PAGES OF ABSOLUTE POWER ROLAND FLAMINI ON ELECTION YEAR ALLIANCES BOB NIXON ON THE BATTLE FOR POPLAR POINT HOT FASHION SUITS FOR HIM AND HER WOMEN TAKE CHARGE ANGELINA JOLIE MARIANE PEARL CARLY FIORINA AND MORE VITAL VOICES A-LIST STYLISTS AND PARTIES! PARTIES! PARTIES!
WHO ARE THE CITY’S TOP MOVERS AND SHAKERS?
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WASHINGTON LIFE
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PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH WITH KUWAIT AMBASSADOR SALEM AL-SABAH AND RIMA AL-SABAH AT THE KUWAIT-AMERICA FOUNDATION MALARIA NO MORE GALA DINNER
© T&CO. 2008. Lucida ® diamond US Patent 5970744 et al.
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COVER STORY
THE POWER
Like a civil (and civic) Cosa Nostra, the powerful in Washington play nice … but their presence is a pervasive one. Not always the flashiest, they nevertheless remain the string-pullers, the favor-bestowers, and the wind behind Washington’s social, economic, and political sails.
FEATURES
VITAL VOICES
First Lady Laura Bush, Angelina Jolie, Mariane Pearl Zain Verjee, Carly Fiorina, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Hillary Rodham Clinton headline a night honoring women who are making a difference in their communities and in the world.
A TIGHT PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MEANS SHIFTING POLITICAL ALLIANCES
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We’re back in the thick of it as Washingtonians continue to jockey for position in this three horse Presidential campaign. Civic groups, lobbyists, media pundits, and most of all, the candidates’ supporters all have a special interest. Roland Flamini discovers which local leaders are hedging their bets and supporting multiple candidates.
THE BATTLE FOR POPLAR POINT
Earth Conservation Corps Chairman Bob Nixon is on a mission to preserve Anacostia National Park at Poplar Point. The District is currently mulling over several development proposals, one of which will turn the 70-acre wetland habitat into a significant new waterfront park with gardens, memorials, museums, outdoor performance areas, trails, and ball fields to serve the local community and visitors.
EDITOR’S LETTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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FYIDC WHO’S NEXT Kris Van Cleave of ABC-7 News . . . . . THE INSIDER GUIDE Power to the people . . . . . . . . SOCIAL CALENDAR Save the date . . . . . . . . . . .
POLLYWOOD Vital Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MEDIA SPOTLIGHT The press celebrates in style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radio and TV Correspondents Awards . . . . . . . . . . .
The Newseum Opens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIPLOMATIC DANCE
Perspective on power and music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON THE COVER Salem Al-Sabah, Rima Al-Sabah, and President George W. Bush (Photo by Vicky Pombo)
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FROM TOP Angelina Jolie and Mariane Pearl at Vital Voices (Photo by Sharon Farmer); Sally Quinn as a chanteuse (Photo by Clay Blackmore); Van Cleef & Arpels Hawaii “Bouquet” clip in aquamarines and diamonds set in white gold ($88,000); Van Cleef & Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5449; and an illustration from our POWER 100 feature.
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LIFE OF THE PARTY WL EXCLUSIVES
Kuwait-America Foundation Dinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nationals Opening Day and VIP Party . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI’s Birthday at Cafe Milano . . . . . . . . Dinner in honor of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz and Mrs Aziz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preview of the Corcoran’s American Evolution exhibition . . . Malcolm Peabody’s 80th Birthday . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WL SPONSORED
Phillips Collection Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children’s National Medical Center Gala . . . . . . . . . . . March of Dimes Gourmet Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vital Voices Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LIFESTYLES EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN
Clay Blackmore photographs power women as their alter egos .
WL FASHION
Suited for power at the Gaylord National Hotel . . . . . . . .
TREND REPORT
Garden styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Food and Friends at Hugo Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Iconic mens looks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A CUT ABOVE
The city’s A-List stylists and colorists . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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WASHINGTON SOCIAL DIARY Tiffany and Co. hosts Wolfgang Puck . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WL INSIDER How to reach creative enlightenment . . . . . Fashion for Paws struts its stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NIGHTLIFE Consider the grape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Bachelors and Spinsters Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EVENT SPOTLIGHTS Leah Gansler and the Higher Achievement Gala . . . . . . . Mary Cheney on National Education Partners . . . . . . . .
AROUND TOWN It’s better in Barbados . . . . . . . . . PARTIES! PARTIES! PARTIES! . . . . . . . . . . . THIS TOWN An affair to remember . . . . . . . . . . . .
HOME LIFE INSIDE HOMES The Cohens’ sky-high sanctuary. . . . ENVIRONMENTAL SPOTLIGHT Bob Nixon addresses the Poplar Point controversy . . . . . . OPEN HOUSE On the market and ready to move. . . . . RE NEWS Meet the new neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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FROM TOP Top stylists Nuri Yurt, Isabelle Geotz, and Ismail Tekin photographed by JB Yong at Josephine Lounge; Bo Derek and Charlie Rose (photo by Tony Powell); Hugo Boss dark grey suit ($1,195), lavender dress shirt ($165), dark lavender tie ($85), and brown leather belt ($115); Hugo Boss, 1517 Wisconsin Ave., NW, 202-625-2677. (Photo by Tim Coburn at the Gaylord National Hotel); Ermenegildo Zegna briefcase ($1,020) and pochette with lock ($770); Ermenegildo Zegna Boutique, Tysons Galleria II, Va., 571-730-1900.
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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Nancy Reynolds Bagley EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Michael M. Clements EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Katie Tarbox DEPUTY EDITOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Christina Wilkie
Beth Farnstrom COPY EDITOR
Claudia Krieger COLUMNISTS
Janet Donovan, Donna Evers, Mary Mewborn,Vicky Moon, Yona Park, Gail Scott, Donna Shor, and Michael Strange CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & EDITORS
Mary Cheney, Patricia Cook, Carly Fiorina, Julie Kirtz Garrett, Roland Flamini, Bob Nixon, and Mariane Pearl CREATIVE DIRECTOR
J.C. Suarès
ART DIRECTOR
Bridget Manifold CONTRIBUTING GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Elizabeth Demers PHOTO EDITOR
Paul Simkin CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Clay Blackmore, Stephen Bob,Tim Coburn, Sharon Farmer, Beth Farnstrom, Zaid Hamid, Peter Muller,Vicky Pombo,Tony Powell, Kyle Samperton, JBYong, and Daryl Wallace STYLISTS
James Cornwell and Lana Orloff ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Kelly Ginter LUXURY BRAND MANAGER
Krista Bullion SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Alexandra Misci ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Anna Croll, Sara Padob, and Theodore Wilhite BOOKKEEPER
Kevin Smoot WEB TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT
Ernesto Gluecksmann, Infamia, Inc. INTERNS
Katie Buckland, Anfon Ha, Raven Holzer, Jessica Hurtt, Lakendra Smith, and Jaymee Sooijin FOUNDER
Vicki Bagley CHAIRMAN, EXECUTIVE BOARD
Gerry Byrne CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Soroush Richard Shehabi
W ALTER E. W ASHINGTON C ONVENTION C ENTER
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Washington Life magazine publishes ten times a year. Issues are distributed in February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October, November and December and are hand-delivered on a rotating basis to over 150,000 homes throughout D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland. Additional copies are available at various upscale retailers, hotels, select newstands and Whole Foods stores in the area. For a complete listing, please-consult our website at www.washingtonlife.com. You can also subscribe online at www.washingtonlife.com or send a check for $49.99 (one year) to: Washington Life Magazine, 2301 Tracy Place NW, Washington D.C., 20008. BPA audited. Email us at info@washingtonlife.com with press releases, tips and editorial comments. Copyright ©2008 by Washington Life. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial content or photos in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States. We will not be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Many Sides to Power
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often hear that in Los Angeles, celebrity is power; in New York, money is power; and in Washington, power is power. There are, of course, exceptions. But I’m more interested in what it takes to become powerful no matter what city or country you call home. In this, our Power Issue, we turn our attention to the region’s most influential personalities, the places they dine, the events they attend, the stylists who give them their signature looks, and the armies of nannies, PR people, assistants, diction coaches, and personal trainers that keep their calendars full and their engines running at optimum speed. We start with the Power 100, a select list of the region’s major movers and shakers.While we do give a nod to several top politicos (the lawyers, lobbyists, and political players who’ve made the District’s power wheels spin this year), they’re not our entire focus. It would be too easy to fill a Washington power list with a roster of Cabinet members and senators. We also highlight players in finance, media, philanthropy, real estate and development, technology, and the arts.You’ll see that in Washington, power is knowledge, influence, access, and the perception of power – and while it often helps, wealth doesn’t beget power on its own. Nothing attracts (and displays) influence better than a presidential election. As veteran scribe Roland Flamini points out, the stakes are high – not only for the candidates, but also for the backers and fundraisers who hitch wagons to their favorite candidate. Find out who has the most to gain and lose in the upcoming election and why so many Washingtonians are backing multiple candidates. Where there is moving and shaking, there is struggle – nothing is free in this town. Earth Conservation Corps Chairman Bob Nixon talks about the current battle underway for the rights to develop, or preserve, Anacostia National Park at Poplar Point.The 70-acre wetland habitat is at the center of a civic battle between conservationists and developers, who want to turn it into another National Harbour. We also highlight (pun intended) some of the area’s top hair stylists and colorists this issue. Laugh if you like, but when Hillary, Condi, and Laura need a trim, they put their trust in the very capable hands of these top hair specialists. We’re sure these pros are privy to more secrets than the CIA. The way you dress can also convey that you are running the show. Fashion photographer Tim Coburn and stylists James Cornwell and Lana Orloff bring some of the most eye-catching wemean-business suits for men and women to our pages. Thanks to the team at the Gaylord National Hotel for letting us shoot at their amazing
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new location at the National Harbor. In Nightlife, we sample the best wine bars in the area, while WL Insider shows us how to “art up” our lives, and Around Town pays a visit to the Washington social set. Social Power loves company (and a good cause), as evidenced in the high-octane exclusive and sponsored events we bring you in this issue. International non-profit Vital Voices Global Partnership once again brought out a galaxy of female star power: in attendence were Laura Bush, Angelina Jolie, Carly Fiorina, and co-chairs Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Hillary Rodham Clinton, all of whom grace our pages this month. A special thanks to Fiorina and Mariane Pearl for writing about the amazing work that Melanne Verveer and the Vital Voices Global Partnership do. Speaking of extraordinary women, don’t miss photographer Clay Blackmore’s portraits of known female leaders living out their dream professions. Who knew Catherine Reynolds had a secret desire to be the “Queen of Country Music?” Kuwait Ambassador Salem Al-Sabah and his wife Rima are no strangers to power as evidenced on our cover.We have the exclusive on the KuwaitAmerica Foundation gala dinner for Malaria No More, which drew the President, First Lady, Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justices, and much of the Cabinet – along with some of the nation’s most powerful business leaders. We were also a proud sponsor of events hosted by the Phillips Collection, the March of Dimes Gourmet, and The Children’s National Medical Center and had exclusive coverage of the Nationals Opening Day VIP reception. Mark your calendar for the following WL-sponsored events in May: The Kennedy Center Spring Gala, The Mosaic Foundation Dinner, the Cultural Development Corporation Benefit, the Inaugural Benefit Luncheon for the Trust for the National Mall, the McLean Project for the Arts Spring Benefit, and the 20th Annual Garden Party to Benefit Woodrow Wilson House. All of these evidence the power of a good cause ....
Nancy R. Bagley Editor in Chief Readers wishing to get in touch with Nancy can email: letters@washingtonlife.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
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CLAY BLACKMORE is an established
portrait and wedding photographer. His client list includes such luminaries as Larry King, Forrest Whitaker and Jenna Elfman. Blackmore’s photos of notable women dressed as their alter egos are excerpted from his book Extraordinary Women, Fantasies Revealed.
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MARY CHENEY, daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, serves as a vice president at DC Navigators and on the board of Capital Partners for Education. In the event spotlight, she highlights their Visions for the Future 15th anniversary gala. 3
PATRICIA COOK, a Wall Street veteran with over 25 years of experience developing and managing fixed-income investment strategies, serves as the chief business officer for Freddie Mac. As the co-chair for Higher Achievement’s inaugural gala, she writes about the importance of education in the event spotlight. 4
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TIM COBURN is an award-winning
photographer with a concentration in commercial photography. He has been working as a professional photographer since 1996. Coburn brings his capable eye to the “Suited for Power” fashion shoot.
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JANET DONOVAN is the founder and president of Creative Enterprises International, a Washington, and D.C., publicity firm whose clients include celebrities, authors, politicians and publications. She created and hosted The Beltway Broads radio show and writes the column Media Spotlight. 6 Victory ’08 Chairman for the Republican
National Committee, CARLY FIORINA is one of the most recognized business leaders of the world. She writes about her work with Vital Voices in our coverage of their 2008 Leadership Awards.
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ROLAND FLAMINI was the Washington based chief international correspondent at United Press International until 2006. He also worked as the foreign correspondent and World section editor for Time magazine. In the feature “Pay to Play,” he writes about which presidential nominee Washingtonians
are backing.
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Self-taught conservationist BOB NIXON has won five Emmy Awards and an Academy Award nomination while helping to bring attention and resources to endangered environments, species and people around the world. Nixon turns his attention to the Battle for Poplar Point in our Home Life section.
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MARIANE PEARL, a 2008 Fern Holland Awardee, is an international journalist and honorary board member of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. Pearl writes about the power of women in our coverage of the annual awards. 10
DONNA SHOR is an internationalist who has lived in five countries on three continents, climbed the Great Wall of China, tracked tigers in Bangladesh, and hobnobbed with greats from Peck (Gregory) to Picasso (Pablo). She has written widely, from National Geographic to the Paris-based International Herald Tribune and our “Around Town” column.
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PRESTIGE AND PERFORMANCE. Each inspired by its own “winged B” symbol, Breitling and Bentley share the same concern for perfection. The same extreme standards of reliability, precision and authenticity.The same unique blend of prestige and performance. Whether in the Breitling workshops or in the Bentley factory in Crewe, cutting-edge technology is placed in the service of noble traditions. Symbolising this communion of ideals,Breitling participated in styling the instrumentation of the Bentley Continental models, the most powerful ever built by Bentley.
EXCLUSIVITY AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE. For devotees of fine mechanisms, Breitling has created a line of exceptional chronographs named “Breitling for Bentley”. Representing the culmination of sophisticated aesthetic research, these wrist instruments mirror the signature features of the famous British car manufacturer. Dedicated to the automobile world, they incorporate several exclusive technical characteristics, including a variable tachometer, and are propelled by high-performance “motors” patiently assembled by watchmakers at the peak of their art.Time is the ultimate luxury.
The greatest luxury in life is time. Savour every second.
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FYIDC
The Insider’s Guide to Washington | What’s In & What’s Out, Editor’s Pick, Hot Tickets, and The Social Calendar
Who’s Next San Diego transplant Kris Van Cleave brings on the charm ... and Emmys
The laid-back new guy with the big smile and cool designer glasses broke the usual newscaster mold when he moved from San Diego to cover metro for WJLA-TV ABC7 News/NewsChannel 8 a year and a half ago. But don’t be fooled. Beyond the funky, earnest on-air charm is one intrepid reporter – and he’s got four Emmys to prove it. PH OTO BY BE TH FAR NSTR OM
WL: So, are you a SoCal surfer dude? KVC: I’m an awful surfer. It’s better for everyone if I never get in the water. WL: Your spiked hair really set you apart from other on-air reporters here. What happened? KVC: My bosses asked me to tweak it a bit.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
And I can’t wear flip-flops to work! Back in San Diego they would pan down on my feet and have fun with it. That was the culture there. WL: What do you like most about Washington? KVC: Everyone is up on everything that is going on in the world. WL: Tell me about the “best reporter” Emmys you won in California. KVC: I got my first for live coverage of a brush fire, dangerously high surf and the California State Games. Another was for a piece about extreme skateboarding. I also received awards for stories about American sex offenders hiding in Mexico and others living inside a California state hospital.
| M AY | washingtonlife.com
WL: What scares you the most? KVC: A job where I don’t have fun anymore. Also having to part my hair, and climates where I can’t wear flip-flops. WL: Most difficult assignment here so far? KVC: Waiting in the hall where they had gathered the families of the 32 Virginia Tech shooting victims. I heard the sobbing, felt the horror and shared their sense of loss – that’s when the tragedy really hit me. It was also hard covering 37 military funerals of people who didn’t make it back from Iraq and Afghanistan. WL: How do you deal with all that? KVC: You learn to compartmentalize. My job is to tell the story.
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FYIDC | THE INSIDER’S GUIDE
Power to the People IN
&
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Breakfast with your charity board at the Ritz Carlton
Steak lunches with lobbyists
Joining Fly Clear, an airport prescreening card that allows you to bypass long security lines. $127 per year; www. flyclear.com
Missing your flight while you wait in a security line
The sprawling riverfront condos at 3030 K Street
Sprawling fields dotted with McMansions
National Salad Month (May)
Editor’s Pick WILL POWER Take a journey through Ancient Roman halls of power in the hands of the master himself, William Shakespeare. Two of the bard’s best portrayals of the rise and tragic fall of the powerful, Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, will be staged by the Shakespeare Theatre Company this month at the Sidney Harman Hall, a part of the Harman Center for the Arts. Running from April 26/27 through July 6; Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St., at the corner of Sixth and F Streets; 202-547-1122.
Andrew Long as Marc Antony and Suzanne Bertish as Cleopatra in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra,” directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Carol Rosegg.
quotable
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
National Pigs-ina-blanket Day, (April 24)
Abraham Lincoln
hot ticket
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Ultra-social gyms like Sportsclub L.A.
Cavernous nightclubs with booming music
Woodrow Wilson House’s 20th annual Garden Party, May 14
The Easter Egg hunt on the White House lawn
Qi Spa’s blackberry hand massage (www. qispadc.com)
Blackberry mojitos
DOCU-EMPOWERMENT The 2008 AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival opens on June 16 with the North American premiere of Bill Maher’s RELIGULOUS, directed by Larry Charles (Borat). The film is an exploration of world religions and an equal opportunity offender. The 2008 Guggenheim honoree is Spike Lee, who’s most recent documentary work is When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. Lee will be honored by special guests, including Danny Glover, and a gala celebration of New Orleans will follow. Insider’s Tip: A limited number of VIP festival passes will be available, offering total access to galas, screenings, exclusive VIP receptions and special programs. $1000 per couple; www.silverdocs.com
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by the numbers THE PRICE OF POWER
day tripper A DAY ON THE BAY Chart your ideal course and cast off for the Chesapeake Bay, a perfect one-day escape from city life. Thomas Point Lighthouse is a landmark on the Bay, and the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s guided tours are the only way to experience it (www.chesapeakelights.com); For a more active day-trip, skipper Kristen Berry will take you and your friends on a “Gale Force” sailing adventure (www.galeforcesailing.com); Reward your efforts with the full raw bar at Carrol’s Creek restaurant, 410 Severn Avenue, Annapolis, Md.; 410-263-8102; www. carrolscreek.com
Foodies ONLY WINE ON THE WATER Experience the fantastic new National Harbor complex at the Food & Wine Festival at National Harbor, May 1618.The festival’s theme,“Think Global.Taste Local.” will celebrate participating chefs’ use of local, fresh and responsibly sourced ingredients. Show Hours: Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Admission: $65 for one day and $100 for 2 days; 137 National Plaza, National Harbor, Md.; www. foodandwinenh.com.
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$135 MILLION Winning bid for the most expensive piece of art ever, Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer $439 MILLION Price tag of the district’s newest landmark, the Newseum $482.5 MILLION Approximate total campaign contributions to Senators Obama, Clinton, and McCain (as of April 20) $600 MILLION Two days of funding for the Iraq war $1.19 BILLION What JP Morgan paid to buy corporate giant Bear Stearns
ONLY IN WASHINGTON Just in time for our May Power issue (coincidence? I think not), the D﹒C﹒ Tourism Board has launched the city’s first ever integrated brand marketing campaign, a $2 million effort to highlight the city’s “Power” assets, and encourage potential visitors to create their own “Power Trips” to Washington. Look for print and TV advertising beginning this spring, and visit www.washington.org to add your own “DC Insider’s” tips.
GET BAKED We recently sampled some chocolate chip cookies from The Bean Bag, an independent coffee shop and deli in Bethesda, and we couldn’t get enough of them. The shop has been a familyrun business for 30 years, and the owner, Mitchell Wool knows many of his customers by name. 10400 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, Md.; 301-5308090; www.thebeanbag.com
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FYIDC | SOCIAL CALENDAR
Visit Washingtonlife.com’s online calendar for information about local benefits and galas. You can post your event online, where it will be considered for our print edition and annual Balls and Galas Directory.
MAY AN EVENING WITH LARRY KING AND FRIENDS
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Seal (aka “Mr. Heidi Klum”) will perform. Larry King’s Cardiac Foundation will benefit. Ritz-Carlton D.C.; 6:30 p.m.; black tie; $1,500; Contact Alicia Sovart at 703-417-2700.
FLASHFORWARD CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BENEFIT
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Arts patrons, artists, and business and community leaders will enjoy silent and live auctions of such items as lunch with Jim Graham, original SPONSORED artwork, and more; performances by Sol & Soul and Dhoonya Dance; and
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dancing to music by DJ D-Mac. 1840 14th Street NW.; 7 p.m.; creative cocktail attire; $175; Contact Cara Pomponio at cara@culturaldc.org.
legend Patti LaBelle will perform at this 5th annual awards gala. The Mandarin Oriental; 6 p.m. reception; 7 p.m. dinner; cocktail attire; $500; Contact Paola Williams at 202-349-1155.
KENNEDY CENTER SPRING GALA
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Hosted by Academy Awardwinning directors and Kennedy Center Honorees Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, this event features the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Williams. Kennedy Center; 8:30 p.m.; black-tie; $1,000; Contact 202-416-8338. MOSAIC FOUNDATION DINNER
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Laura Bush is honorary chair of this dinner which celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the Arab woman. National Building Museum; SPONSORED 6:30 p.m.; cocktail attire; $500; Contact Jeri Pierre at 202-388-0000.
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THE LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA HONORS SHEILA JOHNSON
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CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien will emcee and Grammy-winner and
REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER
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This year’s honorees, Mia Farrow and her son Ronan Seamus Farrow, will be presented with an award for their commitment to raising SPONSORED awareness of the violence and genocide in Darfur and inspiring others to get involved. Embassy of Italy; 6 p.m.VIP reception;7 p.m. general reception; 8 p.m. dinner; cocktail attire; $500; Contact erika@ refugeesinternational.org.
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RAYS OF HOPE GALA
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The National Coalition on Cancer Survivorship continues to support the race for a cure at one of the year’s most anticipated charity events. Andrew Mellon Auditorium; 6:30 reception; 7:30 dinner; cocktail attire; $250; Contact (202) 298-8650.
INAUGURAL BENEFIT LUNCHEON FOR THE TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL
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Chip and Sally Akridge host this luncheon which benefits the Trust for the National Mall. National Mall at 13th Street and Madison Dr. NW; 11:30 SPONSORED am.; $500; business attire and “ladies in hats”; Contact Lindsay Shulman at 202.207.3930 or lshulman@nationalmall.org
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BEST FRIENDS FOUNDATION OTH ANNIVERSARY DINNER
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Dance to live performances by Billy Davis, Jr. and Marilyn McCoo at this “platinum anniversary” of the BFF. Marriot Wardman Park; $1,000; Contact Ann Goldman at 202-478-9685.
LAND ROVER AMERICA’S POLO CUP
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In addition to polo, guests can expect a live performance from Huey Lewis and the News, as well as an international fashion show SPONSORED and culinary competition between top chefs. Friday: Morven Park; 8 p.m.; black-tie
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Fariba Jahambani, Sheika Iman Al-Thani, and Qatar Amb. Sheik Ali Al-Thani at the Mosaic Foundation Dinner in 2007
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TH “PERENNIAL” GARDEN PARTY TO BENEFIT WOODROW WILSON HOUSE
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Fierce competition and great prizes for the best spring hats, a silent auction, live music, and cocktails. Woodrow Wilson House; 6 - 8:30 SPONSORED p.m.; spring attire; $100; Contact Claudia Bismark at 202-387-4062 ext. 21.
WL
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION’S TH ANNUAL GALA
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This much anticipated event will be hosted by the irrespressible host of the eponymous Hardball With Chris Matthews. Grand Hyatt D.C.; 6:30 p.m. reception; 7:30 p.m. dinner; black tie; $500; Contact Cindy Schelhorn at 703-766-9005. THE SONS OF ITALY TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS GALA
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Stephen Schwarzman and General Colin Powell at the 2007 Kennedy Center Spring Gala
optional; $100. Saturday: 2 p.m.; business casual; $150 VIP. Contact Lisa Marie Ordakowski at 703-533-4837.
Strathmore Music Center; 5:30 reception; 7 p.m. readings with dinner to follow; $150; Contact Muffy Buvens at 1-800-222-5652.
WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY’S ANNUAL GALA
MCLEAN PROJECT FOR THE ARTS
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Expected to raise more than $900,000 for various arts initiatives, the gala features a special guest performance (in previous years,Yo Yo Ma and the Boys Choir of Harlem have played). Marriot Wardman Park; 6 p.m.; blacktie; $500; Contact info@wpas.org.
Sam Gilliam, famed locally for his expressive painting style as well as his eccentric self-expression, will be one of the featured artists at this evening SPONSORED of idea-generating conversation and creative cuisine. Prospect Hill; 7 - 9 p.m.; cocktail attire; $175; Contact 703-790-1953.
TH ANNUAL PEN/FAULKNER AWARDS
FRIENDS OF ROSE PARK GARDEN PARTY
This prestigious literary prize will be presented to one of a select group of finalists, among them, author Annie Dillard. Folger Shakespeare Library; 6 p.m.; black tie; $100; Contact 202-544-7077.
Celebrate community gem Rose Park with cocktails and Fait Accompli treats while supporting landscaping efforts on behalf of this neighborhood gathering spot. 3024 Q St., NW (the home of celebrated author Leslie Morgan Steiner and her husband, Perry Steiner); 6 - 8 p.m.; spring attire; Contact Trish Peva at tpeva@aol.com.
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BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION MARYLAND CELEBRATION OF READING
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WL
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Confirmed authors include Jim Nantz, Ron Hall and Denver Moore.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Showcasing “the very best of Italian America,” the gala features a chef expo, silent auction, and door prize of two round trip tickets to Italy. Joe Mantegna will act as master of ceremonies. National Building Museum; 6:45 p.m. tasting reception; 8:00 p.m silent auction; blacktie; $500; Contact 202-547-2900. THE WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER’S TH ANNIVERSARY GOLDEN GALA
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Over the past six years, the hospital center has provided more than $230 million in charity to those less fortunate in the community. National Building Museum; 6:30 cocktails; 7:30 dinner and program; black tie; $750; Contact Kristen Kofmehl at 202-877-5991.
SAVE THE DATE UPCOMING WL-SPONSORED EVENTS JUNE : WNO’S OPERA BALL JUNE GARDEN AND COSMOS GALA JUNE : AN EVENING TO BENEFIT INNOCENTS AT RISK AT THE COLOMBIAN EMBASSY
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W H E R E P E N N S Y LVA N I A AV E N U E M E E T S T H E CH A M PS ELY SÉES.
D.C.’s place to meet for authentic French Bistro cuisine, wine, coffee and conversation is Café du Parc, on Pennsylvania Avenue adjacent to the Willard InterContinental Hotel®. With exquisite French pastries, fresh brioche and in between meal “petits plats,” Café du Parc serves breakfast through dinner on two levels with Parisian-style outdoor dining, in warm weather months. Bon appétit!
Do you live an InterContinental life?
Call 202.942.7000 or visit www.cafeduparc.com ©2007 InterContinental Hotels Group. All rights reserved. Most hotels are independently owned and/or operated.
