The Georgetowner: December 5, 2018 Issue

VOLUME 65 NUMBER 5

SINCE 1954

GEORGETOWNER.COM

DECEMBER 5 - 18, 2018

T N E K IE L JTAU KES CENTER STAGE C&O CANAL, ANC UPDATES GEORGE H.W. BUSH: CAVU KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB HIDDEN HEROES; BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS · 4-7, 9

Up & Coming Events Town Topics Community Calendar The Village

EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8 Editorials Jack Evans Report Letters to the Editor

BUSINESS · 10

ABOUT THE COVER VOLUME 65 NUMBER 5

SINCE 1954

GEORGETOWNER.COM

DECEMBER 5 - 18, 2018

Julie Kent, artistic director of the Washington Ballet, stands with company dancers in the Warner Theatre, now showing “The Nutcracker.” Kent, herself, has performed the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy with the American Ballet Theatre many times and now leads the premier ballet company in the nation’s capital.

Photo by Tony Powell.

E KENT JULI TAKES CENTER STAGE C&O CA N A L, A N C UP D A T ES GEOR GE H. W. B USH: CA V U KI T T Y KELLEY B OOK CLUB HI D D EN HER OES; B USI N ESS HA LL OF FA ME

Ins & Outs Feature

REAL ESTATE · 11 Featured Property

COVER STORY · 12-13 2 Washington Jewels

Mayor Names New Schools Chancellor

BY R OBERT D EVAN EY Lewis D. Ferebee. Courtesy Indianapolis Public Schools.

ARTS · 14

Von Heyl & Scully at the Hirshhorn

FOOD & WINE · 16 Dining Guide Cocktail of the Month

DOWNTOWNER · 17 Downtown News

SHOPPING · 18

Lewisburg: A West Virginia Heart-Stealer

CLASSIFIEDS · 20 Service Directory

BOOK CLUB · 21

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Charlene Louis

COPY EDITOR Richard Selden

FEATURES EDITORS Ari Post Gary Tischler

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Peggy Sands

CONTRIBUTORS CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ Elisa Bayoumi GRAPHIC DESIGN Mary Bird Aidah Fontenot Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan FASHION & BEAUTY Jack Evans DIRECTOR Donna Evers Lauretta McCoy Michelle Galler Stephanie Green GRAPHIC DESIGN Amos Gelb Angie Myers Wally Greeves Troy Riemer Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley PHOTOGRAPHERS Selma Khenissi Philip Bermingham Jody Kurash Jeff Malet Travis Mitchell Neshan Naltchayan Shelia Moses Patrick G. Ryan Stacy Murphy Kate Oczypok ADVERTISING Linda Roth Evelyn Keyes Alison Schafer Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan

1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com

Kelly Harro of Dumbarton House with Washington Revels Executive Director Greg Lewis and Artistic Director Roberta Gasbarre, who gave a joint presentation at the Nov. 8 Cultural Leadership Breakfast. Photo by Robert Devaney.

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.

Celebrating Hanukkah at National Menorah Lighting (photos)

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

Washington Revels to Party Like It’s 1599

BY R IC H AR D SEL D EN

Gift Guide For Him

IN COUNTRY · 19

PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt

BY JEFF M AL ET

The Poleg family from Potomac, Maryland. The couple met at an earlier National Menorah Lighting.

Photo by Jeff Malet.

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

Kitty Kelley Book Club

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

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DECEMBER 5, 2018

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UP & COMING DECEMBER 11

SPIRITUALLY STRENGTHENING FAMILIES Ron Pappalardo, author of four books including “Reconciled by the Light,” will speak as part of this monthly series. When Pappalardo lost his teenage son to suicide, it launched him onto a path that led to a profound growth in his own mystical experiences and abilities. Admission is free. For details, visit strongermarriageandfamily.com. Washington Times, 3600 New York Ave. NE.

“Sweet Hope, Dessert for Toys”

DECEMBER 8

‘SWEET HOPE’ FOR ST. JUDE Soprano Shelley Jackson. Courtesy RCAS.

DECEMBER 6

‘TWO POETS IN MUSIC’

WINTERNATIONAL EMBASSY SHOWCASE Visitors to the seventh annual Winternational, showcasing the cultural and culinary traditions of Washington’s diplomatic community, have the opportunity to travel the world and do some holiday shopping — all during the lunch hour. Admission is free. For details, visit itcdc.com. Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

‘GARDEN LIGHTS, FESTIVE NIGHT’

The Russian Chamber Art Society’s holiday concert will feature soprano Shelley Jackson, baritone Kevin Wetzel and pianists Michael Sheppard and Vera Danchenko-Stern performing songs set to poems by Walt Whitman and Alexander Pushkin. Tickets are $55, including a post-concert reception. For details, visit thercas.com. Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Road NW.

DECEMBER 7, 8, 14, 15 & 16 AMAHL AND MOTOWN

At this 21+ event at Tudor Place, guests can visit the historic mansion, festooned with World War I-themed decorations and installations, then make their way along the twinkling North Garden path to the Dower House for seasonal hors d’oeuvres, confections and cocktails. Tickets are $25. For details, visit tudorplace.org. 1644 31st St. NW.

Voices in Motion, the award-winning show choir of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, presents a double bill of Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and “A Motown Christmas.” Tickets are $25.

For details, visit ellingtonschool.org. Duke Ellington School of the Arts, 3500 R St. NW.

The late chef Michel Richard’s signature sweets, cookies and tarts will be served at the 16th annual “Sweet Hope, Dessert for Toys” reception benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event also includes caroling by the Georgetown Visitation Madrigal Singers and an elf balloon artist.

Guests should bring a $25 donation or an unwrapped toy. RSVP to martha.pheeny@ stjude.org. Central Michel Richard, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

DECEMBER 15 AND 16 ‘JOY OF CHRISTMAS’

Joined by organ and brass, the Cathedral Choral Society will perform beloved Christmas choral music and a new carol by composer Paul Moravec at Washington National Cathedral. There will also be festive sing-alongs. Tickets are $25 to $81.50 ($16 for students, discount for seniors and veterans).

For details, visit cathedralchoralsociety.org.

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DECEMBER 8 & 9

DECEMBER 16

Weaving together the delicate and timeless sounds of the Celtic harp, lute, pipes, bodhran, flutes and recorders with the poetry of Dylan Thomas, the Barnes and Hampton Celtic Consort will perform traditional Christmas songs and dances. Tickets are $42 ($39 for seniors). For details, visit dumbartonconcerts. org. Dumbarton United Methodist Church, 3133 Dumbarton St. NW.

This family-friendly fundraising event, benefiting Children’s National, highlights collaborations between patients and 23 area designers and artists, who have created holiday trees, mantelpieces, wreaths, menorahs and artwork available for purchase. Tickets are $85 ($50 for age 16 and under). For details, visit fourseasons.com. Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

LIGHT UP THE SEASON

‘A CELTIC CHRISTMAS’

GEORGETOWN WASHINGTON, DC TH 5 EDITION

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

FREE LIGHT ART EXPERIENCE

DEC. 1–JAN. 6 ⋆ 5–10 P.M. NIGHTLY www.GeorgetownGLOWDC.com | #GeorgetownGLOW

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LIGHT ART INSTALLATIONS

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Georgetown GLOW is supported by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.

DEC. 1–JAN. 6 GLOW Walking Tours

DEC. 8 Book Hill’s Winter Wonderland

DEC. 7 GLOW All Night— extended evening of shopping

JAN. 6 GLOW Closing Event

DEC. 7 Georgetown Galleries Winter Art Walk

All Winter Ice Skating at Washington Harbour

For more holiday happenings, visit GeorgetownDC.com/holidays.

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TOWN TOPICS

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New Life for Holy Rood Cemetery Holy Trinity Catholic Church and Georgetown University announced plans to restore Holy Rood Cemetery and for the N Street church to build a columbarium — a structure holding urns containing cremated remains — at the site.

Holy Rood, established in 1832 on Wisconsin Avenue overlooking Georgetown, is Holy Trinity’s parish cemetery. The university owns Holy Rood because Jesuits founded both institutions in the 18th century.

The last lot at Holy Rood, named for the Scottish “haly ruid” (holy cross), was sold in 1915; the cemetery was closed to further burials in 1985. The university has maintained the grounds, doing some headstone repairs, rebuilding the stone retaining wall along Wisconsin Avenue and recently installing a new entrance sign. But over the years, lot holders’ families have complained to the university and to the archdiocese about deteriorating conditions.

Things began to change in 2010, when a group of Holy Trinity parishioners and university leaders set out to develop a joint plan for Holy Rood. Agreement was reached last September.

The plan calls for resetting fallen headstones, resurfacing roadways, restoring the brownstone

holding crypt, installing an ornamental gate and fence, enhancing the entrance and making landscape improvements.

As part of the plan, the university will grant an easement allowing Holy Trinity to build a 645-niche columbarium at the cemetery for parishioners, university alumni, faculty and staff, ancestors of those interred at the cemetery and others. Holy Trinity will use a portion of the proceeds from columbarium niche sales to establish a Perpetual Care Endowment for Holy Rood.

A joint management committee will be established to monitor future conditions at the cemetery. The goal is to complete the columbarium and cemetery restoration work by the fall of 2019.

C. Kevin Gillespie, S.J., pastor of Holy Trinity, praised the plan, saying: “The cemetery will become a Holy Garden where current and future members of our community can have a final resting place in this beautiful sacred space overlooking the city.” More information is available at holytrinitycolumbarium.org.

