The Georgetowner's June 27,2012 Issue

Since 1954

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GEORGETOWNER VOLUME 58, NUMBER 20

JUNE 27 – JULY 10, 2012

Delicious Defined CHEFS, AWARDS & THE FANCY FOOD SHOW TRAVEL: Novel Non-Stops SOCIAL: 'Night of Broadway Stars' Covenant House NEWS:

Georgetown Laments Sunset on C&O Canal Boat

Photo Credit Here

®

Kent, DC

$1,350,000

Handsome 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath Colonial home in the prestigious community of Kent an established neighborhood of lovely tree lines streets. Gracious rooms, fine architectural details and excellence in quality and design await you in this wonderful property. Miller Spring Valley Office 202.362.1300.

Bethesda, MD

$2,995,000

This 6 bedroom home is perfectly planned & proportioned to every detail. Grand living and dining rooms, spacious family room connected to a fabulous Clive Chrisitiann kitchen with breakfast room leading to private deck, theater media room. Spring Valley Office 202.362.1300.

Forest Hills, DC

$3,990,000

Meticulous restoration and expansion of a 7000 sq ft fieldstone 7BR/6.5BA estate residence.

Private 3/4 acre lot. No expense was spared, the finest details abound throughout! Such privacy, space & natural beauty are a rare find in a city home. Woodley Park office 202.483.6300.

We invite you to tour all of our luxury listings at

Washington, DC

Wesley Heights

$945,000

Beautifully maintained 1900 Victorian on one of Georgetown’s quaint cobble stone streets.

Recently renovated 2 bedrooms/2 baths. Steps to all of the conveniences of historic Georgetown.

Margaret Heimbold 202.812.2750.

Observatory Circle , DC

$1,495,999

2010 Renovation designed by Jerry Harpole.

Fabulous finishes. WOW kitchen opening to family room, screened porch and deck. 2 Fireplaces and Master Suite beyond compare. 3 Bedrooms up plus guest suite or nanny suite on the daylight lower level. Foxhall Office 202.363.1800.

www.ExtraordinaryProperties.com Washington, DC

Leesburg, VA

$1,100,000

Nine foot ceilings, wide crown molding, Large rooms, great natural light & a circular flow are just a few of the attributes of this custom home that makes it special. Just 5 minutes from Georgetown & a short walk to over 100 acres of Parkland.

Carol McEwen 703.622.4441/ 703.522.0500 (O).

$1,450,000

Stunning, unique property, enchanting English garden, charm-laden, seamless expanded Cape Cod! Highest quality renovation, huge state-ofthe-art kitchen/family room, adjoining breakfast room & doors to patio! Fabulous Master Bedroom & Bath! Miller Bethesda Office 301.2290.4000 (O).

Georgetown, DC

Arlington, VA

$1,195,591

This 3BRs, 3.5BA home features top-of-the-line fancy kit cabinets w/ Vikings subzero appliances, oak floors, embassy size DR, living room, & family room. New marble foyer, 3 large skylights, 9’ ceilings, three fireplaces.

Friendship Heights Office 202.364.5200.

$1,159,000

Semi-det home in Cleveland Park.

Walk to Metro, shops & restaurants.

Renov with Kit, LR w FP, DR, Den & powder rm. 4 true BRs /2 FBs up, incl master bath en suite.

Fin LL w 3rd FB. Driveway & 1 car gar. W.C & A.N Miller North Office 202.966.1400.

$1,265,000

Overlooks fountain on fifth-hole-lake w/views sweeping across golf course. Every amenity is built right in & Country Club privilege is right outside. Located seconds away from Leesburg’s new town & Greenway. Lilian Jorgenson 703.790.1990/ 703.407.0766 (O).

Kent, DC

$1,085,000

North Cleveland Park

$1,149,000

Georgetown, DC

$2,475,000

Chevy Chase, DC

$2,800,000

Bright, home w/a lrge open flr plan. Kit, DR, Family Rm designed for fun & relaxation. Located on private cul de sac. New kit. SS appliances, granite counters. MBR Ste. Finished lower lvl. Deck & fenced yard overlook the park. Garage.

Scott Polk 202.256.5460/ 202.944.8400(O).

2010 Renovation designed by Jerry Harpole.

Fabulous finishes. WOW kitchen opening to family room, screened porch and deck. 2 Fireplaces and Master Suite beyond compare. 3 Bedrooms up plus guest suite or nanny suite on the daylight Misook Y Lee 301.204.7149/ 240.497.1700 (O).

Historic, renovated 1920’s builder’s home.

Stainless steel Kitchen, Living Room w/Fireplace, formal Dining Room, sun room, office, wood floors, built-ins, fenced back yard, raised garden bed, garage. Close to everything with a Walkscore of 98! Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700.

Grand opportunity to own a great home in Chevy Chase Village. Sited with views of the Chevy Chase Country Club. 6BR/3FB/2HB. Generously proportioned rooms with good flow. Close to Friendship Heights, shops, restaurants, upper NW, METRO. Foxhall Office 202.363.1800.

All Properties Offered Internationally Follow us on:

www.ExtraordinaryProperties.com

2 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

Find these on the web at www.georgetowner.com:

Long & Foster Georgetown Sales Office

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SPELLBOUND BY ‘THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE’ The spell was cast by the Imagination Stage and The Washington Ballet at the June 22 opening, replete with reception, and will continue to delight audiences through August 12.

Expect the UNEXPECTED

Jane Austen Film Fest June 27 – “Sense & Sensibility”

Playing on the grounds of Dumbarton House Opens at 7:30 pm – movie starts at 8:30 pm www.DumbartonHouse.org

FIREWORKS SAFETY TIPS WITH EXPLOSIVE DEMONSTRATION

Admission FREE for all.

Sponsored by

As part of its annual fireworks safety demonstration, the CPSC reenacted seven dangerous scenarios based on information its staff collected in 2011 of injuries sustained by fireworks.

Join us for CAG Concerts in the Park Rose Park, Georgetown (26th & P St) at 5 o’clock

Featuring By & By, a DC Blue Grass Band

ART METAMORPHOSIS GALA AT GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT Art Metamorphosis Gala drew more 3,500 attendees to Washington Harbour, including Mayor Vincent Gray.

4th of July parade starts at 4:30 pm Premiere Sponsor of The Citizen’s Association of Georgetown (CAG)

Family, Neighbor & Community Focus Looking for a Career Change?

Call Stacy Berman, Manager

1680 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20007

Office: 202.944.8400

VOL. 58, NO. 20

SINCE 1954

CONTENTS NE W S 3

Web Exclusives

6

Up & Coming

7

DC Scene

8

Editorial & Opinion

21

I N COUN TRY

24 25

RE AL E S TAT E 12

Spotlight

14

Featured Property

Classified/Service Directory Murphy’s Love

26

Museum

27

Performance

SOCI AL SCENE

Non-Stops

28

COV E R 15-19

ON THE COVER Chef Mike Isabella of Bandolero and Graffiato Photo by Greg Powers

TH E AR T S

TR AV E L 14 Novel

Chefs Go Fresh: The Stops Along the Route

BODY & SOU L

Business

11

22-23

DI RECT ORY

Town Topics

9-10

50 Shades of Sancerre

Charities & Benefits

28-31

Delicious Defined

Social Scene

PAGE 11 The one-of-a-kind Avocado Café on Wisconsin Avenue

FOOD & WI N E 19

Cocktail of the Week

20-21

Dining Guide GEORGETOWN MEDIA GROUP, INC.

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

MEET THE PRESS THIS WEEK ARI POST

Eating well is a never-ending pursuit—one that’s taken me to some beautiful places and introduced me to some remarkable people. Needless to say, I’ve also had some pretty tasty bites along the way. Food encompasses sensation, well being, community, love and life, and I am lucky to live in a city with such a rich sense of it all. It’s icing on the cake that I get to talk and write about it for a living. Through my many adventures into some of this city’s best restaurants, I’ve found that my favorite place to eat is still standing up in a kitchen with friends and family, an arm’s length from where the food was cooked. I guess I just like being in the kitchen.

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, 2012.

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Calendar

UP & COMING JUNE 27

Smithsonian Folklife Festival The Smithsonian Folklife Festival will be held Wednesday, June 27, through Sunday, July 1 and Wednesday, July 4, through Sunday, July 8, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. All events are free. Festival hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day with special evening events, such as concerts and dance parties beginning at 6 p.m. For more information visit www.festival.si.edu

JUNE 30

Penguin Bob Reading and Drawing Artist, author and illustrator Joe Jamaldinian enthralls the kids with an exciting adventure featuring his children’s book character, Penguin Bob. With some help from the audience, Joe sketches a colorful story in which Bob follows his quest to teach children to pursue their dreams in a multi-cultural world of fascinating people. Free and open to the public; contact information@nationaltheatre. org for more details. The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

JULY 1

Independence Day Family Tea Celebrate the nation’s birthday at the home of early patriots. Get to know America’s First Family, the Washingtons and their descendants through hands-on activities, a sit-down tea with tasty sweets, and an interactive tour.

Children will begin by dressing up in period costumes, make a special patriotic craft and learn to “take tea” from “Martha Washington” in full period dress. After tea, families will tour the historic mansion to learn about our first president. Tickets range from $10 to $25. Call 202-965-0400. Tudor Place Historic House and Garden,1644 31st Street NW. www.TudorPlace.org.

JULY 4

Palisades’s Annual July 4th Parade and Picnic Gather at 11 a.m., along MacArthur Boulevard. Since 1966, the Palisades Citizens Association — with the support of local business — has organized the annual July 4th parade and picnic. Everyone is encouraged to get involved, whether it be marching in the parade or helping at the picnic afterwards.

Parade starts at Whitehaven Parkway; free Visit PalisadesDC.org for more information.

America’s National Independence Day Parade The parade, co-hosted by the National Park Service, starts at 11:45 a.m. on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Street before an audience of hundreds of thousands. It consists of invited bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military and specialty units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams, VIPs, national dignitaries and celebrity participants.

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JULY 7

Castleton Festival at the Hylton — Grand Opera in Concert: Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’ Unencumbered by sets and elaborate costumes, this spectacular concert version of Puccini’s “La Bohème” conducted by Maestro Lorin Maazel allows the audience to be mesmerized by the Castleton Festival Orchestra and singers performing the beloved music of this heartrending opera. Tickets cost $30, $45 and $60. Visit hyltoncenter.org for more information. Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle.

Washington Nationals’ 4th Annual Pups in the Park $22 - Owner Ticket (Outfield Reserved section 140-143, access to the Picnic Area Pup Zone) $8 - Dog Ticket (proceeds benefit the Washington Humane Society). All those with tickets purchased for Pups in the Park must enter through the Right Field Gate. Upon entering, you must drop off a signed waiver form for your dog’s up-to-date shots and vaccinations. Tickets must be purchased in advance; subject to availability. Visit Nationals.com/pups. Nationals Park located at 1500 South Capitol Street, SE, directly off the Navy Yard-Green Line Metro stop.

JULY 10

Snap to It: ‘The Addams Family’ “The Addams Family” is a smash-hit musical comedy that brings the darkly delirious

world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and, of course, Lurch to spooky and spectacular life.

This magnificently macabre new musical comedy is created by Jersey Boys authors Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Tickets: $39 to $115. Call 202-467-4600 for more information — the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street, NW.

Capital Fringe Festival The innovative Capital Fringe Festival returns for its lucky number seven year of offbeat theatre, out of the ordinary music and ground-breaking performances, brought to you by the greater creative conscious of Washington, D.C. The Fringe begins July 12 and runs through July 29, taking place in over 15 different venues in downtown D.C. $17 per show plus $5 one-time button purchase; discount packages available. Visit capfringe.org for more information. Fort Fringe and other venues, 607 New York Ave, NW. ★

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DC SCENE

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PHOTOS AND TEXT BY JEFF MALET. WWW.MALETPHOTO.COM

1. Coleus plants grace the U.S. Capitol on June 23. 2. Vivian (age 4) from Falls Church examines a Venus flytrap. The United States Botanic Garden’s exhibit on carnivorous plants will run through Oct. 8. 3. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Academy Award–winning film “Unforgiven” in the new Warner Bros. Theater at the American History Museum. Actress Frances Fisher, who was in the film, attended a one-night-only screening, beginning a free three-day festival that honored the film’s director, Clint Eastwood, on June 22. 4. An emotional Roger Clemens (in tan suit) speaks briefly to the press, holding a tissue to wipe tears, in front of the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse at the conclusion of his trial. He was joined by family members and his legal team. In photo, wife Debbie and son Kody Clemens. Roger Clemens was acquitted on June 18 on all charges that he obstructed and lied to Congress in denying he used performance-enhancing drugs. 5. Roll Call’s Abby Livingston gets tagged out at home by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (RN.H.) at the annual Congressional Women’s Softball game between lawmakers and reporters at Watkins Recreational Center in Washington on June 20. 6. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill June 19. The committee was looking into a $2-billion accounting loss disclosed last month from JPMorgan’s chief investment office.