LIFE OF THE PARTY
WL-sponsored﹐ Hosted﹐ and exclusive events | Kuwaiti-America Foundation Benefit, The Phillip’s Gala, and Children’s National Medical Center Ball
Children’s National Medical Center Ball Emcee Brett Baier with his wife Amy at the National Building Museum. (Photo by Tony Powell)
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LIFE
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Marvin Hamlisch, Youssou N’Dour and Terre Blair
Ambassador Salem Al-Sabah, Rima Al-Sabah, and Mayor Adrian Fenty WL EXCLUSIVE
KUWAIT-AMERICA FOUNDATION 2008 GALA DINNER Embassy Residence of Kuwait PHOTOGRAPHS BY VICKI POMBO AND KYLE SAMPERTON
President George W. Bush and Joel Kaplan
THE EVENT When Kuwaiti Ambassador Salem Al-Sabah and his wife Rima host a gala dinner, the guest list will include the capital’s top VIPs. President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former aide turned pundit Karl Rove all turned out to support the “Stand for Africa” anti-malaria dinner. The President, just back from his tour of Africa, joked in his speech that he was in the middle of watching Father of the Bride at wife Laura’s request – their daughter Jenna is engaged to longtime beau Henry Hager. THE SCENE Charlie Rose emceed while Grammy-award winning Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour got the room clapping to his mbalax tunes. THE GUESTS Justice Samuel Alito, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen, Sen. Robert Benne , House Republican Whip Roy Blunt, Rep. John Dingell, composer Marvin Hamlisch, and actress Bo Derek as well as a number of top corporate executives who had contributed $1.6 million to fight the disease.
First Lady Laura Bush
Justice Samuel Alito and Martha Ann Alito
James Mulva with Alicia and Clay Sell
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OMB director Jim Nussle plays a country tune while his wife Karen sings
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
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The world is growing by more than 70 million people a year.
CHEVRON is a registered trademark of Chevron Corporation. The CHEVRON HALLMARK and HUMAN ENERGY are trademarks of Chevron Corporation. ©2007 Chevron Corporation. All rights reserved.
So is that a problem, or a solution?
crease, uing to in ping n ti n o c n populatio ons in the develo lso planet’s for milli ergy is a With our lity of life ur demand for en years from a u q e th and aily, o ds 25 proving d t everyone’s nee day. world im e we use to e n m a to th d y n rg A e . more en growing er we take 50% l and pow while now may e fu e th ping all ehicles, nd develo businesses and v Finding a , ne of the s e e ur hom ould b o ce. o c r t, n fo e d m e fa ne iron tion will g the env ur genera o protectin s e g n e chall e same greatest und in th fo is en s s e succ itself. Wh ensuring umanity h rish, to : u d o y e fl e e k n The d this owed to ll te a , a is re c s s t overcome posse place tha e on, and it we all k ir p ta , s e to e iv u y r y, d the uniq n its abilit , ingenuit has prove ard work nt. h e f o m it mankind it ir m ’s a sp of com It . re e u u s s a is e any mall m e planet. and no s ther, to th o courage h c a e ss, to To succe lution. es the so m o c e b … ed has lem to succe The prob s u s e it will iv r ing. And y that d n rg in e g n e e b n e a y since th rows to come. This hum every da or re m e to th y n n e a be hape m s of to s u ul source be with st powerf o m e th ing s in tapp elves. So join u rld. Ours o w e th in y rg an do. ene an race c m u h e th h what And watc
LIFE
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PARTY | KUWAIT-AMERICA FOUNDATION
Raymond Chambers, Bo Derek, and John Bridgeland
Jane Roberts with Karen and John Hofmeister
Ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir with Joan and Dave Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly
Wendy Paulson and Charlie Rose
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Paula, Alexandra, and Andrew Liveris
Bill Klesse, Gary Heminger, Margie Klesse, and Karl Rove
Cindy and Mark Albers
Admiral Michael Mullen and Deborah Mullen
Dede McClure and Josh Bolten
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LIFE
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PARTY
Brian Dailey with Shela and Art Collins
Martha Ann Alito and Grace Bender
Jane Harman, Margaret Carlson, and George Vrandenburg
WL SPONSORED
THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION GALA The Phillips Collection and Anderson House PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON THIS PAGE AND TONY POWELL NEXT PAGE
David Reines and Nina Totenberg Michael Chertoff and Jim Valentine
THE EVENT A perennial favorite among Washington society figures, this year’s Phillips Gala was “Bal des Canotiers,” the Boater’s Ball, and the decadent French theme was on display in every gallery of the museum. The evening also served as an informal going-away party for museum Director Jay Gates, who will retire this year. Gates oversaw a five year, 30,000-foot expansion of the Phillips, including the construction of a garden and an auditorium. THE SCENE Lobster and veal were served at tables topped with five foot-tall topiaries. Dessert and dancing were held at the Anderson House. THE GUESTS Justice Alito and Martha Ann Alito, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Michelle Fenty, Linda Douglass, and Sidney and Rep. Jane Harman, David and Katherine Bradley, and Dan and Rhoda Glickman.
Kathy Kemper, Meryl Chertoff, and Nora O’Donnell Lynne Flexner, Trish Vrandenburg, and Linda Douglass
Elizabeth and Paul Friedman
Roger and Vicki Sant
Departing Museum Director Jay Gates and Hanna Haskett 26
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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LIFE
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PARTY | THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION GALA
David PfeďŹ&#x20AC;er and Meredith Scott
David Lawson and Page Evans
Aline and Jules Feledy with Jason Gold and Shari Yost Gold
Charles Miller and Patricia Sagon
WA S H I N G T O N 28
LIFE
Tom and Jeannie Rutherfoord
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Robert Malson and Deborah Royster
Chilean Amb. Mariano Fernandez and Anjelica Fernandez
Joe McCathran and Kay Fischer
Hiroko Oura and Bergljot Barkbu
Nancy Zirkin and Rep. John Dingell
James and Esthy Adler
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Meet our Model.
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Our “business model” is designed to introduce you to a more comfortable shopping experience. For your convenience, most of what you see in our stores is: in stock, ready for immediate delivery and 20% to 25% less than non-stocked pricing. Want something you don’t see, that’s OK too. You’ll enjoy it in approximately six short weeks. Also, shop now thru May 11 and enjoy 20% off all special order sofas, chairs, sectionals, sleepers, beds, ottomans, dining chairs and more.
furniture. lighting. rugs. accessories. photography. 1526 14th Street NW (P and Q Streets) Washington, DC 20005 202.332.3433 / www.mgandbw.com Mon - Sat 10am to 9pm, Sun 12pm to 6pm Convenient weekend parking available.
LIFE
of the
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Beth Wilkinson and David Gregory
Samira and Paul Tibolla
Stephen and Diana Goldberg
WL SPONSORED
Liz and Paul Dougherty
CHILDREN’S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER BALL National Building Museum PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
Paige McKenzie and Lisa Nelson
THE EVENT A disco double header with performances from Kool & the Gang and K.C. & the Sunhine Band at a black-tie gala for the Children’s National Medical Center. THE SCENE The Ball a racts the young and philanthropic such as Fox News White House Correspondent Bre Baier and his wife Amy, whose children have been treated at the Center. The event helped kick-off a capital campaign to raise (FILL IN) for the hospital. THE GUESTS Jim and Mai Abdo, Susie and Tucker Carlson, Kirsten and Dave Pollin, and Dawn and Frank Saul.
Debbi and Ernie Drew Jarvis
John Asadoorian and Tina Schwartz
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Benedikt and Martina Schneider with Patricia and Lloyd Howell
Dan and Ashley Shiff
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Save The Date
Friday, June 6
Opera Ball
The evening includes dinner at one of His Excellency Pierre Vimont The Ambassador of France Opera Ball Host
Washington National Opera and The Embassy of France have chosen Julien Pavillard to design this year’s Opera Ball. M. Pavillard is Artistic
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Lehrman Mr. and Mrs. Michael R. Sonnenreich
Director of the Fête des Luminères, a festival of
Co-Chairmen
in Lyon, France. Mourka Glogowski, Claire
Friday, June 6 at the Residence of The Ambassador of France
lights enjoyed by four million people each year Guiral and Bertrand Bigot join Julien to form the creative team for this dazzling event on Friday, June 6 — an Opera Ball not to be missed.
25 Ambassadorial Mark J. Weinstein residences, followed by Executive Director dessert and dancing Individual tickets begin at $1,000 per music person.of to the For individual tickets, please call Deana Taylor at 202.295.2437 or Bob Hardwick and his e-mail dtaylor@dc-opera.org.Orchestra at The Ball. For corporate sponsorships, please contact Neil Alpert at 202.295.2421 or e-mail nalpert@dc-opera.org.
LIFE
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PARTY | CHILDREN’S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Partygoers “Celebrating Good Times”
Joe and Reg Stettinius with Juliet and Sam Reid Kirsten and Nels Olson with Katie Gewirz
Sharon Dougherty and Curt Windsor
Ed Zechman
Bart and Paige McKenzie
Jamda Hashil and Eunice Meyers
Kool & the Gang Amy Baier, Amy Angelo and Darby Hills 32
LIFE
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1996 Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug
Abigail and Rep. Roy Blunt
Betty Ann Tanner with Lyndon Boozer
Billie Gingrey and Diane Nelson WL SPONSORED
MARCH OF DIMES GOURMET GALA National Building Museum PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
THE EVENT Ten senators and a score of congressmen and their
Rep. Steve Cohen
wives served hors d’oeuvres from their favorite recipes, o en featuring their states’ products. THE SCENE While Rep. Jefferson Miller and his wife Vicki’s edible entry didn’t bear a state tag, a deeply appreciative crowd dispatched their Bourbon Pecan Baklava with all speed. Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug was spo ed, along with Kenneth May (FedEx Kinko’s president and CEO, who chairs the March of Dimes’ trustees). Sen. Ben Nelson and Rep. Phil Gingrey emceed. The event is the primary funding source for the Mama & Baby Bus, which provides free prenatal and dental care to pregnant women in Washington. THE GUESTS Howard Foer, Bart Vandaele, Rep. Phil Gingrey and Billie Gingrey, Lyndon Boozer, Sen. Ted Stevens, Sen. Dick Lugar, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Sen. Pat Roberts, and Franki Roberts, and many more.
Robert Okun, Rep. John Tanner, and Larry Burton
Rep. Joe Knollenberg and Sandie Knollenberg Rep. John Dingell with Debbie Dingell
Vicki Miller and Rep. Jefferson Miller
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Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and her husband Sen. Mitch McConnell
Char and Sen. Dick Lugar
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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WL has just launched a new feature which allows you to purchase pictures from events (even if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get published into the magazine)
Please visit www.washingtonlife.com to view pictures.
All photographs will beprinted by Chrome Imaging
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LIFE
of the
PARTY
Annette and Ted Lerner with Bud Selig
George Will
Anthony Williams and Adrian Fenty
WL EXCLUSIVE
WASHINGTON NATIONALS OPENING DAY VIP PARTY Location: Nationals Ballpark PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
Carol Schwartz with daughter Hilary Schwartz Andy Cornblatt, Albert Small, and Mindy Strelitz
Mark Tuohey and Tony Kornheiser
THE EVENT Nationals owner Ted Lerner and wife Anne e Lerner are more than sports fans; they’re quite literally sports supporters, as their brand-new Nationals Park will support the weight of hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians eager to catch a home game. A er so much planning and prepping, it’s no surprise that this Opening Day 2008 celebration was a ended by so many VIPs. THE GUESTS Frederick Shaufeld, Nancy Brinker, Paxton and Rachel Baker, Beth Dozoretz, Catherine Reynolds, Norah O’Donnell, Geoff Tracy, Claire Simmons, Nancy Taylor Bubes, Mark Ein, David Dupree, Dan and Rhoda Glickman, Hanayo Kato and Japanese Amb. Ryozo Kato, Tony Kornheiser, Tony Nader, Alphonso Jackson, Deborah Epstein, and Wolf Blitzer.
Cathy Lanier
Blake Lindner, Jones Lindner, and Rebecca Lindner
Eleanor Holmes Norton
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Alfonso Maldon, Jr. and Fred Schaufeld
Jack Evans
Alma Fernandez, Alphonso Jackson, Nancy Brinker, and Manuel Fernandez
Nationals Park
Hanayo and Japanese Amb. Ryozo Kato
Paxton and Rachel Baker Elyse Linowes and Jaclyn Linowes
Maury Povich and Connie Chung
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
George and Fredericka Valanos
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LIFE
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PARTY Theresa Corgey and Linden Sofer
Rep. John Larson, Larry DeNardis, Rep. Michael McCaul and Linda McCaul
Sen. Olympia Snowe
Linda Cerio and Jack Kelly
WL EXCLUSIVE
POPE BENEDICT XVI’S BIRTHDAY The Italian Embassy PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON
Sen. Bob Casey and Terese Casey with Cokie Roberts
THE EVENT The Washington National Opera and the Italian Embassy jointly hosted a VIP reception in honor of the pontiff’s 81st birthday. Rumors that he would personally a end (despite an official line to the contrary) fueled the high a endance and even higher security levels. THE SCENE A er passing through a receiving line of current and former ambassadors to the Holy See, guests were treated to a performance by WNO mezzo-soprano star Denyce Graves before joining in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. THE GUESTS Lindy Boggs and Tommy Boggs, Gov. Howard Dean, Hungarian Frenec and Andrea Somogyi, Gen. Peter Pace and Linda Pace, Paul Pelosi, and Patricia Kluge.
Denyse Graves, Amb. Raymond Flynn, and Kenneth Feinberg
Werner Hein and Michael Ansari
Gordon England with Italian Amb. Giovanni Castellaneta and Leila Castelleneta
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Ellen Bennett, Elayne Bennett, Bill Bennett, and Bob Bennett
Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Brian Bilbray
Arturo and Hilda Brillembourg
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Hungarian Amb. Frenec Somogyi and Andrea Bors Somogyi
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LIFE Wolfgang Puck
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Heather and Fred Briggs
TIFFANY & CO HOSTS WOLFGANG PUCK The Source at the Newseum PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
THE EVENT Wolfgang Puck personally prepared his signature specialties for an intimate crowd of Washingtonians at The Source, the headlining dining experience (on three levels) at The Newseum. THE GUESTS Mary Brown, Diane Ray Brown, Anne and Tom Wiseman, Steve and Annie Dussek, Barry Clapsaddle, Heather and Fred Briggs, John and Mona Oswald, Susan Freimanis, and Sandy Lerner.
Steve and Annie Dussek
Stephen Brandman and Jany Dor
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
Scott Kasprowicz and Sandy Lerner
Steve and Berit Veletsis
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© 2008 DCL
Think for yourself SILVERDOCS.COM JUNE 16-23, 2008
AFI/DISCOVERY CHANNEL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL
POLLYWOOD
Where Politicsďš? Hollywoodďš? Media and Diplomacy Meet | Vital Voices, Newseum Opening, and the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner
Co-Host Michelle Norris, Actress Gloria Reuben, and award presenter and CNN State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee at Vital Voices. (Photo by Tony Powell)
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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POLLYWOOD | VITAL VOICES
Angelina Jolie, Mariane Pearl, Mary Yerrick, and Alyse Nelson Bloom
Melanne Verveer with Global Trailblazer Awardee Sheika Lubna al Qasimi
Laura Alonso and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
WL SPONSORED
2008 VITAL VOICES GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL AND SHARON FARMER
Vicki Sant and Ann Jordan
Amy Little with Josh, and Kate Prueher 42
THE EVENT An inspirational evenings to honor women from around the globe for their courage, leadership and tenacity. THE EVENT An all-star lineup including First Lady Laura Bush, actress Angelina Jolie, Zain Verjee, Carly Fiorina, and co-chairs Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Hillary Rodham Clinton presented awards. Broadway singer Q. Smith ended the show with a stirring rendition of “This is the Moment.” Three hundred guests dined on the terrace level and took home gi bags with hand-made baskets from Africa. THE GUESTS Co-CEO’s Melanne Verveer and Mary Yerrick, Michele Norris, Gloria Reuben, Wolf Blitzer, Dina Habib Powell, Beth Brooke, Rose Ann Domenici, Marlene Malek and Judith Wilson.
Judith Kipper
2008 Rising Voices Awardee Kakenya Ntaiya
Gülgün and Turkish Amb. Nabi Sensoy
Ron Dozoretz and Lally Weymouth WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Pat Norton, Bobbie Kilberg, Marlene Malek, Alma Gildenhorn, and Linda Phelps
Cathy and Ed Gillespie, Dina Habib Powell, and Rick Powell
Polly Kraft, Martin Indyk, Gahl Burt, and Elizabeth Stevens
Bob Barnett, Ann Stock, Rita Braver, and Susan Blumenthal
Jeanne Ruesch and Susie McNutt
Judy and Peter Kovler with Vicki Sant
WOMEN CAN TRANSFORM THE WORLD B Y C A R LY F I O R I N A
T
here are so many wonderful people involved at Vital Voices Global Partnership. At this year’s Global Leadership Awards, one of them, Maria Pacheco of Guatemala said,“Women can transform our world.”This is something all of us at Vital Voices strongly believe. Last month, I was proud to join Vital Voices, Diane von Furstenberg, ExxonMobil, Euro RSCG Worldwide and others to launch the Women Can campaign, an innovative effort to bring new partners and leaders together to invest in women so they can, in turn, invest in others – multiplying the positive effects women have on the world around them. If we want to solve problems of poverty or illiteracy or conflict or disease, we must engage women. And when we do engage women the positive effects are clear. At our recent Vital Voices awards benefit,
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I was pleased to debut the first of many new Women Can ads developed by Euro RSCG Worldwide, highlighting heroines who are taking on some of the world’s toughest challenges and making it a better place for all of us. As the ad says, “We’ve chosen [Liberian] President Johnson-Sirleaf as the inaugural figure in our campaign because it was she who said it best: Women can lift their countries out of poverty, women can lead their countries to greatness, women can change the fate of a nation. Deriving our name from her inspiring words, Women Can will recognize the enormous, and too often untapped, potential of women everywhere in our world.” Vital Voices invites you to join us as we advance the cause of women and our world. You can visit Vital Voices’ website to learn more, www.vitalvoices.org.
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POLLYWOOD | VITAL VOICES
From left to right, top row: Amanda Morton, Q. Smith, Michele Norris, Zain Verjee, Marry Yerrick, Carly Fiorina, Melanne Verveer, Gloria Reuben, Dina Haba Powell, Wolf Blitzer, and Alyse Nelson Bloom. Bottom row: Laura Alonso, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Charm Tong, First Lady Laura Bush, Mariane Peral, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi and Kakenya Ntaiya. (Photo by Sharon Farmer)
MEET THE AWARDEES KAKENYA NTAIYA: KENYA
LAURA ALONSO: ARGENTINA
RISING VOICES AWARD
POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AWARD
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Negotiating her way out of circumcision as a young girl, this south Kenyan native did what no woman in her community had ever done before: leave her local Massai village to study in the U.S. Now, years later, Ntaiya continues her efforts in girls’ education, traveling the world as a passionate advocate leading the fight against child marriage and genital mutilation.
Inspired by her childhood experiences living under the repressive military government that ruled Argentina for nearly eight years, Alonso now leads the fight against government corruption through her leadership as executive director in one of the top government watchdog organizations in her country, Poder Ciudadano (Citizen Power).
The first female to hold a cabinet position in the history of the UAE and the first woman minister of economy and planning in the Middle East, this successful businesswoman and information technology professional has led financial markets and monetary and investment policies for the UAE economy.
MARIANE PEARL: FRANCE
THE WOMEN OF BURMA:
FERN HOLLAND AWARD
HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD
After suffering through the painful murder of her husband by terrorists in Pakistan, Pearl, through her work as a well-respected journalist, tells the stories of women and children living in communities troubled by poverty and conflict. In her books A Mighty Heart and In Search of Hope: The Global Diaries of Mariane Pearl, she commemorates these women who work in such demanding circumstances fighting for their peace and reconciliation.
Khin Ohmar: After fleeing her home country of Burma along with thousands of others suppressed by the military due to participation in peaceful pro-democracy rallies, Ohmar made her way from the refugee camps of Thailand to the United States where she started anew as a democracy advocate in exile. Now based in Mae Sot on the border between Thailand and Burma, Ohmar serves as chairwoman of the Network for Democracy and Development (Burma), and is vice-chair of the Burmese Women’s Union.
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SHEIKHA LUBNA AL QASIMI:
Charm Tong: has traveled the world shedding light on the brutal human rights abuses in Burma. In 1999 she testified before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, where leaders of the Burmese military regime where present. Tong has continued her fight co-founding SWAN, the Shan Women’s Action Network, and in 2002 released the much talked about report “License to Rape” which detailed the use of rape by the military to suppress women and girls in Burma.
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PH OTOS BY SH AR ON FA RM E R AN D CH RIS W RIGHT
GLOBAL TRAILBLAZER AWARD
VOICES OF EMPOWERMENT BY MARIANE PEARL
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here’s a Buddhist saying that a single match can illuminate even a dark corner, a corner that has been plunged in darkness for a thousand years. At the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards, when I listened to the stories about Kakenya Ntaiya of Kenya, Charm Tong of Burma, Laura Alonso of Argentina, and global trailblazer Sheikha Lubna al Qasimi of the UAE, I felt that these ladies were like matches, illuminating our world. Through their stories and the stories of other women I’ve been able to meet and interview all over the world, literally from the North to the South Pole, I have learned about hope and courage. I can believe in this hope, because it has been carved out of reality – and most of the time gruesome realities. This is the kind of hope that doesn’t fear any wind extinguishing it. To me, the women honored by Vital Voices are fearless, in that they have created that hope in themselves first. It sounds heroic but in truth it is a very humble work when you fight your own doubts first and maintain faith in humankind despite all your legitimate reasons to give up. I also can’t think of a more honorable quest for a human being. Empathy is vital too. If you find yourself in the dark you can always follow other people’s light and restore your own flame. The power of women in the Vital Voices network derives from a hope that has turn into determination and action to change the fate of others. If you light your own way you will carve a path for others as well. We all know how important dialogue is, but it is that power of individual human empathy that is crucial to our world. On a more personal note, the Global Leadership Awards were especially important
Vital Voices President Alyse Nelson Bloom with Fern Holland Awardee Mariane Pearl (Photo by Chris Wright)
to me this year because I could express my gratitude to someone who was once a vital voice for me. When I was pregnant with my son, Adam, after my husband Danny was killed in Pakistan, First Lady Laura Bush came to visit me. It was a very difficult time for me, a very lonely time, and she encouraged me to speak up about my beliefs. As a journalist and writer this led me to shine a light on women capable
of illuminating the dark corners of our world. So I wanted to thank Mrs. Bush for her sincerity that day. On another personal note, I want to say how happy I am that Angelina Jolie came to present me with this award.There was something I really missed in my life and have wished for so dearly over the years and that was to find a sister. Now I feel like I have.
“THE POWER OF WOMEN IN THE VITAL VOICES network derives from a hope that has turn into determination and action to change the fate of others. If you light your own way you will carve a path for others as well. ”
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POLLYWOOD | MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
So Much to Celebrate The press gets a new home and kicks off the gala season BY JAN ET D O N OVAN
Matters of Opinion Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus, Atlanta-Journal Constitution’s editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich, and Talking Points Memo blogger Josh Marshall had plenty of reasons to celebrate at The Week’s Fifth Annual Opinion Awards dinner at the Four Seasons on April 8th: they won. The elegant and intimate evening raised eyebrows when panelists took center stage, and the discussion turned into a testosterone versus estrogen contest. This was led by Time.com’s Anna Marie Cox, who questioned why, when we have an African American and a woman running for President, the panel of experts were all white men? Fair question. The “How We Pick the President” gabfest, moderated by Sir Harold Evans, escalated into a verbal shouting contest more typical of Hardball than a dinner party. Karl Rove, Harold Raines, and Doug Schoen were intermittently reprimanded for their comments, and it didn’t help that the formerly secretive Rove was the most loquacious panelist. Wish we could have heard what Matt Cooper, Tammy Haddad, Betsy Fisher, Joe Di Genova, Mark Russell, Victoria Toesing and Hilary Rosen had to say, but they weren’t within ear shot. As good as it gets The only thing better than having celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck personally flip your pizza at the gala opening of the Newseum on April 12th was bumping into Nick Clooney.Yes, that Clooney: former newsman, anchor, talk and game show host, columnist, father of George, brother of Rosemary, Democratic contender for a House seat from Kentucky and most recently a human rights activist for Darfur. As
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Laugh track The Radio & Television Correspondents’ Association could have saved a bundle on a comedian if they’d just stuck with Vice-President Dick Cheney. Now in its 64th year, the organization celebrates excellence in broadcasting and the event is second in media prestige only to the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. While comedian Mo Rocca of Wait, Wait...Don’t Tell Me fame was the entertainment headliner, it was Cheney and Governor Mitt Romney who stole the show. In a rare jovial mood, compatible with someone about to leave office, the Veep spared no one. “You all know how to make a man feel welcome. Obviously you’re not the kind to look down on a bitter man who clings to his guns.” Digs about the oft ridiculed Al Gore included a global warming barb: “I have no doubt, none at all, that we are in the midst of a global warming; Chris and Kathleen Matthews, Joe Scarborough, and Mitt or, as I prefer to call it, Spring.” In Romney at the Radio and TV Correspondents Association Dinner. thanking The President (via video) (Photo by Tony Powell) for thinking he is the funniest guy USA Today Building, and cost nearly a half he knows, Cheney shot back: “I’ll take that as a billion dollars. It’s doubtful then that the $20 compliment, but I’ll try to forget that it comes admission fee will ever cover those costs, and no from the same fella that thinks that nine o’clock is surprise the guest list sported many corporate late, believes ginger ale is a nightcap and paradise is 40 miles west of Waco.” heavyweights Romney’s surprise appearance no doubt left While the event could have used a red carpet and more fanfare, guests managed to find each the Botox crowd jealous of his 40ish looks. Listing other while wandering between three floors.We the top ten reasons he lost his Presidential bid, he spotted Ben Bradlee, Sally Quinn, USA Today concluded that “There weren’t as many Osmonds founder Al Neuharth, Ellie Merrill, Strobe as I thought.” CNN closed the night with a caviar-driven Talbott, Tim Russert, Maureen Orth, Wolf Blitzer, David Bohman, Andrea Mitchell, after-party. Alan Greenspan, Charles Krauthammer, and Nina Totenberg. Readers wishing to get in touch with Janet can rumored, the elder Clooney is indeed more handsome and more charismatic than his famous son. He did not, however, confirm (as rumored) that he will maintain an apartment in the Newseum residences (where he would enhance the already breathtaking views). The new facility is a remake of its previous site in Rosslyn, across from the location of the
email: columns@washingtonlife.com.
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POLLYWOOD | MEDIA SPOTLIGHT Antoine Sanfuentes and David Gregory
Secretary Michael Chertoff and French Ambassador Pierre Vimont
Lila Merideth, Lauren Jones, and Elizabeth Prann Bob Schieffer and Rep. Chris Shays
RADIO AND TELEVISION CORRESPONDENTS’ ASSOCIATION DINNER Washington Hilton Hotel PHOTOS TONY POWELL
Chris Wallace Sen. Joe Lieberman
Brian Williams and Lloyd Grove
Ann and Mitt Romney
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Bill O’Reilly
David Bradley, Elizabeth Baker, and Tucker Carlson
Amy Repke and Lauren Vance
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Rep. Maxine Waters
Andrea Mitchell
Missy Biden Owens and Sen. Joe Biden
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POLLYWOOD | MEDIA SPOTLIGHT Al Neuharth, Tim Russert, and Robert Novak
Robert MacNeil
Phyllis and Bernard Kalb
Betty Bao Lord and Winston Lord
NEWSEUM OPENING RECEPTION The Newseum PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
THE EVENT Four years a er breaking ground on Pennsylvania Avenue,
Nicole Chapman and Katharine Weymouth
the Newseum finally opened with a party every bit as impressive as the $475 million building. Lines stretched down the block, but once inside, the more than 1,800 guests were treated to the cuisine of Wolfgang Puck, opportunities to explore the museum’s many levels and exhibits, and entertainment until the wee hours. THE GUESTS Andrea Mitchell, Calvin and Jane Cafritz, Charles Krauthammer, Juan and Denise Williams, Debbie Dingell, Gordon and Anne Peterson, Finlay and Willee Lewis, Al Hunt, Newseum architect James Polshek, and Michael and Mary Ann Isikoff, along with representatives of famous media families like the Sulzbergers, Grahams, and Neuharths.
