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Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, First Lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Canada State Dinner
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FEATURING PORTRAITS OF MARTY BARON, FRED RYAN, CHRISTINE LAGARDE, JEH JOHNSON AND SUSAN DIMARCO, SIR KIM AND LADY DARROCH
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STEVE CASE REMEMBERS JIM KIMSEY | NATURE CONSERVANCY PRESIDENT MARK TERCEK WASHINGTON CAPITALS GOALIE BRADEN HOLTBY | WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER GOWNS CHEF PATI JINICH’S MEXICAN-INSPIRED HOME
PA RT I PA ES! RT PA IE RT S! IE S!
JOSÉ ANDRÉS, DESIREE BARNES, MELISSA CHIU, DOUG KAMMERER, LAURIE STRONGIN, DANISH AMB. LARS GERT LOSE & ULLA RØNBERG
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EDITOR'S LETTER
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FEATURES MEN & WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE AND STYLE ......................... TRENDSETTERS ............................................. NATURE CONSERVANCY CEO MARK TERCEK .....................................
FYIDC INSIDER'S GUIDE........................................ SOCIAL CALENDAR........................... ..... THE DISH il Canale.........................................
WHO'S NEXT FOX 5's Kevin McCarthy ............ INNOVATORS & DISRUPTORS Ethical Electric .
LIFESTYLES
Celebrating Women Chefs .......................................
Dior Launch Party................................................
St. Jude's Gourmet Gala ........................................
FASHION EDITORIAL
Best Hotel Award Celebration ..................................
A Night at the Wax Museum.................................
Environmental Film Festival....................................
TREND REPORT Cherry Blossom Pink............ JEWELRY REPORT Into the Blue ..................
NEA Salute to Education ......................................
PERFORMING ARTS Kristin Chenoweth ............
Budapest Festival Orchestra .....................................
AUCTION ACTION.........................................
Mariinsky Ballet Theatre Celebration .........................
WASHINGTON SOCIAL DIARY
Curing Childhood Cancer Gala ...............................
POLLYWOOD
AROUND TOWN ..........................................
THE A LIST ......................................... JIM KIMSEY TRIBUTE by Steve Case.............
THEARC Wacky & Whimsical Tea .........................
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT Catholic Charities by James Reyes ............................
EMBASSY ROW Rugby Diplomacy ................. Kuwaiti Anniversary Party.......................................
Multiple Sclerosis Society by Norah O'Donnell.............
Winternational ....................................................
Parties, Parties, Parties! ..........................................
HOME LIFE INSIDE HOMES "Mexican Today" author Pati Jinich ......................
REAL ESTATE NEWS
International Red Cross Ball ..................................
Local Personality...................................................
BOOK TALK The Devil's Chessboard ................
Heroes Preventing Cancer Gala ................................
OPEN HOUSE ..............................................
State Dinner Apres Party.........................................
WPA Gala ........................................................
Teach for America Gala...........................................
HISTORICAL LANDSCAPES
Chamber of Commerce Gala ...................................
Historic Homes & Gardens .....................................
HOLLYWOOD ON THE POTOMAC...........
NARAL 's Realizing the Promise ............................
OVER THE MOON ......................................
Philipe Auguin Birthday Party ..................................
Celebrating the Maya Way ......................................
IN MEMORIAM
Hillary Rodham Clinton Award................................
Latino Student Fund Gala ....................................
Cathie Gill and Pat Dixson ....................................
N Street Gala ......................................................
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Event ...........................
MY WASHINGTON Caps' Goalie Braden Holtby.....
ON THE COVER Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, First Lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Canada State Dinner (Photo by Tony Powell). TOP FROM LEFT Richard Gere (Photo by Tony Powell); Trendsetter Monling Lee (Photo by Emma McAlary); Fashion editorial photo (Photo by Tony Powell). ABOVE: Dior Tribale earrings (Price upon request), dior.com
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T H E I N S I D E R’S G U I D E TO P OW E R , P H I L A N T H R O PY, A N D SO C I E T Y S I N C E 1 9 9 1
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Nancy Reynolds Bagley EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Virginia Coyne SENIOR EDITOR
Kevin Chaffee ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND WEB EDITOR
Erica Moody ASSISTANT EDITOR
Catherine Trifiletti COLUMNISTS AND CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Steve Case, Janet Donovan, Roland Flamini, Patrick McCoy,Vicky Moon, Norah O’Donnell, Stacey Grazier Pfarr, James Reyes and Donna Shor ART DIRECTOR
Matt Rippetoe PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Tony Powell CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Tony Brown, Ben Droz, Alfredo Flores,Vithaya Phongsavan, Kyle Samperton and Jay Snap
PUBLISHER & CEO
Soroush Richard Shehabi ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Jeryl Parade ADVERTISING ASSISTANT
Rita Khawand BOOKKEEPER
Trina Hodges WEB TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT
Eddie Saleh,Triposs Mihail Iliev LEGAL
Mason Hammond Drake, Greenberg Traurig LLP INTERNS
Aubrey Almanza, Evan Berkowitz and Claire Handscombe FOUNDER
Vicki Bagley CREATIVE DIRECTOR EMERITUS (*)
J.C. Suarès CHAIRMAN, EXECUTIVE BOARD
Gerry Byrne Washington Life magazine publishes ten times a year. Issues are distributed in February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, 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 $79.95 (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 ©2011 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. *deceased
