The Georgetowner May 2, 2018 Issue

SINCE 1954

GEORGETOWNER.COM

VOLUME 64 NUMBER 15

MAY 2-15, 2018

R EAL E S T A T E I S S UE :

Le Decor:

She Likes to Garden Party April Sales Auction Block

G ETA W A Y S :

The Whitby

TOUR THE MAGNIFICENT

GARDENS OF GEORGETOWN

The 90th Annual Georgetown Garden Tour

plus

REST IN PEACE, BETSY COOLEY RESTAURANT WORKERS & WAGES BID GATEWAY DESIGNS KI TTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB SOCIAL: BIG WEEKEND

IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS · 4-6,9 Up & Coming Town Topics Community Calendar The Village

EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8 Editorials Jack Evans Report

BUSINESS · 10-11 Ins & Outs Feature: Andrea Edny

COVER STORY· 12-13 Georgetown Garden Tour

LE DECOR · 14 Mom Likes to Garden Party

REAL ESTATE · 14-15 April 2018 Sales Auction Block

ON THE COVER The statue of Buddha from Chiang Mai, Thailand, sits in the garden of Susan and Michael Pillsbury, which is part of the Georgetown Garden Tour on May 12. Photo by Ricardo Jimenez.

Dining Guide Chaia Taco Shop Expanding Cocktail of the Month

ARTS · 17 Bedlam’s ‘Saint Joan’ at the Folger

INCOUNTRY · 18-19

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Charlene Louis

COPY EDITOR Richard Selden

FEATURES EDITORS Ari Post Gary Tischler CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aidah Fontenot FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Lauretta McCoy GRAPHIC DESIGN Angie Myers

WHAT’S ONLINE At National Museum of Women in the Arts: ‘Women House’

BY AR I POST

“Katlego Mashiloane and Nosipho Lavuta, Ext. 2, Lakeside, Johannesburg,” 2007. Zanele Muholi. Courtesy NMWA.

‘Exorcist’ Director William Friedkin Comes to Town

BY R OBERT D EVAN E Y

DOWNTOWNER · 15 FOOD & WINE · 16

PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt

Director William Friedkin at the Exorcist Steps on Prospect Street in town to promote his documentary, “The Devil and Father Amorth.” Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Halcyon Fast Forward: The Future of Retail

BY SEL M A KH EN ISSI

Mei Xu, founder of Cheasapeake Candle Co.,with one of her candles.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet Neshan Naltchayan Patrick G. Ryan ADVERTISING Evelyn Keyes Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Peggy Sands CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Jack Evans Donna Evers Michelle Galler Stephanie Green Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Selma Khenissi Jody Kurash Travis Mitchell Shelia Moses Stacy Murphy Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer

1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2018.

Please send submissions of opinions for consideration to: editorial@georgetowner.com For advertising inquiries email advertising@georgetowner.com or call (202) 338-4833

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The Whitby

BODY & SOUL· 20 Reflexology

BOOK CLUB · 22 GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES · 22-23 Gala Guide Social Scene Events

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GEORGETOWN $1,389,000 | Under Contract — 3500 P Street NW, Washington, DC Michael Brennan Jr. +1 202 330 7808

WAS H I N GTO N D C & M A RY L A N D

Spring Luxury Tour Tour our extraordinary homes across Washington, DC and Maryland Sunday, May 6, 1 - 4 PM View all participating homes at facebook.com/TTRSIR GEORGETOWN $1,725,000 | 3317 Q Street NW, Washington, DC Michael Brennan Jr. +1 202 330 7808 BROKERAGES: GEORGETOWN, DC +1 202 333 1212 • DOWNTOWN, DC +1 202 234 3344 • CHEVY CHASE, MD +1 301 967 3344 • McLEAN, VA +1 703 319 3344 ALEXANDRIA, VA +1 703 310 6800 • ARLINGTON, VA +1 703 745 1212 • ANNAPOLIS, MD +1 410 280 5600 ttrsir.com ©2018 TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change.

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UP & COMING

VIEW HUNDREDS OF EVENTS FOR ALL INTERESTS AND TO ADD YOUR EVENT - VISIT GEORGETOWNER.COM

Events Calendar MAY 4

MAY 4 AND 5

MAY 14

The Glen Echo Park Partnership presents an art walk reception for “Depicting Memories: Art Work by ESOL Students.” Curated by instructor Beatriz del Olmo Fiddleman, the exhibition, on view through May 28, will showcase artist books created by English for Speakers of Other Languages students at Albert Einstein High School. For details, visit glenechopark.org. 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, Maryland.

The 79th annual Flower Mart is a free twoday event, offering an international flower display, boutique booths, food, tower climbs and children’s activities, including rides on All Hallows Guild’s antique carousel. For details, visit cathedral.org. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

Michael J. Bobbitt and Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan will host the 34th annual Helen Hayes Awards, presented by Theatre Washington, on Monday, May 14, at the Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. A dance party will follow the ceremony.

Tickets for non-theater professionals are $100.

For details, including the list of nominees, visit theatrewashington.org.

RECEPTION: ‘DEPICTING MEMORIES’ AT GLEN ECHO

FLOWER MART AT WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

HELEN HAYES AWARDS

MAY 17

REBLOOM ON THE ROOF Denyce Graves

MAY 8

‘IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE’ Flower Mart at Washington National Cathedral

MAY 5

SPRING ARTS WALK

Brad Terry.

MAINE NIGHT AT MOSER SHOWROOM This benefit for the Maine State Society Foundation’s scholarship program will feature music by Maine jazz legend Brad Terry, a silent auction focusing on Maine artisans and L.L.Bean items and refreshments provided

by Luke’s Lobster. Attendees will get 10 percent off all Thos. Moser furniture and purchases and dedicated time with showroom manager Kevin Sweitzer. For details, visit mainestatesociety.org. Thos. Moser, 1028 33rd St. NW.

Hinckley Pottery Just in time for Mother’s Day Student Show & Sale Sunday, May 6 12:00-5:00 pm 28 talented potters lots of beautiful finds 3132 Blues Alley NW Georgetown DC 202-745-7055 www.hinckleypottery.com

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Six Georgetown art galleries on Book Hill will hold their Spring Art Walk on Saturday, May 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. On view will be: “Trevor Young: Light Structures” at Addison/ Ripley; a group show, “Color and Intent in Abstraction,” at Artist’s Proof; “Stratum: Steve Miller, Nick Geankoplis and Adam Zablocki” at Cross Mackenzie; “New and Recent Work: Micheline Klagsbrun, Raye Leith and Joe Hall” at Klagsbrun Studios; “Variations on the Theme: Abstracts by David Bell” at Susan Calloway Fine Arts; and “Mezzotints by Douglas Bosley” at Washington Printmakers Gallery. For details, visit georgetowngalleries.com.

Star mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and friends will prepare a casual, family-style Italian meal with wine at this benefit for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC, at which arias and love songs will be performed by voice specialist Peggy Baroody, pianist Laura Ward and students from the Peabody Conservatory. NBC-4’s Barbara Harrison will emcee. Tickets are $350.

For details, visit iricchidc.com. Ristorante i Ricchi, 1220 19th St. NW..

STUDENT SHOW AT HINCKLEY POTTERY More than two dozen potters will display a year’s worth of artistry for sale to the public at Hinckley Pottery’s 25th annual student show. Visitors can meet the potters, enjoy refreshments and find one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts for housewarmings, Mother’s Day, graduations, weddings and everyday use.

For details, visit hinckleypottery.com. 3132 Blues Alley NW.

MAY 9

WHITTLE SCHOOL PARENT INFORMATION EVENT

Jackson Art Center.

Whittle School & Studios invites parents to learn about the modern approach this global school takes to education, including language immersion, cross-cultural education and offcampus opportunities in the world’s most influential cities. The Washington campus will be the first to open, in the fall of 2019. For details, visit whittle0509.splashthat.com.

MAY 6

MAY 12

JACKSON ART CENTER OPEN STUDIOS

MOTHER’S DAY TEA WITH MRS. BENNET

The Jackson Art Center invites the public to stroll through 30 working art studios and enjoy live music and refreshments at its Spring Open Studios. New this year: Visitors can shop a collection of original art priced under $100

by Jackson artists. A children’s printmaking workshop starts at 3 p.m. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. For details, visit jacksonartcenter.com. 3050 R St. NW.

Mrs. Bennet from “Pride and Prejudice” leads a spirited discussion of Jane Austen’s works as visitors enjoy a lively, period-appropriate tea — complete with tea sandwiches, scones and assorted desserts — and learn about the history of taking tea in the Regency Era. Those arriving early can tour the Federalperiod house museum. Tickets (advance purchase required) are $30. For details, visit dumbartonhouse.org. 2715 Q St. NW.

Barry Dixon and Will Thomas co-host the fourth annual Rebloom on the Roof fundraiser — with cocktails from DC magazine and light fare from chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Casa Luca — at Fathom Gallery. The mission of Room to Rebloom, a 501(c)(3) organization, is to design and create healing environments for survivors of domestic violence in the National Capital Area. For details, visit roomtorebloom.org.

1333 14th St. NW.

MAY 20

CATHEDRAL CHORAL SOCIETY: ‘ODE TO FREEDOM’ Through music, video, photos and the spoken word, this Cathedral Choral Society concert honors Leonard Bernstein in his centennial year. On the eve of Richard Nixon’s second inauguration, for an audience of nearly 18,000, Bernstein conducted Haydn’s “Mass in Time of War” as part of “A Concert for Peace” at the National Cathedral. On the May 20 program, along with that Haydn work, are pieces by Bernstein, Copland and Beethoven. For details, visit cathedralchoralsociety.org. Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW

MAY 21

‘NOCHE DE ESTRELLAS’ GALA Hispanic Theatre will hold its annual benefit, “Noche de Estrellas/Night of the Stars,” on Monday, May 21, at the Organization of American States, 200 17th St. NW. This year’s event will honor Latino performing arts leaders and supporters Luis Salgado, Craig Pascal, Victor Shargai and Ana Recio Harvey. NBC-4 news anchor Erika González will emcee. Tickets are $225 ($400 per couple). For details, visit galatheatre.org.

FOGGY BOTTOM SCULPTURE BIENNIAL “Absence & Presence,” Arts in Foggy Bottom’s sixth outdoor sculpture biennial, opened April 28 and will remain on view through Oct. 27. Co-curated by Helen Frederick and Peter Winant, the show displays contemporary works, many site-responsive, by 15 artists in front of private homes between 24th and 26th Streets and H and K Streets NW. For details, visit artsinfoggybottom.com.

TOWN TOPICS

NEWS

BY P EG GY S A N D S A N D RO B E R T D E VA N E Y

Georgetown BID Presents 3 Gateway Designs Ready for Review Key Bridge at M Street NW.

28th and P Street NW.

L

ong-awaited “Georgetown Gateway” designs for three of the four major entrances into Georgetown — at K and 19th Streets, M and 28th Streets and the Georgetown side of Key Bridge — are ready for review. Presentations are planned at community organizations over the next few weeks.

The costs for the project remain unknown.

“We don’t yet have anticipated costs for the project. We will have more accurate cost estimates once we get through the approvals process,” Jamie Scott, BID’s Planning and Economic Development Director told The Georgetowner.

The design commission for the Georgetown Gateways project was awarded last February to architectural firm Beyer Blinder Belle by the Georgetown Business Improvement District after a competitive bidding process.

“Each of the sites is unique and has different challenges,” said Jamie Scott, the BID’s director of planning and economic development. “Our goal has been that each gateway uniquely reflects their particular placement’s history.

