Malcolm Dilley & Alexander Ragonese Patrons Party Chairs
Azali Kassum House Tour Chair
DIRECTOR
CHEVY CHASE
Polishing, buffing, and waxing to preserve and protect your wood floors. Family owned and operated for 30 years. Licensed Bonded Insured
(301) 656-9274 Chevy Chase, MD
ACE WINDOW CLEANING, CO.
Residential specialists inside and outside. Family owned and operated for over 30 years. We also offer glass, screen, and sash cord repair service • Ask about our no damage, low pressure Powerwashing.
(301) 656-WASH Chevy Chase, MD
VIRGINIA FAMILY VACATION RETREAT
5 Bedroom, 4 Bathroom furnished Vintage Farmhouse, recently renovated, 65 miles from Key Bridge. $4,300/month
Perfect weekend retreat from the city.Beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wood-burning fireplace.
Meg@mappropertysolutionsllc.com
Phone: (202) 338-4833
Fax: (202) 338-4834
www.georgetowner.com
“The Newspaper Whose Influence Far Exceeds Its Size” — Pierre Cardin
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 2024.
Please send submissions of opinions for consideration to:
Ezra and Jessica Glass, owners of Atelier Verre, a design build firm behind many of the newest, hippest places in town. Photo by Greg “Fritz” Blakey.
WHAT’S ONLINE GEORGETOWNER.COM
SUBSCRIBE to our twice weekly online Georgetowner Newsletter — simply click or scan the code and enter your email address.
NEIGHBORS DRESS
UP FOR AN OSCARS HOUSE PARTY
BY PEGGY SANDS
Several dozen serious movie buffs—some of them three to four times a week moviegoers—gathered at the Georgetown N Street home of Ellen Waugh March 2 to watch and celebrate the 97th Academy Awards.
REMEMBERING ROBERTA FLACK
BY KATE OCZYPOK
R&B and pop singer Roberta Flack rose to fame in the early 1970s with hits like “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and the iconic “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” She passed away Monday, February 24 at the age of 88, peacefully and surrounded by friends and family.
NEW HAVEN: BRITISH ART, BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE
BY RICHARD SELDEN
Philanthropist, connoisseur and horse breeder Paul Mellon, who died in 1999, was devoted to three art museums: the National Gallery of Art, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Yale Center for British Art.
TASTE OF FREEDOM LAUNCH AT DOG TAG BAKERY TO HELP UKRAINIAN PRISONERS OF WAR BY THE GEORGETOWNER
Days before the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, the non-profit Heart of Azovstal teamed up with Dog Tag Bakery February 20 for “Taste of Freedom.”
New Leaders for CAG, Georgetown BID
BY ROBERT DEVANEY
It is a time of change all around — including the Citizens Association of Georgetown and the Georgetown Business Improvement District. The Georgetowner introduces readers to three new leaders below.
A nonprofit civic organization representing the interests of Georgetown residents, the Citizens Association of Georgetown sponsors “programs, education and historic preservation [to] make Georgetown safer, more beautiful and more connected.” Noting that “Paul Williams has stepped down as President to focus on his full-time, dual role running both Oak Hill Cemetery and Oak Hill Historic Preservation Foundation,” CAG’s board of directors elected Dr. Amy A. Titus as president and Gerald Musarra as vice president.
CAG PRESIDENT AMY TITUS
Dr. Amy Titus is a C-suite advisor, management consultant, HR executive and entrepreneur with a passion for building the workforces of the future. With over 30 years of international human capital experience, she has led large-scale workforce transformations in complex global businesses and public sector organizations
Titus is deeply committed to corporate citizenship. She serves on the United States Institute of Peace International Advisory Committee and sits on the boards of College Bound and Friends of the National Arboretum. She joined CAG in June 2023 as chair of the Governance Committee and was elected to vice president in June of 2024. Titus holds the International Coaching Federation certification and a doctorate in adult education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Georgetown Garden Tour
Tickets $50 Tickets can be purchased online at: georgetowngardenclubdc.org or on the day of the tour at Christ Church 31st and O Streets NW Saturday May 10, 2025 10:00 - 5:00
CAG VICE PRESIDENT GERALD MUSARRA
Lawyer and government affairs professional Gerald Musarra held a succession of legal and policy positions during his government career and, after leaving government service, joined Lockheed Martin.
President emeritus of the George Town Club, Musarra became a CAG board member in June of 2024. He is a graduate of Georgetown College, New York University and the Georgetown University Law Center.
Established in 1999, the Georgetown Business Improvement District is a publicly chartered, private nonprofit “dedicated to protecting and enhancing the accessibility, attractiveness and appeal of Georgetown’s commercial district.”
According to the Washington Business Journal, the Georgetown BID is the region’s fourthlargest, based on 2023 revenue of $5.2 million. Last month, the BID announced that Deborah Kerson Bilek will become its next CEO, succeeding Joe Sternlieb.
GEORGETOWN BID CEO DEBORAH KERSON BILEK
Deborah Kerson Bilek, who will officially begin as CEO in mid-April, has over 20 years of experience in policy, planning and public and nonprofit management in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., region. She most recently served as executive director of Urban Land Institute Washington.
As BID CEO, Bilek will be responsible for shaping Georgetown’s future as Washington’s premier mixed-use neighborhood, advancing initiatives across retail, office, hospitality, entertainment and residential sectors.
“Georgetown is an amazing and unparalleled neighborhood — its location, history, character and corridors draw local, national and international visitors every day,” said Bilek.
Dr. Amy Titus. Courtesy CAG.
Deborah Kerson Bilek.
Courtesy Georgetown BID.
Bring on the Cherry Blossoms!
BY ZOE HOWARD-BARR
On Feb. 27, National Cherry Blossom Festival leaders, clad in pink, held a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria to announce peak bloom dates for D.C.’s beloved blossoms, along with plans for special events and programming to welcome spring to the nation’s capital.
Dr. Kevin Griess, National Mall and Memorial Parks superintendent for the National Park Service, revealed a prediction for the peak bloom dates: March 28 to 31. Griess had some celebrity help from “Jeopardy” host Ken Jennings, who will be the grand marshal of this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on Saturday, April 12.
Running from March 20 through April 13, the 2025 festival will feature a vibrant lineup of events, beginning with a memorial Petals & Paddles race on March 20 honoring
Stumpy, a beloved cherry tree that was removed last May.
Jamaican artist Anna August created the official artwork for the festival, a colorful painting of cherry blossoms presented at the press conference.
Nisha Patel, Waldorf Astoria marketing director, announced a new themed cherry blossom suite at the historic hotel, located at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, as well as a cherry blossom afternoon tea in the Peacock Alley atrium lobby and Sakura-inspired spa treatments.
“This festival is one of D.C.’s most cherished traditions,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “It brings our city to life, boosts our local businesses and showcases the very best of Washington, D.C.” She added: “Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong Washingtonian, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is a fabulous time to come together and celebrate our city in full bloom.”
Diana Mayhew, president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, also spoke at the event, calling spring in D.C. a “time of joy and renewal.”
Representing the friendship between Japan and the U.S. and the spirit of togetherness, the cherry trees first arrived in D.C. in 1912, a gift from the mayor of Tokyo.
Fumito Miyake, minister for public affairs at the Embassy of Japan, emphasized the unifying power of the festival and the enduring U.S.-Japan relationship. He announced that 250 more trees have been gifted to the U.S. as a 250th birthday present. The new trees will be on display by next year.