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EDITORIAL / OPINION

Our Summer of Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

A

round here, and everywhere else, people spend an awful lot of time waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Shoeless Joe Jackson did it all his life.

No, it’s not going to rain Christian Louboutins tomorrow.

It’s just that feeling you get that something big-bad or just big, or just dumb and stupid is going to happen very soon — after something big-bad, or just big, or just dumb and stupid has already happened.

So, we thought we’d give some notice of possible shoe droppings. I mean shoes have already dropped on or been dropped

by Kwame Brown and Harry Thomas, Jr .

Still waiting to hear from the feds and what’s left of their investigation into Mayor Vincent Gray’s election campaign after two of his aides have pleaded guilty and blabbed to the feds. If I had anything to do with that campaign, I’d walk around town with a shoe-deflective umbrella.

One big shoe’s going to drop Thursday.

That’s when the Supreme Court delivers its decision on Obama’s Health Care Reform plan. What are the odds that the shoe will fall on the mandate? If I were a betting man, and I’m not, but still, I’d say they’re pretty good.

How many more shoes are going to drop on the hopes of the Washington Nationals? There’s Zimmerman (Ryan), the hitter, not the pitcher, and his anemic, un-franchise-player-like batting average,

there’s Zimmermann (Jordan), the pitcher and his lack of support from his teammates, there’s Werth, out with an injury, there’s Ramos, out with an injury, there’s the top reliever, out with an injury, there’s the 0-7 in a Yankee game by future franchise Harper, and now our ace hits a guy on the noggin and unravels.

But we’re still in first place. Amazing.

Elections campaigns are, of course, the big shoes altogether. Who will have both of his shoes on after the election — I’m betting it’s Romney because he has so many to spare.

Here’s a shoe for blue jeans. Win or lose, how long will Mitt Romney go on wearing blue jeans in public and then cause the blue jean industry to collapse after he stops, causing the loss of 100,000 jobs and pushing the unemployment rate over 10 percent?

Big-time shoe: That’s when the Ken Cuccinelli presidential campaign begins.

Shoe time: The day Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor debuts on Lifetime Television.

Shoe time two: The next time Lindsay Lohan goes into rehab.

Shoe time: When the Republicans sweep the House of Representatives, the Senate, the presidency and the nationwide cupcake conces-

sions.

Shoe time: When the Nationals win the World Series, in spite of all the shoes that have dropped on them, shocking the world.

Shoe time: When the new Redskin rookie sensation throws seven interceptions in the first half of the season opener, is replaced by Rex Grossman, who throws seven more, setting an NFL record, whereupon the Redskins fire Shannon, try to get the Joe Gibbs man back into harness for $20 million.

Shoe time: The race between Vincent Orange and Phil Mendelson for City Council Chairman ends in a tie after ten recounts of all of the 1,399 votes cast. The final results: someone wins by a shoe.

Rumored shoe drop: There are rumors that plans exist to make Avengers II with 350 superheroes, including the Katzenjammer Kids, Homer Simpson, Little Lulu, Mutt and Jeff, the Range Rider and Brenda Starr, thus resulting in a possible film in which every comic character every drawn will be in a movie.

And last, but not least, the biggest shoe drop of all.

There is, of course, December 21 on the Mayan calendar. (Are do new archeological discoveries say otherwise?)

Still, you know the drill. It’s all over, Baby Blue. ★

Church of Francis Scott Key to Take Delivery of a New Pipe Organ on Eve of July 4th

T

he day before July 4, bands will likely be rehearsing the national anthem for Independence Day celebrations.

But in the Georgetown church where Francis Scott Key, the author of “The StarSpangled Banner,” worshipped, a parade of workers will be busy delivering an exquisite new pipe organ, designed specifically for the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church on O Street.

The July 3 arrival of the new organ, coinciding with holiday traffic and extensive Georgetown street reconstruction, will force a temporary traffic disruptions on Wisconsin Avenue, N Street and Potomac Street to accommodate the tractor-trailer

hauling the organ components.

At about 7 a.m., the tractor trailer is expected to enter onto Wisconsin Avenue and turn onto N Street. It will travel up the street and back almost a block to park on Potomac Street NW alongside St. John’s, forcing parking limitations along both routes. Off-loading the organ console with its 2,262 wooden and metal pipes from the 53 foot trailer will take hours.

Every effort to minimize inconveniences to neighbors and businesses will be taken, said Interim Rector Bruce McPherson. “We realize this is going to be one more element of complication in an already challenging parking and traffic situation, but we also PUBLISHER

Sonya Bernhardt Robert Devaney FEATURE EDITORS

ADVERTISING

Charlene Louis

Renee Antosh Kelly Sullivan

Adra Williams

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

8 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

believe this organ and the concert series it will inspire will greatly enhance the community’s artistic and musical cultural climate long into the future.”

The new organ will be dedicated Sept.

29 by the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Washington, D.C. Episcopal Diocese.

Historic St. John’s was founded in 1796, with early donations to the building fund from Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Corcoran. An early vestryman was Francis Scott Key and Dolley Madison was a regular attendee.★

IN COUNTRY & ADVERTISING

Evelyn Keyes

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jen Merino

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jeff Malet Neshan Naltchayan

CFO NATWAR GANDHI: KEY TO D.C.’S SUCCESS

BY JACK EVANS

I

was pleased by the Mayor Gray’s decision to reappoint Natwar Gandhi to another term as the District’s Chief Financial Officer. I have said many times I would not trade the District’s financial position with that of any other city, county or state in the country. The District had a $1.1 billion cumulative general fund balance in fiscal 2011, an increase of $215 million over the previous year. This is $1.6 billion above the District’s lowest fund balance level, which was minus $518 million during the control board period in 1996. Our audit last year was the District’s 15th consecutive clean audit, and our recently passed fiscal 2013 budget is the District’s 16th consecutive balanced budget.

Much of our success in maintaining fiscal discipline can be attributed to Gandhi. While the mayor and members of the District Council have at times criticized Gandhi’s conservative revenue forecasts, I believe having a surplus at the end of the year is better than finding ourselves with a deficit and the potential reintroduction of a control board.

Particularly during this time of instability in our government, it is critical to have an independent CFO with a demonstrated commitment to maintaining integrity in financial projections, regardless of political pressure.

I have seen firsthand how difficult it is to bring efficiency into a government bureaucracy. This makes it all the more impressive that our Office of Tax and Revenue has modernized its systems and can issue income tax refunds in three to five days for electronically filed returns, and just ten days even for paper filings.

Perhaps most important to me is the District’s bond rating. The District must issue bonds to finance important infrastructure improvements, such as schools, libraries and parks. I cannot emphasize enough how adept Gandhi and his team are at communicating with the credit-rating agencies at our annual meeting in New York. These rating agencies determine how expensive it will be for us to borrow money.

Meetings such as these help us to secure our Income Tax bond rating of “AAA” by S&P and “Aa1/AA+” by Moody’s and Fitch. Our general obligation bond ratings, which were considered “junk bonds” in the control board period, are now in the A+ and double-A range. The District has been recognized for its new highly-rated Income Tax Secured Revenue Bonds that help to ensure ongoing access to the financial markets with low interest rates. The initial issuance of these bonds gained recognition as one of the Bond Buyer newspaper’s “Deals of the Year” in 2010.

The credit-rating agencies now have a very positive view of the District’s financial position, and our bond issues are routinely oversubscribed and pay among the lowest interest rates among major cities. So I’m not just talking about a general sense I have as to Gandhi’s value – Gandhi’s work has led to tangible savings for the District. For example, the use of variable rate bonds has saved us more than $100 million. Finally, Dr. Gandhi has earned the respect of Capitol Hill. Members of Congress, which in many ways control the District’s finances, have great respect for him.

I am chairing a hearing of the Finance and Revenue Committee on Gandhi’s nomination on June 28 at 10 a.m. in room 500 of the Wilson building. I welcome any of you to testify or to submit written comments for the record. ★

Yvonne Taylor

CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Bird Linda Roth Conte Jack Evans Donna Evers Amos Gelb Lisa Gillespie Jody Kurash

Ris Lacoste David Post Laura Powell Alison Schafer Bill Starells

TOWN TOPICS

News Buzz

BY RO BE RT DEVANEY

Condemned C&O Canal Boat Has Little Chance to Stay Afloat

The beloved C&O Canal boat, the Georgetown, is leaving us. The 19th Century style, mule-pulled, 90-foot cargo boat sits on blocks in the canal between 33rd and Thomas Jefferson Streets. Captivating visitors for a ride along the C&O Canal for decades, the boat has deteriorated and deemed unsafe for passengers.

At Thomas Jefferson Street and the canal there is a June 27 party planned to celebrate the long-serving boat — with a hope the gathering might generate a fund-raising effort to save the boat. (It’s a slim one.)

For years, the National Park Service had set up tours in which visitors, park rangers and volunteers would wear period clothing and describe what life was like for the families that lived and worked on the canal. Despite a signed petition delivered to the NPS, the Georgetown boat will be removed and destroyed And some of its neighbors are not happy with the decision.

John Noel, chief of division of partnerships of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, had been fighting to keep the boat and tour above board. “The National Park Service and I have looked at all our options, whether it was better to repair the boat or to somehow save it,” Noel said. “Due to the budget crisis, unfortunately we cannot repair it.”

NPS plans to launch a smaller recreational battery-powered boat for canal tours in July.

Neighbors Celebrate Scheele’s Market’s New Life On June 21, neighbors at 29th and Dumbarton Streets closed the street and met for a sit-down alfresco dinner to celebrate the continuation of Scheele’s Market, their longtime grocery store. They said farewell to former Scheele’s shopkeepers, Shin and Kye Lee, and welcomed the new business owner, Doug Juk Kim, and thanked the owner of the building, Jordan O’Neill.

Malcolm “Mike” Peabody and his group rescued Scheele’s Market at 29th and Dumbarton by making an agreement with O’Neill to pay $70,000 for improvements and other covenant details. The neighborhood group, Friends of Scheele’s, has worked to keep the store, which has served the town for 118 years. With funds raised by the party, the goal has just about been met. And with music by Wayne Wilentz at the keyboard and Sidney Lawrence on vocals, diners enjoyed food from Stachowski Market and Deli, Georgetown Haagen-Dazs and, of course, Scheele’s. To make a donation, e-mail Mike Peabody at mpeabody@ptmanagement.com.

It’s Official: ANC Formally Approves New Campus Plan At a special June 14 meeting, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E unanimously agreed to Georgetown University’s 2010-2020 campus plan, as revised by neighborhood groups and university leaders. Thus ended at least two years of sharp debate between the two, beginning a new era in town-gown relations.

The most significant outcome, besides restricting students from living in the neighborhood and promising to create a more vibrant on-campus main campus, is the Georgetown Community Partnership. It will be a standing group of residents and university officials along with student representation to discuss progress and problems as they happen.

“We are all Georgetown here,” said commissioner Jeff Jones. “We have to trust each other.”

The Historic Tudor Place Receives Preservation Award For its intensive site-wide archaeological survey, Tudor Place Historic House & Garden has been awarded the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office’s Ninth Annual Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.

The museum’s executive director and trustees and representatives of Dovetail Cultural Resources, which carried out the work, accepted the prize for archaeology June 21 at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue. Seventeen other prize categories included stewardship, design and construction, publications and affordable housing, among others. Former Historic Preservation Review board chairman Tersh Boasberg received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for this foundational survey that informs interpretation of the site and the larger scholarship on how suburban estates of the early 19th Century functioned,” said Leslie Buhler, executive director of Tudor Place. “Archaeology is a critical component of our research. We look forward to what further excavations will reveal.”

home from a dinner gathering when she was dragged into the woods, sexually assaulted and murdered. The crime took place at Canal Road near the entrance to Georgetown University.

The other sexual assault case happened in 1996, less than two miles from the Mirzayan murder.

The victim was walking along a row of homes and woods in the Palisades neighborhood in the 4900 block of MacArthur Blvd., when she was dragged into the woods and sexually assaulted.

This case has also been linked to several other sexual assault cases that happened between 1991 and 1996.

Chiang wanted to spotlight Amanda Haines, Detective Tony Brigidini and Detective Todd Williams, the cold case team that helped to discover the DNA link between the cases. “If it wasn’t for their hard work … we would have basically nothing,” Chiang said. “I want to give kudos to this great cold case unit.”

Because of what Haines, Brigidini and Williams have done, he said, a DNA link has been discovered and there is a new composite sketch of the man who committed these crimes.

Chiang hopes these latest developments can take the case to the next level — including finding a match and prosecution. Police believe the perpetrator has ties to the D.C. area. With the new evidence, the renewed profile and national attention these cases are getting, there is hope that the “Potomac River Rapist” can be brought to justice.

Tune into “America’s Most Wanted” Friday, June 29, 9 p.m. on Lifetime.