The K Street gateway may reflect more of the industrial history of that site, while M Street will have a civic feel and the Key Bridge site will recall the busy jurisdictional crossing of

At all the gateway sites, crosswalks for Proposed Concept pedestrians and bicyclists will be clearly LOOKING NORTH NEAR M STREET distinguished using unique and contrasting paving materials for safety and visibility.

Additional pop-up and pocket parks and

gardens, provided with garden furniture and architectural features, will be up for discussion at various planning meetings in the coming months, according to the BID. The K Street entrance will probably be the first to be constructed, while more design work and complicated approvals are still needed for the others, Scott said. Since the M Street sign will be placed on National Park Service property, that agency’s approval process must be followed before submitting it to the Old Georgetown Board. The Key Bridge signage and traffic triangle will require approval by the District Department of Transportation.

All the designs will be reviewed by the Old Georgetown Board, in a process that can take months.

The exact location of the northern entrance to Georgetown on Wisconsin Avenue is yet to be completely determined, according to BID CEO Joe Sternlieb. “The natural place would be at the top of the hill at R Street and Wisconsin next to the Georgetown public library,” Sternlieb told The Georgetowner. But the semi-official border of Georgetown places that entrance a few blocks further north, at Whitehaven Street.

Community input is encouraged.

the bridge from Virginia into the District.”

But at the same time the designers have aimed for a recognizable theme and common elements — such as signage, lighting and landscaping — though each gateway may be constructed with different materials, responding to each site’s requirements and feel, Scott explained.

For instance, the word “Georgetown” will be clearly visible at each site in large block letters, but handled in different ways. At K Street, the sign will be placed high above in an overhead girder of the Whitehurst Freeway.

At M Street and at Key Bridge, signage will be embedded or even carved in an entrance wall.

A common theme at each site, according to the current design plans, will be at least one large empty frame. At Key Bridge, a high narrow frame painted in earth tones will be placed in a newly constructed traffic diamond across from Francis Scott Key Park, visible from the Virginia end of the bridge.

On K Street, a series of girders will be illuminated to mark a pathway of frames along the waterfront. On M Street, a new pocket park across from the Four Seasons Hotel will highlight a large horizontal frame focusing on Georgetown’s main thoroughfare.

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TOWN TOPICS ELECTION NEWS

Update: Ellington School Residency Scandal On Feb. 28, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education reported that about 100 of the roughly 500 enrolled students at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts actually lived outside the District, but were avoiding the annual $12,000 outof-district tuition by using the District addresses of relatives or temporary residences.

The OSSE promised to look into it. Now, the prognosis is not good.

The OSSE found that, since 2013, education officials have investigated and referred 182 residency fraud cases to the D.C. attorney general’s office. But just 39 — fewer than 1 in 4 — led to settlements or enforcement actions.

During the same period, the attorney general’s office collected approximately 20 percent of the $1.5 million that families were required to pay as the result of settlements or court judgments. The Washington Post reported on April 16 that there were many instances of DC Public Schools employees committing the fraud.

Robert Marus, spokesperson for Attorney General Karl A. Racine,,gave several explanations for the lack of collected fines.

Initiative 77: Fate of Georgetown Restaurants Decided June 19

“Not every referral from the school system merits enforcement. The facts of each case are reviewed to determine if further action is worth using OSSE’s limited resources to recover,” Marus said. Some parents who were found liable agreed to pay in installments over several years.

But the main reason is probably that the agency employs just one full-time residency investigator for a school system of 92,000 students. In late 2017, that investigator was handling more than 600 cases. Nevertheless, in February of this year, the OSSE promised to review all the applications and stated residences of Ellington High School students and to try any cases of enrollment fraud.

Students at the stunningly refurbished school at 35th and R Streets, originally built as Western High School, are admitted through an audition and interview process into one of eight specialty arts majors. But since its significantly delayed reopening last fall, the school has struggled to reach its goal of about 600 students. D.C. students are given priority for scholarships and admission.

VOTE

A battle is brewing over this June’s ballot initiative to match the minimum wage for waiters, baristas and the like with that of nontipped employees. Initiative 77 would give tipped employees the same minimum income as other D.C. workers by 2026, but could eliminate most tipping at local eateries and negatively impact D.C.’s hospitality industry.

At present, the base wage of tipped employees in the District of Colombia is $3.33 an hour, far below the official minimum wage for other D.C. wage earners of $12.50, set to rise to $15 an hour by 2020. It’s legal because tipped employees are expected to earn substantial tips that are counted (and required to be declared to tax authorities) as income. If District voters pass Initiative 77 on June 19, however, the minimum wage for tipped employees would gradually rise to the standard D.C. minimum by 2026.

This isn’t the first time such a ballot initiative has been tried.

In 2016, the minimum wage for tipped employees was $2.77. The D.C. chapter of the Working Families Party campaigned to place a two-tier minimum-wage initiative on the November 2016 ballot: $15 by 2020 for all; $5 for tipped employees by 2025. But the

president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce at the time, Harry Wingo, filed a lawsuit claiming that the petition was invalid. D.C. Superior Court ruled in Wingo’s favor.

That ruling was later reversed, and on June 7, 2016, the District Council voted unanimously to increase the city’s minimum hourly wage for non-tipped workers to $15 and for tipped workers to $5 by 2020.

The new 2018 initiative for tipped employees is sponsored by the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Washington, D.C. “In this Me Too moment, in this Time’s Up moment, we have to stand up for women and empower women and really call this two-tier wage system for what it is — a source of sexual harassment,” said Diana Ramirez, the organization’s director.

Approval of the initiative would force restaurant owners “to reduce hours and staff size, increase menu prices, replace tipping with a set hourly wage and, unfortunately, many times close their restaurants,” said Kathy E. Hollinger, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.

Georgetowners on both sides of the issue are planning meetings in the next two months to rally support for and against the initiative.

in the Tuesday, June 19, 2018 Primary Election

During the Primary, only Democratic, Republican, DC Statehood Green, and Libertarian voters may vote on the candidates. However, every registered voter, including unaffiliated and minor party affiliated voters, may vote on the Initiative Measure that will appear on the ballot.

CONTESTS ON THE BALLOT: Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives Mayor of the District of Columbia Chairman of the Council At-large Member of the Council Ward Member of the Council for Wards 1, 3, 5 and 6 Attorney General of the District of Columbia United States Senator United States Representative National and Local Party Committee Members Initiative Measure No. 77, the “District of Columbia Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2017”* * All voters, regardless of party affiliation status, will be asked to vote “YES” to approve or “NO” to reject the Initiative Measure in the Primary. For the complete text of the Initiative Measure, please visit our website at www.dcboe.org

POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM 7AM TO 8PM WANT TO VOTE EARLY? Early Voting will start at One Judiciary Square on June 4, and at ward-based Early Voting Centers on June 8. Early Voting Centers are open daily (including weekends) through June 15, 2018 from 8:30am until 7pm.

EARLY VOTING CENTERS MONDAY, JUNE 4 — FRIDAY, JUNE 15 Ward 2: One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW (Paper & Touchscreen Ballots) FRIDAY, JUNE 8 — FRIDAY, JUNE 15 (Touchscreen Ballots only) Ward 1: Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street NW

Ward 5: Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue NE

Ward 7: Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 49th Street NE

Ward 3: Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue NW

Ward 6: Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th Street NE

Ward 8: Malcolm X Opportunity Center, 1351 Alabama Avenue SE

Ward 4: Takoma Community Center, 300 Van Buren Street NW

Ward 6: King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N Street SW

Need More Information? For more information on the upcoming election, on voter registration, to confirm your registration information, or to find your polling place, please visit www.dcboe.org or call (202) 727-2525.

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TOWN TOPICS

On the Job: New Gardens Head at Dumbarton Oaks

CRIME REPORT

Sex Assaults Reported in Georgetown

BY KATE OC ZYPOK

Man Pulls Out Knife Outside Library

Jonathan Kavalier, director of gardens and grounds at Dumbarton Oaks. Photo by Peggy Sands.

Jonathan Kavalier, the new director of gardens and grounds at Dumbarton Oaks, took up his post just as the gardens at the Harvard University-owned research library and museum in Georgetown were reopening after nine months of reconstruction.

“We had to replace the entire 100-yearold water system, made out of deteriorating lead pipes that ran under a good portion of the gardens and lawns,” Kavalier told The Georgetowner during a garden walk-through.

In addition, several of the fountains were converted to self-sufficient recirculating water systems and the north garden’s drainage runoff was reconfigured. All that trenching work, some of it with a new air-powered drilling and spading process called air spacing, caused some damage to plants and landscaped areas that the new director is now dealing with.

But it was clear that Kavalier did not find the work at all onerous. “I am so lucky that Dumbarton Oaks Garden has a phenomenal gardening staff,” he said. “Some have been here 30 years and are experts in plant and soil maintenance and enhancement, planting and pruning.”

The staff of three specialist crews of gardeners and horticulturalists meets at 7 a.m. each morning with Kavalier, who drives in from his home in Vienna, Virginia. They are guided in all their work by the plans and writings of Beatrix Farrand, the first and arguably the most famous American woman

landscape designer. Original Dumbarton Oaks owners Robert and Mildred Bliss commissioned Farrand to design the entire grounds of the estate in 1921.

“It took almost 15 years, but she kept notes that are wonderfully insightful and helpful to this day,” Kavalier said. “Farrand gave us the iconic garden designs and color patterns for the various garden areas at Dumbarton, but she was also very clear that she knew that garden conditions and even plants change over time. While she didn’t use the words ‘climate change,’ the garden plans left much flexibility for its future gardeners to replace original plants with new species evolving because of changing conditions.”

Kavalier grew up gardening in Bethesda, Maryland, with his father, a doctor whose sole garden passion was azaleas. Longing for variety, after graduating with a degree in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin, he spent two years in Madagascar, an East African island nation where 90 percent of the plant life does not exist anywhere else.

Returning to D.C. in 2008, Kavalier worked on the garden management staff of the Smithsonian and the Capitol until his longtime friend Gail Griffin, gardens and grounds head at Dumbarton Oaks since 1997, encouraged him to apply for her job.

Now, one of the big events he must start planning for is the garden’s centennial in 2021.

A man pulled out a knife outside a library on L Street NW last week. Metropolitan Police had to use a stun gun on the man, later identified as Evan J. Graham of Capitol Heights, Maryland, according to the Washington Post.

Police found Graham waving handcuffs and yelling on a sidewalk outside the West End Public Library near 23rd Street. He was making threats and claimed someone had stolen his bike. After he was told to put away the handcuffs and refused, he reached into his waistband and pulled out a knife.

He refused to put it down and continued to make threats to the police officer. When he continued to be unwilling to put down the knife, police used a stun gun on him.

(Graham was arrested April 9 for waving handcuffs at the Foggy Bottom Whole Foods and trying to handcuff an MPD officer.)

There’s a suspect currently wanted for five alleged sex offenses that took place between February and April in various Georgetown locations: on 39th Street, N Street, K Street and O Street NW. The incidents seem to be linked, with most of the victimized women describing the suspect as wearing a hood over his face and touching them without their permission. Police are currently offering a $1,000 reward for more information on the suspect, described as a light-skinned man with a beard, wearing a gray T-shirt with a hoodie.

METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED: Theft — midnight, April 27 2700 block of Dumbarton Street NW. Theft — midnight, April 29 3200 block of M Street NW. Assault — midnight, April 27 2700 block of P Street NW. Theft — midnight, April 28 3000 block of M Street NW. Theft — midnight, April 28 3200 block of M Street NW. Theft — midnight, April 28 3600 block of O Street NW.

