Washington. She and her husband, the late Lewis Williams III, adopted the then three-year-old Anthony Eggleton, who had been raised in foster care and did not speak. Obviously, under the care of the Williams family, he learned to speak and a lot of other things. When she campaigned for her son, people got to hear not only the urgings of a mother but the voice of a real singer. She sang uplifting songs at every occasion. She said once, “My son

Jack Evans Report: Reviewing the Budget BY JACK EVANS

I says I saved his life. I credit him with saving mine by giving me an opportunity to help in reaching people with his programs.” She was never, from our experience of her, an old lady. A lady, surely. But old? Never. She said she believed what a writer had written: “Old age should be saturated with dreams.” Her life was a rich one—it went through Peducah, Kentucky, to Mississippi, to Washington, D.C., to New Jersey, to Chicago, to California and back to D.C. Her first appearance was at an Anthony Williams campaign kickoff in 1998, where she sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” That song ran through all the days of her life. ★

Obamacare: Unintended Consequences

BY D AV ID P OS T he law that governments most commonly pass is the Law of Unintended Consequences. The legislation to help small businesses reduce costs and insure more people, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, may do the opposite. First, a little history on employer-provided healthcare. During World War II, labor markets were tight and demand for good employees was fierce. When federal law imposed wage and price controls that prohibited employers from raising wages to attract workers, employers increased benefits such as healthcare. In 1945, President Truman proposed a national healthcare system open to everyone on an optional basis. It failed in the face of fierce opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and various medical associations, which called it “socialism.” Labor unions campaigned for employer-provided healthcare. In 1954, Congress passed section 105 of the tax code, which allows employers to provide employee healthcare without the employees having to pay tax on the value received. (Today, that law is the most expensive tax “loophole,” costing the government more than $175 billion per year.)

T

By 1958, three quarters of Americans had employer-provided health coverage. (Today, the figure is less than half.) In 1961, the IRS approved Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangements, or HRAs, that allowed employers to reimburse employees – with a receipt – for healthcare expenses without the employees owing tax on the reimbursement. Obviously few, if any, employers have unlimited reimbursement plans. For whatever reason, group plans cost more per person than individual plans. For example, a group plan for a company with 10 to 25 employees with an average age of 35 costs about $800 per month per employee. Individual plans average about $300 per month. As a result, many small companies use HRAs to reimburse employees for their individual plans. Beginning this year, Obamacare eliminated policy limits, so that a person with cancer no longer had to worry about running out of insurance. But guess what? HRAs have limits, so reimbursement plans are now taxable for employees. Though HRAs are mainly used by small businesses, Target recently announced it was going to use HRAs to reimburse thousands of its employees up to $500 per month so they PUBLISHER

Sonya Bernhardt EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Robert Devaney Please send all submissions of opinions for FEATURES EDITORS consideration to editorial@georgetowner.com Gary Tischler Ari Post

WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA

Charlene Louis

ADVERTISING

Evelyn Keyes Kelly Sullivan Richard Seldon

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jen Merino

8

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

can buy their own insurance. (This also cuts Target’s cost in half, since group insurance costs $1,000 per month.) Because $500 is not an unlimited amount, those employees will owe tax on their reimbursements. Clearly, Obamacare was trying to protect that cancer patient by requiring unlimited benefits, but did it intend for employees of small businesses to be hit with higher taxes? Does Obamacare intend to push small businesses into buying group policies at double the cost of individual plans? That’s not imaginable, though cynics and Obamacare-haters will say: Of course. How many small companies use reimbursement plans? The executive director of a small Habitat for Humanity affiliate that uses a reimbursement plan says, “Lots of trees in those woods.” Its employees will collectively owe an additional $8,000. My company’s employees will owe an additional $25,000. Both the Habitat affiliate and my company will also reimburse the employees’ additional tax, but that only increases our costs. In its effort to reduce costs and help small businesses, Obamacare increased taxes on the employees of small businesses. That is the Law of Unintended Consequences.★ GRAPHIC DESIGN

Jeff Malet Neshan Naltchayan

PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT

COPY EDITOR

Nathan Hill Tim Riethmiller

Corrie Dyke PHOTOGRAPHERS

Philip Bermingham

n my last report, I wrote about the new year and several of my ongoing priorities: education, public safety and affordable housing. One thing my goals for these areas have in common is that they will be substantially affected by the budget decisions the mayor and the council make over the next few months. As chairman of the finance and revenue committee, I often find this time of year to be my busiest. Before the budget is released, however, we undertake the performance oversight process. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been sending questions to the agencies under my purview to collect data on agency structure and recent spending. After I review what has worked and what has not, I will be in a better position to make recommendations on adjustments to the agency budgets for next year. The largest agency falling within the oversight framework of my committee is the office of the chief financial officer. This agency includes a number of component departments, such as tax and revenue, finance and treasury and revenue analysis. Our new CFO, Jeff DeWitt, recently began serving in a full-time capacity. I am looking forward to hearing his vision for the agency and sharing my ideas and experience with him as the CFO’s budget is formulated. Last year I was also pleased to welcome the Commission on the Arts & Humanities and Destination DC to the group of organizations for which my committee has oversight responsibility. These agencies, along with Events DC (formerly known as the Washington Convention and Sports Authority), contribute substantially to the economic development and cultural life of our city. After the conclusion of the oversight process (and, coincidentally, right after the mayoral primary), the mayor will release a draft budget proposal for the 2015 fiscal year. At that time we will have another round of hearings with the agencies that fall under the committee’s oversight responsibility. After we make changes to the budget that we consider appropriate, a final version will be passed in June. Please feel free to get in touch with my office – and with the offices of my colleagues – to share your experiences with the executive agencies over the past year, both positive and negative. This is the right time to recognize good work and to bring accountability to areas that need improvement.★

Paulina Phelps CONTRIBUTORS

Susan Lund INTERNS

Serafine George Nicole Cusick

Mary Bird Pamela Burns Linda Roth Conte Jack Evans Donna Evers John Fenzel Amos Gelb

Lisa Gillespie Jody Kurash Stacy Notaras Murphy Walter Nicholls David Post Alison Schafer Shari Sheffield Bill Starrels


BUsiness

Tom Russo, Owner of Chadwick’s, Dies

A Great Smile is PRICELESS Tirdad Fattahi, DDS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

By Robert De van e y

B

usiness owner Tom Russo died Jan. 24 at the age of 60 from cancer. Thomas Joseph Russo lived in McLean, Va., and died surrounded by his family. A Georgetown University graduate, he was the owner of Chadwick’s Restaurant in Georgetown, at K Street and Wisconsin Avenue, as well as the owner of Chadwick’s in Alexandria. Most recently, Russo was named the 2013 Georgetown Businessman of the Year by the Georgetown Business Association. According to the notice sent by the Russo family: he is survived by his beloved wife of more than 37 years, Stephanie, children Katie Burkert (Jason), Dan Russo, Annie Pavia (CJ), and Joe Russo, and grandson, Levi Thomas Burkert. He is also survived by brothers Jack and Rudy, sisters Marilyn and Janice, his wife’s parents Howie and Rita Meyer, and a large, loving extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Ann Russo, of Norristown, Pa., where he was born. He attended Georgetown University where he met his wife Stephanie and graduated with a B.S. in Accounting in 1975. In McLean and Annandale, Russo coached youth baseball and basketball. He and his wife Stephanie were very active as parents at St. John’s Academy in McLean and were honored for their work. Russo also worked with the Bartenders’ Ball Foundation and helped to raise money for several charities.

Selected among “Washington’s Top Dentists 2013” by the Washington Magazine

202.338.7499

www.drfattahi.com admin@drfattahi.com

($263-306.00 value)

Includes Comprehensive Exam, X rays, Cleaning and Flouride.

Home Whitening $150.00 Free Invisalign Consults (Not valid with any other offers, discounts or third party billings)

Tom and Stephanie Russo

The visitation will be held 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 29, at National Funeral Home in Falls Church, Va. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 30, at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church in McLean. (Following the mass and burial, there will be a reception and celebration of Tom Russo’s life at Chadwick’s in Georgetown.) Donations may be made in Russo’s name to the V Foundation for Cancer Research (www. jimmyv.org) or to Life With Cancer (www.lifewithcancer.org). ★

INS & OUTS

$500 Off New Invisalign Treatment

4840 MacArthur Blvd. NW Suite 101 Washington DC 20007 YOUR COMPUTER PROBLEMS SOLVED...FOREVER!

WHITEHORSE

By R obert De vane y

Out: Heiner Contemporary Arts at 1675 Wisconsin Ave., NW, departed artsy Book Hill row early this month. The art gallery, run by Margaret Heiner since 2011, decamps to Farmington, Conn., where Heiner’s husband moved to be a museum curator. The gallery continues to exists as a website. Out: The French Apartment, known for its one-of-a-kind vintage furniture, at 1671 Wisconsin Ave., NW, will be the end of January. Owner Kathleen McGarrah may continue her business online. Check TheFrenchApartment. com. In: Hill & Dale Record Parlor in Canal Square -- in the former Parrish Gallery space -- with a Feb. 7 grand opening as well as an exhibit by rock photographer Peter Simon. It sells vinyl records, rock music posters, artwork and photographs.

New Patient: $75

COMPUTER CLUB

Slow computer? Virus? Computer crash? Lost valuable photos, movies, music, and documents? Bet you’re also paying at least UTB Boutique, “Rub My Duckie” toy.

