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GEORGETOWNER.COM
VOLUME 66 NUMBER 1
OCTOBER 9–22, 2019
Georgetown HIGH TECH
A LL O OO OK K A A TT PP A A LL A AN N TT II R R A AN ND D O O TT H H EE R RS S A B R O U H A H A OVER B A GEL S D .C . SEEK S T EN A N T F OR D E A N & DEL U C A SPA C E A R T G A LL ER I ES ON B OOK H I L L G E O R GET OW N ER Y EA R OF TH E SA PPH I R E
IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE
ABOUT THE COVER
Some of the staffers at the Palantir Georgetown office on Thomas Jefferson Street. Photo by Tony Powell.
NEWS · 4 - 6
Up & Coming Events Town Topics
PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Charlene Louis
COPY EDITOR Richard Selden
FEATURES EDITORS Ari Post Gary Tischler
DOWNTOWNER · 7
FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Lauretta McCoy
EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8
GRAPHIC DESIGN Dennis Belmont Elena Hutchinson
Downtown News
Editorial Georgetown’s Newspaper at 65
PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet Neshan Naltchayan Patrick G. Ryan
READER SURVEY · 9 THE VILLAGE · 10
Holy Trinity Refreshed, Ready for Founder’s Day
BURLEITH ASSOCIATION HOSTS FORUM ON PLAYING FIELDS
BUSINESS · 11
ADVERTISING Evelyn Keyes Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Peggy Sands CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Susan Bodiker Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Jack Evans Donna Evers Michelle Galler Stephanie Green Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Jody Kurash Shelia Moses Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer Mary Ann Treger
BY PEGGY SAN D S
Ins & Outs
Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans at the Oct. 7 meeting. Photo by Peggy Sands.
COVER · 12 - 13
High Tech Georgetown HOLY TRINITY CELEBRATES ITS 225TH
ARTS · 16
BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
New Shows at Georgetown Galleries
Holy Trinity students create a mural for the parish’s 225th anniversary. Georgetowner photo.
FOOD & WINE · 17 The Latest Dish Dining Guide
IN COUNTRY · 18 - 20
THE ACTRESS AT THE CENTER OF ‘DOUBT’
Amelia Island Country Calendar
BY GARY TISC H L ER
CLASSIFIEDS · 21
Sarah Marshall and Amelia Pedlow in “Doubt.” Photo by Teresa Wood. Courtesy Studio Theatre.
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1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2019.
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UP & COMING · 22 Event Calendar
FEATURE · 242
From a Dream to a Legacy
GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES · 25 - 26
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Social Scene Events
Staff Designer Troy Riemer sends his regards from Peru as we work to put another issue to bed. Photo by Troy Riemer 2 OCTOBER 9 2019
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TOWN TOPICS
NEWS
Fancy Bagel Shop Faces Smear of Success BY PEGGY SA NDS “We never in our wildest dreams thought we’d be so successful!” exclaimed Andrew Dana, founder and self-titled “Chief Dough Boy” of Call Your Mother, the “Jew-ish Deli” at 3301 Georgia Ave. NW. Son of a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, Dana, who grew up in D.C. with a mix of traditions — hence “Jew-ish” — created a menu of bagels with traditional and custom toppings that is attracting lines, often of 75 people or more, in front of his shop seven days a week. Call Your Mother was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Jewish Delis” in 2018. The deli’s Instagram account has almost 20,000 followers. Now it may be coming to Georgetown. On Oct. 3, the Georgetown-Burleith advisory neighborhood commission considered a request for a 10-year variance for the deli to occupy the ground floor of the former flower store at 3428
BE
O St. NW. The meeting quickly devolved into a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) dispute with a twist. This time, the neighbors didn’t want the business because it was too successful. The 34th Street building, known for its bright pink exterior (which Dana intends to maintain), is located across the street from Saxby’s, the coffee-shop hangout of generations of Georgetown University students and faculty members. Both establishments sit deep in the middle of a historic residential area known as “Holy Hill,” due to the proximity of the 230-year-old Jesuit university and Holy Trinity Church and School. And there’s the rub. The longtime owners of the mostly million-dollar-plus townhouses and homes in the neighborhood feel their patience has been tried enough by the growing university campus. They voiced heated concerns about the small space, with room for only 10 seats; the
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The building at 35th & O Streets, once occupied by Greenworks Florist, will remain pink and ready for Call Your Mother delicatessen. Georgetowner photo. lines of people that would make the sidewalks and one-way streets impassable; the piles of unsightly, cream cheese-smeared wrapping paper that would inevitably be stuffed into overflowing garbage bins, attracting packs of voracious rats; and the noise from dawn to dusk. Not good for property values. Dana countered with calm, happy scenarios of a millennial business serving healthy, fun food — such as candied salmon cream cheese, cucumber, shallots and micro radishes on a za’atar bagel — and committed to green
practices, including a vetted, well-paid staff getting health benefits and vacations. Garbage bins would be loaded with sealed bags only to the half-full point, emptied every day and cleaned every night. “It’s more expensive, but worth it,” he said. In addition, the deli would close daily at 3 p.m. so as not to impede children and neighbors coming home. But neighbor, banker and business activist Michael Savage wouldn’t have it. “This is not a little neighborhood bagel shop we’re talking about. This is a booming destination restaurant
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TOWN TOPICS that will attract people and tourists from all over the country, much like Georgetown Cupcake.” The irony was everywhere, however. Many of those who begged the ANC not to grant the variance wanted to see Call Your Mother in Georgetown. “We want you! My business organization is meeting next month to try to get businesses like yours into our empty stores on Wisconsin Avenue,” Savage said. “We need you! But not here in our residential neighborhood. Let us help you find a place on Wisconsin Avenue.” “We looked everywhere,” Dana replied. “But our average ticket is less than $10. We can’t afford a place on Wisconsin.” Commission Chairman Rick Murphy shook his head. “It’s time for a vote,” he said, indicating he would vote against the variance.
Commissioner Joe Gibbons agreed. Other commissioners frowned and pressed their lips. The audience leaned forward. Commissioner Elizabeth Miller broke the tension first. Speaking quietly and directly to Dana and chef Daniela Moreira — co-owners of Petworth’s popular Timber Pizza — she quietly lauded their entrepreneurialism and concerns for staff and product. “I just can’t stand in the way of that,” she said. And that seemed to turn the tide. The two student representatives, Anne Landre and Matias Burdman, related how excited students were to have such an eatery so close to campus. “Many of the residents in the neighborhood are students,” they reminded the commissioners. The vote was 6 to 2 in favor.
Right Tenant Sought for Former Dean & DeLuca BY PEGGY SA NDS “Dean & DeLuca closed much sooner than anticipated,” Ikeogu Imo of D.C.’s Department of General Services told commissioners and residents at the Oct. 3 meeting of the Georgetown-Burleith advisory neighborhood commission. “Now we’re working with various interested parties to fill the building, especially during the holiday season. But they must fit the spirit of the space.” The popular upscale food purveyor, which ceased operations on July 26, occupied the historic market building at 3276 M St. NW since 1993. A covenant requires the cityowned location, adjacent to the C&O Canal,
a minipark and a footbridge, to have a public market component. It could take 12 to 18 months to find the right long-term tenant, according to Imo, associate director of portfolio management at DGS. “But there are things that can be done in the interim.” Commissioners asked to be kept in the loop. Commissioner Lisa Palmer summed up the discussion, telling Imo: “We hope your takeaway here is that the community is very supportive of keeping the spirit of the property.”
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Ward 2 D.C. Council candidates: John Fanning, Jordan Grossman, Daniel Hernandez, Patrick Kennedy, Kishan Putta and Yilin Zhang. Photo by Peggy Sands.
Ward 2 Council Candidates Debate, Minus Evans BY PEGGY SAN D S
Six candidates who have put their hats in the ring for the Ward 2 seat on the D.C. Council — held for over 25 years by now beleaguered Jack Evans — debated a range of issues in a wellorganized and civil two-hour discussion on Sept. 26 at the Woman’s National Democratic Club, a former mansion on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and Q Street NW. Moderator Delvone Michael, executive director of DC Working Families, kept the candidates, seated on a stage in front of an audience of about 200, answering a smooth flow of questions about D.C.’s challenges in transportation, affordable housing, criminal justice and education. Many of the candidates had prepared remarks for each of the questions. As they spoke into handheld mics, their words appeared on a large screen behind them. They were strictly timed for their responses and most cooperated, even cutting themselves off in mid-sentence at times. Evans did not participate, as he has not yet declared his candidacy for the 2020 race. All six candidates — John Fanning, Jordan Grossman, Daniel Hernandez, Patrick Kennedy, Kishan Putta and Yilin Zhang — are participating in the District’s new public funds program, which provides matching dollars for those that the candidates raise individually from small donations (under $50). Three are currently elected commissioners of their advisory neighborhood commissions, including Putta, a first-term commissioner of the Georgetown-Burleith-Hillandale ANC (2E) who had formerly served on the Dupont
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Circle ANC (2B); Kennedy, vice chairperson of the Foggy Bottom-West End ANC (2A); and Fanning, current chairperson of the Logan Circle ANC (2F). Several of the candidates work in health and senior care, including Putta, Zhang and Grossman, a fifth-generation D.C. resident. Hernandez, a former Marine, is a Microsoft employee. Putta and Zhang are Americanborn children of immigrants from India and China respectively. All the candidates favorably contrasted their progressive records on social issues, like prevention and prosecution of hate crimes and advocacy for minority groups, with Evans’s focus on business and economic development. They spoke of their plans to address the issues of affordable housing, public safety, education and gentrification taking place in and around Ward 2. All pushed for expanded programs to help lower-income residents and workers who live in the District. Several of the candidates referred to the growing concern about Evans’s possible conflicts of interest, which remain under investigation. Most pledged not to have a second job if they were elected to the Council, which pays an annual salary of $140,000, and several said they would be one-term reps. With the primary elections less than a year away, on June 16, 2020, the candidates appeared to be well into campaign mode, with brochures, websites, campaign social media sites and donation and volunteer processes. Numerous campaign appearances are being planned for the coming weeks and months.