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Nurses to Triage 911 Medical Calls For years, the 911 emergency number in Washington, D.C., which quickly dispatches paramedics to respond to medical crises (as well as police and fire personnel to other types of emergencies), has been increasingly clogged with non-emergency calls. Stories in the press recount how the public calls 911 for everything from headaches, coughs and sprained ankles to transportation to medical appointments. But no more.

As of April 19, the District has hired trained triage nurses to partner 24/7 with 911 dispatchers to determine which calls warrant emergency medical services and transportation. The nurses will divert calls that aren’t deemed urgent to medical care that doesn’t involve an ambulance or an emergency room, helping those in need get an appointment at a nearby clinic, even arranging for rideshare transportation.

• Payment Plans, Insurances • Invisalign and Cosmetic Dentistry • Same Day Emergency • TMJ, Sleep Apnea, Lumineer Veneers

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EDITORIAL / OPINION

Jack Evans Report

Metro: Historic Moment, Unmet Needs Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833

Betsy McGregor Cooley 1944-2018

Memorial Service Planned for June 23 at St. John’s

B

etsy McGregor Cooley, a Washington artist who served as executive director of the Citizens Association of Georgetown from 2002 until retiring in 2016, died peacefully at her home on April 25. She was 73. The cause was brain cancer.

Her Georgetown friends and colleagues are devastated. For many, her positivity, creativity, caring and leadership made a lasting impression — and lifelong friendships. They will have a chance to gather and say farewell next month.

The daughter of Jane and Paul McGregor, Cooley was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of Jimmy Stewart, whose Mr. Smith also went to Washington. She graduated from Chatham College in 1966, after which she worked at the Peace Corps central office in Washington, D.C. In 1968, she taught English at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, and returned home to earn a master’s degree in counseling at the University of Maryland in 1971.

Cooley helped launch the Federal Women’s Program for the Civil Service Commission in the early 1970s. She continued her work on women’s issues with Wider Opportunities for Women, a nonprofit organization.

In 1982, she established a fabric design business, Brushworks, creating tabletop linens for high-end boutiques throughout the United States.

In 2002, Cooley became executive director of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, expanding the scope of the organization’s events and initiatives.

Cooley was a skilled artist and exhibited her plein-air works at the Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery in Glen Echo, Maryland.

She is survived by two daughters, Alison Hall Cooley of Easton, Maryland, and

Meredith McGregor Cooley, of Exeter, New Hampshire, and three grandchildren, Finley Simons, Gustav Mertz and Giselle (Gigi) Mertz. She is also survived by her sisters, Judy McGregor Bollinger of Alexandria, Virginia, and Naples, Florida, and Kathryn McGregor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Her marriage to Stephen Cooley ended in divorce.

A memorial celebration of Cooley’s life will be held 2 p.m., June 23, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Georgetown.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Betsy McGregor Cooley ’66 Memorial Scholarship Fund, Office of Advancement, Chatham University, Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232. Visit https://tinyurl. com/Betsy-McGregor-Cooley.

Initiative 77: Should tipped employees be paid the same minimum income as other D.C. workers?

YOUR OPINION MATTERS. Post your response to Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner

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BY JAC K E VA N S “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

This quote was delivered in November of 1942 by Winston Churchill after the British Army defeated the German Army at El Alamein, Egypt, for the first time in World War II. It describes the situation at Metro, with the passage by the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia of a combined dedicated funding commitment of $500 million per year.

This is the most important achievement for Metro since it opened in 1976, and the best example of regional cooperation in decades.

But Metro’s issues are not solved — not even close.

After I became chairman of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board in January of 2016, I spent the last two and a half years traversing the region in support of dedicated funding. But this historic moment only addresses part of the problem.

The $500 million per year will allow Metro to access $15 billion over the next 10 years, but this is $10 billion short of the $25 billion actually required for capital needs and repairs.

Not included in the $15 billion is a second Rosslyn tunnel, which is essential once the Silver Line is completed to eliminate the “Rosslyn Bottleneck” and facilitate getting trains into D.C. and to the stations beyond.

Likewise not included are funds to encapsulate the tunnel on the Red Line from Dupont Circle

to Medical Center; without this project, the Red Line will continue to leak water, causing delays.

In addition, Metro’s Office of Inspector General needs significant additional funding to help prevent waste, fraud and abuse. These and other major capital projects are not addressed and must be, at some time soon.

What’s more, Metro’s unfunded pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) are enormous. Currently OPEB is entirely unfunded, with a $2.5-billion shortfall. Our pension plans are underfunded. The total liability is more than $3 billion and growing rapidly.

As a region, we must again address these glaring areas, or risk wasting all the good work we have done so far.

It is time for the federal government — meaning the president and Congress — to step up and pay their fair share. Metro carries 42 percent of the federal workforce every day.

The federal contribution of $150 million in Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) money per year and the other capital contributions are simply not enough.

Congress needs to double the PRIIA amount and contribute its share of the yearly operating costs.

If the region can achieve historic cooperation on funding, so can the federal government.

Jack Evans is the District Council member for Ward 2, representing Georgetown and other neighborhoods since 1991.

A Buzz-Free Primary?

A District of Columbia primary election will take place June 19. But there’s been precious little buzz about likely winners, hot issues, challenges to incumbents and so on.

In a world inundated on a daily basis with the foibles, outbursts and Twitter pronouncements of the president of the United States, it may be that even District residents are too distracted to pay much attention to an election still almost two months away.

What we do know is that Mayor Muriel Bowser, in spite of some recent not-so-minor scandals, is running with very little in the way of strong or viable opposition. This is good for the mayor but perhaps less so for the practice of competitive electoral politics, which sparks debate on issues our city needs to face.

There is almost no chance of a repeat of what happened during the last two such elections. In 2014, incumbent Mayor Vincent Gray, burdened by long-standing campaignfinance questions, was defeated by Bowser in the Democratic primary. Four years earlier, Gray had toppled the previous incumbent, Adrian Fenty, in a major political upheaval.

Consistency is the hallmark of this year’s contest. And a win for a mayoral candidate in the Democratic primary usually means victory in the November general election.

Another consistent factor is the city’s recent history of voter turnout, which in the last election had the dubious distinction of being shamefully low. Nevertheless, folks are

running, hope in their hearts in spite of the odds. Here is a look at the mayoral and Council races.

Mayor Bowser does have opponents, the most viable or perhaps most active of which appears to be James Butler, an advisory neighborhood commissioner and community activist. Also running, according to Politics 1 and the District of Columbia Board of Elections, is real estate broker Ernest Johnson.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is up for reelection and facing competition from ex-think tank president and activist Ed Lazere.

Several Council members are up for reelection, as follows.

Ward One — Brianne Nadeau, opposed by Lori Parker, Kent Boese and Sheika Reid.

Ward Five — Kenyan McDuffie, opposed

by Gayle Hall Carley, Nestor Djonkam, LaMonica Jeffrey and Bradley Thomas.

Ward 6 — Charles Allen, opposed by Lisa Hunter.

Ward 3 — Mary Cheh, unopposed.

At-Large — Anita Bonds, Elissa Silverman, Marcus Goodwin, Aaron Holmes and Jeremiah Lowery. The top two vote-getters will become the Democratic candidates for the open seats.

Last but not least: Longtime D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is being challenged by Kim Ford.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR THURSDAY, MAY 3 – SATURDAY, MAY 5

SPRING DAYS OF DESIGN

With spring finally making its appearance, the desire to clean out, renew and refresh the home is a traditional part of welcoming the season. A number of businesses in Georgetown, including Pillar & Post and Jonathan Adler, will participate in this three-day event. For details, visit georgetowndc.com.

THE VILLAGE

Friends Group Keeps an Eye on

WATERFRONT PARK

BY PEGGY SANDS

Now the role of the Friends is to monitor park activities and maintenance and to supplement the ongoing replacement of plants and the repairs to park features. Some of the plantings have not worked out and some minor repairs need to be made to the fountain, Bateman reported. “But the National Park Service has no money for things like that, so we have to raise supplemental funds for such projects.”

An all-volunteer organization with a board of directors and an advisory board, FOGWP has been successful in getting donations and some grants from city and business organizations.

The group normally meets about every six weeks and enthusiastic new members are always welcome, according to Bateman.

SUNDAY, MAY 6

PROTESTANTISM’S NEXT CHAPTER The Georgetown Presbyterian Church, 3115 P St. NW, will host a talk, “500 Years and Counting: Protestantism’s Next Chapter,” by Dr. R. Bruce Douglass, director of the Reformed Institute, at 9:45 a.m. For details, visit gtownpres.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 12

HOYA KIDS 20TH ANNIVERSARY This Georgetown University childcare organization will hold a fundraiser and reunion at the Healey Family Student Center from 3 to 6 p.m. to support the growth and development of the children of faculty, staff and students.

Tickets are $25. For details, visit guevents.georgetown.edu.

GEORGETOWN GARDEN TOUR The 90th annual Georgetown Garden Tour, hosted by the Georgetown Garden Club, features eight exquisite gardens with varying styles, scale and intriguing histories. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased the day of the tour at Christ Church, 31st and O Streets NW. For details, visit georgetowngardenclubdc.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 22

CAG ANNUAL MEETING The Citizens Association of Georgetown will hold its annual elections and award ceremony at 7 p.m. at Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW. For details, visit cagtown.org.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23

TUDOR PLACE GARDEN PARTY The 26th annual Spring Garden Party will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW. For details, visit tudorplace.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 4 ANC2E MEETING

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E will meet at Georgetown Visitation School, 1524 35th St. NW, at 6:30 p.m. (ANC 2E will not hold a public meeting in the month of May.) For details, visit anc2e.com.

Send your community event listing to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833.

Grace Bateman and Jonda McFarlane. Photo by Robert Devaney.

“W

e’ve been together for over 12 years,” mused Grace Bateman, one of the founding members — or should we say godparents? — of Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park. In 2005, Bateman, Barbara Downs, Gretchen Ellsworth, Jonda McFarlane, Ann Satterthwaite, Bob vom Eigen, and Roger Stone dedicated themselves to developing the waterfront acreage along K Street between Wisconsin Avenue and Washington Harbour. By the 1980s, it had evolved from an industrial port of historic Georgetown into a messy, mixed-use city property, utilized as a parking lot and storage area (including for wrecked cars).

For decades, various Georgetown volunteer groups had pushed to make the valuable property into a public park where Georgetown families and visitors could enjoy a leisurely waterfront experience.

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park was the fourth organization to attempt this herculean project of reconstitution. Three predecessor organizations — the Committee for Washington’s Riverfront Parks, the Georgetown Waterfront Arts Commission and the Georgetown Waterfront Park Commission — had all tried. But FOGWP was the one that finally accomplished it.

In the early 1980s, the National Park Service encouraged the District of Columbia to transfer 10 acres of the waterfront land in Georgetown to the federal government in exchange for the Park Service’s agreement to create a national park there. The transfer was completed in 1985, but the Park Service did not have funds to construct the park. So, for many years, the Georgetown waterfront remained a parking lot.

“For years we met with the National Park Service to go over multiple plans for a possible nature park there,” recalled Bateman.

“We planned and carried out fundraising events and fundraising campaigns via social media and by mail.” Sen. Charles H. Percy

(R-Illinois), who lived next to Bateman in Georgetown, became an active advocate.