“Field of Cherries” around what is now known as the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Visit Montgomery.
Minister Fumito Miyake at the podium. Courtesy NCBF.
March ANC: Billion-Dollar Shortfall, Rush-Hour Parking
BY PEGGY SANDS
A flurry of official communications from the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission to Mayor Muriel Bowser and other city officials — highlighting two urgent, if not unexpected, matters facing Georgetown — preceded the March 3 meeting of ANC 2E.
First is the projected D.C. budget shortfall of some $1 billion. Second is the permanent ending of rush-hour parking limitations on key commercial curbsides and traffic lanes of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown.
In both cases, the commissioners are urging a pause and proposing more study of potential impacts, due to changes in the federal work environment mandated by the Trump administration and a generally cautious approach, “to make sure all concerns are being met.”
With new D.C. budget planning coming up, a major concern at the March meeting was the completion of long-planned and budgeted renovations at Jelleff Recreation Center, Volta Park and Ellington Field. Would they stay in the budget? The renovation of track facilities and the two field houses at Ellington Field are scheduled to begin soon, perhaps even at the
end of the month, according to Commissioner Kishan Putta. But that start-date is not a written commitment, it seems.
In addition, the preconstruction preparations for DC Water’s water filter tunnel project will apparently begin soon on Water Street on the western end of Georgetown. But the impact on traffic and pedestrian circulation of this Phase I stage is supposed to be minimal, according to
commissioners and District Department of Transportation officials about eliminating rushhour parking along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue. According to DDOT, it was approved, and rush-hour parking has been eliminated for a good year already. What caught the ANC’s eye was an official Notice of Intent that the changes will be permanent.
That prompted letters from the ANC (online at georgetowner.com) that asked: “If you care about traffic in Georgetown, be aware that the DDOT plans to permanently remove all rush-hour lanes in the neighborhood, a key commuter route for Maryland and Virginia residents.”
A letter sent to DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum by Georgetown Coalition for Public
“If the major commercial arteries of Wisconsin and M are clogged, it’s a safe bet that overflow traffic will end up on the residential streets of Georgetown.”
DC Water officials. Most of the preconstruction activity will take place around the ongoing construction area of the citizenM hotel on Water Street.
The dominant topic by the end of the meeting was a lively to-and-fro between the
Spaces Co-Chairs Elizabeth Miller and Stefanie Scott (see The Village page in this issue) points out: “President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal workers to terminate remote work arrangements and return to work in-person on a full-time basis as soon as is practicable. Are
you aware the National Park Service has issued a similar NOI to remove one-way rush hour on Rock Creek Parkway?
“If the major commercial arteries of Wisconsin and M are clogged, it’s a safe bet that overflow traffic will end up on the residential streets of Georgetown,” the letter argues. “The overflow traffic will further compromise already overused and gridlocked Georgetown thoroughfares and side streets. Further, have you considered the climate component of higher emissions and greenhouse gases and pollutants being released into the air with cars sitting in traffic?”
A second letter, this one to Mayor Muriel Bowser from DC Police Union Chairman Greggory Pemberton (see The Village page) was vigorously discussed at the ANC meeting. It brings up police concerns about the Georgetown BID’s Widened Sidewalk and Streatery Pilot, as follows: “M Street is the only way to get to Canal Road and Key Bridge – Wisconsin Avenue connects many NW neighborhoods. With the uptick in back-to-office policies moving to eliminate rush hour traffic rules and reduce lanes in Georgetown seems short-sighted.”
The letter concludes: “The city can’t afford extended sidewalks financially nor operationally.” Especially in light of the predicted $1-billion budget shortfall, “It’s time to pull them up and allow first responders access to the businesses and community that rely on them for safety and security.”
The ANC passed a resolution including these points.
A Tribute to Lives Lost on Jan. 29
CHARLOTTE MEYER-SCHOENHERR
On Sunday, March 2, the U.S. figure skating community came together at Capital One Arena for Legacy on Ice, a moving tribute to the 67 lives lost in the tragic Jan. 29 midair collision over the Potomac River. The deceased included 28 members of the figure skating community — young skaters, coaches and their family members.
Co-hosted by Olympic champions Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi, Legacy on Ice was more than just a performance. In a night filled with sorrow, strength and solidarity, Legacy on Ice reminded everyone of the deep bonds within the figure skating world.
Some of the biggest names in figure skating took to the ice, including three-time U.S. champion Ilia Malinin, two-time world ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Olympic gold medalists Tara Lipinski, Scott Hamilton and Johnny Weir. In total, more than 40 current and former Team USA skaters participated, making the event a historic gathering of talent.
The night’s most emotional moment came when Maxim Naumov performed a tribute to
his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, both of whom died in the crash. As he finished his routine to his parents’ favorite song, Naumov collapsed to the ice in tears and was met with an extended standing ovation.
Amber Glenn, the 2025 U.S. champion, opened the event with a breathtaking performance to “Rise Up“ by Andra Day, placing a single white rose on a table adorned with candles in memory of those lost. Isabella Aparicio honored her late father and brother by skating to a recording of her father playing “Canon in D Major.“
The event also recognized the heroism of the first responders who rushed to the scene on Jan. 29. DC Fire & EMS flew the American flag outside Capital One Arena before the show, and an estimated 400 first responders were honored with a round of applause.
A sold-out crowd of over 15,000 attended, with all ticket proceeds benefiting the U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund, the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s DCA Together Relief Fund
LIFE WITHOUT COMPROMISE
At Ingleside at Rock Creek, you never have to settle for less than the life you envision. With an unmatched location, the campus’ tranquil surroundings complement the vibrant energy of the nation’s capital.
Thrive through enriching programs like hands-on art classes, inspiring guest speakers, and captivating musical performances, all in a community designed to exceed expectations. Live fully, explore boldly, and embrace every moment without compromise.
DISCOVER LIFE WITHOUT COMPROMISE —SCHEDULE A VISIT TODAY !
and the DC Fire & EMS Foundation. Legacy on Ice was broadcast live on Peacock and will be rebroadcast on NBC on March 30 at 1 p.m., allowing a wider audience to witness the powerful tribute.
Photo by Monumental Sports & Entertainment/Rich Kessler.
Protecting D.C., Bowser Style
“We have bigger fish to fry,” Mayor Muriel Bowser told the press last week about her intent to dismantle Black Lives Matter Plaza and her quick response to administration officials calling for the removal of homeless encampments. She said the one near the State Department was already on her list.
Yes, the mayor is picking her battles.
With a “full view of the field in front of us,” Bowser said, she knows Home Rule is under threat from the Republican-controlled Congress and the White House.
Last month, President Donald Trump made the following remarks to reporters on Air Force One as he flew back to Washington from Miami: “I think that we should govern the District of Columbia. It’s so important, the D.C. situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless. And I think we should take over Washington, D.C.
“I get along great with the mayor, but they’re not doing the job — too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns,” he continued. “There’s magnificent lawns and there’s tents. It’s a sad thing, homeless people all over the place.”
Happily, so far, no executive order has arrived to limit Home Rule.
Taking a different tack from the protests of 2020, Bowser is quietly responding. Last
Et Tu, WaPo?
The hits just keep on coming. Since the installation of the new regime, we’ve seen mass firings without warning. Unqualified and dangerous people put in charge of every agency. Extensive thefts of our personal data. Betrayals of our friends and allies. And cruel deportations that would make a Kommandant blush. Every day, another blow.
