The Georgetowner: January 10, 2023 Issue

1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007

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The Georgetowner is published in print monthly with an online newsletter supplement posted twice per week — On Mondays we highlight news and on Thursdays goings on about town. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2023. Please send submissions of opinions for consideration to: editorial@georgetowner.com For advertising inquiries email advertising@georgetowner.com or call (202) 338-4833

WHAT’S ONLINE GEORGETOWNER.COM

WHAT’S OUT AND WHAT’S IN

BY THE GEORGETOWNER

MAYOR BOWSER OUTLINES ‘DC’S COMEBACK PLAN’

BY PEGGY SANDS

G.U.’S PRISONS AND JUSTICE INITIATIVE HIRES ADNAN SYED

BY CHRISTOPHER JONES

FAREWELL, RFK. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

BY ROBERT DEVANEY

TOWN TOPICS

New 2023-24 ANC Chairman Miller Manages Tight First Meeting

BY PEGGY SANDS

The newly chosen Chair of the 2023-24 Georgetown/Burleith/Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission, Elizabeth Miller, ran a tight virtual meeting on January 9 getting through the swearing in of five new Commissioners by Ward 2 Council Member Brooke Pinto (herself newly appointed as Chair of D.C.’s Judiciary and Safety Committee), the election of new officers, a series of administrative must-dos for the new commission, reports from almost a dozen community organizations and government agencies and the consideration and passage of a couple of long resolutions, in less than two hours and despite the interruption of several off-screen dogs and cats.

New commissioners of ANC2E elected on November 8 are Mariam (Mimsy) Lindner, Christopher (Topher) Matthews. Paul Maysak, John DiPierri and Joe Massaua. Returning Commissoners are Miller, Gwen Lohse (elected Vice Chair) and Kishan Putta. DiPierri and Massaua – the student Georgetown University commissioners –were, as tradition has it, chosen to be secretary and treasurer.

The first item of the usual ANC Meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. and normally scheduled on the first Monday of every month, is a comprehensive safety, crime and police report. Lt. John Merzig introduced Captain Tatjania Savoy a multi-year DCMPD veteran who will command the Georgetown policing activities. They reported that crime is down – especially homicides. Even Georgetowners’ biggest plague -- theft from autos -- has decreased. “Perhaps people are really heeding community warnings to keep parked cars free of any visible items,” said Merzig. But when confronted with resident call-ins concerned about tire slashing and the theft of catalytic converters and air bags, Merzig explained how difficult such crimes are to prevent. “Thieves can snatch valuable auto parts in seconds.” More forces are needed to patrol residential areas at night.

That message was repeated when a spokesperson from the luxury boutique Amina Rubinacci reported on a November smashand-grab robbery of over $40,000 worth of merchandise at 4 a.m. Two other similar robberies had taken place in the area at about the same time. Mesmerizing videos showed the unmasked robber diligently stripping shelves and mannikins of valuable items and dumping them on the front step for pick up. Conclusion: more police drive-by presence is needed.

The new Mayor’s liaison, Grace Reeder (phone: 202-297-6566) announced that fall leaf pickup has been extended to Feb. 1 and Christmas tree pickup to March 3. Commissioners Putta and Lohse asked the mayor’s office to announce the pick-up dates closer to the actual date, as rotting bags become dangerous.

Rachel Shank, executive director of Georgetown Main Street announced that small grants (of around $5000) for Georgetown businesses next Spring will focus on improving facades.

The incoming principal of the new MacArthur High School, Dr. Harold McCray, introduced himself and provided updates on the progress of the new school on MacArthur Blvd. It seems to be on-schedule to be open to the 2023 graduating class from Hardy Middle School in September. Parent concerns about the school’s transportation challenges were discussed.

The pros and cons of expanded sidewalks and even streateries in front of dining establishments on M Street and Wisconsin Ave. that took away parking was discussed in several reports. The concerns were linked to resolutions to study and possibly remove metered parking on narrow popular streets, especially on N Street at the corner of Wisconsin Ave. This resolution was in turn linked to a long resolution that was passed unanimously about urging the Department of Transportation to commit to making cross walks in Georgetown highly visible. Better crosswalks for pedestrians and bikes were also something that Georgetown students supported -- along with expansion ideas for Curry and Pie – a popular student eatery on 1204 34th Street NW (seeking a possible alcoholic beverage “Class C” license). The Commission supported Café Milano’s public space application for a “New Valet Staging Zone Occupying 2 Non-Meter Parking Spaces” at 3251 Prospect Street NW.

The new ANC2E officers and commissioners were congratulated for finishing their full agenda by 8:30 p.m. — maybe in time for Mimsy whose four children attended the University of Georgia, to watch the end of the big game.

Adnan Syed holds his Georgetown University binder during a tour of the main campus. Courtesy G.U.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio at the Jan. 9 rollout of “DC’s Comeback Plan.” Georgetowner photo.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and other officials in front of RFK Stadium’s last iconic orange seats. Photo by Bill Starrels.

Elizabeth Miller, new chair of ANC.

A Year in Review: Top 8 Town Topics of 2022

BY PEGGY SANDS

It was the year of “Getting Back to Normal” in Georgetown after almost two years of lock-down, masks on, vaccine checks and restricted events. In this environment, big things happened, several of them at the center of national and world news. The following are eight of the most significant that The Georgetowner covered in 2022.

1A new 80-foot long Canal Boat was officially launched on April 28 before a happy crowd of some 200 Georgetowners at the C&O Canal’s reconstructed and filled Lock 3 with lots of pomp, ceremony and even some swag. Four specially made (organicbased) bottles of champagne were smashed over the bow of “The Georgetown Heritage” by Mayor Muriel Bowser and Georgetown leaders. But six months later on Oct. 5 came the news: the planned water drainage of the Georgetown section of the canal during the winter months repairs was extended up to 30 months — through 2025.

renovated community and sports center and new public pool. The concept design stage, including at least four town meetings, is expected to take until spring 2023, according to Tommie Jones of the Department of Parks and Recreation and the contractor DLR Group. The permit drawings and permit review process will last between summer of 2023 through spring of 2024. The construction procurement phase will take place spring 2024 and construction will last 2024 though 2025.

3

Plans for the new Jelleff Community Recreation Center and public pool at 3265 S St. NW saw progress in 2022 with a confirmed budget of $18.8 million and the approval of a feasibility study for a completely

2

A new 1,000-student comprehensive public high school for GeorgetownBurleith-Palisades area students, grades 9 to 12, was not only announced by Mayor Bowser in 2022, it plans to open in the fall of 2023 in a reconstructed former campus of the private Georgetown Day School at 4530 MacArthur Boulevard NW. The city purchased the property for $46 million and is planning to invest another $45 million for its reconstruction. For school year 202324, it will accept 200 students for grades 9, and 50 for grade 10. Current 8th graders at Hardy Middle School have feeder rights to the new school which is being referred to as “MacArthur High School” until a permanent name is chosen.

4

Streateries were one invention brought about by Covid-19 restrictions that seem now to be turning into a new outdoor dining lifestyle in Georgetown in front of most of the restaurants, cafes, chocolate and pastry shops and other eateries on M St. and Wisconsin Ave. up to R Street NW. The solid platforms extending over sidewalks have been customized in creative ways to provide a lively night life to Georgetown. The far less popular block-long widened sidewalks in front of stores that took away over 100 parking places, on the other hand, are being removed.

