Georgetown August 4, 2015

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1 - July 21, 2015 AugustJUly 5 - August 18, 2015

The Beat Goes On Tech and the New Community Policing

Real Estate Sales Wandergolf: South Africa Yoga Fights Hunger Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga MPD Officer Antonial Atkins

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Town Topics 8 Editorial/Opinion

Body & So ul

Bu sin e ss 9

Wandergolf: South Africa Loudoun Breweries

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Business Ins & Outs

Yoga to Fight Hunger Murphy’s Love

Arts

R e a l EsTATE

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11 Sales

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Featured Property 13 Le Decor

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Cov er S t or y

“Dear Evan Hansen” at Arena Stage Gustave Caillebotte at the National Gallery

S ocia l S c e n e The Beat Goes On 30 Tony Bennett and Lady 15 Special Report: Crime Gaga at the Kennedy

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At the Starbucks coffee shop at 1810 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Antonial Atkins stands in front of memorial artwork dedicated to Starbucks employees -- Emory Allen Evans, Mary Caitrin Mahoney and Aaron David Goodrich -- who were brutally murdered in the store on July 6, 1997. Photo by Angie Myers.

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UP & Coming August 8 Free Movie Nights at Rose Park

August 13 Kids Corner at City Center

The Friends of Rose Park will screen the rescheduled movie “Rio 2” at 8 p.m. “Finding Nemo” will be shown on Sept. 12. The event is free, with snacks and drinks provided for kids. For details, visit roseparkdc.org. 26th and O Streets NW.

The D.C. Public Library presents a morning of reading, singing and fun at the Plaza at City Center. For details, visit citycenterdc. com/events. 825 10th St. NW.

Show,” “Comedy Central Presents” and “Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time,” will give a free show in the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater. Tickets will be distributed beginning at 5:30 p.m. 2700 F St. NW.

August 20 Tiffany Thompson at City Center

August 12 Live Jazz at Bistrot Lepic

Songwriter, singer and producer Tiffany Thompson will perform her music, which finds a fresh way to say: “I love you,” “You can do it” and “Together, we’ll make it through.” For details, visit citycenterdc. com/events. 825 10th St. NW.

Alex Christie will perform live jazz in Bistrot Lepic’s wine bar. A table reservation is highly recommended. To reserve, visit bistrotlepic.com. 1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

August 25 Celebrate the Park Service’s 99th Birthday

Calendar

M Street Mixer at Ri Ra Georgetown employees are invited to Mix and Mingle at Ri Ra. This late-night happy hour will feature $5 select drafts, house wines, Prosecco and dram & gingers, with complimentary tasting samples from the new menu. For details, email marycatherinecorson@rira.com. 3125 M St. NW.

Jim Gaffigan at Wolf Trap The Grammy-nominated humorist the Wall Street Journal calls “the king of (clean) comedy” will make an appearance at Wolf Trap, dishing on food and fatherhood, among other topics. For tickets, visit wolftrap.org. Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia.

Dame Club of Washington, D.C., will host a private three-hour cruise, complete with hors d’oeuvres and open bar. Cocktail attire is encouraged. Tickets are $75 ($60 for dues-paying club members). For details, visit washingtondc.undclub.org/yaboatcruise.

In honor of the National Park Service’s 99th birthday, visitors can enter over 400 of the country’s most treasured parks free of charge. Some of the top sites close to D.C.: Assateague Island, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park and Shenandoah National Park. For details, visit nps.gov.

Art-making at the Graham Georgetown’s rooftop observatory lounge on Aug. 25. Photo courtesy artjamzdc.com

Owen Benjamin at the Kennedy Center “Sullivan and Son” star Owen Benjamin, who has appeared on “The Tonight

August 14 Notre Dame Young Alumni Cruise The Young Alumni group of the Notre

Rooftop Jamz at the Graham Georgetown At this sunset freestyle paint session, an artsy creative enabler will lead you through the process of creating an original artwork inspired by the view from the Graham Georgetown’s rooftop observatory lounge. For details, visit artjamzdc.com/artjamz-georgetown-graham.

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town topics

NEWS

By R OBE RT DEVANEY

D.C. Fines 2 Firms $500 Each for Watergate Garage Collapse The partial collapse May 1 of the Watergate parking garage was caused by human error, according to D.C.’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. It determined that workers put too much dirt on top of the threestory structure and that the added weight caused the collapse. It then issued notices of infraction to the Grunley Construction Company, which is working on the $125 million renovation of the Watergate Hotel, next to the garage, and to the Chapel Valley Landscape Company. The companies each received a fine of $500 from DCRA, “for exceeding the allowable loads on top of the structure.”

The collapse hurt two persons, prompted the evacuation of the office and other buildings, and a created a massive D.C. Fire Department response along Virginia Avenue NW. It destroyed or damaged about 30 vehicles parked in the garage. Broken water pipes flooded nearby businesses.

Grunley Construction and the hotel’s developer, Euro Capital Properties, responded to press inquiries by saying their investigations are still underway.

Closed since 2007, the Watergate Hotel is slated for a fall 2015 reopening.

The Watergate complex, known for the 1972 burglary that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, lies along the banks of the Potomac River next to another Washington landmark, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Georgetown Sign Returns; Lighting Set for Sept. 23 The iconic sign for the old Georgetown Theater returned to its proper place July 29, as workmen from Jack Stone Signs reattached the metal structure to the former movie house at Wisconsin Avenue and O Street NW. The red-letter day for the sign’s relighting is Sept. 23 — literally and actually — as the letters will be aglow in neon-red.

Architect Robert Bell bought the old theater property in October 2013 and is renovating the building at 1351 Wisconsin Ave. NW for retail

The restored Georgetown Theater sign, returns to Wisconsin Avenue. Photo by Robert Devaney. and residential space. The theater’s neon sign, which display the word, “GEORGETOWN,” was hauled away Sept. 16, 2014, and refurbished at Jack Stone Signs, which originally manufactured it in 1950.

“Restoring the neon Georgetown sign has been a project of mine for seven years,” Bell told the Georgetowner. “It’s extremely satisfying, as an architect committed to contextual architecture, to help restore this historical building and its iconic neon sign as a vital part of Wisconsin Avenue and Georgetown. This restoration, with its new mixed-use building and garden, will revitalize the heart of historic Georgetown. More simply, this is fantastic, and I am looking forward to celebrating lighting the neon sign on the equinox, Sept. 23.”

Architect Robert Bell, and his plans for the rejuvenation of the old Georgetown Theater property, was the subject of a Jan. 15, 2014, Georgetowner cover story.

Jack Stone Signs restored the old theater sign and installed it July 29. Photo by Robert Devaney.

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town topics crack down on johns by allowing police to tow and boot their cars. The “Honey, I lost the car” bill, as Evans dubs it, is meant to embarrass johns and decrease prostitution in the city. He said recently that there has been an “enormous increase in street prostitution” in the city.

Evans’ proposal comes from a long line of ideas that D.C. has experimented with to crack down on prostitution since the early 1990s.

Other ideas tried by D.C. government to put a damper on prostitution have included banning right turns on certain streets and starting a “John School” to shame and frighten men caught soliciting prostitutes.

New Hospital Proposed to Replace Georgetown U. Parking Lot

Mayor Muriel Bowser with Ward 2 residents, at Jelleff Recreation Center on S Street NW. Photo by Robert Devaney.

Mayor Bowser Brings FitDC to Georgetown It takes a mayor to get some Georgetowners up and out early on Saturday morning. Mayor Muriel Bowser brought her FitDC initiative to Ward 2 and Georgetown July 25 at Jelleff Recreation Center on S Street NW. Bowser walked into the Jelleff parking lot, joined the group waiting for her arrival, and started the line dance with Ward 2 FitDC coach Aimee Stoltz. After the warm up, officials and neighbors took a 1.5-mile walk on the east side of Georgetown along R Street and P Street that circled back to Jelleff.

Along with Department of Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt, M.D., and Keith Anderson, director of the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, Bowser encouraged everyone to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Bowser also discussed D.C.’s Billion Steps Challenge, which is similar to the Let’s Move! initiative begun by first lady Michelle Obama.

It is a citywide effort that encourages all D.C.

residents to get active by collectively walking one billion steps. This challenge serves as a unique platform that will allow the FitDC coaches to encourage and motivate participants to get out, move more and make healthier choices, resulting in better health outcomes.

Police Crack Down on Johns With Prostitution Sting The Metropolitan Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit has arrested 101 men since July 14 for soliciting prostitution in Northwest D.C. The MPD unit began in January to set up a number of sting operations at hotels around Thomas Circle, not far from the city’s old Red Light District on 14th Street NW. Police lured johns online with fake advertisements, giving the men hotel room numbers and arresting the ones who showed up.

Police were spurred by reports of street prostitution from local businesses and churches around Thomas Circle and along the bustling 14th Street corridor downtown. Prosecutors

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in the District have increasingly focused on prostitution cases recently in an effort to battle human trafficking.

The arrests come after Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans proposed new legislation that would

A new hospital has been officially proposed at Georgetown University, replacing a parking lot next to the main hospital. MedStar Health filed a letter of intent with regulators on July 30, which states the $400 million hospital is “intended to address current and future needs for additional care capacity and overcome the structural limitations ... that impede additional medical surgical delivery upgrades.”

Approval of the plans requires numerous internal and external reviews and a public hearing before the District’s State Health Planning and Development Agency can act.

Construction is intended to begin by the end of 2016 and finish in 2020.

10/8/13 11:03 AM

town topics with current and former team members and coaching staff. ... Georgetown has also concluded a thorough review of allegations relating to reports of hazing and sexual misconduct among members of the men’s track team. The investigation included dozens of interviews with coaches, current and former members of the track program, and others with knowledge of the climate around the track program.

“The investigation found that inappropriate locker room behavior and the creation of offensive materials relating to unofficial team events violated the university’s policies regarding sexual misconduct, harassment, non-discrimination and hazing. It is clear that not every student-athlete engaged in misconduct, and the investigation found no wrongdoing by the coaches. Nonetheless, these behaviors and actions created a culture that is inconsistent with the university’s values and

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

G.U. Track Coach Resigns; University Cancels 7 Meets Georgetown University accepted the resignation of Pat Henner, director of the track and field and cross country programs at the university after 16 years of service. The university also issued its findings July 31 concerning allegations of racial bias by the school’s track program and misconduct by student-athletes in

the track and field program. Henner and other coaches were found to have no knowledge of misconduct by student-athletes.

The university statement reads, in part: “The Office of Institutional Diversity Equity and Affirmative Action, which conducted the investigation into racial bias, found no racial bias in the track program. The investigation included a systematic review of equity among athletes and involved dozens of interviews

did not meet the expectations Georgetown has set for members of its community and for its student-athletes.

“As a result of the misconduct investigation’s findings, and in order to build a positive culture in the men’s track team that is both respectful and inclusive, the men’s track team will be sanctioned with a mandatory, university-imposed reduction in competitive opportunities during the 2015-2016 academic year.

“Georgetown’s participation will be canceled in seven weekends of competitions. In lieu of competition, student-athletes’ time will be used for reflection and discernment, for mandatory training and for dedicated efforts to building an inclusive and respectful team culture.”

No successor has been announced for Henner.

Community Meetings August 12, 2 p.m.

August 18, 3:30 p.m.

The D.C. Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to solicit residents’ comments regarding fiscal year goals. Visit ddot.dc.gov for more information. 55 M St. SE, Room 439.

The D.C. Department of Health will hold its Board of Physical Therapy meeting August 18. For the agenda, which is subject to change, visit doh.dc.gov. Department of Health, 899 North Capitol St. NE, second floor.

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Editorial/opinion

A Long, Hot, Deadly Summer

The Jack Evans Report

These hot summer days are disquieting days in the District of Columbia.

The sound of gunfire is beginning to become noticeable throughout the city.

Crime, it’s being said in some quarters, is up, especially violent crime, especially homicide.

There is disagreement about the causes of this uptick in shootings and killings.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chief Cathy Lanier posited that the growing availability and use of synthetic marijuana and other synthetic drugs are behind it. D.C. police union members — as well as Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans — have pointed to a manpower shortage.

One thing is for sure: the violence, often characteristic of hot summers in big cities, is on the rise. Just this past weekend, three more people were killed in separate incidents in different parts of the city, raising the homicide count in the District to 87, a number that puts us on track to reach numbers not seen since 2008. It may not be the bad old days of the 1990s and earlier, but the violence appears steady and widespread. D.C. is not alone in this — Baltimore experienced a major upsurge in violent deaths and shootings, and Chicago’s troubles have not abated.