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Georgetowners Get C&O Canal Update Georgetown residents packed the upstairs meeting room at Pinstripes on Thursday evening, Nov. 29, for an update on the restoration of Lock 2 of the C&O Canal, part of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

The report by National Park Service Ranger Brendan Wilson included stunning photos and a show-and-tell of work done to date. One of the thousands of facing stones that lined the canal walls, dating back to the 1830s and ’40s and individually numbered, was passed around. The undamaged ones were reset in the final wall.

Also passed around was a chunk of the original wood foundation — marked by more than a century’s worth of cracks and waterrelated wear — with a large wooden peg that held it in place. The canal’s foundation has been completely replaced by a modern cement and stone substance that was textured to look like wood.

“In the last month, the brand-new lock gates, carefully crafted to resemble the old ones, had been set in place. Water has flowed in and

flowed out to test the new gates and walls,” said Wilson. “In the process, we have discovered other crucial long-term repairs, including the water ducts going from the river to the canal.

Funding proposals and plans are being prepared for those.”

But in the short term, several projects will be begun and finished in the next year, Wilson said.

These include lights on the pedestrian bridges — hopefully installed this winter — and new surfacing on the canal pathways. Also, heavy vegetation growing in the canal will be removed.

A complete refilling of the canal with water is not expected until the summer of 2020, to allow for reconstruction of the 31st Street Bridge.

“But by that time, at long last, I can say with 90-percent certainty that Georgetown’s brandnew, historically correct canal boat will be ready for launch,” said Maggie Downing, director of public programs and partnerships at Georgetown Heritage. Downing has been working on that project since 2013.

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TOWN TOPICS

Theodore Roosevelt Island to Get Spruced Up

No Movement on $7-Million Jelleff Project

“Theodore Roosevelt loved the outdoors,” the National Park Service tells us. The agency has finalized a plan “to enhance recreational opportunities and improve infrastructure at Theodore Roosevelt Island — all while preserving this unique memorial to our 26th president.”

A portion of the 88.5-acre island, which lies within the District of Columbia, is technically part of Georgetown.

According to the NPS, the planned improvements include: rehabilitating the Mount Vernon Trail boardwalk bridge, enhancing island trails and improving accessibility, installing educational signs and displays, constructing a soft water landing and a floating dock for small, nonmotorized watercraft and rehabilitating the restroom.

With forest, marsh and wetlands, the island offers opportunities to hike, run, birdwatch and paddle. It connects to the Mount Vernon Trail and the Potomac Heritage Trail, both on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, by footbridge. Last year, the NPS improved the alignment and other safety features of the Mount Vernon Trail and repaved the parking lot. Earlier this year, a Capital Bikeshare station was added to the island’s amenities.

Theodore Roosevelt Island, as a memorial, was designed by the Olmsted brothers and Eric Gugler. The island itself, however, has a rich

The meeting at the Georgetown Public Library last July 23 was surprisingly packed and ran overtime. Enthusiastic users and supporters of the Jelleff Recreation Center were there to provide input on its renovation.

Also known as the Boys & Girls Club, the almost invisible public athletic facility and youth center, complete with swimming pool and four AstroTurf playing fields, has been around since the 1950s, set back from a quiet corner off Wisconsin Avenue and S Street NW. Seven million dollars has been dedicated to the center’s modernization, according to the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Peter Nohrden, the designated project manager.

Officially, the monies must be used to make the second-floor athletic facility — with one multi-use basketball court used weekly by a large number of youth clubs — compliant with accessibility regulations. But some funds will go toward other improvements.

At the July meeting, the suggestions ran the gamut from beautifying the building to tearing it down and rebuilding. “Seven million dollars is a tremendous amount of money to spend just on a renovation. It would be more efficient just to rebuild it anew,” said Bob Stowers, Jelleff’s longtime coach and figurehead.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for the community,” said Kishan Putta, a Jelleff Center neighbor and a newly elected Georgetown

Paul Manship’s 17-foot bronze statue of the 26th president on Theodore Roosevelt Island. Photo by Something Original. history that includes use by Native Americans dating back to the early 1700s. During the Civil War, the 1st U.S. Colored Troops lived and trained here. The island is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Courtesy of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the NPS placed temporary educational panels on the island so that visitors can learn about Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy and the island’s history.

Jelleff Recreation Center. advisory neighborhood commissioner. “Two basketball courts are obviously needed, as well as a multi-use athletic center. None of Georgetown’s parks have indoor athletic centers. Only Jelleff.”

In July, DPR promised at least four more public meetings to hear about community needs, including the possible expansion of the facility for seniors and winter athletes. Now, at the end of the year, there is no meeting on the books and the money sits and waits.

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TOWN TOPICS

ANC Ends 2018 With 4 Hot Issues The year-end meeting, held Monday, Dec. 3, of ANC 2E, Georgetown’s advisory neighborhood commission, was sweet and hot. Sweet because of the commendations given to the four departing commissioners (of eight total) — Monica Roaché, Zac Schroepfer, Ed Solomon and Jim Wilcox —

by D.C. Council member Jack Evans. And hot because of a lively crowd that took adamant stands on four agenda items in particular.

Rising public concern over reported gas leaks in an area of about eight blocks on Georgetown’s East Side — some 65 since 2017 — brought out three top Washington Gas officials to address the crowd, including the regional manager and two corporate vice presidents. They admitted they had to do a better job communicating with residents about their work on neighborhood gas pipe repairs. A proposal for the next fiveyear plan for overall system renovation will be reviewed in the next few weeks.

Commissioners repudiated a proposal by the National Park Service to pursue a Green Initiative strategy to build a new water runoff system into the Potomac River Tunnel. The consensus was that the G.I. construction would

be disastrous to Georgetown’s historic waterfront park. In addition, the disruption of traffic would affect all of Georgetown for almost four years.

The ANC got to flex its own muscles over sprouting ginkgo trees on the East Side, an issue that brought a lively reaction from the crowd.

Commissioner Rick Murphy commented: “All politics are local but this one is hyper local.” It was also an issue that the commissioners could make a decision about right then and there, approving a motion that the stinky, squishy, hazardous, berrydropping ginkgo trees on Olive Street could be removed and replaced by residents.

But the hottest audience reaction came from a proposal to the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration by goPuff, a 24-hour internet retail and distribution company, to move its operations to a residential condo and office complex at 1077 30th St. NW, with the entrance on 29th Street. As soon as goPuff representatives indicated that distributors would pick up products in the garage, a crowd of some 20 residents stood up and shouted, “No, no!” After a contentious presentation, the commission voted to do the only thing it could: submit a protest to ABRA.

Crime & Safety

WOMAN SEXUALLY ABUSED BY LYFT DRIVER ON 33RD ST.

A prominent Georgetown resident’s car was marred by blood from the stabbing victim. The police held the car for a few hours during the investigation.

STABBING RILES NEIGHBORHOOD Parts of 31st and 30th Street NW between Q and R Streets in Georgetown, near Avon Lane and Avon Place, were shut down for an investigation around 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 after a stabbing was reported.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the stabbing victim had met earlier near Howard University with two persons in a car, which found its way to Georgetown. MPD’s public narrative reads: “V-1 reports he entered a vehicle with S-1 and S-2, who were both unknown to him, near Howard University to smoke marijuana. Later, at the listed location, V-1 reported either S-1 or S-2 began to stab V-1 in both arms with an unknown object while he was seated in the vehicle. V- 1 obtained the listed injuries during the offense. V-1 exited the vehicle and ran to seek medical assistance.”

It was “Assault with a Dangerous Weapon,” according to MPD, with the offense location given as 1633 31st St. NW. One Georgetown resident, going to her car after a neighbor’s reception, found it held by the police. Her car was covered with the victim’s blood from the stabbing. Later, she retrieved her car from 31st Street and Avon Lane.

An MPD officer later characterized the incident as “a marijuana sale gone south.” The young man cut in the arms is expected to be all right.

From the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit: Detectives seek the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect in connection with a Second Degree Sexual Abuse offense that occurred Dec. 1 in the 1200 block of 33rd St. NW. At approximately 12:02 a.m., the victim was receiving a ride in the suspect’s ride-share vehicle. During the ride, the suspect engaged in sexual contact without the victim’s permission.

The suspect is described as a white male and was last seen driving a black SUV. Anyone who can identify this individual or who has knowledge of these incidents should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099 or text your tip to the MPD’s Text Tip Line at 50411.

The vehicle was photographed by street cameras, according to MPD.

Photo by Steven Rattinger

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WOMAN ROBBED OF $5,000 The Metropolitan Police Department reported at the Dec. 3 Georgetown-Burleith advisory neighborhood commission meeting that a woman was robbed of $5,000 along the 1500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW on Dec. 2. According to MPD, the woman had arranged for a marijuana pop-up party on the second floor of a Wisconsin Avenue building, where attendees were “given” pot as a “gift” and then handed money to the host. (It is illegal to sell or buy marijuana in D.C.) The MPD officer characterized the crime as “an inside job.”

FATAL CRASH ON CLARA BARTON U.S. Park Police reports: Officers were dispatched Dec. 1 at approximately 4:06 a.m. to inbound Clara Barton Parkway in the area of Lock 5 [of the C&O Canal]. Arriving units discovered a head-on collision between two vehicles. Two people from the crash were transported to local hospitals with life-threatening injuries. A 21-yearold male was pronounced dead on the scene. The decedent was identified as Sachin B Narasinghe P Dewage of Rockville. The crash remains under investigation by the U.S. Park Police Criminal Investigation Division and Traffic Safety Unit.