EDITOR’S LETTER
I
STYLE & GRAVITAS
’m sitting down to write this after flipping through our nearly complete April issue, and I can’t help but smile and feel a little emotional at the same time. This year marks a quarter century since Washington Life was launched to highlight the incredible people and causes of the National Capital Region. To this day, I truly feel no other publication does what we do. On the surface, it may look like another “society” magazine, but all you need to do is turn the pages to see we are so much more. We cover galas and charitable events to be sure, but we also showcase incredible people who define our region and help make Washington not only one of the most important cities in the world, but also one of the most philanthropic. When AOL founder Jim Kimsey died last month, we pulled out an issue from April 2004 in which he was featured as one of WL’s original “Men of Substance and Style.” Kimsey was a trailblazer and a beloved man-about-town. We were honored to feature him then, as we are to memorialize his enduring impact on the D.C. area today. You’ll see that same portrait in Steve Case’s moving tribute to his friend and business colleague in this issue. We continue our tradition of shining a spotlight on game changers. Chef José Andrés, Hirshhorn Museum Director Melissa Chiu, meterologist Doug Kammerer, philanthropist Laurie Strongin and the new Danish Ambassador Lars Lose and his wife Ulla Rønberg are redefining what it means to be have both substance and style. They are doing great things for our community and bringing new energy to their posts. Our annual A-List also showcases a number of the area’s most prominent personalities, including those whom we photographed: International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Washington Post Publisher Fred Ryan and Executive Editor Marty Baron, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and his wife Susan DiMarco and newly-appointed British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch and Lady Darroch. We also highlight a dozen trendsetters who reinforce that substance need not go without style and highlight FOX 5’s dapper Kevin McCarthy, who gives us the scoop on entertainment every morning and is a staple at Washington’s red carpet film premieres. We were delighted to sit down with the reporter and movie critic to chat about Washington’s film scene, his career path and what it’s
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like meetings his cinematic idols. In Real Estate, we remember two extraordinary women who paved the way for female realtors – Cathie Gill and Pat Dixson. April is Earth Month and you won’t want to miss our special feature on the Nature Conservancy CEO Mark Tercek. The former Goldman Sachs partner spoke with us about his unique path to a rewarding career and his motivation to make the world a better place. In our Innovators and Disruptors section we highlight Tom Matzzie and his sustainable energy company Ethical Electric, which is making it easy for consumers to switch from fossil fuels to solar and wind power alternatives. And for Inside Homes, dynamo chef Pati Jinich, whose newest cookbook is out this month, shows us her Mexican inspired Chevy Chase home and the beautiful kitchen where she films many of her PBS episodes. Want a side of Italian with your fish tacos? Joe Farruggio of Georgetown eatery il Canale took us inside his pizza-making empire and showed us out he sets himself apart from competitors and, after trying menu favorites, we can’t wait to go back. In My Washington, Caps goalie Braden Holtby shares some insights on the team as it concludes its stretch run to the playoffs and gives us a peek at his life off the ice as a young father. Of course we have plenty of parties, too, including the WLsponsored Teach for America and Prevent Cancer galas and THEARC’s Wacky and Whimsical Tea, as well as exclusive coverage of the event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Kuwait, the party after the state dinner for Canada’s Justin Trudeau and the birthday celebration for Washington National Opera conductor Philippe Auguin.
Nancy R. Bagley Editor in Chief Readers wishing to contact Nancy Bagley can email her at nbagley@washingtonlife.com
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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FYIDC The Insider’s Guide to Washington BY ERICA MOODY
KINGMAN ISLAND BLUEGRASS FEST
Greenbrier’s sam snead festival
The largest all-local music festival in the region is back at Kingman and Heritage Islands Park on the Anacostia River, so plan to make a day of it by joining more than 13,000 visitors for eight hours of bluegrass, folk and Americana music. Featured headliners include Spirit Family Reunion and Magic Giant. The nature-minded can also take advantage of free kayaking and a bike course. There will be plenty of giveaways and a children’s stage with arts and crafts along with Washington’s best food trucks. Proceeds benefit the educational efforts of Living Classrooms and the maintenance of Kingman Island. Saturday, April 30 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., General admission is $20 and VIP tickets are also available; 575 Oklahoma Avenue NE; A free shuttle will run from Stadium/Armory Metro Station; kingmanislandbluegrass.com.
Sam Snead called The Greenbrier home for more than 60 years, but the storied resort in the bucolic West Virginia town of White Sulphur Springs did not rename its annual tournament after the golf legend until 1957, after Snead took home the title three years in a row.This year’s festival will take place from May 30-June 1 and consist of a 36-hole, Pro-Am tournament on two of The Greenbrier’s championship courses. Host, Sir Nick Faldo, captured six major championships and was ranked # 1 player in the world for 97 weeks, before becoming lead golf analyst for CBS Sports.The Greenbier is offering a VIP tournament package for $1,995 which includes receptions, practice round and two days of tournament play. For more information, call Ashley Hamilton, Director of Special Events at (304) 536-5318.