But what’s been happening in the District, where both the chief of police

By Jack Evans

and the mayor are popular, is troubling. It isn’t just the numbers themselves, but the persistent, unabated reports of incidents — some major and fatal, some less so — that get under people’s skin.

If you read the D.C. Police Union’s regular crime reports, the notations are startling: the waste of life, the continuous pain and the stretching of resources. The shootings took place in Congress Heights, Benning Ridge and Carver Langston, with an 18-year-old youth starting his senior year at Ballou High School dying of several gunshot wounds on Saturday morning, a 22-year-old man fatally shot, also on Saturday morning, and a man robbed and shot to death while preparing to celebrate his birthday on Sunday morning.

The prosaic crime alerts don’t begin to hint at the disruptions and fear engendered in people’s lives. The Aug. 1 crime alert listed an armed robbery, a robbery, a robbery, an armed robbery, a robbery, a shooting, a shooting. In all, according to the Washington Post, there were 10 shootings as well as 10 stabbings in the District over the weekend.

It may be the synthetic drugs, the manpower shortage, the heat.

Crime overall may be on the decline.

But it sure doesn’t feel like it.

70 Years of the Hiroshima Effects August 6 was the 70th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb by the United States on Hiroshima, Japan. That nuclear explosion continues to reverberate all around us, as much because of what didn’t follow as because of what did.

Today, in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima — where the first bomb was dropped — and Nagasaki — where the second was dropped, on August 15 — people are still dying from radiation and its attendant cancers. Some 200,000 survivors of the two attacks remain alive.

The atomic attacks are stark reminders of a horrible war and of all sorts of inhuman sufferings, both inflicted on the Japanese and inflicted by the Japanese. In the United States, the dropping of the atomic bombs, blithely nicknamed “Little Boy” and “Fat Man,” can still spark heated arguments and nuanced intellectual and moral debates.

Many who fought in the Pacific — and remember the high American casualties at Iwo Jima, Tarawa and Okinawa — see the bombings as a tactic that short-circuited the huge American losses certain to result from a U.S. invasion of Japan.

To American leaders, including President Harry Truman, the bombings ended the war.

To historians, the bombings marked the start of an atomic arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, even the early beginnings of the Cold War. It wasn’t too long after the bombings that the world’s nuclear powers had enough bombs to destroy life on earth (they still do). The bomb echoes. Witness the heated debate over the U.S.-Iran nuclear treaty and the fear that terrorist groups might get the technology to make a nuclear weapon.

After 50 years, the world is no safer than it was when the mushroom cloud appeared in reality and lingered in our nightmares.

Amazingly — even with the harrowing Cuban Missile Crisis, which barely avoided nuclear war — nuclear weapons have never been used by any of the nuclear powers. It hasn’t happened.

Which is not to say that it will never happen.

For an instructive portrait of what even such a low-grade bomb as was used in Japan could do, read John Hersey’s classic and emotionally powerful book “Hiroshima.” You’ll feel the emotional heat that remains, even 70 years after the horrific actual heat of that world-changing day.

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Those efforts involved all of us: police, vigilant residents, community groups and the District government. But I believe the Council needs to do more to aid our police.

At one time, MPD had more than 5,000 officers.

When I first joined the Council in 1991, we had 4,500 officers. I have seen a decline in officers year after year.

Currently, the District has approximately 3,800 sworn police officers. However, due to retirements and officers leaving MPD — for jurisdictions in our neighboring suburban districts or for other careers — our officer corps is diminishing in numbers. I introduced a bill in April 2011 and again in January 2013 that would require the District to maintain a minimum staffing level of 4,000 sworn officers at all times. This was not meant as a statement that 4,000 is a magic number that will eliminate all our public safety concerns. Rather, it would force the mayor and the Council to fully fund 4,000 officers and not play around with the budget. When the Council goes back into session in September, I plan to reintroduce that bill and to work with MPD, the mayor and the Council to see what other actions we can take to ensure that our officers have what they need to keep the District safe.

My goal is to raise awareness of the officer shortage facing D.C. and motivate the mayor and my colleagues to fund the department adequately. I’ll continue to work with Lanier, Bowser and community groups to make sure we are right-sizing our public safety resources.

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

Masterly Advice for the GOP Debaters

By Mark Plotkin

Tomorrow night the whole world will be watching the Great Debate in Cleveland! Cleveland: “the mistake by the lake.”

Republicans picked Cleveland because their convention will be on the shores of Lake Erie next summer. No state in presidential elections is more important than Ohio. No Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio. Democrats know the Buckeye state’s modern political history.

In 1964, Lyndon Johnson won Ohio, but Hubert Humphrey lost it in ’68. George McGovern lost it in ’72, and Jimmy Carter won it in ’76 (but lost it in ’80). Walter Mondale lost it in ‘84, and Michael Dukakis lost it in ’88. However, Bill Clinton won it in ’92 and in ’96. Al Gore lost it in 2000, as did John Kerry in ’04 — and then Barack Obama won it in ’08 and ’12. You get the picture.

Much has been made about who will make the cut and appear on the stage: 10 candidates will be allowed this lofty honor. Let me use provide some unsolicited advice to the GOP aspirants. Call me the debate coach.

First of all, let’s begin with the guy who is getting all the play. That, of course, would be the massive mogul Donald Trump. My first piece of advice: Trump should do a complete make over. (I don’t mean his hair.) Stun the crowd by being soft spoken, humble, gracious, diplomatic, subtle and light-hearted. This behavior modification will so startle the other debaters that they will be rendered speechless.

Features Editors

Editor-in-chief

Peter Murray Ari Post Gary Tischler

Robert Devaney

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Many of you have read about the uptick in crime across our city. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Cathy Lanier held a press conference last week to talk about the increase in our homicide rate — 20 percent over this time last year. The mayor and the chief expressed their commitment to doing everything they can to address this rise in violence.

I’ve written about combatting crime many times in this column. During my time on the Council, making our community safer and funding our public safety needs have been among my highest priorities. In the past several months, I have attended many community meetings about crime and even more civic association and ANC meetings at which crime has been discussed.

Residents are rightly concerned. We have worked too hard for too long to combat the terrible crime that once plagued our city.

I speak frequently with Lanier and Bowser about the violence and crime we are seeing of late. The chief mentions the serious danger that synthetic drugs represent, both for users and for the gangs distributing the drugs.

In June, the Council acted swiftly to increase penalties for selling these substances. The Metropolitan Police Department is tackling the illegal distribution networks and addressing gang turf wars these drugs are causing.

I mentioned how hard we worked to address the terrible crime we saw in D.C. in the 1980s and ’90s.

Publisher

Sonya Bernhardt

Please send all submissions of opinions for consideration to: editorial@georgetowner.com

Right-Sizing Our Public Safety Resources

Copy EditorS

Charles Baldwin Richard Selden

Web & Social Media

Charlene Louis Advertising

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Philip Bermingham Neshan Naltchayan

Next up, Jeb Bush. He is considered too moderate.

So, I encourage him to throw out some off-the-wall right wing bromides that will mix things up. Also, say you are seriously considering legally changing your last name.

Scott Walker is thought to be too dumb to be president. I would tell him: say that you will go to night school and get the necessary credits to receive a college degree. Then, proceed to quote noted philosophers, wise men and women in your learned responses.

Mario Rubio should refer to how young he is (43) and alternate his answers in perfect Spanish and English.

Ben Carson ought to remind people in the audience that he is, in fact, a medical doctor. He should keep on sprinkling his quotes with the name of the institution with which he has been associated: “Johns Hopkins.”

Rand Paul should remind people that he is not his father — and that he, too, is a doctor.

For Ted Cruz, I say: drop that black suit, and lighten up. Smile a few times. Chris Christie, stop growling.

Rick Santorum, do not wear the sleeveless sweater and tell people, again, that you won the Iowa caucus and 11 primaries and that your grandfather was a coal miner from Pennsylvania. Almost last, but surely not least, Rick Perry: lead off by telling everybody the names of three government agencies you forgot four years ago.

John Kasich, run up on the stage and yell, “I am the governor of this state!” That should do it. No charge.

Mark Plotkin is a political analyst and contributor to the BBC on American politics, contributor to TheHill. com and columnist for The Georgetowner.

Contributors

Mary Bird Pamela Burns Jack Evans Donna Evers John Fenzel Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Jody Kurash Sallie Lewis

Stacy Notaras Murphy Mark Plotkin David Post Linda Roth Alison Schafer Bill Starrels Intern

Kelly Byrnes

Business Ins and Outs By kel ly b y rne s a n d R O B ERT DEVANEY

IN: Mad Fox Taproom Opens This Month in Glover Park

OUT: Little Birdies Flies From P Street Little Birdies Boutique, which made its debut at 3236 P St. NW in 2014, has departed the picturesque street and is looking to move into a smaller space, while maintaining its online business of children’s clothing.

OUT: PR Exec ID’ed as Café Milano Liquor Thief

Benetton store on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW closes its doors. Photo by Robert Devaney.

OUT: Benetton Closes Its Georgetown Doors Benetton, the fashion retailer that expanded across the U.S. during the 1980s and 1990s, has now dwindled down to one American store, following the sudden closing of its Washington, D.C., store in Georgetown.

Last week, the store located on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW was abruptly boarded up with no explanation of its closing. The brand’s name has also been removed from the building’s exterior wall.

Though the Italian-based company still has an international presence — particularly across Europe and South America — the Georgetown closing signals the end of Benetton’s era in the American fashion industry, as its New York City store is now its lone retailer in the country.

The decline of its American stores can be attributed to the popularity of competing retailers such as J. Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Benetton was a giant of children’s fashion, largely due to its United Colors of Benetton clothing line. The collection boasted vibrant, colorful pieces and garnered attention through the use of eye-catching, yet somewhat controversial, advertising aimed at promoting social awareness. At its peak, the brand had more than 500 stores in the U.S. The Georgetown Benetton was one of the first opened in the U.S. by retailer Iraklis Karabassis, who also brought the clothing giant to White Flint Mall, its first ever spot in America. Head of IK Retail Group in Georgetown, Karabassis opened more than 100 Benetton stores in the U.S. and Canada.

He sold his Benetton operation to the Benetton Group in 2008.

There is speculation that Japanese retailer Uniqlo, which will open a Tyson’s Corner location next year, could become the next occupant of the three-story space, which was once the National Bank of Washington.

complex. The Latham Hotel micro-unit project was one of three that SB-Urban is developing in Northwest Washington to target affluent young people with small but well-furnished apartments located in desirable neighborhoods.

The company’s two other developments, slated for Blagden Alley in Shaw and at 15 Dupont Circle in the historic Patterson Mansion, are still ongoing, with plans to begin construction on both this year.

SB-Urban bought the Latham Hotel building in November 2013 for $45.4 million. After the purchase, the company jumped through a number of hoops, gaining the approval of the Old Georgetown Board and the Board of Zoning Adjustment to renovate the space into a development consisting of 140 units with 330-square-foot floor plans.

D.C. public relations executive David Bass has been identified as a suspect in the July 1 robbery of Café Milano in Georgetown, according to the Washington Post’s Reliable Source.

The crime was by no means an ordinary robbery. A surveillance video, released by the Metropolitan Police Department on YouTube, shows two men, one middle-aged wearing a suit (suspected to be Bass) and a younger man dressed less formally in a button-down shirt drenched in sweat, sneaking into the back door of Café Milano after hours and stealing two bottles of liquor from behind the bar. Then, after some confusion, the duo bolted.

The incident may put Bass, “a fixture on the Washington social scene,” by the Washington Post’s account, and his PR business, Raptor Strategies, to the test with regard to damage control. (Bass is president and CEO of the firm.) The Post reports that Bass was indicted in 2009 for “belligerent” behavior on a flight from Houston to Washington believed to be caused by alcohol.

Bass claimed that his outburst was spurred by a bad reaction to allergy medication. Ultimately, the charges were dropped.

The medication excuse may not work so well this time around.

Mad Fox Breweries is set to open its D.C. gastropub, Max Fox Taproom, this month at 2218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, next to De Vol Funeral Home, after finding that additional work was required in renovating the building.

Mad Fox CEO and executive brewer Bill Madden and business partner Rick Garvin started Mad Fox in 2007 and since have become very active in the craft beer and brewpub community. Falls Church will remain the hub of the whole operation, as all of the beers will be brewed there in its 16-barrel brewery. The new location will showcase Mad Fox’s awardwinning handcrafted beers with draught and English-style cast service, including up to 24 draught and cask options.

“We have plenty of capacity in our brewery and we’ll be able to serve all of our Falls Church fans, wholesale clients and the Glover Park tap room without any compromises,” Madden said.