Continued on Page 10.

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Next ‘America’s Most Wanted’ on Mirzayan Killing, Potomac River Rapist Case The next episode of “America’s Most Wanted,” with host John Walsh, focuses on Georgetown. The show, which will premiere June 29, at 9 p.m. on Lifetime, focuses on the search for a man accused of murdering Christine Mirzayan and is wanted in connection with nine sexual assaults. Police have dubbed him the “Potomac River Rapist.”

The Christine Mirzayan case has appeared on “America’s Most Wanted” before, but a newly discovered link between this murder and nine other rapes have led to this cold case to be re-assessed. “We are revisiting the Christine Mirzayan case to give it, and the other nine rapes, the national attention they deserve. It is important to Mr. Walsh,” said Roger Chiang of “America’s Most Wanted.”

Recently re-examined DNA links two crimes: the murder of Christine Mirzayan and the sexual assault of another victim. Intern and graduate student Christine Mirzayan was murdered in the summer of 1998. She was walking

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Congressional Hearing Held at Heating Plant Property Makes Its Point Hundreds of congressional hearings are held in Washington each year. Administration officials and others sit before House or Senate inquisitors answering each as fully and dutifully as they can. These hearings usually occur on Capitol Hill and often make for some drama or political theater.

On June 19, one particular congressional hearing was in held Washington — but away from the Hill in Georgetown. Not only was it in Georgetown, it was in a place which evoked the opposite of what most think about when considering Georgetown real estate: an empty, broken-down heating plant, now for sale by the federal government.

The hearing in the West Heating Plant on 29th Street was a bit of political theater, staged

by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Chairman of the Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee.

Its title was “Sitting on Our Assets: The Georgetown Heating Plant.” Reviews have been generally favorable.

The representatives — including Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY) — set up tables and chairs within the massive plant and grilled one witness: Flavio Peres, the deputy assistant commissioner for Real Property Utilization and Disposal at the General Services Administration (GSA).

Their questions hit on why it has taken so long to put up that for-sale sign for this highly valuable property, just south of the C&O Canal and the Four Seasons Hotel. (The sign went up the day before the hearing.) The 1940s-era structure once generated energy for federal buildings and then stood as a back-up. It has been totally shut down since 2000 and has cost the government $3.5 million in maintenance fees.

Denhan and Mica want other unused federal property to get on a faster track to be sold by the GSA, as urged by the Obama Administration.

They aptly used their site-of-the-day to make that point to GSA and to the public. They have held hearings off Capitol Hill before and threaten to hold more around the country, if necessary.

Peres took his hits from Mica, who said of his testimony, “We don’t know if [the plant] was turned on. We don’t know if it has an operating license. We had other places to store what was stored here ... It just doesn’t seem like anyone is minding the store or taking care of the assets.

This is a pretty valuable piece of property.”

Denham asked: “How is GSA going to ensure that this time we are going to get the highest value on this property that is the biggest piece of acreage in downtown Georgetown?”

Peres said that the market was strong and that developers and planners knew of the impending sale. He said that the online sales auction for the heating plant property would likely be in late September.

As for the GSA, it holds 142 properties, compared to other agencies that hold 14,000.

And, yes, a GSA official spoke to Georgetown’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission about the impending sale last year. There are plans, set by financiers and architects and ready to roll,

Adra Williams, events coordinator for the Georgetown Business Association, and Dr. Isabel Sharkar of Indigo Integrated Health Clinic.

David Berkebile of Georgetown Tobacco and Nikki DuBois of Boomerang Tours, Inc., relax during the cruise.

as evidenced by the Levy Group’s designs.

Neighborhood groups want to make sure that some land within the mixed-use site can be used for public parkland, connecting Rock Creek to the riverfront. The huge building itself must be gutted and restructured for condos and the like.

After the hearing, Mica, Denham, congressional aides and media went to the plant’s rooftop with its commanding views of Georgetown, Cathedral Heights, West End, Rosslyn and the Potomac River. Dramatic? Yes, political theater plays well in this town.

Biz Group’s Annual Boat Ride on the Potomac The Potomac River breezes surely helped with the heat, and the sights were iconic, as the annual boat ride for the Georgetown Business Association left Washington Harbour.

Cruising under Key Bridge and then down under Memorial Bridge, the group enjoyed food from Dean & Deluca and got a chance to check a new river boat line, Boomerang Tours. ★

BUSINESS

The Avocado Café: Unique, Green and Appealing

BY WH IT NE Y S A UPAN A N D V E R O N I C A LO P E Z

“W

e wanted to offer a healthy alternative,” said Steve Toglia, manager at Avocado Café, on Wisconsin Avenue. An avocado lover’s dream, the Avocado Café offers Georgetown residents and visitors a variety of food options with — naturally — avocado as the main ingredient.

Included on the menu is a wide selection of wraps, salads, and sandwiches. All sandwiches are double-deckers and are large-portion meals, guaranteed fresh. “We go to the market twice a week for fresh produce,” Toglia said. “We make falafel and hummus from scratch.”

In addition to these items, the Avocado Café offers a selection of smoothies — including an avocado smoothie — a not-so-common treat around here. Why avocado? “I love avocados myself,” Toglia said. “It seemed like a unique ingredient.”

With so many options to choose from, Toglia recommends the spicy buffalo chicken, tripledecker club sandwich along with the homemade iced tea. However, the most popular item on the menu is the Booyah Wrap. It consists of grilled chicken, grilled veggies, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, tzatziki sauce and -- of course -- avocado. For those who are not avocado fans, no worries: everything is available without an avocado ingredient upon request.

The Avocado Café, which opened its doors two years ago, is unique in two ways: It’s one of a kind, and it’s a true rags-to-riches story.

Owner Sam Elissawy is originally from Egypt.

He immigrated to Boston, where he mopped floors and washed dishes at a local restaurant.

Great times.

“He saved his money to move to D.C. and started his own business,” Toglia said.

With its late hours, and discounted prices for Georgetown University students, it’s no wonder that the Avocado Café is such a local favorite.

“We mostly have regulars and online orders.

Good friends.

Feeling hungry? Visit the Avocado Café, next to Wisey’s, at 1438 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. Want delivery? Call 202-337-5115, or visit avocadocafedc.com to order.

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REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT

Sanchez: Streamlining With

Style

BY WH IT NE Y S A UPAN

“W

hen I was a little girl, my girlfriends and I would play Barbies.

They would dress them up and I would make Barbie furniture and Barbie houses,” said interior designer Victoria Sanchez.

So began a design career, which was on exhibit at the 2012 D.C. Design House.

Sanchez grew up around D.C. and has always lived here. She graduated from Marymount University in 1984. She has been designing for 30 years and has had her own business for 12.

When she’s finished her designing career, she says, “I would like to be a college professor and teach interior design.”

“I’ve always been observant and had the gene and disposition to identify the basic principles of design,” Sanchez said. “My grandmother would take me antiquing. She would try and teach me how to point something out.”

She also said that her father helped her fine-tune her skills. “My father bought a lot of real estate. We would go to open houses, and I would say that this house would be better if they moved the wall, or they need a bigger kitchen.”

Sanchez explained that these experiences helped her grow as a designer. “It’s my gift,” she said with a laugh.

What a gift it is. Her Teenager’s Getaway room in the D.C. Design House showed off her talent to a tee. The room is filled with bright colors, unique fabrics and intriguing furniture.

Sanchez said her inspiration for this room came from her two teenage children and from Missoni patterns. “I saw the fabrics, and the light bulb hit me. I worked the design and it snowballed and grew, and I got very excited about it.”

She found items at antique shops, on eBay and at retail stores. “That was part of my inspiration, working outside the box, pushing myself, trying something new,” Sanchez said. “I put myself in a position like a client would. I bought some retail pieces, some used pieces and I put it all together and came up with a high-end, really fashionable room. I feel that more people are

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Top left: Victoria Sanchez. Top right: A sample of a “Teen Room” in Washington D.C.

interested in reusing things. That they are interested in pieces that have a little bit of history.

All new isn’t necessarily so fabulous anymore.”

In general, Sanchez gets her inspiration from her daily life. “Inspiration is really everywhere that I go every day. It’s all around us all the time.

But until there is really a need for it — it doesn’t click or register.”

She also gets inspiration from other designers and from fabric and furniture manufacturers.

“They work to identify the trends,” she said.

“Then, when I’m exposed to the trends, I’m inspired to experiment with them and incorporate those trends into my design and my work.”

She is also moved by classic design elements and architecture found in classical art. She said she believes that if a design has the basic elements then it will remain both timeless and spot-on.

When asked about the Washington style,

Sanchez says that she sees a changing trend.

“The traditional, federal, stereotypical designs seem very passé. All generations seem to be more interested in streamlining their interiors.

There is a nod to the classic designs but not as heavy as in the past. Less is more seems to be the trend.”

For Sanchez, the best part of designing “is that I can fulfill my designer fantasies in other people’s homes. I love always being able to try new things all the time.” Sanchez also says that helping the client is a great part of the job. “My job, as a designer, is to take my clients’ wishes and turn them into their reality. I have the skills and resources, which is why they come to me.

At the end of the day, I make people’s homes beautiful for them.” ★

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TRAVEL

Novel Non-Stops Take Flight: Whether Flying to Iceland, Mexico or Dubai, There Are More Choices

BY L AU R A POWEL L

W

ashington jet-setters now have a full slate of exciting new options for non-stop travel out of the D.C. area. Several international carriers have chosen 2012 as their year to get acquainted with Washingtonians, while some of the old standbys are adding new destinations--international and domestic--to their schedules.

If you fly out of Dulles Airport, there might be a fjord in your future. That’s because Icelandair is back in the Washington region after a four-year absence. This time, instead of flying out of Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), it’s flying out of Dulles. During the

each way each day. Passengers receive such perks as access to premium passenger lounges, along with free wine, beer and snacks on board.

South of the border, AeroMexico launched a daily non-stop from Dulles to Mexico City in May. If you want to get a bit of that Latin flavor without leaving U.S. territory, opt for JetBlue’s new non-stop service from Reagan National (DCA) to San Juan, Puerto Rico, beginning Aug. 23. DCA to San Juan? What gives, you say?

Besides upgrading the air traffic control system, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 grants slots for eight new non-stops between DCA and destinations beyond the airport’s nor-

Iceland is an easy destination for a long weekend.

summer, Icelandair has six flights a week to Reykjavik. This is an airline known for offering long-weekend deals, as the flight is less than six hours. Keep an eye on its website, particularly during non-peak travel months.

There is good news for United MileagePlus members, who can rack up plenty of points on the airline’s three international routes introduced this spring. United Airlines now flies a daily non-stop to Dublin, Ireland, to Manchester, England, and to Doha, Qatar.

If you have a hankering for seven-star hotels and a yen to see the tallest building in the world, enjoy a far-flung exotic adventure via Emirates.

The highly rated Middle Eastern carrier inaugurates its daily non-stop service from Dulles to Dubai on Sept. 12. Flying Emirates, you don’t have to wait until you touch down to enjoy the good life. Business and first-class passengers have access to free onboard lounges, while those in the front of the plane can also enjoy refreshment, thanks to state-of-the-art shower spas. And this just in: if you book business class before July 5, you can save $1,000.

If you feel like a shorter hop, Porter Airlines may be just the ticket. This top-rated Canadian carrier started flying between Dulles and Toronto City Airport in April. There are now four flights

14 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

mal 1,250-mile perimeter. In particular, that’s a sweetheart deal for Washingtonians looking to travel to California. There are several new non-stops to the West Coast, including a daily American flight to Los Angeles and a daily United flight to San Francisco. US Airways starts flying non-stop to San Diego in July, and Virgin America wings its way to San Francisco International (SFO) on Aug. 14.

Meantime, if you want to wander up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Condor Airlines is scheduled to begin twice-weekly, non-stop service between BWI and Frankfurt, Germany, in July. Condor tends to offer seats at lower fares than Lufthansa. For BWI, this is a needed addition to international offerings, as the airport’s only other European non-stop is British Airways to London. ★ Laura Powell, the Georgetowner’s new travel columnist, has been on the beat for 20 years. After covering travel for CNN, she has gone on to report for a wide variety of print, online and on-air outlets.

Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, National Geographic Traveler and USA Today. She often appears on WUSA and on NewsChannel 8 as a guest travel expert. More of Laura’s travel punditry can be found at www.dailysuitcase.com.

COVER STORY

DELICIOUS Defined

BY AR I POS T

Delicious (di-’li-shes) adj. 1. Highly pleasing or agreeable to the senses, esp. of taste or smell.

2. Very pleasant; delightful. e

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE DELICIOUS? Perhaps the most ubiquitous word in the English language to denote appreciation of the culinary spectrum, delicious signifies our love for everything from a single exquisite bite to the grand flavors of a cultural heritage. From lemongrass to lemon ice, if it makes our tongues jump, “Delicious!” seems to say it all.