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EDITORIAL

OPINION JACK EVANS REPORT

Coming Together as a Community

BY JAC K EVAN S Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833

There’s so much to be thankful for and reflect on as we enter the holiday season.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and Christmas is fast approaching. Aside from Halloween being my favorite holiday, this time of year — when I travel the ward to light Christmas trees and attend holiday ceremonies — always puts things in perspective.

To officially mark the start of this joyous time of year, I attended the Feast of Sharing at the Washington Convention Center. Public officials and special guests greeted and chatted with families as dedicated volunteers, along with the Salvation Army and Safeway, provided hot meals for hundreds of people from across the city.

It’s remarkable seeing everyone come together to do good for others. Year after year, I’m proud to be a small part of this tradition, even before sitting down with my own kids for Thanksgiving dinner.

Of the many celebrations around the District that I attend, the tree lighting at CityCenterDC is the symbolic start of the Christmas holiday season. Even rain couldn’t prevent residents from coming out

to celebrate this year. And at the end of the countdown, the only thing that managed to shine brightly was the star fixed to the top of the tree. Eventually the tree was lit, and the people who had gathered for the event went about their Christmas shopping.

In the days following that temporarily delayed CityCenterDC tree lighting, I watched wreaths and decorations pop up across town, including in the Wilson Building. Last week, the Council hosted its holiday celebration, with greetings from faith leaders, members of the Council and the mayor. The Senior Choir from the School Without Walls sang holiday classics and a fantastic rendition of “Carol of the Bells.”

After some singing and holiday wishes from Chairman Phil Mendelson and Mayor Muriel Bowser, the city’s tree was lit.

I’m happy we can still come together as a community and celebrate another year.

The holiday season always reminds me of how fortunate we are to live in a caring and generous city.

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

Former President George H.W. Bush lies in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda Dec. 4. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

George H.W. Bush, 1924-2018 They will all be there, honoring one of their own. The members of an exclusive club, the living former presidents of the United States, will come together at the National Cathedral for the state funeral of the 41st president of the United States, George H.W. Bush, on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

One of the former presidents, George W. Bush, will deliver the eulogy for his father, which seems uniquely appropriate and probably is unprecedented. George H.W. Bush passed away Friday, Nov. 30. His casket has already arrived in Washington.

The list of living presidents also includes Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and the current president of the United States, Donald Trump. President Trump is not expected to give a speech, but will visit with the Bush family in private to offer his condolences.

Such occasions — moving, solemn and full of pomp and circumstance — are always memorable, both for those watching on their devices or on television and for those in personal, intimate attendance. They are commemorative, celebratory experiences that inspire awe and appreciation. At such times and in such surroundings, one may sense the potential of each of us as individuals, despite the human race’s apparent insignificance in the universe.

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Because of the many duties of public service that he took on — United Nations ambassador, Central Intelligence Agency director, adviser to the government on China, elected member of Congress, vice president of the United States and finally president of the United States — George H.W Bush had a major impact on the workings of our government, and how the image of our country was projected.

His presidency was as full of meaningful impact on meaningful events. His judicious conduct of the Gulf War and his careful and effective leadership during the collapse of the Soviet Union are gold standards in many ways.

You can put the mantle of great man on him if you like — we think he would demur — but the title next to it of great human being would fit snugly and with honor.

That title would refer to how President Bush conducted himself in public and officially and with his peers, both in government and on the world stage. His love for his wife, his children and his immediate family were always on display. He had a personal touch, a warmth and a sense of humor that were active and self-evident.

He was a negotiator, a bridge-builder, a hands-across-the-aisle person, the results of which remain with us still. We can say with some certainty that we are not likely to see his like again soon. But we can hope.

Email Us: Problems With the Post Office?

Customers gather outside the closed U.S. Post Office on 31st Street in Georgetown on Dec. 4 just before 9:40 a.m., when the door was finally unlocked. The posted opening time is 9 a.m. daily except Sunday. Have you found the Georgetown post office closed when it was supposed to be open? Email editorial@georgetowner.com.

What is George H.W. Bush’s lasting lesson for America?

YOUR OPINION MATTERS. POST YOUR RESPONSE. Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner

THE VILLAGE

Georgetowners Go All Out for the Holidays

BY PEG GY SA NDS

Dozens of Georgetown shops suddenly have transformed from red and orange color schemes to elegant displays in gold, silver, green and red and blue and white. Special events (including a night art walk), elaborate light installations, holiday gifts and goodies and, of course, Christmas trees are being featured in our neighborhood during the year’s most festive season.

In many ways, Georgetown, with its rows of historic homes with gaslit, iron-railed front steps and open-curtained windows — through which Christmas trees and holiday decorations may be glimpsed — is a picture-perfect winter holiday village. There are dozens of ways to celebrate the season, both during the day and in the evening, without leaving “town.” Below are some of the highlights. For a more extensive listing, visit The Georgetowner’s online calendar.

In town for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree lighting, the Feist family of Oregon, source of this year’s tree, visited Georgetown for lunch at Martin’s Tavern. Courtesy David Dunning.

LIGHT DISPLAYS

One of the igloos outside Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons. Georgetowner photo.

SHOPPING Many of Georgetown’s specially decorated shops are competing in the annual Holiday Window Competition. For “Glow All Night,” on Friday, Dec. 7, more than 50 Georgetown retailers will be open late, offering in-store promotions, trunk shows, pop-up shops and product launches.

Georgetown’s holiday-night light display, “Glow,” features outdoor installations lit every night from 5 to 10 p.m. throughout the Georgetown shopping area. “Glow” is the only light-art experience of its kind in the region, according to its presenter, the Georgetown Business Improvement District. It “juxtaposes contemporary light art against the backdrop of Georgetown’s historic environs” until the first week of January.

Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, began Sunday, Dec. 2, with the lighting of the National Menorah on the Ellipse and is celebrated with the lighting of menorahs every evening at parties and family gatherings until the last (eighth) candle is lit on Sunday, Dec. 9.

Christmas tree every day from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

Happy hour, until 7:30 p.m., features a different holiday-themed cocktail every night.

The log-shaped French chocolate cream cake decorated with edible mint leaves and known as bûche de Noël is the seasonal specialty at several of Georgetown’s French bakeries.

An ice patio featuring three heated ice domes, each with its own theme, has been set up by the Bourbon Steak restaurant in the Four Seasons courtyard, with winter lawn games like lightup bean bag and ring toss available. The hotel’s adjoining Eno Wine Bar is offering weekly ice wine tastings and an Alpine menu.

Christmas teas in historic Georgetown settings will be offered by Dumbarton House (with Santa) and Tudor Place (with a mansion tour) on Dec. 8 and 9.

Christmas opera, and “A Motown Christmas” on Friday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 4 p.m.

TREATS District Doughnut in Cady’s Alley has whipped up a special jelly doughnut as a Hanukkah treat.

Mini s’mores, hot chocolate and spiced apple cider are there for the eating and sipping in front of the giant fireplace by the Ritz-Carlton’s

Mr. & Mrs. Claus went rowing with the reindeer on the Potomac Dec. 2. Photo by Chesley Wiseman.

Spiritual Guide to GeorGetown

congratulations to holy Trinity school celebrating their 200th anniversary

Dumbarton House’s Karen Daley with her daughter Maggie at the historic mansion’s Holidays Through History Open House Nov. 30. Photo by Robert Devaney.

CHRISTMAS TREES Over a dozen uniquely decorated trees are in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel as part of the Light Up The Season showcase by top local designers to benefit Children’s National Health System. At the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, for the first time, the Georgetown Christmas Tree Farm will be open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 16, offering freshly cut trees and locally produced jams, butters, teas, wreaths and hand-painted ornaments.

At Breakfast with Santa at Volta Park Dec. 2: Ali Hlinko of 33rd Street gave Santa her Christmas wish list. Photo by Robert Devaney.

SPECIAL EVENTS The Georgetown art galleries on Book Hill are hosting their Winter Art Walk on Friday, Dec. 7, with each gallery featuring a neon or light-art piece in its window.

Book Hill’s Winter Wonderland, on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes photos with Santa, face painting, a Tunes 4 Tots music class, children’s choir performances and an ugly sweater competition in the parking lot of TD Bank, 1611 Wisconsin Ave. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts will present a double bill of “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” Gian Carlo Menotti’s poignant

Saturday, december 8

You are invited to Holy Trinity Catholic Church for prayer and worship: Pray in Sacred Space: Messengers of Joy December 8: 4-5pm, Chapel of St. Ignatius (3513 N St NW).

Monday, deceMber 10 • caroLInG In GeorGeToWn

No singing experience is required and all ages are welcome at this Christmas songfest, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The group will meet in the Upper School Cafeteria of Holy Trinity School, 36th and O Streets NW, then visit the Sisters of Visitation and home bound parishioners. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served. For details, call Lisa Dittmeier at ldittmeier@trinity.org.

Wednesday, deceMber 12

Our Lady of Guadalupe Evening Prayer at 7pm in the Church.

deceMber 24 & 25 • chrIsTMas Masses:

Christmas Masses: December 24: 4pm, 5:45pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm, 11:15pm Lessons & Carols, Midnight Mass; December 25: 8am, 10am, 11:30am, Church

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DECEMBER 5, 2018

9

BUSINESS

INS & OUTS

BY STEP HANIE GREE N A N D R O B E RT D E VA N E Y

In: Wawa to Open Dec. 20 The long-anticipated Georgetown Wawa is scheduled to open at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20, with a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting later that morning. The 24-hour convenience store will occupy over 7,000 square feet in the old Restoration Hardware space at 1222 Wisconsin Ave. NW, at the corner of Prospect Street.

While Wawa was applying for its D.C. government permits, the news was met with some hostility from Georgetowners. The company has tried to placate concerns by strictly adhering to architectural standards and promoting itself as a community boon.