But this time, the threat is coming from a most unlikely source: the house that Woodward and Bernstein, Katharine Graham and Ben Bradlee built — along with hundreds of other journalists — that countless Washingtonians and readers around the world have depended on for a clear read and analysis of the news.
Jeff Bezos has decided to jettison the Post’s longtime tradition of free speech and diverse opinions in favor of “personal liberties and free markets” — in other words, those benefitting
week, she removed any online references to D.C. being a sanctuary city.
The “bigger fish” she worries about are the mass layoffs of federal workers, of which the Washington area has over 300,000. This formerly stable workforce insulated D.C. from most economic problems. But no longer, it seems.
The BLM mural “helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser said. “The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number-one concern. Our focus is on economic growth, public safety and supporting our residents affected by these cuts.
“So, while I recognize that there is frustration and that people want someone to blame or they want somebody to be mad at, I don’t think that’s where we are in D.C.,” she said. “I think we’re in the place where we’re locking arms. They want us to be smart and strategic and get to the other side, and that’s my job. I’m going to navigate us to the other side.”
Bowser’s stoic, strategic attitude aims to deflect any takeover of local government and to help D.C. weather the capriciousness of our bully president. It’s working for now — and she is to be commended. Let’s hope her captaining leads us to a safe harbor.
Washington, D.C., has long prided itself on fiscal responsibility, strong economic growth and balanced budgets. Over the past two decades, our city has transformed from a jurisdiction on the brink of financial collapse into one with a robust reserve fund, a thriving business sector and an expanding tax base. However, as we look ahead, dark financial clouds are forming.
The chief financial officer’s recent projections indicate that D.C. is facing a budget shortfall exceeding $1 billion over the next three years. This fiscal crisis is driven by a combination of factors, including declining commercial property tax revenues,
Residents will see reductions in Metro service, delayed infrastructure repairs and diminished social services for the city’s most vulnerable populations.
For businesses, the impact will be just as severe. To close the budget gap, city leaders may consider raising taxes, which are already the highest in the region because of Council actions last year. This will discourage investment and further weaken D.C.’s economic competitiveness. Higher commercial and residential property taxes, in particular, will accelerate the exodus of residents and businesses already struggling with remote work trends and economic uncertainty.
The city government must make deep cuts to essential services, including public safety, education and health care, which make up over 85 percent of the spending.
slowing population growth and the lingering economic effects of the pandemic. Without swift and decisive action, the consequences for residents, businesses and city services will be disastrous.
the president and his fellow broligarchs. He suggests that readers looking for “viewpoints opposing those pillars” go elsewhere.
If that’s his mission, why not buy a business journal and beef up its libertarian leanings? Or start an exorbitantly priced newsletter for like-minded capitalists? But compromising an institution’s principles and dismissing loyal readers to protect your business interests is a truly cynical and sinister choice.
Many of us have dropped our subscriptions to WaPo and Amazon Prime. We no longer shop at Whole Foods or on Amazon Marketplace. Others have left Facebook and Instagram for more broadminded spaces like BlueSky and Substack. As for The Georgetowner, we will continue to cover the news without fear or favor and help you make sense of the unprecedented challenges ahead.
The largest contributor to this deficit is the sharp decline in commercial real estate values, particularly in downtown D.C. The pandemic permanently altered work patterns, with more federal agencies and private sector firms embracing remote or hybrid work. As a result, office vacancies have soared to historic highs, diminishing the property tax revenue that the city has long relied on to fund critical services.
Compounding this issue is an increase in spending commitments over the past several years. While social programs, public safety initiatives and infrastructure projects are essential, they have expanded at a pace that is now unsustainable given our revenue projections. Additionally, the loss of pandemicera federal relief funds means the city must now fully bear the cost of programs that were temporarily supported by outside dollars.
A budget shortfall of this magnitude cannot be ignored. The city government must make deep cuts to essential services, including public safety, education and health care, which make up over 85 percent of the spending.
D.C. policymakers must act swiftly and strategically to address this crisis. First, we must focus on revitalizing downtown by attracting new industries, converting vacant office spaces into residential units and making D.C. a more business-friendly environment. Incentivizing businesses to return to the city and keeping residents in D.C. should be a top priority.
Second, we must carefully scrutinize government spending. While we must maintain essential services, now is the time for a serious evaluation of inefficiencies, redundancies and non-essential programs.
Finally, we need a balanced approach to revenue generation. Rather than simply raising taxes, we should explore alternative revenue streams, such as public-private partnerships, enhanced tourism promotion and expanded development opportunities.
The choices we make now will determine whether D.C. remains a thriving, prosperous city or slips into financial distress. Bold leadership and fiscal discipline are more important than ever.
Longtime Georgetown resident Jack Evans is a former Ward 2 District Council member and chair of the Finance Committee.
Rush Hour Traffic Lanes Never to Come Back?
If you care about traffic in Georgetown, be aware that the DDOT plans to permanently remove all rush-hour lanes in the neighborhood, a key commuter route for Maryland and Virginia residents. We urge you to help spread the word, sign the petition with Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces, and read this article featuring two letters sent to us. The first, from the Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces, talks about the permanent end of rush hour lanes in Georgetown and the second, from the D.C. Police Union, is about the Georgetown BID Widened Sidewalk and Streatery Pilot.
FEB. 28 PUBLIC SPACES COALITION LETTER TO DDOT
Dear Director Kershbaum:
On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal workers to terminate remote work arrangements and return to work in-person on a full-time basis as soon as is practicable.
As of March 10, D.C. employees can work from home a maximum of one day per week, a reduction from the previous two days per week.
Last week, Metro reported that ridership has been the system’s busiest since before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.
The above policy changes are why we are very surprised to see the Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) Notice of Intent (NOI) #25-56-TPA which seeks to permanently remove rush-hour parking restrictions in Georgetown.
You cite in Section 3.4 of the NOI that the transit evaluation was taken on August 30, 2023. How can you believe that to be representative of current traffic patterns?
Are you aware the National Park Service has issued a similar NOI to remove one-way rush hour on Rock Creek Parkway? If the major commercial arteries of Wisconsin and M are clogged, it’s a safe bet that overflow traffic will end up on the residential streets of Georgetown. The overflow traffic will further compromise already overused and gridlocked Georgetown thoroughfares and side streets. Further, have you considered the climate component of higher emissions and greenhouse gases and pollutants being released into the air with cars sitting in traffic?
Have you seen the letter from the DC Police Union to Mayor Bowser which states, “M Street is the only way to get to Canal Road and Key Bridge – Wisconsin Avenue connects many NW neighborhoods. With the uptick in back-to-office policies moving to eliminate rush hour traffic rules and reduce lanes in Georgetown seems short-sighted.”
We strongly encourage you to take a step back and collect more relevant and current data before proceeding with eliminating rush-hour parking restrictions in Georgetown. We look forward to hearing from you with a response to our questions and we are also available for a meeting at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Miller and Stefanie Scott, Co-Chairs Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
FRIDAY MUSIC SERIES PRESENTS: BEN CAPPS AND POSTCLASSICAL ENSEMBLE
Friday, March 21
Cellist Ben Capps, lead professor of chamber music at Georgetown University, performs with the innovative DC-based chamber orchestra PostClassical Ensemble. Free admission. Visit events.georgetown.edu.