But what is it? How do you place it? And in a city like Washington, with a newly erupted, sprawling and vibrant food culture awash in international influence, where is it?

My quest for delicious took me through the ringer of Washington’s food scene. The Fancy Food Show exposed me to the geography of the world’s gastronomic and agricultural landscape. The Rammy Awards, which honor the District’s area restaurant industry, helped me hunt down the places to sample delicious in my hometown. Finally, it was my conversations with local chefs—the torchbearers of all that is delicious—that opened my senses to the essence of unforgettable food. This is the story of how my culinary boat got rocked.

D

elicious was on my mind the evening before the Summer Fancy Food Show kicked off at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center last week.

The Fancy Food Show, put on by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, is a celebration of food from around the world. Each year, thousands of vendors gather to showcase their latest innovations in food, from cutting edge ingredients to new food products, which keep the world fed in continually creative—and sometimes astonishing—ways.

From June 17 through June 19, the main hall

of the convention center was transformed into an epicurean Epcot Center. As D.C. restaurant patriarch José Andrés said, “In every corner, you’re gonna find a surprise.”

Walking among the stands, largely arranged by international and state regions, there were new food fancies you never knew about and old favorites you can’t believe you forgot. When is the last time you had a bite of perfectly cooked kielbasa, for instance? Or how about caramel corn? Or some good old-fashioned bread dipped in olive oil and salt?

Granted, at the Fancy Food Show, you won’t just be sampling some standard McCormick kosher salt. This year, you were tasting min-

eral-rich natural salt blends by Chef Salt, a Pennsylvania-based company that harvests salt from natural deposits and rare salt ponds around the world. The results are packed with gorgeous varieties of earthy, unique, yet wonderfully familiar flavors. What it could do to a piece of bread was wild. What it could do to a cut of tenderloin is unprecedented. It was… delicious.

If you’ve never been to the Fancy Food Show, be advised: the amount of good food is overwhelming. There is no way to describe it all. But below are some personal highlights from the event. Fortunately, most of the foods discussed are available at specialty stores around the Washington area or will be soon. Keep your eyes and mouths peeled, or take a trip to your nearest search engine to find out where you can get a hold of these products.

With each taste, my curiosity deepened.

Good as everything was, the foods were entirely unique to one another. There wasn’t any particular unifying thread. I was still left thinking, “What is delicious?”

Is it exemplified by the natural product of nature, like a slice of ripe summer peach? Is it a prepared and plated experience, liked fresh grilled squid on a bed of polenta? Is it the balance of flavor, the sweet, sour, spicy, salty and savory? Maybe it’s just the nature of flavor itself that we enjoy.

Does delicious account for location, season, tradition, mood, knowledge, price or preference?

Well, yes—but it’s all relative. A watermelon might be delicious, but you won’t likely find a delicious watermelon in the middle of winter.

Roasted butternut squash can be delicious, but in its raw state it is inedible to most people. Salt makes things delicious in the proper doses, but — as we all have likely experienced — oversalting will ruin a dish. Palates are also different and inconsistent—to some, licorice is delicious, while others wouldn’t touch it with a stick. If you are stressed or under the weather, your palate can

THE SPECTRUM OF DELICIOUS: Fancy

W

e already discussed our favorite salty offering at the Summer Fancy Food Show—and Chef Salt is definitely worth tracking down (hint: it’s available at Crate & Barrel)—but how about our other flavor receptors?

Below is The Georgetowner’s breakdown of the best of the sensory experiences from this year’s Show: the savory, the sweet, and some less traditional but equally pleasurable taste categories. If you want, you can turn the list into a citywide foodie scavenger hunt.

SAVORY Italy showcased a swath of oils, wines, chocolates and cheeses, as well as a mouthwatering Porchetta from Fa Lu Cioli, a near century-old company operating in Via delle Cerquette, about an hour south of Rome. Porchetta, a whole deboned pig (including the head), is a traditional early Roman preparation.

Roasted for hours at nearly 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the final product is a perfectly roasted cut of meat with crackling orange skin and a soft, herbaceous center. Whether sliced alongside

be off—you might not even notice a perfect bite of food if you had it.

I could run in logistical circles until I lost my appetite, but at the heart of this screwy little dilemma there is something fundamental and significant: food keeps us alive, and to consider the nature of good food is to consider the essence of a good life. Because that’s what food is: life.

On June 24, the Rammy Awards announced to Washington the local restaurants they deemed most noble in their pursuit of delicious. Put on by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) each year for the last three decades, the Rammy Awards give out accolades to metropolitan Washington’s exemplary restaurants.

Understanding the full spectrum of food tradition, they have continually expanded their program to recognize achievements in numerous food service capacities. This year, the Rammys gave out 18 awards in categories ranging from Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year and New Restaurant of the Year, to Rising Culinary Star and Beverage/Mixology Program.

It’s important to have an institution like RAMW to honor the culinary achievements of Washington’s restaurant scene. But still, I wanted to know more about the what and why of restaurants, the spark behind the flame of culinary obsession. More importantly, though, I was still after the essence of good food, the root of delicious.

I decided to go right to the source. I wanted to talk to chefs about the essence of delicious, to find out what it means to them, and how they employ those principles in their kitchens. With the help of chef and restaurateur Ris Lacoste, I began contacting a diverse selection of local chefs—people who know delicious. What I learned left me happy, satisfied and in wonder.

Not unlike a delicious meal. Turn the page to see what they had to say.

Food Favorites

pickles and mustard as an appetizer, served as the main course with potatoes and vegetables, or layered into a sandwich, this stuff is great. You can buy pre-roasted cuts of Fa Lu Cioli’s Porchetta to heat up at home in the oven.

SWEET In Townshend, Vermont, Big Picture Farm is making farmstead goat milk caramel, a wholly unique agricultural product that takes any caramel experience you’ve had to a new level of delicious. Somewhere between a caramel chew and a funky ripe cheese, these little morsels show us that even candy can have a distinct provenance; in each funky-sweet bite lingers the salt of the grazed Vermontian earth. Go find Big Picture Farm online (www.BigPictureFarm.com), and order these things immediately. Even if you don’t, you’ll probably be seeing them around town soon—they took the gold medal for a confection product at the show, and they are going to be eaten up by local and national distributors.

Chef Herve Chignon of Cuisine Solutions at the Fancy Food Show

GMG, INC. June 27, 2012 15

COVER STORY

THE SPECTRUM OF DELICIOUS:

Fancy Food Favorites

Marketed by Cuisine Solutions in Alexandria, Virginia, cryovacking is a deceivingly simple, basic process that yields perfect results: start with great ingredients, and prepare them simply to enhance their natural flavors. As Cuisine Solutions’ chef Herve Chignon let out, the technique is employed by top chefs and restaurants around the city, from Michele Richard of Citronelle, to Fabbio Trabbocchi of Fiola and Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve.

Delicious,

As Defined by Some Favorite Local Chefs

CULINARY CROSS-CULTURE

CRUNCHY Vendors from Spain brought over impressive collections of rustic wines, cured meats and sheep’s milk cheese. My favorite items, however, were fried and salted marcona almonds from Almondeli, a company on the southeast coastal town of Alicante that devotes itself entirely to this wonderfully distinct Spanish nut. I ate them as mindlessly and zealously as fresh salted popcorn.

CHOCOLATY Massachusetts-based Taza Chocolate makes a granular, brilliantly textured stone ground chocolate in a process inspired by centuriesold Mexican chocolate traditions. The stones minimally refine the cacao beans, allowing tiny bits of cacao and cane sugar to remain in the finished chocolate, resulting in bright tastes and bold textures. Their Chipotle Chili chocolate is of particular note and recommendation. Among other places in the city, you can pick up a wheelshaped hunk of Taza Chocolate with a cup of drip coffee at Peregrine Espresso in Eastern Market. Bring a book, and make a Sunday afternoon out of it.

TIPSY

Perhaps my favorite stop of at the Fancy Food Show was Chile. The sprawling South American country is insulated by natural barriers on all sides: the Andes mountain range to the east, the Pacific Ocean on its western coast and the Antarctic near its southern tip. “In many ways we are closed off from the world,” says Pilar Rodrigues, Chilean cook and culinary diplomat, “but it has made for a very strong culture.”

Rodriguez works to expose the international community to the rich culinary traditions of her native country. After taking a degree at the Culinary Academy in Paris, the former Tommy Hilfiger marketing director for Latin America decided to drop out of the fashion industry and devote herself to her two driving passions: wine and food. “Most of my time, I spend promoting Chilean food and wine abroad,” she says. “Our wines and food are on par with any international cuisine, it’s just a matter of getting it out there.”

The humitas she served me, a tamale-like cornhusk filled with fresh shredded corn, basil and sofrito, was about perfect. For visitors to Chile, she also recommends pastel de choclo, a traditional corn and meat stew “that carries all the flavor of our rich land.”

“It’s the time for Latin America,” she says.

“Everybody in the world is starting to come over.

All our different flavors—from the equator to Antarctica—are starting to be noticed. I’m just giving things a little push.”

Look up Rodriguez online, and find out more—there’s a lot to know, and it’s all worth it. ★

Pallini distillery knows a thing or two about making world-class drinks—as you might expect from the oldest distillery in Rome. Their Limoncello has a natural earthy zest from the fragrant peel of Sfusato lemons hand-picked on the Amalfi coast, hitting your palette with an intense burst of smooth and tangy flavors. Word on the street is it’s a good addition to lemon chicken, or drizzled over sorbets and lemon cakes.

INNOVATIVE Innovated in the 1970s in France and introduced to the U.S. in 1987, sous-vide (French for ‘’under vacuum’’) is an innovative cooking technique developed by Bruno Goussault, where food is vacuum-sealed in a specially designed pouch, slow-cooked in water at low temperatures until perfectly and evenly cooked through, and then chilled until ready for use. The result is really pretty remarkable—cut open a roast beef and it is perfectly pink from the edge to the center. Just roast the outside, and it’s ready to eat.

The process also seals in moisture, making food flavorful, tender and incredibly juicy.

16 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

Bryan Voltaggio

Bryan Voltaggio Chef/owner of Volt and Family Meal “Delicious” ccomes from a lot of places, I guess. It comes from the process behind creating a dish. That’s the exciting part—discovering new flavors or new ideas or new combinations on your own. But you have to be sure to understand: you don’t just cook for yourself, you cook for your guests. It’s also really exciting to get feedback. As chefs, handing our food to a guest for approval is what we strive for everyday.

Cooking is so much more than just one person behind a grill. We put it out there on a plate for our guests to experience. First, my team and I have to like it, and then we’ve got to hope our guests feel the same way as we do. It’s the communal nature of cooking that’s so cool.

That’s why I named my new restaurant Family Meal, because that’s what it signifies: getting together with the family to share a meal.

We thought about this as a diner with that concept of getting families together at the table to appreciate breakfast, lunch and dinner. We’ll be open for every meal.

At my restaurants, there are some thoughtprovoking dishes, and others are very simply done, with few ingredients and the idea that it’s supposed to be pristine. The best ingredients, the best technique.

One dish at Volt that speaks toward all this is our goat cheese ravioli. We source the cheese from Cherry Glen Farm in Montgomery County.

If I ever took it off the menu, I think it would start a riot. It’s on the menu with different garnishes throughout the year to stay true to the seasons, but it’s always there. When someone’s asked what’s your favorite dish at Volt, they always say the ravioli. It’s a comforting dish—it takes you back to your childhood in a lot of ways.

At Family Meal, I think that dish is going to be our fried chicken. I’m serious [laughs].

You’ll just have to try it.

me smile. It’s not that often, but a few times a year. And when I feel it, the food is usually in its simplest form. Like a perfect strawberry, which doesn’t happen very often—maybe once a year if I’m lucky. Or a peach or tomato, or simply grilled fish with no sauces.

However, as a chef I unfortunately cannot just give people food in the simplest way. As a chef, the approach is a little bit different—more complicated and uprising. But the ingredients have to be good. Then, we have to create something with them. And in that sense, delicious is also all about balance. Flavor, texture, the proper combining of ingredients. Sometimes, I taste something unbalanced and my palette gets confused—that is not good. I don’t want my customers to be confused.

Plus, delicious is a completely personal question. I can say, “That’s my favorite dish!”

But that doesn’t mean it’s your favorite dish or your girlfriend’s. It would be easy to say, “Tuna is my favorite fish.” And that satisfies the question. Kaz loves tuna. But I may like snapper tomorrow or yellowtail the day after. It changes every day because an ingredient is not the same every day. So, my philosophy is why pick a

Kaz Okochi Chef/co-owner of Kaz Sushi Bistro Chef Pilar on a mission to spreading the word on Chilean food

As an eater, “delicious” is a personal thing.

It is something I put in my mouth that makes

Kaz Okochi

COVER STORY

KAZ Sushi Bistro

favorite with so many good options?