In 2005, after working for more than a decade with the District of Columbia government, the National Park Service and private donors, FOGWP finally reached its $23-million fundraising goal. Groundbreaking for Georgetown Waterfront Park was held in July 2006; Phase 1 (Wisconsin Avenue to 34th Street) opened in October 2008 and Phase 2 (Wisconsin Avenue to Washington Harbour) opened in September 2011 as a Potomac River nature park.

After the details of the plans had been negotiated for years, the Friends got almost all the features they had wanted. Still when it was finished, there were surprises.

“We thought the spouting water fountain would be a fun and simple visual attraction,” Bateman said. “We never ever imagined what a fun focal point it would be for everyone from children to grown-ups, who run through and play in the water, especially on a hot day.”

The other surprise attraction was the labyrinth painted on a paved terrace in the middle of the park. “Children on tricycles love trying to negotiate the curving path,” Bateman said with a laugh. “We never expected that.”

The steps leading almost to the river level have become a popular picnic spot. “The landscapers had suggested that park guests would enjoy a place where they get closer to the river than the park along the ridge,” said Bateman. “They were right.”

FRIENDS OF GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT PARK P.O. Box 3653 Washington, DC 20027

georgetownwaterfrontpark@gmail.com

georgetownwaterfrontpark.org

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Re: The Georgetowner’s editorial about the recent boring work conducted by DC Water in Georgetown Waterfront Park (“Timely Notifications Can Prevent Panic”): The article says “Eighteen holes needed to be bored in Waterfront Park by April 13. A professional turf restoration company was scheduled the week after to repair any damage.”

Actually, only one hole was bored to conduct the geotechnical investigation at Georgetown Waterfront Park. In addition, the turf restoration was completed immediately following the boring work.

The bullets below are a brief description of the steps that are typically taken at each of our NPS drilling locations: • Leveling and raking the affected area to create a bed for grass seed.

• Seeding the area with a NPS approved grass mix and applying appropriate fertilizers.

• Watering as necessary for a period of up to one week after seeding.

• Inspecting the area after 30 days to determine if additional restoration efforts need to be performed.

Please be advised that boring along the C&O Canal towpath will continue through Wednesday, May 9, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays.

John Lisle Chief of External Affairs DC Water Editor’s Note: The Georgetowner’s editorial was based on its reportage at the time of writing.

GMG, INC.

MAY 2, 2018

9

BUSINESS

INS & OUTS

BY RO B E R T D E VA N E Y

At the April 19 luncheon, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

Courtesy Mayor Bowser.

JPMorgan Chase’s Plans Include Marvelous Market Site JPMorgan Chase & Co. will open 70 consumer branches with 700 new employees in and around Washington, D.C. The company made the official announcement, with regional leaders on hand, on April 19. Its plans include Georgetown.

For the first time, JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the U.S., will locate in Washington as part of a big marketing push to build consumer banking branches in up to 20 U.S. markets. It already has a commercial banking presence in the region.

The bank will take over the former Marvelous Market property at 3217 P St. NW, according to a source familiar with the plans. Across from the Thomas Sweet ice cream parlor, the property at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue

and P Street housed the famed Neam’s Market for decades until 2000, when Marvelous Market opened at the spot, closing in April 2014.

Sivan Properties, Inc., based in New York, purchased the property in 2015 from the Neam family, then put it up for sale one year later. The building has stood empty for four years, except for an occasional retail pop-up, with its parking lot still in use.

Besides Georgetown, JPMorgan Chase’s plans include branches in Arlington, Virginia; Bethesda, Maryland; and Logan Circle, McPherson Square, Columbia Heights and Anacostia in the District.

The April 19 press conference and luncheon at the Long View Gallery on 9th Street NW featured JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

With $2.5 trillion in assets, JPMorgan Chase said it would offer $4 billion in small business and home loans, as well increase affordable housing lending to $500 million. The banking company will also increase D.C.-area donations to $25 million, supporting such efforts as the 11th Street Bridge project.

Tweeted Bowser about the JPMorgan Chase decision: “Through this investment, people are getting connected to their dreams. Thank you again for this expansion to our region and I can promise you, you won’t regret it.”

THE ARTISTS AT

JACKSON ART CENTER invite you to

Putting Down Roots on M Street

Roots, a lifestyle clothing brand with Canadian heritage, will open two U.S. retail locations in the Washington, D.C., area in August: on M Street in Georgetown and at Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia.

“We believe the U.S. represents a minimum 100-store market opportunity for us, which is an important long-term growth driver,” said Jim Gabel, president and CEO of Roots. “We will have four new stores open by the end of the summer, moving us well down the path toward our target of 10 to 14 new U.S. retail locations by the end of 2019.”

Roots will open a 3,550-square-foot store on M Street, which will offer what the company calls “Enhanced Experience” formats, in which shoppers interact with products in a visually stimulating and socially connected environment.

Anniversary: Ledbury at 2

Clothing company Ledbury, based in Richmond, Virginia, celebrated its second year at 3319 Cady’s Alley NW. Co-founders Paul Trible and Paul Watson began with shirts, eventually expanding to a full line of menswear.

Illusions founder Irma Wheeler.

Illusions Takes a 5th

The Illusions Salon of Georgetown is celebrating its fifth year at 1629 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The staff is led by Irma Wheeler, who has more than 30 years of experience in the business. She created Illusions of Shirlington in Virginia in the 1990s and came to town at the end of 2014.

Have some business news on people on the move or anniversaries? Email editorial@georgetowner.com.

THOMAS LANDSCAPES 202.322.2322 | www.thomaslandscapes.com

Design with Excellence

SUNDAY, MAY 6 | 12-5pm Enjoy an afternoon of art, music, and conversation. More than 40 artist studios to explore.

Take home something original.

Children's printmaking workshop starts at 3 on the east courtyard

FREE

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GMG, INC.

Derek Thomas / Principal Certified Professional Horticulturist, Master Gardener Member of the MD Nursery and Landscape Association & the Association of Professional Landscape Designers

BUSINESS

Bloomberg’s Edney Is National Press Club’s 111th President

BY PEG GY SA NDS The 3,500-member National Press Club, founded in 1908 and now located just two blocks from the White House on 14th and F Streets, is one of the most active and well-known clubs in Washington, D.C. More than 2,000 events are held annually, almost all of them broadcast by C-SPAN and NPR and reported in publications throughout the country.

Almost every president of the United States has been hosted there — formally and informally — as well as a good number of Cabinet secretaries, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices and other government notables and thousands of global leaders from business, music, film and sports.

“They come because the press is here,” the club proclaims.

It’s true. The reputation, influence, prestige and power of the National Press Club comes from its close relationship with full-time working members of the press — print and electronic media, staff and freelancers. The majority of the members (individuals who had to apply and be accepted) are active journalists or recently retired with at least 10 years of fulltime experience. They head most of the Press Club’s standing committees, board of directors and, always, the presidency.

The remaining members are individuals known as “associates” (formerly “news sources”), who pay more to join and more for monthly dues. Many are lobbyists and communications professionals.

Andrea Edney is the club’s 111th president and the eighth woman to head the club, which only opened its membership to women in 1971. (The first woman president was Vivian Vahlberg of the Daily Oklahoman in 1982; President Ronald Reagan administered the National Press Club’s oath of office at her inauguration.)

Edney has been a reporter and news editor for Bloomberg News for more than 20 years, much of the time in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. She works easily in four languages and has studied several others during her 10-plus years abroad.

Almost immediately after she came to Washington in 2008, Edney joined the Press Club. “I felt so happy and comfortable here right from the start,” she said. “As a newcomer to D.C., I immediately met fellow journalists here and had a place where I could relax, but also discuss and learn about important news events and happenings.”

The club is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with complimentary coffee and continental breakfast. The menu and daily buffet in the restaurant, known as the Reliable Source, changes daily. Journalists and guests have access to a half-dozen TVs displaying the major news channels, as well as a working library and coop workspace cubicles for freelancers, guest journalists and full-time staff without offices.

National Press Club President Andrea Edney.

Edney became involved in various committees of the club, including ones on professional development, newsmakers, speakers and especially Freedom of the Press initiatives. Now, as president, she can focus on the issues she thinks are most important.

Since the presidency is only for one year, the office is fairly free of administrative duties.

Those are left to the professional staff of the nonprofit club. Instead, “every Press Club president has the choice to make as much of an impact as they want to within their year,” Edney told The Georgetowner.

“Some of the choice depends on how much leeway our news organization gives us to do club activities alongside our full-time news positions,” she said, acknowledging that Bloomberg News is particularly generous about that. (Edney is the fifth president from Bloomberg News in the past 12 years and the sixth overall. No other media outlet has had so many.)

Given her many years working in journalism in Eastern Europe, a primary issue for Edney is freedom of the press. “We are going to keep fighting to protect press freedom in this country and throughout the world, because at the National Press Club that’s what we do,” Edney said at her inauguration on Feb. 10. The club has been particularly involved with the detention and pending deportation of Mexican journalist Emilio Gutiérrez Soto in El Paso, Texas, by the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

But also, as an editor and “somewhat of a perfectionist,” two other issues have become of great concern to Edney in this era of growing distrust in the media: press objectivity and fairness, and the training of investigative journalists to get to the facts in evolving stories.

“These days, journalists need all the tools that exist to report the news accurately and objectively,” she said.

The National Press Club is located at 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. — Press.org.

GMG, INC.

MAY 2, 2018

11

A Tale of Two Gardens

AN D TH E I R G A R DE N E R S

BY STE PHANIE GREE N

‘CLOSER TO GOD’ It’s no great mystery why Susan Pillsbury has a passion for gardens.

“I’m English,” she gushes in her kitchen, pouring tea into an exquisite floral cup. “Our gardens and dogs are everything.”

As a child in Chester, her father, “a wonderful gardener,” gave her a plot in the family garden that she could tend to every morning before school. That little plot inspired a lifelong fascination with beauty and nature, which she likens to a religious experience.

“You don’t feel any closer to God than in a garden,” she says.

Pillsbury has owned fabulous homes in Hawaii, Switzerland, California and now in Georgetown, but their gardens were always her happiest places. Flipping through photographs of her gardens fills her with pride and nostalgia.

When she and her husband, Michael, were house-hunting in Georgetown more than a decade ago, the large yard of their O Street home, which dates back to circa 1790, was “the selling point.”

Being the guardian of such a place is a matter of “community responsibility,” Pillsbury explains. She’s happy to show off the fruits of her imagination at this year’s Georgetown Garden Tour on Saturday, May 12.

Two verandas face the garden, perfect for

FIRST BLOOMS OF CAMELOT Cameron Knight refers to his N Street garden as an “outside room.”

“It’s not a gardener’s garden,” he concedes, but it’s fit for a modern family of four and their four-legged companions.

His three cockapoos and two teenage sons have the run of the place, and don’t have to worry about boys being boys. The patio furniture is from Costco, and it’s used to wear, tear and rain.

Chloe, one of Knight’s pooches, rests comfortably on the cushions (and my lap) in the afternoon sun, until Knight’s mother-inlaw comes to visit.

“Nana says no dogs on the sofas,” he explains.

The Knight garden is a meeting of his cosmopolitan tastes — his grandfather and great-grandfather were well-known painters — and his family-man sensibility. There’s an elegant ease here, where he and his husband held their wedding reception, and where his family can enjoy casual al fresco meals.

Taking on the upkeep of the garden himself, Knight planted European-style hornbeams, which form a makeshift wall. Soon enough, he says, he’s going to “give a gift to myself” and build a “real” wall of brick.

The other highlights are coincidental finds, but Knight makes it all work. Two giant urns bought at auction hold massive ferns

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from Home Depot. The outdoor coffee table, found abandoned in Volta Park by his son, is secondhand Restoration Hardware. A fountain sometimes functions as a kids’ pool.