IN: Belgian Restaurant, the Sovereign, to Move Into Former Champions, Blue Gin Space The Sovereign, a bar and bistro to be located at 1206 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Georgetown, will open in late fall, according to owner Neighborhood Restaurant Group. The restaurant will occupy the building once housed by the famed Champions Sports Bar and later Blue Gin in an alley on Wisconsin Avenue, just north of M Street. The space has been vacant for almost four years.

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OUT: Developer Drops Latham Hotel ‘Micro-Unit’ Project Local developer SB-Urban has dropped its plan to convert the Latham Hotel at 3000 M St. NW in to a “micro-unit” apartment

Founder & CEO

Logo being painted on the wall at Mad Fox Breweries, which opens this month at 2218 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Photo courtesy Biz Journals.

Securities licensed associates of Capital Asset Management Group, Inc. and the Institute for Financial Independence are Registered Representatives offering securities through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Licensed administrative associates do not offer securities.

Investment advisory licensed associates of Capital Asset Management Group, Inc. and the Institute for Financial Independence are Investment Advisor Representatives offering advisor services through Capital Investment Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisor. Capital Asset Management Group/Capital Investment Advisors and the Institute for Financial Independence are separate, unrelated Cambridge companies.

GMG, INC. August 5, 2015

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Business brewers who embody the standards, techniques, and innovative spirit that underpins the fabled Belgian brewing culture.”

IN: Peet’s Coffee Coming to 33rd & M Streets

Blended Freddo from Peet’s Coffee. Photo courtesy Peet’s Coffee.

“The two-story bar and bistro will be comprised of an 84-seat first floor dining room and 47-seat bar on the second floor,” according to the restaurateurs. “Known for his award-winning beer lists at Birch & Barley, ChurchKey, Rustico and more, beer director Greg Engert is curating and creating a Belgian beer list unlike any other at the Sovereign, alongside a menu of classic Belgian cuisine from executive chef Peter Smith.”

“There is substantial talent behind this operation,” said investor and business partner

Greg Talcott, who has been a Georgetown restaurateur for decades and was involved with Blue Gin and Third Edition. Working with Mike Babin of NRG on some of the details to finalize plans for the bar and bistro, Talcott said, “Getting the process completed has taken a long time.”

The company noted its serious authenticity: “The Sovereign will showcase the widest array of drafts and bottles from the very best Belgian brewers. With 50 drafts and 200+ bottles, the beer program will feature the work of Belgian

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Be on the lookout for Peetniks on M Street.

Peet’s Coffee & Tea, a specialty coffee and tea company that started the artisan coffee movement in Berkeley, California, in 1966, plans to expand to Georgetown, landing at the busy intersection of 33rd and M Street NW. The new location will be the seventh shop in the greater Washington area, in addition to the restaurants and retailers that carry the coffee to brew and sell. Plans call for an October opening.

Last year, Peet’s said it was opening 23 new stores in a phased rollout across the D.C. market. Its D.C. flagship store opened in April 2014 at 1701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, steps from the White House. According to the company, its “entry into D.C. will become the company’s second largest retail market outside of California and its biggest East Coast retail footprint.” Peet’s is the official coffee of the Washington Nationals.

Next to the now-shuttered Rhino Bar and across from Georgetown Cupcake, the corner spot at 3299 M St. NW previously housed Red Fire Grill Kabob, which closed in 2013. It looked like the building might become a clothing store, but Sandro, a Paris-based fashion label for women and men, pulled out of its lease on the property a few months ago. Before its closing four years ago, the Indian restaurant Aditi was there for 23 years. The building has

stood empty for two years.

Hermias Bids BID Farewell Josh Hermias, outgoing economic development director of the Georgetown Business Improvement District, will become COO of Paul Ruppert’s growing restaurant group. In his two and a half years at BID Hermias created the economic development program and the State of Georgetown report, led the Georgetown 2028 planning process, and managed many of the public space improvements and public art initiatives — all the while moonlighting as a chef, most recently at Jose Andres’ Minibar.

In his new position he will give up his chef duties, but will moonlight at BID as he continues to produce the State of Georgetown report.

Josh Hermias. Photo courtesy of Georgetown BID.

REAL estate

July 2015 sales

Provided by Washington Fine Properties

Address

Subdivision

Bedrooms

Baths Full

Baths Half

Days on the Market

List Price

Close Price

1055 WISCONSIN AVE NW #4-W

GEORGETOWN

3

3

1

100

$5,300,000

$5,000,000

1611 31ST ST NW

GEORGETOWN

4

5

1

44

$4,550,000

$4,200,000

1905 FOXVIEW CIR NW

BERKLEY

6

6

1

190

$3,695,000

$3,591,693

3321 N ST NW

GEORGETOWN

5

5

1

202

$3,495,000

$3,300,000

1717 FOXHALL RD NW

BERKLEY

5

4

2

8

$2,795,000

$2,775,000

1631 33RD ST NW

GEORGETOWN

3

3

0

3

$2,750,000

$2,750,000

1626 29TH ST NW

GEORGETOWN

4

3

1

64

$2,749,000

$2,700,000

3218 VOLTA PL NW

GEORGETOWN

4

4

1

85

$2,950,000

$2,650,000

4029 HIGHWOOD CT NW

GEORGETOWN

4

3

2

36

$2,600,000

$2,500,000

3329 PROSPECT ST NW #1

GEORGETOWN

2

2

2

0

$2,600,000

$2,450,000

5254 LOUGHBORO RD NW

KENT

5

5

2

280

$2,395,000

$2,300,000

3319 N ST NW

GEORGETOWN

4

3

0

0

$2,250,000

$2,250,000

3329 RESERVOIR RD NW

GEORGETOWN

4

4

1

33

$2,199,000

$2,100,000

2721 OLIVE ST NW

GEORGETOWN

4

4

1

2

$2,095,000

$2,095,000

3024 CAMBRIDGE PL NW

GEORGETOWN

4

3

0

11

$2,095,000

$2,050,000

3020 CAMBRIDGE PL NW

GEORGETOWN

4

3

1

3

$1,999,000

$1,950,000

3406 N ST NW

GEORGETOWN

3

2

1

0

$1,895,000

$1,847,500

2118 O ST NW #C

DUPONT WEST END

3

3

1

34

$1,895,000

$1,795,000

2254 48TH ST NW

BERKLEY

6

4

1

88

$1,775,000

$1,700,000

5260 PARTRIDGE LN NW

KENT

6

4

0

63

$1,795,000

$1,675,000

5032 GLENBROOK TER NW

KENT

6

3

1

90

$1,740,000

$1,674,105

1503 DUMBARTON ROCK CT NW

GEORGETOWN

5

3

1

7

$1,695,000

$1,650,000

3303 WATER ST NW #4M

GEORGETOWN

2

2

0

0

$1,595,000

$1,595,000

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圀攀 挀愀渀 洀愀渀愀最攀 礀漀甀爀 䠀䤀倀䄀䄀 愀渀搀 匀伀堀 挀漀洀瀀氀椀愀渀挀攀 愀渀搀 琀攀猀琀椀渀最⸀ 䜀攀渀攀爀愀琀椀渀最 愀氀氀 瀀爀漀挀攀搀甀爀攀猀 爀攀焀甀椀爀攀搀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 洀漀渀琀栀氀礀 甀瀀搀愀琀攀 爀攀瀀漀爀琀猀 戀愀猀攀搀 漀渀 爀攀愀氀ⴀ琀椀洀攀 氀漀最 椀渀昀漀爀洀 椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 琀漀 洀愀欀攀 礀漀甀爀 渀攀砀琀 愀甀搀椀琀 愀 戀爀攀攀稀攀 眀椀琀栀 渀漀 瀀攀渀愀氀琀椀攀猀⸀

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Real Estate

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This spectacular penthouse in the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, is a masterful composition of more than 6,100 square feet of custom-finished interiors on two levels. Over 3,000 square feet of terraces and roof gardens provide panoramic Potomac River views. Features include hardwood flooring and an inhome fitness center, along with the legendary RitzCarlton services.

Offered at $13,950,000 VOLUME NUMBER VOLUME 6161 NUMBER 2018

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Real Estate

Le DĂŠcor: Cool Off with Cool Blue Tones

By Kel ly B y rne s

Azimuth Cross Bench, Janus et Cie, price upon request

As the dog days of summer reach their peak, stay cool with furniture and dĂŠcor rooted in cool blue tones. Enjoy end-of-summer barbecues with coastal-inspired outdoor furniture. Or add a pop of color to plain walls with blue decorative touches. Not just for summer, these home furnishings will create a cool ambiance all year round.

Amelie Wooden Chair with upholstered seat, Calligaris, price upon request

Capri Teardrop Table Lamp, Jonathan Adler, $350

Upholstered Round Mirror, West Elm, $349

Armchair with teakstained support, Poltrona Frau, price upon request

Bel Air Mini Scoop Vase, Jonathan Adler, $98

Chiquita Stool, Janus et Cie, price upon request

Crewel Modern Blocks Pillow Cover, West Elm, $29 Janus Teak Round Umbrella Frame, Janus et Cie, $300

Sardinia Ottoman, Restoration Hardware, $600

GMG, INC. August 5, 2015

13

COVER

The Beat Goes On The Police and the Neighbors: Community Policing

by Robert Devaney Photography by Angie Myers

“I

t’s nice that people here give you a five-finger salute,” said Officer Christian Deruvo of the Metropolitan Police Department, as he referred to the less than welcoming one-finger salute cops might get in other neighborhoods.

Deruvo was with an impressive rank and file of MPD officers as well as neighborhood and business leaders during a public safety meeting at Dumbarton House June 25. On display was the special relationship that the police and residents enjoy. The room was full, and there were nine cops, all totaled, with Assistant Chief Diane Groomes heading up the panel.

The community discussion ranged from sexual assaults, home invasions, theft from autos, shoplifting, security cameras on the street and for the home, as well as body cameras for MPD officers. Also discussed were hold-ups at the 7-Eleven, a car jacking on P Street, and how to secure scooters. Also brought up was where smoking marijuana is legal or not. Briefly discussed were new social media apps and websites that can get more people involved as the eyes and ear of the police, such as GroupMe or NextDoor.com.

“We can solve crimes together,” said MPD Officer Antonial Atkins, who attended the meeting despite being on vacation. He likes to hand out water on hot days, simply to get to meet people around Georgetown and gain trust. “Get to know your neighbors,” Atkins said. One of his inspirations for community policing, he said, came from watching reruns of “The Andy Griffith Show,” in which everyone in town knew each other.

At the same time, Atkins is a big supporter of using social media and other technologies to connect the citizens and the police.

“Cameras help,” he said. He has taken the lead on GroupMe with the business community.

Nevertheless, when confronted with a crime, he cautioned, “Call 911 first.”

At the meeting, Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans gave a brief history lesson of policing in D.C. and nationwide. “Community policing came back in the 1990s,” he said, after the years when cops simply drove around in their cars and reacted to crime.

Georgetown, part of Ward 2, is also part of the MPD’s Second District, which stretches from the White House, northwest to the Maryland state line on Western Avenue. On hand was the Second District Commander Melvin Gresham, a 30-year veteran of the force, who took over from Michael Reese in March. Reese, known for his hands-on and strategic approach to crime prevention with the neighborhoods of his district, was an example of how MPD tries to operate across the city. Gresham continues that effort.

During the meeting, Gresham said crime was down 29 percent down from last year — which in Georgetown means mostly retail and thefts from autos. Lt. Roland Hoyle, who heads the Georgetown patrol area, known as PS206,

14 August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

crime — or at least identify a suspect. There are home camera systems that cost $1,000.

(M.C. Dean has installed at least four cameras in Georgetown for CAG over the last six years, and does the maintenance as well. Company CEO Bill Dean has pledged money to install three more cameras in Georgetown in the near future.)

Crime on the east side of Georgetown increased with the reconstruction of Rose Park: cars were broken into Super Bowl Sunday night. With park lights cut off by a contractor’s mistake, MPD quickly moved in and provided mobile lights along the park’s paths.

“If it happens to you, it’s a crime wave,” said Ed Solomon, a Georgetown-Burleith advisory neighborhood commissioner.

Another commissioner, Monica Roache, and Solomon, along with the Citizens Association of Georgetown and the Georgetown Business Association, helped coordinate the meeting.

“People have to remember that we live in a city,” Solomon said. “Be aware of your surroundings.”

There’s a trust between MPD and the community, Solomon added. “Senior cops bring the young ones along. They don’t give off a police face.”