IN: UTB Boutique at 3147 Dumbarton St., NW, next to the Bank of America parking lot, has replaced the western wear shop. It sells “sexy wear,” “romance baskets” and other adult items. Its website -- UnderneathTheBed.com -is for those over 18 years of age. Be sure to see the “Rub My Duckie” toy. ★

$15 per month for a second-rate anti-virus. Instead, you could have business-class IT support/security for just $20/month AND support your child’s school/PTA. Whitehorse is the way...

age rcent hly e p A ont ur m goes o y f o n riptio rent subsc your pa tly to on-profit direc n p or grou choice! of

Benefits to You: Online Back-up * Regularly Updated Anti-Virus Protection * Regularly Updated Anti-Malware Protection * Weekly Tune-Ups * Remote Support – 1 hour a month

703-738-6302

www.WhiteHorseComputerClub.com Hill & Dale Record Parlor, Photo by Tim Riethmiller

1419 Dolley Madison Boulevard, McLean, VA 22101 GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

9


REAL ESTATE

Featured Property: 1666 33rd ST NW

What was once the show home of Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, this beautifully renovated twostory Georgetown office building/showroom/retail space could easily be converted into a lovely residential home. Gorgeous hardwood floors throughout, two half-baths, large reception (or converted living) area with a center area that has a fireplace. The sliding glass doors lead to a great patio that is perfect for entertaining. Upstairs has a large office & a beautiful kitchen w/high end cabinetry w/center aisle. Zoned C2A. The property is also available for lease at $6,000/month. ★

$1,450,000 Long & Foster Extraordinary Properties David Cox 202-365-8138 Mobile: 202-237-8007

10 January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.


REAL ESTATE

Mortgage:Bad News Is Good News

BY BIL L S TA REL L S ad news for stocks can be good news and now the new rules are tougher. Ratios have for mortgage rates. Spurred by slower been contracted to a total allowable debt ratio of growth in China and unease in emerging 43%. Credit lines now must be counted against markets, the stock market has been in a correc- a borrower even if they are untouched. A lot of tion mode. homeowners do have lines of credit which have When the stock markets tank, bond mar- no balances which may be a determent to their kets are often one of the safe-havens. Ten-Year ability to refinance or buy a second home. Treasury notes closely mirror movement in the The Dodd-Frank rules pose a downside risk mortgage backed securities markets and often for the housing market. If these regulations sends mortgage rates lower. This has translated restrict the supply of credit, some households into good news for mortgage interest rates. looking to purchase a home could find themCurrent mortgage interest rates are at the selves shut out of the market, which would lowest they have been for a few weaken demand. A lot of observTime will tell if the ers think the Dodd-Frank rules months. The trend appears to be current downturn in may slow the recovery in the housthat rates are drifting even lower. If a borrower has locked in a the equities markets ing sector. loan over the last several weeks Time will tell if the current persists or moves to downturn in the equities markets and the loan is not closing immethe sidelines. diately, they should go back to persists or moves to the sidelines. their lender and ask if they have a If it becomes sustained for a periprice renegotiation policy. Most banks do have od of time, it will tamp down economic growth a policy which allows a one-time rate change. It prospects for 2014. This would potentially help doesn’t cost anything to ask. keep mortgages lower. In recent weeks Ten-Year Treasury notes One of the most important reports around reached a high of 3%. Currently Ten-Year the corner is the employment report on February Treasury notes are around 2.72%, a drop of over 7. Most expect a strong report in January and twenty-five basis points in the first part of the revised (higher) numbers for December. The year. This is a large move. report will be the foundation for the near term.★ The new Dodd-Frank rules have kicked in for the banking industry. These rules have put Bill Starrels lives in Georgetown. He specializes in further limits on the institutions and how they residential mortgages. He can be reached at 703-625must qualify a borrower for a mortgage. No 7355 or bill.starrels@gmail.com NMLS#485021 one seemed to think the rules were easy in 2013,

B

Foxfire ANTIQUES • INTERIORS

Your invitation to consign Call on the expertise of Freeman’s specialists to assess the value of your antiques. Our American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts specialists will be visiting the Washington, D.C. area on February 11-13 to evaluate property for the upcoming May auction. Works of interest include furniture, paintings, and silver as well as decorative and folk pieces made and used in the United States from the Colonial Period through the 20th century. For your complimentary and confidential appointment, please contact: Matthew Wilcox 215.940.9825 mwilcox@freemansauction.com Exquisite European antiques for the American home. Beautiful, durable pieces that have been treasured for generations and hold their value. We ship anywhere with no charge for deliveries within 100 miles of our location. Find us in historic Middleburg, Virginia, just across the street from The Red Fox – the oldest inn in America. 7 East Washington Street • Middleburg,Virginia • foxfireantiques.com Phone: 540-687-5241 Store hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm

Appliqued and pieced cotton presentation quilt Sold for $40,000 Painted yellow pine blanket chest, attributed to Johannes Spitler Sold for $350,500

www.freemansauction.com January 29, 2014 GMG, INC. 11


IN COUNTRY

Wandergolf

GOLFING IN THE JUNGLES OF NICARAGUA BY WA L LY GREE V E S

Mukul Resort and Guacalito Golf Course along the Emerald Coast of Nicaragua.

W

hile on a family trip to Nicaragua recently, I made sure to detour for a night from the sustainable farm we were staying at long enough to play David Maclay Kidd’s newly designed Guacalito Golf Course at Mukul Resort along the country’s Emerald Coast . . . twice. On the Pacific, the resort has been open less than a year. The picturesque 18th green that has rounded the golf magazine circuit tops off an amazing round of jungle golf that blends into its environment so well that I got the feeling the howler monkeys probably never left during construction. Maybe they were as impressed as I was that not one of their trees was chopped down to create the tract. Fifteen hundred trees were relocated safely on the property to make the course easier for me, and the wooden beams used in the resort’s construction phase were expensively collected from the wakes of hurricanes to help me sleep better at night. Starting with number one, Genizaro (a rain or monkeypod tree), every golf hole is named for a native tree found on it, and the artwork above my bed at night was weaved with reeds, made from the leaves of Nicaraguan coffee bean trees. The golf course and resort overflowed with domestic pride at every turn. The only thing that could have made each of these

12

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

golf rounds more enjoyable would have been my two black labs running down the fairways chasing iguanas, while I played. The first two holes are each par fours, and 250-yard shots down the middle of the fairway leave you fair approach shots, the second one being more uphill and over riskier terrain. Architect Kidd is building a stunning home overlooking the par three 3rd hole that, if he follows owner Don Carlos Pellas’s tradition, will be rentable while he is not in residence. Holes 4 and 16 are similar par five target golf holes, both fairways crossed twice with shot-stealing scrub ditches. The par five number 7 hole has some kind of weird dense-air-looking visual spatial effect that guarantees you will use too much club on your approach shot. You will be angry about this but will probably do it again the next day, too. The 8th green is accessed by a cool, locally fashioned suspension bridge that you will really like, if your ball is on the green already. Hole #11 is a challenging downhill tee shot that leaves you, in my opinion, the hardest approach shot on the course. We agreed it was the hardest hole on the course, but it was rated as the 14th. I almost made par the second round and was elated. The par three 12th hole tee box was spectacular, and that was before we were treated to a flash visit from a troupe of howler monkeys. The Scotland-inspired, Redan-styled par three

David Maclay Kidd’s 18th Green at Guacalito Golf Course.

15th hole was punctuated with a swale-divided Biarritz green (ha, ha, ha, ha . . . Golf Digest, here I come). The 17th hole was my favorite, and the 18th is a one of a kind treat, leaving you on the surf. Adam Scott purportedly loves this place because he can be fairly anonymous and surf up

from the Pacific Ocean to his golf cart and play. I scored well both rounds here. So, I would have to say it was probably the toughest course I have ever played. Joking aside, Kidd has made this a beautifully playable experience I could enjoy every morning of a vacation, however long. The cliff-side bohio we were delivered to by


IN COUNTRY this one was, but I had the best foot rub I have ever had there, and it turned my wife into a noodle. Dinner in the formal dining room was elegant. The mural-sized black-and-white photos of owner Don Carlos Pellas’s parents wedding gave us the feeling we were celebrating with the owner in delivering a legacy resort that Nicaraguans can be proud of. Ninety-five percent of the workforce hails from within two miles of the resort, and the Mukul team spent years training them to five-star standards -another testament to the owner’s interests in the future of Nicaragua. A breakfast decided upon the evening before magically appeared on our balcony table around seven, and we struggled with how to allocate our only hour left in a much too hurried visit. My wife chose a walk on the beach, and I finished a primo cigar from the evening before and scoured the ocean horizon hoping to see a whale. A shiny black sedan from Mukul’s fleet delivered us to the airport in Managua, and another Mukul team member stayed with us until we arrived at our gate. A short flight later and an arrival home to roughly the same time zone we left from made the experience feel like a daydream. The only reminder of the recent past was the faint smell of cigar in my clothes, and the good taste it left in my mouth.★

A Cliffside Mukul Resort bohio.

golf cart after our round was a top-five favorite for me. High ceilings, wood, balcony, whirlpool, marble, little pillows, and flat-out style showcased the unrealized tree fort of my adult dream life. The kind of place you ashamedly find your-

self texting pictures of to relatives before you start unpacking your luggage. A chauffeured golf cart ensured that we were on time for our evening trip to the five-star resort’s award-winning spa. Each of the six spa

buildings that make up the relaxing compound boast ultra-unique motifs, personal post-treatment pools, outstanding smells, and extremely knowledgeable masseuses. I am nowhere near spa-educated enough to tell you just how good

Wandergolf will be a frequently appearing golf column in The Georgetowner that will be reporting on the golf interests of Washingtonians. If you have suggestions for columns or comments, please email them to wally@ wandergolf.com

keswick, virginia 202.390.2323 www.castlehillcider.com events@castlehillcider.com

info@rhettassociates.com

po box 46, keswick, va 22947 434.296.0047 GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

13


travel

WINTER TRAVEL: THE CARIBBEAN Mustique Island

In the heart of Britannia Bay, Basil’s Bar extends over the water and has been hosting an international crowd for over 25 years. In season, Wednesday night features a barbeque buffet dinner with live music. Sunday night features sunset jazz, followed by á la carte dining. Basil’s is home to the legendary Mustique Blues Festival in late January and early February, where A-list musicians come to play, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy world class music.

By Nic ol e C us ick ustique Island is a private island of the archipelago that makes up St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is approximately two and half square miles, covering 1,400 acres. At its highest elevation the island has a view point of 500 feet giving way to a series of small valleys leading to pristine palm fringed beaches. The coconut tree plantations, added more than 50 years ago, give the island its thick and luscious vegetation. A once hidden gem, Mustique is a growing tropical destination.

M

What to do in Mystique: Taking advantage of the beach is a must, but there are many other things to do in Mustique. For the adventurous, several water sports, nature and fitness trails, bird watching and horseback riding are all available. The island also supplies entertainment through an open air movie theater, local museum and island library. Explore what else this hidden treasure has to offer and more at mustique-island.com.

Where to Stay: The Villa Collection Mustique has a collection of over a hundred unique and individual houses. Many of the villas are available to rent. House sizes range from the intimate two bedroom cottages, suitable for honeymooners and couples, to the 8-10 bedroom private estates. The Cotton House Hotel The Cotton House Hotel, formerly the old cotton warehouse is the oldest building on the island. Converted by architect Oliver Messel, who designed many structures on the island,

Mustique Island

the Cotton House has 17 rooms, ranging from a presidential two-bedroomed suite with private pool and drawing rooms to single rooms. Both locations offer a full hospitality staff to help provide a relaxing experience. The team includes a cleaning staff, a kitchen staff to stock up on all of your favorite foods upon arrival, child care and spa professionals trained in various spa treatments.

Where to Eat:

The Firefly The Firefly’s cocktail bar is famous for its legendary sunset views over Britannia Bay. Home to the Mustique Champagne and Martini Clubs, favorites amongst the island’s regulars, the restaurant serves a range of dishes using fresh, local ingredients with a Caribbean flair. They also serve pizzas, which can be delivered to you on the beach. Basil’s Beach Bar & Restaurant

Caribbean Tourism By Terry R obe

O

ne of the most popular destinations for winter travel, the Caribbean is a region of surprising diversity. While the 30 members of the Caribbean Tourism Organization – from Anguilla to Venezuela – share a sea, their

Look at things from a different perspective.

Choose an office with a stunning view of Downtown DC, and we’ll customize a plan that suits your business best.