GEORGETOWN GARDEN TOUR
URBAN TREASURES
Glimpse inside the treasured private spaces of some of Georgetown’s most celebrated houses during the Georgetown Garden Club’s 88th annual garden tour. This year, guests can visit eight homes and gardens that range in style from “spacious sweeping lawns and majestic trees to intimate outside rooms.” The tour benefits local organizations supporting the preservation of green spaces that in the past have included Book Hill Park and Trees for Georgetown. Included in the ticket price is afternoon tea at Christ Church with refreshments and baked goods prepared by members of the Garden Club. Saturday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., georgetowngardenclubdc.org. Tickets are $35 before May 1 on the website. After May 1 tickets will be available at $40 on the website and on the day of the event at Keith Hall, Christ Church, 3116 O Street. NW.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART EXHIBITION
AMERICAN PRINTS
Mary Cassatt, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock and Paul Revere are included among more than 100 artists featured in “Three Centuries of American Prints from the National Gallery of Art,” a special traveling international exhibition that coincides with the gallery’s 75th anniversary. It is the first major museum survey of American prints in more than 30 years; the range of prints explores “major events and movements in American art … from the Colonial era to the present.” For easy viewing, the prints are organized chronologically and thematically through nine galleries. On view in Washington from April 3 through July 24; nga.gov. 12
CELEBRATING SLAMMIN’ SAMMY
EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES BROCCOLI CITY FESTIVAL Future, Jhené Aiko, The Internet and more will perform at the fourth annual Broccoli City Festival at Gateway D.C. The millenial-focused festival that aims to promote healthy, eco-friendly living in urban communities while bringing people together through music will also feature a live art installation from No Kings DC and an organic juice bar. April 30, $59 general admission, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, bcfestival.com. POTOMAC WATERSHED CLEANUP Volunteer, lead a cleanup or become a sponsor of the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative’s 28th annual cleanup day. Throughout April, families can help remove trash from one of 276 sites along the Potomac in Washington, Maryland and Virginia. April 16, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., fergusonfoundation.org. TUDOR PLACE PLANT SALE & PICNIC Support conservation and education at Tudor Place during its annual plant sale, where you can picnic on the grounds for one day only. April 17, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Admission is free but registration encouraged, tudorplace.org. WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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CO U RT E SY P H OTOS
APPALACHIAN ANTHEMS
FYIDC | THE DISH
FLOUR, SALT & PASSION
il Canale owner Joe Farruggio works hard to ensure his pizza-loving clientele always leaves satisfied. BY C AT H E R I N E T R I F I L E T T I
ot all pizza is created equal produces the best outcome for the and that is especially true at Neapolitan’s signature “tender and il Canale in Georgetown, where juicy” crust. Farrugio is quick to owner Joe Farruggio has been note that his dough is made fresh serving authentic Neapolitan pizza daily and never sees the inside of a for more than six years. At this refrigerator. neighborhood favorite, authentic Once the dough has set, a is more than just a buzzword fresh San Marzano tomato sauce is because the restaurant is certified spread in an even layer over the pie, by the Association Vera Pizza along with roughly-torn chunks of Napoletana, an organization that bufala mozzarella which Farruggio requires restaurateurs to follow finds to have more “f lavor and strict guidelines to maintain the body” than a traditional cow’s milk integrity of true Neapolitan pizza. cheese. The pie is topped with fresh There are only two other certified basil before being thrown into a pizzerias in the District. wood-burning oven that scorches The pizza-policing organization the crust at temperatures upwards insists that its affiliates use fresh of 800-900 degrees. Since the heat ingredients and proper techniques can f luctuate, pizzas need to be to create a specific kind of dough monitored and rotated with the Joe Farruggio at the newly-renovated il Canale space (Photo by Tony Powell) and a classic f inal product. utmost care because it only takes Farruggio proudly upholds its between 60 and 90 seconds for the standards, going the extra mile by importing his f lour and bufala crust to bubble and the cheese to sizzle. mozzarella directly from Italy. Ingredients aside, his passion is really Neopolitans say that the main ingredients of a perfect pizza are what sets his pizza apart from hundreds of other pies you can find in “f lour, salt and passion” and Farruggio cites that sentiment in his metropolitan Washington. committed pursuit to be the best. “The passion of this work,” he says, Farruggio gives his pizzas the kind of attention that could only “is that everyday we’re trying to make a better pizza.” come from someone who has been in the business for a while — 45 years to be exact. He has been kneading dough and f lipping pies since WHAT TO ORDER: he arrived in the U.S. from Italy in 1970 and began his career working at pizzerias in Manhattan. It was there that he was introduced to outPizza Margherita: A classic Neapolitan pie with of-towners constantly griping that there was no good pizza outside tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella and fresh basil. of New York. Farruggio set out to change that in 1978. Taking stock of untapped Gambero Verde: Shrimp pasta with shaved zucchini, markets, he opened Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta in Virginia. In 2010, he sweet cherry tomatoes and caramelized shallots. began exploring a concept outside his New York style pizza comfort zone. Inspired by a visit to Naples, he decided to take on the challenge Cannolis: Crispy shells filled with ricotta imported of making the iconic Neapolitan pizza, knowing that many try, but from Sicily and topped with a pistachio crumble. few succeed in getting the recipe and process just right. 1065 31st St NW, Washington, DC 20007 There is a science behind creating the perfect Neapolitan pie 202-337-4444 www.ilcanale.com ($14 - $24) and it starts with the dough. Room temperature water is mixed with fresh local yeast and Double 00 f lour then left to ferment in a controlled environment. Between 16 and 30 hours of sitting
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FYIDC | SOCIAL CALENDAR
APRIL
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WAS HINGTON PROJECT FOR THE ARTS GALA
This hip art event will cap off WPA’s auction week with a bash featuring work from an impressive list of over 100 local artists. In addition to a silent auction, patrons will enjoy a DJ-fueled dance party. 1333 H St NW; 7 p.m; $325; sponsorships start at $650; contact Nathalie von Veh, 202-234-7103, nvonveh@wpadc.org.