Alan Greespan and Sharon Rockefeller
Tom Kunkel and Andy Glass
Rep. Edward Royce and Marie Royce
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Susan Bennett, Charles Overby, and Pam Galloway-Tabb
Barbara Lazaroff and Edmond Rhys-Jones
Phil Kent, Nick Clooney, and Wolf Blitzer
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POLLYWOOD | DIPLOMATIC DANCE
All that Jazz Perspectives on power and music, plus diplomatic comings and goings BY GAIL SCOTT
Meridian International Center’s hot new What’s Power on Embassy Row? To many, power on Embassy Row means exhibit, Jam Session: America’s Jazz Ambassadors getting instant return calls from the White House. Embrace the World revisits the fascinating journeys Others count the number of Cabinet secretaries and Supreme Court justices they can attract to a dinner. Some count their Sunday morning talk show appearances as badges of power. But on the fifth anniversary of the American occupation of his country, Iraqi Ambassador Sameer Shaker Sumaidaie wishes he had less “power.”“I don’t see myself as ‘powerful,’ he said recently. “In the old days, Benny Goodman performs for a young audience in Red Square. when communication was so Moscow, Soviet Union, 1962 (Courtesy of the Irving S. Gilmore different, ambassadors wielded Music Library, Benny Goodman Papers, Yale University) the influence of their nation in the host country. The British ambassador in a of these unofficial diplomats.At the opening small country projected the power of the whole party last month, jazz great David Brubeck was empire. Today, communication is much more in the audience listening to Poland’s leading jazz direct between heads of state.” ensemble, the Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio. Afterwards, “Power and access overlap,” Sumaidaie when asked how it felt to listen, 50 years later, continued,“and access depends on the perception to Poles playing music they once weren’t even of which country’s affairs are more important. allowed to hear, Brubeck smiled and his eyes I look forward to the days when Iraq is less sparkled behind his signature broad brims. Then important and the situation in Iraq has quieted he sang in this reporter’s ear, “It’s wonderful, it’s down and there is no need for this higher profile. marvelous, that you could care for me.” Not only I envy the ambassadors in that situation.” did the Jazz Ambassadors embrace the world, but their audiences embraced them. Jazz ambassadors During the height of the Cold War, Nikita Spring’s New Crop Khrushchev dispatched the Bolshoi Ballet around After an official farewell party for India’s the world to win the hearts and minds of their popular Ronen and Kalpana Sen was canceled audiences. At the urging of Rep. Adam Clayton at the last minute, word spread that the couple Powell, President Eisenhower retaliated by sending will be staying one more year. Not so for the Dizzy Gillespie and his Big Band on a world tour, Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato and his wife followed by more of America’s jazz greats: Dave Hanayo, who are leaving right after Meridian’s Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Miles big Japanese Spring garden benefit, “An Davis, and Washington’s own Charlie Byrd. They Evening in Kyoto” later this month. Palestine’s were our front line troops of cultural diplomacy. Afif Safieh thought he and his wife Christ’l
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would be retiring, and he could finally finish that book, but instead they are departing midmonth for a new posting in Moscow. Thailand and Sri Lanka are also set for Spring departures. Egypt’s Nabil and Nermin Fahmy expect to leave by summer’s end. Mosaic Foundation will especially miss Nermin. Argentina’s new Ambassador, Hector Timerman, is a human rights advocate and former newspaper publisher whose father endured brutal imprisonment at the hands of the junta.Timerman now fills the chair of the ambassador he once openly opposed during Argentina’s military dictatorship. He is not the only political refugee serving in Washington. Chilean Ambassador Mariano Fernandez was exiled and worked as a journalist during General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, and Uruguayan Ambassador Carlos Albert Gianelli and his family were forced to flee during military coups. Readers wishing to get in touch with Gail can email: columns@washingtonlife.com.
DO YOU KNOW EMBASSY ROW? • The Tidal Basin’s famous cherry trees were originally a gift from the Mayor of Tokyo in 1912. • Tulips are originally Turkish, not Dutch, but The Netherlands grows the most tulips in the world. • The Colombian and Ecuadorian Embassies vie for bragging rights over who receives the most glorious shipments of native roses. • And, do you know what’s in the Norwegian Crown Princess’ bouquet?
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POLLYWOOD | DIPLOMATIC DANCE
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FEATURE | ROLAND FLAMINI
PAY to PLAY
The competitive presidential election has Washingtonians hedging their bets and donating to multiple candidates
BY ROLAND FLAMINI
ne evening in early April, around 50 of Washington’s wealthier citizens gathered in the garden of social eminence and cause celebrant Esther Coopersmith’s opulent Kalorama home. The occasion was a fundraiser for Hillary Rodham Clinton. Rep. John P. Murtha (D. Pa.), and Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor Katherine Baker Knoll were there urging guests to dig deep into their pockets, but the candidate herself was campaigning in Pennsylvania. No matter, the New York Democratic senator had made personal appearances at two earlier Coopersmith fundraisers, and the hostess reckoned that at this most recent event she had raised around $50,000. Keeping the Clinton war chest replenished is Coopersmith’s current mission in life. The widening concern that Clinton’s stubborn refusal to bow out in favor of Barack Obama is doing nothing more than undermining the party’s chances of victory in November is a non-starter chez Coopersmith.
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“We go all over the world talking about democracy and the importance of voting; yet Hillary’s opponents want the primary elections closed,” she says. “How can we in all conscience talk about democracy abroad if we shut off the voting rights of millions of people? I think Hillary’s the most capable, competent person, and she’s going to make a wonderful president.” Meanwhile, across town almost contemporaneously at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a large presence of wealthy Washingtonians who see things differently had paid $2,300 or $1,000 to thrill to Barack Obama’s verbal pirouettes. The choice of venue may have been intricately symbolic, because the conventional political wisdom is still that women tend to favor Hillary Clinton, and the museum by definition deals with exclusion. It celebrates the work of women painters and sculptors, many of whom deserve to be in mainstream museums, but are not. Elsewhere in the District, well-heeled Republicans gathered in a private residence
Wilhelmina Holladay, co-founder of D.C.’s National Museum of Women in the Arts, donated $4,600 to the Clinton campaign, yet green lit use of the Museum for a Barack Obama fundraiser.
to coalesce around Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee and his well-bred, well dressed, well coiffed, well shaped, well almost everything wife, Cindy (but perhaps not so well versed in the culinary arts as the McCain website would have us believe). Whichever the candidate, the purpose is the same: squeeze yet more dollars to feed the insatiable appetite of a presidential campaign that has the dubious distinction of being the longest and the costliest in the history of presidential elections, and may cross the $1 billion dollar mark before the first Tuesday in November. The specialists will tell you that both fundraisers and contributors are feeling more than somewhat
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Some prominent Democrats who would money “bundled” in lump sums of $50,000 beats punch drunk after months of primary manslaughter. Still, the money keeps trickling in, significantly normally be in the thick of things are still sitting being deluged with $2,300 checks, and campaign helped by floods of small ($200 and less) internet on the fence, undecided whether to back Hillary experts maintain that bundlers now account for donations. For bigger donors the reasons for giving Clinton or support Barack Obama. So, like Nancy more than a quarter of presidential contributions. are more complex ... ideology, support for the cause, “Bitsey” Folger, they contributed to both candidates. In 2000 it was 8 percent. Bundlers are Washington’s new secret agents, the common good, the allure of a charismatic A well known social activist in Washington, Folger candidate are all strong motives, but so – in some says that unlike in past elections, she has organized preferring to operate out of the public spotlight. Not cases – is opportunism. After this long and costly no Democratic fundraisers in this campaign because, Esther Coopersmith, who says the Clinton campaign campaign, next year’s ambassadorial appointments she says, “It’s a very hard choice, I like them both. calls its bundlers “Hillraisers,” and claims to have so far raised $450,000 for and g ove r n m e n t her candidate. “I keep contracts will have come collecting the checks at a high price. All of which may area has so far been the second largest political giver after New York – and sending them on,” she says. help explain why the $82.4 million compared to $102.4 million.” In the Obama greater Washington camp there’s columnist area has so far been the second largest political giver after New York We really need to find a better system for choosing Megan Beyer who, with auto dealer husband Don – $82.4 million compared to $102.4 million a candidate. This campaign has been so brutal; – a former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia – has for presidential and congressional races. Where whoever wins won’t have the energy left to man “encouraged many of our friends and colleagues to come and meet Barack,” as Megan puts it – meetings better than Washington to place a dollar value the government.” The constant grind for cash, combined which the website Public Citizen says have raised on power and influence? Hillary Clinton may have had a hard time raising funds in the rest of with new rules limiting individual campaign $200,000 for the Democrat senator from Illinois. Like Coopersmith, however, several Democratic the rest of the country, but in D.C. she was the contributions, have seen an increase in the role of bigger beneficiary, according to Federal figures what used to be called fund raisers, but in the new, activists said the bottom line is loyalty to the party. for financial contributions – $5.5 million against slicker, campaign jargon are known as “bundlers” “I’m a Democrat, and I’ll work with whomever is $4.8 for Obama. And Northwest Washington’s – individuals who ask friends, family, and business on the ticket. But (the campaign) will be easier with 20016 zip code was collectively among the associates for contributions to the candidate of Hillary,” she says. On May 7, she helped organize a largest contributors ($3,956,161). In a somewhat their choice. Contributions from individuals are pro-Clinton rally for women at Washington’s Omni less scientific sample of 1,000 contributors in limited to $2,300 for the primary campaign, and Shoreham Hotel called “Generations of Women,” that zipcode, by March 31, 265 contributed to the same for the November election campaign for with appearances by the candidate herself, her Clinton against 224 to Obama – some to both. a total per person of $4,600. But delivery of the mother, and daughter Chelsea.
“THE GREATER WASHINGTON
Nancy “Bitsey” Folger has contributed to both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
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Esther Coopersmith (Center) pictured here with Arthur Gardner, and Susan Eisenhower, has been one of the Clinton campaign’s top “Hillraisers.”
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FEATURE | ROLAND FLAMINI
Jim Kimsey (right) pictured with James Johnson and Sen. John Glenn, contributed the maximum to both John McCain and Hillary Clinton.
It’s hardly surprising that in Washington bundlers tend to be lawyers, given their density with respect to the population as a whole. Lobbyists would in theory also be suitable candidates, but there’s the backlash from the Abramoff and Ney scandals to consider. All three surviving presidential candidates have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from K Street, while each insinuates that the others are taking lobbyist handouts anyway. Barack does not take checks from lobbyists,“so raising money in Washington is like boxing with one arm tied behind your back,” emails Megan Beyer. “Lobbyists are savvy enough to know that there is a stigma attached to the word ‘lobbyist,’” Monica Notzon, partner in the Bellwether Consulting Group fundraising firm, was quoted as saying. “[On their campaign contributions] they refer to themselves as ‘government relations consultants,’ or ‘public affairs directors.’” While campaign critics continue to call for more disclosure (and they have a point), the internet is doing its part to make this the least secretive presidential campaign ever. Go to Fundrace2008 on the Huffington Post – and it’s not the only site – and you learn that AOL cofounder Jim Kimsey contributed the maximum to both John McCain and Hillary Clinton, and that former Clinton administration official and foreign policy specialist William (Bill) Nitze sent along his $2,300 check to Barack Obama. “I’m in the category of a disaffected Republican
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Former State Department official William Nitze pictured here with wife Ann sent along a $2,300 check to the Barack Obama campaign.
– I have become impressed with Obama, and not impressed with Hillary Clinton,” he says. Nitze belongs to a group calling themselves Republicans for Barack Obama, who have been supporting the Democratic candidate. He would like the Democratic Senator from Illinois to have more foreign policy experience. Still, he says, “I have a hunch about Obama: he’s smart and capable of learning.”
Washington attor ney Lloyd Hand, meanwhile, contributed the maximum to Hillary Clinton, as did Wilhelmina Holladay, co-founder of Washington D.C.’s National Museum of Women in the Arts (she actually donated the full $4,600). But wait a minute. Wasn’t the museum where the big Obama fundraiser was held? Well, that’s Washington for you in this election year.
Follow the French? I
nevitably, reformers are having a field day questioning whether the current long, bruising, election saga is the best way to (a) choose a candidate, and (b) to elect a president of the United States. No other nation makes so much of a meal of it. Roughly typical of Europe generally was the 2007 French presidential campaign that elected Nicolas Sarkozy.A couple of months of electioneering led to the first, eliminating round of voting on April 22. Because no candidate received an absolute majority there was a run-off on May 6 between the two leading candidates, Socialist Segolene Royal and “Sarko” as the right-of-center president is usually called in France. Campaign spending was strictly limited: each candidate was allowed
to spend no more than $22 million in the first round, campaign spending for round two was capped at $27 million for each candidate. Oh, and direct contributions to individual candidates are not allowed – the giving is to the political parties. With television advertising offered at no cost, and closely monitored for accuracy and content, the whole French presidential campaign cost an estimated total of $350 million.Voter turnout was a record 85 percent in 2007, but the high 70s is usual.
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SPECIAL FEATURE | THE POWER
THE POWER T
he Washington socialite-hostess gathers the ripe fruit of political, economic, and cultural orchards and serves it up as one fabulous cherry bombe at a charity fundraiser or a private soirée with Cabinet secretaries and other major political players.Two men shake hands in the U.S. Senate and a bill passes – or doesn’t. The influence to effect change, be it in the minds or actions of one’s fellow man, is simultaneously the most ephemeral quantity (how does one qualify or rate it?) and the biggest driving force on our planet. In Washington, the most obvious source of power is political. However, we’ve omitted the names of those who draw government paychecks here, figuring that it would be too obvious to list all the senators, congressmen, and political appointees in Washington, as a quick glance at Google with the aforementioned keywords shows. For our purposes, power is knowledge, access, influence, and, perhaps as important, it is the perception of power itself.
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These things by their very nature cannot remain static – and therefore our list changes with the times. Power in Washington is different than in other big cities. Unlike New York, where wealth-centric power glitters with the subtlety of old gold, wealth doesn’t automatically confer power; in Washington, rather, it depends on how one uses it. Washington’s power is fundamentally colored by its proximity to politics, and in this presidential season, even more so.This year, reading the tea leaves, we gave a larger nod to the power behind the candidates: foreign policy advisors, fundraisers, lobbyists, think tanks that house cabinets-inwaiting, and influential party leaders. When one takes the nature of that beast into consideration, it would make sense that power would change direction, bending with the current of the moment.This year in particular, it would be impossible to call Washington’s power anything but supercharged with political electricity.
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IL LU STRATION BY J.C. SUA RÈ S
The brains behind the poltical players that shape our nation, the media minds that shape our opinions, the developers who revitalize our region, and the business leaders and philanthropists that are always pushing the envelope ... power, above all, is influence
politics
Top row, left to right: Carly Fiorina, Charles R. Black, Karl Rove, Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr. Bottom row, left to right: Al Gore, Tom Daschle, Wesley Clark, Don Beyer. At right: Howard Dean.
POLITICS, LAW AND LOBBYING BOB BARNETT PARTNER WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY
When former British Prime Minister Tony Blair needed a publisher, he called Barnett, a Washington attorney who has brokered book deals for former President Bill Clinton (who received a cool $10 million advance for the bestseller My Life) and former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. Others on his impressive client list include Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bob Woodward, Lynne Cheney, Karen Hughes, Karl Rove, Katharine Graham, Ari Fleischer,Tim Russert, Stephen White, and Barack Obama.
ROBERT BENNETT PARTNER SKADDEN ARPS SLATE MEAGHER & FLOM
A former homicide trial prosecutor, Bennett’s clients have included ex-New York Times reporter Judith Miller, exWorld Bank president Paul Wolfowitz, and the Duke lacrosse players embroiled in the famous rape allegations in 2006. The
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real proof of his pedigree? He was former President Bill Clinton’s lawyer way back when, during the Paula Jones imbroglio.
WAYNE BERMAN MANAGING DIRECTOR OGILVY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
An admitted political junkie, Berman served as assistant secretary of commerce during the administration of the first President Bush. He is the founder of Berman Enterprises, a lobbying and business consulting firm he merged with The Federalist Group (for a princely sum) and which was recently acquired by Ogilvy Government Relations (where he raked in even greater sums). His role as one of McCain’s early financial supporters is sure to increase his influence if the Republicans retain the White House.
DON BEYER FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA MID-ATLANTIC FINANCE CHAIR FOR OBAMA AND OWNER DON BEYER VOLVO
With whispers growing louder that former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner is on
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the short list as Barack Obama’s VP pick, Beyer becomes one of the top Democrats to run for the open Senate seat from Virginia. Either way, he came out early for Obama, and with his wife Megan (who serves on the Women For Obama steering committee with Governor Kane’s wife Anne Holton and Sheila Johnson) has raised a bundle for the candidate as his mid-Atlantic finance director, where he serves with Hyatt heiress Penny Pritzker, Obama’s Presidential National Finance Committee Chair. In short, Beyer has access and clout aplenty.
CHARLES R BLACK FOUNDER BKSH & ASSOCIATES
Black recently left his plush position as chairman (and founder) of the lobbying firm BKSH & Associates, where highprofile clients included General Motors, United Technologies, JP Morgan and AT&T, to work full-time for Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign. Black worked on both the Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidential campaigns and served as an advisor to George W. Bush’s campaigns in 2004 and 2000, where he
played a significant role in the Florida recount. Other inner-sanctum lobbyists who have hitched their wagon to McCain’s rising star include former Rep. Tom Loeffler (R-Texas), who founded the Loeffler Group, and Kirk Blalock of Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock, who leads McCain’s younger supporters and has raised more than $250,000 for him.
THOMAS HALE BOGGS JR PARTNER HALE & BOGGS
This year, Boggs’ firm was ranked number one in the National Journal’s listing of Washington lobbying powers. Often labeled “King of the Hill,” most still view Tommy Boggs as the “King of K Street.” His firm boasts the highest receipts of any other lobbying firm, and includes clients ranging from large corporations to large nations.
WILLIAM J CLINTON CHAIRMAN WILLIAM J CLINTON FOUNDATION
Regardless of whether or not Sen. Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, the former President will continue to
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exert his power within Democratic circles and beyond. Earlier this year, we learned that he has earned approximately $100 million since leaving the White House and raised $400 million for his Clinton Global Initiative foundation, which attracts over 50 heads of state to its annual conference. Last year’s gathering brought in $7.3 billion in committed donations for causes near to Clinton’s heart: health security, economic empowerment, environmental security, leadership development, and cross-cultural understanding. The former president is also Senator Clinton’s top foreign policy advisor together with Madeleine Albright, Richard Holbrooke, and a host of retired generals.
TOM AND LINDA DASCHLE SPECIAL POLICY ADVISOR ALTSON & BIRD AND LOBBYIST BAKER DONELSON BEARMAN & CALDWELL RESPECTIVELY
When the former Senate majority leader lost his South Dakota seat, some thought his political days were numbered. But as one of the first senior Democrats to throw
his weight behind Obama, Daschle’s access and influence on the potential presidential nominee is considerable, ranking with such Obama longtime friends as Harvard Law Review classmates Julius Genachowski of Rock Creek Ventures and Tom Perelli of Jenner and Block. He and his wife, Linda, one of the top aviation lobbyists in town, are among Washington’s premiere power couples.
RICK DAVIS AND MARK SALTER CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND FORMER SENATE CHIEF OF STAFF TO JOHN MCCAIN RESPECTIVELY
Salter, who is known as “McCain’s closest confidante and alter-ego,” recently left his Senate position to join manager Rick Davis and senior advisor Steve Schmidt in leading the campaign. A speechwriter for McCain and a former aide to neo-conservative diplomat Jeanne Kirkpatrick, Salter is also close with Bill Kristol, McCain’s most influential foreign policy advisor. Together with Davis, whose lobbying shop stepped up to the plate for McCain last year when
almost all hope was lost, they are the campaign’s primary gatekeepers. Davis has assembled a team of trusted McCain advisors that includes Doug Holts-Eakin and Kevin Hassatt (of AEI), both of whom advise on domestic policy.
Most importantly, Dean is one of the few who can bring the gavel down on “superdelegates” and settle the contentious nominee fight by the end of June.
FRANK FAHRENKOPF JR PRESIDENT & CEO AMERICAN GAMING ASSOCIATION
HOWARD DEAN CHAIRMAN DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Although perhaps deliberately not as omnipresent as his predecessor, Terry McAuliffe, Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign revolutionized inter net fundraising, and insiders say Obama’s success in this arena is “Dean 3.0.” His power is also reflected in his enforcement of the presidential candidates’ agreement on the Florida and Michigan vote, as well as the fact that he appoints the 25 swing votes to the Democratic Convention Credentials Committee (which could ultimately help decide who becomes the nominee should this race go all the way). Party powers are also impressed with his micro-targeted approach to rebuilding the DNC’s voter file and the rollout of his 50-state strategy.
Forget Vegas: viva Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr. A former Republican party chairman, Fahrenkopf is the national advocate for the commercial casino industry and is responsible for positioning the AGA to address regulatory, political, and educational issues affecting its members. Now he’s pushing legislation to allow casinos to operate in the U.S. instead of offshore and enable users to gamble from their television sets.
CARLY FIORINA CHAIR VICTORY REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Over the past year, Washington has seen more and more of the former Hewlett Packard head and savvy business executive, and after recently being named chairman
POWER POLITICIAN To get to the White House, you’re going to need more than a good babysitter The chief of staff is any politician’s right hand, responsible for everything from personnel to daily briefings to throwing on a tux to accompany the boss to a fundraiser. Among the busiest: Jay Heimbach in Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) office and Eric Mogilnicki in Ted Kennedy’s (D-MA).
SPEECHWRITER A good speechwriter gets inside the politician’s head, mimics their speech patterns, and delivers the right tone every time. Golden pens: Jeff Nusbaum and the team at West Wing Writers, Wendy Button (freelance), Jon Favreau (Obama), and Mark Salter (McCain).
SCHEDULER Schedulers are the nerve center of a politician’s office, filtering the countless
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requests and invitations while simultaneously tracking where the boss is, how long they’ll be there, and what happens after that. Among the best: Sue Keenom with Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), Sally Cluthe with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Robin McCain in the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
POLLSTER Politicians have an insatiable appetite for poll numbers, and their chief pollster is a powerful asset, often steering the boss wherever they point. The numbers guys: Harrison Hickman, Jim Zogby, Mark Mellman, Celinda Lake, Stan Greenberg, and Frank Luntz.
FUNDRAISING GURU Political fundraising is big business, but it’s also fraught with legal and ethical perils. The fundraising guru keeps their eye on every aspect of a candidate’s financial
survival. Hot right now: Obama National Finance Director Julianna Smoot, McCain advisor Tom Loeffler, and Clinton Finance Director Jonathan Muntz.
IMAGE CONSULTANT A political star needs to project an image that inspires confidence, from his tie to his handshake. The image consultant analyzes their every move and correct their flaws. Among the best: former TV correspondent C. Jackson Bain, Republican image consultant Fifi Frandle, and former Hill staffer Marjorie Kline.
TRAVELING CHIEF OF STAFF The traveling chief of staff is ready with vital information, water, a second cell phone, and anything else the boss needs.The pressure of this job means they usually burn out after about two years. Still going: Joe Donoghue (McCain), Huma Abedin (Clinton), and Reggie Love (Obama).
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IL LU STRATION BY J.C. SUA RÈ S
CHIEF OF STAFF
LAW/lobbying
Left to right: Brendan Sullivan, Jr., Thomas Hale Boggs, Jr., Bob Bennett, Til Hazel, and Bob Barnett.
HOWARD FRIEDMAN
been a major force behind the anti-piracy movement, encouraged movie theater attendance through a variety of catchy “campaigns,” and replaced the late Jack Valenti as its prime lobbyist. A freemason and friend of the World Food Program, he continues to speak passionately on matters of world agriculture and its globalization.
PRESIDENT AMERICAN-ISRAEL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
JULEANNA GLOVER
of Victory 2008 for the RNC, we’re likely to see more of her. An early supporter of McCain (who’s been open about his lack of economic knowledge), her name has been discussed as one of his possible Cabinet picks.
The AIPAC presidency carries with it Congress’s utmost attention, as Friedman knows well. The New York Times called this million-member powerhouse “the most important organization affecting America’s relationship with Israel.” However, “JStreet,” which recently launched a PAC and lobbying arm, may soon provide an alternative and perhaps more “progressive, mainstream pro-Israeli” voice, given that it has recruited respected former members of AIPAC and prominent Israelis and American Jewish community members from security, military, diplomatic, political, religious, and academic backgrounds. Though the political influence Friedman and AIPAC exert is undeniable, JStreet appears poised to succeed in its mandate to broaden the public policy debate.
DAN GLICKMAN PRESIDENT MPAA
President Bill Clinton appointed this former Kansas congressman secretary of agriculture, and Glickman served in the administration from 1995 to 2001. A Pollywood player in the truest sense of the word, he took over the Motion Picture Association of America in 2004, where he’s
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LOBBYIST ASHCROFT GROUP
Glover, who once worked for Vice President Cheney, has made her Wyoming Avenue residence a place to be for power hobnobbing, the release of the latest “it book,” or fundraisers for local charities. The Republican operative and power hostess is known as much for putting on her dancing shoes as her power suits. As an early backer of McCain’s presidential bid, she traveled with the senator and assisted with communications during the crunch before he locked the nomination.
WARREN GORRELL CHAIRMAN HOGAN & HARTSON
Known for his law practice in corporate finance, securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and investment trusts, this superlawyer is able to manage his practice as well as his firm – no small task with over 1,100 lawyers and 22 offices worldwide.
WALTER ISAACSON PRESIDENT & CEO THE ASPEN INSTITUTE
After a career that included stints as the editor in chief of Time Magazine and as chairman of CNN, this successful
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journalist and best-selling author now cultivates enlightened leadership and intellectual dialogue at the Aspen Institute. A political moderate, Isaacson’s influence derives from his ability to bring major players like Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, and Henry Kissinger to the table to tackle some of the most divisive political issues of our time.
A day doesn’t go by without the Pew Research Center’s studies getting mentioned in the press. Kohut not only helps to gauge public opinion on everything from current issues to voting trends throughout the election, but he also gives valuable interpretation of the data which is very useful to political analysts.
AL GORE
ANTHONY LAKE AND SUSAN RICE
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF CURRENT TV
SENIOR FELLOWS AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
Gore must get mighty tired of repeating the phrase, “I have no plans to run.” but he’ll have to forgive those who can’t stop asking; 2007 was definitely the Year of Gore. Receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, starring in the Academy-Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, organizing global warming benefit concert Live Earth, Gore went from losing the 2000 election by one Supreme Court vote to becoming a bona fide environmental rock star in a comeback that rivaled John Travolta’s. As arguably the most senior Democratic leader and super-delegate who remains uncommitted, he is likely to play a key role in the eventual resolution of the nomination race. Moreover, together with a coterie of environmental groups like the NRDC, the Sierra Club, and the Alliance for Climate Protection (which he chairs), he continues to exert tremendous influence on environmental security policy.
Word has it that former Clinton National Security Advisor Tony Lake and Susan Rice (a former assistant secretary of state under Clinton) are Senator Obama’s two top foreign policy advisors. As such, the duo are members of a team that includes foreign policy director Denis McDonaugh (formerly with Tom Daschle), Center for American Progress foreign policy expert Lawrence Korb, Clinton-era National Security Council Southeast Europe specialist Mark Brzezinski, and recently departed Pulitzer-prize-winner Samantha Power. Obama will put all these players to good use if elected, as he’ll no doubt have a number of foreign policy conundrums to sort out ….
ANDREW KOHUT DIRECTOR PEW RESEARCH CENTER
BILL KRISTOL CO-FOUNDER OF PROJECT FOR THE NEW AMERICAN CENTURY
Although Dick Armitage may be the primary realist foreign policy advisor to John McCain, insiders consider Bill Kristol (Fox News commentator, Weekly Standard editor, former chief of staff to VP
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Quayle, son of neo-con godfather Irving Kristol, Iraq war cheerleader, and now, op-ed columnist for The New York Times) to be the most influential voice in the campaign on such matters. As a testament to his influence, Kristol has helped to embed other neo-cons into the McCain camp, including Randy Scheunemann (McCain’s foreign policy director who drafted the Iraq Liberation Act and served on the PNAC board with Kristol), former CIA director James Woolsey, former Wall Street Journal editorial editor Max Boot, and brothers Robert and Frederick Kagan, of SAIS and AEI, respectively, who coauthored the report that led to the Iraqsurge strategy and were brought into the administration with the support of Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman to convince the President to approve the escalation.