Marbury House at 3350 M St., which played a role in the founding of Washington, D.C. “I feel comfort in that every time I sit in my office at the embassy, I see the Ukrainian flag flying from the windows of the building across the street,” remarked Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova at a Citizens Association of Georgetown benefit for the war-torn nation.

7

Georgetown’s legendary Washington Canoe Club — the green Victorian shingle-style boathouse at 3700 K St. NW designed in 1904 overlooking the Potomac River that has been partially condemned for over five years due to its seriously dilapidated and dangerous conditions — completed the first of three scheduled consulting parties and meetings in 2022 as the start of a years-long process to rebuild and restore it. Along with fundraising efforts, 2023 may see the canoe club elevated while crucial structural repairs and renovations are made and then set back down on a new foundation.

5

A mural featuring 18 wrongfully detained Americans abroad such as Britney Griner and Paul Whelan has been the focal point of world press attention since detainee families, State Department negotiator Roger Carstens and artists last July pasted larger-than-life black and white somewhat fuzzy head shots, glued with wheat paste onto a craggy brick wall in the alleyway off M Street between 31st Street and Wisconsin Avenue NW. Some of the photos have now been emblazoned with banners saying “freed” on them and have attracted photo journalists and reporters from around the world.

8

The war in Ukraine has impacted Georgetown personally. The Ukrainian Embassy occupies the historic Forrest-

6

General violent crime is down in Georgetown, but more bizarre kinds of criminal behavior have gone up. Shoplifting and theft from autos has increased despite a year-long campaign and signs around Georgetown not to leave anything visible in the car and to make sure it’s locked. A couple of bizarre kidnappings have also taken place.

People enjoying the Kitchen 1310 streatery on Wisconsin Avenue. Photo by Georgetown BID.

At the July 20th opening in Georgetown of the “Bring Our Families Home Campaign,” a black-and-white art exhibit of 18 American prisoners or hostages held by foreign powers. Photo by Patrick G. Ryan.

Metro buses at 30th & M Streets NW. Georgetowner photo.

Innocents at Risk Founder, Deborah Sigmund, Dies

BY KATE OCZYPOK

Child advocacy non-profit Innocents at Risk founder Deborah “Debbie” Sigmund passed away unexpectedly Jan. 5, leaving behind a legacy of giving back to the wider community through her tireless charity work and philanthropy.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, she was 71 and had suffered medical problems for several years.

Innocents at Risk was Sigmund’s brainchild after she learned about human trafficking during a 2003 trip to Europe. Horrified as a mother, Sigmund felt she needed to do something. She spoke to non-profits and visited the United Nations to hear about efforts to combat human trafficking. She spoke with singer Ricky Martin and his own children’s rights non-profit The Ricky Martin Foundation. She visited Queen Silvia of Sweden who had been working on the issue since 1996.

From the U.S. State Department, Sigmund learned about the pressing need to create awareness about human trafficking and child advocacy. She gathered her circle of friends and they quickly agreed to help. As a result, Innocents at Risk was formed as a 501(c) (3) in 2005. The organization is endorsed by The State Department for efforts to save the millions of women and children trafficked annually worldwide. You can find out more about Innocents at Risk and Sigmund’s efforts at: https://www.innocentsatrisk.org/.

“Debbie was beautiful inside and out,” Kandie Stroud, president of Stroud and Associates LLC, told The Georgetowner. “Her smile lit up a room. Her generosity of spirit, her kindness and commitment to the community were boundless. She passionately supported the Washington Ballet and was a champion

in the fight to prevent child trafficking. She was devoted to her children and her friends who adored her, loved a good party and never missed an opening night.”

Sigmund’s life did have some public drama, not by any fault of her own. Donald Sigmund, who was married to Deborah for 17 years until spring 2001 — they remarried later — was the target of a pipe bomb planted under the driver’s seat of his Chevy Blazer. His son Wright, then 21, ended up being the victim. He had to endure over 25 skin graft surgeries and a variety of operations. After the incident, Wright’s half-brother Prescott “Scott” Sigmund, disappeared, leaving a wife and two sons behind. He fled to Montana, living under an assumed identity. Eventually, he turned himself in to authorities after the TV show “America’s Most Wanted” broadcast his name and photo. He was sentenced to 32 years in prison for attempting to kill his father.

In addition to her tireless work with Innocents at Risk, Sigmund was a 17-year board member of the Washington Ballet. She and her husband Donald were philanthropists for the Kennedy Center for years.

NEWS BYTES

BY PEGGY SANDS

MIDBLOCK CROSSWALK COMING TO M STREET

The long block of shops on both sides of 3200 M St. NW between Wisconsin Ave. and Potomac Street has long been a frequent site of dangerous jaywalking between four lanes of moving and parked cars. Now the DC Department of Transportation is planning to establish a cross walk about mid-block.

GEORGETOWN VILLAGE HAS MOVED TO LARGE NEW HOME ON 35TH STREET

Georgetown’s growing senior activities and support organization moved in early January

Edward Weidenfeld (1943-2022)

BY KATE OCZYPOK

With a resume that is impressive for even the most seasoned of Washingtonians, Edward L. Weidenfeld worked for six presidents and founded his own law firm, Weidenfeld Law Firm, P.C. He was often seen as the living embodiment of public service, having served on positions at both the national and international levels. He passed away last week at the age of 79 from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

He received his law degree from Columbia Law School and his bachelor of science degree from the University of Wisconsin. He was also elected a lifetime member of the American Law Institute.

Weidenfeld was especially fond of President Ronald Reagan, a man he admired both personally and politically. Weidenfeld was general counsel to the Reagan 1980 presidential campaign. Sheila Rabb Weidenfeld, his wife of over 50 years, was press secretary to former first lady Betty Ford and hosted the TV show “Panorama.” The couple called Georgetown home since 1971 and lived mostly recently on Q Street.

In addition to his work with Reagan, Weidenfeld held advisory positions on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships and the Council of the Administrative Conference of the U.S. He was co-counsel to the Democracy Project, which eventually designed the National Endowment for Democracy. Weidenfeld helped with the return of Major League Baseball to Cuba in 1999 and before that, negotiated the first free exchange between the U.S. media and the Soviet news agency. He also represented the government of South Africa following the election of President Nelson Mandela.

“Ed was a mentor to so many,” said Georgetowner publisher Sonya Bernhardt of Weidenfeld. “Often, we met for lunch at one

of his favorite places, the Metropolitan Club, where he encouraged and advised me. Ed had a lot of difficult health issues but never stopped being the optimistic, positive guy he always was. And like so many, my heart is broken for him and his family.”

In his later years, Weidenfeld was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He turned to something he admittedly knew little about — medical marijuana — to relieve symptoms like tremors and anxiety. He told The Georgetowner that while he had regular medication, cannabis addressed and augmented things that medicine couldn’t treat.

He ended up founding District Cannabis along with Andras Kirschner, who founded an 80-acre organic vegetable farm in Vermont and later relocated to California to work with and train other cannabis cultivators. Weidenfeld, along with Kirschner, made it their mission to grow the cleanest, most effective medicine possible.

“All of that, I suppose, that’s not bad for a guy that grew up in a small town in the Midwest, in Akron,” Weidenfeld told the Georgetowner’s late Gary Tischler in 2019.

to a large, accessible multi-room meeting and operational center at the former Fillmore School at 1801 35th Street. “The move to this fabulous area to spend time, socialize and relax is thanks to the generosity of the S&R Evermay Foundation and the assistance of our community,” Georgetown Village organizers wrote. An open house is being planned once furnishings and the move of the village’s medical equipment lending center is complete.