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GREAT LADIES LUNCHEON AND FASHION SHOW
The sixth annual gathering, in conjunction with Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, will feature a special preview of Oscar de la Renta’s fall collection and a scientific presentation on the risks of Alzheimer’s Disease. Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.; 12 p.m.; business attire; $350; sponsorships start at $3,500; contact Jessica Cavanaugh, 212-901-8011, jcavanaugh@alzdiscovery.org.
CHILDRENS BALL The tenth annual black-tie affair celebrates 140 years of dedication to children’s health. A festive cocktail hour and dinner are followed by dancing and a live auction. Proceeds benefit the support of young patients and their families. Ritz-Carlton,Washington, D.C.; 6:30 p.m.; black-tie; $2,500; sponsorships start at $15,000; contact Melanie McCarty, 301-565-4266, mmccarty@childrensnational.org.
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INNOCENTS AT RISK GALA Join Ambassador of the Dominican Republic José Tomás Pérez in the fight against child trafficking at the nonprofit’s group’s tenth annual gala. Proceeds will benefit the launch of the Kids Stay Safe Campaign, which will aim to raise awareness about child trafficking via schools across the country. Organization of American States; 7 p.m; black-tie; $500; sponsorships start at $5,000; contact 202-625-4338.
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MEDSTAR NRH VICTORY AWARDS The 30th annual awards gala recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional strength in the face of physical hardships. NBC News4’s Doreen Gentzler will emcee the event and present awards to honorees including RJ Mitte of Breaking Bad. Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium; 6:30 p.m.; cocktail attire; $500; sponsorships start at $5,000; contact Emily Riffle, 202-877-1784, Emily. A.Riffle@medstar.net.
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REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL DINNER French Ambassador Gérard Araud will serve as honorary chairman of this year’s black-tie event hosted once again by Matt Dillon. The humanitarian organization will present an award to Sir Richard Branson for his outstanding efforts serving underdeveloped countries. Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium; 6:15 p.m.; black-tie; $400; sponsorships start at $1,250; contact 202-828-0110, events@refugeesinternational.org.
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Matt Dillon and Roberta Mastromichele at the 2015 Refugees International Dinner. (Photo by Tony Powell)
CANOPY AWARDS Casey Trees and Whole Foods Market are celebrating Arbor Day with a “no-holds-barred” party that will include bites, sips and special guests to honor D.C.’s beautiful trees. Union Market’s Dock5; 6:00 p.m.; $75; sponsorships start at $500; contact development@caseytrees.org, 202-833-9125.
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TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL BENEFIT LUNCHEON Join passionate Washingtonians in their effort to restore and rehabilitate “America’s Back Yard.” The Trust’s 9th annual luncheon at West Potomac Park offers stunning views of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Potomac River. West Potomac Park; 11:30 a.m.; $500; sponsorships start at $5,000; contact Kate Gordon 202-407-9420, kgordon@nationalmall.org.
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FYIDC | SOCIAL CALENDAR
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS SPRING GALA The museum invites art lovers, supporters and friends to celebrate the new exhibition, “She Who Tells a Story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World,” at its highly anticipated spring kickoff. National Museum of Women in the Arts, Great Hall; 6:30 p.m.; blacktie; $650; sponsorships start at $10,000; contact Gabrielle Kaufman, 202-266-2825, gkaufman@ nmwa.org.
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YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF THE AMERICAS GALA This year’s gala celebrates 15 years of young musical talent from over 25 countries across the globe. Four successful alumni will be recognized for their contributions to the YOA mission to inspire and empower young performers. Live music, dancing and a silent auction will round out the evening. Four Seasons, Washington, D.C.; 7 p.m.; cocktail; $450; sponsorships start at $2,000; contact development@ yoa.org.
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WASHINGTON BALLET’S BOWIE QUEEN BALL This annual spring fundraiser will commemorate rock icons David Bowie and Freddie Mercury based on the company’s upcoming premiere of “Bowie & Queen.” Proceeds from the dance-filled evening will benefit community engagement efforts with THEARC and DanceDC. Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium; 7 p.m; $1,200; sponsorships start at $3,000; contact Jessica Fredericks, 202-274-4510, jfredericks@washingtonballet.org.