As it turns out, robberies in the Second District have risen since that meeting on Dumbarton House. There were street robberies in Chevy Chase, D.C., last week — one in front of Blessed Sacrament Church on Western Avenue.

An MPD “Officer of the Year,” Atkins summed up how a community can “take a bite out of crime,” to quote McGruff the Crime Dog on crime awareness and prevention.

Atkins talked about neighbors who lived on the same street for more than 10 years and did not know each other. One resident thought someone was breaking into the house next door. It was his neighbor, not a burglar, and it took a cop to know the difference. And it takes someone like Atkins to know the neighborhood better than most of its neighbors.

Second District Commander Melvin Gresham and Officer Antonial Atkins of the Metropolitan Police Department at Volta Park.

Police Officer Antonial Atkins with Patrick Getty and Ella Free, who happened to be at Volta Park, while visiting D.C. from San Juan Capistrano, California.

said that crime was on the decrease (“two robberies in 30 days”).

While the so-called “Georgetown cuddler” is no more, sexual violence continues.

Groomes commented on the police’s combatting sexual assaults: “We work closely with Georgetown University and George Washington University.”

Several preventative measures include cameras and mobile group apps. Jim Wilcox of the GBA wants to expand GroupMe into the residential neighborhood. Currently, the app’s usage is 80 percent on business and 20 percent in the neighborhood.

Chip Dent, also of the GBA, talked about street cameras, especially the one on Wisconsin Avenue and P Street. A lot of crime can happen, he said, “near P and Q. It is less congested than M Street and easy to get away by car.” Along with Rich Lanza and David Sealock, representatives of M.C. Dean, which has donated its products and services to the Citizen Association of Georgetown, Dent said that home cameras help a lot to prevent

cover

Georgetown's Top Cop: Melvin Gresham

I

n April, Commander Melvin Gresham of the Metropolitan Police Department took over the reins of the Second Police District — which includes Georgetown — where he previously served as a captain. He has been assigned to the Fourth, Third, Fifth and Seventh Patrol Districts and served in the Narcotics Branch and the Special Operations Division. The 30-year veteran met with the Georgetowner several times, whether on M Street, Wisconsin Avenue or at Volta Park. The tall, unassuming police officer looks to us like a stand-up guy — and took the time to answer a few questions.

Gresham went to Fairmont Heights High School in Prince Georges County and the University of Maryland University College.

“As a young man, I actually had my sights on becoming a professional boxer, but witnessed the sordid side of the sport,” he tells us. “When this dream ended, I worked in the local state government in Maryland.

One Friday evening, I received a phone call from an old high school friend who wanted me to accompany him to take the entrance exam for the D.C. Police Department. We both ended up taking the exam, and we were both accepted to the department.”

Now in charge of policing Georgetown, Gresham had an outsider’s view of the oldest neighborhood in Washington at first. “As a teen, I had heard so many

stories about the extravagant stores in Georgetown and also the historic scenery,” he said. “I must say that during my first visit, I was truly mesmerized. As a young man in my early 20s, I would frequent the Georgetown area. Back then, it was more of an entertainment area. Now, I would say Georgetown is more family-oriented.”

As for the city in general and its crime problems, he said. “D.C. has improved tremendously since the late 1980s and the 1990s. I believe that the strong partnerships between the various law enforcement agencies and the community involvement truly made the difference.”

“One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned throughout my career is to have empathy, be compassionate, be fair and treat people the way that you would want to be treated,” Gresham said. “Most of all, be respectful. In my long career, I have been on the scene of many horrific crimes that I will always remember, but the hardest are the crimes that involved the elderly or children. But I do not like seeing anyone victimized.”

For Gresham, a key ingredient for policing is training. “I would say that the training we receive and the daily experiences that our members have in handling the various activities in the city have prepared us for handling demonstrations, both large and small,” he said.

In talking about the police and residents, Gresham said, “The definition may

vary, however, my definition is a partnership between the police and the community in creating and sustaining a safe and healthy relationship and environment.

I believe that you have to listen to the officers who are on the beat. The men and women who are on the street are the ones that I go to help implement community policing. To enlist the assistance of the community, the police must build trust and foster a strong working relationship. Each member of our department receives very detailed training at the time of acceptance in the MPD Police Academy. The training lasts for approximately six to seven months.”

Aside from the violent crime in D.C., Gresham said, for the Second District, “Some of the most challenging crime are actually property crimes, such as thefts, theft from autos and burglaries. The reason being, there are very few witnesses.”

The commander considers the relationship between the MPD and the community very positive. “I constantly receive emails and letters from citizens who commend the officers on their dedication and professionalism,” he said. “The citizens are very supportive.”

For Gresham, characteristics that make a good police officer are “honesty, integrity, professionalism and respect.” And the coolest thing about being a cop? “I would say making a positive impact in someone’s life,” he said.

Second District Commander Melvin Gresham of the Metropolitan Police Department at the Starbucks coffee shop at 1810 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

Crime Prevention Goes Digital The Consequences of GroupMe in Georgetown

By Peter Murray

T

he rapid recent pace of technological innovation has triggered a new era of policing, one in which crime fighting is based almost entirely on data — captured, analyzed and communicated using the latest digital tools.

Last year, the Georgetown Business Improvement District began using the Microsoft-owned mass-messaging application GroupMe to bolster communication between local businesses and Metropolitan Police Department officers. As John Wiebenson, the BID’s chief operating officer, noted, “criminals move so quickly, we needed real-time communication.”

MPD Officer Antonial Atkins spearheaded the effort on the police side, glad to replace an endless stream of text messages from merchants and Georgetown citizens with a single, centralized messaging app. But Atkins

was quick to point out that GroupMe “is not a police app,” although he’s proud to call it “my idea.”

The results of that idea, cataloged in more than a thousand messages on the app beginning in March 2014, show a vigilant community working diligently to identify threats and prevent crime. However, the posts as a whole also illustrate a stark racial disparity in how crime and suspicious behavior are reported in the community, raising hard questions about the relationship between community policing and civil rights.

The BID, a nonprofit funded by a tax on property owners within its boundaries, launched the group, branding it “Georgetown Business Public Safety: Keeping Georgetown Safe.” At first, most messages came from police officers, including Atkins, notifying store managers about things to look out for,

such as thieves, protests and bad weather.

As use has expanded, more and more messages have come from store managers and other employees, reporting crimes to the police and warning one another about criminals in the area. Atkins estimated that, currently, 85 percent of messages “come from the stores.” The group count at press time is 340 people, including 30 police officers.

When downloaded on a phone (or, less often, a computer), the app allows users to communicate instantly with all the members

“a little bit of profiling, I do it.”

of their particular group. Messages, which can include photos and other media, appear on users’ home screens instantly. All users then have a chance to respond to the entire group.

Almost every store in Georgetown has one or more employees on GroupMe, but the heaviest users are managers and loss-prevention employees at national retail outlets such as Zara, TJ Maxx, Levi’s, CVS, American Apparel, Abercrombie & Fitch, Dean & Deluca, All Saints, Banana Republic and Cusp.

When asked about the app, managers using it gave mostly positive reviews. Just after chiding a few employees for not joining the group, Brian Edmondson, manager of Sports Zone and a 14-year retail veteran, told The Georgetowner, “Shoplifting is a problem you can’t do much about because the penalties really aren’t that high.” He said GroupMe has Continued on page 18

GMG, INC. August 5, 2015

15

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Light-filled Chesapeake Bay Water Front residence located on 2.75 acres offers spectacular views and sunsets – 4BRs plus master suite on first flr, 5.5 modern baths – Waterside pool & hot tub. Serene setting w/easy commute to DC & Baltimore!

Salley Widmayer/Georgetown Office 202-215-6174/202-944-8400

Spectacular new custom-built 6,000 SF 6BR, 5.5BA masterpiece on beautifully landscaped lot close to downtown Bethesda. Gourmet kitchen, spacious MBR w/2 W/I closets, luxurious MBA w/heated flrs, hwd flrs on 2 levels, en-suite bedrooms, fab living & entertaining spaces.

Mernoosh Neyzari/Georgetown Office 202-421-8979/202-944-8400

Traditional home with all the amenities. 4 bedrooms, wood floors, family room, lower level recreation room complete with a wine cellar. Lovely spa/ pool and garage situated in a beautiful location.

Mary Bresnahan 202-841-4343 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

Germantown, Maryland

Chevy Chase, Washington, DC

Chevy Chase, Washington, DC

$949,900

Custom renovation/expansion in Darnestown w/over 4,125 SF of light infused space. Pella windows/ doors, hardwood flrs, high end finishes throughout. Chef’s kit w/dual conv. ovens, custom cabinetry, & spacious pantry. Large master suite w/4 walk-ins, dual sinks, heated floor & sitting area.

Friendship Heights Office 301-652-2777

$939,000

Amazing Location – Classic 1923 semi-detached, 4-level vintage beauty, close to Friendship Heights Metro. Front porch, reception hall, over-size LR & DR, great kitchen, deck, blissful private garden, 3BR, 2.5BA including expansive master bedroom suite.

Emily Swartz/Chevy Chase Office 202-256-1656/202-363-9700

$775,000

Best deal in Chevy Chase – 4BR, 3.5BA classic gem with renovated kitchen featuring granite and stainless steel appliances, fireplace, hardwood floors, main level den and powder room, in-law suite, large fenced yard, flagstone patio, 2 parking spots.

Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

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August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

Find your agent at — www.LongandFoster.com/LuxuryHomes

Georgetown, Washington, DC

$2,175,000

Pristine, renovated, 4BR Victorian flooded w/light on quiet, one-way street in East Village. Perfect floor plan w/2 living rooms, French doors to balcony & arched French doors to rear yard/terrace. 2FP and hardwood floors. Excellent condition.

Janet Whitman/Georgetown Office 202-321-0110/202-944-8400

Dupont, Washington, DC

$1,950,000

Old Castle Row, circa 1891, this large, 4900 square foot, 6BR, 3.5BA home features airy rooms, granite & stainless steel kitchen, 4 fireplaces, and an In-law suite. Deck, patio and parking.

Denise Warner 202-487-5162 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

Forest Hills, Washington, DC

$1,900,000

Elegant 7 bedroom, 5.5 bath Center Hall Colonial with over 5,000 square feet of entertaining and living space. Large eat-in kitchen and fabulous screen porch.

Nathan Carnes/ Miller Chevy Chase Office 202-321-9132

Long & Foster Georgetown wishes you a relaxing summer.

Chevy Chase, Maryland

$1,180,000

Bethesda, Maryland

$1,050,000

Newly Priced! Remarkable Townhome in rarely available sought after Chevy Chase Mews. Featuring an elevator, 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, gourmet table-space kitchen, great room with fireplace, and front/back patios. Balcony and 2-car garage.

Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

Handsome Miller-built home on 10K+SF level, cul-de-sac lot. 3 finished levels. Great room sizes! Open, traditional floor plan. 4BR w/MBRs on 1st & 2nd floors w/bath, updated kitchen & 3.5 updated BAs. Huge 2-car garage. LL rec room/theater! Near shops & Metro bus.

Bethesda Miller Office 301-339-4000

Alexandria, Virginia

Petworth, Washington, DC

$559,000

Wonderful 4BR, 2BA home with many upgrades. New Chef’s kitchen, refinished hardwood floors, new electrical panel, tank-less water heater, new windows, composite decking, and loads of storage. Chimney and fireplace refurbished in 2013.

Karim Rahmoune/Foxhall Office 703-626-2827/202-363-1800

We’ll be here when you are ready to buy or sell.

$179,000

Tired of having a roommate, but think you can’t afford your own place?

Here’s your chance to own a cool condo in a quiet neighborhood. Nearly 600 SF, low monthly fees and easy street parking. That’s monthly payments of only $1,400 with $5,400down.

Marian Huish/Chevy Chase Office 202-210-2346/202-363-9700

Georgetown Office 202.944.8400 1680 Wisconsin Ave NW • Washington, DC 20008

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE • MORTGAGE • TITLE • INSURANCE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • RELOCATION SERVICES

LongandFoster.com 866-677-6937 GMG, INC. August 5, 2015

17

COVER

Photo posted on April 7 on the "Georgetown Business Public Safety" GroupMe account.

Continued from page 15 helped prevent theft at Sports Zone by identifying known thieves in the area.

Similarly, Alex and Ani assistant manager Gaelle Taku said, “GroupMe is very helpful when shoplifters are headed our way.” A manager at Barbour said the app was “good for organized crime,” referring to group theft and flash mobs (not Tony Soprano’s crowd). A number of employees praised Officer Atkins and his involvement in GroupMe. Other users gave the app mixed reviews. “[GroupMe] is helpful but I honestly stopped using it because it was just too much,” a manager at American Apparel said. Jillian Berman at Banana Republic concurred. “I had to get off it,” she said, despite it being a helpful communication tool, because she was receiving too many messages on her phone.