I’m not good at picking my favorite thing anyway, because it changes all the time. And it should change with the seasons. I only love tomatoes when they’re good and ripe in the summer. If you ask me the same question in the wintertime, I don’t like tomatoes.

Customers ask everyday for my favorite thing at the restaurant. So, maybe I just tell them I love salmon, and that’s the end of the conversation. But I’m lying.

Jeffrey Buben Chef/owner of Vidalia and Bistro Bis To me, a lot of food is based on taste memory. So, when you get into the idea of delicious, it’s got to appeal to all your senses. Something delicious draws from your memory and imagination. It could be as simple as an apple. You know what an apple tastes like. But when you go to market and bite into that one apple with the right amount of sugar, ripeness and texture, you just go, “Wow, that’s delicious.” It brings together all your memories and ideas of what an apple is and it’s the best possible version of it. That is the culmination of all your senses, what your mind tells you it’s supposed to be like. The most satisfying sensation is when you hit that note.

That sense of memory is why I’ve stuck to the French European culinary tradition for most of my career. You can invent combos and put things together that shock the senses and put you in a place where all your preconceived notions are blown to hell, and that’s all good. But how often is that described as delicious?

But if you make a stew, or you braise something, and you do it perfectly, the whole world will come flooding into your mouth. That’s why you cook, and that’s why you eat. That feeling transcends all my other ideas around food. Boeuf bourguignon and a glass of red wine usually does it for me. It just takes over all of my senses [laughs].

Tracy O’Grady Chef/co-owner of Willow Restaurant I think that “delicious” food is part of what’s got us into the weight issue in this country [laughs]. Especially us chefs, all of us trying to make the most delicious burger, fries, whatever it is. And most of that deliciousness is added through fat and salt. Some people might define

Bandolero, photo by Greg Powers

delicious as farm-fresh vegetables or farmer’s market produce. Others will define it as an amazing prime steak.

But I think it’s definitely the quality of the ingredient and how you handle it—chefs are always trying to add layers of flavors. But there’s a gray area between the ingredient and the cooking: I’ve seen people take really good product and ruin it. And I’ve seen people take not-sogreat product to a new level.

But good, fresh ingredients are a must. As far as the idea of farm-to-table, it’s funny where we’ve come in our culture. At Willow, I don’t state where all my vegetables come from on my menu—it’s a given that if you come eat here, you get fresh herbs, fresh produce and the best cuts of meat. Of course, it’s fresh—getting choice produce is just part of my job.

When you come in, try our grilled flatbreads—we literally grill flatbread pizza on a grill. We do cheese blends and use great quality ingredients, of course. It’s just a vehicle for flavor and texture. It’s so simple, but you put any flavor profile on top, and it’s good. I have a lot of fun with that.

Tracy O’Grady

Roberto Donna Executive chef of La Forchetta Ristorante Delicious is any kind of food that you put in your mouth that makes you open your eyes and say, “Wow, that tastes good.” It’s something that gives you an immense sensation of happiness and joy. Delicious is equal to joy.

But that is my concept as a chef.

But what do I like? I really just like simple, good food, and I try to bring that out in my menus. Graffiato has its roots in a sort of salt-ofthe-earth, seasonal Italian tradition—very much inspired by an “old country” mentality, like my grandmother used to cook. We try to make big flavor happen without overdoing it—just bring out the ingredients as naturally and beautifully as we can.

At Bandolero, I’m after that same thing.

Mexican cuisine is so good because the ingredients are just right there in your face—pumpkin seeds, avocado, tomato, habanero—and they’re some of the best ingredients in the world. It’s hard to go wrong. Still, I think we definitely do it right.

Cathal Armstrong Chef/owner of Restaurant Eve

Roberto Donna

My mother had a grocery store when I was growing up in Turin [Italy], and my grandparents were vegetable gardeners. When they had something in their hands that was good to taste—a fresh vegetable or even a piece of bread—they would give it to me to bring me joy. When you taste something good, it makes you feel good.

It’s all love: food is love. You eat with love, you drink with love, you grow and raise food with love. If you do it for different reasons, it never comes out good.

You know, if you cook while you’re in a good mood, the food comes out good. If you cook in a bad mood, the food is usually not so good. The food knows this. At my restaurant, we have a lasagnetta, which I think is a good example of my feelings on this. It’s a lasagne casserole that brings me back in my memories.

It’s a Sunday dish we made with our family when we got together. It was the love my family had for each other—and now I share that with my dinner guests.

Without getting too esoteric about it, what I always try to teach people when creating delicious food is balancing acidity with sweetness, and then an understanding of texture contrast.

When you think about the finest wines of the world, they always have a good balanced structure between ripe fruit and good, bracing acidity on the palette. And they also have depth and texture contrast, where it stays in your mouth with a long and lingering sense. I think food should be

Mike Isabella Chef/owner of Graffiato, chef/partner of Bandolero Delicious is what naturally tastes good. Half of my job in serving good food is to buy good products. Maybe that just sounds lazy [laughs].

Cathal Armstrong

GMG, INC. June 27, 2012 17

COVER STORY

made the same way.

If everything is sweet, then it’s too cloying.

Too sour, and it’s puckering. No texture, and it’s flat and boring.

Sweetness doesn’t mean sugar exclusively—the sweet taste of pork is a natural sweetness, carrots, parsnips, beef, fresh seafood.

They all have a natural, earthy sweetness to them. And when balanced with a little acidity it creates beautiful contrast. And that will give you that lingering flavor that makes you want more of it all of the time.

There’s one dish that’s been on the menu of Restaurant Eve since we opened, called OOO. It stands for onions, oysters and Ossetra caviar.

It’s a rich creamy dish: you get the natural sweetness of the onion, and then the brininess of the oyster and caviar to balance it. And to create texture contrast we serve it in a crisp puff pastry. The sweetness of onion, brininess of the oyster and caviar and the crunchiness of the pastry.

The sweetness of onion, brininess of the oyster and caviar and the crunchiness of the pastry. To me, that is a complete dish.

soned achieves a balance of tastes—like tart versus sweet—that creates unprecedented flavor. Something precisely cooked, in keeping with seasonal ingredients at the peak of ripeness—this, to me, is where the essential, natural flavor of the food shines through.

Another component that enhances our experience is that epiphany of eating something sublime for the first time. Nothing beats those moments where you realize what great food really is.

Ris Lacoste Executive chef/owner of RIS

2012

RAMMY

AWARD WINNERS

AL L R AM M Y PH OTOS ARE CO URTESY O F JEFFERY MARTIN

Bob Kinkead Chef/Owner of Kinkead’s, Sibling Rivalry Delicious is when food is in balance. As basic as it sounds, food that is correctly seaBob Kinkead

Ris Lacoste

There is no better word a chef wants to hear from a guest than “delicious.” There is no better word for me to experience. It’s one of those “super words” that invokes a passion and satisfaction, something that goes beyond a single element in a dish—it means you have reached their heart and soul, you have made their whole being content. When you taste something like that, you lack and want for nothing.

Delicious comes in many forms, from a single pure essence to a finely tuned symphony of flavors and textures. It might even just be a memory, like a favorite meal at your mother’s table, something delicious perhaps only to you.

As a chef, delicious comes from heart and soul, from a life force created by memories and passion, all transferred from you to the guest through the food you cook.

Mike Benson of Cafe Saint-Ex

Fabio Trabocchi from Fiola

Vikram Sunderam’s Rasika

Fiola named Best New Restaurant, Rasika’s Vikram Sunderam wins coveted Chef of the Year award, and Mitsitam Native Foods Café wins first-ever Casual Restaurant RAMMY

Grilled Flatbread from Willow Restaurant

18 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

CHEF Vikram Sunderam - Rasika

FINE DINING RESTAURANT Bourbon Steak

RESTAURATEUR Jeff & Barbara Black - Black Restaurant Group PASTRY CHEF Fabrice Bendano - Adour

UPSCALE CASUAL RESTAURANT BlackSalt Fish Market & Restaurant

RISING CULINARY STAR Ed Witt - 701 Restaurant

NEW RESTAURANT Fiola

RESTAURANT MANAGER Reagan Corbett - Jackson 20

CASUAL RESTAURANT Mitsitam Native Foods Café

RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE José Alex Medrano - B. Smith’s

COVER STORY

FOOD & WINE

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK:

Dirty Bananas From Saint Lucia

BY JOD Y KU R ASH

T Jeff and Barbara Black from Black Restaurant Group

Former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams getting the Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award

Lisa Nardelli from The Tune Inn Receiving Honorary Milestone

Fabrice Bendano from Adour

WINE PROGRAM Cork Wine Bar BEVERAGE/MIXOLOGY PROGRAM Estadio

NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING PLACE Café Saint-Ex HOTTEST RESTAURANT BAR SCENE Black Jack

JOAN HISAOKA ASSOCIATE MEMBER Adams-Burch

POWER SPOT Founding Farmers - DC

DUKE ZEIBERT CAPITAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Anthony A. Williams

WHERE MAGAZINE VISITORS’ CHOICE AWARD McCormick & Schmick’s

HONORARY MILESTONE The Tune Inn

For More images of the Rammy Awards, please see page 29 in Social Scene.

he first thing I notice when I meet Big Ted is not his size. It’s his smile. It’s a friendly, welcoming type of grin; similar to the ones proudly displayed by most of the locals I meet in Saint Lucia.

Ted Barnard, or “Big Ted” as he is called, is the bar manager at the Coconut Bay beach resort, which is tucked away on the southern tip of the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. The vacation spot, which boasts multiple bars spread out over its mile-long stretch of beachfront property, is known for its lengthy drink choices. Between the swim-up bar, the lobby bar, the nightclub, sports bar, restaurants and the tiki bar beside the well-shaded adult pool, I lose count of the different cocktails by my first evening.

Each bartender seems to have his or her favorite potions.

Everything from the self-named “Terry in a Cup” to Kay’s “I Like” and Hami’s killer “Negroni,” I ask Ted to mix me the most popular tipple at the resort. He whips up a “Dirty Banana,” a delicious smoothie-like concoction forged from fresh bananas, coconut cream, rum, coffee liqueur with an optional squirt of chocolate syrup.

Because it is forged from fresh bananas, this cocktail sips more like a milkshake. Its thick texture gives it a dessert-like quality. But don’t be fooled, the dirty banana packs quite a punch thanks to three ounces of liquor. Later, I am informed that Ted has an extra-special version of the drink known as a “Filthy Banana.”

When I ask him to elaborate on its contents, he slyly tells me it’s made with even more rum.

Ted likes the dirty banana because it showcases the island’s local ingredients, St. Lucian rum, bananas, coconut and Ti Tasse, a rumbased coffee liqueur that is also produced in St. Lucia.

Like most Caribbean nations, Saint Lucia takes great pride in its native rums. The flagship spirit, Chairmen’s Reserve, is blended rum concocted from a combination of continuous distilled and double-distilled rums. The result is a full-bodied spirit with just enough sweetness and a little bit of bite. The spiced version of Chairmen’s Reserve contains local spices and fruits including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, all spice, lemon and orange.

It is also rumored to include Richeria Grandis – known locally as “Bois Bande” – a bark renowned in the Caribbean as a potent aphrodisiac.

While I specifically requested Chairmen’s rum in my drinks, Ted usually blends his dirty bananas with a light locally-produced overproof rum. Hence the potency of this drink. A few too

many, will have you floating off your barstool.

Unfortunately, many of Saint Lucia’s spirits can be difficult to find in the states. If you’d like to replicate the dirty banana at home, I would recommend using either Wray and Nephew overproof rum -- or if you like a fuller flavored spirit, Flor De Cana seven-year-old rum. For the coffee liqueur, you may substitute Kamora. The smooth frozen tropical coconut-banana flavor is a fine anecdote for Washington’s recent scorching Caribbean-like weather. ★

THE DIRTY BANANA 1 banana, sliced 1-ounce milk 1-ounce coconut cream 1.5-ounce coffee liqueur 1.5-ounce overproof light rum Squirt of chocolate syrup Add ingredients to blender with ice. Blend until well mixed. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

GMG, INC. June 27, 2012 19

Your Dining Guide to Washington DC’s Finest

1789 RESTAURANT 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

BISTRO FRANCAIS

3000 K St NW (One block from Georgetown Lowe’s theatres) 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.

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

www.bangkokjoes.com

(202) 965-1789

CHADWICKS

BISTROT LEPIC & WINE BAR 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.

Reservations suggested. www.bistrotlepic.com

(202) 338-3830

(202) 333-0111

CIRCLE BISTRO

CITRONELLE

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

(The Latham Hotel) 3000 M St, NW Internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Michel Richard creates magic with fresh and innovative American-French Cuisine, an exceptional wine list and stylish ambiance.

CLYDE’S OF GEORGETOWN

(202) 333-4422

3205 K St, NW (est.1967) A Georgetown tradition for over 40 years, this friendly neighborhood restaurant/ saloon features fresh seafood, burgers, award-winning ribs, & specialty salads & sandwiches.