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CATHOLIC CHARITIES GALA The event brings together prominent members Washington’s business and religious communities for an evening of dinner, dancing and live entertainment. Gala Chairman Jimmy Reyes will welcome guests followed by remarks from Cardinal Donal Wuerl. The Marriott Wardman Park Hotel; 6:30 p.m.; black-tie; $500; sponsor-
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Chip Akridge, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton and Sheila Johnson at the 2015Trust for the National Mall Luncheon. (Photo by Tony Powell)
ships start at $6,000; contact Kimani Superville 202-772-4331.
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MAY 7: CITY DANCE
MAY
DREAMSCAPE EVENT
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DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARDS The Atlantic Council will recognize an outstanding group of distinguished global leaders at its annual Awards Dinner. Former CIA director and U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates will be among those recognized. Ritz Carlton, Washington, DC; 6:00 p.m.; contact Julie Varghese for sponsorship information 202-5998637, jvarghese@atlanticcouncil.org.
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SAVE THE DATE MAY 13: PHILLIPS COLLECTION
GALA MAY 14: WASHINGTON
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL GOLDEN GALA MAY 17: MARCH OF DIMES
GOURMET GALA MAY 19: MS WOMEN ON THE
MOVE LUNCHEON MAY 21: WASHINGTON NATIONAL
A VINTAGE AFFAIR
Children’s Hospital Board ofVisitor holds its 19th annual spring fundraiser benefiting patient programs and cutting-edge medical research. Guests will enjoy creative cuisine accompanied by complementary wine pairings. The evening’s silent auction includes rare wines, exotic trips and more. Union Market’s Dock 5; 7:30 p.m.; cocktail; sponsorships start at $5,000; contact Cherry Bourque 202-237-7575, cherrybourque@gmail.com.
OPERA BALL MAY 21: CHARITYWORKS
POINT VINTAGE WINE DINNER MAY 23: HELEN HAYES AWARDS MAY 24: CENTER FOR POPULAR
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
DEMOCRACY STRONGER TOGETHER GALA
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FYIDC | WHO’S NEXT
WHO’S NEXT
FOX 5’s movie critic and entertainment reporter Kevin McCarthy regales Washington with his passion for cinema. BY ERICA MOODY
M
ovies are more than a job for Kevin McCarthy — they’re his passion, evident in every area of his life. He met his fiancée Lauren, a film critic, at a movie theater. He proposed to her entirely in quotes from their favorite romantic comedies.Their rescue dog is named Oscar, after the awards. He wears a Heisenberg tie bar every day to commemorate his favorite TV show,“Breaking Bad”and for good luck he keeps a ticket stub in his wallet from the first film he ever reviewed,“Die Hard III.” The 31-year-old critic’s enthusiasm for the craft has earned him fans across the District who tune in to the most-watched morning show in town for his entertainment segment. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN YOUR CAREER? I started off in radio when I was at George Mason University as an intern at “The Sports Junkies,” filing paperwork and helping out the sales team. At the time I was writing movie reviews on my AOL instant messenger and thought I could bring good energy to a movie segment on the show. So, one day host Eric Bickel walked by, I offered him a french fry from whatever fast food lunch I was eating and asked if I could try a movie review sometime. For eight years I did reviews while working a part-time job in sales and in 2013 I got hired full time as a writer/producer at FOX 5 and it eventually switched to an on-air position. You have to understand, when I was eight years old, I fell in love with cinema and cinema’s been my life. I’ve seen movies dozens and dozens of times that I love and now I’m amazingly having the opportunity to meet my cinematic heroes through my job. WHO’S BEEN YOUR BEST INTERVIEW? Steven Spielberg, no question. At the end of the inter-
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filmmaking interesting for the FOX 5 audience. One of the things I love to do is to teach people what to look for in movies. The best compliment I get from a viewer is when they send me a message and say, “Dude I just watched this movie, I remember what they said in your interview and that made the movie a better experience.”
Photo by Tony Powell
view, we shook hands and he said, “Why are you doing interviews? You should be a filmmaker.” And then I saw him a week later and he remembered me and told the next reporter, “That guy’s got the stuff. He’s going to be a filmmaker.” When I saw him a month later at the Critics Choice Awards, he told me to make a movie and send it to him, so I got together with two of my college friends, made a short film called “Bump” and we sent it to him and he watched it. IS FILMMAKING SOMETHING YOU’RE LOOKING TO GET INTO? It’s something I’ve always been interested in, which is why one of the challenges that I face in my job is that I want to make
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE LOCAL FILM SCENE? DO WE EVEN HAVE ONE? The movie theaters here are fantastic, I’m a big fan of the AMC Tysons Corner and Angelica in Fairfax. You have the DC Shorts Film Festival, AFI Silver Spring theater, and the AFI Silver Docs film festival is fantastic. Location-wise, a lot of movies have been shooting here — “Transformers” and the Edward Snowden movie recently. It’s a really beautiful place to shoot movies and when they can get approval to shoot [locally] it’s electrifying. Arch Campbell was a mentor [who] took me under his wing. Knowing him and knowing what he brought to the D.C. area inspired me to get into the job I’m in because I’d love to someday be half the reviewer he was. QUICK QUESTIONS FOR THE CRITIC. WHAT’S YOUR PICK FOR BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR? “Mad Max Fury Road.” No question. I saw it six times. BEST ACTOR OR ACTRESS? Actor of all time, probably Jimmy Stewart. Currently, Leonardo DiCaprio. Actress — probably Audrey Hepburn originally. I like Brie Larson a lot right now. FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME? “True Romance.” And Quentin Tarentino is my favorite director. BEST LINE FROM A MOVIE? “I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat” from “Jaws.”