FREE BUS SERVICE IN D.C. TO BEGIN IN JULY

The plan for free bus service for any D.C. residents and visitors who initiate their rides in the District seems to be on track for summer 2023. Trips originating outside D.C. will still require a fare, and the Circulator bus system run by the DC Department of Transportation will continue to charge one dollar.

DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL ARTS BOARD CONTESTS FULL CONTROL BY BOWSER ADMINISTRATION

2023 will see the finalization of a dispute in the five-year round of contract negotiations between DC Public Schools and the board of trustees of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts on 35th and R St. NW. DCPS

Chancellor Lewis Ferebee announced in 2022 that DCPS planned to assume total control of the dual academic/arts school, managed since its founding as two semi-autonomous entities. between DC Public Schools and the board of trustees of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts on 35th and R St. NW. DCPS

Chancellor Lewis Ferebee announced in 2022 that DCPS planned to assume total control of the dual academic/arts school, managed since its founding as two semi-autonomous entities.

Duke Ellington School.

Deborah Sigmund. Photo MSNBC.

Ed Weidenfeld. Family photo.

The Year of the Georgetown Renaissance

BY JOE STERNLIEB, GEORGETOWN BID CEO & PRESIDENT

It has been a bright start to 2023, as our 8th edition of Georgetown GLOW continues to light up the commercial district through January 22. Visit georgetownglowdc.com for a map and walk the 0.7 mile loop to see all five light art installations – from a 16-foot tall series of illuminated tubes that cascade down a building’s façade to create the effect of a waterfall, to six gigantic butterflies illuminating a historic church lawn, and a series of swings suspended from three glowing cloud structures in an alleyway.

Georgetown French Market, another BID signature event, will be returning April 28-30 for its 20th anniversary. Save the date for the popular open-air market in Book Hill. That same week, Georgetown Heritage will also host its second annual C&O Canal celebration and fundraiser; stay tuned for ticket information, and more details on upcoming boat programming.

We’re looking forward to another very active year on the leasing front, following 35 openings in 2022 – 10 more than the previous year. In the next three months, we expect Alkova, Maman, Tiachi Bubble Tea, GlossLab, Blank Street Coffee, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Everbody, and Hitched to all open. District Doughnut will also reopen in a new location on M Street, in the original sweetgreen building.

As you’ve likely observed, Georgetown is experiencing a true restaurant renaissance. Washingtonian recently named Georgetown

the “in” neighborhood for dining in 2023, and several restaurant experts said Georgetown was their favorite neighborhood to eat in over the past year. The buzz is thanks, in part, to Stephen Starr and Nancy Silverton’s plans for an Italian market and restaurant in the former Dean & DeLuca space that is expected to open at the end of the year, as well the recent openings of Levantine café Yellow, and L’Avant-Garde, among other foodie favorites.

Newsworthy restaurant and retail openings have contributed to an increase in visitors, as Georgetown welcomed 12.7 million people in 2022 – a 6% increase over 2021. One of the ways we can continue comfortably accommodating Georgetown visitors, employees and residents alike is through our streatery and sidewalk extension program (otherwise known as the Georgetown Decks), which will continue to run through 2023. DDOT is also kicking off an access and circulation study, which will pave the way for longer-term improvements to Georgetown’s public space.

If we’ve learned anything over the past couple of years, it’s to expect the unexpected. That being said, we’re as excited as we’ve ever been about Georgetown’s evolution, and the momentum we have for the year ahead. We look forward to seeing everyone in Georgetown, and our continued partnership with so many of you.

For more on upcoming events and commercial district news, visit georgetowndc.com and sign up for our weekly BIDness newsletter.

D.C.’s Red Flag Gun Law

It is difficult to imagine anything more frightful or tragic than having one’s own child murdered at school by a gunman who signaled his intentions publicly before the deed.

Increasingly teenagers are committing suicide, most often with a gun. “Most of the time we know the gunmen in a case of violence here in D.C.,” said Police Chief Robert Contee recently. It’s as astonishing as it is heartbreaking that in almost every case of school shooting, the murderer turns out to be a young man who was known as “troubled.” Almost always family and friends suspected.

Law enforcement needs help from the public before an incident occurs. And, there’s one way to help: the red flag gun law. It allows family members, neighbors, professional counselors and police to privately notify law enforcement of their concerns about a troubled person they know with a gun. That can trigger a judge to immediately review the problem and to issue a warrant to seize that person’s gun or guns temporarily for hours, days, weeks or months.

The crucial need for red flag gun laws was recognized after the horror experienced by parents of a disturbed adult child in Los Angeles in 2014 when he told them he was headed to Santa Barbara to kill students at the university where he had been rejected. They frantically called police in Santa Barbara to stop his car.

But the police said they couldn’t do anything unless he committed a crime. That afternoon on May 23, 2014, the young man killed six people and wounded 13 students in UCSB’S college town Isla Vista by shooting through the open window of his car. Two years later California passed a state-wide red flag gun law. This summer in 2022, Santa Barbara Congressman Salud Carbajal introduced national red flag gun law legislation in Congress.

“School shooters only hide their intentions from those who aren’t looking,” wrote Wall Street Journal columnist Holman W. Jenkins Jr. on May 28. Red flag laws are there for that. But they are rarely used. Maybe they’re almost too personal. Maybe friends don’t want to be seen as a “snitch.” Families often think they can handle it themselves. Some see red flag laws as “disproportionately hurting the poor and people of color.” Some don’t want to see private guns taken away by the government no matter what the reason. And many people – most perhaps –don’t want to get involved.

But we have to be first responders. Think of it as “if you know something, say something.” If you’re concerned about a family member or a colleague with a gun, you can fill out an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) online at dc.gov and help prevent another tragedy. Do it!

Accountability for The Year Ahead

BY BROOKE PINTO

Following her confirmation as Chairwoman for the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety on the D.C. Council, Ward 2 Council Member Brooke Pinto issued the following statement:

I am honored to serve as the Chairwoman for the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety.

Every resident deserves to be and feel safe in their home and community. I am extremely concerned by the high rate of gun violence in communities across the District. I believe we can have a safe society and a just society. Thus, I intend to continue to be a close partner with our new Attorney General, the executive, our hard-working Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, our public defender service, and our criminal justice advocacy community to advance laws and policies that enhance public safety.

The District has a responsibility to provide each and every one of our residents with the support and tools they need to succeed. I am eager to build on the years of work by the executive and the Council to identify and address those service gaps, with a focus on meeting residents where they are and providing them with critical, tailored support -- preventing crime before it happens.

As Chairwoman of the Committee, I am committed to moving forward these critical goals. While many additional areas of focus will develop through partnerships and collaboration over the coming months, I am focused on the following three areas:

ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE COURT SYSTEM

• Working with our first responders to ensure they have the resources and tools they need to quickly and effectively respond to incidents of crime and emergencies, investigate and close cases, and support the community to prevent crime before it occurs;

• Reforming the Office of Unified

Communications to reduce emergency call response times and dispatcher errors;

• Increasing safety at the District’s parks and schools;

• Exercising critical oversight of the new Forensic Science and Public Health Laboratory to ensure the District has an accredited, reliable forensics lab;

• Coordinating with the Committee on Transportation and the Environment to enhance safety for residents, especially women and LGBTQIA+ residents, on public transit;

• Providing support for the District’s court system to ensure full staffing and accessibility;

IMPROVING SUPPORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES

• Creating hospitality-sector and STEM job training programs for returning citizens and underserved youth;

• Establishing health-focused nutrition standards for meals and other food offerings at the DC Jail;

• Increasing coordination between our public safety sector agencies and restorative justice workers to enhance the effectiveness of violence interruptions services;

DEVELOPING INTERAGENCY AND CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS

• Facilitating and increasing coordination between MPD and other District agencies on responsibilities that have been transitioned from public safety officers to other service providers;

• Enhancing mental health supports for public safety officers;

• Accelerating work at HSEMA on climatebased emergency preparedness, including energy grid resiliency, emergency preparedness, and flood planning.”