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TOWN TOPICS
NEWS BYTES BY PEGGY SA NDS A ND K AT E O C Z Y P O K
SMELL GAS? CALL 911
Gas leaks are nearly an everyday happening in Georgetown, mainly due to an almost 100-year-old pipe system that is slowly being replaced, explained Washington Gas officials at the Oct. 3 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E. The company has implemented speeded-up categorization and response procedures for reported leaks, promising that their service people won’t leave until they’re fixed. But the new players in the gas leak drama are firefighters. According to Fire and EMS Department officials, who spoke at the ANC meeting, fire stations throughout the District now have trained personnel to assess, shut off and otherwise deal with gas leaks. The takeaway: if you smell gas, go outside and call 911 first — then Washington Gas.
CANDIDATES ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE
On Sept. 19 and 20, a dozen presidential candidates headed to Georgetown University to have frank conversations about climate change. At Climate Forum 2020, which took place in Gaston Hall, each candidate took the mic for an hour to talk about his or her climate platform, then answered questions from students. The event was cosponsored by MSNBC, independent environmental newsletter Our Daily Planet and New York Magazine in collaboration with the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. Those who participated included Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang. Many candidates chose not to attend the forum, staying on the campaign trail instead. Among those who did not participate were: Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts); Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii); and former Vice President Joe Biden.
With fall weather here, Georgetown is expecting to see an increase in panhandlers and homeless encampments. Citizens Association of Georgetown, the Departments of Health and Human Services and other organizations and agencies. The Metropolitan Police Department has hired a specialist in homelessness. Encampments can be reported by calling the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services at 202-727-7973, initiating a process of assessment. Reports of persons in distress should be called into 911.
AGENCIES FOCUS ON PANHANDLING, HOMELESSNESS
The replacement of an almost 100-year-old pipe system is making gas leaks an everyday occurence. Courtesy Ed Segal.
With fall weather finally here and the prospect of colder, darker days, it is expected that Georgetown will see increasing numbers of panhandlers and encampments of homeless individuals. The two issues are not necessarily connected. “Most people who panhandle — which is legal in the District — are not homeless,” said Joe Sternlieb, CEO of the Georgetown Business Improvement District. “But they all need help.” In-depth conversations are being planned involving the BID, Georgetown Ministry Center, Friendship Place, the
Cultural Leadership Breakfast Thursday, October 17, 2019 8 to 9:30 a.m. 1310 Kitchen and Bar by Jenn Crovato 1310 Wisconsin Ave. NW Douglas E. Yeuell Executive Director Atlas Performing Arts Center
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Present at the center’s creation in a landmark movie theater, Doug Yeuell will describe how the Atlas, home to several resident arts organizations and the annual Intersections Festival, has been a key player in the rebirth of H Street NE. Admission is $25. To RSVP, email richard@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833.
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DOWNTOWNER
A challenge to the Trump Hotel’s liquor license was dismissed.
BY KATE OCZ Y P OK
MICHELIN GUIDE AWARDS D.C. RESTAURANT STARS
D.C.-area restaurants once again racked up Michelin Guide stars. There are returning favorites, like the Inn at Little Washington, which kept its three-star rating. In the twostar category were Minibar and Pineapple & Pearls. Among the restaurants newly receiving one star were Sushi Nakazawa and Maydan. However, three restaurants that many believe deserved one — Bad Saint, Del Mar and Little Serow — were left starless.
ANNABELLE TO REPLACE RESTAURANT NORA
Local restaurateur Ashok Bajaj bought famed, closed Restaurant Nora at 2132 Florida Ave. NW last year from Nora Pouillon. Bajaj hired former White House chef Frank Ruta to lead his new restaurant, Annabelle, which is expected to join the Dupont Circle scene later this year. However, there is some drama, since Ruta is being sued by his former employer at Mirabelle, Hakan Ilhan, for breach of contract, the Washington Business Journal reported.
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MENDELSON: MAYOR WANTS TO REPLACE ARTS BOARD
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said that Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to replace the entire board governing the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which is in the process of transitioning into an independent agency. Frustrated with Bowser’s actions regarding the commission, Mendelson believes the mayor is trying to obtain more control over the District’s arts infrastructure, DCist reported.
FUNDING GOAL IN SIGHT FOR FIRST ELEVATED PARK
Annabelle will replace Restaurant Nora near Dupont Circle.
TRUMP HOTEL LIQUOR LICENSE CHALLENGE DISMISSED
A challenge to the renewal of the liquor license for the Trump International Hotel at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW has been dismissed. The District’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board ruled that the eight people (including retired judges and religious leaders) who challenged the renewal — claiming that President Donald Trump lacked the requisite good character — did not have standing because five of them did not live or own property in D.C.
Locals are making progress on an effort to bridge the Anacostia River with “a space for healthy recreation, environmental education, and the arts.” Project leader Scott Kratz and others are working to raise $139 million to create D.C.’s first elevated park, the 11th Street Bridge Park. Half the funding is to come from the District and the other half from private sources. So far, $111.5 million has been secured.
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EDITORIAL
OPINION
CAG Update BY C H ERYL GR AY Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833
Georgetown’s Newspaper (Yours Truly) at 65 If you’re reading this page — in the traditional, still steadfast way of grasping it and its fellows in both hands — then you’re holding a copy of a publication now celebrating 65 years of writing, designing, printing, distribution and existence. You are holding a newspaper called The Georgetowner. It can be folded, pulled apart, laid aside or read closely, with or without glasses. It contains the work of many people — writers, editors, photographers, designers, salespersons — including news, opinions, advice, coverage of noteworthy events and profiles of noteworthy individuals. These days, that very circumstance is exceptional: the reading of a newspaper that is actually printed on paper. It speaks to durability and endurance. A t radition in Georgetow n and in Washington, D.C., The Georgetowner is a unique manifestation of an essential industry in our democracy, part of what the United States is all about. We like to think The Georgetowner has earned a place both in the memory of our readers and in their (your) current attention — despite growing recognition that newspapers, among other enterprises in this digital age, are a diminishing species, facing small and singular extinctions every day. But change is at the heart of what we in the media do. When Georgetowner founder Ami Stewart launched our business in 1954, it was a newspaper and a newspaper only, light to the
touch, easy to carry, to bring home, pick up from the stairs. It was not a part of your phone. Between then and now, newspapers embraced computers and desktop publishing. In the 1990s, they stumbled into the world of the internet. Times have changed. We are the sum of many more parts than we imagined 65 years ago. We are a newspaper, but also a website and a twice-weekly e-newsletter. We count our successes in “hits,” but also, still, in advertising dollars in the print publication, a permanent record of doings in and around Georgetown. We have persevered where others have faltered. This year, D.C. lost the Current newspapers, our competitors in the field of local news, and the Washington Post’s Metrostation handout, Express. Publishing and bringing to life The Georgetowner in its present form is a lively and, to us, an honorable enterprise. We think we’re special in terms of what we do, the stories in our arena of endeavor and the talented people who collaborate to tell them. We like to think we exist and persist for good reasons: tradition, to be sure, but also our deep roots in Georgetown and our role connecting it to itself. (Pick up a pen — oops, we meant to say pull up a keypad — and write a letter to the editor.) Sixty-five years later, we still feel like entrepreneurs, turning out, every other week, what you hold in your hands: The Georgetowner, yours truly.
If you could blow out our birthday candles, What would you wish for The Georgetowner and your community? YOUR OPINION MATTERS. Post your response. Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner
8 OCTOBER 9, 2019
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One of the joys of living in Georgetown is the number of young people in our midst. This was brought home to me on a recent afternoon stroll. I started at Hyde-Addison School, pausing to watch the kids climbing on their new playground equipment. A group of lively third-graders from Holy Trinity skipped by, out for a local field trip. Crossing the Georgetown University campus, I passed young adults heading to class and relaxing on the lawn. On Reservoir Road, students from Washington International School were getting out for the day, and a couple of blocks away the band at Duke Ellington School of the Arts was leaving the school in single file, playing a lively march. Wandering up to Trader Joe’s, I passed students from the British International School laughing and talking as they waited for transportation home. Returning down 35th Street, I stopped briefly to watch a spirited soccer game on the field at Georgetown Visitation. All the while I passed residents of all ages jogging, walking their dogs and pushing babies and toddlers in strollers. The bright sun threw lovely light on our historic houses and shady streets — a beautiful and energetic scene all around. Not only do these excellent schools bring young people to our neighborhood, but many families with young children are deciding to make Georgetown home. The
Citizens Association of Georgetown would like to support our young families. CAG is thinking through possible initiatives to connect them with each other, including dedicated social media groups and a revitalized program of Concerts in the Park. CAG is working with a core group of interested parents and looking for more volunteers to help with this effort. If you are a parent of young children living in Georgetown and are interested in connecting with others and helping develop a network of young families, please contact us by email at cagmail@cagtown.org. In honor of young families, CAG decided to kick off its fall community meetings at the newly renovated Hyde-Addison Elementary. I would like to thank Dr. Calvin Hooks, the school’s principal, for giving us an interesting overview of the school and showing us around the lovely new building. CAG’s next community meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Pinstripes, 1064 Wisconsin Avenue. The meeting, from 7 to 8 p.m., will follow a reception at 6:30 p.m. Attendees will hear from Georgetown Heritage about the newly revised design and restoration plans for the C&O Canal. In closing, I would like to heartily congratulate The Georgetowner on its 65th anniversary. We are fortunate to have such an interesting local paper serving our community, and CAG wishes the publication many more years of success! Cheryl Gray is president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown.