Daily lunch & dinner specials.

Late night dining (until midnight Sun.-Thu., 1A.M. Fri-Sat) Champagne brunch served Sat. & Sun. until 4P.M. Open Mon-Thu 11:30A.M.-2A.M. Fri-Sat 11:30A.M.-3A.M.Sun 11A.M.-2A.M.Kids’ Menu Available. Overlooking the new Georgetown Waterfront Park ChadwicksRestaurants.com

Featuring Happy Hour weekdays from 5pm-7pm, live music every Saturday from 8pm12midnight, and an a la carte Sunday Brunch from 11:30am-2:30pm.

(202) 333-2565

(202) 293-5390

(202) 625-2150

(202) 333-9180

DEGREES BISTRO

DON LOBOS MEXICAN GRILL

FILOMENA RISTORANTE

2311 Wisconsin Avenue, NW

2811 M Street NW Serving Washington since 1992, Don Lobos offers authentic Mexican cuisine. We use only the finest and freshest ingredients when making our traditional menu items. Famous for our Mole, and adored for our tamales. We also offer a wide range of tequila and the best margarita in Georgetown. Now serving Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10-2.

1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW Filomena is a Georgetown landmark that has endured the test of time for almost a quarter of a century. 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

The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, D.C. 3100 South Street, NW, Degrees Bistro features a traditional French bistro menu with an innovative cocktail and wine list. The restaurant design complements the industrial chic style of The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, and welcomes diners to unwind in the simple, modern comfort of a neighborhood eatery while enjoying a savory lunch or dinner at the hip bar or in one of the stylish banquettes. www.ritzcarlton.com/ georgetown

20 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

(202) 912-4110

Open dailyfor breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Open for Dinner.

Valet parking.

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

www.citronelledc.com

CAFE BONAPARTE 1522 Wisconsin Ave Captivating customers since 2003 Café Bonaparte has been dubbed the “quintessential” European café featuring award winning crepes & arguably the “best” coffee in D.C! Other can’t miss attributes are; the famous weekend brunch every Sat and Sun until 3pm, our late night weekend hours serving sweet & savory crepes until 1 am Fri-Sat evenings & the alluring sounds of the Syssi & Marc jazz duo every other Wed. at 7:30. We look forward to calling you a “regular” soon! www.cafebonaparte.com (202) 333-8830

DAILY GRILL 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

Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-11pm Sun 10am- 10pm (202) 333-0137

(202) 338-8800

GOOD GUYS Fine Dining & Exotic Entertainment in Glover Park since 1966.

Monday-Thursday 11am-2am Friday-Saturday 11am-3am Sunday 4pm-2am The kitchen is always open!

A GENTLEMAN’S CLUB ONLY 21 AND OVER, PLEASE www.goodguysclub.com (202) 333-8128

(202) 337-4900

MAI THAI 3251 Prospect St. NW Authentic Thai food in the heart of Georgetown. The warm atmosphere, attentive service, and variety of wines and cocktails in this contemporary establishment only add to the rich culture and authentic cuisine inspired by Thailand.

With an array of authentic dishes, from Lahb Gai (spicy chicken salad) and Pad Thai, to contemporary dishes like Panang soft shell crab and papaya salad, the dynamic menu and spectacular drinks will have you coming back time and time again.

HAPPY HOUR 3:30 - 6PM www.maithai.com (202) 337-1010

FOOD & WINE

50 Shades of Sancerre PEACOCK CAFE 3251 Prospect St. NW Established in 1991, Peacock Cafe is a tradition in Georgetown life. The tremendous popularity of The Peacock Happy Day Brunch in Washington DC is legendary. The breakfast and brunch selections offer wonderful variety and there is a new selection of fresh, spectacular desserts everyday. The Peacock Café in Georgetown, DC - a fabulous menu for the entire family.

Monday - Thursday: 11:30am - 10:30pm Friday: 11:30am - 12:00am Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00am Sunday: 9:00am - 10:30pm (202) 625-2740

SEQUOIA 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

(202) 944-4200

THE OCEANAIRE 1201 F St, NW Ranked one of the most popular seafood restaurants in , DC, “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

SEA CATCH 1054 31st St, NW Lovers of seafood can always find something to tempt the palette at the Sea Catch Restaurant & Raw Bar. Sea Catch offers fresh seafood “simply prepared” in a relaxed atmosphere. Overlooking the historic C&O Canal, we offer seasonal fireside and outdoor dining. Private party space available for 15 - 300 Complimentary parking Lunch Mon. -Sat. 11:30am -3pm Dinner Mon.-Sat. 5:30pm -10pm Closed on Sunday Happy Hour Specials at the Bar Mon. - Fri. 5 -7pm www.seacatchrestaurant.com (202) 337-8855

SHANGHAI TEA HOUSE 2400 Wisconsin Ave NW Authentic traditional Chinese cuisine with a variety of Bubble Tea. Offering an elegant atmosphere.

LUNCH SPECIAL $7.25 (Mon-Fri) comes with spring roll or hot&sour soup Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-10:30pm Fri-Sat 11am-11pm Sun 11:30am-10pm www.shanghaihousedc.com (202) 338-2815

To advertise, call 202-338-4833 or email advertising@ georgetowner. com

BY SH AR I SH EFFIEL D

L

adies, here’s the scenario: You have just finished the first book in the mega literary phenomenon trilogy, “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

You are immediately about to dive into book number two, “Fifty Shades Darker, and all that talk about wine has you desirous of a glass of Sancerre to sip as you read. All of the sudden, you have the burning desire to drink like Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, the main characters.

But what is Sancerre and where do you start to figure out what kind you will like? Never fear, I've got you covered. Here is your introduction to the “Wine World of Grey.”

Now, gentlemen, I know you may not have any idea what book I am taking about. But ask any woman in your life, she’ll know and can give you (if she’s willing) a brief, albeit probably sanitized, version of the plot. We girls have some secrets to keep. But if you want to drink wine like a jawdropping handsome, wildly successful, EC15 Eurocopter-flying, Audio R8-driving, piano-playing, private jet-owning, 27-year-old billionaire, take notes!

On one of Ana and Christian’s first dates, he orders a Sancerre, and you find them drinking it throughout the first book.

But What is Sancerre?

Sancerre is a place — a village in the Lorie Valley of France, to be specific. It's also a wine made there from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The soil in Sancerre comes from ancient oyster beds. So, the wines are usually characterized by minerality rather than big citrusy fruit flavors like the Sauvignon Blancs from the U.S. or New Zealand. Some of the best wines in the region carry the name Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé. White Sancerre became widely popular in the U.S. after World War II, when American GIs were exposed to them and liked them because they were easy drinking and easy to pronounce. They are typically high in acidity. Pouilly Fumé, Sauvignon Blanc made from the village opposite of Sancerre, is so similar in taste that Ana and most everyone else, could often confuse it with Sancerre.

Fume means smoke.

I don’t know if “Fifty Shades” author, E. L. James, picked Sancerre as one of Grey’s favorites. But the choice is spot on. Sancerre mirrors Grey’s personality.

He is like a Sancerre: elegant and reserved, like a traditional Sancerre — yet savage like the grapes’ name.

The word “Sauvignon” comes from the word “sauvage,” i.e., “wild.” That’s Grey: “sauvage.” Sancerre can be smoky like “grey” smoke and with notes of gun flint — “grey gun flint.” Sancerre can have hints of minerality, herbs, orange, lime, along with a smoky-smoldering essence like Grey’s eyes are so often described. Crisp and elegant that’s Grey and Sancerre.

How to Enjoy?

Serve slightly chilled, and pair with white-fleshed fish. Enjoy alone or as an aperitif. Drink it now or within three to five years of its vintage year. The following

prices range for good to exceptional examples — from around $20 and up: Producers That Christian Grey Would Know and Collect Pascale Jolivet: Pale in color, but vibrant in flavor, racy, even elegant.

Henry Natter: Natter produces a more “New World” a.k.a. American-style fruit focused Sancerre but still wonderful quality, and it’s a joy to drink. This wine can be enjoyed alone.

Vincent Delaporte: Classic herbal-mineral characteristics and kiwi aromas are expressed in this vintner’s Sancerre.

Domaine Vacheron: Citrus zest balanced with minerality. The 2010 is made from 100 percent organic/ biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

Didier Dagueneau: Produces a Pouliy Fumé called “Pur Sang.” Floral and herbal. It has been seen on the wine list at the Inn in Little Washington in the past. And if you take a wallet like Christian Grey’s to purchase it from your wine merchant, you’ll be glad you did.

Pascal Cotat: Try the 2010 Les Monts Damnes.

Now armed with your shopping list, off to purchase new finds in perhaps your own Charlie Tango. Cheers and enjoy. Or I should I say: “Laters, Babe!” ★

(202) 347-2277 GMG, INC. June 27, 2012 21

IN COUNTRY

Chefs Go Fresh: The Stops Along the Route With the 2nd Annual Chefs Go Fresh event on July 16, here is a closer look at some of the local country farms that will be participating.

England Acres Farm: a Pasture-Fed Welcome Mat

BY WHIT NE Y SA UPAN

D

o you enjoy fresh produce, locally raised animals and home-baked goods? Look no further than the England Acres Farm, in Mt. Airy in Fredrick County, Maryland. The farm, which has been used since the 1870s is owned and operated by Jeff and Judy England.

“We’re friendly,” says Judy England. “We welcome the public to come experience what we have and taste the difference in our products.”

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IN COUNTRY

Black Ankle Vineyards: Award Winner in Mt. Airy

BY VERONICA L OP E Z “A truly great wine comes only from a truly great vineyard,” according to Black Ankle Vineyards, a winery located in Mt. Airy, Maryland and known for its award-wining wines. With a wide selection of red-and-white wines, including Chardonnay, Terra Dulce II, Passeggiata and Crumbling Rock, it’s a winery not to miss.

“We grow all our grapes on farms and harvest once a year. We’re able to come up with new wines every year,” said Sarah O’Herron, owner and wine maker at Black Ankle Vineyards. Its most popular selection of wine is Crumbling Rock, with a blend of traditional grapes. It won the Maryland Governor’s Cup for two years in a row. “It’s the wine that made us famous,” O’Herron said.

Have an urge to taste some of the selections?

The Black Ankle Vineyards Tasting Room is open Friday, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; other days and times are by appointment. A selection of local cheeses is also offered to customers for

something to eat alongside the wine. In addition to the sale of wines and food products, Black Ankle Vineyarsds also provides local realtors and restaurants with selections of wine. “We want people who are wine lovers and who are interested in really good wines. We want them to find us,” O’Herron said. Black Ankle Vineyards offers tours every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit www.BlackAnkle. com. ★

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BODY & SOUL

MURPHY’S LOVE: On Tough Questions, Loneliness and Desserts

BY STACY NOTARAS M U R P H Y DEAR STACY: My boyfriend of four years just moved into my apartment in February. This is a big step for us – we’re both 27 – and we took a lot of time making this decision. Now I am finding myself expecting an engagement ring at any moment, even though he hasn’t mentioned anything about getting engaged. I realize that when we decided to move in together, part of me assumed this was a precursor to getting married, although we haven’t talked about it that way. In fact, thinking back to many of our past conversations, it seemed that my boyfriend was making the point that moving in specifically was not a precursor to marriage (e.g.: “This will just make things more convenient for us,” and “It makes sense financially” and “Let’s make sure our parents don’t get the wrong idea and specifically explain that we are not engaged…”) So I basically lied to him by agreeing with his take on the situation and have been lying to myself ever since. On top of it all, I keep smashing through my desserts in the hope of finding a ring at the bottom. Then, I’m disappointed and kind of mean to him for the rest of the night. What should I do?

-Dessert Disaster DEAR DESSERT: First, please try not to be so hard on yourself. You recognize that you are making your Boyfriend pay for something he didn’t necessarily order – that takes a lot of self awareness. You didn’t lie to him. You entered into the agreement with your conscious brain saying, “Sure, this makes sense!” But when your unconscious brain begins to revolt, it’s not a case of having been dishonest with Boyfriend, you just were not as conscious as you might want to be. I’d imagine you were simply following his lead because the idea of conflict around this is very frightening to you. Let’s talk about that.

Many people in relationships are afraid to ask for what they specifically want. We start from the standpoint: “I’m not going to get it anyway.. So, why put myself in a position of being vulnerable?” But that is what love is, at its best. Love is about being yourself, claiming

DEAR STACY: My wife doesn’t want to have sex as much as I want. We have discussed this; we even went to therapy. Nothing has changed. I am thinking about maybe having an affair. It would be nothing emotional, because I still love my wife. My needs just aren’t being met and she has pushed me to this. I am worrying about the possible guilt, however. I wish I could just explain the situation to her and perhaps she would agree that I can find someone for sex only? We have two kids in high school. So, I don’t want to do anything that puts our family at risk.