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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FYIDC | INNOVATORS AND DISRUPTORS
GREEN POWER
Ethical Electric founder Tom Matzzie helps consumers seamlessly reduce their carbon footprint. BY C AT H E R I N E T R I F I L E T T I
be shaded by a tree. My insight was that if we could offer this as a service and not a home improvement project, it would be easier for more people to participate. That was the spark to start the company. SO, GOING GREEN AT HOME WAS A PERSONAL DECISION- EXPLAIN THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THAT. I wanted solar for my own home. I’m a fervent believer in renewable energy and an opponent of climate change and I want to see solutions to catastrophic climate change so I was very motivated to go solar. Also, I grew up in Pittsburgh and I’ve seen the devastation fossil fuels can create on different communities. WHERE DOES ETHICAL ELECTRIC SOURCE ENERGY FROM? There are dozens of wind farms mostly in western Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and New York. We have a commodity trading part of our business that transacts for the renewable energy from those facilities. Tom Matzzie at his Georgetown office (Photo by Jay Snap)
co-buzzwords like “sustainable,” “green,” and “solar” are now ingrained in the collective consciousness of Americans, but only a relatively small group of individuals have actually heeded the environment’s call. Enter Tom Matzzie, who decided it wasn’t enough to just reduce his own carbon footprint and subsequently created an easy way for average Americans to choose renewable energy in place of harmful fossil fuels. Matzzie stresses that the decision to make the switch is simple: “No credit check, no second bill, no home visit, no installation.” His brainchild, Ethical Electric, now serves tens of thousands of energy-conscious consumers in seven states and in the national capital region— D.C. and Maryland, but not Virginia, because its state legislature does not allow residents or businesses to choose their source of electricity.
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WHAT IS YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH TO SOMEONE OFF THE STREET WHO HAS NO IDEA WHERE THEIR ENERGY COMES FROM? Ethical Electric makes renewable energy easy to purchase for consumers by offering it as a service through their utility. When a customer enrolls with our company we coordinate with the electricity markets, wind farm owners and their utility to offer them renewable energy. HOW DID THE COMPANY COME TO BE? The insight for the company was my experience going solar in my home here in Washington, and I describe that process as awesome but difficult. It was awesome because I was very excited to have solar in my home — I encourage everyone to try it. It was difficult because I still realize you have to have a house (it wouldn’t work if you lived in an apartment), the roof has to be oriented in the right direction, you have to have the right roof material and it couldn’t
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HOW DOES THE ENERGY GET FROM THERE TO MY DOORSTEP? It is much like banking. When you put your money into a bank, you don’t actually take it out. Electricity is similar. The electricity providers and generators put all their energy into the same pool, but through contracts you’re able to withdraw the electricity that the wind farm put into the pool at a distant location. And what’s really happening is not that the electricity in your home is somehow different. What’s happened is that when you pay your power bill, your money is now going to support the wind farm and not support coal power. IS IT A COST EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR CUSTOMERS? We definitively sell at a premium to the utility rate and the markets we operate in renewable electricity are still expensive. There are ways you can save money with renewable electricity, but it requires the customer to make a 20-year commitment. For our customers who don’t want to, it is still more expensive than the utility rate ... The premium really depends on the customer’s home, weather, efficiency of the home and other factors. For a D.C. apartment-dweller it may cost $12 more a month; for a medium-large house it could cost $30 more a month. A CUSTOMER NEEDS TO HAVE PERSONAL DRIVE TO WANT TO REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT? Yes, that’s our customer base: people who care about renewable energy because they care about the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions. HOW DO YOU FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN MAKING A PROFIT AND CONTINUING TO HAVE THAT POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT? What we found is that it’s a virtuous cycle. Our customers really want us to focus on impact and we win their loyalty by demonstrating to them the impact they’ve had on the environment.
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POLLYWOOD The Nexus of Politics﹐ Hollywood﹐ Media and Diplomacy | Embassy Row, Canada State Dinner Après Party and more!