Paul Collins, a manager at Rag & Bone, called the app “hit or miss” in terms of getting a police response, and said he thought some users were “too quick” to report people for trivial, non-criminal things — smelling like marijuana, for instance. The Barbour manager said he had to take posts like that “with a grain of salt.”

That’s not what users are supposed to be posting, according to BID officials. A closed group, “users have to be invited, they have to have a conversation with John [Wiebenson] about the rules,” Georgetown BID president and CEO Joe Sternlieb said. He explained that GroupMe is used “exclusively to report possible criminal activity and known criminals.”

As for rules, both BID officials said that merchants are instructed to call 911 before reporting crime on GroupMe. Of particular importance, Sternlieb noted, is that users describe, “where they went, what they look like and what they’re wearing,” with regard to suspects.

In the process of writing hundreds of posts with these details, GroupMe users in Georgetown have developed a coded, textfriendly and abbreviation-heavy dialect. For example, “BOLO” means be on the look out,

18 August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

Metropolitan Police Officer Roberto Corchado along with Officer Parminder Singh and Officer Roger Lowery hold shoplifting suspects on the block of 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue on April 7. Photo Erin Schaff.

and is usually accompanied by a description of a crime or a known thief, or a suspicious activity such as carrying old bags or ignoring staff.

Often, GroupMe users send out photos taken on security cameras or smartphones of known criminals or people acting suspiciously.

Stores frequently ask officers to perform a “walk thru” to scare off anyone suspicious, and police usually respond “omw” for “on my way.” (If an officer isn’t available, he or she will message back telling the user to call 911.)

Occasionally, officers make arrests, but Atkins says part of the purpose of GroupMe is to prevent crime. According to statistics provided by MPD, theft is down 10 percent and crime overall is down 7.5 percent compared with year-to-date figures within the BID’s jurisdiction from last year.

Atkins attributed those drops to “people getting involved” through GroupMe. When police do catch someone, users celebrate, writing messages like “I love this app” or congratulating police with “Good job!” He said that people thank police in Georgetown for their services, which makes officers “very happy.”

Most striking in users’ language on GroupMe, though, is the term “aa” for African American — and the frequency with which that term (and others to describe black people) appears. Of 330 people described in messages warning of suspicious or criminal activity posted between March 1, 2015, and July 5, 2015, 236 — or 72 percent — are identified as African Americans.

Data about the percentage of African Americans among Georgetown shoppers is not available, but — given that only a quarter of the residents of the Washington metropolitan area are black or African American (2010 U.S. Census and 2011 American Community Survey) — it is likely to be much smaller than 72 percent. By way of comparison, GroupMe users in Georgetown flagged only 16 white people, less than half of 1 percent of the total, for committing some sort of crime or business disruption.

With regard to pictures distributed on

GroupMe of suspects and “suspicious” characters over the study period, 19 photos of African Americans were circulated to the group, while only one photo of a white person was posted.

Seventy-six people mentioned in the chat were not identified by race, while the group reported one Hispanic and one Asian man as suspicious.

Based on The Georgetowner’s interviews with managers and messages on GroupMe, users here have a wide range of triggers when it comes to suspicion. Multiple GroupMe users in Georgetown said that one indication that a customer is likely to shoplift is the carrying of heavy or old bags. (H&M bags are particularly suspicious, according to interviews with store managers).

Certain behaviors, like being quiet or curt, or looking over to the counter, are deemed suspicious in GroupMe. Walking around at too fast or too slow a pace is an alarm for

Photo posted by on Dec. 30 on the "Georgetown Business Public Safety" GroupMe account.

other employees. Being part of a large group, especially of young people, can also lead to someone raising a flag on the app.

Sometimes users flag people as “suspicious” without giving a reason, noting “no confirmed theft.” Certain clothes and hairstyles can trip the alarm for a store employee and lead to a GroupMe message. People with dreadlocks, or “dreads,” are often flagged as “suspicious.”

Not infrequently, GroupMe users get it wrong. In most cases, this ends with little fanfare and no mention on the message board.

Here are a few examples: At the beginning of March, “American Apparel (3025 M St NW) Ayesha Mgr” posted, “3 African american girls, one with curly red dreds, other has bangs and shoulder length hair, and the other.” The text breaks off and Officer DeRuvo responds, “Omw. Walking,” before Ayesha finishes the sentence with “acting suspicious…” The girls return later, Ayesha asks for another walk through and then the messages stop, with no word on the situation getting resolved.

In another post, “TJ Maxx (3222 M st) Carl” wrote “bolo 4 aa males and 1 aa females had a couple of small bags (solbta) came in selecting the same high end jeans and shirts.

They did not steal anything. But did Leave the department a mess.” He also posted pictures of four of the men to the entire group, although no crime was observed.

Carl wrote, “Bolo we just had a man taking unusual interest in our front door and letting associates in so be aware about who is near your stores when unlocking the door.” He provided a photo in this instance as well, again without indication of a crime.

“Zara (1238 Wisc Ave NW) Derrick Loss Prev.” frequently posts about African Americans without observing criminal activity. On Feb. 24, he wrote only about “2 suspicious aa males,” providing descriptions and their direction. He then posted, “FYI. If they do steal they are driving in a grey Oldsmobile aroura.” Atkins asks for a tag

cover

“I've caught every type of person stealing.”

Photo posted on June 21 on the "Georgetown Business Public Safety" GroupMe account.

number “incase a theft occurs,” saying the information will “provide detectives with information to conduct a follow-up investigation.” This exchange took place without any indication of any crime.

In some cases, though, users will correct each other and vindicate the suspicious person described or photographed. For example, earlier this year, “Hu’s Wear (2906 M st) Hannah” flagged a black man as suspicious, sending his picture, description and where he was headed around to the group. “About 6 foot. Tats [tattoos] on hands and neck. Very suspicious, looking everywhere but what was he asking about,” she wrote cryptically. Later on that day, an employee named Will at Suit Supply wrote, “He was just in Suitsupply.

Made a purchase of several suits and some gloves.”

In another instance, in response to a photo of two black women sent by a user at American Apparel, an employee at Benetton wrote, “Those were the ones from our store as well.

Good job on the pics! Only known thieves would smile for the camera” — in response to a photo of two black women sent through the app by the user at American Apparel.

The woman smiling in the photo was a store employee. The other, non-smiling woman was the known thief.

With regard to these cases of mistaken identity and miscast suspicion, Officer Atkins, a middle-aged African American man, said, “it happened to me.” When he was in plainclothes, “someone in a store accused me of being someone who had stolen from the store before.”

Even disregarding the few users who repeatedly report African Americans without indications of criminal activity, the statistics within a roughly 90-day period suggest that there is more widespread bias at play.

“A racial bias is pretty apparent based just on the pictures and descriptions [in GroupMe],” says a Levi’s employee who wishes to remain anonymous. Isabel Savage at Hu’s Wear called certain posts on the app “racism at its greatest form,” adding, “the [retail] industry breeds it.”

Savage’s coworker at Hu’s Wear, Hannah Warren, initially agreed with Savage’s representation of racial bias on the Georgetown GroupMe account. But after being confronted with examples of posts labeling black men as suspicious without evidence, Warren explained that one of the men in question “was dismissive,” “standing very close to the racks”

and “had a hat pulled down low.” “Better safe than sorry,” she said, before admitting, “a little bit of profiling, I do it.”

All employees at the most active stores who talked to The Georgetowner acknowledged that users on the app predominantly report African-Americans. But they also all claimed to have caught people of all races stealing from their stores.

A manager at American Apparel who wishes to remain anonymous offered a different explanation. She said she’s "caught every type of person stealing" from her store, but that African Americans are “more loud about it” and “more obvious about it.”

Candice Stewart at Benetton offered yet another explanation of why black people are flagged so often in the GroupMe system. “A lot of the known thieves are black,” she said.

“It’s the same people over and over again.”

Managers at CVS, Zara, Dean & Deluca and TJ Maxx declined to be interviewed for this article.

“There’s a common phenomenon of a black person showing up in a store, and just because they are black, they look suspicious,” Georgetown Law professor Anthony Cook said when presented with the BID’s GroupMe messaging board. “Now, they’ve basically automated that process by putting it on camera, and not just using that for internal purposes, but now distributing it en masse to other people so that whoever is identified in the chat is guilty to the rest of the group without any kind of interrogating or any benefit of the doubt,” Cook said. “It’s a digital mob mentality.”

According to a host of scholarly work compiled by Rutgers Business School Professor Jerome D. Williams, black people are no more likely to shoplift than members of any other race. Shoplifting comes “in all sizes, shapes and colors,” Williams writes.

Even store employees are in on it, according to the 2012 University of Florida Survey on Retail Losses, which found that “employee theft accounts for a far greater percentage” of losses than shoplifting does. Arrest data may suggest otherwise, but Williams

Photo posted on Dec. 30 on the "Georgetown Business Public Safety" GroupMe account.

argues that these data are biased against blacks because “they are a reflection of who’s getting caught, and that’s a reflection of who’s getting watched.”

D.C.-based lawyer and ethicist Jack Marshall doesn’t call what’s happening on GroupMe in Georgetown “profiling,” though.

Instead, he says that bias, racial or otherwise, impairs judgment, and that it “is impossible to correct for” when you’re under the influence of it. “These people [on the app] aren’t bigots, they just need to recognize what’s happening [with regard to bias].”

Marshall says the ethicist in him has a problem with the fact that people who end up being flagged as suspicious or criminal on

behavior is and they just report what they see,” he said, adding, “a lot of security officers at the stores are African American.” (Marshall used the black police officers that are suspected of killing Freddie Gray in Baltimore as an example that bias can affect anyone.) “It’s not like a law enforcement agency is targeting a specific group of people,” he says.

Wiebenson said the organization has not considered training around racial bias, but that he confronts users who have posted “inappropriate” messages, meaning those with rough language or marketing messages. He said he removes repeat offenders from the group.

Atkins stands by his claim that the GroupMe model in Georgetown “should go global.” And in a way, it already has. As apps that can be used for mass messaging have proliferated, they have attracted billions of users with more and more communities adopting them to stay connected. It was only a matter of time before police joined the party.

A document released by the Obama Justice Department titled “Community Policing Defined” calls on police to do what MPD is doing in Georgetown by developing “two-way communication systems through the internet” with the public, among other recommendations.

In localities ranging from Odessa, Texas,

Photo posted on June 17 on the "Georgetown Business Public Safety" GroupMe account.

GroupMe have no way of knowing that they are under observation. Marshall and Cook both said that they could imagine someone flagged on GroupMe being violently confronted by an app user regardless of police warnings on the app not to engage. Without prompting, both experts used George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch coordinator who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, as an example of something that could happen in Georgetown because of GroupMe. However, interviews with store employees paint a far less dramatic picture. Edmondson from Sports Zone said his staff won’t do anything to a known thief in the store other than provide customer service. “Customer service is the best preventative for theft,” he said, a sentiment echoed by a handful of employees at other stores.

Still, Marshall said, “Apps create a lot of power in the hands of people who have not taken necessary steps to be competent enough to wield the power.” In that vein, he suggested training for GroupMe users as a potential solution that “wouldn’t be hard to do” to solve the app’s “bias problem.” When asked about training, Atkins said, “that’s on them,” referring to app users, “not the police.”

While Atkins calls racial disparities demonstrated by the bulk of GroupMe posts “a concern,” he said that by and large he trusts the app’s users to call it like they see it without bias, in part because their posts “will be there for life.”

Sternlieb offered a similar response. “The underlying assumption here is that people [GroupMe users] know what suspicious

Photo posted on July 27 on the "Georgetown Business Public Safety" GroupMe account.

to Gloucester Township, New Jersey, to Los Angeles, police, businesses and citizens are using the Nextdoor app in the same way that GroupMe is being used in Georgetown.

(Nextdoor is also popular in Georgetown, but so far area users of the app have focused more on finding contractors, roommates and nannies than criminals.)

Back in Georgetown, the Citizens Association is getting involved, urging more area residents to join and use the app for public safety. And in the District as a whole, the idea is picking up steam. Atkins said that police use the app to keep in touch with residents in his neighborhood. He also said that he’s giving a presentation on GroupMe to an ANC commissioner in District 5 in an effort to build a public-private partnership around policing there.

“We are pioneers in starting this,” said Atkins.

With research by Erin Schaff, Kelly Byrnes and Caitlin Franz.