Mention this ad and get one month free on a 12 month contract at our Rosslyn WorkCenter.

Fully-equipped, furnished, staffed, laptop-ready work environments, perfect for businesses of all sizes. Great image, short commitments, instant scalability and no start-up capital costs. All on your terms, from one month to three years. 14

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

Rosslyn WorkCenter 571.384.7900 | RosslynTeam@carrworkplaces.com 1001 19th Street North | Suite 1200| Rosslyn, VA| 22209 carrworkplaces.com


Travel

Caribbean Island

citizens may speak English, Spanish, French or Dutch. To gain insight into Caribbean travel trends, The Georgetowner recently spoke with Sylma Brown Bramble, director of CTO-USA, Inc., the New York-based subsidiary of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The Georgetowner: How important is the North American market to the region’s tourism? SBB: North America has delivered the most visitors to the Caribbean over the past several decades. In 2012, the region welcomed over 21 million long-stay visitors (not including cruise visitors) to its shores, 60 % of whom came from North America. As product offerings such as sports, faith-based, adventure, cuisine and multigenerational vacations continue to gain popularity, we expect to see an increase in the numbers. The Georgetowner: Many people think of cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts when they think of the Caribbean, but is this an outdated picture? SBB: Absolutely. There is a wide variety of hotel choices in the Caribbean, from guesthouses to tony boutique properties to villas to time-shares to elegant luxury resorts. The Georgetowner: Is the Caribbean also a cultural heritage destination? SBB: Yes, our cultural heritage is intimately relevant to the development of tourism. Its authenticity and diversity can be found in no other destination. There are music and cultural festivals, such as the Music Festival in St. Kitts, the Reggae festivals in Jamaica and the Creole Festival in Dominica. Trinidad and Tobago is well known for Carnival, but in the Bahamas it is Junkanoo and in Barbados it is Crop Over. Our cuisine is another area that reflects our cultural heritage and in which there is much variety. In the French and French-influenced territories of Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Martin, there is an unmistakable creole flair to the dishes. But in all local fare in the Caribbean there is a delicious infusion of locally grown ingredients with the influences of European or African ancestry. The Georgetowner: What is meant by Leading Sustainable Tourism, CTO’s stated purpose? SBB: Because the Caribbean is the most tourism-dependent region in the world, we have an immense challenge and opportunity: to maintain tourist flows necessary to guarantee economic stability; to ensure the proper use of our resources for the benefit of visitors and

locals and to see that the resources that currently attract visitors are protected and preserved for future generations. The Caribbean Tourism Organization, as the region’s tourism development agency, is the leading advocate for development issues, hence the purpose. CTO holds an annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development to share best practices and keep our stakeholders updated. So we live our purpose both in words and in deed. ★ Islands at a glance: Aruba Language: Dutch * The 320-room Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, opened in November. * The first international flights for Southwest Airlines, announced this week, include flights from BWI to Aruba (and also to the Bahamas and Jamaica), beginning July 1. Barbados Language: English * The SoCo (for South Coast) Hotel, allinclusive but intimate with only 24 rooms, opened in 2013. * One of the newest and best-rated restaurants – in one of the Caribbean’s top dining destinations – is Chez Max. Grenada Language: English * Grenada’s carnival, SpiceMas, will begin in May instead of June in 2014 as part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the country’s independence. * Spice Island Beach Resort is on Island Magazine’s new list of 15 of the World’s Greatest Escapes. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Language: English * Two islands in the Grenadines – Bequia and Canouan – made a recent Huffington Post list of Caribbean Islands You’ve Never Heard Of But Should Visit. * Saint Vincent’s new Argyle International Airport, designed to accommodate large jets, is scheduled for completion late in 2014. Trinidad and Tobago Language: English * “Voluntourism” opportunities are available between March and September, when up to 12,000 nesting leatherback turtles come to the beaches of Trinidad. * Tobago recently launched a tablet and smart-phone app.

CTO Quarter Page Ad - 4.875 x 6.125

18%• 15% • 12% • 9% • 6% •

APR*

3% 1889 • 1900 • 1925 • 1950 • 1975 • 2000 • 2014 OUR BEST HOME EQUITY RATE IN 125 YEARS! The same great service at no additional cost. We’ll pay up to $3,000.00 in fees.**

APPLY TODAY

316 Pennsylvania Ave, SE • 202.546.8000 5228 44th Street, NW • 202.966.2688

www.nationalcapitalbank.com

*The variable rate on our Home Equity Line of Credit is equal to the Prime Rate published in The Wall Street Journal minus .50%. The APR varies monthly; maximum APR is 18.00%; minimum APR is 3.25%. As of 1-1-14, the APR for NCB’s Home Equity Line of Credit was 3.25%. **If the line is closed within three years, the customer will be responsible for up to $3,000.00 in fees. Fees generally total between $1,312.00 and $5,656.00 and do not include required property insurance. This offer is subject to change at any time. Credit is subject to approval.

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC. 15


LONG & FOSTER

®

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE • MORTGAGE • T Georgetown, Washington, DC

Spring Valley, Washington, DC

$1,795,000

Elegant & classic 6 Bedroom home with high ceilings, generous sized rooms, an inviting entrance foyer, sunny Family room with stone fireplace, spacious kitchen & private backyard. Move-in condition! Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

Bloomingdale, Washington, DC

$4,850,000 THE RESIDENCES at the RITZ-CARLTON! This extraordinary home features over 3,400 sq ft of open living space w panoramic Potomac River & Georgetown city views. Featuring a marble foyer entrance & gallery, high ceilings, cherry floors, cozy library w/custom built-ins. Salley Widmayer 202-215-6174 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

$199K-380K

Nine unit condo bldg w/ 8 - 1BRs & 1 studio. Courtyard views. Two, 1BRs, have courtyard access. Studio has private entrance. All units incl. extra storage cages on 1st lvl. Cafe coming soon. Vassiliki/Franciscos 202-345-2429/202-438-4900 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

#1 in Bringing Together Buyers and Sellers At Long & Foster, it’s about more than buying and selling homes — it’s about the total homeownership experience.

Dupont Circle, Washington, DC

$362,000

Charming 1BR/1BA w/ spacious private patio courtyard, NEW wood engineered flrs, granite kit updates, W/D. PET-FRIENDLEY BLDG, low condo fees, Dupont/West End METROS, amenities. COME SEE! Miller Chevy Chase Office 202-966-1400

#

#1 independent real estate company in the nation #1 seller of luxury properties in the Washington Metro

Georgetown, Washington, DC

$620,000

1BR, 1BA Duplex Condo in The Madelon on trendy Prospect Street. Open Flr plan on 1st flr w/ Living /Dining rm. Modern kit w/ ss appl & granite counters. Lower level presents a spacious MBR w/adjacent marble BA, laundry rm. Bldg. incl. concierge, rooftop pool, a theatre & on-site rental pkg. Maragaret Heimbold/ Georgetown Office 202-812-2750/ 202-944-8400

Best-trained, best-equipped agents Solid reputation for more than 40 years Full service from contract to closing with mortgage, title, insurance and property management services

Brookland, Washington, DC

Georgetown, Washington, DC

$2,350,000

Rarely available 4,200 SF stunning renovation in the Cloisters. Elevator to all 4 levels, cook’s kitchen, MBR suite w/sitting rm, his/her baths. A true 5 BR , 5.5 BA home. Fabulous mews setting. Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762 Foxhall Office 202-363-1800

Follow us on:

16

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

Bethesda, Maryland

$1,125,000

6 Br , 4 full BA, renovated open eat in kit w/ granite & stainless & breakfast room. Large FLR & FDR. 2 fireplaces. Finished basement. Screened porch & large flagstone patio. Beautiful landscaping, great home for entertaining. Deborah Charlton 202-415-2117 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

$619,000 Beautifully renovate rowhouse in the heart of Brookland - .3 miles to Metro! Gourmet granite/stainless kit! Inviting Living rm & dining rm w/crown molding & recessed lighting. Gleaming wood flrs, 3BR, 2 full BA on upper level. Great lower level w/separate entrance. Secure parking! This house has it all! Friendship Heights Office 202-364-5200

LongandFoster.com


LONG & FOSTER

®

TITLE • INSURANCE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • RELOCATION SERVICES

Chevy Chase, Washington, DC

$1,435,000

Divine American classic w/inviting front porch. 5BR/3FB/2HB. Grand foyer & staircase; open, bright living rm w/fpl, sun rm w/Fr doors to deck. Large t/s kit. Private master ste. flagstone patio, fenced rear yard, landscaping, garage. Close to shopping , schools. Denise Warner/Georgetown Office 202-487-5162/202-944-8400

Georgetown, Washington, DC

$1,150,000 Renovated home just steps from Montrose Park on a quiet street with easy parking. Two Master Bedroom suites, 2 full baths, private back terrace & garden. Close to all that Georgetown has to offer!!! Beli Nasseri 202-277-0677 Foxhall Office 202-363-1800

Kalorama, Washington, DC

$489,000

Truly turn-key, this New York style 2BR apartment is more than move-in ready! The unit’s fully redone granite & SS kit, updated bath, high ceiling, crown molding, warm hardwoods & spacious rooms artfully combine classic styling w/modern sensibility. Gordon Harrison/Chevy Chase Uptown Office 202-557-9908/ 202-364-1300

Bethesda, Maryland

$915,000

Fabulous expanded Colonial! LR, DR, Sunroom, Library, large breakfast room, on 1st floor. Kitchen updated w/SS appliances, granite counters & opens to the breakfast rm & FR. The1st flr library could serve as a 4th BR as there is a FB off it. Miller Bethesda Office 301-229-4000

Real Estate Scholarships for the Military It’s our turn to serve you! Wes Foster, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of The Long & Foster Companies is no stranger to military service. A veteran himself, Wes has chosen to demonstrate his gratitude to those who serve in the US Military by providing active duty personnel, honorably discharged veterans and the spouses of both groups with scholarships for real estate licensing classes so they can benefit from a career in real estate. To learn more about the P. Wesley Foster Military Service Scholarship, contact your local Long & Foster office. We can’t think of anyone we’d rather have on our team.