Founded in 1964 in Pennsylvania, Wawa began earlier as a dairy and now operates 800 stores. Its name is an American Indian word for a Canada goose, hence its logo.

Wawa opened its first D.C. store last year around this time at 1111 19th St. NW. Stores are planned in Columbia Heights and Tenleytown as the company expands in and around Washington over the next several years. By 2023, there could be as many as 20 stores in D.C. and perhaps 50, give or take, across the metropolitan area.

In: Ping-Pong for the National Press With a newly divided Congress on the way, more of us may be looking to work off the frustration that’s likely to ensue. Spin, the original ping-pong social club at 1332 F St. NW, is coming to the basement of the National Press Building at 529 14th St. NW just in time.

We hear the 12,000-square-foot club will be Instagram friendly, with a ping-pong bathtub and immersive art — including 14 ping-pong tables and a full bar.

Ping-pong is a favorite to relieve stress and get a fun cardio workout too. For sustenance between games, the club will offer food and drink, including its signature mac n’ cheese burger. How many ping-pong tournaments does one need to burn that one off? We will keep you posted as the club nears its opening date.

Rendering of the new Wawa store.

In: Dupont Circle BID, D.C.’s 11th The Dupont Circle Business Improvement District celebrated its launch on Nov. 28 at the Ampeer apartment house with Mayor Muriel Bowser, Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans and other stakeholders in attendance.

The new BID was formed earlier this year, it stated, “to elevate the iconic Dupont Circle neighborhood as D.C.’s international heart, the historic neighborhood renowned as the city’s progressive, cosmopolitan gathering place.”

It joins the 10 other D.C. BIDs — publicly chartered, privately operated nonprofits subject to mayoral oversight. Georgetown’s BID is almost 20 years old.

D.C.’s 11th BID controls more than $25 million in public investment planned for a new plaza and streetscape improvements along Connecticut Avenue. “More than 150 restaurants, 80 shops, 70 embassies and 20 hotels call Dupont Circle home,” according to the Dupont BID, “and 22,000 people live within a half-mile of the neighborhood.”

Bordering the Golden Triangle BID, which operates south of the circle, the newest BID covers approximately 11 blocks in the commercial district: Dupont Circle itself, Connecticut Avenue from the circle to California Street and sections of P Street and Massachusetts Avenue. Its executive director is Colleen Hawkinson.

Still Coming: Capital One Café, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo Express When a front-page story in last week’s Washington Business Journal was headlined “The Disappearing Bank Branch,” a few Georgetowners did a double take. Disappearing?

Washington oldest neighborhood will be getting more branches, though some will not have a human teller per se.

Look for Capital One Café to open in the first quarter of next year in the former Nathans Restaurant space at Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. Capital One launched its café-concept banking business in Chinatown in October.

Also coming are spots for JPMorgan Chase, at the former Marvelous Market space at Wisconsin Avenue and P Street, and a Wells Fargo Express Center in the former Mephisto shoe shop on Wisconsin. The 20007 ZIP code contains 18 bank branches, according to June 2018 data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as reported by WBJ. Say Cheese is only a couple weeks away.

Wawa will go on the corner of Wisconsin and Prospect.

Starke Brings Heat to Café Georgetown The newly opened Café Georgetown hosted a breakfast event Nov. 16 with Petra Starke, former chief lawyer to President Obama’s economic council and wife of George Starke, a former Washington Redskins player, who introduced her new yoga app. Ms. Starke, CEO of Bikram Yoga, is the founder of SweatNGlow, the first platform for hot yoga enthusiasts, and the largest hot yoga studio network worldwide.

She also discussed her journey from the White House to leading the global hot yoga movement and what the future holds.

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Almost There, We Swear: Say Cheese Speaking of cheese, Say Cheese, a new specialty grilled-cheese sandwich shop at 1132 29th St. NW, should be open in the next two weeks, according to a sign posted on its window. “Hang in there. We’re still hustling to get this place open,” it explains. The shop will offer Gruyère, Muenster, Gouda, Gorgonzola and good old-fashioned Velveeta sandwiches, along with an assortment of deli meats.

Café Georgetown hosted an event for Petra Starke, founder of SweatNGlow, the first platform for hot yoga enthusiasts. Photo by Susanna Michelsen.

REAL ESTATE

Featured Property 2446 Kalorama Road NW

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NOVEMBER 2018 SALES

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11

BY G ARY TISCHLER PHO TO G RAPHY BY TO NY PO WELL

W

JULIE KENT TAKES CENTER STAGE

ith Thanksgiving come and gone, it is now officially the season of the holidays, most visibly Christmas.

The season as it transpires is rich in icons and iconic doings. Christmas trees of various sizes from spectacular — befitting national standards and locations such as the Ellipse, the Capitol’s West Lawn and Union Station — to modest (meant to beckon from a corner window in a studio apartment) are being carried home on top of cars and trucks amid the sounds of sleigh bells ringing.

The activities slip and slide easily into traditions: 24-7 renditions of Christmas carols, decorated streetlights (and, in Georgetown, the light installations of “Glow”), office parties, performances sacred and festive, the yearly presence of “It’s a Wonderful Life” on television and, yes, myriad productions of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” throughout the land, including Ford’s Theatre. There be Scrooges among us from now until New Year’s.

And there be Nutcrackers.

If there is a work of art that represents the season on a universal level, it is “The Nutcracker,” the palpably exultant ballet flavored and textured

by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s genial and geniuslevel music. It is the season’s classic show, beyond boundaries and borders, radiating the airy, sometimes scary quality of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s fairy tale, in which children unforgettably enter a world of magical beings on Christmas Eve. It is everywhere in December. Nutcrackers, Drosselmeyers, Claras, princes and princesses, soldiers and sugar plum fairies, rats and mice, dolls and dancers from lands far and near are omnipresent. Even if you are not an aficionado of ballet, you cannot help but be aware of, and drawn helplessly to, one of its many incarnations (with the kids in tow).

This is especially true in the District of Columbia, where the Washington Ballet is staging its 15th go-around with the version of “The Nutcracker” created by Septime Webre, the company’s former artistic director. Performances at the Warner Theatre continue through Dec. 28.

TOUCHING PEOPLE AT EVERY LEVEL

WASHINGTON BALLET ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 12 DECEMBER 5, 2018

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“‘The Nutcracker’ is a huge part of the season itself,” said Washington Ballet Artistic Director Julie Kent, an acclaimed principal dancer with New York’s American Ballet Theatre from 1993 to 2015.

“Somehow, ‘The Nutcracker’ touches people at every level, whether as part of the audience, as a parent or a child or adolescent or, if you are lucky enough, as a performer,” Kent explained. “My daughter Josephine, who’s now 9, was in it last year and is in it this year. So while you’re working on it in my official capacity, there’s the proud mother aspect, and everything you remember, too.”

Kent knows whereof she speaks. If “The Nutcracker” is the ballet as icon, Kent — tall, sometimes regal, with the halo of legend around her history and career — is the ballerina as icon.

If you had to close your eyes and try to picture the most ballerina-like person you could, you’d open your eyes and, more often than not, see Kent in a classic pose, en pointe, not far removed from the fluttering sky, safe on the stage but ready for flight. As a prima ballerina, an artist of classical dance, she is up there among the big names: Suzanne Farrell, Gelsey Kirkland and the like.

She entered ABT’s ranks at age 16, dancing with Mikhail Baryshnikov and accumulating a memorable series of principal roles, not to mention the Sugar Plum Fairy. “I think I’ve been in every

Washington Ballet dancers pose on the balcony of the Warner Theatre, where performances of “The Nutcracker” will continue through Dec. 28. Photo by Tony Powell. production of ‘The Nutcracker’ as the Sugar Plum Fairy, or in some capacity through my whole career there,” she said.

Kent retired at age 42, with, by all accounts, an extraordinarily moving and memorable performance as Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet,” the imagery and the emotions, along with the bouquets, flooding the Metropolitan Opera House stage when the curtain went down on that June night in 2015.

TRADITION AND AN AMBITIOUS NEW VISION

The Washington Ballet’s version of “The Nutcracker,” conceived by Webre 15 years ago, is not your usual “Nutcracker.” It was and remains very, well, Washington, with a heroic George Washington and houseguests like Frederick Douglass, John Paul Jones, Harriet Tubman, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. It’s also, specifically, set in Georgetown, in a mansion no less.

It has a Rat King who is King George, there are Native Americans and Cherry Blossoms incarnate and, rumor has it, the Racing Presidents.

Everyone, of course can add, change or frisson “The Nutcracker” to a fare-thee-well — think of the poodles in the Cincinnati Ballet production,

“I WANT TO BE THE MUSE, A MUSE FOR AND OF THE COMPANY.” “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” and Mark Morris’s “The Hard Nut” — but Webre’s American history spin on the classic has established a new holiday tradition in the nation’s capital.

Meanwhile, in line with Kent’s vision, the Washington Ballet has had to adapt to significant changes in style and direction. A highly praised production of “Giselle” in 2017 could be assumed to represent the company’s aspirations. A live orchestra has been added, and there is an ambitious push to become a national force, which would include touring.

Kent made clear what her aspirations and ambitions were when she and her family first decided to come here after a long and successful life in the radically different environment of New York. There, she recalled: “I and my husband

went to work on the subway every day. You’re surrounded on a daily basis by the electric atmosphere of New York itself, and it’s an intense, creative environment.”

Her focus now is on building a company that is enduring, mounting productions of the best works of choreographers past and present at the highest level. She has no ambitions to be a choreographer, to create ballets, herself. “That’s not necessarily me,” she said. “I want to be the muse, a muse for and of the company.”