JACK EVANS REPORT
New Regulations for Electric Vehicles BY JAC K EVAN S In Georgetown, as well as in other parts of the city, scooters have been zipping down sidewalks and streets for the past two years. Maybe you’ve tried to ride a scooter to quickly get from point A to point B. Or maybe you’re someone who’s concerned that electric vehicles have few safety regulations. In the next month, the D.C. Council will consider a bill to address additional regulations for electric vehicles. The Council is considering many changes to the District’s transportation policy, specifically regarding the use of electric scooters and e-bikes. Mopeds have recently joined the electric vehicle ranks; however, this bill does not address mopeds. The Committee on Transportation and the Environment, of which I’m a member, will host a consequential hearing on these topics in early November. T he Elect r ic Mobilit y Dev ices Amendment Act of 2019 targets the use of electric scooters and other electric vehicles by establishing requirements for operators, such as: making sure scooters are placed in all eight wards, clearing scooters from the public right-of-way after 10 p.m., creating a 24-hour customer service line and requiring a photo ID to use an electric vehicle.
The bill would also ban the use of electric scooters between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. and set the speed limit at six mph on sidewalks and 15 mph on the street. But should they be permitted on the sidewalk at all? What do you think? The District Department of Transportation has been in charge of issuing permits to operators and overseeing the electric vehicle pilot program. This bill will deeply affect how DDOT regulates electric vehicles. Many of the regulations proposed in this legislation try to make sense of what is still a relatively new but widely used mode of transportation in the District. Change happens fast. It’s important to realize that electric vehicles — whether they be scooters, bikes or mopeds — are here to stay. However, I want to hear from you about how you think we should or shouldn’t be regulating them. The hearing for the Electric Mobility Devices Amendment Act of 2019 is on Monday, Nov. 4, at 11 a.m. in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building. I want to know what you think about this legislation. Email me at jevans@dccouncil.us. You can also sign up to testify by emailing abenjamin@dccouncil.us. Jack Evans is the District Council member for Ward 2, representing Georgetown and other neighborhoods since 1991.
THE GE ORGE TOWNE R RE ADE R SURVE Y WAYS TO RESPOND Mail: 1050 30th ST NW, Washington, D.C. 20007 • Email: editorial@georgetowner.com • Visit: Georgetowner.com
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3. INCLUDING YOURSELF, HOW MANY PEOPLE TYPICALLY READ OR LOOK THROUGH YOUR COPY OF THE GEORGETOWNER? A. One (self only) B. Two C. Three D. Four or more
4. INCLUDING YOURSELF, HOW MANY PEOPLE TYPICALLY READ OR LOOK THROUGH YOUR COPY OF THE GEORGETOWNER? A. Art & Culture B. Beauty & Fashion C. Business Ins & Outs D. Editorials/Letters to the editor E. Events calendar F. Food & Wine G. Local news/Politics/ANC activities H. Profiles of local personalities I. Real estate & urban development J. Restaurant reviews K. Technology L. Social Scene M. What’s new N. In Country O. Other ___________________________
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8. IF YOU SELECTED NO IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, WHY HAVE YOU NOT ATTENDED AN EVENT? A. Price B. Location C. Didn’t know about event D. Timing E. Other_____________________________
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11. WHAT IS YOUR GENDER? A. Male B. Female C. Transgender M/F D. Non-conforming E. Prefer not to say F. Other ____________________________
12. WHAT BEST DESCRIBES YOUR MARITAL STATUS? A. Single B. Married C. Partnered, living together
13. HOW MANY CHILDREN UNDER 18 ARE LIVING WITH YOU? A. None B. One C. More than one
14. WHAT IS YOUR RESIDENTIAL ZIP CODE? _____________________________________
15. WHAT WAS THE TOTAL INCOME OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD LAST YEAR?
21. WHAT IS YOUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION?
A. Under $100 K B. 100 K to $300 K C. $300 K to $500 K D. $500 K to $750 K E. $750 K to $1 million F. $1 million - $5 million G. $5 million+ H. Prefer not to say
A. High school B. Associate degree C. Bachelor’s degree D. Master’s degree F. PhD or Professional (medical, legal, etc)
16. HOW MANY RESIDENCES OR PROPERTIES DO YOU OWN? A. None B. 1 C. 2 D. 3 or more
17. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE? A. Bohemian B. Classic and elegant C. On trend and current D. Jeans casual E. A mix, depending upon day/occasion
18. ABOUT HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SPENT IN THE PAST YEAR ON THE FOLLOWING. Less than 1K • 1 to 5 K • 5 to 10 K • 10 K or more A. Art B. Beauty C. Bags & Shoes D. Charitable donations E. Clothing F. Cultural events & performances G. Jewelry H. Watches I. Restaurant meals J. Technology K. Travel
19. ABOUT HOW MUCH OF YOUR SHOPPING DO YOU DO ONLINE? A. Less than 10% B. 10-25% C. 25-50% D. More than 50%
20. FROM WHAT OTHER MEDIA (PRINT, ONLINE, BROADCAST) DO YOU GET YOUR NEWS OR ENTERTAINMENT? A. NYT B. Washington Post C. WSJ D. Politico E. The Hill F. Bisnow G. Washington Business Journal H. WTOP I. WAMU J. Fox News K. MSNBC L. CNN M. PBS N. ABC, CBS, NBC O. Specialty publications (Capitol File, Washington Life, Washingtonian) P. Other _____________________________
SPOILER ALERT: THE NEXT TWO ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF ALL! If you didn’t answer the previous questions in this survey, please take the time to answer these next two important questions. Newspapers cost money to print and deliver, so we want your help identifying potential advertisers or sponsors.
22. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WE COULD CONTACT TO ADVERTISE IN THE PAPER OR SPONSOR PARTS OF THE PAPER? HOW CAN WE CONTACT THEM, OR HOW CAN WE CONTACT YOU TO TALK ABOUT IT? 23. WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP MAKING THE GEORGETOWNER INTERESTING FOR YOU? HOW CAN WE TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS? LET US KNOW! To be entered into the drawing for a gift card and prizes, please enter your contact information below. Winners will be selected and contacted.
NAME_______ EMAIL_________ PHONE________
GMG, INC.
OCTOBER 9, 2019
9
THE VILLAGE
Always on Deadline: For The Georgetowner, the Future Is Now BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY
“All of us know we have a unique legacy — and today are in a unique situation to keep The Georgetowner moving forward,” says Sonya Bernhardt, owner and publisher of The Georgetowner, now in its 65th year and part of Georgetown Media Group. “That’s why in this anniversary issue, we are profiling Palantir and listing the high-tech companies of Georgetown, as we embrace new technology for the benefit of the newspaper.” Right now, she and her marketing team are working on a reader survey that appears in this issue — and will make delivering the news better. For more than 21 years, Bernhardt has owned this unique Washington, D.C., newspaper. She is the third owner and publisher, succeeding David Roffman and founder Ami Stewart. Today, The Georgetowner reflects a 21st-century stylish vibe and, as the publisher says, “the Georgetown lifestyle, focusing on the arts, history, real estate, education, dining, health, fashion and philanthropy.” But there’s much more: hyperlocal news as well as reports on business and D.C. government. With associate publisher Charlene Louis at her side, now in her 15th year, The Georgetowner
Dumbarton Concerts
reveals our wider world, while keeping tradition close. Among the staff, Bernhardt is eager to point out veteran writer Gary Tischler’s 40 years of arts and entertainment reviews and profiles. Tischler began writing long ago, for the Army and newspapers in northern California. Also, his obits are the stuff of legend. It was on Oct. 7, 1954, that Volume 1, Number 1 of The Georgetowner appeared. Founder Stewart, a formerly of the Washington Star, laid out the newspaper at Little Caledonia, once a famed home goods store on Wisconsin Avenue. Under Stewart and her right-hand woman Carol Stuart Watson, the newspaper grew with its news and profiles of a quieter time and include homespun ads of retail shops along Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. It was the younger Stuart before marrying, whose design talent, logos and drawings evoked those decades. She is the artist of the large antiquestyle map of Georgetown, created in 1959, that is still seen in some Georgetown homes today. The Georgetowner was on its way to becoming the newspaper whose “influence far exceeds its size” — a quote from fashion designer Pierre Cardin during a party. Check
MUSIC BY CANDLELIGHT 2019–2020 SEASON
the Georgetowner archives and see the story, written before the 1960 election season, on an N Street resident who was planning a run for president: Sen. John F. Kennedy. There are many more to be seen at the Georgetown Public Library’s Peabody Room in microfilm. Its director Jerry McCoy will be happy to find that certain story for you. Roffman, who took over upon Stewart’s passing in 1976, gave the newspaper his own flare, especially during the 1980s. The newspaper went from a sedate federalist look to a frenetic, lively cityscape with illustrations crammed with people enjoying the town’s restaurants and bars. By himself, Roffman swept the streets with an elephant vac, before the work of more formal non-profits. His team of writers and sales reps included his brother Randy Roffman. Roffman retired from the newspaper in 2009, but not before a couple of local awards that gathered influential neighbors and businesspersons. Only in Georgetown: a tribute for Roffman at Halcyon House with speeches by Sen. Charles Percy and Sen. Claiborne Pell. Today, The Georgetowner benefits from the talents of loyal writers and editors. We’ve already mentioned veteran writer Gary Tischler. Your humble writer here, as editorin-chief, has worked in journalism since his Georgetown University days, when he was head of the Georgetown Voice, moving to the Morristown Daily Record, U.S. News & World Report, Army Times and the Washington Times. More than a copy editor, Richard Selden directs arts coverage and coordinates the newspaper’s popular Cultural
Leadership Breakfasts. California transplant Peggy Sands covers local and D.C. news with tenacity. She says Georgetown is like her hometown Montecito in Santa Barbara. Longtime social scene writer Mary Bird, who worked at the State Department, continues to charm and write about galas and charity benefits. Author Kitty Kelley, an important supporter, offers readers her Kitty Kelley Book Club. Add to this, the stylish Lauretta McCoy and Allyson Burkhardt and photographers Philip Bermingham and Jeff Malet. And still there’s more in the staff box. With a readership of more than 50,000, The Georgetowner is mailed to 7,000-plus Georgetown residents and businesses. The newspapers’ distribution covers parts of D.C., Maryland and Virginia. And, of course, its web site contains all that is in the print product and additional stories and photos not seen in the paper — as it’s happening. So, as The Georgetowner celebrates its 65th birthday, it looks to its past, present and future. It is all there for you to read, both hard copy and digital. Visitwww.Georgetowner. com, and look for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Look for our survey and let us know what you think. The Georgetowner Newspaper Georgetown Media Group 1050 30th St. NW Washington, DC 20007 202-338-4833 editorial@georgetowner.com advertising@georgetowner.com
COMMUNITY CALENDAR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 | ROSE PARK FALL CELEBRATION
All are invited to Friends of Rose Park’s fall celebration, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 1601 31st St. NW. For details, visit roseparkdc.org.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15 | HONORARY DEGREE FOR KAHN FALL CONCERTS 2019
Michael Kahn, founding artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company, will receive an honorary degree from Georgetown University at 5 p.m. in Gaston Hall. A reception will follow.