WAYNE LAPIERRE CEO NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION
As controversial as gun laws are, there’s no doubt that gun lobbyists are a powerful bunch regardless of the outcome of a particular bill. LaPierre has served as executive vice president and chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association since 1991. He’s no stranger to politics, and he lobbied effectively against presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004. In a congress run by Democrats, his power is reflected in the absence of anti-handgun legislation.
GROVER NORQUIST PRESIDENT AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
Norquist, who serves on the board and performs standup comedy for the Funniest Celebrity in D.C. competition, has had an extensive list of corporate interests over the years (including serving on the board of the NRA and acting as an advisor to Microsoft). This in-your-face lobbyist heads the conservative Americans for Tax Reform and hosts the “centerright weekly Wednesday meetings” for Republican power players (recently hosting Condoleezza Rice). McCain will likely need to reach out to Norquist (who has expanded these weekly gatherings to 45 state capitals) to solidify his Republican base.
BILL NOVELLI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AARP
As we know from the deterioration of the financial stability of Social Security, Americans are aging in record numbers.
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This pretty much makes the AARP one of the most powerful interest groups on the planet. Novelli has made it his mission to explore economic changes in Social Security and prioritize the continued well-being of 35 million American senior citizens age 50 or older, half of whom remain actively employed. He has also successfully crusaded against President Bush’s approach to health care and will exert considerable influence in the upcoming presidential election.
THEODORE OLSEN PARTNER GIBSON DUNN & CRUTCHER
As former solicitor general of the United States and assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel, Olsen has argued nearly 50 Supreme Court cases, including the infamous Bush v. Gore and Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board. He has served as private counsel under the Reagan and the current Bush administration, and insiders say he is likely to manage McCain’s judicial selection committee.
DAVID PLOUFFE AND DAVID AXELROD PARTNERS AKP&D MESSAGE & MEDIA
A former strategist at the Democratic Congressional and Senatorial Campaign committees, Plouffe, together with pollster-strategist David Axelrod, is in the nerve center of the Obama campaign. The two are joined there by Director of Communications Robert Gibbs (who travels with Obama), National Press Secretary Bill Burton, speechwriter Jon Faverau, and Domestic Policy Advisor Heather Higgenbottom. Axelrod and Plouffe have produced winning media and messages for over 150 campaigns at the local, state, and national levels and, along with Obama’s Senate Chief of Staff Peter Rouse, have helped turn a relative newcomer into the likely nominee for the Democratic party.
TONY PODESTA PRESIDENT PODESTA GROUP
Podesta has been named one of Washington’s top lobbyists and bestconnected dealmakers by The National Journal, Wired magazine, and The Hill newspaper. As a legislative and public relations strategist, his message is frequently on point, and he played an instrumental role in Senator Clinton’s win in Pennsylvania. Additionally, his ties to members of Congress and local interest
groups make him an obvious choice for a list of Washington’s must-hire-lobbyists.
CECILE RICHARDS PRESIDENT PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA
Raised in Texas (she’s the daughter of the late former Texas Gov. Anne Richards), Cecile Richards obviously doesn’t cotton to antiquated notions of women’s roles. She previously served as founder and president of America Votes, a coalition of more than 30 national organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, of which she also served as president. As former deputy chief of staff to Rep. Nancy Pelosi she has considerable access and influence, as does her husband, Kirk Adams of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
KARL ROVE POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND COMMENTATOR
Though he’s no longer in the power seat at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, most believe that Rove’s star is still rising. Right-wing Republicans can’t get enough of his political commentary on Fox News, and the man known as “Bush’s brain” recently signed big contracts with The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and Simon & Schuster; the latter offered him a cool $1.5 million for his memoirs.The GOP still believes he holds the cards to securing the Republican base McCain needs to win.
BOB STRAUSS AND BRUCE MCLEAN FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD RESPECTIVELY
Bob Strauss and Bruce McLean preside over top lawyer and lobbying shop Akin Gump, which just won a $666 million Medicare settlement (the largest in the history of Medicare program) from the Federal Government for 660 hospitals, on top of a string of successful cases. American Lawyer ranked their litigation practice as among the five best in the country. Partner Steven Ross, who manages the firm’s oversight practice (ranked second by National Journal after Patton Boggs in terms of revenue) says the workload has more than doubled from 2006 to 2007.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN JR AND GREG CRAIG PARTNERS WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY
Although this law firm has its fair share
of star talent, Sullivan and Craig are two standouts. In addition to his legal practice, where he’s represented a host of wellknown clients including John Hinckley and Elian Gonzales, Craig has handled debate negotiations for the Obama campaign and advises the senator on foreign policy. Sullivan has defended Ollie North during the Iran-Contra scandal, enough to get him Mount Olympus status among Washington litigators. Described by The Washington Post as a “world-class lawyer,” and consistently ranked by the National Law Journal as one of “America’s One Hundred Most Influential Lawyers,” Sullivan has also represented former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, former chairman of Cendant Corporation Walter A. Forbes, and a number of states against Microsoft.
JOHN SWEENEY PRESIDENT THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR - CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS
Sweeney ushered in a breath of fresh air at the major labor union, bringing with him a focus on a younger generation of workers. Eventually, his commitment to change shook up the AFL-CIO, which split in two. Service Employees International Union president and power broker Andrew Stern now leads the new “Change To Win” branch of the AFL/CIO with Anna Burger, SEIU International secretary-treasurer and James Hoffa. Jr. of the Teamsters. Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees International, stuck with Sweeney and the AFL-CIO. Taken together, these five represent the most influential players in the labor movement and will exert considerable influence in this year’s presidential election.
JOHN PODESTA STROBE TALBOTT AND CHRIS DEMUTH PRESIDENT CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS PRESIDENT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION AND PRESIDENT AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE RESPECTIVELY
These three think tanks likely house the largest number of future cabinet members and political staffers ready to return to government when the White House changes hands. Podesta, who was President Clinton’s chief of staff, founded and developed CAP into the pre-eminent
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BUSINESS
Top row, left to right: Abe Pollin, James Johnson, Fred Malek, Anthony Lewis, Michael Harreld. Bottom row, left to right: David Rubenstein, Sheila Johnson, Steve Case, Ted Leonsis, and Vernon Jordan. At right: Daniel Snyder
center left think-tank. A number of CAP’s fellows are busy advising Clinton, and even more have signed on with Obama.Talbott, who was a Rhodes Scholar with President Clinton, helms the centrist Brookings Institution, whose reports are the thirdmost cited by members of Congress. Brookings fellows are advising all three campaigns. Since 1986, Christopher DeMuth has presided over the growth and rising influence of AEI on the Republican right, bringing in neo-conservative architects of the Iraq war such as Richard Pearle. AEI’s Kevin Hassett is one of John McCain’s key economic advisors.
HOWARD WOLFSON COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT
When chief strategist Mark Penn was stripped of his title, political consultant and former Glover Park Group partner Howard Wolfson took over the top job in the Clinton campaign. Ironically, though the titles may have changed (and pollster/ strategist Geoff Garrin has been brought in), much is the same, with Penn’s firm, Burson-Marsteller continuing “to poll
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for the campaign and play an important role advising both Senator Clinton and former President Clinton” (according to an internal email), while Wolfson and Garrin are tasked with helping to shape the Senator’s message.
GENERAL ANTHONY ZINNI AND GENERAL WESLEY CLARK These two outspoken anti-Iraq war generals have helped bolster the Democratic party’s position on foreign policy. Zinni is considered a top choice for vice president on an Obama ticket and Clark, who has Southern and national security credentials, has been an ardent advocate for Senator Clinton and is likely to be tapped for a senior role if either Democratic candidate wins.
BUSINESS AND PHILANTHROPY LYLES CARR AND NELS OLSON HEADHUNTERS THE MCCORMICK GROUP AND KORN FERRY RESPECTIVELY
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Who needs Washington Post Classifieds when you have these top Washington headhunters to find your next job? Known for being key players in the K Street business scene, Carr and Olsen have each skillfully landed major private sector posts for former government officials and top legal professionals around the city. In this market, their phones must be ringing off the hook. Just hope you aren’t put on terminal hold.
STEVE AND JEAN CASE CHAIRMAN REVOLUTION AND CHAIRWOMAN THE CASE FOUNDATION RESPECTIVELY
Steve Case may have left the helm of AOL, but he’s still been quietly working to revolutionize the health and wellness industry with his aptly named Revolution Health, as well as Exclusive Resorts and Miraval. He is developing an $800 million, 650-acre luxury resort in Costa Rica. His star power helped attract Carly Fiorina and others to his latest projects. In 2007, Case and Ted Leonsis joined in a $5.5million investment in widget syndication specialist Clearspring Technologies. He and his wife Jean, have leveraged two
decades of business experience to make a mark in philanthropic circles.
THOMAS DONOHUE PRESIDENT & CEO U S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Since Donohue took over in 1997, the Chamber has tripled its annual revenues to $160 million and has been influential in helping to lower trade barriers and win new free trade agreements on the international stage.Through its grassroots organization, www.voteforbusiness.com, the Chamber has become highly influential in helping to elect pro-business candidates.
RICHARD D FAIRBANK AND NIGEL MORRIS CEO & CO-FOUNDER CAPITAL ONE RESPECTIVELY
Americans are buying more and paying later than ever before, thanks in part to Fairbank and Morris, the grand viziers of credit lines. For 11 years, Fairbank has been CEO of Capital One Financial (COF), which ranks number two within diversified financials. Co-founder Morris grew the company’s customer base to
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45 million, managed loans increased to more than $70 billion, and the company emerged as one of the top seven issuers of credit cards in the world. When one can happily waive an annual salary and live on stock options, as Fairbank reportedly does, one has it made — especially if that stock is in the 11th largest bank in the world, Capital One. Fairbank is also partner in Lincoln Holdings LLC, and one of the coowners of the Capitals pro-hockey team as well as the Washington Mystics.
MICHAEL HARRELD REGIONAL PRESIDENT PNC BANK
PNC Bank enjoyed a banner year in 2007 due to a previous merger with Riggs Bank which increased business by 30 percent. Harreld spent 16 years at the helm in Louisville, Ky., prior to a 2005 move to the Washington area to run PNC’s operations here. Wife Susan is highly involved in civic organizations; in 2007, the Harrelds chaired the Wolf Trap Gala, among other events here.
JAMES JOHNSON VICE CHAIRMAN PERSEUS LLC
Johnson’s presence in Washington power circles is fortified by his sheer ubiquity. He has run Fannie Mae, led the Brookings Institution, been chairman of the Kennedy Center, and has been involved in almost every Democratic presidential campaign (he’s thrown his weight behind Obama) since 1972. In addition to helming Perseus, he is a board member of Goldman Sachs, Gannett Company, Inc., KB Home, Target Corporation, Temple-Inland, and UnitedHealth Group, as well as a member of the American Friends of Bilderberg, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Trilateral Commission.
SHEILA JOHNSON CEO OF SALAMANDER HOSPITALITY AND MANAGING PARTNER OF THE WASHINGTON MYSTICS
This beloved former violin teacher and BET co-founder became a power presence in Washington, where she’s the first woman to be an owner or partner in professional sports franchises: she’s co-owner of the Wizards, the Capitals, and the Washington Mystics. Johnson is also CEO of Salamander Hospitality, which encompasses the new 168 room Salamander Resort and Spa and Market Salamander, both located in Middleburg, as well as the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Florida, which features four 18-
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hole courses, including “Copperhead,” a regular stop on the PGA-tour. Johnson is also the chairman of the board of governors of Parsons The New School for Design, and she sits on the board of VH1’s “Save the Music” and Americans for the Arts. In 2007, Johnson added Hollywood credits to her résumé when she helped produce two films: Kicking It, which premiered at Sundance, and A Powerful Noise, which is opening at the Tribeca Film Festival. Johnson’s backing of Barack Obama (she serves on the Women for Obama steering committee) will likely only increase her influence if he wins.
VERNON JORDAN SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR LAZARD FRERES & CO AND SENIOR COUNSEL AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD
Jordan may sit on more corporate boards than anyone else in the country, and he’s remained an active player in Washington despite spending considerable time in New York. He’s a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and was part of the Iraq Study Group. Although he is a big Clinton supporter, he also hosted one of the first fundraisers for Obama’s Senate campaign. In short, this Democratic powerbroker could play an instrumental role in healing the nomination fight over the next few months and is likely to see his influence increase should either Democrat win the presidency.
ROBERT KOGOD AND ROBERT SMITH PHILANTHROPISTS
You don’t even have to live in Washington to know these two names.Their donations include $45 million to the University of Maryland (Smith) and $25 million to the Smithsonian (Kogod). These brothersin-law made their fortune in the family real estate business (Charles E. Smith) and they’re not about to take a break anytime soon. The latest big gift is a $5 million donation by Smith to sponsor the Newseum’s Big Screen Theater, but both names are visible on numerous buildings throughout the city.
TED LEONSIS MAJORITY OWNER WASHINGTON CAPITALS
After a serious plane crash in the ’80s, Leonsis sat down and made a list of 101 things to accomplish, including owning a
sports team, producing a movie, creating a net worth of over $100 million, owning a Ferrari, meeting Bill Gates, and even taking care of his in-laws. There’s little left for this vice chairman emeritus of AOL to do, since he achieved many of these things by 2007. To name one, he had an incredibly successful run at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival with his movie Nanking (which also made the Oscar nominee short list) and then followed up by getting his next film, Kicking It, into the Sundance, Tribeca and Silverdocs film festivals. But it’s the philanthropic heart beating off-camera which led to Leonsis’ coining the term “filmanthropy,” which remains the hallmark of his silver-screen efforts.
JOHN LEE CHAIRMAN NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECH COUNCIL & CEO LEE TECHNOLOGIES
Boasting 1,100 companies and over 200,000 employees, Lee’s technology company is one of the largest in the world. So it seems a natural fit that he also leads the regions’s largest technology industry association.The N.V.T.C’s annual networking events connect area leaders and are considered to be a “hot ticket.” The Council and Lee’s influence will only continue to grow.
TONY LEWIS PRESIDENT VERIZON WASHINGTON D C
Since the lifelong jazz drummer took over operations for Verizon in 2005, he hasn’t missed a beat. As president of one of the city’s largest corporations, Lewis has been instrumental in helping engage his 1,400 employees from the region to give back, not only through monetary donations but by volunteering their time while staying on the clock.
FRED MALEK FOUNDER THAYER CAPITAL
Baseball teams (Texas Rangers), hotel chains (Ritz-Carlton), airlines (Northwest), real estate services (C.B. Richard Ellis): Malek, who has handled the acquisitions of all the above, is also responsible for returning baseball to the nation’s capital. He’s a frequent flier in the black-tie charity circle, close to the presidential family and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a determined political player whose moniker during the Nixon administration was “Hatchet
Man.” His babies, Thayer Capital and Thayer Lodging, have given birth to seven equity funds with $1.5 billion in capital and four hotel investment funds with $1 billion committed. Malek wisely invested early in McCain’s presidential bid (even holding signs for him in South Carolina) and serves as deputy national finance chair for his campaign, for which daughter Michelle Olsen has raised $100,000.
J W MARRIOTT CHAIRMAN MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL
He’s the force behind the $4 billion and growing hotel chain. Having acquired the Ritz Carlton, among other brands, Marriott continues to grow and look for other opportunities to add to their holdings worldwide.They have over 3,000 hotels in 70 countries and recently added a new boutique, “Edition,” in collaboration with Ian Schraeger, with two slated to open in Washington.
TONY NICELY CHAIRMAN GEICO
Nicely shaped GEICO into the $21.9 billion insurance behemoth that it is today and helped expand its brand with the gecko (and most recently, the “caveman”) advertising icon, raising its policyholder count to nearly 8 million and counting.
DAVID RUBENSTEIN CO-FOUNDER THE CARLYLE GROUP
When officials at the National Archives needed someone to buy the last privately owned copy of the Magna Carta for $21 million, it’s no surprise they called this economic powerhouse to put in the winning bid at the December Sotheby’s auction. Though his firm took plenty of heat for the collapse of two of its outsidemanaged funds, experts say losses are “minimal from a financial standpoint.” The Group quickly raised $1.35 billion to invest in debt and equity issued by distressed companies and pushed their assets to $81.1 billion in a total of 60 funds.
ROGER AND VICKI SANT FOUNDER THE AES CORPORATION AND PRESIDENT THE SUMMIT FOUNDATION RESPECTIVELY
Through the Summit Foundation, these philanthropists have made grants of $9 million to the National Symphony Orchestra, $10 million to the Smithsonian Museum of National History, and millions
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THE POWER CEO Because you won’t beat your 4th Quarter earnings estimates all by yourself … EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT The loyal, long-time executive assistant oversees a small army of secondary assistants, and filters mail, email, and phone calls. Everyone knows who they are. Leonard Lauder has Jeannie Janiro. David Rubenstein has Laura Boring.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL We all need a good lawyer sometimes, but the CEO needs a full-time in-house advisor who is loyal enough to protect him and tough enough to stand up to him. Jonathan Klein has Michael Saylor’s ear at Microstrategy; Jeffrey Ferguson at the Carlyle Group oversees a team of 18 lawyers.
HOUR TECH GUY When a Power CEO can’t get his email, it’s a big deal. Minutes lost can translate into
more to the Phillips Collection. In 2005, Vicki Sant took over from Robert H. Smith as president of the National Gallery of Art. They carry out their philanthropy with great discretion and tact and have a sterling reputation in A-List circles.
GARY SHAPIRO CEO CONSUMER ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION
Under Shapiro’s leadership, CEA, the uniting force for nearly 2,200 consumer technology companies in the U.S., led a profitable transition to HDTV and oversaw the introduction of the everpresent iPhone, bluetooth and Nintendo’s Wii. Shapiro’s influence will grow as technology continues to play an increasing role in our lives. IL LU ST RATI ON BY J.C. SUAR È S
DANIEL SNYDER CHAIRMAN WASHINGTON REDSKINS
He’s got the second-highest grossing team in the NFL. Under his ownership, the Redskins were named the second most valuable team by Forbes Magazine. With draft hype at an all time high, we’re on the edge of our seats waiting to see who new head coach Jim Zorn will bring in for this season’s kickoff.
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millions of dollars, so the 24 hour tech guy is crucial. Tech-savvy Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty relies on Jessen Sukrutam to keep him plugged in.
him written up in the right places. Alana Davis reps AOL heavyweight Ted Leonsis; AOL Co-Founder James Kimsey works with Victoria Michael.
PHILANTHROPIC ADVISOR
DRIVER
The philanthropic advisor sifts through all the worthy causes out there, and makes sure donations are well structured and effective. Among the best: Peter Karoff and Ellen Remmer consult wealthy families at The Philanthropy Initiative; Patty Stonesifer channels Bill Gates as CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
A driver straddles the space between a CEO’s professional and private lives.When the boss leaves the office, only his driver knows where he really goes … CNN uses Sunny’s Limo for VIPs, uber-lawyer Bob Bennett prefers Star Limousine.
PERSONAL PUBLICIST The CEO’s personal publicist makes sure the dark side of capitalism doesn’t tarnish a squeaky-clean corporate figurehead. They train him to speak to press, and get
MICHAEL SONNENREICH CEO KIKAKU AMERICA INTL AND VICE CHAIR OF PHARMA INTL TOKYO
This former president of the Washington National Opera is highly cultured and extensively traveled, his education having taken place on two continents, at Harvard Law School, The University of Wisconsin and the University of Madrid. He continues to be active in multiple professional and philanthropic capacities, including his roles as advisor at Johns Hopkins University’s Nitze School of Advanced International Studies and as an overseer at Tufts University Medical School. Last year, this former Nixon aide used his extensive Rolodex, a single phone call, and his uncanny political abilities to help free a group of jailed workers employed in an American factory in Asia, thereby averting the shut-down of that company’s operations and prompting a reconciliation with the host government.
CAROL COLE THOMPSON PRESIDENT AND CEO VENTURE PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS
Founded by former governor Mark Warner, Mario Marino, and Raul
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PILOTS The most powerful CEOs own their own jets (not to be confused with a timeshare) and two full-time pilots who pal around with the CEO before ‘wheelsup.’ Executive Jet Management will hire them, fuel up, and maintain your jet.
Fernandez,VPP is funded by a who’s who of power investors such as Jack Davies,Ted Leonsis, Jim Kimsey, Steve Case, and Peter Barris. Thompson served as special advisor to President Clinton for the District of Columbia and spent 12 years in local government holding major management and staff positions, most notably as the first woman to be appointed city administrator. Under Thompson’s leadership, the VPP investors created a $31 million non-profit fund that invests in D.C.-area organizations and is revolutionizing philanthropy.
WOLF BLITZER HOST CNN’S “SITUATION ROOM”
Blitzer moved to Washington in 1972 after reporting for the Jerusalem Post and joined CNN as its Pentagon correspondent on the eve of the first Persian Gulf War. As one of the hardest working journalist in the biz (his show is on for three hours on weekdays and his Sunday broadcast covers more airtime than other Sunday shows) Blitzer has seen his ratings rise and eclipse his competitors at FOX News.
MEDIA
DAVID AND KATHERINE BRADLEY
ROBERT ALLBRITTON
CHAIRMAN ATLANTIC MEDIA COMPANY AND PRESIDENT CITYBRIDGE FOUNDATION
CHAIRMAN AND CEO ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS
With ten TV stations and an influential newspaper (The Politico), Allbritton Communications annually posts substantial growth (11.5 percent last year). Through strategic hirings at the paper like Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen, the publication’s influence is reflected in the fact that powerbrokers claim The Politico is first in their morning news digest.
RESPECTIVELY
At the tender age of 26, Fullbright scholar David Bradley founded the Advisory Board Company, which he grew into a phenomenally successful enterprise. His next project, in 1999, was the acquisition and growth of the Atlantic Media Group, which owns The National Journal, Hotline, Congress Daily,The Atlantic Monthly, and other publications, and provided a perfect
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MEDIA
Top row, left to right: Wolf Blitzer, Don Graham, Tim Russert, Bob Schieffer, Katharine Weymouth. Bottom row, left to right: Chris Matthews, George Will, Chris Wallace, George Stephanopoulos, and David Bradley. At right: Robert Novak.
platform for the media mogul to showcase his resolve in pursuing topseated journalists like The New Yorker’s Jeffrey Goldberg and blogger Andrew
Sullivan. In short, Bradley cultivates a culture of talent, hosting local roundtables for top journalists to speak with prominent thinkers and business
BLOG AND WEB POWER
ANDREW SULLIVAN, andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com
CRAIG DUBOW
MATT STOLLER, Openleft.com
Dubow began his career in advertising
KATHRYN JEAN LOPEZ, www.nationalreview.com
CHRIS CILLIZZA, washingtonpost.com/thefix
MICHELLE MALKIN, Michellemalkin.com
CHARLIE COOK, Cookpolitical.com
JOSHUA MICAH MARSHALL, Talkingpointsmemo.com
DON HAZEN, Alternet.org JOHN H HINDERAKER, Powerlineblog.com ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, Huffingtonpost.com MIKE KREMPASKY, Redstate.com
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PRESIDENT & CEO XM SATELLITE RADIO
CHRISTY HARDEN SMITH, Firedoglake.com
DAVID BROCK, Mediamatters.org
MARK HALPERIN, Thepage.time.com
NATE DAVIS
Since 2006, Davis has put the techsavvy smarts he exercised at his previous appointment, executive vice president of all technical operations at Nextel, to good use at XM. Davis also serves on the boards of Mutual of America Capital Management Corporation and Charter Communications. XM is poised to become even more relevant with the launch of POTUS ‘08 (created in association with C-SPAN), the first national radio channel completely devoted to a presidential campaign. Davis’ impending merger with XM’s top competitor, Sirius Satellite Radio, may be the best evidence of his power and influence.
Faster than newspapers, blogs are the bread and butter of the next generation of media pundits
MATT DRUDGE, Thedrudgereport.com
leaders. His wife, Katherine, runs the CityBridge Foundation, their family foundation, which supports a host of education and health-related initiatives.
JOHN MCINTYRE, Realclearpolitics.com MARKOS MOULITSAS, Dailykos.com
CEO GANNETT INC
sales, where a firm handshake and eye contact traditionally put dinner on the table. After parlaying his people skills into a spot at a local radio station, his rise was meteoric.Today, Gannett is America’s largest newspaper group in terms of circulation. The company’s 90 daily newspapers in the U.S. have a combined daily paid circulation of approximately 7.3 million. In addition, Gannett owns nearly 1,000 nondaily publications and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine of approximately 23 million circulation.
JOHN FAHEY AND TIM KELLY PRESIDENT & CEO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GLOBAL MEDIA RESPECTIVELY
The environment is hot right now (all too literally, according to reports on global warming), and National Geographic’s brand is on top of environmental issues and reportage. Fahey has led an evolution of the National Geographic Society, including its entry into cable television with the National Geographic Channel, which now airs in 34 languages and reaches more than
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250 million homes in 166 countries, and the international expansion of National Geographic magazine, now published in 29 local-language editions. Kelly, formerly the president of National Geographic’s television & film division, was appointed president of the new National Geographic Global Media group in October 2007, where he oversees the production of awardwinning content.
DONALD E GRAHAM
ROBERT NOVAK
JOURNALISTS
JOURNALIST
Some say that Novak’s power is clearly reflected in the fact that he managed to reveal the identity of a covert CIA agent and still avoid prosecution. Regardless, this right-leaning press man dubbed the “Prince of Darkness” retains access to senior Republicans (like Karl Rove) and influential Democrats (like Rep. Rahm Emmanuel).
These power players control the information the world relies on to make informed decisions. MIKE ALLEN, chief political correspondent for The Politico DAN BALZ, national political correspondent for The Washington Post DAVID BROOKS, columnist for The New York Times RONALD BROWNSTEIN, political director for Atlantic Media Company
CHAIRMAN THE WASHINGTON POST
KEITH OLBERMANN
JAY CARNEY, deputy Washington bureau chief for Time Magazine
Since his 1991 inauguration, this cheery CEO – known for his hardball tactics and sharp business acumen – continues to maintain the Post’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier Washington newsroom (taking home an impressive six Pulitzers in 2008). Though the paper is negotiating several employee buyouts and suffering a significant decrease in circulation, The Washington Post continues to be a media power house.
HOST “COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN”
DAVID CORN, Washington Editor for The Nation
JOHN HENDRICKS AND DAVID ZASLAV CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS RESPECTIVELY
Zaslav, a one-time head of NBC Universal cable and domestic television, had been at the network since 1989, when he helped launch CNBC. He met Hendricks, the founder and chairman of Discovery Communications, when he was creating Discovery. In 2006, Zaslav took over the top spot at Discovery Communications, citing his extreme joy at working with Hendricks, whom he considers a mentor and friend.
CHRIS MATTHEWS HOST “HARDBALL WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS”
Much more than a talking head, Matthews is an American History buff who lives and breathes politics, has authored numerous books, and, together with Tim Russert and Keith Olbermann, has increased the influence of NBC/MSNBC’s news operations. He’s also one half of a serious power couple: Wife Kathleen Matthews, who anchored News 7 on WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, is now executive vice president of J.W. Marriott. Future possibilities for this pundit may include a race for the U.S. Senate – on an April episode of “The Colbert Report,” Matthews mentioned a possible run in Pennsylvania, saying that his boyhood dream was to be a senator.
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This razor-sharp news anchor with a deadpan wit has seen his MSNBC prime time ratings soar (inching out archnemesis Bill O’Reilly of FOX News). He writes his own material and, though he resides in New York, his nightly broadcast impacts the course of the news cycle and political debates in Washington. And his “special comments,” while ruffling more that a few feathers have helped steel the resolve of Washington politicos to take on the administrations positions on topics ranging from the Iraq war to wiretapping to the erosion of habeas corpus. His newfound influence has landed him a spot as co-anchor with Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s election night coverage.