The mix of periods has been intriguing and challenging. The current season began with “TWB Welcomes,” which added guest stars for two programs that balanced classics with works by 20th-century choreographers from George Balanchine to Alexei Ratmansky. That was

followed by a program called “Contemporary Masters,” namely Morris, Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor.

Coming up in 2019 are “The Sleeping Beauty” (Feb. 27 to March 3 in the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater), with additional choreography by Kent and her husband, Associate Artistic Director Victor Barbee, and three commissioned world premieres (April 3 to 7 in Sidney Harman Hall).

“I was a kid in Bethesda here, so it’s familiar, but also different. It’s not exactly like coming home,” Kent said at the time her appointment as Washington Ballet artistic director was announced. “What I want is this to become one of the crown jewels among Washington cultural and performance institution … to increase our educational presence and our physical presence.”

Particularly during the holiday season, both the company’s presence and Julie Kent’s loom large on D.C.’s cultural scene, as sparkling as Tchaikovsky’s melodies and the tinsel on Christmas trees.

‘The Nutcracker’ runs through Dec. 28 at the historic Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW in downtown Washington, D.C. For tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.

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DECEMBER 5, 2018

13

ARTS

Von Heyl and Scully at the Hirshhorn

BY ARI POS T

Throughout Washington and the rest of the world, mainstream exhibitions of contemporary art are evolving toward evermore diverse forms and displays, from interactive digital exhibitions to fully immersive environments. It has become suddenly less common to see a contemporary show featuring traditional displays of painting and sculpture.

A recent visit to the Renwick’s “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” offered an experience more akin to Disneyland than a museum: the erratic hum of large groups in confined spaces, the frequent low-flying blitzkrieg of children, the steady clicking and traffic-jamming of selfies and photographs — all within a self-contained, cinematic world of technicolor lights and grand set pieces.

Despite my curmudgeonly tone, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The way we engage with art has been continuously shifting for centuries, with change occurring both in how art is made and how it is experienced. An interactive and inclusive approach is far more sustainable (and tolerable) than the oblique, draconian philosophies that governed so much art of the postwar era.

However, traditional art-going experiences — “looking at paintings” — have tremendous intrinsic and educative value. Like a book, a painting or sculpture offers a different kind of interaction than an interactive display, one more contained yet far less controlled, demanding a higher degree of creative agency on the part of the viewer. In a painting, your eyes are not told where to look. There is no time limit, no ending in a painting. It unfolds for each viewer at an unfixed interval, and in profoundly variant resolutions.

In museums today, in order for someone to engage with artwork in this way, they almost by necessity must turn to art of the past, finding exhibitions of dead artists who once made work to hang on walls for slow, simple, sacred observation.

This is some of what makes two of the Hirshhorn’s current exhibitions — “Charline von Heyl: Snake Eyes” (on view through Jan. 27) and “Sean Scully: Landline” (on view

through Feb. 3) — so strangely exciting. Both these artists are painters. That their paintings happen to be lush, engrossing and profoundly untranslatable through photographic reproduction makes it even better.

Looking at pictures of these paintings will not give even a passing sense of their mesmerizing scale, richness and intrigue. Von Heyl and Scully are masters of their craft in very different ways; together they present a strong argument for the relevance of traditional media in contemporary art.

One of the most inventive painters working today, von Heyl — born in 1960 in Mainz, in what was then West Germany — is continually rethinking the possibilities of contemporary painting. Cerebral yet deeply, almost literally, visceral, her artworks defy traditional beauty, representation, narrative and composition, creating images that are seemingly familiar yet impossible to classify. Combining keen humor, a rigorous, process-based practice and references from a broad array of sources, von Heyl creates paintings that, in her words, offer “a new image that stands for itself as fact.”

These works are difficult to describe.

Each canvas is so shape-shifting and unconventional that any effort I might focus toward discussing one painting would carry almost no representative bearing for her larger body of work. There is a faintly decipherable hieroglyphic of patterns, shapes and lines that flows through many of the pieces, while others are variations of the same composition. But within the larger schema of her work — at least inside of this exhibition — these elements function like red herrings in her audience’s search for aesthetic cohesion. Von Heyl’s paintings are like gobbets of Rauschenberg and Warhol, Futurism, Minimalism, Pop Art and a secret family spice mix, all thrown into a halfbusted blender and let rip without the lid on.

Alongside von Heyl’s paintings, the work of Sean Scully, born in Dublin in 1945, could not stand in starker contrast. The Hirshhorn exhibition showcases the artist’s “Landline” series from the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015. Known for combining the geometry of

European concrete art with the ethereality of American abstraction, Scully’s thick, gestural brushstrokes over grids of stripes and squares evoke the energy and beauty of the natural world. These works are largely inspired by his years in Ireland, particularly his time looking out to the sea.

The expressive bands of color walk a hazy, horizon-like line between abstraction and representation, like a low-fi James Turrell, where the contours of distant landscapes unravel to elicit a feeling that is unusually but undeniably emotional. It’s like seeing the ocean for the first time since the previous summer.

The paintings quake and sway, echoing at their

edges and almost glowing from within.

This “glow” is not just literary license. Painted with rich oils on copper and aluminum panels — an inspired take on the Renaissance technique of copper-plate painting, which provides a smooth surface for liquid brushstrokes — these paintings actually do shimmer. The technique allows Scully to paint with a thick, lathering delicacy, somewhere between Mark Rothko’s washes and Wayne Thiebaud’s cakes.

Do yourself a favor and go see these shows, but make sure to give yourself some time — the same amount of time you might allow yourself to tryst with the summer shore after a long winter.

entities, representing dozens of artists, include: Otis Street Arts Project, the Washington Glass School, 3700 Wells & Blue Fire Studios, White Point Studio, Orange Door Studios, Blue Door Studios, Tanglewood Studios and 3706 Otis.

For details, visit Otis Street Arts Project on Facebook.

moved up from marketing director — is now managing director of Studio Theatre. Her predecessor, Meridith Burkus, left last summer.

Ende Lichtenberg, who also held marketing positions at Ford’s Theatre and Sitar Arts Center, has a B.A. from Georgetown University and an M.A. in arts management from Columbia.

Shenandoah University and in pharmaceutical marketing.

From Theater J to Studio Theatre Rebecca Ende Lichtenberg — managing director at the Edlavitch Jewish Community Center’s Theater J Rebecca Ende Lichtenberg. since 2011, having Photo by DJ Corey.

New Executive Director at NSLM Elizabeth von Hassell, formerly director of major gifts at James Madison’s Montpelier, is the new executive director of the National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, Virginia. She succeeds Melanie Mathewes, now director of development at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester. A graduate of Hollins University, von Hassell earlier worked at

“Landline Yellow Line,” 2015. Sean Scully. Courtesy Hirshhorn.

DC Artswatch

BY R ICHARD S E L DE N

‘The Long Conversation’ The 1881 Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, 900 Jefferson Drive SW, will open to public from 2 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, for “The Long Conversation: Ideas to Light the Future,” an “epic creative marathon between artists, scientists and other big thinkers.” The free event will also feature performances, contemporary art installations, a Spike Gjerde menu and spirits from Republic Restoratives.

For details, visit si.edu/longconvo.

Artists on the Tracks Open Studios On Saturday, Dec. 15, from noon to 5 p.m., the largest cluster of studios in the Gateway Arts District in Mt. Rainier, Maryland, will host its Winter Open Studios. Participating 14 DECEMBER 5, 2018

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Caldwell Moves Up at Theatre Alliance Theatre Alliance, resident company of the Anacostia Playhouse, named Raymond O. Caldwell producing artistic director, effective Jan. 1. Curator of the Word Becomes Action Festival and, since January, associate artistic director under Colin Hovde (who will finish the season on a part-time basis), Caldwell worked in community engagement at Arena Stage and teaches and directs at Howard University. He has degrees in acting from the University of Florida and Ohio State.

T H E O R I G I N A L W A S H I N G T O N , D. C . H O L I D A Y T R A D I T I O N

THE NUTCRACKER

T H E H O L I DAY P E R F O R M A N C E YOU C A N’T M I S S NOVEMBER 29 – DECEMBER 28 AT THE WARNER THEATRE

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AND BY PHONE VISIT WASHINGTONBALLET.ORG OR CALL 202.783.4000

DECEMBER 5, 2018

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FOOD & WINE

Dining Guide

WASHINGTON DC’S FINEST RESTAURANTS

Cocktail of the Month Taiwanese Tea Cocktail

BY JU D Y KU R ASH

CLYDE’S OF GEORGETOWN 3236 M ST., NW 202-333-9180 | clydes.com

This animated tavern, in the heart of Georgetown, popularized saloon food and practically invented Sunday brunch. Clyde’s is the People’s Choice for bacon cheeseburgers, steaks, fresh seafood, grilled chicken salads, fresh pastas and desserts.

ENO WINE BAR

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

THE OCEANAIRE SEAFOOD ROOM 1201 F ST., NW 202–347–2277 | theoceanaire.com

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.

FILOMENA RISTORANTE

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

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.

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 awardwinning 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.

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.

16 DECEMBER 5, 2018

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JOIN THE DINING GUIDE! Email advertise@ georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833

When moving to a new city, it can be challenging to find new places to eat, drink and play. I found Taipei more trying than other locales, though, due to the city’s love affair with hidden speakeasy bars.

For example, in the buzzy Ximending neighborhood, a local had told us about a hip watering hole housed in a former cinema.

My friends and I came across a building with Bruce Lee posters prominently displayed outside. We surmised that this was the place.