Saturday, October 19 at 8pm
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 | DUMBARTON AT DUSK
Quartetto di Cremona: Italian Journey Program to include works by Boccherini, Respighi, Verdi, and Puccini.
Saturday, November 9 at 8pm
Mark G. Meadows & The Movement, featuring Rochelle Rice
Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St. NW, invites area residents to don Halloween costumes and attend its annual fall festival, benefitting the Red Cross. The free event, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., will feature live music, food, candy, a photo booth, pumpkin carving and a cash bar. For details, visit dumbartonhouse.org.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22 | CITIZENS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGETOWN
At the meeting, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Pinstripes, 1064 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Georgetown Heritage will give an update on the C&O Canal restoration project. The meeting will follow a reception at 6:30 p.m. For details, visit cagtown.org.
Saturday, December 7 at 4pm & 8pm
Danú: An Emerald Isle Christmas Celebrate the holidays with Danú — tickets on sale now!
ORDER TICKETS AT DUMBARTONCONCERTS.ORG 3133 Dumbarton Street NW Washington, DC 20007 • 202.965.2000
Monthly Food Drive Sunday, October 13 • 7:30am – 7:00pm Please bring in non-perishable food items for people who are homeless at the Fr. McKenna Center, which is our sister parish in DC. They particularly need spaghetti, cereal, and canned tuna. 10 OCTOBER 9, 2019
GMG, INC.
BUSINESS
INS & OUTS
COMING: CANDLE BAR (GET IT?)
BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY
IN: BRASSERIE LIBERTÉ ON PROSPECT ST.
Brasserie Liberté, a 250-seat restaurant, is set to open this month at 3251 Prospect St. NW. Owner and restaurateur Hakan Ilhan, known for Mirabelle, Al Dente and Ottoman Taverna, among others, jumped at the chance to take over the space left by Morton’s steakhouse, next to Cafe Milano. The executive chef is Jaryd Hearn, coming from Chicago’s award-winning Alinea; Richard Kaufman, formerly of 1789 Restaurant, is GM. Brasserie Liberté says its menu “will be comprised of classic dishes that incorporate traditional cooking techniques that pay tribute to the true flavors of French cuisine.” As for its look: “The 48-seat bar will be reminiscent of a French farmhouse with an ambience that is energetic, bold and comfortable. The 64-seat main dining room will offer a warm palette of pumpkin, crimson and rich navy. The space is anchored by a creamy white fireplace that evokes the shape of a Moroccan tagine.”
IN: L’ANNEXE COCKTAIL BAR ON M
L’Annexe is about to open at the former Unum address, 2917 M St. NW. The small cocktail bar/eatery is adjacent to a restaurant now being readied in the space that was home to Maxime Bistro and, earlier, the Guards.
IN: POINT CHAUD CAFE & CRÊPES
Point Chaud Cafe & Crêpes opened on Oct. 1 in the former Starbucks space at 2300 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Glover Park. With bistro tables, it offers sweet and savory crêpes, along with coffee and smoothies.
At the Georgetown Capital One Cafe grand opening on Sept. 28: Washington Wizards mascot, G-Wiz, with Capital One Engage Lead AndrewWinninger and Georgetown manager Samantha DeStasi. Photo by Robert Devaney.
The Candle Bar, a retailer that teaches customers how to make candles, will open soon in a 2,111-square-foot second-floor space at 1065 Wisconsin Ave. NW, above South Moon Under. The store will serve wine as amateur chandlers mix the scented wax to make their own individual products. Based in Nashville with two stores, the company is also in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and will be extending its East Coast footprint with new locations in Reston and Boston.
COMING: CHASE ON 3400 BLOCK OF M
But, wait, there are still more banks on the way. A small branch of Chase — as in JPMorgan Chase, America’s largest bank— is coming to 3407 M St. NW, along Regency Row. Already, a Chase bank is set for 3140 M St. NW, next to Capital One Café, and another is being constructed at the corner of Wisconsin and P. The P Street spot housed Neam’s Market, and later Marvelous Market, for years.
Friends of Town Hall restaurant at 2218 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Glover Park gathered on Sept. 29 for a final salute. “There have been many fond memories within these walls, and perhaps a few best left to posterity,” wrote the owners. “We want to thank our landlord for all their support over the years, and we will work with them to help establish a new operator and ensure a good fit for the neighborhood. We truly think there is a great opportunity here in Glover Park, but it’s time for someone else to take up the reins.”
MOVED: TUGOOH TOYS, ACROSS THE AVENUE
GRAND OPENING: CAPITAL ONE CAFÉ
Georgetown’s Capital One Café, situated at 3150 M St. NW, site of the legendary Nathans Restaurant, held a grand opening on Sept. 28 with free coffee, bagels, cupcakes and, later in the day, little hamburgers (swag bags, too). Besides the brews and sweets offered by its partner, Peet’s Coffee, the corner spot is a free co-working space, providing desks, couches, private nooks, meeting rooms, a conference table and free Wi-Fi. Anyone may use the amenities, not just Capital One clients.
OUT: TOWN HALL, AFTER 14 YEARS
Candle Bar comes to Washington, D.C.
OUT: FOREVER 21, IN CHAPTER 11
Forever 21, the fast-fashion retail empire beloved by younger shoppers, will close about 178 stores in the U.S. after filing for Chapter 11 protection. The retailer posted revenues of $3.3 billion in 2018, down from $4.4 billion in 2016, according to the New York Times. Among the closures: the Georgetown store at 3222 M St. NW and the downtown store in the former Woodies building at 1025 F St. NW.
OUT: G.T. QUALITY CLEANERS HAS FOLDED
Its demise had been suspected for some time, but now the cleaners at 34th and Prospect Streets is truly gone. No word yet on what’s coming from applicant Jemal’s Prospect LLC.
Formerly next to the Georgetown Theater property, Tugooh Toys has moved to 1426 Wisconsin Ave. NW, a space formerly occupied by sneaker shop Major, which had moved earlier into the 1415 Wisconsin space left by Appalachian Spring.
ANNIVERSARY: GEORGETOWN TOBACCO, STILL SMOKIN’ AT 55
Congratulations to David Berkebile, founder of Georgetown Tobacco at 3144 M St. NW, which is celebrating 55 years in Georgetown throughout the year. Berkebile, who established the business in 1964, is respected and loved within the Georgetown business community and in the neighborhood; a nicer guy and more sterling gentleman you could not meet. Knowledgeably and amiably staffed by David, VP Walter Gorski and others, the store is wellknown across the nation. To tobacco fanciers, its sights and smells are a true delight. Whether it be superlative cigars, elegant cuff links or beautiful Venetian masks, Berkebile deals in the best — and Georgetown has been the better for it all these decades. Thank you, David.
202.944.5000
WFP.COM
The NTB Group congratulates the Georgetowner for supporting and bringing our community together for over 65 years. – Nancy Taylor Bubes
GMG, INC.
OCTOBER 9, 2019
11
Georgetown HIGH TECH
BY STEPHANIE G REEN
Palantir CEO Alex Karp. Photo by Tony Powell.
12 OCTOBER 9, 2019
GMG, INC.