SPRING ART WALK
Saturday, March 22
Georgetown Main Street’s Spring Art Walk will feature over a dozen Wisconsin Avenue venues showcasing paintings and mixed-media pieces, along with art workshops and live music, from noon to 5 p.m. Visit georgetownmainstreet.com
MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CHOIR
Saturday, March 29
Dumbarton Concerts presents the Morgan State University Choir singing inspirational African American spirituals under the direction of Dr. Eric Conway at 4 p.m. Dumbarton United Methodist Church. Visit dumbartonconcerts.org
ANC 2E MONTHLY MEETING
Monday, March 31
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E, representing Georgetown, Burleith and Hillandale, will hold its March meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 1524 35th St. NW, and via Zoom. Visit anc.dc.gov
FEB.
10
POLICE UNION LETTER RE GEORGETOWN STREATERIES
Dear Mayor Bowser,
I hope this letter finds you well. As the Chairman of the DC Police Union, I am writing to express our strong opposition to the Georgetown Business Improvement District’s (BID) Widened Sidewalk and “Streatery” Pilot Project, which runs along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue in the heart of Georgetown’s commercial corridor. This temporary pandemic-era social distancing pilot has outlived its usefulness and has significant adverse effects on the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) ability to protect businesses and residents in Georgetown.
1) As you are aware, response time is critical. If the first few minutes of a call are spent trying to navigate delivery trucks and vehicles that are double-parked and then try to find an opening in the jersey barriers to get to a retail shop, we have effectively lost the ability to interrupt the crime and/or apprehend the criminal. Our officers have expressed serious concerns about the hinderance of response time that are resulting from the widened sidewalks and streateries.
2) MPD is aware that the city is considering making these structures permanent. The amount of money required to do this is unimaginable. With crumbling police stations, the need for competitive salaries to recruit new officers and the call for upgraded technology we ask that you prioritize public safety.
3) We understand residents enjoy outdoor dining. But without a holistic approach to M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, these sidewalks and streateries will continue to jeopardize our ability to provide timely assistance to those in need. We must remember that M and Wisconsin are evacuation routes and plan accordingly.
4) A February 4th article in Urban Turf citing 10 developments coming to Georgetown shows Georgetown is facing huge population growth and even more strains on traffic, congestion and parking. M Street is the only way to get to Canal Road and Key Bridge –Wisconsin Avenue connects many NW neighborhoods. With the uptick in back-to-office policies moving to eliminate rush hour traffic rules and reduce lanes in Georgetown seems short-sighted.
The city can’t afford extended sidewalks financially nor operationally. It’s time to pull them up and allow first responders access to the businesses and community that rely on them for safety and security.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss these concerns further and collaborate on finding solutions that benefit the entire community.
Very Truly Yours,
Greggory Pemberton, Chairman DC Police Union
OLD GEORGETOWN BOARD
Thursday, April 3
The Old Georgetown Board–Commission of Fine Arts will meet at 9 a.m. at 401 F St. NW, Suite 312. Meeting documents are posted the Monday afternoon prior to the public meeting. Visit cfa.gov
THE NIGHT OF IDEAS
April 5th
Duke Ellington School, 3:00 pm -9:00
Starts with Panels on Democracy With Ambassador of France, Laurent Bili.
CARPE LIBRUM POP-UP BOOKSTORE
Sunday, April 6
Area residents can browse through books and CDs, all under $6, in the Chase Bank parking lot at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and P Street between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Visit georgetownmainstreet.com
TAKE OVER THE BAR SERIES
Wednesday, April 9
The Citizens Association of Georgetown hosts its monthly Take Over the Bar event at Martin’s Tavern, 1264 Wisconsin Ave. NW, from 5 to 7 p.m. This is a free opportunity for neighbors to meet and connect with other neighbors.
INS & OUTS: Kiehl’s, Google, Brasero Atlántico, Two Nine
BY ROBERT DEVANEY
SPRING IS COMING — AND ALSO COMING TO GEORGETOWN ARE SOME TOP-FLIGHT RETAILERS, RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES THAT SHOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD’S CONTINUING AND INCREASING ALLURE.
IN: KIEHL’S, BACK IN FORMER SPACE
Another retailer has returned to Georgetown. On March 7, Kiehl’s (“Since 1851”) moved back to 3110 M St. NW, formerly an Up/West clothing shop. The skin care company occupied this same location for years before departing in 2019.
IN: PETER MANNING … ABOVE REDDZ
Founded in 2013 in Brooklyn, Peter Manning New York calls itself “the premier fit-based fashion company, serving ‘not-sotall’ men across the country and around the world.” Its second store outside the Big Apple opened in Georgetown at 1413 Wisconsin Ave. NW, above Reddz Trading.
IN: GREAT BIG GAME SHOW
The creators of the Escape Game opened their newest interactive experience, Great Big Game Show, at 3345 M St. NW on March 7. Great Big Game Show isn’t just a game, say the owners: “It’s a full-blown, TV-style showdown where two teams go head-to-head. Inspired by beloved TV classics like ‘Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader,’ ‘Block Busters’ and ‘The Price is Right,’ Great Big Game Show transforms players into contestants for a 60-minute showdown packed with trivia, physical challenges and more.”
OUT: SHOUK SUCCEEDED BY SPRINGBONE KITCHEN
Shouk, the plant-based food group that offers the “best of Middle Eastern street food, period,” has closed its location at 1426 Wisconsin Ave NW. New York fast-casual restaurant Springbone Kitchen is set to take over the space in May.
COMING: BRASERO ATLÁNTICOFLORERÍA ATLÁNTICO
Well, it looks like Georgetown keeps attracting the crème de la crème. The cocktail bar run by Renato “Tato” Giovannoni and Alex Resnik will be set up in the old firehouse near the C&O Canal.
“Argentinian restaurant Brasero Atlántico and adjoining acclaimed cocktail bar Florería Atlántico are opening a D.C. outpost at 10641066 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Founded in Buenos Aires, they have locations in Barcelona with more in the works,” reports Eat DC.
COMING: TWO NINE SUSHI ON CONGRESS COURT
There’s more sushi to come, courtesy of Hawaiian-influenced sushi and chirashi restaurant Two Nine. The new eatery is being shoehorned into former parking spots on Congress Court, the alley that runs east-west between 31st Street and Wisconsin Avenue.
Zach Ramos and Amy Phan of Ama Ami and, before that, Sushi Taro plan to open the two-story, 1,500-square-foot restaurant later this spring. Expect artful chirashi bowls as well as an omakase counter. The address is 1218 31st St. NW, same as the Ultra Violet flower shop.
COMING: IT’S A SECRET MED SPA
A skin care medical spa is ready to open at 1365 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The first floor of the corner building previously housed a BB&T Bank. It’s a Secret Med Spa has 14 locations in Texas, Arizona and Chicago. Shh!
COMING: HUCKBERRY
One-stop men’s apparel retailer Huckberry will replace the departed Sleep Number mattress store at 1239 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The company has three other U.S. locations.
COMING: TWO NINE SUSHI ON CONGRESS COURT
There’s more sushi to come, courtesy of Hawaiian-influenced sushi and chirashi restaurant Two Nine. The new eatery is being shoehorned into former parking spots on Congress Court, the alley that runs east-west between 31st Street and Wisconsin Avenue.
Zach Ramos and Amy Phan of Ama Ami and, before that, Sushi Taro plan to open the two-story, 1,500-square-foot restaurant later this
spring. Expect artful chirashi bowls as well as an omakase counter. The address is 1218 31st St. NW, same as the Ultra Violet flower shop.