TIM RUSSERT
JOHN DICKERSON, chief political correspondent for Slate magazine MAUREEN DOWD, columnist for The New York Times HOWARD FINEMAN, senior Washington correspondent and columnist for Newsweek RON FOURNIER, writer for the Associated Press TOM FRIEDMAN, foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times DAVID GREGORY, host of “Race for the White House” on MSNBC SEYMOUR M HERSH, contributing writer for The New Yorker CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS, columnist for Vanity Fair BRIT HUME, managing editor, host of “Special Report with Brit Hume” on Fox News GWEN IFILL, moderator and managing editor for Washington Week DAVID IGNATIUS, associate editor and columnist for The Washington Post MICHAEL ISIKOFF, investigative correspondent for Newsweek AL KAMEN “In the Loop” columnist forThe Washington Post KATTY KAY Washington correspondent for BBC World News America
HOST NBC’S “MEET THE PRESS”
ADAM NAGOURNEY, political columnist for The New York Times
The longest-serving anchor in the popular Sunday talkfest’s 60-year history, Russert wins the eyes and ears of over five million political junkies every Sunday morning. Not only does “MTP” continue to be one of the highest revenue- generating shows on television, it’s one of the key media gatekeepers for the Oval Office in the 2008 election.
SUSAN PAGE, Washington bureau chief for USA Today
BOB SCHIEFFER
ADRIAN WOOLRIDGE, “Lexington” columnist for The Economist
ANCHOR “FACE THE NATION”
With ratings that regularly beat those of George Stephanopoulos and oodles of lifetime achievement nods, Schieffer’s span of almost 40 years at CBS is hard to beat, and he’s not leaving anytime soon. Schieffer recently told The New York Times that he was putting off retirement for an indefinite period of time at the behest of CBS News president Sean McManus. His considerable audience seems to appreciate a less-confrontational (and perhaps more sober) setting, in which to catch the latest political developments.
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DANA PRIEST, writer for The Washington Post EUGENE ROBINSON, associate editor and columnist for The Washington Post JAKE TAPPER, senior national correspondent for ABC News CHUCK TODD, political director for NBC News JOHN WOLCOTT, Washington bureau chief of Knight-Ridder News Service RICHARD WOLFFE, senior White House correspondent Newsweek
BOB WOODWARD, assistant managing editor of The Washington Post
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS HOST “THIS WEEK”
This former Clinton administration advisor has soared to new heights since he made the big switch from politics to journalism. Now acting as ABC News’ chief Washington correspondent and hosting Sunday morning news show “This Week,” this award-winning reporter also made The New York Times bestseller list with his memoir of the Clinton years. Though he took considerable heat
for asking the Democratic candidates Sean Hannity-Fox News-prompted questions when he moderated their debate, perhaps this will help him further develop his nonpartisan credentials.
CHRIS WALLACE HOST FOXNEWS
With the extensive list of high-profile political guests (including former president Clinton, with whom he sparred on-air) who have appeared on Wallace’s
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real estate
Left to right: Wesley Foster, Jr., Jim Abdo, Joe Robert, Jr., Tom Anderson, and Ted Lerner
“FoxNews Sunday” show, it’s no wonder he makes our Power 100 again this year. With his quick and aggressive demeanor, this guy can get anyone to talk…which is probably why he has won nearly every major broadcast news award.
KATHARINE WEYMOUTH PUBLISHER THE WASHINGTON POST AND CHAIRMAN WASHINGTON POST MEDIA GROUP
Weymouth, a Stanford educated lawyer and granddaughter of the late Katharine Graham, became vice president of newspaper advertising for the $8.8 billion media and education company in 2005. In February of this year, she was named chairman of Washington Post Media, solidifying her role as an integral part of this media power-conglomerate.
GEORGE F WILL SYNDICATED COLUMNIST
He may be as old-school as bobby socks and fraternity pins, but George Will remains a voice of reason for conservatives. An op-ed writer for The Washington Post (his column is also syndicated in more than 450 newspapers), his trophy case is chock-full of editorial nods, including a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary. Will also writes a column for Newsweek, is a contributing analyst for ABC News, and has been a regular participant on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday mornings since 1981.
REAL ESTATE JIM ABDO FOUNDER ABDO DEVELOPMENT
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Abdo revitalized Dupont Circle, and nowburgeoning Logan Circle, where nightclubs, high-end boutiques and galleries line the corridors. Most recently his $200 million investment on H Street NE is transforming the former “riot corridor” (now known as Senate Square) into a luxury residential development that has attracted such highprofile buyers as former Mayor Anthony Williams and Mystics owner Sheila Johnson. Abdo currently has his sights set on redeveloping the New York Avenue gateway to Washington, where he controls 16 acres of land now approved for 3.5 million square feet of development. On the philanthropic front, he and his wife Mai are a driving force behind the National Children’s Museum, scheduled to reopen in 2012 at the National Harbor. Abdo’s ability to gain access and influence the powersthat-be in local government bodes well for him as he reshapes the face of Washington.
TOM ANDERSON DANA LANDRY WILLIAM F X MOODY AND MARC SCHAPPELL FOUNDERS WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES
Despite the challenging real estate market, this firm continues to set records in highend sales.They sell 40 percent of their own listings (the national average is 17 percent) by uniting all of their agents, who include stars Nancy Taylor Bubes, Giselle Theberge and Jim Bell, behind each client. From $25 million homes to $500,000 condos, WFP handles a substantial percentage of the sales and purchases of the most valuable properties in the area.
A JAMES CLARK CHAIRMAN CLARK ENTERPRISES
As the grandfather of one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. with just over $2 billion in annual revenue, Clark’s name carries plenty of clout. He and CEO Larry Nussdorf have personally touched almost every major building project in town (the National’s Stadium and the Verizon Center), and as the winning bidder are the force behind the controversial proposed development of Anacostia National Park.
P WESLEY FOSTER JR AND BRENDA SHIPLETT PRESIDENT L & F COMPANIES AND GENERAL MANAGER LONG & FOSTER RESPECTIVELY
Under Foster and Shiplett’s leadership, the L&F Companies (which encompass Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Prosperity Mortgage Company, Mid-States Title Insurance Agency, Inc, and Long & Foster Insurance Agency, Inc.) continued to grow despite a tough market, reporting a sale volume of $61 billion last year. Shiplett is the top exec and Foster’s right-hand woman (she’s general manager for Long & Foster’s Virginia/West Virginia region).
JOHN T “TIL” HAZEL PARTNER REED SMITH HAZEL & THOMAS
Since the ’60s, the Hazel family’s major commercial developments (Tysons Corner, for example) have been legendary and farreaching, and the sheer number of companies under family auspices is staggering. Among them are Hazel Land Companies, Inc.,
Hazel Peterson Development Company, William A, Hazel, Inc., and the ubiquitous law firm of Reed, Smith, Hazel & Thomas, the undisputed expert in matters involving D.C. government.
BENJAMIN JACOBS DONALD BROWN AND JOSEPH GILDENHORN PARTNERS JBG COMPANIES
Real-estate giant The JBG Companies has recently been redeveloping tracts of land in Bethesda, and most recently closed the purchase of Bethesda commercial hub Artery Plaza for $135 million. A power player since 1960, JBG continues to be one of the dominant players (with Mike Glosserman acting as managing partner) in the Washington-area real estate market.
TED LERNER PRESIDENT LERNER ENTERPRISES AND PRINCIPAL OWNER OF THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Nobody tells this guy what to do. He’s a key player in Washington-area real estate growth, developing more than 6,000 apartments and over 22,000 homes, creating one of the largest privately-owned real estate operations in the region, and making the Forbes 400 richest Americans list. His tactical and quiet approach to business won him ownership of the Washington Nationals, and this Washington native made headlines recently with the kickoff of the Nationals’ third season in their splashy new $661 million stadium.
HERB MILLER CHAIRMAN & CEO WESTERN
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arts
Left to right: John “Jack” DeGioia, Placido Domingo, Michael Kahn, Paul Greenhalgh, Michael Kaiser, and George Vradenburg.
DEVELOPMENT CORP
WASHINGTON INC
JOHN “JACK” DEGIOIA
Potomac Mills is a legendary shopping mecca, and Miller is the force behind it. He also built Gallery Place and developed Washington Harbor. Miller, who sold his luxurious Georgetown mansion in 2007 for a whopping $24 million, is now working on the redevelopment of Georgetown Park and continues to be a force to reckon with in Washington real estate circles.
Baltimore has the Harbor, but Washington’s waterfront is woefully underdeveloped in terms of family-friendly fare. Ratner Salzberg and Forest City Washington saw the vast potential sleeping in the District’s Southeast quadrant, and with a 42 acreplot “The Yards” situated between the new Nationals baseball stadium, the Navy Yard, M Street SE and the Anacostia River, Ratner Salzberg is well on her way to creating Washington’s newest, fully-loaded waterfront neighborhood. The project will encompass 5.5 million square feet of development, 2,800 residential units, 1.8 million square feet of office space, and 400,000 square feet of retail, and with the first phase slated to open in 2010, The Yards may well become a neighborhood hub as prosperous and bustling as the northwest corner of the city.
PRESIDENT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
ABE POLLIN CHAIRMAN WASHINGTON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Still running his company at age 77, this real estate and sports tycoon has been as much a part of the D.C. development scene as the Lerner clan. But Pollin doesn’t stop there. He serves as chairman of the Advisory Council for UNICEF and the American Foundation for Autistic Children, donating generously to charities around the world. He even has an award named in his honor, which recognizes those dedicated to helping the Washington community.
JOE ROBERT JR CHAIRMAN J E ROBERT COMPANIES
Each fall, real-estate magnate Robert pulls together a boys-only night where CEO’s, Cabinet members, senators, and tycoons gather for a dinner that raises millions for Fight For Children, which distributes grants to Washington schools. Robert can count among his friends Quincy Jones, Oprah Winfrey, and Herbie Hancock, as well as a host of Republican politicians.
DEBORAH RATNER SALZBERG PRESIDENT FOREST CITY
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ARTS AND ACADEMIA G WAYNE CLOUGH SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN
As the Smithsonian’s newly appointed head honcho, Clough, the former president of Georgia Institute of Technology, will oversee 136 million objects, artworks and specimens; 26.8 million visitors; 19 museums; 9 research centers; and one nasty mess left by Lawrence Small. His predecessor’s spending habits had a trickle-down effect that will force Clough to clean house and restore faith in the museum powerhouse. It’s expected that Clough will send a message from day one that employees are there to serve the Institution. He’ll have a mandate, and congressional watchdogs will be watching.
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When the first “scholar without a collar” became the 48th president of Georgetown University, many were skeptical about how things would shake out with a non-Jesuit at the helm. But it seems that DeGioia’s steady hand has led to a successful $1 billion capital campaign, a lower (more competitive) rate of admissions, the basketball team returning to its winning ways after a depressing several-year losing streak, and a teaching staff that reads like a list of former Cabinet members.
PLACIDO DOMINGO GENERAL DIRECTOR WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA
Washington’s, and perhaps the world’s, most beloved tenor has boldly been pushing the boundaries as the director of WNO, putting the company on the international stage through challenging productions such as Wagner’s Ring cycle in 2009. His sexy version of La Boheme brought in younger audience members, and even more experienced the show via a telecast to several colleges and universities. The opera has more social cachet than almost any other arts institution, and that’s due in large part to Domingo’s draw.
STEPHEN FULLER DIRECTOR CENTER FOR REGIONAL ANALYSIS GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY
Known for making economics as lively as
a Redskins football match, this go-to-guy is the number-one source for economic, housing, and employment trends in the Washington area. The regional powersthat-be gobble up his analysis before making business decisions.
PAUL GREENHALGH DIRECTOR THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART
It was no secret that when Greenhalgh arrived from across the pond, the gallery was in need of major changes. The director quickly took charge by bringing together one of the largest exhibitions in contemporary art: Modernism, a show that won critical praise and audience appreciation. He followed up with blockbuster shows devoted to Annie Leibowitz and Ansel Adams, which were also picked up by museums across the country.
MICHAEL KAHN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY
Michael Kahn has brought some of the most daring new interpretations of classical theater to Washington in recent years – as well as big names like Kevin Spacey and Dame Judy Dench.With the opening of the brand-new Harman Center, things can only get bigger and better at the nation’s foremost theater dedicated to Shakespeare’s works.
MICHAEL KAISER PRESIDENT THE JOHN F KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
With record-breaking fundraising, critically acclaimed performances, and successful
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PHILANTHROPY/social power
Left to right: Katherine Bradley, Rima Al-Sabah, Jean Case, Sally Quinn, and Roger and Vicki Sant
renovations underway, Kaiser remains the backbone of Washington’s preeminent performing arts center. His experience arranging contracts with the Kirov Opera and Ballet, the Royal Shakespeare Company, New York City Ballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet as well as his famed festivals keep seats soldout and patrons contributing regularly.
commitment to the city’s cultural life has made Washington a better place to live.
MASON LECKY AND MAUREEN V MILLER
RESPECTIVELY
DIRECTORS OF ADMISSIONS ST ALBANS SCHOOL AND NATIONAL CATHEDRAL SCHOOL RESPECTIVELY
Like a Bravo channel reality competition, these ladies – heads of two of the most competitive schools in the area – decide whose child is in and whose is out. As spots in top-notch private schools (including Sidwell Friends, Landon, Maret, Georgetown Prep, and The Potomac School) become increasingly competitive, parents will go to any lengths to enroll their kids in these schools. Getting in pays off – the alumni rosters from these A+ academic institutions are as impressive as a list of attendees of a Gridiron Club dinner party. Bush brothers Neil and Marvin, J.W. Marriott Jr., and Former Rep. Jesse Jackson all took Geometry in the shadow of the National Cathedral.
GEORGE VRADENBURG PRESIDENT THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION
He’s the president of the Phillips Collection and the Vradenburg Foundation, making him one of the most prominent members of Washington’s art community.This former AOL-Time Warner strategic advisor’s
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SOCIAL POWER BEN BRADLEE AND SALLY QUINN FORMER WASHINGTON POST EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND AUTHOR
It’s somewhat ironic that Sally Quinn once said, “I don’t invite people because of who they are in the administration or their positions of power. The few who do come, are there because I like them.” When this hostess and her husband Ben Bradlee open the doors to their N Street mansion, it is the titans of media who enter. These days, their affairs tend to be more intimate dinners and cocktail parties, which makes their invitation one that’s rarely turned down.
AMBASSADOR OF KUWAIT SALEM AL-SABAH AND RIMA AL-SABAH AMBASSADOR AND HOSTESS RESPECTIVELY
With guest lists that include President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Cabinet secretaries and members of Congress, as well as visiting stars like Angelina Jolie, Michael Douglas, and Randy Travis, the Al-Sabahs’ gatherings are one of the hardest invites to score. The couple have single-handedly raised millions of dollars for causes ranging from eradicating malaria in Africa to building schools for girls in Afghanistan.
ROGER KIRK PRESIDENT ALIBI CLUB
If you thought getting into the Chevy Chase Club was difficult, try gaining membership to the Alibi Club. Founded in 1884, it remains one of the most exclusive social networks in the country, with Supreme Court justices, Cabinet members, CIA directors and other high-ranking officials. Kirk exerts considerable influence on Washington’s elite networking scene.
RELIGION REV H BEECHER HICKS JR PASTOR METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
For over 30 years, Hicks has packed 6,000 souls into his church every week. His library of recordings and books have reached countless people, and he’s one of the most influential voices in the capital’s African American community. Hicks is best known for his dedication to local learning and community initiatives: to name a few, the Metropolitan/Delta Adult Literacy Council, the Metropolitan Day School, and the Metropolitan Community Development Program are dear to his heart.
RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN CO-CHAIR THE COALITION TO PRESERVE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Saperstein succeeded Richard Hirsch to become Director of the Religious Action Center – the Washington-based political lobbying arm of the Reform movement – where he works to preserve church-state separation and maintain a liberal outlook in the Supreme Court. Also the co-chair of
the Coalition to Preserve Religious Liberty, Saperstein was ranked the number five most influential rabbi in the country according to Newsweek. J.J. Goldberg’s book, Jewish Power, calls the Religious Action Center “one of the most powerful Jewish bodies in Washington, second only to AIPAC.”
REV LON SOLOMON SENIOR PASTOR OF MCLEAN BIBLE CHURCH
At the pulpit of one of the fastest growing churches in the country, this McLean based minister has the eyes and ears of his 10,000 member congregation each Sunday morning, and delivers his sermons in a $90 million complex that seems more like a campus than a cloister. When he’s not at the pulpit, Solomon’s church ministry carries out a wide variety of outreach programs and services, and employs more than 300 fulltime staff members. Seated in the pews on Sunday you can be sure to find top politicos including Senator James Inhofe, Pentagon officials and foreign policy honchos.
THE MOST REV DONALD W WUERL S T D ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON
Donald W. Wuerl was appointed the sixth archbishop of Washington on May 16, 2006. As the spiritual leader of the more than 580,000 Catholics in 140 parishes throughout the district and five Maryland counties, he’s got plenty of clout, especially depending on what happens in the next life. After the successful visit of Pope Benedict XVI, a cardinal’s hat may be in the offing for Wuerl.
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THE POWER HOSTESS Great hostesses make it all look effortless, but don’t be fooled…
CATERER
PRIVATE CHEF
A good caterer can make dinner for 50 in a private kitchen or transform the lawn into a petting zoo. Favorites: for gala dinners: Occasions Catering and Design Cuisine; for smaller events: Susan Gage.
For every gala she attends, the hostess likely gives two or three small dinner parties in her home. For this, a private chef is essential. Businessman Joe Robert and former AOL CEO Steve Case both trust Jenn Crovato.
FLORIST Fresh flowers are de rigueur in a formal residence, and the florist usually sends fresh blooms on Thursday mornings. Great florists: Ultra Violet, Greenworks, and Volanni; Floral designer: Jack Lucky.
DECORATOR A great decorator is key to any wouldbe hostess’ team. Once the main house is finished and photographed for Architectural Digest, they continue to accompany her to auctions and suggest seasonal adjustments. Local stars: José Solís Betancourt, Thomas Pheasant, and Barry Dixon.
NANNY Elite nanny agencies have been known to vet their clients as rigorously as they do their candidates. The nannies they place often have experience in formal households, serve as early tutors in French and music, and make six-figure salaries. Barbara Kline’s agency, White House Nannies, has found au pairs for high profile Washingtonians like Hardball’s Chris Matthews and GOP strategist Mary Matalin.
PERSONAL TRAINER The personal trainer arrives at the house most mornings with a bag of stretch bands and a mat for a workout that involves lots of two-person activities. VIP favorites: Whitney Cole trains Microstrategy CEO Michael Saylor; D’Lynne St. Pierre works with AOL cofounder James Kimsey.
GIFT CONSULTANT An active hostess may give upwards of a 200 gifts a year, so the owner of her favorite gift shop often serves as her gift consultant, available to recommend the right thing, send over a few samples, and help organize the big holidays. Keith Lipert Gallery and Frank Milwee have unique gifts and very helpful staff.
HAIR AND MAKEUP TEAM Available in a pinch, the hostess’ hair and makeup team report to the master bathroom at 4 p.m. sharp to make sure she looks smashing for the society photogs. Hair: Nuri or Masut at Toka; Makeup: Carl Ray at George.
IL LU ST RATI ON BY J.C. SUAR È S
PERSONAL SHOPPER
HOUSE MANAGER
Fabulous fashion sells out quickly, so the hostess needs a loyal personal shopper in her favorite stores to make sure she gets first pick when new items arrive. Names to know: Lana Orloff works with private clients at home. Going shopping? Ask for Katie Jagger at Saks Fifth Avenue, and Katja Leonardi at Neiman Marcus.
A house manager directly oversees the small army of maids, butlers, laundresses, cooks, gardeners, drivers, and repairmen needed to maintain a large estate.They also serve as a liaisons between the lady of the house and the rest of the domestic staff. Sources tell us that Regal Domestic places house managers in some of Washington’s top homes.
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FEATURE | POWER WOMEN
EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN
FANTASIES REVEALED They might have reached the pinnacle of success in their respective fields, but these power women still have secret passions. Enjoy as local photographer Clay Blackmore captures these women in a different light – the one cast by their hidden dreams, hopes, and alter egos PHOTOGRAPHS BY CLAY BLACKMORE
From “Extraordinary Women – Fantasies Revealed: 58 Women of Accomplishment Portray Hidden Dreams and Real Hopes”
ALMA JOHNSON POWELL Extraordinary Career: While traveling the world with her husband, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, this super mom and socialite served as president of the Armed Forces Hostess Association and the army liaison to the National Red Cross. She is on the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and has written two children’s books: My Little Wagon and America’s Promise.
SAVE THE DATE “EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN– FANTASIES REVEALED” BOOK SIGNING MAY th, a.m. – p.m. Tragara Restaurant, Bethesda, Md.
Alter-ego: Supernumerary
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BARBARA HARRISON
Extraordinary Career: As a broadcast journalist for close to 30 years, Harrison’s assignments have ranged from heartbreaking tragedies to soul-satisfying pieces that leave viewers smiling – particularly her acclaimed “Wednesday’s Child” series. She also wakes the city up each day as the morning anchor for NBC4 TV in Washington, D.C. Alter-ego: Film Director
DEBBIE DINGELL
Extraordinary Career: It takes a people-person to fulfill the fantasy of running a successful hotel, but it takes a woman like Debbie Dingell, philanthropist and vice-chair of the General Motors Foundation, to impact the lives of women and children nationwide with her charitable and civic efforts. Alter-ego: Four-star Hotelier
MARIE JOHNS
Extraordinary Career: Johns holds many powerful positions in and around the District of Columbia. She is on the board of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and is the founding chair of the Washington D.C. Technology Council. After retiring from her most powerful position as president of Verizon Washington, D.C., what better time to stop and reflect at bistro Chez Marie. Alter-ego: Bistro Owner
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CATHERINE REYNOLDS
Extraordinary Career: Perhaps it was her college years spent in Nashville that sparked Reynolds’ love of country music, but it seems the experience of her college years themselves sparked her love for this country. She developed a privately-funded supplement to government student loan programs and her philanthropic efforts landed her on Business Week’s list of the 50 most philanthropic living Americans. Alter-ego: Queen of Country Music
SALLY QUINN
Extraordinary Career: This theater major turned journalist overnight thanks to a phone call from her then future husband, the Washington Post’s Ben Bradlee. She may not have had the voice for the stage, but 20 years as the paper’s Style fixture and three books later, we are certainly singing her praises. Alter-ego: Chanteuse
LETITIA BALDRIGE
Extraordinary Career: The White House was brushed with elegance when this “madame of manners” served as chief of staff to Jacqueline Kennedy and later advisor to four other First Ladies. This beautician’s message is clear: good manners are the essence of beauty, which, of course, comes from within. Alter-ego: Make-up Expert
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GAIL BERENDZEN
Extraordinary Career: Founded an organization that provides speakers, all in an atmosphere conducive to networking and support. That is W.O.M.E.N. Inc. It began in Women of Washington (DC) in 1991, followed by Women of Los Anglese and Women of Pasadena, and has put on more that three hundred events across the U.S. Alter-ego: Firefighter
CATHY HUGHES
Extraordinary Career: This successful radio host founded Radio One, the largest AfricanAmerican owned radio corporation in the world. She later joined forces with Comcast and launched TV One, a national cable and satellite television TV network for African-Americans. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no time for fishing when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reeling in success. Alter-ego: Gone Fishing
PAT SCHROEDER
Extraordinary Career: Although this superhero has been a licensed pilot since the wee age of 15, Mrs. Schroeder, now president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers, wants to use her super-human flying powers to change a place she has been part of for nearly 20 years: Congress. Alter-ego: To Have Super Powers
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LIFESTYLES
Fashion﹐ Art﹐ Dining﹐ and Travel | The Carlyle Hotel, Garden Style, Power Brunches, and Beautiful First Impressions
SUITED FOR
POWER PHOTOGRAPHY BY T I M C O B U R N
CHANEL dress suit in plum ($5,290); Saks Fifth Avenue, 5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-657-9000. FERRAGAMO python clutch ( $ 1 ,1 9 0) ; Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 240-7443700. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS white gold and diamond Flowerlace pendant ($16,700) and white gold and diamond Flowerlace earrings ($24,300); Van Cleef & Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase Md., 301-654-5449.
A T T H E G AY L O R D N A T I O N A L H O T E L AT T H E N AT I O N A L H A R B O U R STYLE BY L
A N A O R L O F F A N D JAMES CORNWELL M A K E - U P A N D H A I R D I R E C T I O N J A M E S C O R N W E L L W I T H P R @ PA R T N E R S M A K E U P A R T I S T S M I C K E N G A R C I A A N D F R A N C E S C A M A S T R I W I T H P R @ PA R T N E R S H A I R S T Y L I S T S L I S A P R O Z Z O A N D L O R E T TA J A M E S O N W I T H P R @ PA R T N E R S S H O O T A N D S T Y L I N G A S S I S TA N T S T I F F A N Y C A R T E R M E L I S S A G R A D Y A N D DA N I L L E JAC K S O N
CANALI navy suit ($1,850), BARREND blue tie ($135), and JAMO pocket square ($25); James Clothier, Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va., 703-883-1444. HUGO BOSS dress shirt ($155) and black leather belt ($110); Hugo Boss, 1517 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-625-2677. ZEGNA black brief case ($1,020); Ermenegildo Zegna, Tysons Galleria, Va., 571-730-1900.
VALENTINO navy blue suit ($4,780); Saks Jandel, 5510 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-652-2250. DOLCE & GABBANA red patent leather pumps ($550); Saks Fifth Avenue, 5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-657-9000. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS yellow gold, diamonds, and mother of pearl Papillon clip ($8,250) and Papillon yellow gold rectangular watch ($11,400); Van Cleef & Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase Md., 301-654-5449.
ZEGNA grey suit ($2,495) and black leather dress shoes ($675) and green striped tie ($150); Ermenegildo Zegna, Tysons Galleria, Va., 571-7301900. ETON dress shirt ($225); James Clothier, Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va., 703-883-1444. FERRAGAMO black leather belt ($190); Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 240-744-3700. CARTIER ballon bleu watch ($7,900); Cartier, 5471 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase Md., 301-654-5858.
MAXMARA light brown suit jacket ($940), suit pants ($500), and silver sunglasses ($250); MaxMara, 5471 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-656-0581. TORY BURCH brown wedge ($310) and THEORY blue Elida blouse ($180); Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 240-744-3700. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS yellow gold, diamonds, and yellow sapphire double butterfly ring ($17,300), yellow gold and yellow sapphire earrings ($17,300), and Lady Arpels Dentelle rectangular diamond watch ($25,100); Van Cleef & Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase Md., 301-654-5449.
MAXMARA navy cotton suit ($1,215) and black sunglasses ($230) and BCBG white ruffled blouse ($146); MaxMara, 5471 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-656-0581. JIMMY CHOO tan patent shoes ($680); Saks Fifth Avenue, 5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-657-9000. CARTIER white gold and diamond Love ring ($7,875) and white gold and diamond Love earrings ($3,675); Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5858.
BURBERRY champagne trench ($1,450); Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 240-744-3700. CHANEL navy suit pants ($1,690); Saks Fifth Avenue, 5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-657-9000. CARTIER yellow gold and diamond Agrafe necklace ($15,650) and yellow gold with diamond Agrafe bracelet ($11,000); Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5858.
HUGO BOSS charcoal navy suit ($1,295) and black leather belt ($110); Hugo Boss, 1517 Wisconsin Ave., NW, 202-625-2677. ETON light blue dress shirt ($225) and DOLCEPUNTA red paisley tie ($185); James Clothier, Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va., 703-883-1444.
ESTRATO light brown pin stripe suit ($1,300) and CANALI yellow dress shirt ($225) and Light yellow pocket square ($25); James Clothier, Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va., 703-883-1444. ZEGNA brown leather belt ($155); Ermenegildo Zegna, Tysons Galleria, Va., 571-730-1900.
LIFESTYLES | TREND REPORT
garden party
Y
ou went to a garden party and what did you see? Lots of color and luxury! With sunny skies and low humidity gracing our region, the time is right to let your floral side show with colorful prints and dazzling garden-inspired jewelry.
COACH sari sandals ($188). Coach, 3259 M Street NW, 202-333-3005.