Letter to the Editor

I was appalled to read the recent “Letter to the Editor” from The Grinch (“Larry”), whose abrasive and adversarial tone was entirely unworthy of your invaluable newspaper, not to mention very inappropriate in this season of Thanksgiving!

I, for one, admire and respect the dedication The Georgetowner has shown towards providing

news to this community and am thankful to have such interesting and pertinent news brought to us on a regular basis. Thank you for all that you do. Happy Holidays!

Dear Editor and Staff Members,

— Anonymous Fan of The Georgetowner

Photo by Jeff Malet.

Exclusive Interview: Shirley Kwan-Hui on Protecting Consumers & Licensing Businesses

BY CHRISTOPHER JONES

There’s a new consumer-protection czar in town. And her skills and life experience are poised to help safeguard D.C. residents and visitors while ensuring safe and successful business practices in the nation’s capital.

Shirley Kwan-Hui, interim director of one of the District’s newest agencies, the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) – created in October 2022 along with the Department of Buildings (DOB) following the splitting of D.C.’s largest agency, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) – knows how it feels to be an unprotected consumer, but understands the data-driven tools government can use to safeguard citizens’ lives while streamlining licensing requirements for businesses.

The Georgetowner spoke with Interim Director Kwan-Hui about her leadership vision, objectives, and the significance of the DLCP to people’s daily lives.

Kwan-Hui’s background story helps explain her empathetic approach. “I immigrated to the U.S. from Hong Kong at 11-years-old and lived in a one-bedroom apartment in New York [City] with eight people including my grandparents,” she said in a DCRA interview. “So, I was already becoming the main translator for my family as soon as I stepped foot in the U.S.” she told The Georgetowner. Just “navigating all the government services” opened her eyes to the challenges of language and cultural barriers. “I know that when both of my parents lost their jobs, we actually had to find pennies in the apartment to buy food because we didn’t know that we could apply for food stamps.”

“You know, there’s a lot of fear involved,” Kwan-Hui said. “...Even with the food stamps, we didn’t know if that was going to affect our citizenship application or our status. What would people think about us?”

Later, during the pandemic, her father lost his job and tried to start a new entrepreneurial business in New York, but it “didn’t pan out.”

So, Kwan-Hui emphasized, “I understand from the standpoint of getting licensed, and getting the government services, the access, the education – outreach is so important.”

Today, the DLCP regulates the licenses of over 58,000 businesses in the District and KwanHui is trying to improve how it’s done.

After earning a finance and business management degree from Binghamton University in New York, Kwan-Hui rose quickly in the professional world, serving as a senior accountant at Mellon Bank and as an

administrator at Deutsche Bank.

But a public service career was more to her liking. In college, despite her “shyness,” Kwan-Hui took on the leadership of the Asian Student Union, inspired by seeing Asian workers’ struggles for decent working conditions.

So, around 2008, Kwan-Hui came to D.C. and found a story-book opportunity. “I didn’t know a lot of people [in D.C.], because I just relocated here… but I heard about this wonderful job fair at the Convention Center,

“DC One-Stop Business Portal.” The online checklist system, now in its beta testing phase, will be the product of collaborative work across “a dozen other agencies to start to connect their systems to this new portal to speed up processes and create a better experience.”

“We aspire to make D.C #1 in the nation to launch a business where entrepreneurs can start and maintain a business seamlessly,” DLCP recently announced.

But, just having a one-stop portal is not enough. Kwan-Hui wants to ensure that every D.C. resident and business owner can navigate simply through the licensing process. “I want to make sure we do a lot of outreach to all District residents and businesses, especially those whose first language might not primarily be English and those who might use sign language,” she said, stressing that under her leadership the agency will be looking for “ways to help them navigate the licensing

requirements… because the process can really be a make-or-break [experience] for a family making a living.”

It’s also important for larger businesses to be able to navigate compliance, Kwan-Hui emphasized. “Big corporations provide jobs and support for the community as well.”

“But I don’t think our role should just be limited to helping our customers with licensing and compliance. We want to make sure we connect people with our sister agencies’ efforts, maybe through grants, maybe some other opportunities, like free legal services… so they cannot only start their businesses, but sustain their businesses… For me, our role at DLCP is how we help businesses and consumers thrive.”

from Mayor Fenty, and I walked in. And when I left, I had a conditional offer to work with the Chief Technology Officer for the District,” she recalled.

Soon, Kwan-Hui had her finger on the pulse of data-driven solutions to governance in the District. She became a Program Analyst for Agency Performance managing data analysis to improve the success of city agencies. Then a TechStat Program Analyst where she led strategic planning and policy development. Then Chief of Staff for the Department of For-hire Vehicles (DFV) where she led the transition to digital cab meters “before any other capital city in the U.S.” Then she rose to deputy director of the massive DCRA.

So, when Mayor Bowser needed an interim director for the new DLCP late last year, Kwan-Hui was the obvious choice.

One of Kwan-Hui’s first orders-of-business at the new DLCP has been to streamline the business licensing process with a new

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

GLOW FLOW Fitness Classes

Jan. 12, 19, 6-7:00 p.m. 2904 M St. NW. Join the Georgetown BID for a fun-filled evening of glowin-the-dark fitness and fun, featuring Pilates and yoga classes taught by local studio instructors. For more info go to Georgetownglowdc.com.

Next Meeting: Commission of Fine Art

Jan. 19, 9:00 a.m. 401 F Street NW, Suite 312. Filing Deadline: Jan. 5.

Georgetown GLOW

Through Jan. 22, 5-10:00 p.m. Georgetown BID. Experience the magic of light at GLOW in Georgetown, the region’s only curated outdoor public light art experience set against the backdrop of D.C.’s oldest neighborhood. For more info go to Georgetownglowdc.com.

Board Interest Happy Hour at Clubhouse DC. Jan. 26, 6-8:00 p.m. Georgetown Main Street. Are you interested in joining the GMS Board of Directors? Meet current board members and learn about GMS’s 2023 initiatives. RSVP to rachel@ georgetownmainstreet.com.

Next Meeting: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m. See Anc2e.com for virtual meeting agenda.

Next Meeting: Old Georgetown Board Feb. 2, 9:00 a.m.

401 F Street NW, Suite 312. Filing Deadline: Jan. 19.

From the Archives with Love Feb. 11, 1-2:30 p.m.

Tudor Place, 1644 31 St. NW. Explore the history of Valentine’s Day cards through Tudor Place’s collection. For more info see Tudorplace.org.

VISIT GEORGETOWNER.COM FOR THE FULL ARTICLE.

Shirley Kwan-Hui, interim director of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.

Man, Machine, and God:

Ignatius Forum Examines High-Tech Threats to National Security

BY JAN SMITH

Alarm bells rang from the highest point in Washington after a recent Ignatius Forum -Man, Machine, and God -- at the Washington National Cathedral. National security is at stake: The United States lags behind China in many areas of high-tech development.