GMG, INC. August 5, 2015

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Your Dining Guide to Washington DC’s Finest Restaurants

1789 RESTAURANT

Bistro Francais 3124-28 M St., NW 202–338–3830 bistrofrancaisdc.com

BISTROT LEPIC & WINE BAR

THE GRILL ROOM

CAFE BONAPARTE

1226 36th St., NW 202–965–1789 1789restaurant.com

With the ambiance of an elegant country inn, 1789 features classically-based American cuisine – the finest regional game, fish and produce available.

Open seven nights a week.

Jackets suggested.

Complimentary valet parking.

A friendly French bistro in the heart of historic Georgetown since 1975.

Executive chef and owner Gerard Cabrol came to Washington, D.C., 32 years ago, bringing with him home recipes from southwestern France. In addition to daily specials, our specialties include our famous Poulet Bistro (tarragon rotisserie chicken), Minute Steak Maitre d’Hotel (steak and pomme frites), Steak Tartare, freshly prepared seafood, veal, lamb and duck dishes and the best Eggs Benedict in town.

Come and see for yourself why Bistrot Lepic, with its classical, regional and contemporary cuisine, has been voted best bistro in D.C. by the Zagat Guide.

And now, with its Wine Bar, you can enjoy “appeteasers,” full bar service, complimentary wine tasting every Tuesday and a new private room.

The regular menu is always available.

Open every day for lunch and dinner.

Now serving brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Reservations suggested.

Tucked up along the historic C&O Canal, a national park that threads through the Georgetown neighborhood, The Grill Room at Capella Washington, D.C., specializes in hand-cut, bone-in, artisan meats, bracingly fresh seafood and tableside preparations. Framed with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and fluid geometric lines, the ambiance is one of relaxed refinement.

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.

We look forward to calling you a “regular” soon!

DAS Ethiopian

ENO Wine Bar

Filomena Ristorante

Visit ENO Wine Bar and enjoy wine flights, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate & seasonal small plates. ENO offers 100 bottles under $50 & 45 wines by the glass starting at $9. The ENO Experience is perfect for a pre-theater meal or try our dessert wine & chocolate flights after.

Filomena is a Georgetown landmark that has endured the test of time for over 30 years. Our old-world cooking styles and recipes brought to America by the early Italian immigrants alongside the culinary cutting-edge creations of Italy’s foods of today executed by our Executive Chef and his team. Open 7 days a week 11:30am11:00pm. Free salad bar with any lunch entrée Mon-Sat and try our spectacular Sunday Brunch Buffet complete with carving stations, pasta stations!

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.

1201 28TH ST., NW

202–333–4710 dasethiopian.com DAS Ethiopian offers you a cozy twostory setting, with rare outside dining views and al fresco patio dining. DAS is located at the eclectically brilliant historic corner of the internationally renowned shopping district of Georgetown.

A tent under which all come to feast is the very Amharic definition of DAS. From neighborhood diners, nearby students and journalists to international visitors and performers, all enjoy the casual but refined atmosphere that serves up the freshest Ethiopian dishes from local and sustainable food sources.

1736 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202–333–0111 bistrotlepic.com

2810 Pennsylvania Ave., NW 202–295–2826 enowinerooms.com

Monthly Sunday Wine Classes & ENOversity’s with local producers Wine down Sun –Thurs from 5 pm -7 pm. Select wine on tap $5 Mon 5pm -11 pm; Tues- Thurs 5 pm 12 am; Fri & Sat 4 pm – 1 am Sun 4 pm - 11pm

1050 31ST ST., NW 202-617-2424 thegrillroomdc.com

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Brunch Sat.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202–338–8800 filomena.com

1522 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202–333–8830 cafebonaparte.com

Malmaison

3401 K ST.,NW 202–817–3340 malmaisondc.com 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).

Advertise your dining Martins Tavern

1264 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202–333–7370 martinstavern.com Don't let the beer fool you, it's a compliment to your dining experience.

Since 1933, the warm atmosphere of Martin’s Tavern has welcomed neighbors and world travelers looking for great food, service and years of history within its walls. Fourth generation owner Billy Martin, Jr., continues the tradition of Washington’s oldest familyowned restaurant.

Serving Brunch until 4 p .m.

7 days a week!

20

August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

SEA CATCH Restaurant

1054 31st St., NW 202–337–8855 seacatchrestaurant.com Overlooking the historic C&O Canal, we offer fresh seafood simply prepared in a relaxed atmosphere. Outdoor dining available.

The Sea Catch will be open on Sundays, serving Brunch and dinner.

Sunday Brunch 11:30 - 3:00 Sunday Dinner 5:00 - 8:00 Lunch / Monday- Saturday 11:30 - 3:00 Dinner/ Monday- Saturday 5:30 - 10:00 Happy Hour Monday- Friday 5:00 - 7:00 3 Hours FREE Parking

THE OCEANAIRE 1201 F St., NW 202–347–2277 theoceanaire.com

Ranked one of the most popular seafood restaurants in D.C., “this cosmopolitan” send-up of a vintage supper club that’s styled after a '40’s-era ocean liner is appointed with cherry wood and red leather booths, infused with a “clubby, old money” atmosphere. The menu showcases “intelligently” prepared fish dishes that “recall an earlier time of elegant” dining.

Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Dinner Mon.–Thu. 5–10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5–11 p.m., Sun. 5–9 p.m.

TOWN HALL

2340 Wisconsin Ave., NW 202-333-5640 townhalldc.com 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 7PM, and during warmer months, our outdoor courtyard is one of DC’s best kept secrets.

specials in our dining guide Contact:

advertising @ georgetowner.com

Food & wine

Swain Arrives at Bourbon Steak’s Revamped Bar

By R ob e rt devaney

“M

y signature cocktail is the one that’s going to make you happy,” says Torrence Swain, when asked about his favorites and the latest in the high-end cocktail world.

The M Street Old Fashioned. Photo courtesy Four Seasons.

The revamped bar at Bourbon Steak. Photo courtesy Four Seasons.

working as head bartender for the Farm Restaurant Group at Farmers Fishers Bakers at the Washington Harbour.

Bourbon Steak was honored by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington this year and brought a Rammy back to the bar: Cocktail Program of the Year. The bar’s departing bartender is Dwayne Sylvester, who Swain calls “my mentor.”

Washington is part of Swain’s family history. His grandfather worked at the Washington Navy Yard. He grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, with his grandparents. “I was used to having

CE

Bourbon Steak’s outgoing bartender Dwayne Sylvester with new bartender Torrence Swain, holding its Rammy for Cocktail Program of the Year.

The new head bartender at Bourbon Steak, Swain isn’t the only new feature of the restaurant at Georgetown’s Four Seasons Hotel. The bar and lounge have been revamped with refinished floors sporting beautiful stone mosaic inlays, as well as new artwork throughout the space. The window booth seating is new, along with leather bar stools that provide visitors a view of the expanded backlit spirits display.

The addition of stylish couches in the front of the lounge brings the seating to 60.

“The happiest people ever are at the bar,” says Swain, who arrived at Bourbon Steak after

people around the house,” the affable mixologist says. “Hospitality is a way of life for me.”

A few quips: “I like all scotch,” “‘Mad Men’ has pushed cocktail culture” and “Bartending is nothing like Tom Cruise in ‘Cocktail.’” If one wants to know how a bartender plies his craft or builds a business, Swain recommends a documentary now on Netflix: “Hey, Bartender.” As for getting a drink in a timely fashion, he says, “It doesn’t have to take 15 minutes.” He aims for consistency and quickness.

Look for Swain’s salute to Georgetown from his new perch: his M Street Apple Old Fashioned, featuring cardamom bitters and apple brandy (along with the requisite whiskey and sugar), a concoction inspired by his grandmother’s warm baked desserts. He will launch his first, full-fledged cocktail menu for Bourbon Steak next month.

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3206 Grace Street, NW

(202) 527-9388

GMG, INC. August 5, 2015

21

Wandergolf

Touring South Africa with Pro Golf Safaris B y Wa l ly G re e v e s

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hile the flight was long and Table Mountain was huge, it wasn’t until a South African native waitress clicked through some Zulu expressions that the waves of delightful unfamiliarity washed over me and far-awayness kicked in. The April trip to South Africa with some other writers and tour operators was with Pro Golf Safaris, the most noteworthy golf and safari tour operator in South Africa.

Making bogeys taste good is this group’s specialty, and the seemingly endless depths of South African resources available to them in this undertaking made this an enchanting trip and introduction to the country.

The beautiful Garden Route coastline of South Africa.

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August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

Wandergolf Topping the New York Times list of places to go in the world in 2014, Cape Town has something for everyone. Twelve hours after my arrival, I was staring into the wide open mouth of a 17-foot great white shark as it banged itself against the wimpy and bent up cage I was diving in, an experience I will never forget.

We saw the wobbly little penguins by the hundreds at Boulder’s Beach, which was (there is no other way to describe this) totally cute. Reaching the top of Cape Point, I was laughingly disabused of the notion that I would see a jagged and watery line where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.

The Cape Town waterfront offers multitudes of excursions involving helicopters, whales, wine and other activities — the most famous probably being the trips to Nelson Mandela’s former prison on Robben Island. Fresh eateries and local markets are around every corner, and we consumed local biltong by the pound the whole trip. Biltong is a 400-year-old South African snack similar to beef jerky, but chewier and prepared differently, featuring every type of game meat conceivable. Not having yet picked up a golf club or gotten over jet lag, I was already wowed

by South Africa.

The most distinctive golf in SA lies along the Eastern Cape and Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. De Zalze, a parklands course on a 300-hectare estate boasting substantial vineyard and farming efforts, was a great example of just how much golf and wine scratch each other’s backs in the SA economy. A visit to the picturesque Ernie Els Winery and his nearby Stellenbosch restaurant, The Big Easy, culinarily hammered this point home. Farther down the road and voted #5 in SA, Arabella Golf Course was an absolute treat to play. Nestled amongst the hills of the Palmiet Mountain Range above the Bot River Lagoon, the course was a sanctuary of bird life and beautiful views.

South of Mossel Bay, the caves directly beneath Pinnacle Point Golf Course, are a heritage site, which are believed to be one of the first places that humans used heat to make stone tools.

T & T_Georgetowner_8.2015_Layout 1 7/28/15 4:36 PM Page 1 Forty thousand years later, I was hoping to reap karma benefits

Top: The Links at Fancourt, World's #34 Golf Course. Bottom Left: Great White Shark in Gansbaai, South Africa. Bottom Right: Baby Rhino at Kichaka Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

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Wandergolf light of my Kichaka experience was a quiet sunset tailgate in the bush, punctuated by the velvet pattering of giraffe pillow fights less than 100 yards away, as they whipped their gangly necks at each other’s torsos. The unexpected baby rhino sightings at Pumba were thrilling, and on the last evening there we stumbled upon a family of white lions and watched the cubs play with each other as we sat in silence. Wildebeests just look weird, and watching them run in circles was interesting. The tendency for startled warthogs to scatter and then immediately return to where they were startled was Darwinistically interesting. Monkeys are always a welcome addition, as long as all of your food is within reach. Nighttime hippopotamus noises were new to me, once you figured out they didn’t come from someone in your own crowd.

I like to think of myself as a contrarian, a non-cruise-ship guy, someone who makes their own plans and comes out ahead.

But I was overwhelmingly thankful and appreciative for Pro Golf Safaris by the end of this trip. It’s too hard to be in the know this far from South Africa, and good operators have a finger on the pulse of their specialty areas. Most tour operators get roughly 30-percent discounts on almost everything, especially outfits like this that do a large volume business with the places you want to go. The skill that results in good times and cultural education for me now seems to be in communicating with folks like this about exactly what you would like to do, because it’s all available.

This was a lifetime experience, and I will go back. The last conversations with my travel friends all concerned bucket-list amendments and revisions to include repeats and further research.

There is golf everywhere, and certainly closer, but what about the penguins and biltong? What about the wines they don’t ship and the plants that don’t grow here? What about the Indian Ocean?

What about Zulu? Knowing the answers to these questions makes up for the truth: that I will never play on the PGA Tour.

Pinnacle Point Golf Course along the Garden Route in South Africa.

from using forged irons at the breathtakingly stunning course.

Halfway between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, Pinnacle Point reminded me of an elevated Pebble Beach, and the views from above the blue waters of the Indian Ocean may be the best I have seen in golf.