he first thing you see at the entrance of Palantir Technologies on Thomas Jefferson Street in Georgetown is an American flag flanking a life-sized Chewbacca, the hirsute hero of “Star Wars.” This image summarizes what inspires Palantir and the people who work here: a sense of mission and a sense of fun. Since moving to Georgetown from Northern Virginia in 2015, the uber-powerful data enterprise software firm has stayed mainly under the radar — but isn’t shy about loving its adopted neighborhood. With some 2,500 employees spread across the globe, Palantir is based in Silicon Valley, where it’s known as a top-tier “unicorn,” valued at as much as $40 billion by some estimates. The Palantir IPO is hotly anticipated by market observers, and the company’s every move (including its new contract) is scrutinized and, in some quarters, protested. Its client list includes a roster of international household names like Airbus and Merck, but its large government contracts, particularly with intelligence agencies, the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, are what give Palantir its sheen of intrigue — and its predilection for controversy. Earlier this year, Palantir beat out several competitors for an $800-million contract with the U.S. Army. Its software is known as a “killer app” for its ability to track behavior — stealthily monitoring criminals and terrorists, as it did in 2011, when it reportedly helped bring Osama bin Laden to his demise. This software is also tracing foodborne allergens, reducing health care costs and homelessness and busting child pornographers and sex traffickers. The company’s tagline is “Save the Shire,” which is emblazoned on its T-shirts, and on my visitor’s badge. This reference is inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings,” the shire being home to the hobbits, heroes of the stories. The company’s name — Palantir — is a sort of crystal ball or “seeing stone” in Tolkien’s mythology, a means to observe faraway events. We got a rare look inside Palantir’s Georgetown office, where we met an interesting cast of characters (or “Palantirians”), including Jason Richardson, a reliability lead whose three basset hounds — Maizy, Buck and Parcey — are never far behind. Palantirian average age is early 30-something, average IQ is well, well above average and average wardrobe is engineer chic — jeans and zip-up sweatshirts are the norm, even for CEO Alex Karp. Karp is the Han Solo of Palantir — part rebel, part leader, with an iconoclastic style
T
Palantir CEO Alex Karp with co-workers at the Georgetown office. Photo by Tony Powell. one commentator aptly described as “hipster mad scientist.” Besides Karp, Palantir’s co-founders are Peter Thiel, Nathan Gettings, Joe Lonsdale and Stephen Cohen. According to Karp, Palantir’s move to Georgetown was motivated in part by the company’s ability and desire to recruit young talent, the kind of workers who enjoy being closer to urban life and to the amenities Georgetown has to offer. Shannon Clark and Mary Walker take advantage of the pro-sneaker policy to walk to work every day through the parks of Georgetown. Clark brings her spaniel, Penny Lane, to hang with canine colleagues like Sybil, the mixed-breed of Lauren Schor, who works in Clark’s department. They idle in massive dog beds that can double as beanbags for more relaxed humans. Palantir’s D.C. nest, like the company’s others, bursts with Silicon Valley perks: a masseuse, a mediation room, a barber shop, a dry cleaner and a speakeasy room that hosts
regular beer tastings. Soundproof pods stand in the middle of the open floor plan like phone booths from outer space. A pool table and a superfluity of candy jars lend levity to the high-tech, high-stakes workspace. Baked & Wired cupcakes, a favorite with Karp, round out the three catered meals served in a cafeteria-style dining area. The dogs, too, get plenty of treats while they are lounging in the conference rooms, all named for national parks. Other rooms honor Founding Fathers. This is a company that takes its connection to serving the country, and its military, very seriously, employing more than 100 veterans. At one time, Silicon Valley was supportive of U.S. government and defense, but now, according to Karp, Silicon Valley is “telling the average American, ‘I will not support your defense needs,’ and then selling their products to countries that are adversarial to America,” as he told CNBC earlier this year. “We’re happy to be one of the only pro-
Tech Firms in Georgetown BY RIC HARD S E L DE N In addition to Palantir Technologies — which moved its East Coast branch from Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia to Georgetown in 2015 — more than a dozen technology companies have chosen to locate in Georgetown in recent years, making the historic neighborhood one of the metropolitan area’s emerging tech hubs. One of the largest, with some 50 employees and 2018 revenue of over $31 million, is Radius Networks, located at 3255 Grace St. NW. Specializing in proximity payment systems and mobile loyalty programs, Radius has retail, restaurant, hospitality and gaming clients in more than 46 countries.
Georgetown’s convenience to federal agencies and two major universities — as well as its ambiance and amenities, increasingly geared to a younger demographic — are key factors in its appeal. But innovation is in the neighborhood’s DNA. Here, on 35th Street, is where Alexander Graham Bell set up his Volta Laboratory and Bureau. A few blocks away, at what is now Canal Square, statistician Herman Hollerith established the Tabulating Machine Company, a predecessor of IBM. Since 2014, the nonprofit Halcyon, headquartered in Halcyon House on Prospect Street, has provided a base for young social entrepreneurs. An example of Halcyon
Herman Hollerith (Feb. 29, 1860 – Nov. 17, 1929) Lived in Georgetown, with a home on 29th Street and a business building at 31st Street and the C&O Canal, where today there is a commemorative plaque installed by IBM.
American companies in Silicon Valley, and we wonder why the others struggle to explain why they don’t support our troops, while we have no struggle explaining why we do,” he told us. “Internally, we have a lot of discourse about it,” says Richardson, meaning controversy. This summer, Palantir stared down an internal division when employees signed a letter asking Karp to reconsider another contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Nevertheless, the ICE contract was renewed, prompting protest groups to stage demonstrations outside Palantir offices in Palo Alto, in New York and even on Karp’s front porch. Karp told us he defends the protesters right to do so, just as the military personnel he supports defend our country, adding that he’d be open to meeting with the protesters if they could be fair and reasonable. “We’re incredibly motivated by the work we do,” says Walker. “We don’t ignore the criticism of those stories, but we don’t let it impact the good work we’re doing.”
Incubator’s impact: two Halcyon fellows who met through the program launched startup Hatch Apps, which raised $1.3 million in initial funding and opened an office near Farragut Square. A partial, alphabetical listing follows of other tech firms with Georgetown offices, from website designers and app providers to IT consultants and digital strategists. • EastBanc Technologies, 1211 31st St. NW • Electronic Tenant Solutions, 1234 31st St. NW • HRMS Solutions, 3033 O St. NW; KKP, 1111 34th St. NW • Next Generation Broadband, 1025 Thomas Jefferson St. NW • Power Auctions LLC, 3333 K St. NW • Rally Health, 3000 K St. NW • Studio Center, 3299 K St. NW. GMG, INC.
OCTOBER 9, 2019
13
Mayor Muriel Bowser congratulates The Georgetowner Newspaper on its 65th anniversary! Muriel Bowser Mayor, Washington DC
702,000
DC’s population of is greater than that of two states VERMONT
626,299
WYOMING
577,737
On September 19, 2019, we had a historic Congressional Hearing on the Washington, DC Admission Act (H.R. 51) – the first in over 25 years! We fulfill all of the obligations of American citizenship, but are denied full and equal representation in Congress. As I stated at the Hearing,
I was born without representation, but I will not die without representation. DC residents pay more
~Mayor Muriel Bowser
federal taxes per capita
than residents in any other state
DC residents have
fought and died
While we have achieved record levels of support, we still have more work to do – and it’s not too late to get involved. We are hoping to see additional movement in Congress with a House floor vote and a hearing on this legislation in the Senate.
in every war
Yet, DC residents have
no voice in policy-making decisions or declarations of war
14 OCTOBER 9, 2019
GMG, INC.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Rachel Williams at Rachel.Williams3@dc.gov and visit statehood.dc.gov.
ELWAY HALL 8394 Elway Lane Warrenton, VA
GLENBROOK 22876 Foxcroft Road Middleburg, VA
$10,500,000 $4,950,000 Mark Lowham +1 703 966 6949 Will Thomas +1 202 607 0364
MIDDLEBURG 115 Washington Street W Middleburg, VA $3,900,000 Bundles Murdock +1 540 454 3499 Laura Farrell +1 540 395 1680
GEORGETOWN 1671 34th Street NW Washington, DC $4,100,000 Russell Firestone +1 202 271 1701
SPRING VALLEY 4943 Quebec Street NW Washington, DC $2,495,000 Michael Brennan, Jr. +1 202 330 7808
GEORGETOWN 3310 Dent Place NW Washington, DC $1,495,000 Michael Brennan, Jr. +1 202 330 7808
GEORGETOWN 1317 35th Street NW Washington, DC
Chris Malone +1 540 454 3775
HOLLERITH HOUSE 1617 29th Street NW Washington, DC $18,750,000 Mark Lowham +1 703 966 6949 Anj Murphy +1 703 244 6357
GEORGETOWN 3332 O Street NW Washington, DC $3,800,000 Russell Firestone +1 202 271 1701
BURLEITH 3956 Georgetown Court NW Washington, DC $1,395,000 Russell Firestone +1 202 271 1701
GEORGETOWN 3137 O Street NW Washington, DC $2,175,000 Michael Brennan, Jr. +1 202 330 7808
KENT 5118 Lowell Lane NW Washington, DC
$1,685,000 $2,350,000 Jonathan Taylor +1 202 276 3344 Maxwell Rabin +1 202 669 7406
Michael Rankin +1 202 271 3344
BROKERAGES: GEORGETOWN 1206 30TH STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC | +1 202 333 1212 DOWNTOWN, DC • CHEVY CHASE, MD • BETHESDA, MD • ANNAPOLIS, MD • MCLEAN, VA • ALEXANDRIA, VA • ARLINGTON, VA • THE PLAINS, VA TTRSIR.COM ©2019 TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change.
GMG, INC.
OCTOBER 9, 2019
15
ARTS
If MARTIN’S TAVERN IS THE HEART OF GEORGETOWN,
then THE GEORGETOWNER IS THE HEARTBEAT. ★★★
Congratulations! HERE’S TO ANOTHER 65 YEARS!
At Washington Printmakers Gallery, the woodblock prints of Amy Guadagnoli combine the graphic impact of Roy Lichtenstein with the subtlety of a Japanese koan.
New Shows at Georgetown Galleries BY SU SAN BOD IKER Art is my go-to antidote for whatever ails me. It never fails to take me out of the “overwhelm” into a calmer and more meditative state of mind. Call it aesthetic “self-care.” The Book Hill Fall Art Walk, which took place this year on Saturday, Sept. 7, offered a variety of visual options to soothe my — and perhaps your — restless spirit. Under the Georgetown Galleries banner, the cluster of art galleries along upper Wisconsin Avenue — Addison/Ripley Fine Art, Klagsbrun Studios, Calloway Fine Art & Consulting, Washington Printmakers Gallery, Artist’s Proof and Via Umbria Galleria — hold a joint opening every fall and spring. The focus of this fall’s shows is abstract art, with the six galleries showing works in a variety of media. Herewith, a quick tour d’horizon. Contemporary sculptor Nancy Sansom Reynolds is the featured artist at Addison/ Ripley Fine Art, 1670 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Her new series, appropriately called “Unwinding,” was inspired by origami. Here, her medium is plywood, hand-worked and shaped into seemingly impossible curves that are both delicate and powerful, dynamic and still, “like an ocean wave caught in a camera frame.” Painted in the pastel colors of her beloved Arizona desert, the sinuous forms unfold and unwind like the landscape to impart a sense of calm and “clarity of mind.” Klagsbrun Studios, 1662 33rd St. NW, is showcasing the work of two artists, Micheline Klagsbrun and Joseph Hall. Klagsbrun evokes “flux and transformation” in mixed-media paintings, works on paper and
WISCONSIN AVENUE & N STREET MARTINSTAVERN.COM “Carousel,” by Natasha Karpinskaia, celebrates the end of summer with layers of subdued color and abstract shapes. 16 OCTOBER 9 2019
GMG, INC.