VAN CLEEF AND ARPELS flower lace earrings ($24,300). Van Cleef and Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5449.
VAN CLEEF AND ARPELS papillon dragonfly hair clip ($8,250). Van Cleef and Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5449.
UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON KAREN MILLEN
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VAN CLEEF AND ARPELS entre les doigts butterfly ring with yellow sapphire ($17,300). Van Cleef and Arpels, 5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5449.
MINY LAM crystal brooch ($475), gold neck wire ($95), crystal flower hair clip ($370), and crystal flower earrings ($140). Keith Lipert Gallery, 2922 M Street NW, 202-965-9736.
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LOUIS VUITTON Monogram motard firebird ($5,250, available through the store by special request). Louis Vuitton, 5481-C Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Md., 866-VUITTON.
UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON floral blouse ($59), United Colors of Benetton, 1010 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 202-298-7787.
RALPH LAUREN
BANANA REPUBLIC
ISAAC MIZRAHI
COACH miranda canvas satchel and hamptons canvas large carryall ($598 each). Coach, 3259 M Street NW, 202-333-3005.
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LIFESTYLES | FASHION EVENT
Robert Pahnke and Rafael Ureta
John Barnes, Daniel Vickers, Dan Banks, and Josh Lomon
Chelsea Smith and Tom Cohan
Howard Brooks
WL EXCLUSIVE
FOOD AND FRIENDS Hugo Boss Store PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
THE EVENT A regular crush of fashionable District residents swarmed Georgetown’s Hugo Boss store, drawn by the promise of ten percent off the spring line (with proceeds going to local charity Food and Friends), the possibility of winning high-end merchandise on a spinning prize wheel, goat cheese tartlets and crab cakes from Well Dunn Catering while DJ People’s Champion kept the party hopping well past cocktail hour. THE GUESTS Neela Latey, Craig McIntyre, Chelsea Smith, Elina Pavlova, Tara Engel, Kerri Owen, Mateo Stephenson, Phillip Thomas, Elina Pavlova, and Richard Weidis.
Christine Gutleben and Christina Berkemeyer
Philip Thomas and Dani King
Shari Yost Gold and Jason Gold
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Elina Pavlova and Ashley Frahwein
Michael Faubion and John Mahshie
Barblin Schuppert, Steven Solbiato, and Katja Douedari
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LIFESTYLES | TREND REPORT
Iconically SUCCESSFUL W
hen power meets persuasion, it’s the epic battle of style versus substance. Fashion pour homme this summer has allied with the sleek and sophisticated. Armor yourself with streamline cuts and sturdy metallics. There’s no room for frills, bulk or pomp. It’s pure masculine utility and class. – Yona Park
DOLCE & GABBANA
CARTIER ballon bleu 18 carat rhodium-plated white gold case set with diamonds ($50,600); Cartier Boutique 5471B Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-654-5858.
RICHARD HARRIS FOR RSF
GUCCI 1873 sunglasses ($320); Solstice Sunglass Boutique,Tysons Corner Center, Va., 703-918-0391.
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA briefcase ($1,020) and pochette with lock ($770); Ermenegildo Zegna Boutique,Tysons Galleria II,Va., 571-730-1900.
BURBERRY front pocket credit card case in classic check, ($175). Nordstrom,Tysons Corner Ctr.,Va., 703-761-1121 and www. nordstrom.com. DIOR JOAILLERIE nougat yellow gold cuff links (price upon request). Christian Dior Boutique, 5471 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301-986-8715.
ZEGNA
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LIFESTYLES | POWER STYLISTS
A CUT ABOVE
Behind every presidential candidate, First Lady, network news anchor, socialite and CEO, there is a top stylist and colorist P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y J B YO N G F O R S W E E T D R E A M S S T U D I O AT J O S E P H I N E L O U N G E A S S I S TA N T S L E A H A P P E L B E T H B R A D L E Y A N D J AC Q U E L I N E T H O M A S
t NURI YURT
TITLE: Owner, Stylist Director & Colorist SALON: Toka Salon & Day Spa, 3251 Prospect Street NW; 801 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; 768 Madison Avenue,New York, N.Y. POWER CLIENTS: Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Jenna Bush, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, and Bo Derek SECRET TO SUCCESS: Experience, training, the entire Toka team and a passion for my work.
“I had a client’s husband tell me he felt as if he was cheating on his wife because she looked so different after I styled her hair. They had been married for 25 years.”
u ISABELLE GEOTZ
TITLE: Stylist SALON: Christophe Salon, 1125 18th Street NW, 202-785-2222 POWER CLIENTS: HM Queen Rania and Senators Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry SECRET TO SUCCESS: I work with the shape of my clients face and look at the way the hair should fall. I want them to enjoy their style and not fight their hair.
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p ISMAIL TEKIN
TITLE: Hairstylist SALON: George at the Four Seasons Spa Salon, 2828 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 202-342-1942 POWER CLIENTS: Rima Al-Sabah, Catherine ZetaJones, Ashley Taylor, and Patrick O’Connell MOST INTERESTING REQUEST: I once flew to New York to just blow dry a client’s hair. Also, once, when I was in Turkey, a client had given birth at 8:15a.m. and at 8:30a.m. she called me to come do her hair so she could look good for all her visitors.
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t MUSTAFA CORUMLU
TITLE: Stylist & Colorist SALON: Salon Jean-Paul, 4820 Yuma Street NW, 202-966-4600 POWER CLIENTS: Catherine Reynolds, Andrea Mitchell, Claudia Borger, Kathleen Matthews, Barbara Harrison, Bo Derek, Ashley Judd, and Martha Stewart SECRET TO SUCCESS: “I make my clients say, ‘oh my goodness’ in a good way. I give them something they’ve never seen before.”
“I get offers all the time to fly around in private jets to do hair. I’ve been everywhere: Paris, London, Ireland, you name it.”
u JILL KINCHELOE
TITLE: Salon Owner & Colorist SALON: Oshi Salon, 1527 Rockville Pike Rockville, Md., 301-230-1295 POWER CLIENTS: Prototype CEO Joe Travez, attorney Barry Chasen and his wife, and photographer Doug Sanders SECRET TO SUCCESS: “Listen carefully to what the client wants and deliver personalized service.” WHAT MAKES A POWER LOOK? Personal style backed with confidence.
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p BRUCE JOHNSON
TITLE: Owner & Stylist SALON: Avatar Salon and Wellness Spa, 8395 Colesville Road, Suite C, Silver Spring, Md., 301-608-9344 POWER CLIENTS: Condoleeza Rice, former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, and former First lady of Washington, D.C. Cora Berry, SECRET TO SUCCESS: “Consistency and reliable customer service. I call it the ‘mom treatment’ – treat everyone as if they were your mother. WHAT MAKES A POWER LOOK? The energy that comes from within is the key. 87
LIFESTYLES | POWER STYLISTS u JACK HOWARD
q ESTELLE BAUMHAUER
TITLE: Color Director SALON: ILO Salon and Day Spa, 1637 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 202-342-0350 POWER CLIENTS: Jennifer CamelToueg, Alison Paley, Ludmila Cafritz, Mai Abdo, Caroline Boutté, Jamie Young, and Sheila Cassey, wife of Army Chief of Staff, General George W. Case Jr. SECRET TO SUCCESS: I make a connection with my clients. They like my vision, my eye for color and the way in which I work with color. And I have a great team that I work with. MOST INTERESTING REQUEST: I don’t think I can disclose that one …
“I read my clients and somehow there is a connection. I read deeper than just what I am hearing and try to understand psychologically why they are sitting in my chair.”
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TITLE: Color Director SALON: Dessange (Tysons), 8020 Towers Crescent Drive, McLean,Va., 703-761-3135 POWER CLIENTS: Past – Nicole Kidman,Yoko Ono, and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Present – the classiest clients in Maryland and Virginia. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED? I began in France, moved to NYC and later moved back to France. Now I’m in D.C. The traveling helped because I was exposed to so many different styles and techniques. INTERESTING REQUEST: One client needed me to go everywhere with her: the Bahamas, Europe, here, there and everywhere!
t CLAUDE COURTET
TITLE: Artistic Director SALON: Dessange (Tysons), 8020 Towers Crescent Drive, McLean,Va., 703-761-3135 POWER CLIENTS: Senator Elizabeth Dole, First Lady of Poland, Princess Ira de Furstenberg, Eva Herzigova, Carla Bruni, Inès de la Fressange, and Johnny Depp INTERESTING MOMENT: I was called in to style the First Lady of Poland’s was she was staying at Blair House here in Washington. After passing through security, I opened up the curtain to find about 25 bodyguards, who stayed the entire time I was working on her hair.
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PHILOSOPHY’S “THE OXYGEN PEEL” Philosophy’s twostep, at-home oxygen peel gently exfoliates and rejuvenates skin sullied by smog ($50); Sephora, M Street NW, 202-338-5644.
LIFESTYLES | WL BEAUTY
POWERADE FOR THE PORES AMOREPACIFIC Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System contains matsutake mushroom, water lily, and ginger root ($35 for travel size); Neiman Marcus, Mazza Gallery, 5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 202-966-9700.
MAKE AN
Entrance You never get a second chance to make a first impression
LA MER: THE LIFTING FACE SERUM La Mer harnasses the plant power of biofermented, protein-rich algae to visibly lift skin’s appearance ($235); Saks Fifth Avenue, Tysons Galleria, McLean,Va., 703-761-0700.
S
ave the best for first with products guaranteed to deliver a memorable message. If knowledge is power, then here’s everything you need to know about putting together the ultimate first impression.
TRUST IN A HIGHER, FIRMER POWER Attractive as well as an asset-assister, these high-waisted power-panties are a must ($36); Bloomingdales, 5400 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, Md., 240-744-3760.
THE PROFESSIONALS Smile Like You Mean it • For an effortlessly white smile, call Dr. Ronan Freyne of Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry. 5530 Wisconsin Ave. Ste. 1030, Chevy Chase, Md., 301-986-0700. Arch Self-Expression • Frame your face with master eyebrow aesthetician Ayse Cevirme (who practices the Turkish art of threading) at Tara Salon, 2715 M Street NW, 202-333-8099; or, try brow and waxing expert, Sonali Sahnil at Toka Salon & Day Spa, 3251 Prospect Street NW, 202-333-5133.
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BOND NO. 9: WALL STREET Cool, zesty, and spicy at the same time – and top-noted with the scent of success ($195 for the 3.4 oz. superstar bottle); Saks Fifth Avenue,Tysons Galleria, McLean,Va., 703-761-0700.
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y WL Insider﹐ Night Life﹐ Around Town﹐ event spotlights﹐ and exclusive parties﹐ parties﹐ parties!
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Philippe Cousteau and Tara de Nicolas at Fashion for Paws. (Photo by Zaid Hamid)
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
WL INSIDER
Runway to Enlightenment The Beatles went to India; I’m trying to do it in the District – and so can you. From art exhibits to film competitions, DJ classes to fashion shows, unleash your inner artist BY MICHAEL M. CLEMENTS
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y first stop on the journey to artistic bliss takes me to Phillipa Hughes and Mike Weber’s SALON CONTRA. These invite-only are-you-in-the-know get-togethers attract a cross section of the city’s creative set.After glasses of wine and small talk, the “Contrarians” circle up and tell each other about their creative paths so participants know whom to synergize with later. It was there where I met interior designer Rouzita Vahhabaghai, who, along with sister, and business partner, Bita Vahhabaghai and Yiselle Santos, organize the equally collaborative and arty PECHA KUCHA NIGHT (PKN) series. The lovely “ita” sisters invited me to present during PKN Vol. 3 at the Czech Embassy. The series began in Japan (Pecha Kucha is Japanese slang for small talk) and involves getting six to ten creative types to discuss their craft as 20 images of their work flash by in 20-second increments on a large screen behind them. I happily indulged in speaking about my painting. So can you – find out more at www.pechakucha.org Meditations on art bring me next to the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s ART ANONYMOUS. As a member of the Washington Project for the Arts (WPA), I’m eligible to donate three 5”x 7” custom-made art pieces to Art Anonymous, presented from May 1-10. The fundraiser supports the Corcoran College of Art + Design’s BFA scholarship by auctioning off post-cardsized art pieces at $100 a pop. Artists’ identities remain hidden. Join WPA and seek out Daliesque higher-consciousness at www.wpadc.org. I seriously mulled over showing at the annual month-long creative smorgasbord ARTOMATIC. It’s just that artists have to commit to volunteering for three shifts and I have a commitment problem (so I’ve been told). Still, I’m planning to attend to absorb the art, musical acts, and performing artists, which will
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keep the Capitol Plaza I Building (1200 First Street NE) buzzing with creative karma from May 9 through June 15. This meandering path towards universal harmony also includes guitars, harmonicas, Tuesday night rehearsals, and two talented band mates: Franck Cordes and Michael Mateer.
Strutting the runway for charity at Fashion for Paws with Corinne “Coco” Bensahel. (Photo Zaid Hamid)
Our band, The Wallows, has been bombarding MySpace and Facebook friends recently with posts about our latest releases. However, we remain chakra blocked until we muster up enough nerve to play live. Mental note: Contact Artomatic Chair George C. Koch and beg him for a performance slot in June. Of course, if the folk-alt band thing doesn’t pan out there is always the path of internationallyrenowned DJ. Ricardo Antonio Reinoso founded THE DJ LAB in conjunction with the National Music Center (801 K St. NW) to offer would-be
beat boys and girls, and Ibiza junkies the chance to perfect the real “art of spin.” For $250, I registered for five classes starting in mid-May.With any luck, I’ll be discovered by Deep Dish manager and fellow Contrarian Arash Shirazi. Mental note number two: Remember to buy headphones, pumas, a funky hat, and extra Carhartt t-shirts. May brings a crash course in celestial cinema thanks to the -HOUR FILM PROJECT. Founded by D.C. residents Mark Ruppert and Liz Langston, the competition has now spread globally (www.48hourfilm.com). The idea is simple: on Friday night you get a character, a prop, a line of dialogue, and a genre; 48 hours later, your seven-minute film must be complete. I put together a team along with a hundred other local filmmakers. We will all get a chance to view our completed works at the AFI SILVER from May 6-8. If viewing your film at the state-of-the-art AFI SILVER theatre doesn’t induce Ravi Shankar-like bliss, nothing will … except, perhaps, fashion. What’s not to like about the Washington Humane Society’s Tara de Nicolas? She works with cute animals (she’s even cuter) and she organizes one of the most fashion-forward charitable events of the year, FASHION FOR PAWS.While working the runway with fellow celebrity model Corinne Bensahel – in stylists Aba Kwawu and James Cornwell’s hand-picked ensemble from Saks Fifth Avenue (ok, James, I liked the white pants, whatever!) – I felt like Siddhartha staring Zen-like into the river of eternal artsy consciousness. It was surreal … or maybe it was the Surreal Vodka. Either way, sign up next year to raise money for the WHS, and you too, grasshopper, can begin your quest towards creative enlightenment – if you can find time to register. Ommm…. Readers wishing to get in touch with Michael M. Clements can email: columns@washingtonlife.com.
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
Dimple Shah and Mark Goode
Top fundraiser Joe Robert Jr. and Kali
WL INSIDER
Debbie Sigmund
FASHION FOR PAWS
Lila Castellaneta
Italian Embassy PHOTOS BY ZAID HAMID AND STEPHEN BOB
THE EVENT Sixty local “celebrity models” and top
Michael Saylor and Lisa LaFontaine
fundraisers stru ed their stuff down the runway with a posse of pre y pooches in support of the Washington Humane Society. Between the money raised by the models and a generous gi from event chairman Michael Saylor, Fashion for Paws raised more than $255,000 for programs and animal care. THE SCENE The Italian embassy was transformed into a high fashion house thanks to Saks Fi h Avenue, the Aba Agency, Adeler Jewelers, Teatro Goldini, and Quintessentially Concierge, amongst many others. THE PEOPLE Pamela Brown, Philippe and Jan Cousteau, Wendy Pepper, Debbie Sigmund, and Brooke Johnston.
Dancing after the show
Pamela Brown Samy K
Kathryn Minor and Spot
Brooke Johnston
Joelle Myers and Arash Shirazi
Amanda Little and Lauren Jarboe
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
NIGHTLIFE
Consider the Grape Beer is so passé when placed next to a prize-winning wine BY ED I E VAN H O R N
n King Tut’s Egypt (around 1300 BC), the commoners drank beer and the upper class drank wine. Well, we’re a pretty classy bunch here in Washington. Even though we have more than our fair share of students (Georgetown, Howard, American, etc.), our happy hours, clustered as they are with friends, business associates, and favor-givers and takers, tend to resemble My Dinner with Andre more than Animal House. Now, wine bars have been popping up with the ubiquity of Obama stickers. As Hemingway once said, “wine is the most civilized thing in the world”; let’s raise an elegant glass to the best local vino ventures.
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Cork (1720 14th St. NW) Chef Ron Tanaka’s pedigree rivals the Hapsburgs’ in terms of rich history. Having worked as sous-chef at Citronelle and CityZen, it’s not surprising that his rosemary chicken liver bruschetta gets rave reviews. The wine list is tightly focused and draws more from old-world Europe than Napa. Cork’s owners, Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts, are Logan Circle residents who wanted to open a welcoming space in their neighborhood for people to come with their friends and family.The vibe is relaxed and unassuming, yet unique (Tom Brown of Corduroy manages the bar, meaning the cocktails are excellent).
Proof (775 G St. NW) Classic Washington: this hot new Penn Quarter area bar was started by a former tax attorney. Although Max Kuller had no previous restaurant experience, he did what Washingtonians do best, which is to combine disparate influences into a coherent whole (That’s what they do in the House and Senate, after all). A trip to California, where Kuller sampled the likes of L.A.’s AOC,Wine Bar inspired him to pair a 1,000-bottle wine-list with a sophisticated selection of diner-friendly fare.There’s even a champagne trolley during happy hour.
Napa (1015 H St. NE) H Street Northeast, while on the rise, is still a bit gritty and out-of-the-way for some. Faced with the challenge of grabbing Dupont Circle and M Street regulars, Napa jumped on the Atlas Theater-going train, offering a happy hour from 5-7 p.m. and a pre-theater dinner menu which consists of three courses of “East meets West” (California and Washington, in this case) for $30.This catering company also serves up ten-dollar pairings and a “happy hour tapas plate” with drink included.
The wait staff bustles “backstage” at Cork. (Photo by Joel Didriksen)
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Veritas Wine Bar (2031 Florida Ave. NW) Driving by the corner of Florida and Connecticut, one can’t help but notice Veritas. Even though its brickface front is humble, there are always at least two or three attractive young people standing outside, flushed with drink and conversation. Co-owner Adam Manson plans to open three more wine bars based on the overwhelming popularity of Veritas’ charcuterie and cheese pairings and an extensive (180 bottle) wine list … all of which, rumor has it, he tasted himself.Veritas keeps it fresh, rotating the by-the-glass choices with regularity, and has become a cult favorite with oenophiles.
Cork is the new kid on the Logan Circle block. (Photo by Joel Didriksen)
Bistrot Lepic (1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW) Complimentary wine tastings every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m., French influenced décor, whimsical pig paintings, dark lighting, an almost exclusively French wine list, and small plates of delicious things ensconced in light puff pastry make a delightful buffer to accompany a slight overindulgence of wine. Started first for Bruno Fortin and his friends, it’s now enjoyed by those with a world-traveler aesthetic: retired diplomats, ladies who lunch, European transplants or just those who always wanted to take that painting class in Montmartre, summer of ’76. Need a designated driver? Here’s one better: Washington Wine Academy (www. washingtonwineacademy.org) and Reston Limousine offer a three-stop tour of local wine bars … Have a comment or know a great nightlife event? Let us know: columns@washingtonlife.com.
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
NIGHTLIFE
Judy Mayka, Ashtron Randle, Hadley Gamble, Julie Fields, and Sarah Elder
BACHELORS AND SPINSTERS BALL The City Tavern Club PHOTOS BY PETER MULLER
THE EVENT A beloved tradition among the city’s younger set, the annual party took place this spring at Georgetown’s historic City Tavern Club. Young women in pastel dresses shimmied to the band with their (o en older) dates, and the roo op garden was packed with revelers despite intermi ent rain. THE GUESTS Sam Farnum, Lisa Rockefeller, Jake Dwinell, Mark Ein, Ray Regan, Charlo e Grassi, Allison Parent, Chris Larsin, Steve Andronico, Schuyler and Crosby Haynes.
Roby Penn, Jamie Linen, Russel Moss, and Charles Heskett
Joe Warren and Eanielle Sciaretta
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Susie Coggien and Miriam Warren
Penn Leachman, Josh Thomas, Katie McBrien, and Adam Stifel
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EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Oh, The Places You’ll Go Higher Achievement’s inaugural gala BY PAT TI CO O K
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n too many neighborhoods education beyond high school is a dream, even for the most motivated students. Mired in violent crime, substance abuse, and unemployment, education often takes a back seat to life’s basic necessities. The irony is that education is the most viable path out of poverty. In Washington, 35 percent of teens live below the poverty line and 50 percent leave school before earning a high school diploma. Only nine percent of D.C. public school students will graduate from college. Higher Achievement reverses these odds for hundreds of children every year. For 33 years, Higher Achievement has challenged middle-school students from underserved areas with rigorous academics after school and during summers. The program has served over 10,000 scholars and produced thousands of first-generation college graduates. Higher Achievement partners with local schools and establishes centers that help students achieve educational excellence by improving grades, test scores and academic behaviors. Last year, 100 percent of scholars improved their test scores by an average rate of 20 percent. By investing more than 650 hours a year for four years in the program, scholars obtain more than just improved performance. They access countless opportunities, improve their confidence, and gain acceptance into some of the most prestigious high schools in the area including Sidwell Friends, Gonzaga, Madeira, and
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Above: Students enrolled in Higher Achievement’s program participate in over 650 additional classroom hours over four years. On average, their test scores improve twenty percent at a minimum. (Photo by Will Kirk Photography) Left: Higher Achievement honoree and CharityWorks co-founder Leah Gansler will be honored on May 15 for her tireless support of educational organizations.
Banneker. Scholars graduate from Higher Achievement equipped for success in high school, college, and beyond. As a former teacher, I am passionate about closing the achievement gap. I learned about Higher Achievement after relocating to the area to become Freddie Mac’s executive vice president and chief business officer. Inspired by Higher Achievement’s dedication to academic excellence, I joined the board of directors two years ago and have seen the
organization grow and succeed. Now as president-elect of the board, one of my goals is to help launch the organization to the next level of operation and funding. I decided to chair the Higher Achievement Going Places! Gala, the organization’s first fundraising event, to help make this goal a reality. In keeping with a long history of corporate citizenship, Freddie Mac supports my participation and has signed on as a Presenting Sponsor of the event. The Going Places! Gala, to be held May 15, 2008, at The Willard Intercontinental Hotel, was set in motion by the momentum created by CharityWorks, which chose Higher Achievement as its 2006 partner. The partnership between CharityWorks and Higher Achievement leveraged critical funds and support to help Higher Achievement expand and enhance services. I see the Going Places! Gala as a testament to the success the scholars’ success. I urge community partners, champions, and other stakeholders to join me in helping Higher Achievement continue its valuable work. Proceeds from the gala will benefit alumni outreach as well as programs for the next generation of scholars. As a national model for academic achievement during out-of-school time, demand for its services is growing which has triggered expansion planning in the area. The future is bright for Higher Achievement.
SAVE THE DATE
WL SPONSORED
MAY TH Going Places Gala For more information contact Lynsey Wood Jeffries at 202-544-3633 ext.131 or visit www.higherachievement.org
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Visions for the Future Capital Partners for Education Celebrates 15th Anniversary BY MARY CHENEY
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n a city that is a global leader in finance, politics and education, it should come as no surprise that, by 2010, two-thirds of the jobs in Washington, D.C. will require a bachelor’s degree. But, unfortunately, only 29% of the District’s, public school students go on to college. For our city’s low-income teens, this failure to get a quality secondary education means they are destined to remain in poverty. This is an urgent and ongoing problem, not only for the students and their families, but also for all of us who live and work in the D.C. metropolitan area. Over the last 15 years, Capital Partners for Education (CPE) has been turning college dreams into reality for hundreds of motivated, low-income high school students. A remarkable 97 percent of CPE’s graduates enroll in college. Our students’ success is made possible through CPE’s unique program model that combines private high school scholarships, mentors and other support services. This collaborative, comprehensive approach ensures that each student gets not only a rigorous college preparatory education, but that they also receive the added support and guidance they need to achieve their goals and dreams. I first learned of Capital Partners for Education (CPE) from my parents who have been long time supporters of the program and I am honored to serve as a member of the organization’s board of directors. The staff, mentors and volunteers who make this program possible do an incredible job, but the real stars are the students. These young men and women are motivated, passionate about education and excited about the future. Providing these students with the opportunity to reach their full potential is the reason why CPE exists. Washington’s business leaders understand all too well the societal costs of an undereducated workforce. To help prevent this crisis they are
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Left: Mary Cheney became a board member of the Capital Partners for Education after learning of the organization from her parents Above: Now in its 15th year, a remarkable 97% of CPE’s graduates enroll in college.
gathering on May 10 for a dinner benefiting CPE and celebrating the organization’s 15th anniversary. Themed, Visions for the Future, the event is being underwritten and hosted at the palatial home of CPE board member, Ken Bajaj, in Potomac, Md. This exclusive dinner will be prepared by celebrity chef Michel Richard of Citronelle restaurant. Steve Buckhantz, the play-by-play announcer for the Washington Wizards, will serve as the master of ceremonies.
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Audrey Cramer, vice chairman of Cushman Wakefield is the auctioneer for the evening. Special guests include Tom Davis (R – VA), former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, former Washington Redskins running-back, Brian Mitchell, and a who’s who of the area’s top technology and private equity executives.
SAVE THE DATE
WL SPONSORED
MAY Visions for the Future Gala For more information please contact 202-675-8433 or visit www.cpfe.org
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
AROUND TOWN
Grand Balls and Great Friends The Red Cross Ball, a Barbadian reunion, and a compliment from Kissinger BY DONNA SHOR
FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL RED CROSS BALL Mar-a-Lago Club, Palm Beach…the Red Cross Ball is one of the world’s most glittery galas with diamonds galore ($5 million dollars worth bedecked Suzette, wife of international jeweler David Morris), and tiaras, emeralds. and rubies. All this, plus Melania Trump, Susan Lucci, Archduke Georg von Habsburg-Lothringen, and his wife Archduchess Eilika. Ambassadors who flew down with The Donald on his private plane were Shamin and Said Jawad (Afghanistan), Rajmah Hussain (Malaysia), Benedicte a n d Joseph Weyland (Luxembourg), Birgitte and Arne Petersen (Denmark), and dynamic National Red Cross Chair Bonnie McElveenHunter. Special thrill: the patron’s dinner at the 45,000 square-foot, $37 million home of super-hosts Michele (the ball’s vice-chair) and Howard Kessler. A special award was given to Marion “Joe” Smoak, retiring as the ball’s chief of protocol (“Never missed once in 35 years”), who was replaced by former Ambassador to Denmark Stuart Bernstein. Washingtonians: Brad and Denise Alexander, Bill and Norma Tiefel, Bill and Mary Walde, Wilma Bernstein, Mike and Julia Connors, Susan Eisenhower, Patti Delano, and Bill and Julie Thurmond Whitmer, daughter of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond. BAJAN DAYS Our ambassador to Barbados, Mary Ourisman was in Washington recently, on official duty accompanying the Barbadian
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– “Bajan” – president to the White House. Aniko and Nash Schott and Sedi and Maximo Flugelman co-hosted a small reunion of those who recently had spent four idyllic days in Barbados celebrating Mary’s birthday that her husband Mandy Ourisman organized. Those present at the reuinion included, Ann and Lloyd Hand, Marlene and Fred Malek,
Foley and her daughter Heather, Alex von Auersperg (the son of Sonny von Bulow), Henry Leish, Alan and Carol Lowe, Gen. Lawrence and Pat Skantze, Emmy and Peabody award-winning Gail Chalef of the Brookings Institution, Carole Randolph, and Howard and Dotsy Steele. Timothy’s wife, P.J.Trudeau, was statuesque in Christian Lacroix, and his striking, Chanel-clad mother, Claire Pate-Trudeau, sported a geewhiz 22 carat canary diamond ring that Douglas Fairbanks had once given to wife Mary Pickford, when they were old Hollywood’s most famous pair. Claire’s namesake granddaughter, Claire, proved a poised party guest; in her six short years, she has partied with royalty and heads of state.