Topiaries and other trees, including pear trees, round out the green family den.

“I confess, I am the family tree-hugger,” Knight says. He is a former chair of the Friends of the National Arboretum’s youth garden program and involves his sons in the gardening decisions.

A red crape myrtle has been dubbed “Myrtle, the Crape Myrtle,” by Knight’s youngest child.

“I’m not much for flowers,” he admits, but says his geraniums have gotten lots of admiration from neighbors.

In the evenings, the trees come alive with small lights, creating a warm glow for dinner parties.

In the late 1950s, the garden was aglow with the first blooms of Camelot, as this was the house of Sen. and Mrs. John F. Kennedy before JFK became president. Interestingly, Knight’s father, Ridgway, served as ambassador to Syria under President Kennedy, but Knight has never fixated on the house’s Kennedy connection.

He’s not surprised, of course, at the persistent interest in the house and garden, but (in Jackielike fashion) Knight guards his privacy. This is the first year he is participating in the tour.

taking in the lush space with a book, a glass of wine or other, ahem, pastimes: “You can sunbathe in the nude out here,” she jokes.

American and British flags flank the lower-level porch that opens to a Georgetown paradise with an Asian influence. Dedicated patrons of the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Pillsburys are prolific Asian art collectors and can hold their own in Mandarin.

A Buddha holds court on one side of the garden, while a statue of a dancing Thai girl enchants on the other. In between, there’s a freestyle English garden of lilies, peonies, daisies and hydrangeas with Japanese maples and magnolia trees — to name just a few of her charmers.

Stones with the names of bygone pets are warm reminders of her nature-loving heart.

She joyfully tells me that a group of cardinals have laid claim to her vintage birdbath.

Pillsbury and her gardener, Glenn Bly, have even taken a shine to a group of squirrels that scurry through the oasis.

Of course, no English lady would be caught dead without rose bushes. Pillsbury’s peak after the Georgetown Garden Tour, unfortunately, in June. But the pink and white camellias are as fresh and radiant as ever in May. “It’s just a mass of colors here,” she says, relishing her breakfasts and teatimes in the many sitting areas during the warmer months.

PROSPECT STREET On the tour for the first time, this large garden has three special spaces: a small woodland area, a swimmingpool terrace and a charming rose garden. The marvelous house, built in 1788, was designed by William Thornton, architect of the U.S. Capitol. A belvedere overlooks the Potomac River.

35TH STREET This lovely old farmhouse, up on a hill, dates from 1800. Two rows of glorious peonies and perennials line the path to the front door with its rich, rose-covered lattice — charmingly old-fashioned. In the back, a seating area overlooks a large swimming pool surrounded by handsome plantings.

VOLTA PLACE Lush plantings frame the street entry of this home — a hint of the enchantments inside. A southfacing lawn creates a charming side entry to this sprawling house.

Beyond, an Asianinspired shed transitions to several rear terraced areas, including a lovely swimming pool.

34TH STREET A wonderful drawing room opens to this charming rear garden featuring a fountain in the center. Enclosed by brick walls, the joys of this garden are found in its formal structure, punctuated by marvelous specimens from roses to a golden chain tree.

P STREET Verticality and depth are the hallmarks of this surprising shade garden, a pet project of owner Alec Tomlinson with designer Tom Stohlman. Bamboo and pear trees frame an all-white color scheme, reinforced by potted plants at the swimming pool’s edge. Multiple seating groups and statuary beautifully punctuate this long space.

N STREET This garden, on the tour for the first time, belongs to the famous Kennedy house where JFK and Jackie lived just before the inauguration in 1961. Striking in its structure and formality, the space is designed for entertaining on a large scale.

Boxwoods, hornbeam and espaliered plants are all at home here.

O STREET A gracious veranda overlooks this enchanting garden.

Large magnolias, specimen trees and dense perennial borders frame a generous lawn.

Handsome Asian sculptures collected during the owners’ travels are found throughout this lush landscape, punctuating a vista or gracing a seating area.

DUMBARTON STREET Stairs from the street lead to a formal oval lawn bordered by large trees and perennial beds fronting this historic Victorian home.

Across the way, a south-facing rose garden competes for attention. Outside porches and rear patios are inviting counterpoints to the open sunny spaces.

About the

Georgetown Garden Tour

FOUNDED IN 1924, the Georgetown Garden Club has been responsible for the Georgetown Garden Tour since 2000. The tour was first organized in 1928 by Mrs. Edmonia Whitehead as a way of involving the community in educating inner-city children, benefitting the Georgetown Children’s House, the first integrated childcare center in the city.

The tour provided greatly needed funds for the organization through the 1990s. At that time, due to insufficient subsidies from the United Way and the District’s Department of Human Services, the Georgetown Children’s House closed. Many members of the Georgetown Garden Club by that time had become involved in the annual tour, so it seemed only natural for the club to step in and take over organization of the tour.

Now 51 members strong, the Georgetown Garden Club organizes this springtime tour, showcasing distinctive gardens in the east and west villages.

Since 2000, the club has raised more than half a million dollars.

These proceeds benefit green spaces and parks throughout Georgetown while providing funds for inner-city youth to learn about gardening and conservation through the Student Conservation Association. Their work in Dumbarton Oaks Park has contributed to the park’s revitalization, in the process inspiring lifelong stewardship of the environment in the minds of many young workers.

Other beneficiaries include Book Hill Park, Montrose Park, Tudor Place, Volta Park, Rose Park, Trees for Georgetown, the Georgetown Library and the Georgetown Waterfront Park.

— Victoria Rixey

GMG, INC.

MAY 2, 2018

13

REAL ESTATE

Mom LIKES TO

CO MPI L E D BY AIDAH F O N T E N O T

PART Y

Many of us first had a trowel put in our child-size hands by Mom. So it’s fitting that the Georgetown Garden Tour and Mother’s Day are but a day apart, making mid-May a true celebration of spring’s beauty and warmth. Here are a few suggestions of Mother’s Day gifts as colorful as the season.

OCTO CITRUS REAMER Ototo $15

LEMON LAVENDAR TEA

by Bishops Garden National Cathedral Gift Shop $15

EMBROIDERED COCKTAIL NAPKINS A Mano $45

EYES VALET TRAY

RECIPE TIN BOX & CARDS

LAVENDAR GIN COCKTAIL 8 oz lavendar tea | 2 oz tonic water 1 oz dry gin | 1 oz fresh lime juice 1/2 oz agave syrup | Ice

Jonathan Adler $68

Paper Source $26

PINEAPPLE COCKTAIL SHAKER

VIETRI REGALIA HIGHBALL GLASSES Nordtsrom $65

PROV I D E D BY WA S H I N G TO N F I N E PRO PE R T I E S

APRIL 2018 SALES

Papyrus $75

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Advertised Subdivision Georgetown West End Foxhall Georgetown Kent Georgetown Kent Palisades Georgetown Georgetown Georgetown Spring Valley Georgetown Georgetown Spring Valley Spring Valley Georgetown Georgetown Berkley Georgetown Georgetown Georgetown Bloomingdale Palisades Georgetown Kent Palisades Burleith Berkley Kent Foggy Bottom Foggy Bottom Georgetown Georgetown

Style Federal Contemporary Colonial Federal Manor Contemporary Craftsman Craftsman Federal Contemporary Victorian Traditional Victorian Victorian Colonial Colonial Federal Victorian Traditional Federal Colonial Victorian Victorian Federal Traditional Colonial Colonial Colonial Traditional Contemporary Colonial Victorian Federal Colonial

Bedrooms Baths Full DOMP List Price Close Price 4 4 111 $4,995,000 $4,750,000 3 3 1 $4,365,000 $4,369,745 6 6 553 $3,950,000 $3,600,000 4 3 0 $3,695,000 $3,450,000 6 6 0 $3,100,000 $3,100,000 5 5 187 $2,999,500 $2,965,500 6 6 0 $2,900,000 $2,900,000 6 6 32 $2,950,000 $2,800,000 4 4 185 $2,775,000 $2,775,000 2 2 0 $2,700,000 $2,700,000 4 4 0 $2,400,000 $2,400,000 6 5 0 $2,400,000 $2,400,000 5 3 120 $2,445,000 $2,280,000 4 4 0 $2,395,000 $2,200,000 5 5 11 $1,799,000 $1,800,000 4 4 8 $1,795,000 $1,740,000 3 2 0 $1,695,000 $1,665,000 4 3 138 $1,629,000 $1,575,000 5 4 0 $1,695,000 $1,500,000 4 2 2 $1,495,000 $1,500,000 3 2 62 $1,495,000 $1,455,000 3 3 0 $1,365,000 $1,365,000 6 4 82 $1,350,000 $1,350,000 3 3 13 $1,300,000 $1,270,000 3 2 20 $1,300,000 $1,250,000 4 3 43 $1,245,000 $1,220,000 5 3 223 $1,295,000 $1,200,000 3 3 5 $1,050,000 $1,185,000 4 3 4 $1,150,000 $1,155,000 5 4 0 $1,130,000 $1,130,000 2 2 5 $1,075,000 $1,090,000 2 2 17 $1,080,000 For full$1,100,000 list of sales, visit Georgetowner.com 4 2 8 $975,000 $1,065,000 2 2 6 $1,025,000 $1,050,000

REAL ESTATE

The Auction Block Preview

BY AR I POS T

Impressionist and Modern Art Special

DOWNTOWNER

BY KATE OC ZYPO K SOTHEBY’S Nu Couché,” 1917 Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920) Estimate: $150 million Auction Date: May 14

Read more Auction Block and Bringing The Hammer Down at Georgetowner.com

DOYLE NEW YORK “Night Suspect (A British Coast Guard Cutter in Pursuit)” Montague Dawson (1890–1973) Estimate: $50,000 – $80,000 Auction Date: May 9

BONHAMS “Acrobati e cavallo” Marino Marini (1901– 1980) Estimate: $100,000 – $150,000 Auction Date: May 15

CHRISTIE’S “Le Marin,” 1943 Pablo Picasso (1881– 1973) Estimate: $70 million Auction Date: May 15

FREEMAN’S “Bowl of Flowers with Fuchsia,” c. 1930 Emil Nolde (1867–1956) Estimate: $50,000 – $80,000 Auction Date: May 8

The Wharf has a new yacht club in town called Barton and Gray.

Yacht Club Coming to the Wharf The ultimate in luxury is coming to the Wharf this summer. Barton & Gray Mariners Club is a day-yachting club already in 20 harbors around the country.

Club membership will cost $29,500 per year with a $12,000 initiation fee, reported WTOP. The top-tier membership is so luxurious, it’s only listed twice per year and isn’t listed publicly.

Potholepalooza Underway It’s a sure sign of spring: D.C.’s annual #potholepalooza is officially underway.

Since April 6, the day the program began, the District Department of Transportation has filled almost 3,000 potholes from hundreds of requests. If you want a pothole filled, you are encouraged to tweet @ ddotdc or call 311. There are also citywide pavement projects going on in Wards 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Royal Wedding Is Pop-Up Bar Theme The next themed pop-up bar from Drink Company will debut Friday, May 4. Both romantic and regal, it will focus on the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. One of the three bars will be transformed into a throne room. Expect to see cocktails with cheeky names like the “Markle Sparkle” and “When Harry Met Meghan.” An early opening for the royal wedding on May 19 is planned.