sculpture, building “layers of color, texture and dream.” In contrast to Reynolds’s desert colorway, Klagsbrun’s palette is all about the saturated blues of the sea and sky, integrating elements of nature (flowers, bark, snakeskin) to create entirely new life so we — viewer and artist — can “emerge into a new self.” Like an archeologist, Hall “unearths obscured memory” in “palimpsestic” paintings whose surfaces are scraped and layered to reveal the “hidden calligraphy, ancient texts and graffiti” of the Middle East, particularly Beirut (where he lived for 15 years) and Cairo. Calloway Fine Art & Consulting (formerly Susan Calloway Fine Arts), 1643 Wisconsin Ave. NW, provides spiritual rejuvenation of another sort. “I like people to be happy when they see my work. Times are difficult, and art can take you to a happy place,” explains Natasha Karpinskaia, and this it does very well. Her painting series, called “Carousel,” celebrates the end of summer with layers of subdued color and abstract shapes. At Washington Printmakers Gallery, 1641 Wisconsin Ave. NW, the woodblock prints of Amy Guadagnoli combine the graphic impact of Roy Lichtenstein with the subtlety of a Japanese koan. These are images that demand your attention; their intricate carvings require you to inhabit “the gap between seeing and naming … between the familiar and unfamiliar,” where unexpected juxtapositions make you rethink just exactly what you saw and what it means to you. Craig Schaffer’s “Welded Fractals” series occupies center stage at Artist’s Proof, 1533 Wisconsin Ave. NW. These powerful and mesmerizing sculptures, at once architectural and organic, are “meditations on the reality of repetition in nature and life” and take as their inspiration the patterns found in fractal geometry — from plants to mountains to ragged coastlines. Within the gallery, the pieces seem almost constrained, ready to burst out of the space, but outside in the garden, they find their true home. Via Umbria, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW, an Italian café and market, also boasts an event space, which is given over to a seductive display by Jon Guido Bertelli and Stefano Lami. Titled “Infinite Possibilità: Ricostruendo Firenze” (Infinite Possibilities: Reconstructing Florence), the exhibition invites us to share the artists’ vision of a reimagined Florence, with pairings of well-known landscapes, artwork and monuments depicted in photography and oils.
FOOD & WINE
THE LATEST DISH BY LIN DA ROT H
Curt Large of Roofers Union, Geoff Dawson of Tin Shop, Franklin Hall and TallBoy and Ryan Seelbach of Takoda and Cortez plan to open The Boardwalk where Iron Horse used to be at 507 7th St. NW in Shaw near Capital One Arena. It will feature food (corn dogs, cotton candy), beverages and games that you’d find at the beach. A November opening is planned. From the folks that brought you Tail Up Goat, at 1777 Columbia Road NW in Adams Morgan, comes its “little sister,” Reveler’s Hour, featuring a lower price point than Tail Up Goat. Jon Sybert will run the kitchen. Bill Jensen has the wine program covered and Jill Tyler runs the house. The name is pure poetry — literally. It’s a drinking song and one of the Odes of Anacreon. The dining room will seat 65 and the bar about 30. They are targeting a December opening. Ann Cashion and John Fulchino will open a second location of Taqueria Nacional at 3213 Mount Pleasant St. NW, where Taqueria Los Compadres was. An opening early in the fourth quarter is targeted. The Mount Pleasant location will be similar in size and design to their T Street NW location. Gina Chersevani will open Last Call in the Union Market District at 1301 Fourth St. NE. It opens where a 1940s-era cafeteria (and maybe a speakeasy) used to be. Chersevani, who also runs Buffalo & Bergen at Union Market and outdoor frozen drink cart Suburbia, will offer very reasonably priced beverages. She had me at icy Irish Coffee.
Dining Guide
WASHINGTON DC’S FINEST RESTAURANTS
Enjoy corn and taleggio ravioli at Tail Up Goat. Just Opened: Sfoglina Pasta House opened in Rosslyn, Virginia, at 1100 Wilson Boulevard, where WJLA is located. It’s brought to you by Maria and Fabio Trabocchi. Award-winning professional pasta-maker Simonetta Capotondo is at the helm … Ari Gejdenson of Mindful Restaurant Group and Lady Abarca, formerly of Corduroy, opened Via at 2000 Fenwick Ave. NE. Danis Blanco (Abarca’s husband), the executive chef, will feature Peruvian-style charcoal chicken. Via translates to “street” or “go” in Italian, so think casual. Gejdenson also owns and operates Ivy City’s La Puerta Verde, Ari’s Diner and Dock FC nearby. New York City-based Mexicue from Thomas Kelly will open where The Meatball Shop was at 1720 14th St. NW. The food truck concept is now brick ’n’ mortar. It features Mexican and American Southern food. It should open early in the fourth quarter. Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Visit her online at lindarothpr.com.
CLYDE’S OF GEORGETOWN 3236 M ST., NW 202-333-9180 | clydes.com
This animated tavern, in the heart of Georgetown, popularized saloon food and practically invented Sunday brunch. Clyde’s is the People’s Choice for bacon cheeseburgers, steaks, fresh seafood, grilled chicken salads, fresh pastas and desserts.
ENO WINE BAR
2810 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW 202–295–2826 | enowinerooms.com HAPPY HOUR: Offered nightly Tuesday - Thursday from 5 - 7 PM & Sunday from 4 - 7 PM. Enjoy select $7 wines on tap. Join us on Wednesday’s for College Nights from 9 - 11 PM and Sunday’s for 30% off bottles. Our delightful wines are best enjoyed with local charcuterie, cheese and small plates.
THE OCEANAIRE SEAFOOD ROOM 1201 F ST., NW 202–347–2277 | theoceanaire.com
The Oceanaire blends a sophisticated atmosphere with simple, seasonal and regionally-inspired cuisine – the result is “the ultra-fresh seafood experience”. From our wines and cocktails to our seafood, steak and desserts, our commitment to sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients is apparent in everything we do. Reserve your table today for an extraordinary dining experience.
FILOMENA RISTORANTE
1063 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–338–8800 | filomena.com A Georgetown landmark for over 30 years featuring styles and recipes passed through generations. Balanced cuttingedge culinary creations of modern Italy using the fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch sauces and pastas. Seen on The Travel Channel, Award-winning Filomena is a favorite of U.S. Presidents, celebrities, sports legends, political leaders. “Don’t miss their bakery’s incredible desserts” - Best in D.C.
ROCKLANDS BARBEQUE
2418 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-2558 | rocklands.com This original location has served barbecue since 1990. We now have more space for you to sit down with family and friends at our new dining room Driving or walking up Wisconsin Avenue, you ask “mmmm, what’s that aroma??” That’s pork, beef and chicken coming out of our wood-only smoker, falling off the bone and ready for a dousing with our Original Barbeque Sauce.
CAFE BONAPARTE
1522 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–8830 | cafebonaparte.com
MARTIN’S TAVERN
1264 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202-333-7370 | martinstavern.com Photo by Steven Rattinger
Fifth generation Lauren Martin learns the family business from her dad, Billy Martin, Jr. Since 1933, the warm atmosphere of Martin’s Tavern has welcomed neighbors and travelers looking for great food, service and years of history within it’s walls. Fourth generation owner Billy Martin. Jr. continues the tradition of Washington’s oldest family-owned restaurant.
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.
JOIN THE DINING GUIDE! EMAIL ADVERTISE@ GEORGETOWNER.COM OR CALL 202-338-4833
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IN COUNTRY The resort’s nature center offers a chance, especially for young families, to learn more about the island’s native friends through everything from crabbing to shark-tooth hunts. I passed on the latter, but did have a close encounter with a majestic egret, perched near a fisherman on the pier. Fortunately, thanks to my super-patient paddleboard guide, Chris from Riptide Watersports, I avoided “meeting” another islander — the oyster — whose beds can be hellish to step (or fall) in. Signage like “Beware of Oysters” and “Stay off Dunes — Turtle Awareness” near the shorelines help everybody get along. The salt marshes on Amelia, especially in the morning, are a kayaker’s and paddleboarder’s paradise, with just enough current to be challenging. We also visited the Sprouting Project, where the Omni’s culinary team cultivates local fruits, herbs and, yes, bees for its
Amelia Island: Sun and Sustainability BY STEP HANIE GREE N For those of us lucky to frequent luxury resorts, it’s refreshing to find a place that takes nature and its surrounding environment as seriously as its guests. Such was the case at Amelia Island in northeast Florida, where elegance, visitors and critters collide in one all-American destination. At the four-star Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, everything from the driftwood on the ceiling to the portraits of Native American legends reflects the island’s strong connection to the natural world.
PATRICKSWELL
Marshall, Virginia • $10,000,000
308 acres of spectacular land | Extensive renovation and expansion by premier builder | Immaculate home and beautiful land on Atoka Road in 3 parcels | Two large stables | Multiple ponds | Incredible views | Charming guest house | Tennis court | Stunning setting
Helen MacMahon
(540) 454-1930
Amelia Island is a natural oasis first, and a dream getaway second. Among the golf courses, spas and affluence on the island are multiple varieties of fish and birds, turtles and alligators, all of which can rest easy. Hotel developers and locals treat them with a special reverence. On my last night at the Omni, a duck glided nonchalantly into the resort’s infinity pool. The staff waited on the duck as if he were the hotel owner. “No rush. Swim as long as you’d like, sir.”