COMING: GOOGLE STORE ON M
A brick-and-mortar Google Store is planned for M Street in the former Aerie, as previously reported in The Georgetowner. The women’s clothing store plans to move to the one-time Patagonia space at 1048 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
“The tech giant recently signed a 10-year lease for 7,700 square feet at 3235 M St. NW, currently home to lifestyle and intimate apparel brand Aerie, which plans to relocate,” according to the Washington Business Journal. “It will sell Google products including phones and Chromebooks, along with in-store tech support and other programming,”
So far, there are five other Google locations: two in New York City and one each in Boston, Chicago and Mountain View, California.
New Google store on M Street. Courtesy of Costar.com.
Initiative 82: The Tipped Wage Controversy Continues
BY ZOE HOWARD-BARR
Overwhelmingly passed in 2022, Initiative 82 has been steadily reshaping the city’s labor landscape since going into effect in May of 2023. The measure incrementally raises the hourly wages of tipped workers. It is designed to gradually eliminate the tip credit — an allowance that lets employers pay tipped workers
below the standard minimum wage if tips make up the difference. The initiative has sparked debate about its benefits and challenges.
Before the phased implementation began, the tipped minimum wage in D.C. was just $5.35 an hour, a rate heavily reliant on tips to make up the rest of tipped workers’ incomes. Since then it has risen to $10 an hour, with a jump to $12 planned for this July. By 2027, the tipped minimum wage will match the minimum wage of all D.C. workers, currently $17.50.
The legislation is seen as a major win for tipped workers, who are more vulnerable to wage theft, harassment and other exploitation. The wage increases create a more stable income and particularly benefit women, people of color and low-income workers, groups disproportionately represented in the tipped workforce. Supporters argue that this is a necessary move toward economic equity.
The shift has not been easy for local businesses. As tipped minimum wages continue to climb, businesses, notably restaurants, are finding it harder to sustain their operations without increasing prices or cutting back on staff.
The loss of 1,800 restaurant jobs since May of 2023 highlights the added strain of the wage increases and the elimination of the tip credit,
even if post-pandemic economic conditions and staffing shortages are also contributing factors.
Billy Martin from Georgetown’s historic Martin’s Tavern is passionate about the issue. He expressed deep concern: “There are independent restaurants and huge corporate restaurants. When Initiative 82 is fully implemented, many of the smaller restaurants will be forced to adjust their models so drastically that it will inevitably cost jobs or close their doors for good — therefore changing the fabric and diversity of this great industry as we know it.
“We see this already with the closing of more
than 70 restaurants in the Washington area since Initiative 82 has been implemented or many who are relocating to Virginia and Maryland.”
Martin continued, “What I-82 is doing is creating confusion and challenges with how to adjust for the additional payroll expense. Higher menu-item prices or adding an operational fee is also challenging and confusing. By the way, D.C. has one of the highest minimum wages in the country. It’s a shame that this great industry, the second highest revenue generator other than the federal government in Washington, D.C., is being adjusted this way.”
Courtesy Martin’s Tavern.
An employee meeting at Martin’s Tavern. Courtesy Martin’s Tavern.
Glass Houses
BY SUSAN BODIKER
It’s Georgetown’s side streets and unexplored corners that occupy the mental real estate and imaginations of Jessica and Ezra Glass, the creative forces and owners of Atelier Verre, the design-build firm behind many of the newest, hippest restaurants in town, as well as Hamilton Court, a mini neighborhood of retail, restaurant and residential offerings coming to 31st and M Streets NW.
“We moved here because we love its essence, its intimate scale and its history,” says Jessica. “But we realized that much of the attention has been focused on a very specific population — students and tourists — and the national brand experiences that they were already familiar with.
“We wanted to go in a different direction,” she continues, “curating local businesses for local residents, whose needs and lifestyle we felt had been overlooked. We wanted to create a Georgetown that all Georgetowners could enjoy.”
Think: a nouveau Left Bank on the Potomac, rich with restaurants, galleries and other attractions that enhance “Georgetown’s unique vibe and spirit.”
To bring this vision to life, the Glasses concentrated their attention on side streets and other underutilized spaces which, they felt, offered the vintage charm, new business potential and, importantly, more affordable rents than the neighborhood’s famed main streets.
After years of experience in Georgetown’s high-end residential market, their unique insights into the intricacies of permitting and building restoration led inevitably to the creation of Atelier Verre (“studio glass” in French), a full-service firm designed to help prospective retail and restaurant tenants overcome the challenges inherent in a historic redevelopment — from overall design and construction (bringing old inventory up to technical speed and performance) to preservation (working with the Commission of Fine Arts and other city agencies to uphold architectural traditions within a modern frame).
Their singular mix of aesthetics and business acumen underscores a “Build It and They Will Come” philosophy focused on transforming overlooked sites into thriving spaces with
Courtesy of Sonya
maximum destination appeal. As Jessica notes, “When you make Georgetown as compelling as possible, the whole ship rises. And that’s a return that benefits everyone.”
Their creative handiwork can be seen throughout Georgetown, from Michelin-starred restaurants and cozy cafés to larger developments. Their hospitality clients can well be credited with boosting our community’s amazing post-Covid recovery, with treats for the eye as well as the palate.
You can dine up and down the avenue, starting at Levantine café Yellow and proceeding to Apéro, a champagne bar with a globally
recognized wine and caviar program; Reverie, which boasts one Michelin star; South Block, offering organic meals with fair-trade sourcing; and Mediterranean eateries Green Almond Pantry and My Little Chamomile. For specialty drinks, there’s Grace Street Coffee Roasters.
Also on the books is Hamilton Court, a mixed-use development that builds upon a storied past as a 1930s neighborhood gathering place with a well-known coffee shop, the Hamilton Arms. In Atelier Verre’s vision, restaurants and local lifestyle services (e.g., hair and nail salons, Pilates studios and child care) will be set around the perimeter of a soon-to-be landscaped courtyard that invites visitors and residents alike to linger and connect in a convivial atmosphere.
Plans for six restaurants are in the works, including Spot (a neighborhood hangout) and the Hawaiian-influenced sushi and chirashi restaurant Two Nine (expected to win its own Michelin star).
“We really focus on the kind of retail that requires a human-to-human interaction,” Jessica explains. “What we look for are businesses that aren’t going to be cannibalized by an Amazon, e-commerce platform or AI. The personal touch is key to our brand and to the tenants we cultivate.”
At the other end of the Glass continuum is LXIV, their very high-end lifestyle and hospitality division, which restores and rents out luxury villas that come with such extras as chefs, stylists, butlers, party planners and logistics managers — in short, every comfort and amenity the well-heeled guest could possibly desire. Exquisitely furnished and maintained, these are the ultimate short-term rentals for members of the “one percent,” who crave privacy and exclusivity. Imagine “Succession” (but minus the scheming).
The first home in the collection is on 30th Street, a brick-and-clapboard federal known for its distinguished lineage, magnificent gardens, sparkling pool and extensive square footage inside and out. Now a masterpiece of gracious living, it is simply and elegantly designed for short stays and special events.
Using 30th Street as a template, LXIV plans to roll out the luxury homestay concept to New York City, Los Angeles and other upscale markets.
That said, the Glasses affirm that their heart remains in Georgetown — devoted to the people, their future and current tenants and the hidden properties that await Atelier Verre’s magical touch.
Visit our September issue in our archives for more photos of the 30th St. house.