Oddly, there was no entrance, no box office and no sign of life inside. But after pressing a small button near what appeared to be a loading dock, a metal gate lifted, exposing a dark corridor that led to a swanky, curtained-off lounge. The bar, called Hanko 60 (no signs, it’s the street address), was decorated with movie paraphernalia and had an impressive list of cocktails, many showcasing local ingredients.

Perhaps the most extreme case is the hotspot Mozi, which is tucked inside a secret passageway in a working barbershop. I arrived on a Thursday evening to see a man getting a cut in one of the chairs. A signed adorned with a leaping stag outside simply states: “Mozi Hair Salon.”

Since I had arrived a little early, I took a seat in the waiting area. As I waited and watched the typical beauty shop activities around me, I started to question whether this secret space really existed. I was only reassured when a group of three women, all dressed to the nines, arrived. Soon afterward, a bookshelf in the back of the shop rotated as a bartender stepped out, revealing an entranceway into a sleek and stylized space on the other side.

Apparently, I’m not the only customer that has found Mozi perplexing to locate. Since the barbershop shuts down around 9 p.m., latenight revelers need to navigate their own way through the empty salon and find their way.

You must push a secret book to gain entrance.

According to founder Thomas (one name only), “A lot of customers pass by, they hear the songs, but don’t know how to get here.”

Thomas, who has spent time in the States, was inspired to open his Taipei bar after seeing the great New York speakeasies such as Angel’s Share in the East Village. “I’m really fascinated

by Prohibition culture in the U.S.A.,” he said, “flappers and the allure of the 1920s.”

My first drink, called the Promised Land, was everything that I would expect in a subtropical locale, and more. It started off with the scent of flowers from G’vine, a gin distilled from grapes, infused flowers and orange flower water. This melded quite nicely with a tropical puree of orange, passionfruit and pineapple. A house-made green apple syrup added a hint of tartness and a jasmine tea-infused vodka cut through the sweetness with a floral tinge.

INGREDIENTS 2 oz. Earl Grey-infused vodka 1 oz. tea liqueur 2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice .5 oz. fresh lemon juice .5 oz. honey dash of bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and serve over ice.

Taipei itself is drowning in tea shops, selling hot and iced varieties, fruit teas, milk teas and bubble teas. While the States may be flooded with coffee houses, in Taiwan meeting at a tea shop is a staple of socializing.

The next offering, called Grandpa’s Tea, featured tea as the star flavor with a one-twothree jab of Earl Grey-infused Gordon’s gin; Tiffin, a tea liqueur; and teapot bitters. This tipple is a throwback to the days when tea was one of the dominant ingredients in punch.

Lemon and grapefruit juice keep this cocktail on the sour side; the only sweetness comes from a bit of honey and simple syrup. It was served in a satiny pewter mug that gave it a chic look on the sophisticated silvery bar.

While it tasted nothing like anything my grandfather ever imbibed, it had a refined and classy taste, years away from any of the “sweet tea vodka” cocktails popular with American 20-somethings.

The drink recipes at Mozi are confidential, but I managed to make a poor-woman’s version on my own. To infuse the gin, let two Earl Grey tea bags sit in a bottle of gin for a few days. Tea bitters can be purchased on Amazon and another variety of tea liqueur, Tatratea, is available in the U.S.

DOWNTOWNER

BY KAT E OCZ Y P OK

D.C. to Enforce Straw Ban Next Year The District will be banning plastic straws starting in 2019. Effective Jan. 1, businesses and organizations that serve or sell beverages or food will be required to use compostable or reusable straws. The straw ban is due to the fact that plastic straws, which take hundreds of years to degrade, pollute rivers and oceans and harm fish and other aquatic animals.

Banneker High School’s Move to Shaw Challenged Because Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, near Howard University, is contending with inadequate infrastructure, its relocation to the site of the closed Shaw Junior High School was announced in October.

Current student Margareth Mbea, among others, testified at a D.C. Council Education Committee roundtable on Nov. 15 in support of the move. It is opposed by some in Shaw, who said Mayor Muriel Bowser and mayors past promised them a new middle school.

Developer Proposes Underground Apartments D.C. developer Perseus TDC is planning to construct 125 to 150 apartments in the lot behind the Masonic Temple on 16th Street NW, owned by the Scottish Rite. Most would be above ground, but some would be underground, facing an external wall and lit by natural light from above. Retired history professor Victor Wexler, who lives in the area, was quoted at a community meeting saying, “It’s like living in a Metro tunnel.”

Conrad Hotel to Open in CityCenterDC A Conrad hotel is set to open in posh retail and eating area CityCenterDC on Feb. 1.

Overseeing the design is Switzerland-based “starchitect” partnership Herzog & de Meuron.

The signature chefs of the hotel restaurant, Estuary, will be Bryan and Michael Voltaggio.

Reservations are currently being accepted for March 15 and later. Conrad is a luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide.

Olli roboshuttles.

D.C. Considers Roboshuttles The latest in transportation coveted by cities around the country? Roboshuttles. Planners are intrigued by box-like vehicles that go just 10 mph, reported the Washington Post, though there are concerns about safety and economic viability. In D.C., the Southwest Business Improvement District is hoping to use the shuttles to connect the Smithsonian to the waterfront, roughly a half-mile away.

Bar Loses Case Against Trump Hotel Last year, Cork Wine Bar brought a case in U.S. District Court alleging that President Donald Trump was using his position to increase business for the Trump International Hotel. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon dismissed the suit last month. Politico reported that Leon said actions like using the White House to promote a family business are part of the free market and don’t violate D.C.’s common-law ban on unfair competition.

Chef José Andrés.

Andrés Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Celebrity chef José Andrés — whose America Eats Tavern opened in Georgetown in June — has been nominated by U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D-Maryland) for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work feeding Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria struck the island in 2017. The winner of the roughly $1-million prize will be chosen by the five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee, appointed by the Norwegian parliament, and announced in October of 2019.

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INCOUNTRY

Lewisburg: Home of the Greenbrier

BY STEPHANIE GREEN

I

left my heart in Lewisburg because of a French goat.

Actually, it wasn’t a French goat, but the French Goat — one of only a few French bistros in West Virginia, and the only one in Lewisburg, which is redefining small-town chic.

Nestled in the Greenbrier Valley with a population under 4,000, Lewisburg is just a short plane ride over the Shenandoah Valley, thanks to a new flight on United out of Dulles operated by SkyWest Airlines.

When most people touch down at the Greenbrier Valley Airport, they immediately hop on the handy white shuttle bus to be whisked off to the secluded splendor of the Greenbrier resort.

And for good reason: you can’t call yourself a proper Georgetowner without at least a couple of Greenbrier golfing excursions or weekend getaways in your back pocket for cocktail party banter.

Now well into its 60 Days of Holiday Cheer, the Greenbrier is reason enough to jump on that new nifty flight.

But the next time you’re in the Greenbrier Valley, stay an extra day or two to take in just a little more of that Mountaineer fresh air in

nearby Lewisburg, outside the hotel’s chintz confines.

I did, and I can’t wait to get back.

Start out cruising down Washington Street. It’s basically Mayberry, minus Floyd’s barbershop. Everybody knows everybody, and the shopkeepers and café owners thrive on making outsiders feel welcome.

The Stardust Café is a good example of West Virginia hospitality, where you can get a farm-to-table meal. I suggest the curry chicken sandwich for a lunch break between cemetery visits, a must in history-rich Lewisburg.

Adjacent to the Old Stone Presbyterian Church is the Lewisburg Cemetery, dating back to 1797 and the eternal home of many an interesting character. Sadly, across the narrow street is a segregated area where Dick Pointer, an enslaved man who defended Lewisburg during a Shawnee attack in 1778, was laid to rest in a cemetery for African Americans.

Civil War buffs should check out the wellkept cemetery for unknown Confederate soldiers and Tuckwiller’s Hill, where in 1863 Union troops retreated after being duped by Lt. Col. George Edgar.

The Historic General Lewis Inn in Lewisbur

The French Goat is a popular bistro in Lewisburg

But Lewisburg’s biggest historical figure, Revolutionary War Gen. Andrew Lewis, the town’s namesake, is also its most luxurious draw, because of the newly restored Historic General Lewis Inn. The 19th-century inn, purchased by Aaron and Sparrow Huffman in 2014, has become the town’s coolest watering hole, thanks to the boutique craft cocktail lounge in the living room they’ve installed.

You can alternatively take your cocktail to the garden they’ve charmingly turned into an ideal wedding venue.

Seven of the 24 rooms have been updated in recent years, giving the hotel the feeling of a very glam Wild West saloon. Those of you who appreciate retro details will get a kick out of opening your room with a real key. There’s nothing plastic about this place. Everything

g

is natural, including the friendly customer service and the authentic carriage from the 1800s sitting in the hotel’s front yard.

Which takes me back to the French Goat, just a short drive away. It’s a 19th-century home that’s been turned into the cutest Gallic eatery you’ve ever seen by Debbie Porter and Arthur Forgette, who fled the D.C. dining scene for the hills of West Virginia.

Like most of the homes in Lewisburg, the French Goat has the perfect front porch, from which an American flag proudly flies. I had the steak and frites, which rivaled some of the meals I’ve had in Europe, provided by local artisan food producers and farming communities.

The French Goat may not steal your heart, but the people and atmosphere of Lewisburg will.

Photos by Stephanie Green.