SPRING GLADE
Middleburg, Virginia • $3,500,000
French Country home, recent renovations | 4 BR, 5 full & 2 half BA, 5 FP, hardwood floors, flagstone terrace | Beautiful drive to hilltop setting overlooking lake & mountains | Improvements include pool, 2-car garage, 2 BR guest house & apartment | Lovely boxwood gardens | 79.89 acres
Paul MacMahon Helen MacMahon
(703) 609-1905 (540) 454-1930
GRASTY PLACE
WINCHESTER STREET
Charming home in desirable Melmore | Adjacent to the town of Middleburg offering proximity to town & privacy of almost 4 acres | High ceilings, light-filled rooms, new kitchen with granite counters & stainless appliances | Family room with fireplace, screenedin porch | 3 BR including bright master suite | Home office, finished LL and 2-car garage
Very private home with 3BR and 3 1/2 BA | Lots of light | All brick colonial home surounded by mature plantings and extensive hardscape | Located in the Warrenton Historic District | Detached 2-car garage | in-ground pool & fenced patio | Fully finished basement with separate entrance | Master bedroom balcony overlooks pool
Middleburg, Virginia • $685,000
Helen MacMahon
(540) 454-1930
info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com
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Warrenton, Virginia • $629,000
Margaret Carroll Ann MacMahon
(540) 454-0650 (540) 687-5588
(540) 687-5588
HALCYON HILL
Rectortown, Virginia • $2,250,000
17 acres of rolling pasture land in the village of Rectortown | Convenient to both Routes 50 & 66 | Newly renovated | Private setting with magnificent mountain views | 4 BR, 4 1/2 baths, 2 FP | Heated pool & spa | 2 bedroom guest house | Large shed & 2-car garage
Paul MacMahon Helen MacMahon
(703) 609-1905 (540) 454-1930
OAK RIDGE
Warrenton, Virginia • $505,000
multiple restaurants. Sheila at the Sprouting Project looks after the resort’s 2.5 million bees, as well as multiple chickens and their eggs. When you’re on Amelia, be sure to check out its rich dining scene. Pogo’s Kitchen, which opened just last year, is the perfect place to start. Small plates like the mushroom stroganoff are locally sourced, and the quiet ambience at Pogo’s fits in with the island serenity. (I also suggest the homemade chocolate pop-tarts at the Omni’s Marché Burette.) Finish your stay, as I did, at the RitzCarlton Spa, offering an organic facial with products made from fruit and herbal extracts. It’s no wonder Amelia Island was recently listed among the best destinations by Travel + Leisure: its beauty is more than skin-deep. Photos by Stephanie Green.
INGLEWOOD
Delaplane, Virginia • $1,935,000
Circa 1850’s log and frame home moved and rebuilt at site | 3 bedrooms, 2 baths | Exposed beams and interior log walls | Stone fireplace | Barn also moved and rebuilt, has approved 2 bedroom perc site | Large pond, many streams, multiple building sites | Private Fauquier location outside village of Scuffleburg | 305 acres | Also available house on 203.69 acres for $1,500,000
Paul MacMahon
(703) 609-1905
MAPLE DALE LANE
The Plains, Virginia • $525,000
Prime location, off Springs Road | Surrounded by large farms & estates | House circa 1890 with 2 BR, 1 1/2 BA, FP, hardwood floors, new kitchen | Garage | 2 sheds/studio potential | Tenant house | Property shares large spring fed pond | Private setting on 13.21 acres | Also available house on 7.75 acres for $400,000
Immaculate home in quiet neighborhood | Convenient to Marshall and The Plains | 3 bedrooms and an office | Lovely kitchen opens to family room with fireplace and large deck for entertaining | large lot - all open usable space
Paul MacMahon
Helen MacMahon
(703) 609-1905
(540) 454-1930
110 East Washington Street Middleburg, Virginia 20117
A Moment in Fall or Falling for the Moment? For reservations, please call 855.850.8020.
MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA
SalamanderResort.com
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IN COUNTRY
Country Calendar OCTOBER 9
OCTOBER 12
Join NSLM every Wednesday at 2 p.m. for a personalized peek at traveling exhibitions, new acquisitions or permanent collections pieces. No two talks are alike. Reservations are not required and admission is free! To learn more, visit nationalsporting.org. National Sporting Library & Museum, 102 The Plains Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117.
Every autumn as the leaves begin to color, the Virginia Fall Races meeting holds its annual race meet on the second Saturday in October. This year’s 65th running promises to be one of the leading meets on the 2019 Fall Steeplechase Circuit.The Virginia Fall Races benefit INOVA Loudoun Hospital Foundation in nearby Leesburg and is a highly regarded community event. To learn more, visit vafallraces.com. 626 Foxcroft Rd., Middleburg, VA 20117
Be sure to secure your space today before the clinic fills! This clinic is part of the Rutledge Farm Sessions Olympic Medalist clinic series. To register, visit eventclinics. com. Rutledge Farm, 22962 Carters Farm Ln., Middleburg, VA 20117.
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST WILL SIMPSON SHOW JUMPING CLINIC AT RUTLEDGE FARM
Just over a half of a mile, the trail features 10 family-friendly Halloween scenes. Face painting, outdoor viewing of Scooby Doo’s The Headless Horseman of Halloween movie, jump castle, and costume contests. Seasonal treats (s’mores, apple cider, hot chocolate, delicious desserts) available for purchase. Children under 3 are free. Prepurchase for a discount ($14 per person). To learn more, visit salamanderresort.com. Salamander Resort & Spa, 500 N Pendleton St, Middleburg, VA 20117.
GALLERY TALK AT THE NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM
OCTOBER 11
FALL CONCERT ON THE STEPS AT THE MIDDLEBURG COMMUNITY CENTER Come on out to the community center front steps for a night of fun with live music by the Fountains, light bites by Serendipity Catering & Design, and beverages by the Middleburg Lions Club. Bring your friends and family for a community favorite! This event is free and open to the public. Middleburg Community Center, 300 West Washington Street, MIddleburg, VA 20117.
THE VIRGINIA FALL RACES
Olympic champion Will Simpson comes to Rutledge Farm in Middleburg Oct. 12 to teach a high-performance clinic. Will is renowned as one of the kindest riders in modern show jumping. As he is based in California, an East Coast clinic opportunity is extremely exclusive. We are offering this rare opportunity to train with a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist for Team Jumping.
OCTOBER 24
HAUNTED TRAIL & FESTIVAL AT SALAMANDER RESORT & SPA
Sheridan-MacMahon, Ltd. focuses on the real estate market of the Virginia Piedmont. Whether you are searching for a traditional family home in a country village, a large tract of farmland, or an equestrian property, Sheridan MacMahon, Ltd can assist you.
Paul MacMahon
MONTANA FARM
| (703) 609-1905 | Macmahonp@icloud.com | @paulmacmahon_sheridanmacmahon
OAK RIDGE
Delaplane, VA $2,850,000
Warrenton, VA $500,000
“Montana Farm”, home of Channing Meade Smith of Mosby Rangers fame. Residence circa 1850, completely restored, unique scored stucco. Three bedrooms, two full and one half bath, two fireplaces, wood floors, high ceilings, stone terrace and old boxwoods. Improvements include meticulously updated stone patent house/guest house with fireplace, circa 1840. Renovated two bedroom, two bath tenant house with wood floors, great room, loft and sitting room. Mountain cabin, several restored barns including restored pre-civil war bank barn, run in shed and excellent fencing. 222 acres in highly protected Fauquier area.
Prime Warrenton location, off Springs Road, surrounded by large farms & estates. House circa 1890, 2 BR, 1 full BA, 1/2 BA, FP, hard wood floors, new kitchen. Improvements include garage, 2 sheds/studio potential. Property shares large spring fed pond. Private setting on 12.42 acres (can be purchased with less acreage)
110 East Washington Street | Middleburg, Virginia 20117 | (540) 687-5588 | info@sheridanmacmahon.com | www.sheridanmacmahon.com
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CLASSIFIEDS / SERVICE DIRECTORY
CHEVY CHASE FLOOR WAXING SERVICE
BUILD IT BETTER • Kitchens • Bathrooms
Polishing, buffing, and waxing to preserve and protect your fine wood floors, using old-fashioned paste wax. Family owned and operated for 30 years. Licensed Bonded Insured 301656-9274, Chevy Chase, MD
• Counter-Tops • Carpentry • Windows/Doors • Plumbing • Electrical • Tile • Shower Doors • General Repairs 301-779-8837 www.iBuildItBetter.com Licensed DC 3661- MD 41353 Servicing DC/MD for over 25 years
RENTALS
SERVICE
GEORGETOWN
Lovely 1 bedroom Apt $2,065 Includes fireplace, washer, and dryer. Utilities not included. (202) 333-5943
LOG CABIN
Log cabin for rent, furnished, in Rectortown, Fauquier County, Va. Beautiful setting on rolling farmland. Sitting room, kitchen, two bedrooms, one bath. $1600/month plus utilities. Call T. Higginson tel:540-364-1015
ACE WINDOW CLEANING, CO.
Residential specialists inside and outside. Family owned and operated for over 30 years. 301-656-9274 Chevy Chase, MD • We also offer glass, screen, and sash cord repair service • Ask about our no damage, low pressure Powerwashing.
THE POWER OF LOCAL.
The Georgetowner is mailed to all 7,700 RESIDENTS & BUSINESS in Georgetown. CALL TO LEARN MORE 202-338-4833
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 2C MONTHLY MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2019 AT 6:30 P.M. John A Wilson Building Room G9 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC
YOGA TUTOR
Asana, pranayama, and/or meditation, in the comfort of your home. 45+ years experience. Email Jmenmo@yahoo. com, and we can chat
PRIVATE TENNIS LESSONS
$25 for one hour private lesson in Georgetown and NW DC 202-333-3484 -Mark Harmonjacqueline47@yahoo.com
EXPERIENCED HOUSE KEEPER AVAILABLE
A live out house keeper available 5 days week and includes light cooking. English Portuguese speaking. Experienced and references available upon request. Please call (202) 966 -8465 and feel free to leave a message.
A Cleaning Service Inc Since 1985
GUARDIAN ANGEL LANDSCAPING SERVICES
Fall yard maintenance, general hauling, and can sell and deliver seasoned firewood. For all your household needs please call Robert (240) 477-2158.