The forum, held on November 16 in the Cathedral’s nave, examined the acceleration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications around the globe by competing powers, the values that should guide the accelerating high-tech competition and the needed human checks against the dangers posed.

Hosted by Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith, David Ignatius of The Washington Post and Judge Amy Ignatius (of New Hampshire), the forum speakers included former Secretary of

Eric Schmidt outlined the high-tech competition between the United States and China: “China today… has four times as many engineers as the United States. Their industrial model is different. They use something called civil-military fusion. So their tech companies do both military and civilian work. They have a program called Made in China 2025 where

their goal is to make everything themselves… They have something called dual circulation, which means that they want to become less dependent on us and sell us more. In other words, have us be more dependent on them.”

“I can tell you that China’s ahead in communications, electronics... finance of one kind or another [and] surveillance,” Schmidt continued. We are slightly ahead in AI and slightly ahead in quantum [computing], and we are slightly ahead in biology.… And by the way, they’re ahead in new energy. So, all those nice electronic vehicles everyone’s using, they’re all basically made from parts from China and nowhere else. So, we’re very dependent on China and we’re also competing with them.”

Neuberger added, “When we compete with China, we’re not only competing on technology, were competing on technology combined with our values, our values that say we’re a democracy, we value civil liberties, we value privacy. And even as we seek to make use of large-scale data and the related models, we believe that can be done in a way that reflects those same values.”

Schmidt said the United States needs to be better prepared with high-tech defense tools and that the U.S. does not have a willingness problem, it has a bureaucracy problem. He added, “China has missiles that are much faster than the ones we have -- they’re called hypersonic. That’s a problem. We need to address that. So I think the way to do this

Deputy National Security Advisor Anne

State Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and chairman of the former National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence; Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology; Debo Olaosebikan, CEO of Kepler Compute, and Dr. Noreen Herzfeld, professor of Science and Religion at St. John’s University College of St. Benedict (Minnesota).

Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and chairman of the former National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence; Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology interviewed by David Ignatius of The Washington Post. Photos by Colin S. Johnson.

is to say to people that our opponents have invented some new ways of doing damage to us, and we have to have a concerted effort, to protect ourselves. Not all of these involve escalating the war. Sometimes they can be just better defensive systems, right? And I think that that’s all possible. The beauty of AI and software is it’s so much cheaper than an F-35 [stealth fighter aircraft]. You could have as many software people as I want the entire government to have in return for the cost of one F-35 of which we’re buying hundreds. So we have the money, it’s just not in the right place.”

Schmidt pointed to the Ukrainian’s successful use of technology against Russian

aggression: “It’s the first broadband war, and they’re using technology to defend themselves in very, very clever ways…. I would argue that drones will be more important than artillery because drones are more useful than artillery. They can see more and they can do the same thing artillery can. So why don’t we have a hundred? We have a hundred pieces of artillery in terms of [rounds per] soldier. Why don’t we have a hundred drones per soldier? That’s helping him or her do their work, be safe, see what’s going on and complete their mission.”

“I want us to win. And I’m very clear on that, Schmidt added as he discussed the tech-gap, “So in order to do that, we’ve got to

modernize our national security enterprise. And the national security people are very courageous, very smart people. [But], They’re trapped in an old system.”

Dr. Kissinger, in pre-recorded remarks, expressed hope that American and Chinese leaders will soon meet to set parameters on high-tech weaponry. He suggested the leaders say to one another, “We both have a lot of problems to discuss, but there’s one overriding problem, namely that you and I -- uniquely in history -- can destroy the world by our decisions, and…. it is impossible to achieve a unilateral advantage in this. So, we therefore should start with principle number one: we will not fight a high-tech war against each other.”

Asked by David Ignatius if he is optimistic that humans will ultimately control machines and artificial intelligence, Kissinger said

a technology [Artificial General Intelligence] that some believe will one day approach the level of human consciousness. “If we can create artificial intelligence, is it really intelligence if it does not include compassion and empathy?”

Dr. Noreen Herzfeld, Professor of Science and Religion at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict, also addressed the moral and spiritual dimensions of the issue: “We grow too soon technologically capable, but too late morally responsible…. As we look

dryly, “I retain my optimism in the sense that if we don’t solve it, it will literally destroy us.”

A big challenge is the need for multibillion-dollar outlays for new plants to make semiconductor chips which fuel the power of artificial intelligence. Most of these chips are made by Chinese neighbors. The founder of Kepler Compute, Debo Olaosebikan, says this must change. “Today we have one company, TSCM in Taiwan, that makes 90 percent of the most advanced chips that sell in the world today. There’s another very advanced... capability in South Korea.” Olaosebikan says his California company can provide next generation memory and CPU (central processing unit) chips based on ferroelectric material instead of silicon. “It becomes really important for us to think about how we bring that kind of capability here to the U.S. and create a little bit more balance. So, first you have this massive cost of advancing AI through the hardware. And then that turns into a geopolitical challenge and a national security challenge and a supply chain challenge.”

The Cathedral dean’s family is rooted in God and machines. Dean Randolph Hollerith’s great-grandfather was famous Georgetowner, engineer, and inventor Herman Hollerith (18601929) who founded the electromechanical tabulating machine company that became IBM. The Hollerith House at 1617 29th St NW, built in 1911, remains one of the most stately mansions in Georgetown. At the outset of the Ignatius Forum, Dean Hollerith asked about the theological and spiritual implications of

at our technologies, we somehow think they’ll solve our problems for us. But the root of the problems is in us. It’s in our desires. It’s in our fears and it’s in our longings. And it’s the religions of the world that are trying to help us get a handle on those fears and desires and longings. And we need to put our focus first there and then only secondly on technology.”

The Ignatius Forum, presented annually since 2008 at the Washington National Cathedral, brings leaders together to discuss world challenges. It honors Paul Ignatius, Secretary of the U.S. Navy from 1967-69, and the late Nancy Ignatius.

About the author: Jan Smith is an award winning freelance video journalist. She is a member of the Cathedral’s congregation involved with the oral history project for the Cathedral’s Racial Justice Task Force and is also chair of the RJTF’s program committee. https:// cathedral.org/about/leadership/jan-c-smith/

Learn more about AI at the Annual Conference: Assoc. for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Feb. 9 – 14. More details found at Aaai.org/Conferences/AAAI-23/.

AI art generated through DALL•E 2 using the prompt “‘A sea otter with a pearl earring’ by Johannes Vermeer.”

“I retain my optimisim in the sense that if we don’t solve it, it will literally destroy us.” — Dr. Henry Kissinger

“As we look at our technologies, we somehow think they’ll solve our problems for us. But the root of the problems is in us.” —

Dr. Noreen Hertzfeld

Dr. Noreen Herzfeld, Professor of Science and Religion at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict, addresses the moral and spiritual dimensions of high-tech with Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith, descendent of Herman Hollerith, developer of the data punch card and founder of IBM in Georgetown. (See plaque on building by C&O Canal at 31st Street.)

2022 BUSINESS INS & OUTS

BY ROBERT DEVANEY

INS

L’AVANT-GARDE

L’Avant-Garde, a contemporary brasserie by Fady Saba along with Michelin-starred chef Gilles Epié, opened in December at 2915 M St. NW. We agree: “L’Avant-Garde is an ode to Paris, where a sultry, high-energy atmosphere combines with pitch-perfect cuisine, classic cocktails and an extensive wine list. The menu is best described as exquisite simplicity.”

YELLOW CAFE

Yellow, a cafe from chef Michael Rafidi, opened last month at 1524 Wisconsin Ave. NW. They tell us “the sweet and savory pastries blend French technique and Middle Eastern flavors.”