Bernhardt
Courtesy of Fritz Photography
Georgetown 2024
Real Estate Stats
Total Sales 459
4 homes in double digits at $10 million plus.
22 homes over $5 million.
36 homes over $3 million
62 homes over $2 million
178 homes over $1 million
59 over $500,000
97 under $500,000
Last year we had 459 real estate closings, including 2 cabanas and DC’s most expensive home closed at $25million. 20007 is in demand for large homes. Even Sally Quinn was asked to sell - she said “never” according to the NY Times.
Highest priced home listed for $28,995,000 by Bret & Amy Baier
Own this piece of history at 1524 33rd St NW.
Boyden Gray’s long time residence sold for $10.5 million
BY
Tickled Pink with a Splash of Mocha
Pink Slipper Chair Hunter and Huntress/ $350
Gold Aluminum and Acrylic Necklace and Earrings
Karin Johansson Jewelers Werk Galerie
Chinese Ceramic Jug Hunter and Huntress/ $290
Binchotan Charcoal
Japanese Air Purifier
Just Paper and Tea/ $32
Les Ottoman’s Italian Tray Hunter and Huntress/ $280
Beckoning Cat
Just Paper and Tea/ $60
Ginori Oriente Plate
A Mano/ $125
Oaxacan Carved Octopus
The Phoenix/ $385
Spring arrives like a whispered promise, draping the world in a symphony of pink and mocha -the delicate blush of cherry blossoms against the rich earth, a contrast as timeless as beauty itself. It’s the season of renewal, when design takes its cue from nature’s grand revival, infusing spaces with freshness, softness, and the undeniable joy of reinvention. Think petal-pink textiles that catch the light, warm mocha hues grounding a room in effortless elegance, and playful patterns that flirt with the senses like the first breeze of the season. Tortoise-shell accents bring a touch of classic refinement, while fluid, organic shapes-perhaps inspired by the graceful, ever-adapting octopus add movement and intrigue. In Japan, the fleeting beauty of sakura is a cherished reminder of renewal, inspiring spaces that embrace wabi-sabi—the elegance of imperfection. Pretty yet powerful, spring’s palette is an invitation to embrace change with style and a sense of adventure.
The Latest Dish
BY LINDA ROTH
Bar Japonais owners Dean Mosones and Mark Minicucci welcomed Michelinstarred chef Masaaki “Uchi” Uchino as the restaurant’s new executive chef. Previously executive chef at Sushi Nakazawa and at his own venture, Kiyomi Sushi, at The Square Food Hall on K Street NW, Uchi unveiled a 15-course omakase experience featuring a rotating selection of delicacies that pays tribute to spring and cherry blossom season. The French-Japanese fusion restaurant opened last year in Logan Circle at 1520 14th St. NW. Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar, from Miami-based Centurion Restaurant Group, will open in Maryland by the end of the first quarter at 2 Bethesda Metro, where Cesco Osteria used to be. Offering classic Peruvian cuisine with a modern twist — with an al fresco dining experience on the outdoor patio — it will be Pisco y Nazca’s third location in the DMV.
Ch-Ch-Changes: The Game Sports Pub at 2411 18th St. NW in Adams Morgan will transform into an extension of Tiki On 18th, its sibling bar at street level, according to Jo-Jo Valenzuela and business partner Oscar Guardado. The Game replaced their Ventnor
Sports Café in 2019. Filipino pub fare will continue to be featured. A second-quarter relaunch is targeted.
The Burns Brothers (Mike and John) of 4de of Lucky Danger and Any Day Now and commercial real estate broker LaMean Koroma are opening Kata, a supper club, at 600 F St. NW, where Fuel Pizza used to be.
More Japanese, Peruvian, Filipino and Chinese Eateries
Brian Dunbar, formerly of Rams Head Tavern in Savage, Maryland, helms the kitchen. The club atmosphere is fueled by DJ music on weekends and bartop fire dancers. Kata’s upstairs lounge goes by “Nomad at Sunset” in the evenings and “Nomad at Sunrise,” serving coffee and teas, during the morning hours.
From Dante Datta and Suresh Sundas —
GOVINDA GALLERY
50th Anniversary | 1975-2025
popart@govindagallery.com
the folks who brought you Daru and Eater 38 — comes Tapori (“vagabond” in Hindi), a Nepalese and Indian restaurant featuring Mumbai street food and tropical cocktails, at 600 H St. NE, where Fancy Radish used to be. Alvand, an Iranian restaurant named after a peak in the Zagros Mountains, is slated to open in the second quarter at 5009 Langston Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia, according to owners Ebrahim and Mohammad Esfahani. The Esfahani brothers were originally going to open an All About Burger there; they currently own and operate three in the DMV.
The Stratford Motor Lodge at 300 Broad St. in Falls Church, Virginia, is being converted by local beer and wine shop owner Arash Tafakor into Stratford Garden, a restaurant and beer garden slated to open in the fourth quarter, with seating for 200 inside and 100 outside.
Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the food service and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR, #LindaRothPR or lindarothpr.com.
Bob Dylan NYC 1961. Photo by Ted Russell
Dean Mosones, Masaaki “Uchi” Uchino and Mark Minicucci.
Songwriters Converge on Amelia Island, April 10-12
BY RICHARD SELDEN
The northernmost community on Amelia Island — and the northernmost on all of Florida’s Atlantic Coast — is Fernandina Beach (pop. 13,000). Home to eagles, egrets, pelicans, foxes, armadillos, gopher tortoises and sea turtles, in a few weeks Fernandina Beach will attract a flock of migrating songwriters.
Like a weekend in Nashville, but with palm trees and an ocean breeze, the third annual Fernandina Beach Songwriters Festival kicks off on Thursday, April 10, with a sunset sail and goes out with a twang on Saturday, April 12.
“It all began with three friends ...” per the festival website: Tammy Rogers King, Sean McCarthy and Zan Maddox.
King, an East Tennessee fiddler who co-founded the Grammy-winning SteelDrivers and has been on the road with Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Emmylou Harris
and Buddy Miller, is married to guitarist Jeff King, who has toured with Brooks and Dunn and Reba McEntire.
McCarthy, a Fernandina Beach native, fronts the Sean McCarthy Band, a “Tropi-cana” (Trop Rock plus Americana) group that released the album “Last House On The Beach,” recorded at Fernandina Beach’s Key of Sea Studios, in 2019.
Maddox, “the non-musician,” born and raised in Jacksonville, has been visiting Amelia Island since childhood. Co-owner of PJD’s, a craft beer bar with live music, she organizes the annual Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach Black Friday Pajama Party. Plan to arrive on Thursday for the River Cruise Songwriter Meet and Greet, a sunset ride to Cumberland Island with entertainment by the Sean McCarthy Band.
The Friday schedule runs from noon to 5:30 p.m. in the Pavilion, with sets by Deacon
Parks, Mike Geiger & Woody Mullis, Eric Erdman & Rachel Thibodeau and Gary Baker & Leslie Satcher. In the Heymann Williams Office, Michele Anders performs at noon and Troubadour Blue presents Gloria Anderson, Aniston Pate, Elliott Prather and Max Sadler at 2 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., Andria Shinn introduces an “In the Round” session featuring Brad Clawson, Thom Schuyler, Thomm Jutz, Austin Moody, Lize Hengber and Deanna Bryant. Troubadour Blue takes the stage at 9 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule in the Pavilion features Hupp Huppmann at noon, followed by Clawson & Moody, Bryant & Hengber and Schuler & Jutz. Performing in the Heymann Williams Office: Melissa Joiner, Kiera King & Ashlynn Foutz, Sarah Morey & Cassidy Best and, at 4 p.m., Daniel Ethridge, Brenna Wheeler and special guests. At Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. “In the Round,” Shinn introduces Geiger, Mullis, Erdman, Thibodeau, Baker and Satcher. The festival’s big closing event, at 9 p.m., is “Saturday Night Opry.”