Mayor Launches Uptown Main Street Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser launched the latest addition to DC Main Streets: Uptown Main Street, covering the area near 14th and Kennedy Streets NW. Led by local volunteers and community development pros, the DC Main Streets neighborhood revitalization program has created more than 3,000 jobs in just three years. The ceremony was part of an Earth Day Clean Up & Block Party hosted by Uptown Main Street.

Silver Line Has Major Concrete Issues Metro’s woes continue with news of concrete issues along phase two of the Silver Line Metro extension. According to NBC Washington, the water-to-cement ratios are off in the 11.4-mile extension’s concrete panels, which serve as walls for the stations. In addition, the steel inside the panels isn’t covered by sufficient concrete.

Shanelle Maura.

New Bar Manager at Jefferson Hotel’s Quill The Jefferson Hotel’s cocktail lounge Quill has hired a new bar manager, Shanelle Maura. Maura will begin work with responsibilities for seasonal menu planning and development of new cocktails, particularly summer drinks launching soon.

Career opportunities have taken her to Hawaii, California and Florida. She recently opened Sagamore Pendry in Baltimore as restaurant manager.

GMG, INC.

MAY 2, 2018

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WASHINGTON DC’S FINEST RESTAURANTS

Chaia Taco Shop Expanding

BY TR AVIS M ITC H EL L

ENO WINE BAR

CLYDE’S OF GEORGETOWN

HAPPY HOUR: Offered nightly Tuesday - Thursday from 5 - 7 PM & Sunday from 4 - 7 PM. Enjoy select $7 wines on tap. Join us on Wednesday’s for College Nights from 9 - 11 PM and Sunday’s for 30% off bottles. Our delightful wines are best enjoyed with local charcuterie, cheese and small plates.

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.

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

3236 M ST., NW 202-333-9180 | clydes.com

THE OCEANAIRE SEAFOOD ROOM

TOWN HALL

The Oceanaire blends a sophisticated atmosphere with simple, seasonal and regionally-inspired cuisine – the result is “the ultra-fresh seafood experience”. From our wines and cocktails to our seafood, steak and desserts, our commitment to sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients is apparent in everything we do. Reserve your table today for an extraordinary dining experience.

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

MALMAISON

FILOMENA RISTORANTE

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

A Georgetown landmark for over 30 years featuring styles and recipes passed through generations.

Balanced cutting-edge culinary creations of modern Italy using the fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch sauces and pastas. Seen on The Travel Channel, Awardwinning Filomena is a favorite of U.S. Presidents, celebrities, sports legends, political leaders. “Don’t miss their bakery’s incredible desserts” - Best in D.C.

1201 F ST., NW 202–347–2277 | theoceanaire.com

3401 K ST., NW 202-817-3340 | malmaisondc.com

MARTIN’S TAVERN

1264 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-7370 | martinstavern.com Fifth generation Lauren Martin learns the family business from her dad, Billy Martin, Jr. Since 1933, the warm atmosphere of Martin’s Tavern has welcomed neighbors and travelers looking for great food, service and years of history within it’s walls. Fourth generation owner Billy Martin. Jr. continues the tradition of Washington’s oldest family-owned restaurant.

2340 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-5640 | townhalldc.com

1063 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–338–8800 | filomena.com

CAFE BONAPARTE

1522 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–8830 | cafebonaparte.com Captivating customers since 2003, Cafe Bonaparte has been dubbed the “quintessential” European café, featuring award-winning crepes and arguably the “best” coffee in D.C.! Other can't-miss attractions are the famous weekend brunch every Saturday and Sunday until 3 p.m. and our late-night weekend hours serving sweet and savory crepes until 1 a.m.

ROCKLANDS BARBEQUE

2418 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-2558 | rocklands.com This original location has served barbecue since 1990.

We now have more space for you to sit down with family and friends at our new dining room Driving or walking up Wisconsin Avenue, you ask “mmmm, what’s that aroma??” That’s pork, beef and chicken coming out of our wood-only smoker, falling off the bone and ready for a dousing with our Original Barbeque Sauce.

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Chaia, Georgetown’s favorite vegetarian taco shop, will get a second home later this year.

The local fast-casual restaurant plans to open a new location downtown at 615 I St. NW in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood.

The new space will feature 2,000 square feet and seating for 35 — twice the capacity of its current storefront at 3207 Grace St. NW. In a statement, Chaia co-founder Bettina Stern emphasized the expansion as a way to spread the restaurant’s goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle.

“Our food changes the way people think about vegetables, and about what it means to eat well,” Stern wrote.

Stern said that the downtown location and additional square footage will also allow Chaia to grow its catering business to area businesses.

Founded in 2013, Chaia opened its first brick-and-mortar store in 2015 after initially gaining popularity selling at area farmer’s markets. Customers gravitate toward its “farmto-taco” model, which proves that meat is not a requirement for a creative and tasty taco.

Hits from the rotating plant-based menu include the comforting combination of creamy kale and potato with pepperjack cheese, poblano crema, green sauce and pickled onions. Then there’s the mushroom taco, filled with feta, red sauce and cilantro. The new shop has plans to launch breakfast tacos on weekends and is

Chaia co-founders Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern. Courtesy Chaia. leaving open the possibility of introducing a weekday morning menu.

Along with some new food options, Chaia will roll out a selection of seasonal cocktails, an upgrade over the beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages available in Georgetown.

No specific date was given for the opening.

When the time does come, Stern is excited about the ways Chaia will impact its new neighborhood beyond just being another quick source of lunch or dinner.

“We strive to inspire people to care about wellness, both for themselves and for our planet,” Stern said. “This next step in our growth enables us to continue that mission.”

CO C K TA I L O F T H E M O N T H

On Derby Day: Bourbon, of Course

BY JOD Y KU R ASH One of the finest spectacles of spring is the Kentucky Derby in all its glory. Many things make it a legendary event beyond a simple horse race — the storied history, the lavish hats, the celebrities and, of course, bourbon.

The Derby and bourbon go together handin-hand like smoke and fire. According to Woodford Reserve, the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby: “In Kentucky, horses are everything and bourbon is everything else.

There are more barrels of bourbon in the entire state of Kentucky than people.”

The signature drink of the Derby — taking place Saturday, May 5 — is the mint julep.

If you’re looking to sip on one of these, the obvious place is the renowned Round Robin Bar at the Willard Hotel. It was here that Henry Clay, who served as secretary of state, House speaker and U.S. senator from Kentucky, introduced the Southern-style mint julep to Washington in the 1800s.

Another swanky option is Next Whiskey Bar at the Watergate Hotel, where you’ll be surrounded by 2,500 illuminated whisky bottles, creating a golden glow that immediately entices your taste buds. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on May 5, there will be a Kentucky Derby viewing party at the bar featuring a bottomless mint julep special, food stations, live music and contests. Admission is $50.

THE TWO & TWO • 1 oz. District Distilling’s Embassy Row crème de menthe • 1 oz. Backroom bourbon Pour the crème de menthe into the center of the glass; try not to get any on the sides. Place an upside-down spoon in the glass, with the tip against the inside edge, above the first layer. Pour the bourbon slowly over the back of the spoon, moving the spoon up as the level rises to create a layered affect. Garnish by floating a whole mint leaf on top.

Continue reading online at Georgetowner.com

VISUAL ARTS

Bedlam’s ‘Saint Joan’ at the Folger

Explore the Art of Buddhism May 2018

Aundria Brown plays Joan of Arc in Bedlam’s production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Saint Joan” at the Folger Theatre. Courtesy Folger.

BY G ARY T IS CHL ER The works of George Bernard Shaw aren’t performed that much these days. When was the last time you saw a production of “Heartbreak House” or “Arms and the Man”? “My Fair Lady,” the Lerner and Loewe musical based on Shaw’s “Pygmalion” doesn’t count.

It’s a little puzzling because Shaw was witty, brilliant, acerbic, gender-friendly, topical and political without being pedantic. The Washington Stage Guild could always be relied upon to have one Shaw play on its schedule.

And some years ago at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, we got to see a riotous, smart production of “The Doctor’s Dilemma.”

One of the first plays I saw in my first year in college at Bowling Green State University in 1960 was a production of “Major Barbara,” which had something to do with an idealistic young woman in the Salvation Army, socialism versus capitalism and early 20th-century politics in England. I barely understood a word of it, but I was nonetheless thrilled by the production and the passion the young actors brought to the proceedings.

“There has been a bit of a letdown in interest in doing Shaw’s plays lately, which I think is odd,” said Eric Tucker, founder and artistic director of the cutting-edge Bedlam theater company.

“I think sometimes people underestimate the intelligence of today’s audiences.”

Tucker and Bedlam are a part of a surge of interest in “Saint Joan,” Shaw’s unorthodox take on the deeply religious Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, whose rise as a French military leader helped to restore the Dauphin and begin the downfall of the English occupation. Joan is captured by the British, undergoing torture and a debate-fraught inquisition before being burned at the stake.

“Saint Joan” has special significance for Tucker and Bedlam. Back in 2012, Tucker and Andrus Nichols co-founded Bedlam with very little money and an acting crew of four performers — four! — playing all the parts: Joan, the Dauphin, the warriors, the French, the British, the priests and inquisitors and, presumably, the man who lights the fire. They got to work and created a memorable and highly successful version of “Saint Joan,” so successful that it was extended four times.

“I, we, certainly didn’t expect to have success come so swiftly,” Tucker said. “It was a little overwhelming. But here we are. ‘Saint Joan’ was our big success so we’ve brought it back.”

“Saint Joan” is now part of the company’s national tour, with four actors playing more

than 25 parts and Aundria Brown as Joan of Arc. It comes to a familiar stomping ground at the Folger Theatre from May 12 to June 10. In 2016, Bedlam had a major success at the Folger with a staging of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.”

“We’re talking about a new approach to classical theater,” Tucker said. “Our approach is clean, direct and clear. It’s about the language and the story. With four actors playing all the parts — in this play and all our other productions — something happens to the language. It’s just bound to. The words just sound different and begin to take on additional meaning. And, since we perform in different venues, in terms of size and function, we have an opportunity to create a real sense of intimacy between the audience and the actors.”

The cast of four by now is a Bedlam emblem and trademark, sometimes creating, well, theatrical bedlam of its own. Bedlam has done its own version of “Hamlet,” again with four actors doing all the parts, the number of which is considerable. There’s a Bedlam “Peter Pan” and, by all accounts, an audacious, quickmoving and physical “Twelfth Night,” among other plays in the repertoire.

Bedlam describes its mission emphatically: “Bedlam creates works of theatre that reinvigorate traditional forms in a flexible, raw space, collapsing aesthetic distance and bringing its viewers into direct contact with the dangers and delicacies of life.”

Having no experience of Bedlam style and practice, you can only imagine. Imagine the quick-mindedness, the stirrings between audiences and action. “The audience is often very, very close to the play,” Tucker said. In fact, there will be some audience members sitting on stage during the D.C. performances of “Saint Joan.”

“Our ‘Joan’ is not so traditional,” Tucker said.

But there is also a more traditional production on Broadway with Condola Rashad, daughter of Phylicia Rashad.

“To me, we are all about actors, audience and language¸ storytelling. With only four or five actors, you discover the elasticity of the plays.

It’s not about making plays shorter, or cutting them, it’s about discovery and perspective,” Tucker said. “It’s also very collaborative. We all listen to each other. I listen to the actors and their ideas. But there comes a point after all the time you spend on this, that you have to let it go, especially as a director.”

Screening the Buddha film series Friday, May 4–Sunday, May 13 Take a global tour of the Buddhist experience on film.

Copresented by the Buddhist Film Foundation.