EOE

MCLEAN/Potomac Hills, Virginia

$2,975,000

Custom, not cookie-cutter luxury home*6BR ,7.5 BA *Lrgr than it looks*Approx. 9200 SF on .6 acre*Spectacular finishes*Main kit w/ Subzero, Wolf* 2nd/catering kit*Upper & main lvl masters*100”TV conveysin LL*MLS#FX8196292*Pls call for a private showing. John Mentis/ Arlington Office 202-549-0081/ 703-284-9457

Alexandria, Virginia

$1,295,000 Live in Old Town & walk to Alexandria’s shops, restaurants, & Metro.Stunning 5BR, 4.5 BA Townhome w/nearly 4000 sq. ft. of almost new Construction. Enjoy the river & monument views from the roof top deck. A must see! Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

Gaithersburg, Maryland

$2,999,900

Located in the booming Science & Research Area of Montgomery County. Real potential – zoned for residential or commercial use. Historic barns on almost 2 acres, main barn is over 17,000 SF w/ 2 silos & room to park at least 77 vehicles. Barbara Fagel / Chevy Chase Office 301-351-5558/ 202-363-9700

Kalorama, Washington DC

$2,095,000

Top to bottom renovation of classic 4500 SF Victorian TH into 4 luxury2BR units. Gourmet Kit’s w/granite & SS, HDWDs, high ceilings w/recessed lighting, rear decks on 3 lvls, separate metering. Great location, blocks to Metro & Adams Morgan! Roby Thompson/ Woodley Park Office 202-238-2885/ 202-483-6300

ExtraordinaryProperties.com

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

17


AOf American NEWMusic: TRADITION By Gary Tischler

Gypsy Sally’s


Left: David and Karen Ensor, owners of Gypsy Sally’s. (Photo by Timothy Riethmiller)

Top: The K Street enteance to Gypsy Sally’s.

T

here was a time—during the 1970s, the 1980s and a little beyond—when Georgetown and its surrounding areas vibrated with the sound of music coming from all sorts of venues, up and down M Street, on Wisconsin Avenue and on K Street by the waterfront. Almost all of that is gone, surviving only as legend. Neil Young recently issued an album based on his appearance at the Cellar Door, and there was a movie documentary shown on PBS about the golden age of the Bayou. Only Blues Alley, still presenting top-tier jazz in a classy (and one-of-a-kind setting) remains, just off Wisconsin Avenue in Blues Alley, NW. But wait. There’s a new kid on the block, or rather there are new kids on the block. That would be David and Karen Ensor, who remember the Georgetown music scene well and hope to begin to revive that scene with Gypsy Sally’s, a new music club which opened last fall under the Whitehurst Freeway at 3401 K Street, also known as Water Street that far west in town. The club—more of a total environment than just a music venue—specializes in the elastic genre of Americana music, which goes back as far as folk legends Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger (who died yesterday) and runs through Appalachian-rooted banjo music, the kings and queens of singer-songwriters (Emmy Lou Harris and Bob Dylan) come to mind. It’s got its own Grammy category (Harris and Rodney Crowell won the best album honors). It’s roots music steeped in tradition, but it is also as new as tomorrow, when the next legend, packing a guitar on his or her back, comes in and sets up on the main stage at Gypsy Sally’s. We stopped by Gypsy Sally’s on a quiet, icicle-cold mid-week afternoon to talk with Karen and Dave Ensor, the couple who are fulfilling a long-held dream and hope to jump start a Georgetown music renaissance. “We remember that time when if you were talking about D.C. music, you were talking pretty much about what was going on in Georgetown,” Karen said. “But right now, as far as Georgetown is concerned, what was left was Blues Alley and that was pretty much it. I think we complement Blues Alley, right down the street from us, and maybe we can start something going again.” “We love Georgetown, we live here, we’re raising my two teenaged daughters here,” she said. “Almost ever since we knew each other, we wanted to open a club. That was what we wanted to do. We looked all over the city at first, but then a friend of ours told us about the space here. He said, ‘You’ve got to check this out,’ and we did. We thought the space was perfect for what we had in mind.”

“It’s more than just a rock club or something like that,” said Dave Ensor, who knows a thing or two about rock clubs. “We’re trying to give folks an experience, so that they have options about how they want to experience things here, or what they want to experience.” David, a local from Northern Virginia, spent some time in Los Angeles, wanting to be an actor at first, then working with bands, including his own. “I don’t know,” he said. “I think you really have to want to be an actor. It’s really hard. I think music suited me better. I did everything— singing, playing, the roadie thing, the process, you know. But I got to know a lot about how the business operated, what it took, touring, getting gigs, booking, the mechanics of setting up bands in venues.” He calls himself a big fan of Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens. The Ensors make a circular kind of couple in the sense that they round each other out, opposite on the surface with a passionately held dream that they’re working on together. She was raised in the South, went to Vanderbilt, has a law degree from the University of Maryland, is a registered nurse and businesswoman. She’s an admitted Dead Head, i.e., super-fan of the Grateful Dead, but also of the kind of rock-and-roll—a rite of passage in the South—personified by the sound of the Allman Brothers. She’s high-energy. He’s more reserved and cautious, except when he’s talking about music. He still has the kind of quiet charisma of a guy who would be comfortable in front of a camera or raising the roof on a rockand-roll stage. He came back from L.A. in 1990 and had an album in 2009, called “Building a Life,” and he still teaches guitar. He acquired a nickname—“Silky Dave”—which seems exactly right in a good way. Gypsy Sally’s—the name apparently comes from an old Townes Van Zandt song called “Tecumseh Valley”—displays an eclectic personality. When you get the tour—minus the music, but with lots of atmospherics—you get the seating arrangement, a tiered experience for a

Physically, Gypsy Sally’s comes at you “This isn’t just in sections. It’s on the second floor of a building that fronts K Street with the restaurant about nostalgia”Malmaison. When you walk in you’re in the Microbus capacity of 300 with both seating and standing (and if you’re inclined) dancing room. “We love it that you can do that if you want,” Karen said. You also have a dining option, with a menu that’s ripped from the pages of some of today’s healthier and funkier cookbooks: hello hempseed fudge brownies, as well as hempseed hummus, Lake Caesar Salad and voodoo potato chips. “We wanted above all for people who come here to find their comfort zone, to be comfortable,” she said. “We know we have great venues in the area—the Birchmere or the 9:30 Club. But in one place you can’t stand, in the other you can’t sit. Here, you can do both. That’s for starters.” “This isn’t just about nostalgia,” Karen continued. “It’s about contemporary music, a particular kind of music. It’s the Americana genre, roots music, singer-songwriters, with bands and groups that tour and record nationally, but also new musicians, local musicians, we hope it will be a place for that kind of thing, too. We’re not hip hop or Euro-pop or anything like that, there’s plenty of other places in town that do that.” You can get a sense of the music just by the sound of the band names who are either coming there soon or have already played there—the incomparable Kelly Willis, for instance, or “Covered With Jam” with Ron Holloway, Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys, the Walkaways, Yarn, Steel Wheels, the Railers, Rico America and the Midnight Train. It’s a flavor, tinged with banjo and guitars, railroad cars and diners and songs written by young men and women waking up feverish with a line that sticks in their minds, a beat and a rhythm you just have to fashion a song out of. Upcomers include a Johnny birthday celebration on Feb. 26, John Hammond on Feb. 19 and the Flashband Project.

Gallery, which features an old “hippie bus,” designed to give you a feeling for the rustic days of touring cross-country or hanging out with Ken Kesey and his merry pranksters. Exhibitions are a regular thing here, too. The William Adair construction, “The Golden Doors to Infinity,” which honors the late and legendary musician Gram Parsons, and “Martyrs of Rock,” portraits of lost rock musicians—Jerry Garcia, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Sid Vicious and others—by Walter Egan will be seen here, beginning Feb. 4. There’s also the Vinyl Lounge, with its own entrance, a shiny bar, and a small stage—for open-mike nights—and a collection of vinyl records, singles and albums, which are making something of a comeback these days. On the stand, you can see a collection of old albums, including the blue hues of a Dylan greatest hits album. You can bring your own—records, that is—and play them. “We care about each and every artist— roadie or lead singer, or drummer or bass man who comes in here,” Karen said. “That’s what we’re about on the whole. It’s the music and musicians and the audience.” To meet that goal, Karen and Dave split the stuff that keeps Gypsy Sally’s going. “Dave knows everything about the music business and being a musician—the setting up, the mechanics, the burnt out fuse, the decibel level, all the music and creative stuff,” she said. “Everything on paper, that’s me—the books, the money, the dates, the business end.” Together, they’ve got Gypsy Sally’s humming to a point where people might hear an echo all over the city up on Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, the way it used to be.

The Hackensaw Boys play for a full crowed at Gypsy Sally’s Jan. 24th. (Photo by Timothy Riethmiller)

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

19


FOOD &WINE

Courage and Grace in a Glass:

House of Mandela Wine Collection BY SH A RI SHEF F IE L D

T

he name Mandela immediately recalls the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. The face of the fight against apartheid symbolized courage and grace in adversity. The world mourned his death last year. But the House of Mandela – a wine label created by his daughter and granddaughter – lives on, drawing inspiration from his humanity and compassion. Mandela’s daughter, Dr. Makaziwe (Maki) Mandela, and her daughter, Tukwini Mandela, traveled to D.C. last October to present their wines. Brought to Washington by Heritage Link Brands, their U.S. distributor, the South African Embassy and the South African Board of Trade, Makaziwe and Tukwini introduced their current releases to wine enthusiasts, journalists and VIPs at a dinner at the City Club of Washington and a luncheon at the South African Embassy. The daughter and granddaughter duo embarked years earlier on their ambitious venture to bring the world fine South African wine. What made this idea even more remarkable was that no one in the family had any idea how to grow grapes or make wine. What they did have was a love for their land and a strong sense of family and tradition, stemming from a long line of kings and chiefs. Their connectedness to the land translated well to wine making. The mother and daughter

conceived of the House of Mandela to bring the world the beauty of South Africa in a glass. Using sustainable growing methods and, in some cases, Fairtrade-sourced grapes, the House has produced two collections under the House of Mandela label. The Thembu Collection is the entry-level line, named after their tribe. The Thembu people are known for their hospitality. Fittingly, this line of wine is very drinkable and approachable. The second line is the Royal Reserve, a higher-quality, higher-priced line. The wine dinner at City Club featured some standouts, many of which are available in the D.C. area. Enjoy! Brut NV Sparkling Wine This “Méthode Cap Classique” is a blend of the traditional grapes of Champagne, but with Petite Meunier replaced by Pinotage. Mainly Chardonnay, with 33 percent Pinot Noir and 12 percent Pinotage, this wine could be aged for up to three years. The first pressing of the juice, aka the “cuvee,” and the best juices from the harvest are used. The second fermentation process takes place in the bottle as with traditional Champagne. Thembu Collection Chardonnay 2012 Produced from grapes grown in the Western Cape, the juice is initially fermented in stainless steel tanks. It then spends time in French oak. The oak aging provides a richness that is

not heavy, but can be felt in the mouth. Upon tasting this Chardonnay, I immediately detected apple flavors. It was served with a butternut squash soup, making a superb pairing. Tukwini Mandela and Dr. Makaziwe Mandela. Courtesy House of Mandela Royal Reserve Chardonnay 2009 Next, we were served the Royal Reserve Royal Reserve Cabernet 2008 Chardonnay 2009, representing the classic house The keywords here are spice and structure. style of their best wines, at a higher price point. This Stellenbosch blend is 85 percent Cabernet It was pale yellow with tinges of green. Citrus Sauvignon, 12 percent Shiraz and 3 percent and lime aromatics were both on the nose and Mourvèdre. Look for hints of sandalwood along detected as flavors on the palate, along with with black fruits. It is very drinkable now, with some pleasant minerality. This wine paired well aging potential up to 10 years. with the prawns which it accompanied. It will go Discover House of Mandela wines at these and nicely with any shellfish dish. other establishments in Washington, D.C.: Thembu Collection Shiraz 2012 Rodman’s The entrée course paired this Shiraz with a petite bobotie tartlet and frikkadel. Bobotie 5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW and frikkadel are traditional South African meat Bell Wine & Spirits dishes similar in consistency to meatballs. The wine’s blackberry and dark plum flavors, along 1821 M St., NW with a hint of black pepper notes, complimented Salt & Pepper the savory spices of the meat. This wine is 5125 MacArthur Blvd. ★ medium-bodied and lends itself well to meat dishe. It is quite drinkable now, but has nice aging potential (up to 10-12 years, I would say).