SHOWFIELDS

Showfields opened at 3077 M St. NW in December in the former Brooks Brothers space as well as retail incubator, Concept 31/M space. Showfields calls itself “a lifestyle discovery store” and “the most interesting store in the world.”

HERBIVORE

An Indian restaurant — Herbivore — opened at 1639 Wisconsin Ave. NW in the former Pho Asian Bistro location on Book Hill in November.

DC TASTY CORNER

DC Tasty Corner opened at 3147 Dumbarton St. NW in the former District Chicken & Gyro location.

KABUL CASTLE KABOB

More Middle Eastern food at 28th & M: Sambosa, wraps, kabobs. Kabul Castle Kabob opened in November at 2801 M St. NW.

DIPTYQUE

Diptyque, the luxury French fragrance brand opened in October at 3273 M St. NW. It is best known for its high-priced candles but also offers eau de parfum and more.

LITTLE WORDS PROJECT

Little Words Project, the playful bracelet shop at 1246 Wisconsin Ave. NW, opened in October.

NAADAM

The world’s fairest cashmere, Naadam arrived at 3003 M St. NW in the former i-Thai restaurant space.

HOBO BAGS

The leather accessories brand, Hobo, opened in September at 1265 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

CLUBHOUSE

No kids allowed. Church, the former beer hall at 1070 Wisconsin Ave. NW, mophed into Clubhouse in August to a 23-and-up bar during the evening.

GLOSSIER

Glossier beauty brand opened its fifth location at 3065 M St. NW in the former Sephora location in July. The new store is inspired by the Jet Age and all things aviation.

PRESSED

The juice joint at 1300 Wisconsin Ave. NW opened in July in the former space of the Papyrus card store.

STORIE COLLECTIVE DESIGN FIRM

Storie Collective: Unique Kitchens & Baths opened in June at 1506 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

UPWEST

UpWest, a casual women’s clothing store, opened at 3110 M St. NW.

HATLEY

Hatley, on the opposite side of the Canal Square entrance, occupies the former space of the Dawn Price store at 3112 M St. NW and is best known for its PVC-free rain gear and cotton pajamas.

FETA CAFE AND BAKERY

Feta Cafe and Bakery opened at 2805 M St. NW. The location which previously housed Freshbee’s American Grill and, before that, Bibibop and a ShopHouse by Chipotle.

BITTY & BEAU’S COFFEE

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee opened its 24th store at 3207 M St. NW in April 30. The brand was launched by the Wright family to change the way people see people with disabilities, especially in the workplace.

BUCK MASON

The straightforward men’s wear and women’s wear store, Buck Mason set up shop in April at 3128 M St. NW.

FOUNTAIN INN

The Fountain Inn opened in March at 1659 Wisconsin Ave. NW with some serious whiskeys.

STICX

Aung Myint opened Sticx in March at 1728 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

WHOLE FOODS

After being closed for almost five years, the popular Whole Foods grocery store at 2323 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Glover Park re-opened in February.

OUTS

BERLINER

Auf wiedersehen to the Berliner, the German beer hall at 3401 Water St. NW. Co-owner Zubair Popal also runs Lutèce, at 1522 Wisconsin Ave. NW and Lapis on Columbia Road.

PETIT SOEUR

Pâtissier Ashleigh Pearson’s Wisconsin Avenue boutique, Petite Soeur, closed in October.

RICCARDI CLOTHIER

Riccardi Clothier, a men’s clothing shop founded in 1983, has closed at 1363 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

OFFICINA

Chef Nicholas Stefanelli closed his Officina popup in the former Via Umbria space at 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

TAÏM

Taïm, with its falafel, pitas, bowls at 1065 Wisconsin Ave. NW closed in May.

SCILLA & LUNA

The handcrafted goods store Scilla & Luna closed in May.

SARA’S MARKET

Sara’s Market at 3008 Q St. NW shut its doors in June after over 100 years.

CAPITAL ONE

The Georgetown branch of Capital One Bank at 1545 Wisconsin Ave. NW closed in May.

7-ELEVEN

Business owner Girma Hailu closed his 7-Eleven at 2617 P St. NW in May after decades working there with his wife Tsige “Chu-Chu” Sebsibe.

GEORGETOWN ALLURE

Georgetown Allure, the skincare medical spa at 3288 M St. NW, next to Pizza Paradiso, closed.

DULY NOTED

The cool, fun stationery store at 1355 Wisconsin Ave. NW moved out in May.

MINI ME BOUTIQUE

The charming shop at 3236 P St. NW, Mini Me Boutique shut its doors in May.

MICHAEL KORS

The stylish clothing store at 3105 M St. NW, Michael Kors departed and left a message on the door read: “It’s not goodbye … visit us at … Tysons Corner.”

AMAZON BOOK STORE

The Amazon Book Store at 3040 M St. NW closed, along with all 68 of its physical bookstores.

PIE SISTERS

The Pie Sisters closed the doors of their shop at 3423 M St. NW in February.

FLUEVOG

Fluevog, that cool Canadian shoe company, flew the coop from 1265 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

CB2

CB2, the contemporary home decor retailer from Crate & Barrel, at 3307 M St. NW, closed in February.

Seared branzino with duck foie gras, artichoke barigoule with poultry jus from L’Avant-Garde

Chef Maziar and brother Shahab Farivar

Auction Block

BY KATE OCZYPOK

A new year full of new items auctioned from Doyle, Christie’s, Weschler’s, Sotheby’s and Potomack Auctions. This month, a Tiffany flatware set sold for well over asking price, a baby grand piano sold for over $3,000 and more.

HINDMAN

ALEXANDER CALDER PAINTING

This Alexander Calder (1898-1976) painting sold for well over the asking price. “Butterfly and Shore Bird” was exhibited in Flint, Michigan at the Flint Institute of Art for “Alexander Calder: Mobiles, Stabiles, Gouaches and Drawings from the Michigan

Collections.” It ran February 20 through March 27, 1983.

Estimate: $40,000-$60,000 SOLD FOR: $93,750

WESCHLER’S

PETROF BABY GRAND PIANO

A Petrof ebonized baby grand piano sold for over $3,000. The piano comes with a builtin humidifier. Petrof is currently the largest producer of acoustic grand and upright pianos in Europe.

Estimate: $1,000-$2,000 SOLD FOR: $3,200

CHRISTIE’S

BOB THOMPSON’S “TREES AND RIVER”

Artist Bob Thompson’s (1936-1966) “Trees and River” signed and dated “B Thompson ’60.” The oil on canvas sold for almost three times its estimated value.

Estimate: $20,000-$30,000 SOLD FOR: $88,200

JANUARY 11, 2023 GMG, INC.

SOTHEBY’S

A PAIR OF SILVER-GILT AND SHADED ENAMEL CANDLESTICKS

The candlesticks in Russian style with varicolor foliate strapwork, shoulders applied with cockerels on chicken feet, hung with enameled bellflowers. The candlesticks bear a pseudo-Russian mark AT in oval.

Estimate: $4,000-$6,000 SOLD FOR: $10,710

DOYLE

TIFFANY STERLING SILVER OLYMPIAN FLATWARE

From the Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Collection, the Tiffany flatware set is comprised of dinner and lunch forks, fruit spoons, dessert spoons, gumbo soup spoons, a carving fork and more. The set sold for well over asking price.