The Buddha’s Birthday with Silkroad Ensemble Saturday, May 19, 11 am–4 pm Join us to celebrate Vesak, an international holiday that commemorates the Buddha’s birth and enlightenment. Members of the Silkroad Ensemble will fill the museums with music inspired by artworks on view. Plus, take tours of Encountering the Buddha, meet local Buddhist practitioners, and watch two short films made by the Freer|Sackler Teen Council.

LEAD SPONSOR

Encountering the Buddha received Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. The Freer|Sackler is grateful for the contributions of University of Michigan Humanities Collaboratory and the Multidisciplinary Design Program.

freersackler.si.edu

GMG, INC.

MAY 2, 2018

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GETAWAYS

the

WHITBY

BY MARY ANN TREGER

B

lank stares.That’s what I got when I told friends I was heading to New York for the primary purpose of spending two nights at the Whitby, a new British boutique hotel. It seems more intellectual pursuits guide their Big Apple travel decisions — a trip to Gotham to see the latest Met exhibition or to attend a concert at Carnegie Hall. But being a self-proclaimed hotel groupie, I have a soft spot for unique luxury hotel experiences; news of this whimsical escape from reality was compelling.

While it doesn’t have a massive “palm court” or grand open space, the Whitby has something better: imagination in every nook and cranny. We are greeted by a series of sophisticated alabaster sculptures, maybe eight feet tall, leading to the front desk. Other accessories catching our eye are more playful

— and colorful. Woven into contemporary and classic patterned fabrics on walls, furnishings, window shades and artwork is a palette of reds, chartreuse, blues, greens.

Warning: This is not a hotel for monochromatic minimalists. If you’re an “everything beige” person, head to a big bland chain.

The Whitby vibe is artsy-craftsy meets high style, with enough ingenuity to stock an artist’s lair. A “real time” grandfather clock by international artist Maarten Baas keeps us amused in the lobby — a film of a man is inside the clock telling the time. Even the elevators offer visual treats. Boxed collages adorn outrageously painted elevator walls.

The 30-foot pewter bar is snapshot-perfect, too. With a nod to the English fishing village the hotel is named for, 50 large colorful baskets once used for collecting oysters, fish and

The bar at the Whitby.

Oreo has found his cute, little selflooking for a loving home. He is a Morki (Maltese/Yorkie) and is only 9 months old. His previous owners had a baby and didn't have enough time to devote to him. He is crate trained...but still needs work on potty training when loose in the house. He is a very playful, affectionate puppy but he does require a lot of time and attention.

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GETAWAYS

The Whitby Hotel is located at 18 W. 56th St. Double rooms start at $695. For details, visit thewhitbyhotel.com or call 212-586-5656.

The Reading Room at the Whitby. potatoes or for selling flowers hang overhead. attention. (I feel like Baltimore’s American Each is tagged with info about its origin.

Visionary Art Museum could have had a say in Nearby, keeping a watchful eye on imbibers: a the decorating.) pair of carved wooden Hercules.

Our suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows open We wind our way, gaping, through the out to a large private terrace with jaw-dropping courtyard garden, drawing room and dining vistas of glittering glass-and-steel skyscrapers. room. Every inch of space is adorned with more Room furnishings are a blend of sophisticated paintings, ceramics or glassware, displayed in warm tones with playful touches — a traditional lighted wall niches. There is a happy mélange record player sits atop a table along with a stack of styles. American folk art, reproductions of of records, inviting us to take a spin. The base 20th-century mosaics, porcelain pots of New of one lamp is a carved wooden dog. Drapery York landmarks and, in the “honor bar,” a lamp fringe is polished wooden balls. As they say, base constructed of a towering collection of it’s all in the details. Every room and suite is T & T_Georgetowner_5.2018_Layout 4/27/18 9:20 AM Page 1 patterned china cups and saucers 1ask for our

different, no two are alike.

But it isn’t only the look that makes the Whitby special, it’s the service. At breakfast, gluten-free isn’t an afterthought, all eggs are cage-free and, when we ask for coffee, the friendly server immediately chirps, “Soy? Almond? Skim milk or cream?

The Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo is their only other U.S. property. They’ve combined an art experience within a luxe hotel that’s a short walk to my favorites: Central Park, MoMA, Bergdorf’s, Tiffany’s and Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar. I pause before checking out and think about what a civilized experience this has been, savoring art, gracious service and thoughtful food. As for those hoity-toity friends, the blank stares are gone, replaced by reservations for their next visit to the city that never sleeps.

The 86-room Whitby is a dream of Tim and Kit Kemp, owners of Firmdale Hotels, a small British luxury hotel group. Kit, a former textile designer, is the artistic decorator-collector.

She’s even designed the hotel’s Wedgwood china and line of bath products called Rikrak.

P r o P e rt i e s i n V i r G i n i A H u n t C o u n t ry Mt. airy

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The English Country manor is a masterpiece of the finest quality & design, elegant & charming with incredible mountain views, brilliant gardens & a simply "magical setting". Exquisite stone, slate roofing, fieldstone terraces, a luxurious pool & spa, wine cellar.Additional acreage available. $3,300,000

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Boyce~ 120acs. -2 parcels. Classic 3 Story Manor was built around smaller (c. 1850s)house by Carter Hall owner in 1885. Period elegant interior detailing features a 3-Story curving staircase. The stable, 2 cottages & a kennel housing the Snickersville Hounds are leased separately for over $5000/mo.

Pastoral Views toward the Blue Ridge Mountains are unbroken. Cattle, horses & Alfalfa hay share the property. $2,998,000

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Stunning brick colonial on 29+ acres in heart of Piedmont Hunt. 3 beautifully finished levels: totally updated; gourmet kitchen, hardwood floors, fabulous Master Suite. Awesome walkout level opens to heated pool. Studio apartment over 5 bay garage! 6 stall barn, paddocks; great rideout! $1,675,000

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White Post ~Ashcroft" is a historic 1830 brick country house on 86.5 serenely beautiful acres. The house is sited above a 3 acre pond, with picturesque views of mountains and open fields. A second 2006 building has a three-bay garage and an elegant 1,700 sq.ft. farm office w/3 bathrooms and a full kitchen. Stone and wood bank barn, swimming pool, stream frontage, total privacy.

Conservation Easement. $1,650,000

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Open floor plan, ideal antique shop, but excellent space for a variety of uses as retail shop, restaurant, etc. Parking in the rear. $1,250,000

Excellent commercial investment opportunity in downtown Middleburg. One commercial building which appears like two buildings that are adjoined on the corner of Madison and Federal Streets. Offers 4 separate entrances. Mixed Use includes retail & office spaces. Includes 7 parking spaces off Federal Street. Active business in one building. Seller desires to rent back. Priced below recent appraised value. Zoned C-2. $950,000

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Beautiful high, rolling land affording lovely mountain and pastoral views with access to Goose Creek.

Walk to Three Fox Winery and the historic village of Delaplane. This is the perfect setting to build your country dream house and/or farm for livestock, vineyard yet only 1 mile from Rt. 66!

Great commuter location. $625,000

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Pristine one level 3 Bedroom, 2 bath rambler freshly painted inside and out. new roof, new kitchen appliances, washer/dryer 3/4 years old, new Heat Pump in 2015. Tile floors and new crown molding throughout. Bright open floor plan, low maintenance and move-in ready! Walk to shops and restaurants.

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Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdraw without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

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MAY 2, 2018

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BODY & SOUL

Regain Your Footing

Reflexology

W I TH

BY R EB EK A H KE L L E Y

Reflexology is a complementary therapy, based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas in the feet which, like a map, correspond to all body parts. The physical act of applying specific pressures, using thumb, finger and hand techniques, results in stress reduction, causing a physiological change in the body. Complementary therapies are used alongside conventional therapy to help improve emotional, psychological and spiritual health in wellness seekers.

How does reflexology work?

Is your health on the wrong foot?

Each session is completely customized to each person. A typical session runs from 30 to 60 minutes. Shoes and socks are removed and a foot bath is given. Pressure is then applied — with no oils or lotions — based on the theory that our feet are a mirror of our body and specific points on the feet correspond to specific parts of the body. By pressing on these points, the release of pain and tension can help the body to heal itself.

Imbalance and stress put the body into dis-ease, leading to an inability to calm, to sleep, to heal. Reflexology can help the body manage stress and tension. Out-of-synch indicators include migraines, digestive issues, constipation, skin issues, colds, flus, aches and pains. It can also help those suffering from cancer treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Reflexology increases blood flow and clears neural pathways, which may help to stimulate antioxidant activity and slow the spread of disease.

Jump in with both feet

Take a stand for your health

Curious about how reflexology can help? I was. My esthetician asked me if I would like to experience reflexology as part of my skin care treatment at Studio Pilar. My response was: Absolutely!

The session, while not uncomfortable or painful, did feel, well ... tender. Teja Vovk, the reflexologist, gently messaged certain areas of my feet, referencing the sensitive areas as feeling like “crystals or sand grains,” indicating uric acid or calcium deposits that coordinate with the part of the body that is out of balance. She carefully applied gentle pressure to break up and then dissolve the deposits, which she explained may need more time to clear, requiring additional visits.

We talked through each tender feeling, and what it corresponded to within the body.

Afterwards, she suggested that I drink lots of water to help flush out the toxins that were released, and we scheduled a second session.

Is there really anything behind the idea that the bottom of our foot can review the state of our health? That by dis-solving stress, tension and the body’s dis-ease, putting the body back into balance, a way to better health can be found? The only way to really know is to check it out for yourself.

Teja Vovk acquired certification in foot and hand reflexology valid throughout the European Union. Book a session with her at Studio Pilar, located at 143 Church St. in Vienna, Virginia.

Rebekah Kelley is the founder of Virtue Skinfood, a “wholistic” luxury skin care line.

Visit her on the web at virtueskinfood.com.

Making the Most of Kids’ Summer Vacations

BY SEL M A KH EN ISSI

Beauvoir Summer offers pre-kindergarten through fifth grade children swim lessons, sports, arts and crafts, and outdoor adventure camps.

New Offering: Tunes 4 Tots 6 months to 3 years old

Beauvoir Summer runs June 18 to August 3, 2018. www.beauvoirschool.org/summer

Our programs are located at Beauvoir, The National Cathedral Elementary School 3500 Woodley Road NW, Washington, DC 20016

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When I was growing up, my summer vacations didn’t exactly have much activity.

One summer, when I was 11 years old, I took a sewing class, where I discovered that I am not a great sewer and needed more help than most.

Even with significant help, two out of three of my sewing pieces fell apart in some way.

That class, however, is a cherished memory of mine because I tried something new and did something somewhat productive during the summer.

The fear of children and teenagers stagnating or even declining over the summer is one that many parents surely feel. The result is that parents are likely to sign up their children to do things that might make the youngsters gripe and complain. But, arguably, having structured activities can be a chance for these children to have fun and do something meaningful with their summers.

Here’s one example: The District Department of Parks and Recreation has a summer camp that last two weeks. Registration for a child between 3 and 17 years old is open now, but parents could encounter a wait list. Two weeks isn’t a long time in a summer vacation schedule, so why not have a go at it? The caveat, however, is that other things need to preoccupy a youngster’s time in order to have an eventful summer.

Knowing your children’s interests is an effective way for children and parents to work cooperatively as a team. For example, if a child loves to do theater, parents can sign him or her

up for, say, Camp Shakespeare, Theatre Lab Camps or Traveling Players Ensemble.

It’s also possible that your child is very interested in science and technology. There are summer programs for those interests as well, such as STEM Camp at Headfirst or AstroCamp Virginia Science & Adventure Summer Camp.