–Lonely and Looking

People get married for many reasons, but just sex is never one of them. Especially not for a father of two who readily admits he still loves his wife and has tried couples therapy. No, that person is maybe, possibly and perhaps looking outside his marriage because he is depressed and wanting to feel connected to someone, namely, his wife. I’m sure you already know that the root of her low sexual desire could be physiological, emotional or inconclusive. Meanwhile, you didn’t give numbers. So, we also cannot rule out that you actually might have an elevated sex drive with roots that are also physiological, emotional or inconclusive. In other words, this is a very subjective subject.

At the end of the day, your wants do not match up with those of Wife, the one person to whom you have committed yourself for many years, created a home with and raised a family.

Wow. That does feel lonely and depressing, and fantasizing about some new options makes a lot of sense. But let’s brainstorm for other ideas (see a doctor together; negotiate a schedule that meets you both halfway; see a certified sex therapist) that don’t, as you say, put your family “at risk.” Because an affair will put your family at risk. No doubt. Guaranteed.

Trust me, an “unemotional” affair won’t work out the way you are imagining it could.

Otherwise, you would already have an open marriage and wouldn’t be asking my opinion.

Even if Wife heard you, understood you and told you all was well, this decision will change the way she views you. It also will change the way she views your family, and – most insidious and damaging – change the way she sees herself.

That’s a very long road to repair. Do this the right way. Go back to therapy; go back to talking about it. Don’t turn this into something that she’s “pushed” you to do. Make these decisions together. ★

DEAR LONELY: Thanks for writing in about what I know is a tough, although common, topic. I hope you notice that I am responding to “Lonely” and not “Looking.” I can hear that you are lonely, but I don’t think “Looking” is who you really want to be. Let me explain.

Stacy Notaras Murphy is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. Her website is www.stacymurphyLPC.com, and you can follow her on twitter @ StacyMurphyLPC. 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.

appears that I want more from this relationship, and I’d like to know your honest, careful and specific thoughts about whether that’s something you want to provide.” Leave it at that. This doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing negotiation, just an all-cards-on-the-table conversation.

your feelings and making yourself available to another person. If Boyfriend’s quotes are to be believed, it sounds like you are partnering up with someone just as scared of being vulnerable and honest as you are. I have no idea if your true wants are the same, but it appears that neither of you are putting them out there. No wonder it’s so confusing.

I’d recommend a sincere conversation. As usual, focus on your own feelings, try not to point fingers, and remain as calm as possible so that his defenses do not prevent him from hearing your message. What’s the message? “It

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MUSEUM

WAR OF 1812

Gets Its Close-Up at Portrait Gallery

BY G ARY T ISCHL ER

P

op quiz: See if any of these persons, events, battles and none such ring a bell.

Isaac Brock, Tenskewatawa (The Prophet), Red Jacket, Fort Erie, CharlesMichel d’Irumberry de Salaberry, Anna Maria Brodeau Thornton, James Lawrence, Thomas Macdonough, General Robert Ross, General Edward Pakenham, the Hartford convention or Leap No Leap, Lord Castleragh, the “Wellington of the Indians,” the Bayonne Decree, the NonIntercourse Act (not what you might think), Spencer Perceval, the Battle of Beaver Dams, the Battle of Queenston Heights, the River Raisin Massacre, Battle of Sacketts Harbor, Provo Wallis, Lewiston and Youngstown and Manchester, Buffalo and Black Rock and the USS President.

No bells? You’re not alone, I’m embarrassed to say.

How about these?

The Battle of New Orleans (in addition to the Johnny Horton song), Andrew Jackson, Tecumseh, Oliver Hazard Perry, Stephen Decatur, the Battle of Lake Erie (“We have met the enemy, and he is ours” . . . “Don’t Give Up the Ship”), the Treaty of Ghent, Charlton Heston, James Madison, Dolley Madison and her red dress, the Burning of Washington, John Quincy Adams, Francis Scott Key (in addition to the park in Georgetown), “What so proudly we hail,” the Star-Spangled Banner, Fort McHenry.

Feel better now? A little iffy on the Treaty of Ghent? And what’s Charlton Heston doing here?

(He played Andrew Jackson at least twice in the movies – “The President’s Lady” with Susan Hayward, playing his beloved wife Rachel, and in “The Buccaneer,” a Cecil B. DeMille movie which was more about the rascally pirate, Jean LaFitte (Yul Brynner), who helped Andy defeat the British at the aforementioned Battle of New Orleans.

Sometimes, we imagine we were there when the British occupied and burned Washington (at least most of the few government buildings and the White House as well as the offices of a newspaper which had been unkind to the British commanding officer). But the British also burned the towns Lewiston, Youngstown, Manchester, Buffalo and Black Rock — arsons which are less famous that our hometown blaze.

All of these people, events, decrees, happenings and pieces of history can be found in one form or another in “1812: A Nation Emerges,” the grand exhibition which includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, artifacts (the red dress, a flag or two, decrees and proclamations, a compact and comprehensive catalogue, videos, — including one narrated by the Who’s lead singer Roger Daltrey — and documents, now at the National Portrait Gallery through Jan. 27.

On the occasion of just celebrating the bicentennial of the War of 1812, which went on until 1815, blazing on oceans and lakes, the lower parts of Canada, and as far away as New Orleans, the NPG has come up with a vibrant exhibition that should excite the imagination of

26 June 27, 2012 GMG, INC.

DOLLEY DANDRIDGE PAYNE TODD MADISON

By Gilbert Stuart, oil on canvas, 1804, White House Historical Association (White House Collection)

JAMES MADISON, By Gilbert Stuart, oil on canvas, 1804 The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

PERRY’S VICTORY ON LAKE ERIE

By Thomas Birch, oil on canvas, 1814 The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; Gift of Mrs. Charles H.A. Esling

viewers with its depth, breadth and sweep, with its great art (yes, there is lots of it) and with a new — or renewed — sense of the young, bursting and eager American soul of the times.

Having said all that — forget about all those obscure facts as well as the celebrated ones. It’s just a way to get you into this story and get you to go and make you feel either very smart or not so smart. Go into this with a pure heart and sharp eye. It will feel like being in a De Mille epic just to be there, although one with smarts, intelligence, a point of view and a focus.

Note the subhead, “A Nation Emerges.” The War of 1812 is always confusing in its highlights — there’s big set pieces, like the burning of

Washington, Francis Scott Key inspired to write “The Star-Spangled Banner,” after watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry, the post-peacetreaty victory by Jackson over the British at the Battle of New Orleans, the naval heroes at their finest — Decatur and Perry, as well as the above named Johnson who died bravely on his ship, the Chesapeake, and left us his immortal words, “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”

But the start of the war — in which President James Madison saw British restraints on U.S. commerce and shipping as a cause to start the war — are less noted. The war aims of the U.S. — including an invasion of Canada which was essentially a debacle, are less clear, meanwhile.

The war in U.S. history is seen essentially as a kind of draw, and to the British, as a footnote, a theater of small importance. Neither Wellington nor C.S. Forester’s fictional hero Horatio Hornblower fought here, being busy fighting Napoleon. To the Canadians, it has some significant iconic value, but Canada has not had as many wars to choose from as their cousin to the South.

What you feel in the many rooms of the exhibition is a kind of vivid energy. The War of 1812 can be felt here as a kind of second wind birth of the nation — the founders played significant roles, but the results fed into a restlessness that brought America westward: it was a bloody invitation to expansion, imagination, and invention. All this can be seen in the exhibition — beginning with a rather bucolic painting

by George Beck depicting Georgetown and the budding City of Washington in 1795.

The war itself is loud — you can almost smell the gunpowder from frigate broadsides, feel the billowing sails of the USS Constitution, hear the roar of cannons on ships and the screams of men in battle on land and sea. “Those cannons make a lot more noise than even The Who,” a commentator says to Daltrey who narrates a video on the battles on Lake Erie.

The War of 1812 resulted in heroes, myths and policies, such as Jackson and John Quincy Adams who helped negotiate the treaty at Ghent.

The Native Americans in the eastern United States suffered badly in the conflict, no matter which side they took — including U.S. allies who ended up on Jackson’s “Trail of Tears.”

There were plenty of heroes and sad stories to go around: Tecumseh, called by one observer “the Wellington of the Indian tribes,” fell in battle, as did the beloved British generals Robert Ross near Baltimore and Edward Pakenham (Wellington’s brother-in-law) at New Orleans, and, even in the end Decatur, killed in a duel because of, but years after, the war. We learn, too, that Herman Melville was a sailor in the war and that Key became a noted prosecutor.

We learn again that Gilbert Stuart was a genius, perhaps the most brilliant and evocative portrait painter of his time, if you discount Gainsborough from an earlier time. The famed painter of Washington was also a noted painter of the heroes and generals of the war, and you can always tell when it’s a Stuart: the faces take on energy, passion and hyper-character, and there’s music in their cheeks and eyes, martial or otherwise. His portraits of fallen naval heroes James Lawrence and Thomas McDonough, of Decatur and Dolley (Madison) are almost precursors to the not-so-distant impressionists.

Only Rembrandt Peale can rival him in America.

The exhibition is, in the end, about history, what you know and what you don’t know. It echoes loudly in our own sense of American self even if, like this writer, you’re an immigrant. It’s a portrait of an America about to take its place in the world after a war, an America rich in imagination and energy, warts and all. ★ “1812: A Nation Emerges” is on view at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery -- www.npc. si.edu -- through Jan. 27, 2013.

PERFORMANCE

THE LOW-DOWN ON WASHINGTON DRAMA

BY G ARY T ISCHL ER

Comings And Goings Lots of Good Theater All the world’s a stage. And when it comes to Washington’s world of performance, as everywhere else, change is a constant

FOR THE NEXT ACT Ryan Rilette has been named the new producing artistic director at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, assuming

named the new artistic director at the Olney Theatre Center.

“There are great challenges and even greater opportunities in what we can accomplish in expanding and enriching Olney Theatre Center’s program and making Olney Theatre Center a true performing arts Center in Montgomery County with a great producing theatre company at its core,” Platt said.

Platt has headed such performing arts companies as the Birmingham Opera Theatre and the New Mexico Repertory Theatre. He has worked in London, founded the Santa Fe Stages festival and directed plays at the Cincinnati Playhouse like Sophie Bingham’s “Treason” (about Ezra Pound), “True West” and D.H. Lawrence’s “The Daughter In Law.”

BOWING OUT Ryan Rilette

full-time duties Aug. 1.

Rilette will be following Blake Robinson, who has been producing artistic director here for the past seven, often innovative and acclaimed, years. He moves on to become artistic director at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Rilette comes to Round House from the Marin Theatre Company, a very successful mid-sized company in Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he most recently directed the world premiere of “Bellwether” by Steven Yockey and “Gods of Carnage” by Yasmina Reza.

Sally Patterson, president of Round House Theatre’s board of trustees, said: “We are proud to be in Montgomery County, to provide innovative and challenging theatre, and to continue our commitment to artistic engagement for all ages. Ryan embodies our greatest hopes for all our aspirations.”

“It’s a great honor to follow in the footsteps of Blake Robison and Jerry Whiddon,” Rilette said. “I’ve long been a fan of both Round House and the D.C. theater community.”

CURTAINS OPEN AT OLNEY Martin Platt, currently the co-director of the Perry Street Theatricals, a New York-based producing company, has been

Christina Scheppelmann, the longtime director of artistic operations at the Washington National Opera (WNO) will step down, effective Nov. 30.

Scheppelmann has been a WNO leader since 2002, overseeing the management of the acclaimed Domingo-Cafraitz Young Artist Program, helping to create the American Opera Initiative for young American composers and librettists, helping to produce new works, while overseeing new broadcast and simulcast initiatives and helping to select the WNO repertory of works each season.

“Christina has served Washington National Opera well in her decade here,” said Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser. “Her hard work and diligence were key to making WNO”s recent affiliation with the Kennedy Center a success.”

JOINING HANDS Adventure Theatre and Musical Theater Center are joining up, co-mingling and becoming one.

The combination will be called Adventure Theatre MTC, “uniting award winning theater productions with highquality musical theater training. The combined entity will be able to serve more of the DC region and its young people,” according to the new group.

“It is the right step in the exciting evolution of these two entities, Adventure Theatre’s Michael Bobbitt said.

The announcement came in March on the 60th anniversary of Adventure Theatre.

In years past, summertime was a quiet time for the performance arts in the Washington, usually shifting to outdoor concerts and venues. Theaters tended to shutter their doors.

That’s not the case anymore. For one thing, the time between the old season and the new one coming up has narrowed dramatically. For another — well, for some perverse reason or another — there are lots of show on the boards, lots to see and do.

Here are some interesting choices going on right now. The list is by no means complete.