REGISTERED NURSES
Nurses Aides Certified Nurse Assistant Available for Senior Care right in the comfort of your home. We also provide home care for pediatric patients. Contact Kate Adu: 2402347931. daystarhealthservicea@gmail.com
Residential & Commercial Insured, Bonded, Licenced - Serving DC, VA, MD
703.892.8648 - www.acleaningserviceinc.com
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UP & COMING
SNYDER PROPERTIES C O N G R AT U L AT E S T H E G E O R G E TOW N E R ON ITS 65TH ANNIVERSARY
Events Calendar
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 EXHIBITION OPENING: ‘IN THE NIGHT GARDEN’
Amy Sabrin’s bravura approach to color is on full display in her new exhibition in Glen Echo’s Stone Tower Gallery, “In the Night Garden,” inspired by late-autumn plein-air painting excursions to fading community gardens. A free opening reception will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. For details, visit glenechopark.org. 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, Maryland.
HALLOWEEN PRINTMAKING FOR KIDS
3286 M St NW
Printmaker Nina Muys will conduct a printmaking workshop for kids age 5 and up from 10 to 11 a.m. Using Styrofoam plates and stamps, children will create Halloween-themed prints. Admission is free but a $5 materials fee is appreciated. To register, email washington.print1@gmail. com. Washington Printmakers Gallery, 1641 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
202-337-4600
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
SNYDER PROPERTIES LLC Property Management • Real Estate and Brokers
PINK MARTINI WITH MEOW MEOW
Pink Martini will perform selections from the globe-trotting ensemble’s multilingual songbook, infused with Argentinean tango, Brazilian samba, Japanese pop and American
swing. Crowd-surfing Australian chanteuse Meow Meow will also appear. Some adult content. Tickets are $35 to $85. For details, visit washingtonperformingarts.org. Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 RACE FOR EVERY CHILD
Children’s National Hospital’s annual Race For Every Child unites the community around a common vision: help kids grow up stronger. A USATF-certified 5K run/walk through some of the most scenic parts of D.C. will be followed by a 100-yard Kids Dash down Pennsylvania Avenue. For details, visit raceforeverychild.org.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20
HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR AT ST. JOHN’S Haunted-house lighting and décor set the stage for an early Halloween with organist Dorothy Papadakos improvising to a screening of the 1922 cult classic vampire film “Nosferatu.” Attendees are encouraged to come in costume. For details, visit stjohnsgeorgetown.org. St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3240 O St. NW.
OCTOBER 22 TO 27
WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW
America’s favorite horse show returns to Capital One Arena, bringing world-class equestrian competition with top riders, Olympic veterans and superstar horses to the nation’s capital for show jumping, educational events and boutique shopping. Saturday morning, Oct. 26, is a free Kids Day event. Tickets start at $25. For details, visit wihs.org.
Congratulations to
THE GEORGETOWNER
on 65 wonderful years of service to our community
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FEATURE
Vanilla Beane celebrates her 100th birthday with her grandaughter Jeni Hansen at the National Museum of African American History.
From a Dream to a Legacy: Washington’s Famed Milliner BY JEN I H AN SEN
© Bob Narod
CHRISTIAN Z A PAT KA ARCHITECT 202 333 2735 christianzapatka.com
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Sept. 13, 2019, is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable days of my life. On this day, my grandmother celebrated her 100th birthday. More remarkable than reaching this milestone is the fact that, at age 100, she is still designing hats at Bené Millinery, the small business she built, well, by hand. Our family marked the occasion with a trip to the White House, a tea with the mayor and a trip to see her work at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A day like her hats, custom-made for a queen: Vanilla Beane. What started as a hobby in the 1950s turned into a career for Beane, who in Washington’s African American churchgoing circles is affectionately known as “the hat lady.” She moved to D.C. from Wilson, North Carolina, in 1940, and found herself frequenting the Washington Millinery Supply store while working as an elevator operator in the same downtown D.C. building. When preparation met opportunity, my grandmother would have the opportunity not only to make hats, but to start a store of her own. “They encouraged me when I would make something. And I finally got a job with them as a supply clerk. I would watch people ... the different designers coming in buying supplies ... and I learned by watching them.” The owner of the store, Richard Dietrick Sr., not only encouraged the budding milliner when she brought in her homemade creations, he sold many of his supplies to her upon his retirement. This move gave Vanilla Beane the foundation to start a store of her own, and likely his encouragement helped her to become an entrepreneur at age 60. Forty years later, she is still putting in 48 hours a week at her craft.
A typical day involves a three-minute drive to the hat shop, and getting straight to work on a custom design. Give or take a few phone calls from friends and a lunch break or an errand, Vanilla Beane can be found in her sewing nook, chatting with a customer at the front counter or styling a hat to their head.
What’s remarkable to me is that my grandmother doesn’t follow the latest fashion trends. All of her designs are ones she thinks up, the intricate folds and layers made by techniques she practices and perfects. Vanilla Beane’s designs can be found in museums, and even on a USPS stamp. In 1975, she was inducted into the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers Hall of Fame, and welcomed as the first recipient of the highest award given by the organization. On her 100th birthday, one of my favorite moments was a trip to see her favorite hat on display — one of her own — at the NMAAHC. Known for designing hats for others, this one she made for herself. I could not be more proud of Vanilla Beane for having a dream, and honored that it turned not only into a reality, but also a legacy.
GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES
David M. Rubenstein interviews Paul Simon during the Great Americans medal award ceremony at the National Museum of American History. Photo by Pixelme Studio, courtesy of the National Museum of American History.
Paul Simon: A Great American BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY Singer-songwriter Paul Simon received the Great Americans Medal, presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, on Sept. 18. The award is given annually to individuals whose life’s work embody American ideas and ideals. Over decades of creativity, he may still be best known for the songs of Simon & Garfunkel.
The award was first given in 2016. Simon is the sixth to receive the 1.85-ounce gold medal, modeled after a $20 Double Eagle coin first struck in the early 1900s. He follows in the footsteps of Madeleine Albright, Gen. Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Billie Jean King. Simon is the first artist to be so honored.
The Gem of Historic Georgetown Resting on the historic C&O Canal, Rosewood Washington, D.C. is the essence of refinement. A superbly located, residential-style retreat in the heart of the nation’s capital. Surrounded by shops, restaurants, and the Waterfront. Rosewood Washington, D.C. is proud to showcase CUT by Wolfgang Puck, in addition to CUT Bar and CUT Above. 1050 31st Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20007 T: 202-617-2400 E-mail: washingtondc@rosewoodhotels.com
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GOOD WORKS & GOOD TIMES
Washington Post’s Fred Ryan Honored BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY Georgetowner Fred Ryan, publisher of the Washington Post, was honored along with Caroline Beasley of Beasley Media Group at the Free Speech America Gala by the Media Institute at the Four Seasons Hotel Oct. 7. Ryan spoke of how “facts matter” and that “journalists are servants of the people,” not their enemy. Beasley said, “Radio is the voice of the community.” Ryan was presented the Freedom of Speech Award by Pamela Brown of CNN, who thanked Ryan for “instilling confidence” in her as a young reporter at WJLA.
‘The Naked Truth’ in Kalorama BY R OBERT D EVAN EY “Naked Truth” author Leslie Morgan brought her non-stop book tour to the Kalorama home of Kay Kendall and Jack Davies Sept. 26. With friends and admirers on hand, Morgan said it was Kendall who encouraged her to write the revealing memoir as she added that Davies truly understood women. Then, the writer read selection from her book to the group.
Kay Kendall, Leslie Morgan and Jack Davies. Photo by Robert Devaney. Fred Ryan, Richard Kaplar and Caroline Beasley. Photo by Gerard Barnes.
Craft2Wear Preview Party
BY R OBERT D EVAN EY Happy neighbors and partygoers delighted in the Sept. 10 grand opening of Wolfgang Puck’s Cut restaurant at the renovated Rosewood Hotel on 31st Street with drinks and food from the famous chef-businessman. All agreed that the new hot spot is a great addition to Georgetown.
BY MARY BIRD This year’s Craft2Wear opening night and preview party featured not only unique and affordable fashions, both familiar and new, in a party setting, but also showcased the artistry of Kazakhstan. Models presented their nation’s best as guests had a firsthand glimpse of American creativity, while enjoying wine and passed hors d’oeuvres. The event is always a special evening to support the all-volunteer Smithsonian Women’s Committee, which raises funds for the Smithsonian Institution.
Exuberant Wolfgang Puck Cut Party
Guijiadong Lin, Mary Douglas Drysdale and Dedi Liem Gunawan.
Washington Opera Society Launches Fall Season BY MARY BIRD “Il Trovatore & Other Masterpieces” was the program at the University Club on Sept. 28. Following a cocktail buffet, Lisa Chavez, Fairouz Foty, Israel Lozano, Kevin Short and Brandie Sutton sang, accompanied by the Washington Opera Society Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Julien Benichou, with amusing narration by Dr. Scott Beard. WOS Executive Director Michael Reilly made welcoming remarks as he introduced a program of operatic highlights ranging from Verdi and Puccini to Jerome Kern’s “Ol’ Man River.” Reilly encouraged guests to support a scholarship program for voice students and no-cost performances for young and at-risk students.
Wolfgang Puck and Cut’s executive chef Andrew Skala. Photo by Dan Swartz.
Maureen Umeh of Fox5 News and actress Vivica Fox. Photo by Robert Devaney
Gabor Vida, Rosewood Managing Director, Bruce Bradley and Kristen and John Cecchi. Photo by Robert Devaney.
Rafael Prieto, Fairouz Foty, Israel Lozano, Brandie Sutton and Kevin Short. 26 OCTOBER 9, 2019
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2019 Chamber’s Choice Awards & Gala GALA HONOREES
Business of the Year
Kith and Kin
Business Leader of the Year
Mark Ein
Events DC
Economic Impact
D.C. United
Lifetime Legacy
The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton
At the annual Chamber’s Choice Awards Gala, the Chamber bestows awards on organizations and individuals whose outstanding contributions are making Washington a great place to do business. Nearly 1,000 of Washington’s dignitaries, corporate citizens and business owners celebrate the year’s business and civic successes together.
Save the Date: October 26 5:30 pm - Midnight National Building Musuem 401 F St, NW WDC 20001 For more information please visit: www.dcchamber.org
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