Some summer programs are attached to a school setting. Whether or not these kinds of programs are ideal for your children depends on how much your children love school. If your children want to get away from school for the duration of the summer vacation, then it would be wiser to look for other summer activity options. If, however, they can’t get enough of school and academics and are eager to get to college, then the choice of a summer camp should reflect those inclinations.

For example, the National History Academy, located in Middleburg, Virginia, is a good option for those who are fans of history, especially American history. Beauvoir Summer is another option. For those high schoolers who seek a taste of the college experience and are open to living a good distance from home, Stanford University, Harvard University and Yale University offer summer programs.

The summer is a terrible opportunity to waste. Children and teenagers might wish to take it easy for many weeks, but if they experience structured summer experiences that they like, they will come to appreciate what their parents have done for them — if not sooner, then definitely later.

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KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB

Gala Guide

MAY 5

‘Jackie, Janet and Lee’

N

othing sells like books on sex, diets and the Kennedys. If you wrote “How JFK made love to Marilyn Monroe on 150 calories a day,” you’d have an instant success. Just ask J. Randy Taraborrelli, who’s been mining two of those three veins for the last 20 years.

In 2000, he wrote “Jackie, Ethel and Joan: The Women of Camelot,” which became a two-part series on CBS-TV in 2001. He wrote “After Camelot” in 2012 and, six years later, he now presents “Jackie, Janet and Lee: The Secrets of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Janet Auchincloss and Lee Radziwill.”

Spoiler alert: He adores Jackie and abhors Lee. The big reveal, according to his publisher’s press release, is that (supposedly) their mother, Janet Auchincloss, performed do-it-yourself artificial insemination in order to get pregnant twice after she divorced their father and married her second husband, Hugh D. Auchincloss. Janet was 37; Hugh was 58, and had had three children by two previous wives. Yet we’re asked to believe that Mr. Auchincloss was incapable of impregnating Mrs. Auchincloss in 1945 and again in 1947.

And — hang on here — we’re even told why: “Even though Hugh was not able to sustain an erection, he was able to produce sperm … [and Janet] used a kitchen utensil along the lines of a turkey baster — though it would be incorrect to say that this was the specific instrument she used; no one can quite remember ….”

With eyes popping, I turned to the chapter notes for documentation on this “never before revealed secret.” Under source notes for “Janet’s Unconventional Pregnancy,” Taraborrelli writes: “Because of the sensitive nature of this chapter, my interviewed sources asked to remain anonymous.” Huh? With Mr. and Mrs. Auchincloss deceased for many years, you might wonder what possible “sources” could’ve been interviewed about their intimacies in the bedroom. No documentation is provided, other than the author’s note that he recycles sources from his previous books. Then, like a bird feathering its nest, he snatches twigs from yellowed newspapers and wisps from tattered tabloids while plucking from the vast trove of other published lore, which Jill Abramson in the New York Times estimated to be 40,000 Kennedy books.

In this book, some readers might be troubled by the lack of attribution for “she felt,” “he thought,” “said an intimate,” “revealed an associate,” “confided an employee” and “reported someone with knowledge of the situation.”

Others might be puzzled by the personal quotes Taraborrelli does attribute, particularly a story about Janet giving her daughter, Lee, a check for $650,000, saying: “For any time I ever let you down, I’m very sorry. Maybe this small gift will make your life a little easier. I love you, Lee.” Taraborrelli follows with: “We don’t know Lee’s reaction; she’s never discussed it and only she and Janet were in the room at the

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time the gift was presented.” So how is it that Taraborrelli, who was not in the room, can gives us Janet’s exact words?

Perhaps the quotes come secondhand from Tarborrelli’s main source for this book: James “Jamie” Auchincloss, the 71-yearold son of the aforementioned parents, and the half-brother of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill. “[H]e never refers to Jackie and Lee as ‘halfs,’” writes Taraborrelli. While Jamie may refer to Jackie and Lee as his sisters, neither claimed him as family.

Full disclosure here: I met Jamie Auchincloss in 1975 when I was writing a biography of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

That book (“Jackie Oh!”) received attention because my interview with former Sen. George Smathers from Florida was the first time a Kennedy intimate had gone on the record to discuss the president’s extramarital affairs.

Smathers’s details were so graphic that at one point I remember saying, “Senator … um ... with all due respect … may I ask … how you could possibly know that … unless you were actually in the room with him?”

Smathers chuckled. “Well, of course I was in the room with him. Jack liked making love with others around …. He was just like a rooster getting on top of a hen.”

During our three-hour interview, Sen. Smathers confirmed that Jacqueline Kennedy had received electroshock therapy for depression after losing her first child, Arabella, in 1956. Published 20 years later, my book also revealed for the first time the prefrontal lobotomy performed on the Kennedys’ oldest daughter, Rosemary, who was severely diminished by the surgery, and as a result spent the rest of her life in the care of the nuns at St. Coletta’s in Wisconsin.

While Jamie Auchincloss was not the source of the more controversial material in my book, he did speak openly about his famous relatives and, unfortunately, he paid a price. Appearing on Charlie Rose’s local talk show a few years later, he said that Jackie stopped speaking to him after my book was published, much as she had with others whom she felt had shared too much personal information about the late president, including Ben Bradlee, who wrote “Conversations with Kennedy,” and Paul “Red” Fay, a Navy buddy of JFK, who wrote “The Pleasure of His Company.” When Fay sent his royalty check to the Kennedy Library, Jackie sent it back.

A few years ago, Jamie Auchincloss moved from Washington, D.C., to Oregon where his life plummeted from the height of being the six-year-old page boy who carried the wedding train of his sister’s gown when she married John F. Kennedy to the scandal of being jailed at the age of

FASHION FOR PAWS

Television personality and celebrity stylist Carson Kressley returns as host, bringing his love of dogs and eye for fashion to the Fashion for Paws stage. The event benefits the Humane Rescue Alliance. While models accompany fashionably attired pooches, guests dine, enjoy the fashion show and support deserving animals. Omni Shoreham Hotel. Contact Emily Miller at 202-683-1822 or emiller@humanerescuealliance.org.

CITYDANCE DREAM GALA

This year’s gala will be a show-stopping evening of dance featuring the Washington Ballet, Brooklyn Mack and guest artists from Bruce Wood Dance Project, among others.

Following the performance, Paul Wharton will host an after-party at the Thurgood Marshall Center. Lincoln Theatre. Visit dreamgala@citydance.net.

MAY 10 ARENA STAGE GALA 67 for possession of child pornography.

In 2009, he pleaded guilty to distributing what prosecutors called lewd and lascivious images, and was charged with two felony counts for encouraging child sexual abuse.

He spent Christmas 2010 in jail. Failing to cooperate with his court-ordered sex offender treatment program, he was sentenced to eight months in jail, serving just over half the time behind bars and the rest in home detention. He was put on probation for three years, ordered to stay away from children for the rest of his life and to register as a sex offender.

Taraborrelli writes that “this unfortunate turn in Jamie’s life in no way impacts his standing in history or his memories of growing up with his parents … and siblings …. Or his brothers-in-law, Jack, Bobby and Ted Kennedy. The times I spent with Jamie were memorable; I appreciate him so much.

He also provided many photographs for this book.”

If you’re a reader who requires corroborated information and credible sourcing in your nonfiction, this book will give you pause.

Then again, if your requirements are less stringent, you might enjoy the photographs.

Among Kitty Kelley’s many books is “Capturing Camelot: Stanle y Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys.” In two 1988 cover stories for People magazine, Kelley broke the story of Judith Exner’s confession that, in addition to being JFK’s lover, she was also his conduit to the Mafia, carrying his messages to Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana.

Broadway’s Maurice Hines and singersongwriter Mary McBride will join the gala, at which D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will receive the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award for her commitment to and support of the arts.

The event includes a cocktail reception and a seated dinner. All proceeds support Arena Stage’s artistic productions and community engagement programs. Arena Stage. Contact Maria Corso at 202-600-4025 or email rsvp@ arenastage.org.

GEORGETOWN VILLAGE ANNUAL CELEBRATION

Georgetown Village was established to help senior neighbors age in place by providing them with the practical means and services to do so. Foley & Lardner, 3000 K St. NW. Contact Executive Director Lynn Golub-Rofrano at 202-999-8988 or lynn@ georgetown-village.org.

MAY 11 WASHINGTON BALLET GALA Artistic Director Julie Kent and the board of directors of the Washington Ballet present a celebratory evening of dance and dining with honorary gala chairs Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Peter Wittig and Mrs. Huberta von Voss-Wittig and event co-chairs Sara and Christopher Lange. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Contact Special Events Manager Elissa Staley at 202-274-4518 or estaley@ washingtonballet.org.

MAY 12 STRATHMORE’S SPRING GALA

The gala will be headlined by cabaret and American Songbook icon Michael Feinstein, with special guest appearances by Broadway actress Laura Osnes and alumni of Strathmore’s artist in residence program. The evening begins with cocktails, followed by a three-course dinner, Feinstein’s performance and drinks and dessert at a post-show lounge party. Music Center at Strathmore. Visit gala@strathmore.org.

GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES

Doors Still Open and Widening

NMWA Salutes Annie Leibovitz

BY C H R ISTIN E WARNKE

BY MARY BIRD French Ambassador Gérard Araud and Pascal Blondeau served as honorary chairs at the National Museum of Women in the Arts Gala April 20. Grace Bender, Amra Fazlic, Amanda Polk and Jayne Visser co-chaired.

The evening’s theme was inspired by the museum’s current exhibition “Women House” from the Monnaie de Paris. Photographer Annie Leibovitz was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts.

Annie Leibovitz, Gina Adams and Eugene Adams.

Photos by Tony Powell.

Easy Elegance at Patron’s Party

When Laura Meyers, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., said at the organization’s annual gala that its doors are still open and widening, her remarks could not have been more poignant. Held April 20 at Union Station, the event celebrated trailblazing women as well as women and men today who are committed to ensuring that women get access to as many critical reproductive and health care services as possible. An ensemble of young women kicked off the program with a rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.”

Angela Rye, keynoter and CNN political contributor, capped off the evening with her perspective on the upcoming tsunami of women’s voices.

Angela Rye at the Planned Parenthood Gala. Photo by Purple Ppl Media.

BY R OBE RT DEVA NEY Homeowners, neighbors and friends gathered at the residence of Karen and Bill Sonneborn to celebrate the Georgetown House Tour. The pre-tour party was begun by Frida Burling and keeps getting better every year — a special night, indeed

Low-Octane But Still Fun White House Correspondents’ Weekend

BY R OBERT D EVAN E Y Well, maybe the dinner comedienne was on fire (in a bad way), but the parties surrounding the White House Correspondents Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton had a happy hum of letting friends and colleagues come together.

Fewer celebs, more time to enjoy it all.

Georgetown House Tour co-hairs Kelly Stavish and Hannah Isles flank Amy and Vin Roberti, whose home was featured in the April 18th Georgetowner.

Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Miss Universe 2018 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters.

Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Sally and Mark Ein with their children.

Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Devin Carroll and Meaghan Pfeiffer of Kendra Scott. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Michael and Gabriel Brennan and Elizabeth Barentzen. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Marc Cowan and Robert Bouknight, both of Compass real estate. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

WHAT’S ONLINE:

March of Dimes Gourmet Gala The Smithsonian Craft Show Washington Opera Society Salute to Washington Women in Journalism

Michael Avenatti, lawyer for Stormy Daniels, at the Garden Brunch on R Street. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

British Ambassador Kim Darroch and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

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MAY 2, 2018

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