Estimate: $7,000-$10,000 SOLD FOR: $15,120

POTOMACK AUCTIONS

HILDA SHAPIRO THORPE, AMERICAN 1920-2000, UNTITLED, OIL

ON CANVAS

The estimate for this painting by artist Hilda Shapiro Thorpe was estimated at just $500$700. It ended up selling for $24,000, setting a record for the artist and reflecting the resurgence of interest overall in her work and the Washington Color School. The movement got its start in the 1950s when a group of Washington artists got together, influenced by the “Color Field Painting” in New York.

Estimate: $500-$700 SOLD FOR: $24,000 (ACCORDING TO POTOMACK)

DC PREMIERE

Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell,

WESLEY HEIGHTS 4 3 1 $2,795,000 $2,795,000

GEORGETOWN 4 3 1 $2,695,000 $2,695,000

GEORGETOWN 4 3 1 $2,695,000 $2,695,000

GEORGETOWN 4 4 - $2,595,000 $2,500,000

GEORGETOWN 4 4 - $2,595,000 $2,500,000

CLEVELAND PARK 4 4 1 $2,395,000 $2,350,000

DUPONT CIRCLE 3 3 1 $2,495,000 $2,275,000

SPRING VALLEY - - 1 $2,150,000 $2,150,000

GEORGETOWN 4 4 1 $2,000,000 $2,100,000

GEORGETOWN 4 4 1 $2,000,000 $2,100,000

GLOVER PARK 5 4 1 $1,925,000 $1,915,000

TENLEYTOWN 3 3 - $1,895,000 $1,800,000 4020 Highwood Ct NW HILLANDALE 3 3 1 $1,695,000 $1,725,000 1734 Q St NW

DUPONT CIRCLE 4 4 1 $1,795,000 $1,650,000 5435 41st Pl NW

CHEVY CHASE 4 4 1 $1,665,000 $1,570,000 922 S Carolina Ave SE

CAPITOL HILL 3 1 1 $1,475,000 $1,405,000 1456 T St NW LOGAN 2 2 1 $1,299,000 $1,310,000 4500 38th St NW WAKEFIELD 3 2 - $1,275,000 $1,275,000 3530 W Pl NW

GLOVER PARK 3 2 1 $1,060,000 $1,060,000 4305 4th St NW

PETWORTH 4 3 1 $1,045,000 $1,010,000 835 Longfellow St NW

PETWORTH 5 4 1 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 2501 M St NW #702

CENTRAL 2 3 - $1,125,000 $950,000 2801 New Mexico Ave NW #703

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 2 2 1 $969,000 $940,000 1429 W St NW #3

U STREET CORRIDOR 2 2 - $1,049,000 $940,000 2801 New Mexico Ave NW #703

OBSERVATORY CIRCLE 2 2 1 $969,000 $940,000 2127 California St NW #305

2 - $899,000 $891,000

Where is an art exhibit by artists Hopper and Katz? (Hint: it is in a nearby city, NOT Washington, DC!)

A new floating structure that was the talk of the "town" last year

What local eatery did we feature in this month's issue?

Main title of latest Kitty Kelley review

Venue of recent Ignatius Forum in our cover story.

What type of liquor concierge opened on Pennsylvania Ave.?

Last name of council member with editorial in this month's issue.

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What phenomenon do many partake in during January that involves alcohol (or lack thereof?)

A new floating structure that was the talk of the "town" last year.

Main title of latest Kitty Kelley review.

What phenomenon do many partake in during January that involves alcohol (or lack thereof?)

First name of Kwan-Hui of the DLCP

What community rec center made some headway with its plans last year?

Hopper at the Whitney, Katz at the Guggenheim

BY RICHARD SELDEN

Now on view in Manhattan are major exhibitions of the work of two influential American artists, Edward Hopper (1882-1967) and Alex Katz (b. 1927). “Edward Hopper’s New York” is at the Whitney through March 5; “Alex Katz: Gathering” is at the Guggenheim through Feb. 20.

The two shows, about four miles apart, make for a stimulating comparison.

The prime years of Hopper and Katz bookended the decade or so — from the late 1940s to the early 1960s — when the turbulent, large-scale paintings of Abstract Expressionists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline dominated the contemporary art scene.

Hopper, committed to the quiet, realist compositions he had been producing since the 1920s, greatly resented the postwar eclipse of representation by abstraction. More than 40 years younger, Katz likewise scorned abstraction. In fact, the flat representational style he latched onto in the late 1950s hinted at the rise of Pop Art.

Equally stubborn about his personal style, the young and middle-aged Katz was less of a loner than Hopper. Several works on view at the Guggenheim — including a painting of a performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company, for which Katz designed many sets and costumes, and a standing “cutout” portrait of poet Frank O’Hara — illustrate his participation in New York’s 1960s bohemia.

But in both cases marriages of long standing were essential to their work. Hopper was married for 43 years, until his death, to artist Jo (short for Josephine) Nivison Hopper, the model for most of the women in his paintings — of whatever age and dress or undress. There’s no mistaking the woman in Katz’s portraits; in well over 200, she is his wife of soon-to-be 65

years, Bronx-born biologist Ada Del Moro.

Like a still from a movie starring Ada, “Blue Umbrella 2” of 1972, from a private collection, is the signature, bottom-of-the-ramp image of the Guggenheim show. Not only its composition but the rain, stylized as long white teardrops evenly spaced on a slant, references Japanese prints, one of Katz’s influences along with midcentury films and posters.

Among the other Adas in the exhibition: “Ada Ada” of 1959 (two identical small Adas in a blue dress on a bare white background); “The Black Dress” of 1960 (six adjacent Adas in different poses, with half of Katz’s portrait of poet James Schuyler on the wall); “Ada and Vincent” of 1967 (Ada’s face, partially blocked by the face of their 7-year-old son in her lap); “Departure (Ada)” of 2016 (six tiny identical Adas facing away from the viewer along the top of a solid green background); and “Ada Evening” of 2019 (Ada, lost in thought, holding her face in her left hand, a stream of gray hair at right).

What brings the show to life, and adds to its visual appeal in the Guggenheim’s helix, are a less familiar side of Katz: his flower portraits and landscapes. Raised in Queens, after attending Manhattan’s Cooper Union, Katz studied at Skowhegan in Maine, where he has spent summers since the 1950s in Lincolnville, a coastal town north of Rockport.

Hung next to “Ada and Vincent” is “Rose Bud,” a close-up of two blooms painted the same year. Other Katz portraits of people (mostly, but not only, Ada) are interspersed with portraits of flowers, and as one ascends landscapes appear, simplified in recent decades to the point of abstraction.

“Gold and Black 2” of 1993 is a breathtaking horizontal painting of five tree trunks, green leaves sprouting at the top, on a flat background of burnt gold. “Crosslight” of

2019, a patterning of white patches and flecks on forest green, is shown with two oil studies from the year before, one for “Crosslight” and one for “Crosslight 3.” Even larger abstract works drawn from nature are on view in the gallery at the top of the helix, including “Black Brook 16” of 2001, almost 30 feet long.

Born in the Hudson River village of Nyack, New York, Hopper, too, spent summers away from his Manhattan home and studio, on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Unlike the retrospective that filled the National Gallery of Art’s East Building in 2007, the Whitney exhibition focuses on his New York subjects, with thematic sections titled “Washington Square,” “The Theater” and so on. Though the Art Institute of Chicago did not lend “Nighthawks,” Hopper’s widely reproduced (and parodied) diner scene of 1942, such famous works as “Early Sunday Morning” of 1930, “New York Movie” of 1939 and “Office at Night” of 1940 are on view.