Pork Week Pops Up at CapellaFebruary 6-8 BY N ICOL E CUS ICK, P H O TO S B Y J AY S N A P / LA D E X ON PH OTOGR APH IE he Grill Room at the Capella Georgetown egg and winter truffles. Chef Esko also invented is hosting a Pork Cook Off to celebrate a two pork inspired desserts including an apple tart full snout to tail dining exDEXOerience Feb. 6-8. Diners can choose from one of two 5-course pork-filled menus to taste the difference in the eco-friendly raised and processed pork provided by EcoFriendly Foods. Bev Eggleston founded EcoFriendly Foods in 2001 after twelve years of farming in Mendota, Va. As a farmer, Eggleston experienced the frustration balancing raising great animals and making the most out of the product he raised. This gave him a first-hand look at how small family farms have to compete with the large-scale, corporate-owned, industrial-based agriculture that seem to dominate the industry. EcoFriendly Foods offers small farmers the Bev Eggleston, Chef Jakob Esko, and Chef John Manolatos. opportunity to take care of the business end of processing, marketing, and distribution of their animals, all done in house. Grill Room executive chef, Jakob Esko and sous-chef, Robert Sargent, invited Eggleston to join them in the celebration of locally raised and processed pork. The team also invited D.C. chef John Manolatos, of Cashion’s Eat Place and Yvan Mucharraz from Don Manuel’s at Capella in Pedregal, Mexico to participate in the cookoff. Together they created a menu that features such dishes as pork shank ravioli with radicchio, rapini, parmesan, and smoked ham hock cream Crispy suckling pig as well as pork–rib broth with poached Jidori

T

20

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

tatin with candied pecan and bacon ice cream and a caramelia chocolate mousse with hazelnut

cake and fig and prosciutto ice cream. The pork menu is exclusively available Thursday, Feb. 6 when the featured chefs will be on-hand for the kick off from 6–10 p.m. Feb. 7 and 8 will feature a blend between pork tasting and regular Grill Room items during dinner from 5:30-11 p.m. The five course pork tasting menus are $95 per person (excluding gratuities.) If guests would prefer to order the dishes a la carte, they can do so on Feb. 7 and 8. Starters are priced between $14-18; the main courses are $32-38; and $10 for desserts. View the full pork filled menu at grillroomdc.com/events or call 202-617-2429. The Grill Room, 1050 31st St NW. ★

Apple tart tatin with candied pecan and bacon ice cream.


FOOD &WINE

What’s Cooking, Neighbor? PHILLIP BLANE, UNUM BY WALTER N IC H OL L S

T

wo years ago this week, a Georgetown couple followed their dream, opening Unum, a 50-seat boutique eatery in the former Mendocino Grille & Wine Bar space on M Street. New York native Phillip Blane, formerly a sous-chef at Equinox restaurant downtown, and his wife and business partner Laura Shiller, chief of staff for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), created an inviting neighborhood retreat. The name, from the Latin motto “E pluribus unum” (Out of many, one), was inspired by the chef’s globally influenced interpretations of contemporary American cuisine. “Every cook’s path can be different,” Blane tells me when we get together at the restaurant’s foyer bar. Wood beams and accents of stone give the room a rustic, cozy charm. “ T h e more you

Photo by Timothy Riethmiller

CHIMICHURRI Ingredients:

2 large bunches cilantro, stems removed and cleaned 2 large bunches flat-leaf parsley, stems removed and cleaned 9 garlic cloves, peeled 6 shallots, peeled 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded 3 limes, juice only 2 cups blended oil (canola and olive oil work best) Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Roughly chop the first five ingredients and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well chopped (not pureed), scraping down the sides from time to time. Add the oil with the motor running. (Do not overprocess or the oil will develop a bitter taste.) Add the lime juice and season with salt and

handcrafted drinks such as “The Deer Hunter,” composed of Cazadores Blanco tequila, fresh lemongrass, white peppercorn and tonic. Spring, will usher in a “Kyoto Cherry Blossom,” a refreshing blend of morello cherry puree, Belvedere vodka, delicate elderflower syrup and sparkling prosecco. Customers often ask Blane for the recipe for his chimichurri, a condiment of Argentine origin, typically served with grilled meat or fish. He presents the flavorful mix as part of the bread service, alongside an herbed butter. “What’s fun about this recipe is that it can be altered according to taste. More or less garlic, more or less jalapeno,” he says. Experiment, if you like. “Substitute other herbs, like basil, too.” ★

work and create, that path is your own.” His concise menu of small plates and entrees is “reflective of my travels and the food and people who have inspired me.” A braised Indian spiced l a m b shank

with mint chutney pays tribute to his kitchen internship in Memphis at noted Raji (now shuttered). A year devoted to “eating around the world,” with trips through Europe and Japan, has brought forth Mediterraneanstyle grilled branzino with celery root

puree and fennel salad, as well as sesamecrusted scallops atop a wasabi-accented risotto with house-pickled vegetables. Closer to home, his love of New Orleans comes to the table in a N e w Yo r k s t r i p s t e a k paired with an étouffée over a cake of smoked crawfish and potato, haricots verts and crisp onion rings. “This is not fusion,” he says with determination and passion. “It’s familiar things with a little twist.” On a chilly winter night, Unum is an intimate spot for a generous pour of Old and New World wines by the glass. From the cocktail program come

3251 Prospect St. NW. Washington, DC 20007

What’s Cooking, Neighbor? visits with wine, food and entertaining professionals who work in the Georgetown area. Georgetowner dining columnist Walter Nicholls is the food critic for Arlington Magazine and a former staff writer for The Washington Post Food section.

pepper.

Unum, 2917 M St., NW 202-621-6959 unumdc.com

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

21


Food & Wine

Valentine’s Day Events in DC By N icol e C us ick

F

ind your own way to say ‘I love you’ to a special someone on Valentine’s Day this year. There are a variety of different events and restaurant features in the District to fit any couple or individual looking for their special someone. DC Metro Chocolate Tours

Take a two-hour interactive walking tour in Georgetown highlighting the history of the neighborhood while indulging in fine local chocolates. Highlights of the tour include chocolate-dipped bacon lollipops, chocolate tea, chocolate sugar, chocolate salt, chocolate crepes, chocolate skincare products and more. Advance tickets are required. Tickets: dcmetrochocolatetours.com Crimes of Passion: ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ Tour the Crime Museum after hours on Valentine’s Day. The self-guided tour includes a rose, a take-home pair of furry handcuffs, hands-on forensic demonstrations, and lessons on “crimes of passion” such as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. 6 p.m.-12 a.m., 575 7th St NW. Tickets $80-$150 crimemuseum.org/valentinesday Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Party at the

Postal Museum Back before the age of the Internet, lovers exchanged messages through the mail sealed with a kiss. The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum is the ideal place to look back to see the role mail played in bringing couples together. The event will feature music by DJ Trayze, dancing, drinks, and more to be delivered at the museum Feb. 13, from 8-11 p.m. 2 Massachusetts Ave., NE. smithsonianassociates.org/smithsonianat8

wrote to Martha in 1775 while enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres. There will also be the opportunity to view other objects from the museum’s Washington Collection and chat with docents and curatorial staff. 5 p.m. Feb. 15, 1644 31st St., NW. For pricing details visit, tudorplace.org Woo at the Zoo

Valentine’s Tea and Chocolate-Tasting at Tudor Place Enjoy and learn the rich history of a variety of 18th and 19th-century teas and chocolates, followed by a guided tour of the 1816 mansion, a National Historic Landmark, featuring a display of vintage Valentines. 1 p.m. Feb. 15, 1644 31st St NW. tudorplace.org Vintage Valentine: An Evening with the Washingtons at Tudor Place

See an original letter George Washington

Special Valentine’s Day Menus at Georgetown Restaurants Georgetown favorites such as:

1789 Restaurant (1226 36th St., NW, 202-965-1789) The Caucus Room (401 9th St., NW, 202-393-1300) Café Milano (3251 Prospect St., NW, 202-333-6183) Mate (3101 K St., NW, 202-333-2006) The Grill Room (1050 31st St NW, 202-617-2424)

This year’s adults-only event emphasizes the mating habits of giant pandas and how science stepped in to help create the zoo’s newest baby panda, Bao Bao. Enjoy one complimentary drink and light snacks, visit a Valentine Fortuneteller, decorate a sweet for your sweetie and watch an animal demonstration. A cash bar with specialty drinks will also be available. All festivites take place in the Zoo’s Visitor Center starting at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 14, 3001 Connecticut Ave NW. Tickets and info: www.nationalzoo.si.edu/ activitiesandevents/celebration/woo

Sea Catch (1054 31st St., NW, 202337-8855), Rialto (2915 M Street NW, 202-3371571) Clyde’s (3236 M St., NW, 202-3339180) All will offer prix fixe Valentine’s Day menus. Reservations can be made at www. opentable.com for the restaurants listed above or by phone. ★

Be a V.I.P. Join the Medicare plan that cares. 1-877-686-1767 (TTY: 1-866-428-7583) 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Oct. 1-Feb. 14)

AmeriHealth VIP Select is a HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in AmeriHealth VIP Select depends on Medicare contract renewal. Y0093_PRA_964_Accepted_10232013 22

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.


1226 36th St. NW With the ambiance of an elegant country inn, 1789 features classically based American cuisine – the finest regional game, fish and produce available. Open seven nights a week. Jackets suggested. Complimentary valet parking. www.1789restaurant.com

BANGKOK JOE’S

3000 K St. NW (One block from Georgetown AMC Loews Georgetown 14) Georgetown introduces Washington’s first “Dumpling Bar” featuring more than 12 varieties. Come and enjoy the new exotic Thai cuisine inspired by French cooking techniques. Bangkok Joe’s is upscale, colorful and refined. Absolutely the perfect place for lunch or dinner or just a private gathering.