BIG TIME Everything was huge at the Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, William Rollnick, Suzette 21st Annual Leukemia Ball: Morris, Nancy Rollnick, and David Morris the crowd (2,500); the venue (the vast Walter E. Washington Wilma and Stuart Bernstein, JoAnn and Convention Center) and TV’s late night big John Mason, Bob and Laurie Monahan, and star himself, Jay Leno, who did a generous Lynda and Bill Webster, among others. hour-long show of signature riffs, posed affably with the guests, and raffled off a $68,000 Mercedes. The theme “The Roaring ’20s” BIRTHDAY BOY To have an ambassador honor you with a featured fleet-footed Charleston flappers and surprise party is terrific, but then to also have an over-the-top décor, and raised a big $3.3 Henry Kissinger praise your “elegance and million to fight blood cancer. To thank a big ease” and “quick instinct and silver tongue,” giver, the Titan of Business and Philanthropy award was presented to Ronald M. Bradley seems the icing on the birthday cake. This was Timothy Trudeau’s lucky lot recently for his magnanimous contributions and his when his friends Elena Poptodorova, the dedication to the cause. ambassador of Bulgaria, and her husband Georg Petrov fêted him at the embassy residence. If there is an event Around Town should know about, The guest list included Lady Vivian please email columns@washingtonlife.com.
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
AROUND TOWN
John Chapoton and C. Bowdoin Train
Sally Chapoton and Peter Jost WL EXCLUSIVE
THE AMERICAN EVOLUTION: A HISTORY THROUGH ART
Carter, Pamela, Malcolm, Karin, and Payson Peabody
The Corcoran Gallery of Art PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
THE EVENT A preview of the Corcoran’s American Evolution: A History through Art exhibit, which celebrates 200 years of artistic themes fundamental to the development of the United States. THE GUESTS Bitsey Folger, Sidney Werkman, Sally Chapoton, Peter Jost, Kristin Denner, Helen Previdi, Janet Solinger, Jack Goldhaber, Jim Kimsey, Rachel Pearson, Ray Rasenberger, John Hadden, Susan Harreld, Donald Friedman, and Rhona Friedman.
George and Naomi De Veaux with Sam Peabody
Buffy and Tony Miles
WL EXCLUSIVE
MIKE PEABODY’S BIRTHDAY Meridian House International PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON
THE EVENT Civil Rights advocate Malcolm “Mike” Peabody celebrated his
Emily Shapiro, Paul Greenhalgh, and Sarah Newman
Michael and Jeannette Petite
Sam and Ellen Schreiber with Betty and Wesley Foster
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80th birthday with family and friends the way he wanted to: helping to raise funds for the District’s charter schools. A successful real estate developer in Washington since the 1970’s, Peabody established the group Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS) in 1995, and continues to play an active role in the charter school movement. THE GUESTS Stuart and Gwen Holliday, Phillip Pillsbury, Elizabeth Byrne, Olivia Shay-Byrne, Diana Spencer, and Thomas Moore.
Bitsey Folger and Giselle Theberge Jeppson
Christine Swearingen and Louis Steadwell
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
AROUND TOWN
Parties, Parties, Parties! Innocents at Risk, Honoring Mark Warner, and Suited For Change
Å ESTHER COOPERSMITH, DEBBIE
Å RHONDA WILKINS, MARIELLA TRAEGER, and
Mexican Ambassador’s Residence in honor of Innocents At Risk. (Photos by Tony Powell)
É STEVE and ARLENE FRIEDLANDER
SIGMUND and Under Secretary of State PAULA DOBRIANSKY gathered for cocktails at the
ERICA MOOREHEAD at the Mexican Embassy. at the Mexican Embassy
É DORA MCCANN, JOHN LAUTAAMUS and ERIN MURTHA at Teatro Goldoni for drinks and dinner in honor of Mark Warner. Ç Teatro Goldoni co-owner MICHAEL KOSMIDES Latin Concepts owner MAURICIO FRAGA-ROSENFELD, and MARK WARNER came together with
friends in the private dining room of the restaurant in honor of the former Virginia Governor . (Photos by Tony Powell)
ÅKRISTEN RICAURTE, KIYANNA
ROBERTSON, and PRIYA KATHPAL shopped at the Hotel Palomar and Suited For Change’s exclusive sale, where local boutiques set up shop in the ballroom. (Photos by Tony Powell)
ÑANNIE SCHOW enjoyed a cocktail in the Palomar’s ballroom.
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É JAYLEE MEAD
with ELLEN and ROGER LEWIS, and SHIRLEY HARDEN
Ñ ALAN HASSENFELD, MAI ABDO, and DICK SNOWDEN at the Abdo residence for cocktails to honor the newly relocated Children’s Museum.
Å CARRIE MARRIOTT
with her daughter ALICE at Neiman Marcus for the release of City Baby DC.
É SOPHIE with dad
JIM ABDO and TONY WILLIAMS (Photos by Vicky Pombo)
É GEOFF TRACY and
NORAH O’DONNELL with twins GRACE and HENRY enjoyed brunch
and shopping. The happy family is expecting another wee one this summer. (Photos by Kyle Samperton)
Ñ French Amb. PIERRE VIMONT, MARY
BOMAR and CHIP AKRIDGE kicked off the Trust for the National Mall’s effort to restore the national park by hosting cocktails for committee members at the Ambassador’s residence.
Ç MICHAEL and MARILYN GLOSSERMAN
Ç BETTY BENKOWSKI and
SALLY AKRIDGE at the French Ambassador’s Residence
at the French Ambassador’s residence. (Photos by Kyle Samperton)
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HOME LIFE inside homes﹐ real estate news﹐ open house﹐ and the battle for poplar point
The entry hall of William and Janet Cohen’s Chevy Chase penthouse features an oil painting of a young Vietnamese woman alongside an ornate French Empire style cabinet.
sky high
SANCTUARY Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and his wife Janet create an inspired blend of East and West in their Chevy Chase Penthouse
BY JULIE KIRTZ GARRETT • PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER MULLER WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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HOME LIFE | INSIDE HOMES
he view from Bill Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen’s Chevy Chase penthouse is a Beltway panorama. To the south there’s the National Cathedral and the rooftops of Georgetown; to the north, the Mormon Temple and Bethesda. It is a sweeping Washington vista, which is why their 3,000 square-foot wrap around terrace is where the couple likes to relax and take it all in – when they have the time. He is a former Republican senator and secretary of defense for a Democratic president (not to mention novelist and published poet)
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who continues to travel the world as a global business consultant. She is CEO of her own media consulting firm, a former Boston television personality, BET correspondent, author and playwright. In February, her new one-act play Anne and Emmett was presented in Israel. And last year, the couple published a memoir together, Love in Black and White, about their bi-racial marriage. Along with busy professional lives, the Cohens decorated their home themselves, with Langhart Cohen taking the lead. “I wanted it to be from our soul,” she says of their decision not to use an interior decorator. “You make a lot of mistakes but at
the end of the day you get what you want.” Her husband agrees. “She has a wonderful eye for detail, color and textures.” The couple’s DIY home decorating approach was no small task. The spacious terrace is landscaped with Japanese maples (for privacy), apple trees and flowers. Their penthouse has 6,700 square feet of indoor living space. The large windows are covered in sheer curtains. The furniture style is Above: William Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen in their formal living room. The couple spent their honeymoon in China, and their love of Asian Art is reflected throughout the house. Right: The bookshelves in the library are filled with gifts that were given to the couple by foreign dignitaries during William Cohen’s tenure as a Senator and as Secretary of Defense.
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HOME LIFE | INSIDE HOMES
classic. Every room includes Asian ascents. The Cohens honeymooned in China, where they fell in love with Asian design. “The spirit of the house is Asian,” she says. The Cohens like to share a laugh over the number of trips they have made to Washington area furniture stores since marrying in 1996. Colony House, Mastercraft Interiors and Green Front Furniture are three of their favorites. They also love Upscale Resale, for antiques and used furniture. Langhart Cohen, who was raised by her mother in Chicago, says as a child she dreamed of “living in a castle or mansion” with all new things. “As a girl I wore second hand cloths.” But over the years, she learned to cherish items with history. “The funny thing is, now I like having things that have been owned by another person,” she says. One of the favorite
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pieces in her home is an 1863 grandfather clock, which sits in the hall outside the dining room. “It was made before the Emancipation Proclamation, so I can only imagine how many people must have had that clock.” Her husband’s favorite piece of furniture has some history too: a black leather Eames Lounge he bought in 1966, after graduating from law school. The chair, in the corner of his home office, is where he likes to decompress and write. The Cohens moved here five years ago, downsizing from a home in McLean. The penthouse is two condominiums joined together. It includes a huge living room, media room, library, solarium, dining room, home office, study/music room, home gym, four and half baths, master bedroom suite and kitchen with room for a crowd. Nearly all of their furniture
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was brought from their McLean property, including the white sofas and club chairs in the living room, mirrors, side tables and art. The only room the Cohens didn’t decorate is their sleek Poggenpohl kitchen, with birdseye maple cabinets, black granite counters and stainless steel appliances. It’s an enviable space, if you’re into modern purism, which Langhart Cohen is not. “The kitchen was here when we moved in,” she says, “It just isn’t me.” She dreams of ripping it out and replacing it with a white country kitchen. “Bill said no.” The Cohens, who are both in their 60s, enjoy the ease and security of condo living. “This feels like a vacation, without having to pack and travel. It’s so relaxing,” says Cohen, who travels 70 percent of the year with his consulting firm, The Cohen Group. Their
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Above: The music room is where Janet Cohen, an avid flute player, goes to relax. Top right: The apartment’s wraparound terrace provides panoramic views of the surrounding area. Bottom right: The Cohens maintain an impressive selection of wines to serve to guests, despite the fact that they themselves abstain.
condo development has outdoor tennis courts, swimming pools, a steam room, massage, and meeting rooms which can accommodate TV crews when they interview Cohen on world affairs (CNN came the day of the Washington Life Magazine interview). Their three-story McLean house was “grand” but Langhart Cohen says she felt too isolated when her husband was away. “I’ve grown up in apartments, condos or government projects so I’m accustomed to everything on one floor,” she says. The security and convenience of the Chevy Chase condo is also ideal for entertaining heads of state, diplomats and Washington power brokers.The centerpiece of their formal dining room is a round table, which seats up to twelve. “I like a round table because no one is competing. Everyone feels equal,” explains
“I WANTED IT TO BE FROM our soul,” Janet Langhart Cohen says of their decision not to use an interior decorator. Langhart Cohen, explains. Just as important as the shape of the table, are the ground rules at the Cohens’ penthouse dinner parties. “I want people to know everything is off the record. This is a learning table,” she says. Conversation quickly turns to world events, politics and race in America (the theme of their memoir). WL interviewed the Cohens on April 4, the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Langhart Cohen was friends with King. “He was kind, wise and
gentle,” she says. On the anniversary of his death “I think about my marriage to Bill and Martin’s big dream of little black girls holding hands with little white boys,” she says. “We did more than hold hands.We joined our hearts.” The Cohens are clearly proud and appreciative of all they have accomplished, reflected in the substantial Chevy Chase home they decorated together. “It’s serene,” he says. “I like everything here,” she says. “And when Bill comes home, I love everything.”
catering by design 703.979.9400 • WWW.DESIGNCUISINE.COM
HOME LIFE | POPLAR POINT
District residents would never let Rock Creek Park be turned into a soccer stadium with a seven million square-foot mixed business and residential development ...
So, why is it about to happen on the Anacostia?
THE BATTLE FOR
POPLAR POINT BY B O B N I XO N
Earth Conservation Corps Chairman Bob Nixon at Anacostia National Park at Poplar Point. Currently undeveloped, the D.C. city government is considering turning the 70-acre wetland habitat into a significant new waterfront park with gardens, memorials, museums, outdoor performance areas, trails, ball fields to serve the local community and visitors. (Photo by Daryl Wallace)
I
n Anacostia National Park on the Eastern Bank of the Anacostia River, spring is in bloom. Frogs croak mating calls across tidal wetlands while rare birds including the Willow Flycatcher line their nests and visitors walk and fish along the riverbank. Downtown, in a parallel universe, highly skilled architects draft plans to convert all but 70 acres of historic Poplar Point into seven million square feet of commercial cash cow. How can this be? Anacostia National Park was designed 106 years ago by the McMillan Commission and Fredric Law Olmstead Jr. as a five-mile-long “Emerald Necklace” along the river.The commission noted this new park was “to correspond with Rock Creek Park in the west”
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and further commented, “Whatever of natural beauty is to be preserved and whatever park spaces are still to be acquired must be provided for during the next few years or it will be forever lost” The citizens who fought for the creation of the park are long dead and forgotten and those who use it today apparently don’t count. In 2006, Congress passed a lobbyist-written law to undo Olmstead’s visionary work of 1902 and allow for massive development on the Riverbank. One champion is Councilmember Marion Barry, who wants a soccer stadium, stores and condos to replace the park. Recently the Fenty Administration’s Office of Economic Development picked Clark Realty as the winners of a park development competition.
How, on this warming Earth, in a national capital talking about becoming the greenest city in America, can we even speak of cutting the natural heart out of Anacostia National Park? Shouldn’t we be celebrating and investing in our park with its 1,200 acres and its five miles of riverfront? Why are we not making it the true Central Park and emerald necklace its creators envisioned? As always, the answer is money. Nothing is as profitable as turning nature into cash – if you can get a permit.We have heard the justification countless times. Anacostia National Park is underutilized, neglected and contaminated. Development will provide jobs and amenities for local residents.This equals tax revenue-money. Only in the poorest ward of our city, crying
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Above: The Earth Conservation Corps’ plan for Poplar Point envisions all of the park to remain as a park, and for development to take place just outside the park boundaries.
A TALE OF TWO PROPOSALS: Left – The Earth Conservation Corps suggested plan for Poplar Point maintains the site’s natural state, while developing areas just outside park’s boundaries. Right – Clark Realty Capital’s proposal to the city includes development within the park for a soccer stadium, retail and commercial property as well as a “Silicon Valley” for the environmental community, highlighted by the signature National Hall of the Environment at the tip of Poplar Point.
for basic resources, would such a plan ever see the light of day. For decades Anacostia National Park has suffered from federal abandonment and neglect that would have brought winning lawsuits if the same had happened in Rock Creek Park.The tale of two cities lives on, as Georgetowners will soon celebrate their huge victory in the reopening of Potomac Riverfront Park. On January 20, 2007, over 500 Ward Eight residents attended a public meeting at Ballou Senior High School on the future of Poplar Point. Though the community has had little enthusiasm for a soccer stadium and other alternatives had been discussed, the soccer stadium proposal was suddenly the only one being considered. Many were shocked and betrayed by this behind-closed-
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
doors decision to take a publicly owned resource away from them. “I walk [Poplar Point] every morning,” said resident Lawrence Lacey, “Why is it that every time a developer sees a green space in Southeast, they think it has to be developed? It’s probably one of the only green spaces left for us to appreciate the waterfront.” “For most of the residents, we certainly won’t be able to live there, and I can just imagine that access to the park area will be severely restricted,” added Charles Wilson, another concerned SE resident. Sadly, this is not the first time that the communities along the Anacostia River have faced such a proposal for their parkland.
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In the 1940s, a large chunk of Anacostia Park was liquidated to construct the coalburning power plant on Benning Road that has brought asthma and emphysema to the community. In the 1960s, developers carved off more park to build RFK Stadium. In the 1990s, Kingman and Heritage Islands were decommissioned by Congress for a Mayor Barry-supported amusement park that took years to beat back. Next, Congress authorized a plan to give the Corrections Corporation of America the right to build a prison on the National Park at Oxen Cove. The winning Clark Realty brochure is stunning in both its development scale and Orwellian level of spin. The company uses
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HOME LIFE | POPLAR POINT
Clockwise: Students learn abou the wildlife along the Anacostia – Bald Eagles are indigenous to the area; youths help to clean along the shores of Poplar Point; and a still moment on the banks of the Anacostia. (Photos by Daryl Wallace)
Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth movie poster and the cover of Time Magazine’s “Global Warming Survival Guide” to bless the proposed conversion of the public common into private real estate. The brochure explains that the development will be named the “International Environmental Center” and will be “a One Planet Community” that “will transform Poplar Point into a global research and employment center for environment and alternative energy.” Let’s not pretend that green roofs and green names will negate the tremendous environmental impacts of this proposed development. The legislation that allowed transfer of the land from the Federal government to the District requires that at least 70 acres of land be kept for “park purposes,” but commercial development is certainly not a requirement of the Secretary of the Interior. A better idea would be for the Mayor to propose, and City Council to vote for, simply cleaning up Poplar Point as a first step in generating commercial development on the vacant land outside the Park boundary. To visualize this option, the Earth Conservation Corps engaged renowned
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landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates to draw a restored park in line with the historic Olmsted plan to show that three million square feet of commercial development can be built on the vacant commercial land that now borders the parkland. Yes, we can have it both ways and at a vastly reduced cost to the environment, our spirits and our wallets. Like the previous amusement park and prison schemes, carving up Poplar Point will require City Council approval. It will also cost District taxpayers $200 million to fund “infrastructure costs.” Polishing the tarnished emerald that is Poplar Point National Park could start with the $2.1 million the Department of Interior has set aside for the purpose. It will also take courage and leadership. One can only hope a hero will stand up and fight for our jewel necklace – Mayor Fenty … Chairman Gray … Secretary Kempthorne ... Council members ... Citizens? ... Anyone? Bob Nixon is the chairman of the Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit that provides hands-on education, environmental training, professional experience, and leadership skills for disadvantaged young people.
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Selling the Area’s Finest Properties and Historic Landscapes Retreat in the City Forest Hills. Handsome stone colonial w/beautifully landscaped grounds and pool, just a short walk to Metro and restaurants: foyer, LR w/FP, DR, den, lg kitch and fam rm; 5 Brs, 5.5 Bas incl MBR w/deck overlooking pool; l.l. in-law suite has LR w/FP. $1,795,000 Guy-didier Godat (godat@mac.com)202-321-4663 202-364-1700
Lovely Landmark Town of Chevy Chase. Magnificently sited on lg lot, this handsome Tudor c. 1928 has entry foyer, LR w/FP, lg DR, solarium TS kitch, study; 5 Brs, 3.5 Bas, l.l. fam rm w/FP, dbl carport, large back yard. $1,769,000 Bonnie Lewinwww.BonnieLewin.com- 301-332-0171; 202-364-1700
Magnificent Tudor Chevy Chase/ Kenwood. Authentic English Tudor colonial on beautiful landscaped lot: vestibule, lg foyer, grand LR w/FP and formal DR, fam rm w/cth ceilings and FP, lg kitchen + brkfst rm, 4 Brs, 3 1/2 Bas, 2-car garage, gorgeous grounds. $2,595,000 Ted Beverley- 301-728-4338; Pat Lore- 301-908-1242; 202-364-1700
A Triumph in Design Bethesda/ Bannockburn. Brilliant Arts & Crafts col by Bell builders on 1/3 ac has grand entry hall, handsome staircase, formal LR w/ FP, din rm, huge kitchen/fam rm w/pantry, deck; 5 Brs, 4 1/2 bas, 2 rec rms, home ofc, fine craftsmanship throughout. $1,765,000 Beverley Nadel, Ellen Rodin- 301-986-8670; 202-364-1700.
Sophisticated Classic Forest Hills. Gracious detached townhome on quiet street of handsome homes near Hillwood: marble foyer, LR w/FP, DR opening to terrace, gourmet kitchen + brkfst rm, den w/wet bar; 3 Brs and 2.5 Bas incl MBR w/FP and lux Ba; elevator. $1,495,000 Ted Beverley301-728-4338; Pat Lore- 301-908-1242; 202-364-1700
English Tudor Treasure Cleveland Park. Stately English colonial on large beautiful lot: entry foyer, double liv rm w/FP, formal DR, eat-in kitch; 4 Brs, 2 1/2 Bas, finished lower lvl W/O to patio and private back yard. Located in Cleveland Park historic district. $1,295,000 Lynn Bulmer- 202-257-2410; 202-364-1700
Spring Glory Chevy Chase/ Rollingwood. Large, inviting Cape colonial in gorgeous garden setting offers entry foyer, LR, DR, huge TS kitchen, library, fam rm, sun rm, 5 Brs, 4 Bas, 3 FPs, 2-car garage. Near Conn Ave shops. $1,290,000 www.LizBrent.com- 202-321-2651; 202-364-1700
Sleek & Modern Bethesda/ Kenwood Park. Mid-century modern contemporary w/chic renovation: LR w/FP and cath ceiling, DR, 4 brs, 3 bas, new chef’s kitchen, new bas, beaut patio and gardens; 2-car garage; Whitman schools. $1,095,000 Linda Chaletzky- 301-320-0871; 202-364-1700
Grand Manor Chevy Chase/ Somerset. Graceful 1926 col in beautiful setting: lg lot, big front porch, lg foyer, LR w/FP, coffered ceiling, formal DR, fam rm w/FP, beamed ceil, 2-rm kitchen, 5 Brs, 4 1/2 Bas. A grand home awaiting your updates. $1,695,000 www.BonnieLewin.com- 301-332-0171; 202-364-1700
Chevy Chase
Dupont
Jenifer Street NW nd Street NW Washington, DC Washington, DC -- --
www.EversCo.com
HOME LIFE | OPEN HOUSE
Family Favorites Spacious homes and gardens leave plenty of room to grow
BEACHWOODS
ALBEMARLE STREET NW WASHINGTON D C
This in-town estate is sited on more than 1.35 acres, with direct views of Soapstone Valley National Park. Beachwoods, built in 1910, is one of the earliest homes in Forest Hills. The main level allows for large scale entertaining and great family living. The house features seven bedrooms and seven and a half baths, and the master bedroom includes a walk-out terrace, his and hers baths, and a walk-in master closet.The grounds of the residence contains a pool, cabana, sports court, and shared tennis court accent the grounds. ASKING Listing agents: Bonnie Wimsatt, Ellen Morrell, and Matthew McCormick 202-728-9500 Washington Fine Properties
MODERN MASTERPIECE DENT PLACE NW WASHINGTON D C
This detached residence on Georgetown’s Dent Place was recently redesigned by renowned architect Outerbridge Horsey with a contemporary influence. Gardens designed by landscape architect Jane MacLeish complement the house, which has views of the Washington Monument and the Virginia skyline. The interior features 5 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths, and a separate master suite with a dressing room and fireplace.The top floor opens onto a Romeo and Juliet balcony. The main floor consists of a double parlor with a fireplace, a separate formal dining room with its own fireplace, kitchen, and family room with French doors overlooking the private garden.There is also an over sized two-car garage with a “green roof.” ASKING Listing agents: Michael Rankin Julia Diaz-Asper 202-271-3344 202-256-1887 Tutt, Taylor & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty
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POTOMAC
Spectacular newly constructed masterpiece in the Palatine neighborhood with over 16,000 square feet of elegant interior living space on four above-grade floors and four exterior terraces totaling over 2,000 sq ft on private two acre lot. $4,950,000. Kimberly Casey 202.361.3228 Daryl Judy 202.380.7219
WEST END
Magnificent penthouse residence in the exclusive RitzCarlton. 3BR/ Den/3.5BA on three levels, three private terraces, 3,400 sq ft of customized luxurious interior space. Arguably the best renovated unit in the building. $3,400,000. Jonathan Taylor 202.276.3344 Michael Rankin 202.271.3344
GEORGETOWN
CHEVY CHASE
Exceptional estate in the heart of Chevy Chase Village directly across from Chevy Chase Club. Built in 1927, this field-stone house has beautifully proportioned public rooms and ample bedrooms, staff quarters & informal spaces. $4,600,000. J.P Montalvan 301.922.3700 Michael Rankin 202.271.3344
KALORAMA HEIGHTS
Perfectly sited on an exclusive two block street in one of Washingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most desirable neighborhoods. This 3-story residence has exceptional style and grandeur, great privacy, terraces and pool. $10,000,000. Jonathan Taylor 202.276.3344 Michael Rankin 202.271.3344
Detached contemporary home recently redesigned by renowned architect Outerbridge Horsey. Gardens designed by Jane MacLeish complement this exceptional home in which every aspect of renovation was done with the utmost quality. $2,950,000. Julia Diaz-Asper 202.256.1887
CHEVY CHASE
WATERGATE
Elegant renovation of this 3,060 sq ft unit overlooking garden/pool/ river. Master suite with double closets, padded silk walls and imported bathroom tiles & fixtures. Custom-made Italian Gourmet kitchen w/top of the line appliances. $2,250,000. Julia Diaz-Asper 202.256.1887
CHEVY CHASE
GEORGETOWN
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10,000 sq. ft. Federal George Washington Estate Circa 1750 is on National Historic Registry w/ 37 acres and new addition, 5 BR 4.5 BTH, 6 FP, Barns, tennis, gardens only 90 min from DC. $4,200,000. Kimberly Casey 202.361.3228 Daryl Judy 202.380.7219
GEORGETOWN
This handsome federal townhouse in the heart of the East Village is rich in architectural history and details. There are spacious rooms for elegant entertaining, a divine third floor balcony, a lush garden & patio on the main level perfect for al fresco dining. $2,495,000. Julia Diaz-Asper 202.256.1887
Gracious five bedroom, three full and two half bath brick colonial with large columned front porch include formal living room, renovated kitchen and baths and 1BR in-law suite and attached 1-car garage. $1,375,000. Barbara Zuckerman 202.997.5977
CHARLES TOWN
Penthouse with over 2,000 sq ft, breathtaking views, two bedrooms, office with built-ins and skylight, den/ media room, three full bathrooms, renovated kitchen, and two garage spaces. $1,195,000. Kimberly Casey 202.361.3228 Daryl Judy 202.380.7219
Captivating Village Colonial with renovated, modern interior, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, stylish, spacious living areas, chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen steps-down to family room, airy sunroom, theater room with wet bar. $1,775,000. J.P. Montalvan 301.922.3700
LOGAN
Boutique building w/contemporary open floor plans, floor to ceiling windows, gourmet kitchens, roof top terraces and garage parking. Steps to Metro and Whole Foods. Paul Pike 202.550.8871 Alex Venditti 202.550.8872
4UTT 4AYLOR 2ANKIN 3OTHEBYS )NTERNATIONAL 2EALTY $OWNTOWN 7ASHINGTON $ # 'EORGETOWN 7ASHINGTON $ # -ARYLAND 6IRGINIA
Š MMV Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty AfďŹ liates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Les Bords de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Epte a Giverny, used with permission. Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International RealtyÂŽ is a licensed trademark to Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty AfďŹ liates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each OfďŹ ce Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except OfďŹ ces Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated.
HOME LIFE | OPEN HOUSE GRACIOUS GEORGIAN TILDEN STREET NW WASHINGTON D C
This Georgian Colonial sits on a tree lined street with a private fenced lawn and garden and parking in the driveway and garage. The main level consist of a hall entrance, living room with fireplace adjacent to the family room, dining room for twelve, small study, powder room and kitchen with a breakfast room. On the upper level is the master bedroom and bath, two additional bedrooms and a hall bath that was recently renovated. The third level has a suite with two bedrooms and a bath, plus builtins and storage.The lower level features a recreation room with fireplace, small bedroom, full private bath, laundry room and an entrance from the outside covered terrace and garage. There are entrances to the deck from the living room, dining room and breakfast room. ASKING Listing agent: Donna Thompson 301-520-2861 W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors/A Long & Foster Co.
GEORGETOWN GEM ST STREET NW WASHINGTON D C
This private residence in Georgetown has four bedrooms including a master suite, three full baths and two powder rooms. Features include a marble entrance foyer, nine foot ceilings throughout, a kitchen with silestone counters, library with wet bar, powder room with access to side garden, and a living room with a fireplace and hardwood floors flowing into a large dining room. French doors open from both the living and dining rooms onto a landscaped Nantucket style garden and dining area. A den and family room with a fireplace offer additional space. Detached garage. ASKING Listing agent: Sarah Ann Michels 202-285-7875 Georgetown Long & Foster Co.