Jo Hopper, who died in 1968, left virtually all of her and Edward’s works to the Whitney, which mounts Hopper exhibitions regularly. What makes “Edward Hopper’s New York” unusual is the generous inclusion of watercolors, drawings and etchings and the debut of the Sanborn Hopper Archives, a newly catalogued collection of materials acquired by the Whitney in 2017. (The origins of this collection, its unavailability until recently to scholars and the circumstances of its acquisition by the museum are a matter of controversy, brought to renewed attention by Hopper biographer Gail Levin.)

Works on paper enrich the exhibition throughout. Easy to miss (so don’t!) is a gallery titled “Sketching New York.” Tucked

away past a corridor hung with three large drawings, it displays some 30 drawings in charcoal and chalk — including three preparatory drawings for “Nighthawks” — and a Central Park painting from a private collection, “Bridle Path” of 1939.

Several of the displays of Sanborn materials are knockouts. For instance: 24 issues of magazines such as Wells Fargo Messenger and Tavern Topics with covers designed by Hopper, a commercial artist during World War I and the 1920s; 63 theater ticket stubs, annotated by Jo, from the ’20s and ’30s (in 1936, an orchestra seat to see John Gielgud play “Hamlet” cost $3.30); and an exchange of letters between unsympathetic New York redevelopment czar Robert Moses and Hopper, when the Hoppers were fighting eviction by New York University.

Though the label doesn’t mention him (instead crediting Swiss photographer Rudy Burckhardt as the inspiration), there is a Hopper moment in “Alex Katz: Gathering.” Katz’s 1997 painting “Cornice,” showing the top corner of a brick building across from his SoHo home and studio, immediately brings Hopper to mind.

Now 95, Katz has been mainly concerned late in his life with painting the effects of light in nature. But he was long an important exponent of American art’s persistent realist branch, which was tugged into the 20th century by the Ashcan School painters. Who led that group? Robert Henri, teacher of both Edward and Jo Hopper.

“Edward Hopper’s New York” is at the Whitney through March 5; “Alex Katz: Gathering” is at the Guggenheim through Feb. 20.

Blue Umbrella 2,” 1972, in “Alex Katz: Gathering” exhibition at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Photo by Richard Selden.

“New York Movie,” 1939. Edward Hopper. Museum of Modern Art.

‘Shine,’ a Path to Stardom

REVIEWED BY KITTY KELLEY

’Tis the season, and January is the time for New Year’s resolutions. So, in that spirit, Larry Thompson, a Hollywood magnate, offers his book, “SHINE: A Powerful 4-Step Plan for Becoming a Star in Anything You Do.” Published in 2005, Thompson’s manual is an evergreen, he claims, and even more relevant for the new year of 2023. “If you’ll give me a few hours of your time,” he writes, “I will give you the knowledge to help you fulfill your dreams, and to rise and shine to meet your true destiny.” Snake oil sales pitch or road map to fulfilling dreams? You decide.

Thompson begins with his own story, growing up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, with a mother who urged him to leave home. “When you get educated,” Annie Thompson advised her son, “you’ve got to get out of this town ’cause [it’s] nothing but a graveyard with streetlights.” Like a stage mother (see the life stories of Gypsy Rose Lee, Shirley Temple, Elizabeth Taylor, Drew Barrymore, Brooke Shields, Dorothy Dandridge, Judy Garland, Groucho Marx), Larry Thompson’s mother pushed him. Pointing to the movie stars in Photoplay magazine, she said: “Now, they’re important. They have respect. I want you to go to Hollywood and be important like them.”

As further inspiration, Mama Thompson went to Memphis and bought a new dress, which she put in a box under her bed. “I’m saving that dress to wear when you invite me out to Hollywood to meet the Stars and to take me to the Academy Awards — on the night you win one.” Her dreams seeded his dreams. “I became driven,” he writes. “I developed the focus and the ambition and the high-level energy required to get there.”

Annie Thompson’s son left Mississippi at the age of 24 to live in California, where stars shine brightest. “Not only had I never been to California, but I had never met anyone who had ever been to California,” he recalls. Driving three days in a black Oldsmobile with maroon interior, Thompson arrived in Hollywood at 10 p.m. on a rainy night, exited the freeway onto Sunset Boulevard and reached the corner of Hollywood and Vine, where “I cried and cried and cried. I had arrived!”

Before beginning your ascent to stardom, Thompson recommends making a list of the great moments you’ve already had. He begins with his own, “The 150 Things I’ve done,” some of which are enviable, maddening and a couple gaspingly unbelievable:

No. 1: Sat on the deck of the Starship Enterprise with Captain Kirk.

No. 46: Made love in a royal balcony box at the La Scala Opera House in Milan.

No. 57: Witnessed the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Medjugorje in BosniaHerzegovina.

No. 114: Helped President Gerald Ford become a mule. (Webster’s defines a mule as a cross between a donkey and a horse. The urban dictionary defines a mule as a carrier of things for someone else, usually illegal drugs. Thompson doesn’t explain.)

No. 140: Was ticketed on the way to Palm Springs doing 117 miles per hour in a Corniche. No. 150: Became a multimillionaire along the way.

As you might expect of a Hollywood agent who’s managed the careers of “more than 200 stars,” there’s a heap of name-dropping: Elvis, Mama Cass, David Bowie, Peter Fonda, Tanya Tucker, Orson Welles, Drew Barrymore, Farrah Fawcett, Rene Russo, Mira Sorvino, Sylvester Stallone. You get the picture.

“Like wisdom and grace, Star quality is something you acquire,” Thompson writes. “A skill you can learn.” He defines and dissects the four elements of Stardom: Talent, Rage, Team, Luck, and provides a primer to each, complete with lists and exercises to do to become a Star. Using his own experience, he writes that Stardom is not an accident: “A drive will motivate you to move to L.A. or New York or Nashville. An Ambition will get you an agent. A passion will get you an acting job. A RAGE will make you a Star!”

Anyone who grows up feeling like an “outsider” or a “weirdo” has an edge. “There’s no one more likely to be a Star (Thompson always capitalizes Star) than someone who doesn’t fit in with the crowd.” Adversity helps. Growing up poor and impoverished in a broken family or learning to dodge bullets in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen ghetto, or being shuttled around foster homes with a begging bowl — each crippling experience bakes into the psyche the inspiration

and resilience needed for Stardom. Before beginning your ascent, the “Shine” meister advises: “Finding Your Team.” By this, he means deciding whether you’re a dog or a cat because you’re either one or the other. Cats, hard to get, are a bit mysterious with hidden agendas, and not totally forthcoming about anything and everything, and they let you get only so close. Dogs are uncomplicated. They adore you, they follow you. You tell them to sit, they sit. You tell them to heel, they heel.

Some in Thompson’s Star Kennel: Star Dogs — Star Cats

George W. Bush — Bill Clinton

Jay Leno — David Letterman

Tom Hanks — Angelina Jolie

Billy Crystal — Warren Beatty

For some, “Shine: A Powerful 4-Step Plan for Becoming a Star in Anything You do” might seem like a book of bromides — “Learn, Yearn, Burn, Discern.” “Dream Big” and “Don’t Give Up.” To others, it will become a bible that sits alongside “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz, M.D., who proved you can program your mind to achieve success and happiness, and Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.”

Whether you’re a star dog or a star cat, the New Year of 2023 is yours to SHINE.

Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” Her most recent books include “Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys” and “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.” She serves on the board of BIO (Biographers International Organization) and Washington Independent Review of Books, where this review originally appeared.

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