CHADWICKS

BISTROT LEPIC & WINE BAR

CAFE BONAPARTE

3124-28 M St. NW A friendly French Bistro in the heart of historic Georgetown since 1975. Executive chef and owner Gerard Cabrol came to Washington, D.C. 32 years ago, bringing with him home recipes from southwestern France. Our specialties include our famous Poulet Bistro (tarragon rotisserie chicken), Minute steak Maitre d’Hotel (steak and pomme frit¬es), Steak Tartare, freshly pre¬pared seafood, veal, lamb and duck dishes and the best Eggs Benedict in town. In addition to varying daily specials. www.bistrofrancaisdc.com

1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW Come and see for yourself why Bistrot Lepic, with its classical, regional and contemporary cuisine, has been voted best bistro in D.C. by the Zagat Guide. And now with its Wine bar, you can enjoy “appeteasers”, full bar service, complimentary wine tasting every Tuesday and a new Private Room. The regular menu is always available. Open everyday. Lunch & Dinner. Now Serving Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11-3pm Reservations suggested. www.bistrotlepic.com

(202) 333-4422

(202) 338-3830

(202) 333-0111

(202) 333-8830

CIRCLE BISTRO

CLYDE’S OF GEORGETOWN

DAILY GRILL

FILOMENA RISTORANTE

www.bangkokjoes.com

(202) 965-1789

BISTRO FRANCAIS

3205 K St. NW A Georgetown tradition for over 40 years, this friendly neighborhood restaurant/saloon features fresh seafood, burgers, award-winning ribs and specialty salads & sandwiches. Daily lunch & dinner specials. Late night dining (until midnight Sun.-Thu., 1am Fri.-Sat.) Champagne brunch served Sat. & Sun. until 4pm Open Mon.-Thu. 11:30am - 2am Fri.Sat. 11:30am - 3am. Sun 11am.2am. Kids’ Menu Available. Overlooking the new Georgetown Waterfront Park ChadwicksRestaurants.com

One Washington Circle. NW Washington, DC 22037 Circle Bistro presents artful favorites that reflect our adventurous and sophisticated kitchen.

(202) 333-2565

(202) 293-5390

(202) 333-9180

MALMAISON

PHO VIET & GRILL

SEA CATCH

Featuring Happy Hour weekdays from 5pm-7pm, live music every Saturday from 8pm-12 midnight, and an a la carte Sunday Brunch from 11:30am-2:30pm.

3236 M St. NW 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. www.clydes.com

Open dailyfor breakfast, lunch and dinner.

1310 Wisconsin Ave. NW Reminiscent of the classic American Grills, Daily Grill is best known for its large portions of fresh seasonal fare including Steaks & Chops, Cobb Salad, Meatloaf and Warm Berry Cobbler. Open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.Visit our other locations at 18th & M Sts NW and Tysons Corner. www.dailygrill.com

www.circlebistro.com

3401 K St. NW 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). . www.malmaisondc.com

1639 Wisconsin Ave. NW Established in 2013 Opened in August 2013, Pho Viet and Grille is a family owned Vietnamese style restaurant who caters primarily to Georgetown residents, students, and local business owners. Our family has over 20 years of restaurant ownership experience. Our goal is to bring homemade traditional Vietnamese dishes to Georgetown. We strive to offer Georgetown the best quality Vietnamese and authenticity with a relaxed atmosphere and ambiance. Come visit us once and you’ll be ours forever! www.PhoVietGrilleDC.com

(202) 817-3340

(202) 333-0009

1054 31st St. NW Lovers of history and seafood can always find something to tempt their palette. Overlooking the historic C&O canal, we offer fresh seafood simply prepared in a casual relaxed atmosphere. Join us for happy hour Monday – Friday from 5:00pm-7:00pm featuring $1.00 oysters and half priced drinks. Lunch Mon-Sat 11:00am-3:00pm Dinner Mon-Sat 5:00pm-10:00pm Complimentary Parking www.seacatchrestaurant.com (202) 337-8855

1522 Wisconsin Ave. NW Captivating customers since 2003, Cafe Bonaparte has been dubbed the “quintessential” European café featuring award winning crepes & arguably the “best” coffee in D.C.! Other cant miss attractions are the famous weekend brunch every Sat. and Sun. until 3 p.m. and our late night weekend hours serving sweet and savory crepes until 1 a.m. We look forward to calling you a “regular” soon! www.cafebonaparte.com

1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW Filomena is a Georgetown landmark that has endured the test of time and is now celebrating 30 years. Our old-world cooking styles & recipes brought to America by the early Italian immigrants, alongside the culinary cutting edge creations of Italy’s foods of today, executed by our award winning Italian Chef. Try our spectacular Lunch buffet on Fri. & Saturdays or our Sunday Brunch, Open 7 days a week for lunch & dinner. www.filomena.com

(202) 337-4900

(202) 338-8800

SEQUOIA

THE OCEANAIRE

3000 K St. NW, Suite 100 Washington, DC 20007 Eclectic American cuisine, Coupled with enchanting views of the Potomac River make Sequoia a one of a kind dining experience. Offering a dynamic atmosphere featuring a mesquite wood fire grill, sensational drinks, and renowned River Bar. No matter the occasion, Sequoia will provide an unforgettable dining experience. www.arkrestaurants.com /sequoia_dc.html

1201 F St. NW 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. What’s more, “nothing” is snobbish here. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-5pm. Dinner: Mon-Thur 5-10pm, Fri & Sat 5-11pm, Sun 5-9pm. www.theoceanaire.com

(202) 944-4200

(202) 347-2277

Your Dining Guide to Washington DC’s Finest Restaurants

1789 RESTAURANT

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

23


Yoga With Attitude

Body & SOUL

Murphy’s Love: Advice on Intimacy and Relationships B y S ta c y N otar as M u r ph y

Uncover a powerfUl body, a confident mind

and a spirit of freedom Down Dog Yoga, LLC Georgetown 1046 Potomac Street, NW 202.965.9642 Bethesda 4733 Elm Street, 4th Floor 301.654.9644 Herndon Sunrise Valley Dr 703.437.9042

www.downdogyoga.com in-HousE pErioDonTisT

Dear Stacy: How do you know when you have met “the one” person you are meant to be with? I’m asking because I don’t know what to do next in my relationship with my girlfriend. We have been dating for about two years. We don’t live together – maybe we should move in? Is that when you know if the person you are with is the right one to marry? We have a lot of fun together, have similar interests and we basically view the world in the same, general way. I get along with her family and we have many friends in common. But my heart doesn’t do flip-flops when she walks through the door (not sure if it ever did). I wonder if there might be someone else more compatible out there, and if I’m missing my chance to meet her because I’m already committed to this relationship. Thoughts? – Wanting “The One” Dear Wanting, The honest truth is that for many, many people, you don’t just “know.” It’s not that easy – and it shouldn’t be, really – to make the decision

Tsaknis DEnTal

Cosmetic, Family, Implants & Sedation

Hablamos Español

John Tsaknis, DDS www.DEnTalbug.com Patient of the Week Indra Mustapha, DDS, MS Jeannette Suh, DMD Gunther Heyder, DDS Academy of Gen. Dent., American Dental Assoc., Hispanic Dental Assoc. American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Clinical Instructor Uni. Maryland Dental School • CEREC® (same day crown) • Cleaning & Air Polishing • Composite White Fillings • Digital X-Rays (low radiation) • Emergencies • Full & Partial Dentures • Implant • Invisalign® • IV & Nitrous Sedation

24

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

• Lasers & Cone Beam CT • Night guards & Mouth guards • Oral Surgery/TMJ • Pediatrics, Periodontics • Root Canal Therapy • Sleep Apnea • Spectra® Camera • Veneers, Crown, Bridge • Whitening

Jason hilliard and dr. Jeannette suh 1221 Mass Ave NW • Washington, DC 202-628-7979 • Free Parking 703 D St. NW • Washington, DC 202-628-1288

to join two lives together. When a person is totally caught off guard by a marriage proposal, that’s an enormous red flag. Two people in a relationship should be in dialogue about that relationship, at least at regular intervals. If not, they find themselves expecting the other person to be a mind reader, which 99 percent of the time leads to disappointment and, too often, the deep resentment that poisons a relationship. You ask the age-old question about hearts flip-flopping (if it’s not “age-old,” at least that’s a question I hear weekly in my office). In our rom-com-fantasizing world we have been conditioned to believe that involuntary convulsions are an indicator of True Love. But that’s a myth, similar to the myth that living together will provide clarity about the marriage decision. If you don’t think she’s The One, save yourself a lot of anguish and don’t agree to buy a bed together. Splitting the assets after a premature move-in can be just as painful as a divorce. Sometimes that pain is so frightening that people stay together anyway. They go ahead and get married, ending up disappointed and, yet again, deeply resentful (READ: poi-

soned). Your litany of positive comments about Current Girlfriend gives the impression that you two are pretty compatible already. So wondering if Unknown Woman would be more “compatible” sounds like a PC line you are feeding yourself. Don’t compare Current Girlfriend to Unknown Woman, because the latter is not real and therefore fits every requirement imaginable. Take some time to consider the relationship you’re already invested in – and by “consider” I mean talk to her about her own needs and expectations. Find a couples counselor to do the mediating, if necessary. But navel-gazing is wasting your time. See if she can handle this kind of discussion and see if you can handle it as well. That’s a really good litmus test of whether you’ve found The One. ★ Stacy Notaras Murphy (www.stacymurphyLPC. com) is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacy@georgetowner.com.


Congratulations to our nurses on achieving Magnet速 designation for the third time! MedStar Georgetown University Hospital achieves Magnet redesignation. Fewer than seven percent of the hospitals in the U.S. have attained Magnet速 designation, and only an elite group of 66 hospitals have received Magnet designation three times. MedStar Georgetown was the first hospital in Washington, D.C., to obtain Magnet status and remains the only adult Magnet hospital in the city.

Magnet nurses deliver exceptional patient care. Magnet status demonstrates our commitment to our patients and helps us realize our vision of caring for people and advancing health.

Magnet recognition represents the highest standard of excellence in nursing. As a patient, Magnet status means that you can expect high quality, safe and innovative nursing care.