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FOXHALL 202.363.1800 WOODLEY PARK 202.483.6300 CHEVY CHASE/UPTOWN 202.364.1300 BETHESDA Gateway 301.907.7600
GEORGETOWN 202.944.8400 FOGGY BOTTOM 202.296.5200 FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS 202.364.5200 CHEVY CHASE 202.363.9700
LONG & FOSTER REALTORS ®
GREAT FALLS, VA
OAKTON, VA
MCLEAN, VA
POTOMAC, MD
9801 Lindsey Blake Lane. Architectural Masterpiece. Sited on river-bend golf course. The owners have combined their talents to meticuosly renovate this home throughout with over $800,000 in high end renovations making it truly one of a kind. Casual elegance throughout for ease of living and entertaining. Year round veranda and patios make for resort-like living. $2,499,000.
2912 Brians Hill Lane. Located in an enclave of only 7 homes this community is set apart from the rest. From it’s private drive, this home is nestled by 1.8 acres serene grounds with landscaped gardens, stocked pond with water fall, jacuzzi, heated swimming pool, and decks. Features include Gourmet Kitchen, 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms, 3 Fireplaces, Master Bedroom suite with luxury bath and dressing room. $1,170,000.
1133 TOWLSTON ROAD. Stunning estate home
Sited on 2.78 acres, this 20,000-square-foot residence features a first floor master suite and 10 additional bedrooms and baths. Entertaining is effortless with this banquet-sized dining room, chef’s kitchen, and family room overlooking the grounds. $5,750,000.
Sharon R. Hayman 703.402.2955 MCLEAN OFFICE 703.790.1990
Maude Dixon 703.628.0096 ALEXANDRIA OFFICE 703.548.3700
Karen Barker, 703.928.8384, www.karenbarker.com FOXHALL OFFICE 202.363.1800
on 1.87 landscaped acres offers a perfect venue for formal entertaining and stylish family living. Gorgeous millwork by renowned architectural firm of Versaci Neumann. Elegant foyer, embassy sized formal rooms and wood paneled library, 12’+ ceilings, 5 fireplaces, 38’ family room with vaulted cedar ceiling, custom mahogany wine cellar with tumbled marble flooring. Owner/Agent. $2,750,000.
vs. The Competition
25%
Krystyna Litwin 301.299.6098 POTOMAC FALLS O FFICE 301.983.0060
L ONG & F OSTER ®
2007 TOTAL MRIS AREA* MARKET SHARE ®
2007 Total MRIS Area Market Share Based on Dollar Volume of Sales
DOLLAR VOLUME OF SALES
20%
Total Metropolitan Regional Information System (MRIS ®) Database: Washington, D.C. and parts of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania
15%
15%
LONG & FOSTER
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
10% Weichert RE/MAX Allegiance
5% Jobin Realty
0
Washington Fine Properties McEnearney
Prudential Carruthers
Fairfax Realty
RE/MAX 100
Source: Data Concepts, select 2007 market share data. This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by MRIS®. Neither MRIS
*Includes all sales in DC, MD, VA, WVA, & PA covered by MRIS. Source: MRIS through Data Concepts, select market share data.
GEORGETOWN
RESTON, VA
POTOMAC/RIVER FALLS
WEST END
Gorgeous Victorian with a wonderful vista overlooking Visitation grounds. Enjoy 4 floors of spacious living, including parking! This special house has a terrific pool for hot summer days, unique mantels and very interesting architectural features. Loaded with light and close to all of the amenities of Georgetown. $2,495,000.
Live large at the top! Enjoy spectacular views from your top floor, 3,065 sq. foot unique condominium. Includes three bedrooms with private baths, luxurious owner suite, upscale kitchen with breakfast area, oval entry hall and hardwood floors throughout. Three garage parking spaces, front desk, pool and guest suite are among additional highlights. $1,400,000.
Gorgeous 3 finished level Colonial featuring side load garage, fabulous new gourmet table-space 2007 kitchen, sunroom addition, 4 bedrooms and 3 baths upstairs, 1st-floor family room with fireplace and built-ins, beautiful master suite with luxurious bath, large level fenced yard with deck and patio. Sought-after pool/tennis community. $1,399,000.
Life in The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton is truly the art of city living®. This 1800 square feet, two bedroom and two and a half bath home features the finest touches. Valet parking, concierge services, room service and The Sports Club/LA are just a few of the Ritz-Carlton luxuries. $1,247,000.
Margaret Heimbold GEORGETOWN O FFICE
202.812.2750 202.944.8400
Carole Stadfield 703.899.8468 MCLEAN OFFICE 703.790.1990
Sharyn Goldman 301.529.7555 B ETHESDA G ATEWAY O FFICE 301.907.7600
Tony Hain WOODLEY PARK O FFICE
202.483.6300
In select areas
HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS
Homecoming Dance An original Sears & Roebuck mail-order house and a McLean manse with mini-spa BY MARY K. MEWBORN
THE DISTRICT One of the most prominent houses on Embassy Row has sold for $4.1 million. Built in 1926, the five-bedroom Neo-Georgian with limestone columns is located at Massachusetts Ave﹒﹐ NW across from the Japanese Embassy. Ideal for formal entertaining, the stately brick manse’s perfectly proportioned public rooms include a receiving parlor with marble floors and a large living room with Palladian windows and a fireplace.The banquetsize dining room boasts crystal chandeliers and French doors opening onto a rear veranda and a terraced garden. Extras include an elevator, wine cellar, butler’s pantry, five fireplaces, and abundant parking. The seller was Morris M. Sobhani, who was represented by Washington Fine Properties executive vice president Bill Moody and colleague Robert Hryniewicki. The purchaser is listed as 2507 Massachuse s Avenue, LLC. The selling agent was Mehrnoosh Neyzari with Long and Foster Real Estate. Donnell Kearney with Hounshell Real Estate was the selling agent for Yuma St﹒﹐ NW, a Colonial constructed in 1989 by W. C. & A. N. Miller in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. The property had belonged to architect Stephen Sachs, who expanded to include a rear addition with a wall of windows overlooking Mill Creek and a three-tiered pond with a waterfall. The three-story residence with four bedrooms and four and a half baths now belongs to attorney Raymond Millien, CEO of PCT Companies and his wife Tiffani, an attorney. The couple paid $1,795,000 for their new home.Weichert Realty’s Polly Driscoll was the listing agent. Ann Premer and Richard Federico paid just $775,000 for their new Capitol Hill home at Constitution Ave﹒﹐ NE. The spacious
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Built in 1926, this gorgeous five-bedroom neo-Georgian with limestone columns is located at 2507 Massachusetts Ave., NW, across from the Japanese Embassy.
two-bedroom row house has two and a half baths and includes a rental unit that goes for $1,200 a month. On the market for less than a week, the house has high ceilings, rear garden with terrace, wet bar, and plenty of closet space. The sellers were Edmund and Elizabeth Sauer, who have moved to Louisville, Ky. They were represented by Kimberly Casey and Daryl Judy with Tutt, Taylor & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty. Denise Verburg of Long and Foster Real Estate represented the buyers. By press time, Washington Fine Properties’ realtor Bobbie Brewster is expected to have
closed the deal on Penthouse ﹟ at The Chancellery. Built in 1912, the 16-unit building at Wyoming Ave﹒﹐ NW was designed by Leo Simmons (who also designed the St. Nicholas on California Street, NW). The sellers are Jan Denton, a noted botanical artist, and her husband John Andrews, founder and president of The Shakespeare Guild, a global nonprofit corporation which promotes a wide array of cultural institutions. The prospective buyers are Esin Erkan and Aaron Lebel, represented by Donna Drejza of Leading Edge Real Estate, LLC.
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POTOMAC, MD
UPPER BRACKETS
Rare Find! Minutes to Potomac Village Outstanding quality & features – Impressive custom updates on all levels! Private level yard with pool. Second home an option – Call for details. Virtual tour at www. ellencohen.com
Ellen Cohen, 240-462-6000 / 301-229-4000
NW WASHINGTON, DC
PRIVATE EXCLUSIVE
$2,600,000 CHEVY CHASE, MD
Newly renovated six bedroom, five and one half bath Mediterranean style villa with Chef’s kitchen, over 8,000 square feet of finished living space, 2 acre lot close to Congressional CC.
Doc Keane, 202-274-2046 Dan Corr, 202-274-2390 / 202-362-1300
$1,850,000 BETHESDA, MD
$1,749,000
Grandeur & perfection – The ultimate in metropolitan lifestyle. Spectacular 3-level penthouse with its own elevator! Terrace views of park – Steps to Tenley shops & Metro. Virtual tour at www.ellencohen.com
Stunning new home designed and crafted with the highest level of workmanship. Dramatic 2 story foyer, master suite retreat, office & a gourmet kitchen open to grand fam rm w/ windows looking to Va. tree tops.
Ellen Cohen 240-462-6000 / 301-229-4000
Vicki Porter and Lupe Rohrer 301-325-2965 / 301-229-4000
DICKERSON, MD
WASHINGTON, DC
$1,150,000
“Whiteoaks” - turn of the century manor home on 5 acres in upper Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. 11+ ft. ceilings, grand foyer, embassy sized rooms for entertaining. Gracious living at its finest. Visit: www.tkhomes.com
$2,375,000
Custom designed in 2005, this stunning 6BR 5.5 bath Colonial is a short stroll to downtown Bethesda restaurants, shopping and Metro. Sited on a pleasant, tree-lined street with sidewalks, these 4 finished levels will delight you. See tour www.andy4homes.com
$1,049,876
DICKERSON, MD
$1,650,000
The best of country living on 24+ acres. 6 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, pool, stable for horses and direct access to riding trails. Plus a view of Sugarloaf Mountain. Visit: tkhomes.com
POTOMAC, MD
$949,000
Andy Alderdice 301-466-5898 / 301-229-4000
WASHINGTON, DC/WATERGATE $699,000 CLARKSBURG, MD
ROCKVILLE, MD
Muffin Amorosi Lynham 202-274-2048 / 202-362-1300
$699,000
Dazzling 4BR, 3.5BA 2005 built colonial, backing to woods in a private enclave of homes. Sunny throughout w/walls-of-glass, reading nooks & fully fin LL includes a Rec rm w/bar, Exercise rm, storage, full bath & room for 5th BR. 2-car gar. www.andy4homes.com
WASHINGTON, DC
$1,195,000
A refreshing renovation has transformed the flr plan of this classic home into open spaces that are ideal for modern living. Chef’s kit, LR, patio & deck overlooking lush gardens present every essential for entertaining. Upper lvl hosts private quarters & home office. An oasis in the city.
Hamid Samiy, 202-714-1300 / 202-362-1300
Vacation at home! Five bedroom, 3.5 bath colonial with contemporary flair backing to Falls Road. Golf Course. The pool, spa and sauna will delight you! See tour at www. andy4homes.com
Toni Koerber, 301- 802-6770/301-299-6000 Lise Howe, 240-401-5577 / 202-362-1300
Incredible opportunity. Elegant, spacious 1,881 sq. ft. co-op with two bedrooms, two and one half baths, fabulous double balconies & views of the Kennedy Center & Potomac River. Garage parking included.
$2,297,500
Four bedroom, 4.5 bathroom home in Avenel. Hardwood floors, two-story family room and foyer. Three-car garage, Master bedroom on the first floor.
Grace Haim Andy Alderdice, 301-466-5898/301-229-4000 301-807-8845 / 301-299-6000
Toni Koerber 301-802-6770 / 301-299-6000
A Classic American 4 Square w/ all the glorious detailing of the 1920s: Spanish tile roof & coffered ceiling. New kit, exquisite MBA, home office & media rm. Wrap porch, hot tub, garden & 2-car det. gar. 16th Street Heights close to Carter Barron.
BETHESDA, MD
$1,349,900.00
European Villa - 4BD/Sit. Rm, 3.5BA/Libr. Custom built (07) spacious home on approx 1/2 ac. Stroll by but allow time to savor the beauty of this unique house w/large kit (11ft. island), hi-end appliances, granite & imported tile. Too much to list! Motivated Sellers!
WASHINGTON, DC
$935,000
Wonderful 4BR, 3.5BA semi-detached TH in desirable Observatory Circle. All hdwds, crown moldings, wood burning FP & updated baths & kit. Walkout lower lvl, 2-car gar & beautiful garden. Close to everything & yet w/the feeling of living in the suburbs.
Grace Haim, 301-807-8845 / 301-299-6000
WASHINGTON, DC NW $344,000-$444,000
Thomas Circle/Logan- 1BR and 1BR + den condos now available. Close to 3 Metros. Storage, Exercise rm & washer/dryer in each unit. Cool models! www.TheGrantDC.com.
Andy Alderdice, 301-466-5898 Andy Alderdice, 301-466-5898/301-229-4000 Lynn Stewart, 301-580-4552/301-229-4000 Page Eisinger, 301-461-3934/301-229-4000
HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS
The gorgeous twenty-five acre “Bellapais,” estate at 8303 E. Boulevard drive in Alexandria is again being occupied.
MARYLAND
VIRGINIA
situated on a private wooded lot with a creek. Although priced at more than $3 million, At last the gorgeous twenty-five acre The extraordinary home has five bedrooms, Unit at the Parc Somerset on Wisconsin “Bellapais,” estate at E﹒ Boulevard drive seven full baths, three powder rooms, formal Avenue in Chevy Chase was snapped up after in Alexandria is again being occupied. Stephen dining room, library, great room, theater, just one week on the market. The buyer was the and Maureen O’Keefe who purchased the recreation room, gourmet kitchen, reception Leslie Westreich Trust. Leslie Westreich has had a Federal-style home on the Potomac for $9.75 room, wine cellar, two laundry rooms, staff significant impact on the Washington social scene million late last year are now ensconced in quarters, three garages, safe room, gym with its for years; in the 1980s, author Maximillien de the historic mansion following months of own infra-red sauna, and three patio areas for Lafayette named her one of America’s most elegant renovation. Stephen O’Keefe is the founder outdoor entertaining. Additional amenities include four fireplaces, women, along with the likes of Deeda Blair, Judy and principal of O’Keefe & Company, a Esfandiary and Bunny Mellon. Long & Foster’s technology marketing/PR firm based in Old a wet bar, two wine coolers, an elevator, a walk-in pantry, Brazilian Cherry hardwood Nancy Itteilag represented Ms. Westreich in her Town Alexandria. WL readers may recall that “Bellapais” had floors and twelve-foot ceilings. Tutt, Taylor Parc Somerset purchase and is also the listing agent for Ms. Westreich’s Watergate penthouse, where belonged to Leander McCormick-Goodhart & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty and his sister Henrietta McCormick-Goodhart agents Kimberly Casey and Daryl Judy helped Senator John Warner once lived. Ms.Westreich purchased her new home from Burke who were originally asking $12 million facilitate the sale.The purchaser is Dan Williams, Kathryn Hogan Didden, the widow of George A. for the Fairfax County property which once an entrepreneur who leases accommodations Didden, III, who died last year. A fourth-generation belonged to George Washington. Washington to short-term visitors to our area. He and his Washingtonian, Mr. Didden was chairman and Fine Properties’ William Moody and Robert wife Tatiana and their baby girl will live there CEO of the National Capital Bank that was Hryniewicki helped facilitate the sale. full time. In McLean, Kirby Rd﹒ has sold founded in 1889 by a group of businessmen that included his great-grandfather. He and his wife for the list price of $2,795,000. This newly Please send real estate news items to also shared a second home in McDaniel on the constructed, three-story brick residence columns@washingtonlife.com. Eastern Shore. measures over 10,000 square-feet and is
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KRYSTYNA LITWIN PRESENTS...
KENSINGTON, MARYLAND
1,895,000
Welcome to this exquisite â&#x20AC;&#x153;Arts & Craftsâ&#x20AC;? style home nestled on a fabulous professionally landscaped lot, finished to perfection, custom designed by the renowned architect, George T. Myers, with an inviting rear flagstone porch and a relaxing front porch. Enter into a gracious foyer accented by the dramatic picturesque views of the home and backyard that opens to a lovely living room and a den. This home boasts a huge gourmet kitchen with a beautiful sun filled breakfast room that opens to a show stopping family room featuring a coffered ceiling and a dramatic fireplace, six bedrooms, five full & one-half bathrooms. A fantastic lower level & private fourth floor apartment artfully blending formal and informal rooms in an arrangement perfectly suited for modern living, this new four level home combines high ceilings, custom millwork, chair-rail, picture frame & crown moldings, oversized hardwoods on the main & upper levels al in a craftsman style.
Krystyna Litwin
Top 1% Nationwide 301-299-6098
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA
NEW LISTING! Custom stone residence with 20,000 +/sq. ft. of the finest finishes & grandest proportions. Set on 5+ acres close-in to DC. 6-car Garage. $11,250,000
Victoria Kilcullen William F. X. Moody Robert Hryniewicki
703-915-8845 202-243-1620 202-243-1622
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
K ALORAMA, WASHINGTON, DC
Regal Colonial in the heart of Kalorama features 4 levels of sun-filled elegance, with a screened Veranda leading to the private side and rear Gardens.
Ellen Morrell Patrick Chauvin Matthew B. McCormick
202-728-9500
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
FOREST HILLS, WASHINGTON, DC
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA
Bonnie Wimsatt Matthew B. McCormick
William F. X. Moody Robert Hryniewicki
BEECHWOODS – Magnificent in-town estate on over 1.35 acres backing to national parkland with wonderful living and entertaining spaces, 7BRs, 7.5BAs, pool with cabana and shared tennis court.
WEST END/RITZ RESIDENCES
Luxurious living at the Ritz Residences. 1-3 bedroom floor plans available with 775 - 3100 sq. ft. perfect for downtown living and entertaining!
Ellen Morrell Patrick Chauvin Matthew B. McCormick
KENT, WASHINGTON, DC
Ellen Morrell Patrick Chauvin Matthew B. McCormick
Ellen Morrell Patrick Chauvin Matthew B. McCormick
202-728-9500
202-262-2560 202-728-9500
UNDER CONTRACT! Waterfront! New French Chateau style residence with wide plank hickory floors & the finest craftsmanship. Stunning views of the Potomac. Minutes to Washington, DC. $5,875,000
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC
Pristine four-level townhome with open floor plan in the gated community of Hillandale. 4 BRs, 3.5 BAs, chef ’s kitchen, and garden.
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
202-728-9500
12,000+ sq. ft. lot, Pool, large renovated eat-in Kitchen, Living Room & Den each with fireplace, main level BR, all on quiet cul-de-sac with gorgeous views of VA.
202-728-9500
202-243-1620
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
POTOMAC FALLS – Stunning custom Colonial on 7+ breathtaking acres bordered by C&O National Park. This spectacular home has high ceilings, gourmet Kitchen, 5/6 BRs, 7 Full/2 Half BAs. Private, serene setting with pool, tennis court & 4 car garage. $2,999,900
Adaline Neely
301-580-2214
WASHINGTON, DC
Palisades - Beautiful & spacious bungalow totally renovated from top to bottom. Chef ’s kitchen, 4 BR, 3.5 BA, corner lot across from private park, & so much more. Minutes to Downtown, VA, & Bethesda. $1,350,000
Kara Sheehan Nicole McGrath
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS • LOCAL AFFILIATE
301-928-8495 571-215-2217
WASHINGTON, D.C. GEORGETOWN BETHESDA/CHEVY CHASE POTOMAC NORTHERN VIRGINIA WFP.COM
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
Extraordinary features of this 10,000 sq ft home on a 1.67 acre include a thirty foot living room, gourmet kitchen with sitting area and fireplace, a master suite that occupies an entire wing of the first floor and an indoor 48’ glass enclosed pool with vaulted ceiling and skylights.
Marsha Schuman
301-299-9598
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
Sited on a spectacular six acre setting, this fully renovated house offers the best of everything. Only the finest materials have been used and all with a designer’s eye. Don’t miss the barn with the indoor basketball court, batting and golf cages. This one is a real prize! $4,400,000
Anne Killeen
301-706-0067
202.944.5000 202.333.3320 301.222.0050 301.983.6400 703.317.7000
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
AVENEL - Construction Executive’s custom home sited on rare, wooded 2-acres in the heart of Avenelhome of TPC golf. Beautiful proportions with finest quality finishes. 8,000 sq.ft. of perfection! $2,925,000
Adaline Neely
301-580-2214
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
Designed by David Jones and built by Brendon O’Neal, this Cotswald inspired traditional home is only three years young and on 3.3 acres. Leaded glass windows, high ceilings, chef ’s kitchen, six bedrooms, five full baths are highlights of the special features. $2,695,000
Marsha Schuman
301-299-9598
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA
Inspired modern interpretation of an English Country home, set on 3/4 acre lot with custom landscaped yard, bluestone terraces and woodland views. Large windows make this house light & bright. $1,950,000
Louise B. Williams
703-405-4880
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
Brand New Home built by Crowell & Baker ready for immediate occupancy. Open floorplan featuring elegant panneled library, gourmet kitchen, dramatic two story great room with stone fireplace and four bedroom suites. $1,975,000
Marsha Schuman
301-299-9598
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
Welcome to a home that has everything! Updated kitchen and baths, generous sized rooms, higher ceilings, lots of windows, skylights and medium stained hardwood floors on both the first and second levels. Even a cul-desac location! $1,395,000
Marsha Schuman
301-299-9598
POTOMAC, MARYLAND
Time for a change? Stunning contemporary offering 9,000 sq. ft. of incredible spaces, walls of glass, vaulted ceilings. Awe-inspiring, picturesque, private, 2.5 acres surrounded by specimen plantings. A jewel of a home! A rare opportunity in today’s market! $1,949,900
Anne Killeen
301-706-0067
GREAT FALLS /VIENNA, VIRGINIA
Spectacular, spacious Mitchell & Best Colonial on 2/3 acre. Private lot with gorgeous pool/spa & views of parkland. Gracious flow, huge rooms, Chef ’s kitchen. $1,169,000
Louise B. Williams
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS • LOCAL AFFILIATE
703-405-4880
WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y
THIS TOWN
My Bad A tryst with a married man has kept me preoccupied – sorry to have been out of touch BY MICHAEL STRANGE
the turn between courses, and wouldn’t you know that when he offered to give me a ride back to town I sent home my driver alone and instead rode with Mr. X in his dark blue Mercedes 600 – with the top down. Trust me, he gets your attention. It all would have ended there except I mentioned I was headed to Nantucket the next morning to check how the house survived winter and he graciously offered to give me a ride on his jet, as he said it was on his way somewhere north. Of course, when we landed on Nantucket I insisted he come to ‘Sconset to see the house and – as if the Gods of forbidden love made us their cause – a storm blew in and shut the airport, and there we were in a cozy gray weathered house on a windswept bluff overlooking the sea with only a fireplace, candles, some champagne, and each other. It turned out he’s a boy scout, all right, the type who was skilled in how to make fire with my willing self as the kindling. The lashing storm outside, and our own côup de foudre inside, went on for two days
and nights, during which we subsisted entirely and deliciously on each other. No phones, no outside world, no logic. But neither of us is made of the stuff that trysts in hotel rooms or hides in plain sight over a friendly lunch at The Palm. We returned to Washington and resumed our lives as we left them, shared dinner parties and all. We greet each other, give a kiss on both cheeks, and smile. Mr. Strange and Mrs. X are none the wiser, nor do they need to be. There won’t be any humiliations. It’s not like we fooled around with single people, where it gets messy and tinged with recrimination and guilt. After all, what’s wrong with a little giddy love between consenting adults who aren’t interested in making a shambles of each other’s lives, or who don’t have to go home to empty beds? But then I got a note. He has a week on his own in California in May. Hmmm. I do have to visit my mother in Santa Barbara. There is a little hideaway called the Ventana Inn… Oh, dear. By the time you read this I may be missing another deadline. My bad.
THE LASHING STORM outside and our own côup de foudre inside, went on for two days and nights.
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Readers wishing to get in touch with Michael can email her at: mstrange@washingtonlife.com
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| M AY | washingtonlife.com
IL LU STRATION BY J.C. SUA RÈ S
I
’m told you missed me last month. Awww. I missed you, too. But there’s a good excuse for my absence. To be perfectly candid about it, I had an affair. Please let that news settle in, because you no doubt consider me above conventional tawdry behavior. Even we full-time moral arbiters have our amoral side. Besides, it was the first flush of spring, I was in the mood and he was a dream lover. Under the circumstances, it was easy to miss my deadline. The affair began innocently enough. (Don’t they always?) We met a couple years ago and, in the company of our spouses, were at the tables of enough dinner parties to develop a mutual appreciation with modest flirting.Why else go to half those gasbag gatherings unless there is the subtext of a little fantasy? Yes, flirtation is possible even in a community as asexual as Washington. Besides, he’s smart, tall, good-looking, amusing, well-dressed, rich, not in government – at least not currently – and is generally regarded to be safe. Not “safe” like a walker is safe, but safe as in not a predator. In fact, mutual friends call him “the boy scout.” Guess not. In March we were at the same Friday night dinner in a far-flung Potomac manse on an evening when his wife was on a voyage to the Galapagos and while Mr. Strange, coincidentally, was in Western Pennsylvania with his candidate, who he affectionately and innocently calls “my girlfriend.” Wouldn’t you know we were seated next to each other, and wouldn’t you know we barely observed
WASHINGTON, D.C. GEORGETOWN BETHESDA/CHEVY CHASE POTOMAC NORTHERN VIRGINIA WFP.COM
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
202.944.5000 202.333.3320 301.222.0050 301.983.6400 703.317.7000
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
K ALORAMA, WASHINGTON, DC
K ALORAMA, WASHINGTON, DC
WESLEY HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC
Jim Bell
Jim Bell
Jim Bell
Extraordinary Large Kalorama Rowhouse. Fully renovated. Fabulous 4 levels. Grand entertaining rooms, expansive family room w/ second kitchen, spectacular master suite. Original floors, architectural elements, 2 BR in-law suite, carriage house, garage. $2,695,000
202-607-4000
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
GREAT NEW PRICE! EDGEMOOR - Rare opportunity to purchase this major Edgemoor Estate, White Chimneys. Exquisite English-style manor home sited on 1 acre double lot with pool and tennis. 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 7 fireplaces, 4-car garage. $6,750,000
Sherry Davis
301-996-3220
NEW PRICE! Rarely Available! Spectacular renovation of a large Kalorama residence with removed one bedroom guest house and garage. Large pool size garden and pool house. $3,495,000
202-607-4000
Spectacular new 2007 Arts and Crafts home in Wesley Heights. No expense has been spared in the construction well-appointed home. Features include double height entrance foyer, spectacular kitchen/family room, large dining & living rooms and elevator. $2,700,000
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
KENT, WASHINGTON, DC
Large 6BR, 5.5BA on coveted cul-de-sac with highest quality materials, wonderful for entertaining or relaxed family living. Huge top-of-the-line gourmet Kitchen, Library, Family Room, Playroom, 10’ ceilings, 2 car garage & circular drive. $3,550,000
Chuck Holzwarth
202-285-2616
202-607-4000
INTERNATIONAL OFFERING
CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND
Stunning Village home remodeled in past 2 years. 5 bedrooms, 5 full/2 half baths, high ceilings, 4 fireplaces, 2nd Family Room, custom wine cellar. Main Hall & Dining Room open to stone terrace & garden with pool. 2-car garage. $2,795,000
Sherry Davis
301-996-3220
WESLEY HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON, DC
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC
Nancy Taylor Bubes
Nancy Taylor Bubes
Nancy Taylor Bubes
This 1930’s brick colonial ideally located in Wesley Heights with light-filled entertaining areas all leading to the rear deck, 5 Bedrooms on two levels, 3.5 Baths, a finished Lower Level Family Room and fully fenced, spacious front and back yards. $1,595,000
202-256-2164
Light-filled 2BR/2BA Victorian ideally located in Georgetown’s West Village with separate carriage house, beautifully renovated Kitchen overlooking the wonderful private garden, fully finished Lower Level and two car parking. $1,195,000
202-256-2164
Quintessential 2BR/2.5 BA brick Federal in Georgetown’s most sought after location. Turn-key condition throughout with a renovated table space Kitchen, Den, Living Room with fireplace opening to a beautiful garden. $1,395,000
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS • LOCAL AFFILIATE
202-256-2164