The Links at Fancourt, designed by Gary Player, was recently voted #34 in the world. The caddied round here was special and portrayed traditional golf in a way conservatives would toast as near perfect. The two other courses at the resort, Montagu and

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7,000 sf. • Includes 4 main level suites • Lovely gardens, pool, garage apartment & pond • Blackburn designed 6 stall stable • 70x210 indoor arena • Observation deck • Tack room • 2 wash stalls & office • Addtl 4 stall barn • Entire property is fenced and cross fenced on 26 acres & 8 paddocks.

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OAKFIELD Upperville, Virginia • $4,495,000

Stone manor house in spectacular setting • 86.81 acres • Highly protected area in prime Piedmont Hunt • Gourmet kitchen • Wonderful detail throughout • 5 BR • 5 BA • 3 half BA • 3 fireplaces, classic pine paneled library • Tenant house • Stable • Riding ring • Heated saltwater pool • Pergola • Full house generator.

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RAGLEY 13.54 acres surrounded by large estates • Prime protected location • Brick home circa 1969, has been updated • Notable room sizes • 5 bedrooms • five full baths and two 1/2 baths • 2 fireplaces • In-ground pool • Stone walls • Beautiful gardens • Well built home.

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FARAWAY FARM Solid stone home with copper roof on 70 acres • Original portions dating from the 1700’s • First floor bedroom & 3 additional suites • Original floors • 8 fireplaces • Formal living room • Gourmet kitchen • 2 ponds • Mountain views • Stone walls • Mature gardens • Pool • Log cabin • Piedmont Hunt.

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Prime location • Piedmont Hunt • 10 acres • 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1 fireplace stucco residence built in 1984 • Open floor plan • Treed setting with mature landscaping • Center courtyard off living area • Separate studio with half bath can serve as guest room or studio • Large 3 bay garage • 2 stalls for horses & 5 paddocks • Great views.

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GREYSTONE The Plains, Virginia • $2,200,000

Circa 1807 • 33 acres ideally located between Middleburg & The Plains • Rare quarried stone exterior, 10-foot ceilings • Period mantels, original wood floors, two-story front porch • 3 bedrooms/3 baths, each a private suite • Historic stone barn includes one bedroom/bath apt, heated tack room, 6 stalls • Carriage barn • 3 paddocks, large turnout field, run-in sheds, auto waterers • Whole farm generator • Pond • Orange County Hunt.

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Outeniqua, along with the exemplary dining facilities and accommodations, rate this a destination by itself. We stayed three days, but many retire there and do not leave the premises. The massive grounds are a botanist paradise. We stayed an evening at the Conrad Pezula after that, dined in Flintstonian proportions, and in the morning drove the impressive Pezula Course designed by Jack Nicklaus.

The game drives over the next few days at the Kichaka and Pumba Reserves on the Eastern Cape were amazing. The high-

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IN COUNTRY

What’s Brewing Down in Northern Virginia?

By Kelly By rne s

L

oudoun County, Virginia, has no shortage of local breweries, combining water, barley, yeast and hops in ways that are sure to please anyone’s palate.

With the 7th annual D.C. Beer Week bubbling up Aug. 9 to 16, it’s the perfect time to try some of the crispest, most authentic and best-crafted beers in the region.

Pinpointing a single top-notch brewery in Loudoun County is nearly impossible given the 19 contenders. But, to get you started, the following establishments are well worth checking out: Lost Rhino Brewing Company offers an extensive selection of year-round and seasonal beers to visitors, who can tour the brewery on Saturdays. Tours run every hour from 1 to 5 p.m. For $8, participants get a souvenir tasting glass and four sample fillings. Those unable to trek to this Ashburn establishment aren’t out of luck, since Lost Rhino is among the 25 regional breweries participating in D.C. Beer Week’s Blind and Bitter event on Aug. 14. Scion Restaurant, at 2100 P St. NW near Dupont Circle, will host the event, in which patrons blindly taste a hoppy brew from each of the breweries and vote for their favorite. Lost Rhino opened a second Ashburn location this year, the Lost Rhino Retreat, with a full food menu. Both have live musical entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.

Another Ashburn establishment, Old Ox Brewery, utilizes over 9,000 square feet of its

HERITAGE FARM, MARSHALL, VA Fantastic opportunity. Rarely available large

building space for beer production. Old Ox has three core beers that are brewed year-round, plus a rotating selection of seasonal and experimental drinks. Tours of the production space take place Saturday afternoons on a first come, first served basis. The tasting room is open Wednesday through Sunday. Though no food is served at Old Ox, visiting food trucks are on the premises most weekends.

In Fairfax County a selection of 22 local and regional craft beers are in store for those who visit Barrel and Bushel, an American-style restaurant and bar located in the Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner. Barrel and Bushel’s drink menu consists of lagers, stouts and ales, as well as wines and bourbon. For those looking to sample a variety of brews, flight trays are offered with four glasses of beer. Choose from one of five flights on the menu or create your own from the beers on tap.

If hard cider, with its crisp, smooth taste, sounds more appealing than beer, Loudoun’s latest micro-cidery is not to be missed. Wild Hare Cider, which officially opened its Bluemont doors last month, specializes in transforming the ripest apples from Shenandoah Valley orchards into a fresh drink to be enjoyed any time of year.

Wild Hare’s tasting room is open on weekends; Saturday hours vary and Sunday hours are noon to 5 p.m.

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MIDDLEBURG, VA Beautiful stone home on 40 acres just mins from town of Middleburg. Goose creek surrounds property. Bright, spacious 4 BR, 5 BA house w/ open floor w/ spacious light-filled dining room & living room that open up to decks & views. Exquisite 8-stall stone horse barn w/ tack room. Additional guest house & lot available $2,800,000 Peter Pejascevich 540-270-3835 • Scott Buzzelli 540-454-1399

LEESBURG, VA Custom-built stone, brick, and cedar estate on 3.54 acres w/ amenities ideal for life style full of entertaining, leisure, & enjoyment.

Features include heated indoor pool, a sports pub, a reg. racquetball court w/ hoop, audio/video system w/ 2 home theaters, rooftop deck, picnic pavilion w/ gas barbecue, potting shed, 2+ 2-car garages, & caretaker apartment. $1,665,000 Peter Pejascevich 540-270-3835 • Scott Buzzelli 540-454-1399

DELAPLANE, VA Stunning custom colonial on approx. 25 acres in a gorgeous setting.

Beautifully decorated and landscaped. High ceilings, sun-filled rooms - wood floors & fabulous windows capture magnificent views from every room. Ideal for horses or a gracious country lifestyle. Located in Piedmont Hunt. $1,525,000 Peter Pejascevich 540-270-3835 • Scott Buzzelli 540-454-1399

PURCELLVILLE, VA Stunning completely custom with no detail missed from hand rubbed floors, exquisite moldings,casements & a proper center hall, this home will not disappoint the most discerning eye. Magnificent Chiefs kitchen which leads you into a grand coffered family room built for entertaining and the modern family with historic proportions kept in mind. $1,299,000 Peter Pejascevich 540-270-3835 • Scott Buzzelli 540-454-1399

MELMORE, MIDDLEBURG, VA - 4 BR, 3+ bath, 4100SQ FT, custom kitchen cabinets, 3 FPs, finished basement, Pine Floors, 2 car carriage house w/ 2nd floor, 2 car garage, pond, pool, gazeebo, full trex deck, orchard, professional landscaping.

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LEESBURG, VABeautiful house and yard!

Gated River Creek Country Club. Fabulous home warm sunny and inviting, including 5 inch hand scraped hickory wood floors, updated harware, kitchen open to family room, screened in pavilion porch all overlooking this beautifully landscaped and fully fenced yard. Complete in ground water system. Wood burning fireplace. $775,000 Dawn Poe 571- 291-5747

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FOREST HILL LN, BLUEMONT, VA Incredible Mountain Retreat nestled among the trees with views all the way to DC. Just about an hour from the beltway and suitable for year round enjoyment. 3 bds, 2 1/2 baths, office, gorgeous wood and stone throughout. Appointment required.$479,900

Top Left: Barrel & Bushel.

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Bottom Left: Old Ox Bar. Bottom Right: Lost Rhino.

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August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

Body & soul

Murphy’s Love: Getting from Ex to Pal

By Sta cy Nota ras M u r p h y

Yoga Fights Hunger in Africa

By Jo sef Br a nd enb urg

T

his summer, D.C.-area residents have the opportunity to try something new and help raise $10,000 for the Africa Yoga Project. Down Dog Yoga is hosting a guest instructor from Nairobi, Walter Mugwe, and will donate the proceeds from some of its classes and workshops to the organization.

AYP “educates, empowers, elevates and employs youth from Africa using the transformational practice of yoga.” In other Kenya yoga instructor Walter Mugwe is teaching in D.C. this month. words, AYP finds young people in Africa who have a passion for yoga and provides Down Dog Yoga is donating the proceeds training and jobs for them as yoga instructors. from its $5 Flow classes at the Clarendon locaMugwe, who has been invited to teach tion and all the proceeds from its Neo-Afro classes at the Yoga Journal Conference, first Yoga Beat Jam, Down Dog’s most popular met AYP co-founder Paige Ellison when he and successful workshop. Recently held in was 17 years old. He says, “Yoga changed my Georgetown, the $40 Neo-Afro workshop will life, and opened up doors that I would never be at the Bethesda location on Aug. 8 from 8 to have imagined possible when I was a youth in 10 p.m. For details and to register, visit downthe slums.” Today he supports himself and his dogyoga.com. family as an AYP yoga instructor.

Yoga With Attitude Dear Stacy, Last week my boyfriend (7 months, we are both in our 40s) said he thought it best if we didn't date anymore. It was his idea, but I was inching toward the same conclusion myself (for different reasons). We mutually agreed to stay friends. Here's the thing that's confusing to me: not much has changed since we had that discussion.

He still sends me email and text messages a few times a day. He still calls me every night to discuss things that are happening in our lives.

He still wants me to attend a dinner party with his friends next week. I have a business dinner next month at a restaurant that's a favorite of his and, although I had not invited him (no one is bringing significant others), he volunteered that he'd like to go with me.

I am happy to remain friends with him. But this frequency of communication is something that, for me, is indicative of a romantic relationship. I don't communicate this much with anyone else in my life, not my closest friends, not my family. I don't dislike communicating with him and I do want to remain friends, but I feel like this is making it difficult for me to move on. Any suggestions on how I can address this with him without damaging the friendship?

– Confused Dear Confused: While anyone reading this would be impressed by your maturity in this situation — I really am! — I think there seems to be a myth of how “mature” people always stay friends with Exes. We fast-track from Ex to Pal, and everyone’s supposed to be okay with it. But the truth is that a breakup is a break. It has to be, otherwise,

as you said, we can’t heal and move on. Instead, we linger and we suppose and we what-if ourselves to the point of distraction.

Your Pal’s behavior tells us that you fulfill much of what he needs in his life, but, for whatever reason, he is unable to commit fully. You said you were heading toward ending the relationship yourself. I think you might need to have that breakup convo regardless of what happened last week. Set your own terms, so you don’t wind up feeling used.

You worry about “damaging the friendship,” but the friendship is brand new (and, I am even going to say, not entirely based in reality). It’s unrealistic that you would want to hear about his day every night without enjoying the real intimacy that kind of connection can create. Instead, you get to be the author of what a safe friendship is. But please, give yourself some time away from the dating and the friending; that’s where the perspective and healing happens. I understand there may not be massive wounds around this breakup, but even abrasions need air and time to heal. Then you will feel more confident when you find New Boyfriend and you want to tell Pal all about him.

Stacy Notaras Murphy (www.stacymurphyLPC. com) is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@ gmail.com.

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Performance

‘Dear Evan Hansen’: The Next Big Thing?

By Gary T is chl er

I

n a Broadway theater world where the search for the next big thing is always on, “Dear Evan Hansen,” the new musical having a world-premiere run at Arena Stage through Aug. 15, has a lot going for it.

In many ways, it’s a thoroughly modern musical, with contemporary music, themes and central characters, and with rising theater artists at the helm. The show — about a young man who pretends to have been a close friend of a troubled high school student who’s committed suicide — is the work of a group of artists who’ve already made names for themselves on Broadway. And the cast is both an exciting and calming mixture of young and older pros.

Directed by Michael Greif, whose credits include “Grey Gardens,” “Next to Normal” (which was rebooted for Broadway at Arena Stage) and “If/Then,” starring Idina Menzel, which had its pre-Broadway run at the National Theater two seasons ago, “Dear Evan Hansen” has a book by Steven Levenson, who penned “The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin” (staged at Roundabout Theatre), as well as scripting and co-producing the hit Showtime series “Masters of Sex.” The music and lyrics are by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, noted for the hit “A Christmas Story: The Musical” and “Dogfight,” produced Off Broadway at Second Stage Theatre (and, coincidentally, being staged at the Keegan Theatre in Dupont beginning Aug. 22).