PROPERTIES IN HUNT COUNTRY

THOMAS & TALBOT REAL ESTATE Middleburg, Virginia 20118 (540) 687-6500 ED

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GONE AWAY FARM

Zulla Road, The Plains ~ Set on a knoll with views of the Blue Ridge Mtns, this 83 acre farm is well designed, offering every amenity. The main house has 4 BR, 7 BA, 4 fireplaces, gourmet kitchen & gracious entertaining spaces inside and out. 3 BR, 1½ BA tenant house; charming guest house; swimming pool; covered terrace; outdoor kitchen; 4 ponds; fruit trees and mature gardens.

Newer 4 stall barn with heated tack, feed and wash stall; 2 - 2 stall shed row barns; 3 run in sheds. In Orange County Hunt territory. $4,495,000

FRENCH COUNTRY ESTATE

Stunning custom built French colonial on over 92 acres of magnificent land just minutes from Middleburg. Extraordinary quality & design, featuring 3 finished levels, a pool surrounded by stone terraces, 4 wood burning fireplaces, a gourmet country kitchen, heated floors & beamed ceilings throughout. A six stall center aisle stable, fabulous new barn & paddocks make this a spectacular equine estate. $2,850,000

KENTHURST LANE

The Plains ~ Custom Federal style residence with 6 BR, 7 BA on 2+ acres. Features high ceilings, hardwood, marble and antique ceramic tile floors, 7 fireplaces and exquisite details.

Clive Christian Kitchen with LaCornue stove and light-filled Breakfast Room. Formal LR, DR, Library, Great Room, Master BR Suite with fireplace, luxury Bath, Walk-in Closets. Walkout lower level has Family Room, Media Room, Music Room, Weight Room, Wine Cellar, 2nd Kitchen, Guest Bedroom Suite. Attached 3-car garage with Apartment. $1,999,000

ED

ED

UC

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UC

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FOX FORD FARM

Unique 4 BR country house with pool and outbuildings. One and 1/2 miles of Rappahannock river frontage. Investment, horse farm, brewery, B&B, farming or winery potential. All around views, flowering gardens, privacy and peace. 15 minutes to Warrenton.

Some division potential. $1,991,000 on 239+acres or $1,443,000 on 142 acres

RE

LIBERTY HALL

Paris ~ Circa 1770, Lovely Stone and Stucco Farm house sits at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 20+ acres surrounded

by Protected Lands, Spectacular protected views of Paris valley, Meticulous exterior renovations include Re-Pointed Stonework, Metal Roof, 2 Large additions, Covered Porch, Basement, Buried Electric, well and Septic, Fully Fenced, Mature Trees, Boxwoods, Ready for all your interior finishes. $1,300,000

WINDY HILL

Incredible custom built 3 Bedroom 4 Bath log home offers soaring ceilings, stunning stone 2 story fireplace, 3 fireplaces, hand hewn logs, fabulous decking in a magical setting on 42 gorgeous acres (with an additional 17 acres available).

Impeccably maintained: New roof, New HVAC, grand sun filled rooms. 2 story barn/garage, Whole Home generator, $1,199,000 workshop on walk-out level.

UC

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ROCK SPRINGS

Turn of the 20th Century 3 Bedroom, 2½ Bath farmhouse on 22 acres is located just west of Warrenton. 6 stall center aisle stable has 12’x18’ box stalls, loft, 2 wash stalls & a tack/ feed room.

Riding ring & 12 acres are fenced. Warrenton Hunt. Furnace and Septic replaced 3 yrs ago and walls re-plastered at the same time.

Also, a 2-bedroom guest cottage fenced with a dog yard. Could be used as a rental or office. $645,000

VIXEN HILL

Orange ~ House on 26 acres sided with Hardiplank, wood floors and Berber carpeting in the 3 BR. Professional kitchen includes “Wolf” stove, deep ceramic sink & stainless appliances. Morton Buildings center aisle 4 stall barn with H/C wash stall & tack room. 2 large pastures, 3 run-in sheds & smaller lay-up paddocks. Active hay growth & harvesting on more than half of the land, which allows for Agricultural Land Use tax reductions.

Minutes from Culpeper & Orange. Commuter train to D.C. from Spotsylvania Courthouse. $599,000

See more fine estates and exclusive properties in hunt country by visiting THOMAS-TALBOT.com Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

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OPEN HOUSE Coming to Talbot County this weekend?

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Design with Excellence

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Member of the MD Nursery and Landscape Association & the Association of Professional Landscape Designers

WANTED DELIVERY DRIVER NEEDED

We are currently seeking self-motivated individuals for delivering The Georgetowner Newspaper. The publication is delivered in the afternoon/ evening on the day the publication is printed. The successful applicant must have a reliable, insured vehicle every day, a working cell phone, and a valid drivers license. The ability to read and communicate in English is required.

The successful applicant must be an honest and trustworthy individual and must pass a thorough background check. To learn more about the position, please call 202 338 4833 or email charlie@georgetowner.com

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KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB

‘The Library Book’

An irresistible homage to the world of words.

REVIEWED BY KITTY KELLEY

As a writer who reveres libraries and genuflects to librarians, I was predisposed to embrace “The Library Book” by Susan Orlean.

I just didn’t expect to fall in love so quickly. By page three, I was head over heels when I read how she made magic of the mundane.

Strolling through the grounds of the Central Library in Los Angeles, she noticed: “Pigeons the color of concrete marched in a bossy staccato.”

God really is in the details.

Orlean, a staff writer for the New Yorker, was on-site in downtown L.A., “a glassy landscape of office buildings,” to research the cause and effect of the single biggest library fire in U.S. history, which occurred in April of 1986.

You may not recall reading about the library disaster; it occurred the same day as the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, when most of us were waiting to see if we were about to witness global incineration.

“The Library Book” is not simply an investigation into a fire that burned for seven

and a half hours and left 400,000 books in ashes — and 700,000 others covered in soot and slime from the more than three million gallons of water sprayed to extinguish the flames.

In addition to the mystery of who or what started the inferno, the book becomes a fascinating mix of crime and history and biography and investigative journalism, all told by a superb storyteller. Orlean holds you in thrall to the pathology of arson, a subject you might not realize you care about until you pick up this book, which the publisher has generously bound in red paper-over-board and embossed in gold.

Orlean takes you along as she interviews detectives, policemen and firefighters. She gives you the physics of fire and the terror of libricide. You become engaged; you want to find the culprit; you agonize for the traumatized librarians; you cheer for the hundreds of volunteers who rush to help remove the smoked wreckage from the Central Library; you applaud the man — the wonderful man — from Arco,

Author Susan Orlean.

who opens his corporate headquarters across the street to warehouse the damaged books, then helps raise $14 million to rebuild the library.

With this book, Orlean wrote a love story to her mother, who first introduced her as a little girl to the pleasures of reading at the Bertram Woods Library in Cleveland. Sadly, her mother slipped into dementia and died before she could read her daughter’s tribute to libraries and her homage to librarians, who stand as the sentinels of civilization.

Orlean makes music with her words; they warble and trill across her pages and sing straight into your heart. She writes about the mission of a library as “a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who come to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever.”

She makes you see a library like a giant oak tree spreading its branches to give shade

GALA GUIDE

DECEMBER 7

DECEMBER 9

DECEMBER 17

Imagination Stage, a multidisciplinary theater arts organization for young people, will hold a seated dinner with performances by students and professionals, followed by dancing and desserts. The Imagine Award will be presented to playwright Miriam Gonzales. Embassy of Italy. Contact Jessica Teaford at 301-280-1626 or jteaford@imaginationstage.org.

The matinee performance of Septime Webre’s “The Nutcracker” will be followed by a fanciful tea at which characters will mingle with guests.

The event supports the Washington Ballet’s community engagement initiatives. National Museum of Women in the Arts. Contact Elissa Staley Holub at 202-274-4518 or estaley@ washingtonballet.org.

Ambassador of the Netherlands Henne Schuwer and Lena Boman Schuwer are the honorary patrons for the Choral Arts Society of Washington’s gala, which supports education programs and public outreach. Kennedy Center.

Contact Regina Burgher at 202-244-3669 or rburgher@choralarts.org.

OPERA SOCIETY DINNER AND PREMIERE

DECEMBER 16

The Washington Opera Society presents the Washington premiere of Emmerich Kálmán’s romantic operetta “Die Csárdásfürstin (The Gypsy Princess),” featuring Suzanne Karpov and Jesús Daniel Hernández under the baton of Julien Benichou. Dinner will precede the performance. Embassy of Uzbekistan. Visit washingtonoperasociety.org or call 202-3866008.

This afternoon family event, benefiting Children’s National, will feature holiday pieces created as a collaboration between patients and a notable area designer, a visit from Santa and Dr. Bear, pop-up boutiques, live music and a silent auction. Four Seasons Hotel. Visit childrensnational.org.

IMAGINATION STAGE GALA

THE NUTCRACKER TEA PARTY

LIGHT UP THE SEASON

CHORAL ARTS HOLIDAY CONCERT AND GALA

and comfort and beauty to a community. The destruction of either tears an ugly gash in the landscape, leaving a crater of dashed dreams.

Yet, as she reports, there are more than 200 library fires in the U.S. every year — and most are set on purpose.

If it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird, it’s a crime against humanity to burn a library. As the 19th-century German poet Heinrich Heine wrote: “Where they have burned books, they will burn human beings.”

World War II proved that prediction by destroying more books and libraries than any event in history, and killing more than 60 million people, making that war the world’s deadliest.

The chain that links books and libraries and human beings is indisputable.

Orlean opens her book by quoting from William Faulkner’s “Light in August”: “Memory believes before knowing remembers.” So it seems fitting to conclude here with a quote from Faulkner’s 1950 Nobel Prize address, in which he talks about the writer’s duty to write “from the heart … to help man endure by lifting his heart.”