MedStarGeorgetown.org/Nursing

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

25


Art

‘Peter Pan’ So Old, Yet So Young By G ary T ischl er

P

eter Pan is old. The boy hero—who refused to grow up, who could fly and who lived in Neverland—is beyond “back in the day.” He goes way back to 1904 and the first book and stories penned by J.M. Barrie, featuring Peter, Wendy and Captain Hook. He moved to the London stage and silent movies. Then, proceeded to the Disney cartoon and to when Mary Martin, a middle-aged woman and Broadway star played him on stage and in a live television production. Recently, he goes back to Robin Williams and Julia Roberts as Tinker Belle in Stephen Spielberg’s “Hook.” Nobody who could be called a lost boy—or girl—today would remember any of this. Not even Joey deBettencourt, the 27-yearold actor, now on stage at the Kennedy Center, who gets to say—somewhat awestruck—surrounded by his fellow lost boys: “I am … Peter,” transforming from a character called “boy” to, well, you know. The national touring company production of of the five-time Tony Award-winning Broadway hit, “Peter and the Starcatcher” is running now at the Eisenhower Theater through Feb. 16. This prequel to Peter Pan is based on the best-selling novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. It began off-Broadway before to its successful Broadway run. It is now in the midst of a national tour that has taken deBettencourt, who

is part of a 12-member cast that is on stage all of the time, all over America. I caught up with by phone in East Lansing, Mich. “The touring part of this is amazing," said deBettencourt, sounding a little like one of those wide-eyed boys that included Peter before he was Peter Pan. "It’s a whole different kind of life, but where else could you see so much of this country, at this level, not only being in a new city, but performing before different audiences?” DeBettencourt has had some experience touring, but “nothing this extensive, this expansive,” he said. The Skokie, Ill., native was a member of the Chicago-based Griffin Theatre, whose self-described mission is “to create extraordinary and meaningful theatrical experiences for both children and adults and building bridges of understanding between generations that instill in its audiences an appreciation of the performing arts.” That’s a mouthful, but “Peter and the Starcatcher” seems exactly the kind of theatrical project that’s in line with the Griffin approach, appealing as it does to both young and adult audiences. “That’s exactly so,” deBettencourt said. “You should see the differences in the audiences when we have a matinee where a lot of young people and children are on hand. That’s a lively audience, hugely responsive. The kids get

The Peter and the Starcatcher Tour Company; Photo by Jenny Anderson

into it. A night audience is a little different, but also responsive, in a way you can sense.” DeBettencourt, who last appeared in the more adult-oriented play, “Punk Rock” by British playwright Simon Stephens. “That was very different, even difficult," deBettencourt said. "It’s about young people in the age of school shootings, but it’s set in England where that kind of thing isn’t supposed to happen.” “It’s amazing to be with this show,” he said. “My fiancé (Julia Beck, an education director who runs arts programs for children in hospitals) heard about the auditions for “Starcatcher” and said ‘you’ve got to do this.' So, I auditioned, and I felt really strongly about the show. I was asked to come to New York to audition again, and here I am.” “I’m glad to be here in Washington at the Kennedy Center, and it’s also going to be a kind of family thing,” he said. “I have aunts and uncles who live in Bethesda, Md.” “This is a different—but also old—form of story-telling,” he said. “It’s adventure. It uses old props and costumes. It’s a show with music and a kind of origin and prequel to the Peter Pan story—pirates, villains, a Hook-like character, orphans being kidnapped, a high seas adventure—one of the ships is called the Neverland. “What I really like about being in this is that it’s a play, a show, that tries to connect directly to the audience," deBettencourt said. "It’s not a matter of making people work, but rather having a truly shared experience. It’s not a literal kind of thing. It’s the theater. You’re asked to imagine things, believe things. It’s not something you can get anywhere else, and I believe that people, in this tech age, are hungry for such a experience. I’ve seen it in the audience.” “There’s no app for that,” I suggest. “Right,” he says. “I’m going to steal that.” Like the “boy” becoming Peter. “The thing is that you know, not wanting to grow up also means knowing you’ll never have certain experiences," deBettencourt said. "And that’s a loss, too. But there is always the star catcher, the magic, all of that. Right here on stage.” ★

: (L to R) Megan Stern, Benjamin Schrader and Harter Clingman from the Peter and the Starcatcher Tour Company; Photo by Jenny Anderson

Joey deBettencourt, Carl Howell, Edward Tournier from the Peter and the Starcatcher Tour Company; Photo by Jenny Anderson 26 January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.


Art

James McNeill Whistler Before He Was Whistler At the Freer Gallery of Art By Ari Pos t

I

n the summer of 1858, a young James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) left Paris and set off on a walking tour of the Rhineland, in what would be one of the most important experiences of his early career. His goals were to visit Amsterdam—the home of Rembrandt, an early and lasting influence—and to make his mark on the artistic world. “Off the Beaten Path: Early Works by James McNeill Whistler,” on view through September 28 at the Freer Gallery of Art, explores the artwork that the young Whistler created on his journey and its lasting importance to his subsequent masterworks. He never made it to the Netherlands that summer. However, Whistler created numerous drawings, etchings and watercolors of the country life and towns he encountered along the way. These charmingly casual depictions of kitchens, innkeepers, doorways and shopkeepers reflect Whistler’s enthusiasm for his craft as a young artist. He filled his notebooks with quick, impromptu sketches, some of which were later turned into watercolors and etchings in a series that Whistler referred to as his “French Set.” A wonderfully infectious dimension to these drawings is their ability to bridge the expanse of time between now and the 150 years since their making. These studies and observations of archi-

A Street at Saverne (1858), by James McNeill Whistler

tecture, atmosphere, people and places – feverish sketches that explore the streets, alcoves and dark cloistered rooms of Europe and the people who occupy them – show a wide-eyed young Whistler intoxicated by the romance of the Old World. There is at least one major distinction among

these collective drawings that separates them from other artists – their sheer virtuosity. It is not difficult to see the magnitude of the young artist’s abilities, who would later gain unprecedented international renown. There are small gestures and compositions among these studies that are remarkably powerful. In one drawLe Blanchissage à Cologne (1858), ing, a man sits in by James McNeill Whistler a dark room with his back to the artist in front of a single window raked with light, like a study for a lost Vemeer. The exposed beams of the ceiling and the provencal farmer’s table finish the rough scene with a dreamy, bohemian dankness that predates the maudlin allure of Parisian artist Toulouse

Lautrec. These early works reveal traces of Whistler’s later, signature style. Recurring motifs, such as doorways and stylistic choices, including dense cross-hatching, appear in etchings created nearly 30 years after his journey. To allow visitors to follow these visual connections as Whistler’s style matured, the exhibit includes a selection of etchings from the Venice (1879-1880) and Amsterdam (1889) sets, groups of etchings that were published and exhibited together. The exhibition is also accompanied by an online gallery of the exhibition’s objects, a map showing Whistler’s journey and digital scans of archival documents from his travels. Sometimes, it takes a keen eye to recognize a blossoming artist. With Whistler, however, it is easy to see that he was destined for greatness. The Freer Gallery of Art has perhaps the most impressive collection of the artist’s mature work, and this exhibition supplements the collection, offering remarkable insight into the history, influences, development and mastery of Whistler’s craft and artistic vision. For more information visit www.asia.si.edu ★

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

27


ART

Winter Theater Season Off to Lively Start

La Vie en Rose

BY GARY T ISCHL ER

W

ashington’s 2014 theater scene offers an eclectic mix of entertainment. We’ve got Shakespeare, Moliere, Oscar Wilde. We’ve got new plays and old plays and new ways to put old plays on stage. We’ve got musicals and Peter Pan and Ella Fitzgerald. And of course we’ve got politics. Shakespeare—he’s always here in one way or another. The accent right now is “another.” The redoubtable Georgian duo of Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili of Synetic Theatre star in and direct “Twelfth Night,” another in a series of the group’s “silent Shakespeare” productions. While there are no words there’s a lot of dancing and music, all set in the Roaring ‘20s, which seems almost perfect for the Bard’s story about disguised twins, mistaken gender identities, bad pranks and a sot named Toby Belch. Through Feb. 16 at Synetic Theatre. Now is the (horrible) winter of our discontent, which kicks off a new production of “Richard III” at the Folger Library. It’s Elizabethan Theatre has been reconfigured into a theater-in-the-round seating plan, for the first time in the Folger’s history. Now through March 9. The folks at Constellation Theatre are always fresh and new, even when they’re telling old tales. This time it’s a new adaptation of “Scapin” by Moliere—the Neil Simon of his day, which would be the time of Louis XIV.

This production, adapted by Bill Irwin and Mark O’Donnell, nicely blends Irwin’s dry contemporary humor (and a song called “The Schener’s Boogie”) with Moliere’s irreverent, sardonic view of man in his times -- at the Source Theater on 14th Street through Feb. 16. As for Peter Pan, he’s part of a new, musical re-telling of the story of how Peter became the boy who never grew up. well, you’ll have to see “Peter and the Starcatcher,” a musical tale that won five Tonys on Broadway, now on a national tour in the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater through Feb. 16. It’s called a grownups prequel to “Peter Pan”, based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Speaking of music, there’s “Violet,” with a blend of gospel, country and rock, a talent-heavy show set in the 1960s about a scarred young girl in search of a miracle traveling to Oklahoma. It’s at the Ford’s Theatre, it features the Ton Award-nominated composer Jeanine Tesori (of “Caroline or Change” fame) and is directed by Jeff Calhoun (“Newsies,” “Big River”) -through Feb. 23. Drama-wise, you should catch the new play “Tribes” by English playwright Nina Raine, directed by David Muse at the Studio Theater. It’s presented in cooperation with Gallaudet University, a play about a deaf member of an academic family who wants to communicate in his own way. Through Feb. 23. At Arena Stage, Daniel Beaty, playwright,

actor and singer, gives a stirring one-man show performance as Paul Robeson—athlete, allAmerican, actor, singer, activist and civil rights leader—in “The Tallest Tree in the Forest” through Feb. 16. At Metro Stage in Alexandria, Ella Fitzgerald is revived in “Ella, First Lady of Song,” conceived and directed by Maurice Hines, through March 16. Oscar Wilde’s most popular play is being staged by the Washington Shakespeare Theatre Company. That would be “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which features one of the juiciest roles for men or women, Lady Bracknell. Keith Baxter—known for his genius for staging Wilde—returns to direct. Sian Philips is Lady Bracknell through March 2 at the Lansburgh Theater. As for politics, “The Best Man,” arguably one of the best plays ever written about American politics (not counting “1776”) was penned by Gore Vidal—who could probably have matched wits with Wilde—and staged on Broadway in 1960. It’s a tale about principles and their loss during the course of a tough campaign for a presidential nomination. It’s been revived often and was made into a terrific film, starring Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson. It’s at the Keegan Theatre, Jan. 30 through Feb. 22.★

Fleta Hylton, soprano; Esmiana Jani, dancer

FEBRUARY 2014 2

9

10

BY MARY BIRD The In Series had another successful collaboration with the Washington Ballet Studio Company in performances of La Vie en Rose at the GALA Theatre Jan. 17 – 19. In Series Artistic Director and Founder Carla Hübner and Frank Conlon provided piano accompaniment for the singers and dancers in pieces choreographed by Septime Webre and David Palmer. The program interpreted works ranging from Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune to the haunting lyrics of Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf. Soprano Fleta Hylton brought the sold-out audience to its feet with her rendition of Piaf’s Je ne regrette rien.

16

23

24

2- Feb. 26

9-Feb. 16

10-Feb. 16

16-March 2

16-Feb. 16

23-March 16

24-Feb23

“The Old Masters” Washington Stage Guild at Mt. Vernon Square

“Twelfth Night” Synetic Theatre

“The Tallest Tree in the Forest” Paul Robeson

“The Importance of Being Earnest” Washington Shakespeare Company at the Lansburgh

“Scapin”: Constellation Theatre at Source

Metro Stage’s “Ella Fitzgerald, First Lady of Song”

“Violet” new musical at Ford’s Theater bluegrass country, etc., about miracle healing.