Here’s how the website describes the Friday and Saturday night shows: “These intimate gatherings offer a closer glimpse into the lives of the artists, featuring autograph sessions, photo ops and firsthand accounts of their musical journeys.”
In addition to the Hampton Inn & Suites in downtown Fernandina Beach, a festival partner, seven lodging recommendations are
IN COUNTRY
listed: Florida House Inn, Barefoot Amelia Beach Rentals, the Amelia Schoolhouse Inn, Hoyt House Bed and Breakfast, the Addison On Amelia, Blue Heron Inn on Amelia Island and Courtyard by Marriott.
Complete information is available at fernandinasongwritersfestival.com
premier land in Orange County Hunt Territory on Atoka Road | 100 acres of hay & remaining is mature woodland | Wonderful riding trails and wildlife habitat | Easement allows a residential compound and comprehensive equestrian facilities including the ability to build an indoor arena | Impressive mountain views, 2 ponds
Helen MacMahon (540)
Singer-songwriter Gary Baker.
Rarely Performed Choral Masterpieces, March 16
BY RICHARD SELDEN
In WalletHub’s new ranking of the most hardworking cities in the country, Anchorage, Alaska, made a four-rung leap into the top spot, knocking out Washington, D.C. Nonetheless, second place is impressive, and a clear rebuttal to recent sneering.
Whether WalletHub-worthy or not, the nation’s capital is also a choral capital, boasting three symphonic choruses: the Cathedral Choral Society, the Washington Chorus and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. Among the District’s other ensembles are the City Choir of Washington, Washington Master Chorale, the Heritage Signature Chorale, Men and Women of the Gospel Choir, the Children’s Chorus of Washington and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC.*
A spring solstice of D.C.’s choral season will occur on Sunday, March 16, when rarely heard sacred masterpieces will be performed an hour and three miles apart by the Cathedral Choral Society and Washington Master Chorale.
At 4 p.m., the Cathedral Choral Society — joined by the Clarion Choir and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra — will present “Smyth’s Mass in D” at Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW. At 5 p.m., Washington Master Chorale will present “The All-Night Vigil at 110” at the Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW.
Born into a military family in 1858 in what is now southeastern Greater London, Ethel Smyth studied in Leipzig, both at the conservatory, founded by Mendelssohn, and privately. A Romantic composer whose romantic life focused mainly on women, she was on friendly terms with Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvořák and other classical music luminaries. Also a friend of Queen Victoria, she later became a radical suffragist (serving two months in prison) and, in 1922, the first composer to be named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Smyth “has a very distinctive voice,” said Steven Fox, CCS’s music director since 2017, the year after the death of J. Reilly Lewis. Calling her Mass “completely original,” he gave the following example: “In the Kyrie, for instance, there is a moment when the full orchestra and chorus hand off immediately to a chamber ensemble of oboe, two bassoons, flute, two horns and a triangle. We enter this completely new sound world with no notice, but it is mesmerizing.”
The hourlong work’s six sections, setting the Latin text of the Mass ordinary, are: Kyrie, Credo (the longest, at about 15 minutes), Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Gloria (placed at the end both to follow High Anglican tradition and for a triumphal finale). The
Celebrating Indigenous Fashion
Friday and Saturday, March 14–15
Free | National Mall
Hear from contemporary Indigenous fashion designers, enjoy a unique fashion showcase, and support Native artists.
Friday, March 14
After Hours: Celebrating Indigenous Fashion 7 PM
Saturday, March 15
Indigenous Fashion Showcase | 10 AM–5 PM Curator Tour: “Making a Statement” | 11 AM
Women’s History Month: Stories and Conversation on Indigenous Design | 1 PM
AmericanIndian.si.edu
Gladstone at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Photo by Doug Peters/PA Images via Getty Images
Cathedral Choral Courtesy Choral Arts Society.
soloists on March 16 will be soprano Jazmine Saunders, mezzo-soprano Kayleigh Decker, tenor Issachah Savage and bass Aleksey Bogdanov.
When the Mass had its premiere in London’s Royal Albert Hall, the composer’s “very natural and dramatic way of writing for the solo voices … prompted those who first heard it in 1893 to encourage Smyth to try her hand at opera,” said Fox. “She wrote several very successful operas following this Mass, including ‘Der Wald,’ which was the first opera by a woman composer ever to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.”
Also on the CCS program is Mozart’s
“Meistermusik” for male choir and orchestra, a reconstruction of a piece he wrote in 1785 for a Masonic ceremony.
Ticket prices range from $25 to $96. Also offered: a pay-what-you-wish livestream. In collaboration with the Boulanger Initiative — which “advocates for women and all gendermarginalized composers” — and Right Proper Brewing, CCS will host a pre-concert event from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in National Cathedral School’s Hearst Hall, 3612 Woodley Road NW. Details, tickets and pre-concert event registration are available at cathedralchoralsociety.org.
Rachmaninoff’s a cappella “All-Night Vigil,” lasting 75 minutes (not all night), will be sung by the 60-voice Washington Master Chorale. Based on three styles of chant, the work features passages for solo tenor, at this performance Jietong Fu, who holds a doctor of musical arts degree from Texas Tech and a graduate performance diploma from Baltimore’s Peabody Institute. Of its 15 movements, the longest appears to be the 11th, My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord, about seven minutes, and the shortest the 14th, Thou Didst Rise from the Tomb, a brief minute and a half.
“The Church Slavonic sounds like Russian to the general public,” said WMC Artistic Director Thomas Colohan. A translation will be provided. At 4 p.m., Colohan will give a pre-concert talk with excerpts from the piece, which was premiered in Moscow in March of
1915, partly to raise funds for the Russian war effort. Though well received, the coming of the Russian Revolution two years later meant that religious practice and music were suppressed.
“I appreciate and experience the work on a number of levels, both separately and all at once,” explained Colohan, as “an a cappella symphony or tone poem of sheer beauty in a theme-andvariation form,” as “a sacred, orthodox liturgical work of the highest excellence” and as “a profoundly musical and spiritual work that has a meditative and eternal quality.”
Recognizing this last aspect, WMC invites attendees to bring yoga mats and meditation pillows. “Meditation space is limited and is offered on a first come, first served basis,” notes the website.
Tickets are $40 and $60 ($10 for students). Current and recently terminated federal employees can request free tickets by emailing info@washingtonmasterchorale. org. A virtual presentation of the performance can be viewed online the following day for $40. Details and tickets are available at washingtonmasterchorale.org
*The Gay Men’s Chorus’ performance of “A Peacock Among Pigeons” with the National Symphony Orchestra, canceled by the Kennedy Center, will be performed at another D.C. venue during the International Choral Festival at WorldPride 2025, May 23 to June 8.
Church of the Epiphany. Wikipedia photo.
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
50th Anniversary Weekend
On February 22, Duke Ellington School of the Arts celebrated their 50th anniversary with a gala. The event featured a showcase of all eight arts departments and actor and Ellington alum Lamman Rucker hosted the evening.