TWO FOR THREE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER You can’t get two more diverse and entertaining offerings (make that three, if you count “The Music Man” at Arena Stage) than “First You Dream” and “Memphis” now at the Kennedy Center. “First You Dream” is a showcase project, originated at Signature Theatre by Eric Schaeffer, rifling with great verve and imagination through the songs and music of John Kander and Fred Ebb and with six great singers strutting and vocalizing, dramatizing and — above all — breaking hearts with songs from “Cabaret,” “Chicago,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Zorba,” and “The Happy Time.” One of the best, but not only, reason, to go is to see and hear the gifted Heidi Blickenstaff once again. (Through July 1 at the Eisenhower). “Memphis,” which won a pack of Tonys (best musical), is a totally different breed of animal, a junk yard dog of a musical about race, the South circa the 1950s, the birth of rhytmn and blues and a melo-plot, featuring a white Memphis hipster hung up on race music and a beautiful black singer. In a heated way, it’s a very engrossing and entertaining show (at the Opera House, also thorugh July 1), and the music is terrific and you can dance to it in your dreams.

Just so you know: “The Addams Family” (the musical) is landing at the Opera House beginning July 10 and running through July 29, click, click.

Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday Addams, Uncle Fester, Lurch and the rest are all here.

extended through July 8 at the Mead Theatre. In the nothing-like-it category is the hauntingly titled “The Animals and Children Took to the Streets” in collaboration with the group 1927, the Spoleto Theatre Festival and the Studio Theatre. It’s a beyondcategory piece, described as part Tim Burton, part Dickens, “a graphic novel burst into life.”

Bacherlorett’s Jessica Love, Dylan Moore, & Laura C. Harris

CLASSICAL LAUGHS AND A NEW DIFFERENCE Laughs in the classical vein are still available at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. There’s the return of Falstaff in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” directed by Brit Stephen Raye, a very late Shakespeare play which features scheming wives and the return of Falstaff through July 18 at Harman Hall. Queen Elizabeth loved Falstaff. Extended at the Lansburgh is the latest (well, circa the 16th Century) rage in laughs, commedia dell’ arte style.

Through July 8.

The Studio Theatre, under Joy Zinoman and now under David Muse, could and can always be counted on for the new, the odd, the unusual and the original. Two examples are now being staged there, beginning with the caustic “fem” comedy, “Bachelorettes,” directed by Muse himself and

IF YOU GIVE …

Speaking of Adventure Theatre, there’s the popular “If You Give …” series: now with “If You Give a Moose a Muffin,” a sequel and, if you can believe, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Directed

by Jeremy Skidmore with Michael Russotto, now through Sept. 2 at Glen Echo.

THREE DAUNTING WORDS For the ultimate theater nut in you, heed these words: Capital Fringe Festival, July 12 to July 29.★

GMG, INC. June 27, 2012 27

CHARITIES & BENEFITS

SOCIAL SCENE

The Beltway of Giving

Creating World Travelers One Child at a Time

BY JAD E F L OY D ach year, nearly 10 million flights circle the globe, carrying passengers to new locales and old stomping grounds alike. Travel comes with the territory in the District — dignitaries commute to and from home countries, businessmen and women cross continents to close deals and families spend much-deserved vacations to relax beyond the Beltway. I’ve seen passports filled with enough stamps to rival secretaries of state. Most recently, after a return from a world tour, a friend complained that, with too many stamps, he needed a new passport.

While many of us dream of winters in Whistler, British Columbia, and summer cruises off the Solomon Islands, there is a segment of inner-city youth that will never leave D.C. — or the Eastern Seaboard. In fact, the idea of need-

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Rivers, scavenger hunts on the National Mall, canoeing on the Anacostia River, a seven-day backpacking Expedition on the Appalachian Trail and three days at the Chesapeake Bay.” Travel opportunities exist locally, too. Live It Learn It partners exclusively with high-poverty Title I D.C. public elementary schools and their teachers. It offers classroom instruction and trips to a range of recognized museums and memorials; more than 1,500 students from 21 schools across the District benefit.

“We partner with schools in every quadrant of the city, with the majority located east of the Anacostia River,” said Matthew Wheelock, founder of Live It Learn It. “Despite having world-renowned monuments, museums, memorials and national parks right in their own

Georgetown Village Opens its Doors to Sponsor Wells Fargo

BY R OBERT D EVAN EY Georgetown Village celebrated its first major corporate sponsor and thanked Wells Fargo Bank for its $10,000 donation June 21 at the N Street home of Thomas Nigra, M.D., and his wife Jane. The Nigras’ house once belonged to Averell and Pamela Harriman, legends in the circles of Washington power. In honor of their spirit, the Harriman House lives on in their name and contains much of the previous owners’ original furnishings along with its red den, classic drawing room and pool.

Georgetown Village is a non-profit membership organization providing services and programs in the Georgetown area so older residents can live better and longer in their homes. Among its services are transportation of appointments, grocery shopping, computer and cell phone help, gardening and household help. Volunteers and helpers are welcome: visit www.Georgetown-Village.org.

Robert Chlebowski, Wells Fargo’s national operations executive, San Francisco, addresses the crowd as Georgetown Village’s vice president Robert vom Eigen, executive director Lynn Golub-Rofrano and founding chair Sharon Lockwood look on. Lockward and Chlebowski mentioned they have known each other from earlier work in D.C. years ago.

City Year students rafting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. ing a passport is even more foreign to them than travelling to a national park. But a number of organizations across the city are now working to address this lack of cultural and geographical awareness by exposing inner-city youth to outdoor and cultural opportunities.

D.C.’s City Kids, for one, offers annual backpacking excursions to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where youth learn mountaineering and life skills on a 62-acre ranch. On June, 20 young girls journeyed to Jackson Hole for a summer filled with outdoor adventure and leadership development courses.

“Having the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in Wyoming for the summer has exposed me to a life I did not know existed,” said a past City Kids participant. “Those experiences have given me a new outlook on life. Through the skills developed at City Kids, I know that my actions matter and what I choose to do or choose not to do has repercussions.”

Like City Kids, Wilderness Leadership & Learning (WILL) is also based in D.C. and provides youths with life skill development tools.

Primarily working with high school students from under-served neighborhoods in Wards 1, 6, 7 and 8, WILL expose a group of students to the Appalachian Trail for a week-long trip with Steve Abraham, president and founder of WILL. A former attorney, Abraham created the 12 month long, interactive WILL program providing safe after-school time for kids.

“WILL not only enables teens to become aware of the world around them, but also encourages them to become better stewards of the environment,” Abraham said. “Our programs include environmental learning and service projects on the Anacostia and Potomac

backyard, the overwhelming majority of our students have never experienced these places. . .

It seemed like such a waste.”

For many of the youth enrolled in these D.C. programs, their first entrée to travel both near and far stems from the commitment of nonprofits focusing on education through travel.

You can help them on their journey by donating to these organizations to support flights, bus transportation and needed gear for each kid’s adventure. ★

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Hostess Jane Nigra with Georgetown Village’s Sharon Lockwood and president Jessica Townsend.

City Kids welcomes donations of gear, including hiking books, fleece tops, twin bedding, saddles and horse tacks. Visit its wish list at www.CityKidsDC.org/donors/our-wish-list

U of MD Graduate Crowned Miss D.C. 2012

Wilderness Leadership & Learning (WILL) is always looking for volunteers to help drive students to events and welcomes online donations at www.WILL-lead.org/friends.html Live It Learn It seeks in-school volunteers and welcomes donations at www.LiveItLearnIt.org/pages/get-involved.php Jade Floyd is a managing associate at a D.C.based international public relations firm and has served on the board of directors for several non-profits. She is a frequent volunteer and host of fundraising events across the District supporting arts, animal welfare and education programs. Follow her on Twitter @DCThisWeek.

BY R OBERT D EVAN EY Allyn Rose, a 24-year-old University of Maryland graduate and paralegal studying constitutional law, won the Miss D.C. title June 17 during a competition at the University of the District of Columbia. Rose, who lost her mother to cancer, has picked the Judy R.O.S.E. Method of Breast Cancer Prevention as her platform for the Miss America Organization. A former Miss Maryland USA, Rose will represent D.C. at the Miss America 2013 pageant in Las Vegas in January. Her talent is listed as artistic roller skating.

The winner and top five finalists are awarded a scholarship from the Miss D.C. Scholarship Organization.

Allyn Rose crowned Miss D.C.

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SOCIAL SCENE

2012 RAMMY Gala Gives a Nod and ‘Hats Off ’ to Restaurants and Chefs

BY M ARY B IRD The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington honored the Washington restaurant scene at its “Hats Off to Restaurants” gala, held June 24 at the Marriott Wardman Park hotel. Guests were encouraged to don their most elegant millinery for the 30th annual black-tie event. President Lynne Breaux hailed “responsible hospitality” in her opening remarks for award recipients who were recognized for multiple categories of excellence, concluding with the presentation of Chef of the Year to Vikram Sunderan of Rasika in Penn Quarter. Partygoers enjoyed a reception, awards presentation, dinner reception and danced until the wee hours.

Former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams and Charlie Brotman Thomas Webb, RAMW president Lynne Breaux and Lisa Mardelli

Leslie Baltin and Luis Colmenares

Julia Hobbes, Julianne Pulvirenti and Annie Boutin King

Norah O’Donnell of CBS News with her husband, chef Geoff Tracy

Sam Vasfi and Philissa Williams

Gerald and Barbara Lamb with Councilman Jack Evans

April Bruffy and Troy Barton

Breaking News: ‘NewsBabes’ in Fight for Cure Against Cancer

BY RO B E RT DE VANEY, P H O TO S B Y NE S H A N H . N A LTC H AYAN Well, these babes ain’t no blushing types. Washington’s on-air glam reporters and anchors put on a rubicund show -- it gets bigger and better every year -- to support the fight against breast cancer. The fourth annual D.C. NewsBabes Bash for Breast Cancer pinked it out June 19 at the Howard Theatre to gather $18,000 in donations for George Washington University’s Mammovan. Some of the boys in the TV and radio newsrooms were allowed to attend as “Men in Pink” for the first time. A few hundred others joined the fun.

TV media personalities included cancer survivor Jennifer Griffin, Pamela Brown, Alison Starling, Angie Goff, Rebecca Cooper, Brianna Keilar, Eun Yang, Britt McHenry, Anita Brikman, Lesli Foster, Doreen Gentzler, Andrea Roane and Sue Palka. Some of the guys included Bob Madigan, Leon Harris, Derek McGinty and Ed Henry. NBC News’s Andrea Mitchell was the night’s honoree.

ABC 7’s Pamela Brown and Cynne Simpson.

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SOCIAL SCENE

Prêt–à-Papier at Hillwood

BY M ARY B IRD As is to be expected at Hillwood, every detail exuded elegance for the June 14 opening gala of Prêt- à -Papier, showcasing the exquisite designs of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave. The evening was under the patronage of honorary chair Jan Matthysen, the Ambassador of Belgium. The stunning paper reinterpretations of gowns covering several centuries are displayed in the Adirondack Building and the Hillwood Mansion, the former home of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Hillwood president Ellen Charles greeted dinner guests and said, “My grandmother would be so pleased to welcome you here.”

Hillwood executive director Kate Markert, Laura Denise Bisogniero, wife of the Ambassador of Italy, and designer Isabelle de Borchgrave

Eugenia Chavchavadze, Natasha Jordan and Nina Pillsbury

Women in Government Salute Duke Ellington High School

BY M ARY BIR D On June 12, Duke Ellington School of the Arts and the Maryland Writing Project were the beneficiaries chosen by Women in Government Relations at a reception and program “Experience the Arts” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The group promotes arts programming for students in the metro area. The evening featured remarks by legendary Ellington School co-founder and former Washington, D.C. school board chair Peggy Cooper Cafritz, who urged guests to “join us as we continue to stretch and become the best in our class in the world.” She said that Ellington graduates may not go on to stardom but would become good citizens.

Kelly Pollitt, co-chair of the Education Task Force, and Anna Davis, board member of Women in Government Relation

Leslie Bowman, president of Monticello, and Anne-Lise Auclair-Jones

Rose Marie Bogley and Robert Heggestad

Charles Barber, president of Ellington School’s board of directors, and Michelle White, co-chair of the Education Task Force

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Ellington student vocalist Theresa Watson and jazz pianist Julian Spires

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SOCIAL SCENE

‘A Night of Broadway Stars’ Honors Ted Leonsis and Covenant House at THEARC

BY M ARY B IRD Broadway stars lit up THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus) in Anacostia June 20 to honor the multi-faceted Ted Leonsis and to benefit Covenant House Washington, which provides protection and mentoring for at-risk and homeless young people. Leonsis said, “We can do well while doing good.” Mayor Vincent Gray and Linda Mercado Greene were honorary co-chairs.

Acclaimed composer and lyricist Neil Berg produced the performance, which featured Broadway headliners in such mega hits as “Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables.” The evening also showcased Covenant House Washington youth, who garnered a standing ovation. Guests enjoyed a pre-performance reception and mingled with the stars for desserts afterwards.

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