25

28

29

25-Feb. 22

28-March 9

28-Feb. 16

28-March 9

29-Feb. 23

Keegan Theatre: “The Best Man”

“Richard III”: Folger

“Peter and the Starcatcher”: Kennedy Center

Mariinsky Ballet: “Swan Lake” Kennedy Center

“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at Olney Theater

28 January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.


Social SCENE

Myron Belkind Inaugurated as Ri Ra Celebrates a Festive 107th President of the National Georgetown Opening Press Club By Ro b ert D evan ey, Pho to s b y T imo thy Rieth miller

By M ary B ird The “International Gala” on Jan. 25 was a vibrant fashion display as many ambassadors, journalists and other international guests donned attire of their country of origin. At cocktail hour, music announced the arrival of lion dancers to herald Chinese New Year. Former NPC president and master of ceremonies Gil Klein introduced three generations of the Belkind family. In tribute to Nelson Mandela, the national anthem of the Republic of South Africa was sung by Roger Isaacs, and Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool served as inspirational keynote speaker. Chair of the 2014 International Inaugural Committee Jan Du Plain closed the program with the words, “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, but one is gold.”

With “céad míle fáilte,” an extended Irish family celebrated the grand opening of Ri Ra, the newly opened Irish pub and restaurant on M Street, with staff members, happy locals, ample drinks and tastes of lamb, fried macaroni and cheese and other goodies. Amid the food and original wall posters and art, the band American Diddly Idols entertained the party-goers.

Ri Ra’s owners David Kelly and Ciaran Sheehan cut the inaugural ribbon for the restaurant on the stairs up to the newly opened Whiskey Bar.

David Short and Marie Thérèse Royce

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (center) traveled to the nation’s capital and joined the party with Ri Ra’s co-owner David Kelly and manager Angela Grogan. Rachel and Myron Belkind, 107th president of the National Press Club

Leader and lion dancers enter the club.

Trey McIntyre at the Washington Ballet

By M ary B ird The Washington Ballet will present a company premiere of the The British Invasion: The Beatles & The Rolling Stones at the Kennedy Center in early March. The program, in part underwritten by the Women’s Committee, will include A Day in the Life with choreography by Trey McIntyre. Brooklyn Mack will recreate the role originally performed by Jason Hartley. McIntyre was at the WB on Jan. 15 in conversation with artistic director Septime Webre. The evening included Jonathan Jordan’s solo in McIntyre’s Blue Until June to the iconic music of Etta James which will be part of the WB’s The Jazz/Blues Project at Sidney Harman Jan. 29 through Feb. 2. McIntyre said, “It is more important than ever for dancers to be trained classically.”

Foreground: Esmiana Jani, Marshall Whiteley; background: members of The Washington Ballet Studio Company and Fleta Hylton

Fleta Hylton, Esmiana Jani choreographer Trey McIntyre in conversation at the England Studio

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

29


Classifieds / Service directory tutor/ Lessons

Employment Opportunity

ESL

Delivery The Georgetown Media Group seeks a newspaper deliverer in the Virginia area including Middleburg, Va. Delivery would be every other week. Vehicle required. Please call 202-338-2833 or contact sonya@georgetowner.com.

for lease/Rent/ Sale Office Space

Available now in Rosslyn: offices and suites accommodating up to 5. Promo code GEORGETOWNER for 1 month free with 12 month contract. 571-384-7900 or RosslynTeam@ carrworkplaces.com.

ESL: Learn English from certified, experienced ESL teacher and native speaker. Flexible appointments and locations for private or small group instruction, all levels. Call 917 293 9552

French Language Teacher French Language Private Instruction. Classes structured to accommodate beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and determined by each student’s individual goals. Instructor is very enthusiastic, patient and committed to success. Over 15 years of teaching experience. Washington D.C. Contact: getfrench@gmail.com, or visit www.getfrench.net

Attractive studio in secure building near bus stop. Hardwood floor, garden view. $1,250 plus electric. 202-686-0023

Home improvement House Keeping

Seeking Housekeeping job More than 10 years experience Excellent references 301-661-5861

tutor/ Lessons

Planning a trip to Paris? Madrid? Latin America? Pick Genevieve! French native. MA, Ph.D Romance Languages, MS Spanish & Linguistics. Private sessions to suit your needs. Evening, weekend sessions available. Call 202-333-2666

Wynford lyddane piano studios 25 Years Teaching Experience of ALL Levels and Ages. Direct Approach Tailored to Individual Student for Repertoire, Technique & Theory. Student Recitals as well as National Piano Guild Auditions Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues location at Saint Albans Parish- 617-304-6728

Tutoring/Test Preparation Is your child anxious or worried about a standardized test or difficult subject in school he or she will have to take this fall? Odyssey Tutors provides elite, one-onone in-home tutoring for students in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. We are committed to delivering superior educational outcomes and steadfast in our belief that tutoring has the power to radically transform the academic trajectory of a student. Please e-mail us at nday@odysseytutors.com to learn more

Patient Piano Teacher Experienced with beginners, young and old, And with those returning to the piano. Student Parking at my home in NW D.C. Metro access. 202-234-1837

join other satisfied customers and place an ad in the classified or service directory, email advertising@georgetowner.com

or call

202.338.4833

A Cleaning Service Inc Since 1985

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

703.892.8648 - www.acleaningserviceinc.com

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.

1520 W�������� A��. N.W. - W���������, DC 20007 T�������� 202-625-7108 - F�� 202-333-3173

French, Spanish Instruction

Cathedral Area

30

LUCAS CUSTOM TAILOR

Thomas Designs and Construction, Inc. Quality Renovations and Improvements • Interior Renovations • Kitchens / Baths • Porches / Sunrooms • Finished Basements

Free Estimates Licenses in DC, MD and VA.

• Additions • Decks • Garages • In-Law Suites 703-752-1614

www.thomas-designs.com


WFP.COM

agents • properties • service

WASHINGTON, DC GEORGETOWN/DUPONT/LOGAN BETHESDA/CHEVY CHASE POTOMAC NORTHERN VIRGINIA MIDDLEBURG, VA WASHINGTON, VA

202.944.5000 202.333.3320 301.222.0050 301.983.6400 703.317.7000 540.687.6395 540.675.1488

BRINGING YOU THE FINEST

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC 1817 Federal on Cox’s Row. Feature a double parlor LR with 2 fireplaces, soaring ceilings, hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen, exquisite details & finishes, garden terrace. 3-car parking. $7,980,000 Jamie Peva 202-258-5050 Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-256-2164

BERKLEY, WASHINGTON, DC Private Georgian on 1.5 acres. Full renovation with pool & private grounds. Main level with LR, DR, sunroom, chef kitchen, family room and porch. 8BR/6FBA/2HBA. $7,500,000 Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-256-2164 Matthew McCormick 202-728-9500

KALORAMA, WASHINGTON, DC Historic 1920’s residence sited on an oversized home site. 2011 renovated and substantial addition features 8-9 bedrooms, 8.5 baths and fully finished lower level. 2-car garage and parking for 10 in enclosed courtyard. $5,995,000 Mark McFadden 703-216-1333

MCLEAN, VIRGINIA Langley Farms Georgian home on one acre with 5 bedrooms, 6 full and 1 half baths, high ceilings, gourmet kitchen, terrace, pool and handsome garden. Garage. Close access to Rt 7. $4,995,000 W. Ted Gossett 703-625-5656 Florence Meers 202-487-7100

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING

OLD TOWN, VIRGINIA The Lord Fairfax House is an outstanding representation of Federal architecture in the heart of Old Town. Residence is set on a large lot. Garage with additional parking. $4,875,000 William F. X. Moody Robert Hryniewicki 202-243-1620

WEST END, WASHINGTON, DC Absolutely stunning Ritz penthouse with 3 private terraces. 4BR/5.5BA on one level with a large entry gallery, living room with floor to ceiling windows, formal dining room, and renovated kitchen. Huge master suite and 2 car parking. $3,999,000 Patrick Chauvin 202-256-9595

MASS AVE HEIGHTS , WASHINGTON , DC Incredible space. 6BR, 6.5BA. Entertaining level with 10’ ceilings, catering kitchen, master with huge dressing hall and bath. Lower level with rec room and ample storage space. $2,995,000 Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-256-2164 Matthew McCormick 202-728-9500

POTOMAC FALLS, MARYLAND A very welcoming, Williamsburg style, fully renovated, Potomac Falls Colonial backing to parkland. Featuring exceptional room sizes, a beautifully renovated kitchen, MBA and more. $2,200,000 Anne Killeen 301-706-0067

WESLEY HEIGHTS , WASHINGTON, DC Beautiful, 5BR/3.5BA home plus den and office in Wesley Heights. The home features a kitchen renovation by Barnes Vance. HW floors, spacious rooms and large windows. Two-car parking in detached garage. $1,985,000 Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-256-2164

CLEVELAND PARK, WASHINGTON, DC Pristine and move-in ready! Expansive floor plan with large entertaining rooms. FR with fireplace, open kitchen with breakfast room. 4BR/4.5BA with fully finished LL. Garage. $1,765,000 Ellen Morrell Matthew McCormick 202-728-9500

WESLEY HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC Charming, sun-filled Colonial with renovated bath and kitchen. LR with FP, large DR, sun room, plus LL FR. Flat, expansive lot with terrace. 5BR/3BA/2HBA. $1,699,000 Ellen Morrell Matthew McCormick 202-728-9500

POTOMAC, MARYLAND Handsome, 7,000+ SF stone colonial with 3 acre setting backing to parkland. Beautifully designed interior with 10’ ceilings, generously proportioned rooms. 2 story foyer, vaulted ceiling kitchen. 5BR, 5FBA, and 2HBA. $1,598,000 Anne Killeen 301-706-0067

CHEVY CHASE, WASHINGTON , DC 6,000+ SF on four finished levels. Open floor plan, LR with FP, dining room, main level den/office, kitchen with SS appliances and granite counters, lower level recreation & fitness rooms. $1,395,000 Patrick Chauvin 202-256-9595 Cecelia Leake 202-256-7804

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC Stunning 1BR/2BA penthouse and den. Mahogany floors, gourmet kitchen, open living room, dining room and owner’s suite. Terrace and 2 car garage parking. $1,395,000 Mark McFadden 703-216-1333 Doc Keane 202-441-2343

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC Flooded with southern light! Renovated Victorian. Main level with Library, full BA and gourmet kitchen. Upper level includes 2 bedroom and 2 baths. Private walled garden. $1,295,000 Jamie Peva 202-258-5050

PALISADES PARK, ARLINGTON, VA Stunning renovation with new kitchen and baths. Best view of Parkland, Potomac River and Georgetown. Great light, kitchen with lowered island with granite. 2 fireplaces, 4 full baths, 2 car garage + 2 car parking. $1,279,000 W. Ted Gossett 703-625-5656

INTERNATIONAL NET WORKS AND OFFICES

GMG, INC. January 29, 2014

31


32

January 29, 2014 GMG, INC.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.