Alexandra Bryson Weds Mark Martinkov
Georgetown’s very own Alexandra Bryson and Mark Martinkov were married on Jan. 25 in an intimate ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C., surrounded by family and friends. The young couple, whose relationship began more than a decade ago as teenagers, exchanged vows under a chuppah canopied by two beautiful billowing trees.
The bride, an active leader in the space industry, is the daughter of Doug and Renee Bryson of Great Falls, Virginia. The groom, an investor in the defense sector and a board member of the
Citizens Association of Georgetown, is the son of Alexander and Maria Martinkov of McLean, Virginia. Together they share a deep appreciation for innovation, exploration and the impact of their respective pursuits on the world around them — values that have shaped their partnership.
Alexandra walked down the aisle in a bespoke Modern Trousseau gown, its delicate sleeves and sweeping train evoking a sense of elegant romance. Mark, who watched with an admiring smile as Alexandra walked down the aisle, wore an anemone boutonniere — a subtle tribute to the couple’s first date that tied past and present together on their wedding day.
With a choreographed first dance to “Skyfall” by Adele, a nod to their shared love of James Bond, the newlyweds set the tone for an evening of joy and celebration. Friends and family offered heartfelt toasts, reminiscing about the couple’s journey from high school sweethearts to husband and wife. Laughter and happy tears filled the room, creating a warm and festive atmosphere.
An after-party carried on until the early morning, with guests dancing, laughing and cheering the newlyweds in a night that felt too joyous to end.
After their honeymoon in Venice, Milan and St. Moritz, the couple returned to their home in Georgetown, where they look forward to building their future together. With hearts full of gratitude, Mr. and Mrs. Martinkov look forward to a lifetime of adventure, guided by the same warmth and devotion that brought them together.
First dance. Photo by Abby Jiu Photography.
Presenting … Mr. and Mrs. Martinkov. Photo by Abby Jiu Photography.
The 50th Anniversary Committee. (L to R) Monique McCray, Lavonne Taliferro Bunch, Veronica Martin, Pam Jackson, Principal Sandi Logan and Associate Director LaMarr Funn.
Photo Courtesy Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Welcome to the new Verstandig Pavilion at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital where you’ll find:
• 31 state-of-the-art operating rooms
• Expanded and modernized new emergency department with 32 private rooms
• Access to the most advanced treatment technologies
• 156 private patient rooms with natural, healing light
‘Fearless and Free: A Memoir’ by Josephine Baker
REVIEWED BY KITTY KELLEY
Josephine Baker (1906-1975) found fame in France in the 1920s as the American expat who danced in “a mere belt of bananas.” Ernest Hemingway described her as “the most sensational woman anyone ever saw.” Now, 50 years after her death, the dancer, singer, ingénue, scandal-maker, activist and spy is being celebrated in a memoir pieced together from various interviews she gave in French over more than 20 years.
While there have been a few biographies and one film about the “Bronze Venus” — also known as the “Black Pearl” and the “Creole Goddess” — this potpourri, translated into English after a half-century, purports to present “a collection of defining moments, impressions and images” of her life.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri (pop. 800,000 at the time), as Freda Josephine McDonald, she took her second husband’s name and kept it through two more marriages. She recalls her hometown as “the city of 100,000 Negroes,” where she grew up “cold and hungry … No father … I left school when I was eight years old to go and work.” Scavenging food from garbage cans, she spent many nights on the street. At 15, she was recruited for a vaudeville show, moved
to Harlem, and then to France for a role in La Folie du Jour at the Folies Bergère theater.
In Paris, Le Joséphine’s landmark cabaret show, “Le Revue Nègre,” became a sensation as the flamboyant dancer played to the disturbing stereotype of Blacks as inherently primitive. Crossing her eyes, waving her arms, swaying her hips and swinging a G-string made of bananas, she clowned, rolled her eyes and made faces. Exuding sexuality and wearing only feathers (or fruit), “the American Negress” became an instant sensation with her tribalinspired dances and comic commentary. “One day, all the papers, the dailies and the weeklies, were talking about me,” she recalled, citing the “presents, pretty presents, a mountain of them” bestowed upon her “danse sauvage.”
Seizing her instant fame, Baker posed nude for fashion photographers, sold Bakerskin — a skin-darkening lotion — and promoted Bakerfix, a hair pomade. Yet she paid a price for her celebrity.
On her European tour, the “Onyx Queen” recalled “the old Catholic groups hounding me with their Christian hate, from station to station, from town to town … in Vienna they rang all the city’s bells at full peal to warn
the church-goers that Josephine Baker, the demon of immorality, the devil herself arrived … I came to represent the ‘moral decadence threatening the great country of Austria.’” In Hungary, her visit was debated in Parliament three times, and her performance was greeted by an ammonia bomb. “For one endless second,” she writes, “I had goosebumps under my ostrich feathers.”
By 1936, Le Joséphine was the toast of Paris, but when she returned to the U.S. to star in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway, Time magazine denigrated her as “a St. Louis wash woman’s daughter” and “a Negro wench,” who stirred jaded Europeans of the jazz-loving type. “But to Manhattan theatre-goers last week she was just a slightly buck-toothed young Negro woman whose figure might be matched in any night club show, whose dancing & singing could be topped anywhere outside France.”
Devastated, Baker returned to France, renounced her U.S. citizenship and became a French citizen the following year. During World War II, she aided the French Resistance, performing for troops throughout the country, for which she received the Croix de Guerre, the Légion d’honneur and the Rosette of the Resistance. In 2021, she became the first Black woman to enter France’s Panthéon.
Baker punctuates many anecdotes in this book with “oh, la la!” and presents her philosophy of life as “a matter of affection that one has or doesn’t have,” which may or may not explain why she adopted 12 children, “one of every race,” and kept a menagerie of pets, including six dogs, three cats, a monkey, a parrot, two budgies, three white mice, a goldfish, a snake and a cheetah; the latter, adorned with a diamond collar, was part of her stage act. The children, plus menagerie and maids, lived on her estate in Castelnaud-Fayrac, outside of Paris, until 1968, when Baker went
bankrupt and had to sell the property to satisfy her debts.
While Le Joséphine acknowledges four husbands, she does not mention her reputed relationships with women, such as the French writer Colette or the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. In another publication, one of her sons described her as bisexual.
Sadly, the chanteuse ends her mishmash of a memoir on a dark note. “No Jews, no dogs, no [n-----s],” she writes in a diatribe against the U.S. “That’s what they boil down to, Americans, in their country, along with the atomic bomb, the portable refrigerator and chewing gum.” Baker repeats her racist rant several more times, then asks: “Can you blame me for being obsessed with this phrase, these ferocious words that I heard people say even in New York itself and by good people?”
In her introduction to “Fearless and Free,” the writer Ijeoma Oluo promises readers “a collection of defining moments, impressions and images.” On that weak point, there’s no debate.
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.
INTRODUCING OCEANA MEMORY CARE AT INSPĪR
ELEVATED CARE. INSPIRED LIVING.
At Inspīr, we believe memory care should be as unique as the individuals we serve. That’s why we created Oceana Memory Care—a thoughtfully designed program that combines evidence-based care, personalized engagement, and world-class hospitality to support those living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
With a highly trained care team, specialized wellness programs, and a luxurious, comforting environment, Oceana provides families with peace of mind and residents with the dignity and quality of life they deserve.