First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama await the arrival of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before the state dinner. (Photo by Tony Powell)
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pollywood | the a-LIST
Washington Life’s A-List — the last word on the capital’s mosthighly desired guests >>
PORTRAITS BY TONY POWELL
French Ambassador Gérard Araud
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde celebrates at 26 Gerard Araud’s birthday party for Maestro Philippe Auguin French Ambassador
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President BARACK H. OBAMA and First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA
Vice President JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. and JILL BIDEN, Professor of English, Northern Virginia Community College His Excellency the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, Prince ABDullah Bin Faisal Bin Turki Bin Abdullah bin saud
Associate Justice SAMUEL ALITO JR. and Ms. MARTHA-ANN ALITO
His Excellency the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, YOUSEF AL-OTAIBA, and Ms. ABEER Al-OTAIBA His Excellency the Ambassador of Kuwait, Sheikh SALEM ABDULLAH AL-JABER ALSABAH, and Sheikha RIMA AL-SABAH, Goodwill Ambassador, United Nations Refugee Agency His Excellency the Ambassador of France GERARD ARAUD
Mr. PHILIPPE AUGUIN, Conductor, the Washington National Opera Mr. MARTIN BARON, Editor, The Washington Post The Honorable WAYNE BERMAN, Senior Advisor for Global Government Affairs, Blackstone Group, and Ms. LEA BERMAN, Writer and Blogger, “America’s Table” The Honorable ANTONY J. BLINKEN, Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, and The Honorable EVAN RYAN, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State Mr. DAVID G. BRADLEY, Chairman and Owner, Atlantic Media Company, and Ms. KATHERINE BRADLEY, President, CityBridge Foundation The Honorable KEVIN P. BRADY, Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee, and Ms. CATHY BRADY
The Honorable JOHN O. BRENNAN, Director, Central Intelligence Agency, and Ms. KATHY BRENNAN
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Mr. CALVIN CAFRITZ, Principal, Cafritz Enterprises and Chairman, Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and Ms. JANE LIPTON CAFRITZ, Principal, Cafritz Enterprises and Director, Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Ms. BUFFY CAFRITZ, Philanthropist
Mr. ROBERT L. ALLBRITTON, Owner and Founder, Capitol News Company, and Dr. ELENA ALLBRITTON, Dermatologist, MedStar Washington Hospital Center
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Associate Justice STEPHEN G. BREYER and Ms. JOANNA BREYER, Pediatric Psychologist, The Dana Farber Cancer Institute
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The Honorable ASHTON CARTER, Secretary of Defense, and Ms. STEPHANIE CARTER The Honorable JULIAN CASTRO, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Ms. ERICA CASTRO Mr. STEVEN B. CASE, Founder, Revolution LLC and Chairman, Case Foundation, and Ms. JEAN CASE, CEO, Case Foundation The Honorable RICHARD B. CHENEY, former Vice President of the United States, and The Honorable LYNNE CHENEY, Author, Historian and Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute The Honorable WILLIAM JEFFERSON (“BILL”) CLINTON, former President of the United States, and The Honorable HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, former Secretary of State The Honorable THAD COCHRAN, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Mr. WILLIAM E. (“BILL”) CONWAY, JR., CoFounder, Co-CEO and Managing Director, The Carlyle Group, and Ms. JOANNE CONWAY, Co-Founder, Bedford Falls Foundation The Honorable JOHN CORNYN, Senate Majority Whip, and Ms. SANDY CORNYN The Honorable TED CRUZ, U.S. Senate, and Ms. HEIDI CRUZ His Excellency the Ambassador of the United Kingdom Sir KIM DARROCH and Lady (VANESSA) DARROCH Count JEHAN-CHRISTOPHE DE LA HAYESAINT HILLAIRE, Retired Banker, and Countess DE LA HAYE-SAINT HILLAIRE (CONSTANCE MILSTEIN), Attorney and Co-
Founder, Ogden CAP Properties General MARTIN E. DEMPSEY, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Ms. DEANIE DEMPSEY
Mr. JOHN F. DICKERSON, Host, “Face the Nation,” CBS News, and Ms. ANNE DICKERSON, Media Consultant The Honorable CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, President, Motion Picture Association of America, and Ms. JACKIE CLEGG DODD The Honorable RICHARD J. ( “DICK”) DURBIN, Senate Minority Whip, and LORETTA DURBIN, Founder, Government Affairs Consulting LLC Mr. and ROBERT S. DUVALL, Actor, and Ms. LUCIANA PEDRAZZA DUVALL, Co-Founder, The Robert Duvall Children’s Fund The Honorable DIANNE FEINSTEIN, U.S. Senate, and Mr. RICHARD BLUM, Chairman and President, Blum Capital Ms. RENEE FLEMING, soprano, and Mr. TIMOTHY JESSELL,Attorney, Greenberg Traurig The Honorable AL FRANKEN, U.S. Senate, and Ms. FRANNI FRANKEN Associate Justice RUTH BADER GINSBURG Mr. DONALD E. GRAHAM, CEO and Chairman, Graham Holdings Company, and Ms. AMANDA BENNETT, Journalist The Honorable LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, U.S. Senate The Honorable CHUCK GRASSLEY, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and Ms. BARBARA GRASSLEY Mr. JOHN S. HENDRICKS, Founder, Discovery Communications, and Ms. MAUREEN HENDRICKS, Co-founder, John and Maureen Hendricks Charitable Foundation The Honorable STENY H. HOYER, MinorityWhip, U.S. House of Representatives Ms. VALERIE JARRETT, Senior Advisor to the President The Honorable JEH JOHNSON, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Dr. SUSAN MAUREEN DiMARCO, Dentist and Jewelry Designer
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Mr. THEODORE J. (“TED”) LEONSIS, Owner and CEO, Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Ms. LYNN LEONSIS Mr. THEODORE N. (“TED”) LERNER, Managing Principal Owner, Washington Nationals, and Ms. ANNETTE LERNER, Principal Owner, Washington Nationals The Honorable JACOB. J. (“JACK”) LEW, Secretary of the Treasury, and Ms. RUTH SCHWARTZ Mr. J. WILLARD MARRIOTT JR., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International and Ms. DONNA MARRIOTT
Mrs. JACQUELINE BADGER MARS, Philanthropist Mr. CHRISTOPHER MATTHEWS, Host, “Hardball” and “The Chris Matthews Show,” MSNBC, and Ms. KATHLEEN MATTHEWS, Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland The Honorable JOHN S. MCCAIN III, U.S. Senator, and Ms. CINDY MCCAIN, Chairman, Hensley & Co. The Honorable MITCHELL MCCONNELL, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, and the Honorable ELAINE LAN CHAO, Distinguished Fellow, The Heritage Foundation Mr. DENIS MCDONOUGH. Chief of Staff, the White House, and Ms. KARI MCDONOUGH The Honorable WILLIAM T. NEWMAN JR., Circuit Court Judge, Arlington County, Va.,and Ms. SHEILA JOHNSON, CEO, Salamander Hotels and Resorts and co-founder, Black Entertainment Television Her Majesty Queen NOOR AL-HUSSEIN
Washington Post Publisher Fred Ryan and Executive Editor Marty Baron Mr. VERNON E. JORDAN JR., Senior Counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP, and Ms. ANN JORDAN, Emeritus Trustee, The Kennedy Center
Chairman, The Heinz Endowments
Her Imperial Majesty Empress FARAH PAHLAVI
Mr. JIM YONG KIM, President, The World Bank, and Dr. YOUNSOOK LIM, Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital, Boston, Mass.