Ben Platt is headlining “Evan Hansen” as Evan Hansen, bringing some major movie mojo to the project after being the male lead in the hugely successful “Pitch Perfect” movies (1 and 2) and appearing with Meryl Streep in “Ricki and the Flash,” now playing at a Cineplex near you. He made his Broadway debut as Elder Cunningham in “The Book of Mormon.”

For Michael Park, playing alongside another Broadway veteran, Jennifer Laura Thompson, as the shaken parents of Connor, the teen lost to suicide, “Dear Evan Hansen” has been a unique experience. “Being in a show like this from the beginning, an original American musical with all that phrase implies, is exciting. It’s really being part of the process from the beginning, from inception, all the readings, the workshops, the rehearsal. And it’s still changing. This project remains electric and alive even now, because this is the first time it’s gone in front of a paying audience.”

The hope, of course, is that the show will eventually wind up on Broadway. Like some of the other shows involving the creative team of Greif, Levenson, Pasek and Paul, it’s part of an ongoing attempt, on Broadway and in the theater in general, to find the kind of musical that taps into the temper of the times and pushes the genre forward.

Park may be best known for playing Jack Snyder on the hugely popular daytime soap opera “As The World Turns,” for which he received two consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama.

His theater credits are varied and rich. He was in the original cast of “Smokey Joe’s Café” and played Billy in “Carousel,” the difficult part of Gooper in a recent production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and Mr. Bratt in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

Off-Broadway, he was in “The Threepenny

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August 5, 2015 GMG, INC.

Top: Ben Platt as Evan, Michael Park as Larry and Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia. Bottom Left: Ben Platt as Evan and Will Roland as Jared. Bottom RIght: The company of “Dear Evan Hansen.” Photos by Margot Schulman.

Opera” at A.C.T., “Hello Again” at Lincoln Center and “Violet” and “The Burnt Part Boys” at Playwrights Horizons.

He was also in the live television productions of “Peter Pan” and “The Sound of Music” on NBC. “That can be scary,” he said. “It’s sort of like theater in the sense that it’s live, but there’s no audience. But then again there’s an audience of millions.

“This is a very touching, moving show,” he said. “Playing a parent, well, I know about that, and it touches you deeply and easily. I’ve been very lucky to do the things I’ve done. I have a

good and real life, and that keeps you grounded.

I’ve been married for 20 years to my wife Laurie Nowak, who’s a music therapist, and we have three children, daughters Annabelle Jayne and Kathleen Rose and son Christopher Michael.” He understands all sorts of audiences, including the somewhat insular, fanzine world of soap operas. “Fame, celebrity, all of that is nice if it comes, but I’m an actor who loves the work, and loves my life.

“I think Broadway — especially the world of Broadway musicals — is always trying to find a new voice, a new way of creating work

that touches an audience, for its music, for its drama, or style and theme. I’ve been around it a lot and it’s a crowded field. Those songs by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were wonderful. I’ve done Rodgers and Hammerstein and ‘Business’ as well.

“I think this is a pretty special creation. It’s original, down to earth, it is romantic and moving at the same time. I love being a part of it, of getting to work with everybody here. It’s very much a part of our times, and in that sense it’s very alive, and I think it will attract that elusive new audience that’s out there.”

visual

Gustave Caillebotte: The Painter’s Eye

By Ari P os t

W

e are welcomed into the National Gallery of Art, just past its pantheonic atrium, by the paintings of Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, Monet, Cassatt, Degas, Morisot — those visionaries who built a bridge between the classical tradition and the modern era.

The early Impressionists created some of the first work within the Western canon that does not require a religious, historical or scholarly key to be fully appreciated. These are secular images of mundane humanity — a woman reading a newspaper, a man staring out the window — and scenes of fleeting naturalism, like a sunset over an open field or fruit scattered across a wooden table.

Strange to think that this could be considered an act of defiance, but in the age of the French Academy the subject matter of art floated on a lofty plane; the depiction of laborers, pedestrians, dirty urban street scenes and ordinary wheat fields was renounced as vulgar, even depraved.

Say what you will about the brushwork and color palettes of the Impressionists (which are indeed heart-stopping), the real enduring power of that brassy and quarrelsome gaggle of painters is their work’s ability to connect to a mass audience — now for well over a century.

For two reasons, then, one is stunned to encounter the work of Gustave Caillebotte in the National Gallery’s current retrospective, “Gustave Caillebotte: The Painter’s Eye,” on view through Oct. 4. First, his work is immediately iconic, with many pieces as bracing and unforgettable as established Impressionist masterpieces such as Monet’s “Woman with a Parasol,” which hangs nearby. Second, and in light of this, it is baffling that no one seems to have heard of him.

(It should be noted that Caillebotte is far from unknown among the many artists and curators with whom I have spoken. In fact, he is

“Linen Out to Dry, Petit Gennevilliers,” 1888.

On the Pont de l’Europe, 1876-1877.

“Portrait of a Man,” 1880.

a frequent favorite, a sort of beloved secret.)

Poised to rectify Caillebotte’s status among the leaders of early Impressionism, the National Gallery exhibition tackles this conundrum head-on, revealing the odd circumstance that underscores Caillebotte’s relative anonymity: He came from money.

Caillebotte’s family owned a successful textile business. Being financially secure meant that he never needed to make money through his paintings. Because he did not sell his work, relatively few of his paintings have entered public collections. Furthermore, as a contemporary of Degas, Monet, Renoir and others, he was also an art collector. Upon his death much of his sizable collection was willed to the state, becoming the cornerstone of France’s national collection of Impressionism.

Ironically, this bequest overshadowed his own reputation as an artist.

With his paintings shielded from public view, Caillebotte’s significant role in the development of Impressionism receded. He remained largely undetected until a series of exhibition late in the 20th century.

However, when finally confronted with his work, all this history suddenly seems like a trivial footnote. It is a feeling that takes hold the moment you enter the exhi-

bition galleries, with the very first painting on the right, “Portrait of a Man.” The cool quality of the light as it breaks across the planes of the subject’s face and vest, with the delicate lace curtain and iron window guard so succinctly rendered, shows an artist in complete control of both medium and style.

There is also a tremendous sense of soul to the man in the painting. This chilling distinctness of inner life, of self and spirit, reverberates through of all of Caillebotte’s portraits. But to speak of the painter’s distinctive qualities is to say nothing of his noteworthy artistic evolution.

Caillebotte began his career exploring a Paris in transition, detailing the city as it was transformed by large-scale renovations, beginning in the 1850s, guided by Baron Haussmann. With immense street scenes and glimpses through parlor windows in his portraits, he examined the city’s new steel bridges, wide boulevards, ample sidewalks and uniform buildings. Through his still-life paintings of the Parisian markets — the butcher shops, patisseries and produce stands — we see the city’s lush offerings. Surprising and wonderful, these works are the missing link between the vanitas of near-nauseating banquet pieces from the Dutch Golden Age and Wayne Thiebaud’s window displays of cakes, pies and confections.

After showing with the Impressionists in 1882, Caillebotte stopped exhibiting regularly with them, and by the end of the decade he had moved from the city to the suburbs. There, he painted boating and garden scenes, and ultimately devoted himself to the pursuit of landscapes (likely influenced by his increasingly close friendship with Monet).

As you proceed through the exhibition, you can actually watch as his brushwork loosens and his colors leave the pearly blue hues of the city behind, becoming far less restrained.

In the final gallery, there is a painting called “Linen Out to Dry, Petit Gennevilliers.” A small cottage sits on the edge of a river at what initially looks like the base of an unfinished mountain range. Then you realize that what you see are not mountaintops but white linens billowing in the wind. It is nearly a study rather than a finished painting — in many areas the raw canvas is visible between the loose brushwork — except that you can taste the air of the countryside.

As Impressionism goes, the conjuring of some Transcendental ether is quite a profound, if ridiculous-sounding, achievement. But it is one of the pleasures of this exhibition to get caught up and whisked away by the discovery of these new and eternal moments of painting.

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Social Scene

Tony Bennett Gets Big Birthday Surprise From Lady Gaga B y Carolyn L a nde s , P h o to s b y Da n i e l S wa rt z/Ken n ed y C en ter

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga dazzled sold-out audiences at the Kennedy Center Friday and Saturday night, concluding their seven-month tour for their jazz album, “Cheek to Cheek.”

“You might be wondering why he’s singing jazz with the girl who wore the meat dress,” Lady Gaga said of her work with Bennett. “I assure you, I’m a much better jazz singer than I am a pop singer.”

The duo sang a combination of duets and solo performances, featuring jazz standards that included “But Beautiful” and “The Lady Is A Tramp.” At the end of Saturday’s show, Gaga surprised Bennett with a multi-tiered cake and serenade for his 89th birthday on Aug. 3. Arts advocates Bennett and his wife Susan Benedetto were awarded George Washington University President’s Medals July 30 at the Corcoran building, home to GW’s Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. The ceremony also featured a private, one-night-only exhibition of 18 pieces of Bennett art. Yes, Lady Gaga showed up for that.

George Washington University President Steven Knapp presented the university’s highest award to Tony Bennett and his wife Susan Benedetto.

On the stage of the Kennedy Center, Lady Gaga surprised Tony Bennett with a birthday cake, made by Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes. It was based on the cake originally created for President John F. Kennedy’s birthday party, during which Marilyn Monroe famously sang, “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”

Innocents at Risk Fundraises with ‘Cocktails for a Cause’

by M a ry B ird

Innocents at Risk celebrated successes in putting an end to child trafficking with a cocktail reception and silent auction at the George Town Club July 22. Founder Deborah Sigmund thanked supporters for increasing awareness of the issue. The evening was filled with laughter, delicious hors d’oeuvres and education.

WUSA9 News anchor Andrea Roane and Innocents at Risk founder Deborah Sigmund.

Meridian Salutes Social Secretaries

by C ar olyn L an d es, Pho to s by ro bert devaney

It was a social crowd — both in nature and by trade — that gathered at Meridian House July 30 for a reception that honored embassy social secretaries for their roles in promoting cultural diplomacy.

The evening’s guest of honor, White House Social Secretary Deesha Dyer, told attendees that the first lady Michelle Obama is her “unwavering mentor,” and added, “She inspires me in all I do.”

Meridian’s International Center’s Director Stuart Holliday presented Dyer with a silk scarf, customdesigned by Ann Hand.

Keith Lipert and Suzanne Kim Doud Galli.

Didi Cutler, Lee Satterfield, Ann Stock, Deesha Dyer, Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Gwen Holliday.

Idy Marcus and Lisa McCurdy.

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Staci and Isabella Capuano.

Madeleine Duff of the French Embassy and Monique McSween of Meridian International Center.

Josh Rogin of Bloomberg View and Ali Weinberg of ABC News, whose wedding will be at Meridian House in April 2016

Social Scene

‘Peace Ambassador’ Sharon Stone Headlines Azar Foundation Dinner

By Mary Bird, photo s b y by N e s h an H. N a lt c hayan

The Azar Foundation, which provides support for orphans and underprivileged children, has found a stunning advocate in Sharon Stone. The actress and activist visited foundation founder Shahin Mafi and her family at their Potomac home, where she was honored at a dinner and film screening July 25. Mafi introduced the guest of honor as the “perfect ambassador for peace.” The short film “Admissions”, presents a new vision of conflicts in the Middle East and peace overall. It was written by John Viscount and has won 26 international awards.

Shahin Mafi greets former Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and his wife Karmen Brown.

Filmmaker, writer and producer John Viscount introduces actress Sharon Stone before the screening of “Admissions.” Stone is the executive producer of “The Principle,” an upcoming film about online bullying, also written by Viscount, who grew up in Bethesda.

J Street Group CEO Debi Schiff (left) chats with Sharon Stone during dinner.

Actress Sharon Stone and the evening’s host, Shahin Mafi, founder of the Azar Foundation for Children of the World.

Malmaison at 2 b y R o b ert D e van ey

There was another birthday party in Washington, but for a much younger swinger: the restaurant at the Georgetown waterfront, Malmaison, turned two years old. The cafe, patisserie and event space opened its wide doors for birthday well-wishers July 23. The ever-charming Popal family, headed by Zubair and Shamim Popal, also owns Cafe Bonaparte on Wisconsin Avenue and Lapis in Adams Morgan.

Ohara Aivaz, Omar Popal and Monica Valentin.

Tareq Salahi and Lisa Spoden.

Tamara Ricard, Mustafa Popal and Fatima Popal.

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