Susan Orlean has done her duty with “The Library Book.”

Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” Her most recent books include “Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys” and “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.”

Submit your events to: editorial@georgetowner.com

JANUARY 10 WASHINGTON WINTER SHOW PREVIEW NIGHT The 2019 show, with the theme of “Elegant Entertaining,” will feature more than 40 top dealers. Proceeds fund local charities and assist at-risk children and families. The show will continue with activities throughout the weekend.

Katzen Arts Center, American University. Call 202-248-7159.

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GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES

Diamond Catalyst for ‘Hidden Heroes’

BY C HR IS T INE WA RNK E Not everyone can be called a “diamond catalyst” by the incoming Speaker of the House of Representatives, but praise was profusely bestowed by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) upon Elizabeth Dole for all her work to ensure that our nation’s hidden heroes or military caretakers receive continued support. The annual Elizabeth Dole Foundation gala held Nov. 29 at the Washington Hilton also brought out actor Tom Hanks who has unselfishly given his time to support former Senators Robert and Elizabeth Dole’s efforts. For their commitment to the cause in Congress, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Pelosi also received awards.

FONA’s ‘Friendraiser’ The Friends of the National Arboretum gathered Nov. 13 at Via Umbria on Wisconsin Avenue, a little bit away from the federal gardens and botanic research center on New York Avenue NE. “Bringing the Arboretum to Georgetown” was the theme, as special cocktails by Via Umbria celebrated the Arboretum’s National Herb Garden.

Anita Winsor, Joy Jacobson, Willia Hennigan and Jean Lange. Courtesy FONA.

Tom Hanks, chair of the foundation’s Hidden Heroes campaign, and former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan. –

Karen Murphy, Liz Shriver, Missy Janes and Palmer Dorn. Courtesy FONA. Incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was recognized with the first Congressional Caregiver Champion Awards at the inaugural “Heroes and History Makers” event Nov. 29. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan.

Nancy and Bob Shoemaker. Courtesy FONA.

Esther’s Thanksgiving Tradition

BY C H R ISTIN E WAR N KE Some people, who stay in Washington, D.C., over the Thanksgiving holiday, are given a special treat by one of the city’s favorite hostesses, Esther Coopersmith. Each year, on the Friday following Thanksgiving, Coopersmith opens her Kalorama home to diplomats and local friends to gather and talk about the value of gratitude. It is a holiday tradition the marks the beginning of D.C.’s festive scene.

Savannah Guthrie, “Today” show anchor with former Sen. Bob Dole at the inaugural “Heroes and History Makers” event Nov. 29. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan.

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Washington’s grand dame, Esther Coopersmith, with guest Rita Balian. Photo by Neshan H. Naltchayan

GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES

Business Hall of Fame Salutes Leaders ‘FIT: Spirit of Tokyo’ Bash The 31st annual Washington Business Hall of Fame benefiting Junior Achievement of Greater Washington was held on Nov. 28 at the National Building Museum. Dubbed the “Academy Awards of Business” for the D.C. region, nearly 1,000 attended the black-tie event, founded by Greater Washington Board of Trade, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington and Washingtonian magazine. Nearly $1.3 million was raised for Junior Achievement. The group inducted into the Washington Business Hall of Fame and honored for their professional and philanthropic contributions to the greater Washington region were José Andrés, chef-owner, ThinkFood Group & minibar by José Andrés; Mark D. Ein, founder & CEO, Venturehouse Group, LLC; Dr. Sachiko Kuno, founder and chair, Halcyon; Donald A. Brown, Joseph B. Gildenhorn and Benjamin Jacobs, founding partners, the JBG Companies. Master of ceremonies was Leon Harris of NBC4 News.

BY STEPH AN IE GR EEN Along with diplomats and arts leaders, Bill and Ann Nitze and Mike and Susan Pillsbury globetrotted to Japan, in a manner of speaking, for “Found in Translation: Spirit of Tokyo,” the inaugural fall bash on Nov. 16 at the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, a celebration of Japanese culture. Artist Mariko Mori entranced the guests with “Oneness,” a unique display of performance art in the courtyard. Space heaters came in handy, though, as the autumn chill was especially bracing that night. Revelers then cozied up to a Japanese food buffet and hot tea, and later warmed up to a musical act by DJ Takaya Nagase.

The 2018 Washington Business Hall of Fame laureates being introduced with Junior Achievement students. Courtesy WBHF.

Embassy of Japan Deputy Chief of Mission Kazutoshi Aikawa and Mayumi Aikawa with Elbrun Kimmelman and Peter Kimmelman. Courtesy Freer-Sackler.

Mark Ein, Venturehouse LLC and 2018 Washington Business Hall of Fame laureate; Sheila Johnson, Salamander Hotel and Resorts and past laureate; Dr. Sachiko Kuno, Halcyon and 2018 Washington Business Hall of Fame laureate. Courtesy WBHF.

Washington Business Hall of Fame founding partners: Jack McDougle, Greater Washington Board of Trade; Cathy Merrill Williams, Washingtonian; Ed Grenier, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington. Courtesy WBHF.

Jillian Sackler, Sana Sabbagh and Ann Nitze. Courtesy Freer-Sackler.

Susan Cafritz and Susan Pillsbury at the Freer-Sackler’s party celebrating the art of Japan. Courtesy Freer-Sackler.

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MASS AVE HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC Sybaritic splendor adjacent to Rock Creek Park! 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 20 foot ceiling great room, infinity saltwater pool, 18 seat fiber optic media room, sauna, gym and eight-car garage! $9,500,000 Marilyn Charity 202-427-7553

MASS AVE HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC Grand & sophisticated 5BR/8.5BA Manor home on private street. Formal LR & DR, spectacular kit/FR with 10’ ceilings, multi-room owner suite, expansive LL, attractive garden w/ gorgeous pool. $5,375,000 Margot Wilson 202-549-2100

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC NEW PRICE! Federal Jewel w/ period details maintained for 200 years! Magnificent living spaces & outdoors spaces. 3 car gar, elevator & carriage house. $4,999,999 Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-386-7813 Jamie Peva 202-258-5050

MCLEAN, VIRGINIA Hugh Newell Jacobsen contemporary masterpiece on a private setting. Light filled, seven bedrooms, six baths, pool, tennis court and caretaker’s cottage on nearly ten acres. $4,995,000 Mark McFadden 703-216-1333

SCARED SPRINGS, FLINT HILL, VIRGINIA 140 acre farm. Five bedroom manor house overlooks Jordan River. Gourmet kitchen, six-stall center aisle barn, riding ring, trail access. $2,975,000 Lynn Wiley 540-454-1527 Alan Zuschlag 540-270-8150

CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON, DC NEW PRICE! Meticulous top to bottom restoration of 5BR brownstone w/roof terrace, separate LL & pkg. Exquisite finished & unmatched attn. to detail. $2,795,000 Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-386-7813 Liz D’Angio 202-427-7890

PALISADES, WASHINGTON, DC NEW PRICE! Renovation with elevator, pool and sweeping river views, backing to parkland. Five+ bedrooms, five and a half baths and 2 car garage. In prime, close in location. $2,695,000 Eileen McGrath 202-253-2226

POTOMAC, MARYLAND 7.25 acre retreat in Potomac Falls. Backing to parkland & completely renovated. Pool & tennis, main floor BR, & private drive to a relaxing, gorgeous setting! $2,590,000 Lori Leasure 240-498-1884 Patty Daniels 240-994-1557

EAST VILLAGE, WASHINGTON, DC Sunny 3BR, 3.5BA penthouse at The Montrose (2014); open kitchen/living room/dining room, elevator in unit, cozy terrace, 4 parking spaces! $2,550,000 Anne Hatfield Weir 202-258-1919 Heidi Hatfield 202-255-2490

FOXHALL/PALISADES, WASHINGTON, DC Elevator to all levels! Captivating setting in Foxhall Crescents w/ beautifully landscaped gardens. Stunning views from LR & DR. This 3 lvl home has wonderful floor plan for entertaining & everyday living! $2,050,000 Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC Historic & charming! Built in 1794, this historic house maintains many original features while having modern amenities! Lower level with gourmet kitchen, & DR w/ fireplace. 2-car parking & large garden! $1,950,000 Jamie Peva 202-258-5050

SHEPHERD PARK, WASHINGTON, DC Stunning redo by Jane Treacy! 6BR, 5.5BA, gourmet island kitchen, basketball 1/2 court, owner’s suite, 2 car garage. Best turnkey renovation! $1,795,000 Marilyn Charity 202-427-7553 Kira Epstein Begal 240-899-8577

16TH STREET HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC Cul-de-sac living adjacent to Rock Creek Park! Fabulous brick colonial with 4BR, 3.5BA, spacious owner’s suite, finished lower level in-law suite, deck, wood floors, CAC, tiered rear yard, garage. $1,750,000 Marilyn Charity 202-427-7553

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC NEW PRICE! Terrific East Village location near Rose Park! Sun-filled with separate dining room leading to private garden. 2 beds & 2 baths up, private in-law suite with full bath & kitchen in lower level. $1,645,000 Jamie Peva 202-258-5050

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC Sunny, bright Federal in Georgetown! Fabulous high ceilings, Baltimore windows, and white wood porch overlooking garden. Great closet space, beautiful porcelain and marble baths. $1,470,000 Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC Updated two bedroom, 2.5 bath unit, balcony and Potomac River views at The Flour Mill. 1,500+ SF; garage parking available. Extra storage. $835,000 Robert Hryniewicki Adam Rackliffe 202-243-1620

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