The Honorable RAND PAUL, U.S. Senate, and Ms. KELLEY PAUL, Writer
Dr. SACHIKO KUNO, Co-founder, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals
The Honorable NANCY PELOSI, Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, and Mr. PAUL PELOSI, Owner, Financial Leasing Services
Associate Justice ANTHONY KENNEDY and Ms. MARY KENNEDY
Mrs. CHRISTINE LAGARDE, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
Mr. DAN PFEIFFER, Senior Advisor to the President
The Honorable JOHN F. KERRY, Secretary of State, and Mrs. TERESA HEINZ KERRY,
The Honorable patrick leahy, U.S. Senate, and Ms. MARCELLE LEAHY
Mr. JOHN D. PODESTA, Chairman and Counselor, Center for American Progress,
Mr. MICHAEL KAHN, Artistic Director, The Shakespeare Library, and Mr. CHARLES MITCHEM, Interior Designer
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and Ms. MARY PODESTA, Attorney General COLIN L. POWELL, former Secretary of State, and Ms. ALMA POWELL, Cochairman, America’s Promise Mr. EARL A. (“RUSTY”) POWELL III, Director, The National Gallery of Art, and Ms. NANCY POWELL
The Honorable PENNY S. PRITZKER, Secretary of Commerce, and Dr. BRIAN TRAUBERT, Ophthalmologist, Eye Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, Ill. Ms. SALLY QUINN , Columnist, The Washington Post The Honorable HARRY M. REID, Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, and Ms. LANDRA REID The Honorable SUSAN E. RICE, National Security Advisor, and Mr. IAN O. CAMERON, Television Producer Chief Justice JOHN G. ROBERTS JR. and Ms. JANE ROBERTS, Partner, Major, Lindsey & Africa The Honorable JOHN D. (“JAY”) ROCKEFELLER IV, U.S. Senate (Ret’d.) and Ms. SHARON PERCY ROCKEFELLER, CEO, WETA-TV The Honorable HAL ROGERS, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, and Ms. CYNTHIA DOYLE Mr. DAVID RUBENSTEIN, Co-founder, the Carlyle Group, and Ms. ALICE RUBENSTEIN, Founder, Alaska Native Arts Foundation The Honorable MARCO RUBIO, U.S. Senate, and Ms. JEANETTE DOUSDEBES RUBIO Ms. DEBORAH RUTTER, President, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Mr. PETER ELLEFSON, Trombonist Mr. FREDERICK J. RYAN, Publisher, The Washington Post, and Ms. GENEVIEVE (“GENNY”) RYAN,Vice Chairman, The National Theatre The Honorable PAUL RYAN, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives, and Ms. JANNA RYAN
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Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Susan DiMarco
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The Honorable BERNARD (“BERNIE”) SANDERS, U.S. Senate, and Ms. JANE O’MEARA Mr. ROGER SANT, Chairman Emeritus and CoFounder, The AES Corporation, and Ms. VICKI SANT, President, The Summit Foundation His Excellency the Ambassador of Japan KENICHIRO SASAE and Ms. NOBUKO SASAE Mr. B. FRANCIS SAUL II, CEO, Saul Centers, and Ms. PATRICIA SAUL The Honorable STEVE SCALISE, Majority Whip, U.S. House of Representatives, and Ms. JENNIFER SCALISE
Mr. DAVID J. SKORTON, Secretary, The Smithsonian Institution, and Ms. ROBIN L. DAVISSON, Professor, Cornell University Mr. DANIEL M. SNYDER, owner, The Washington Redskins, and Ms. TANYA SNYDER Associate Justice SONIA SOTOMAYOR His Excellency the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China CUI TIANKAI and Ms. NEI PEIJUN Mr. CHUCK TODD, Moderator, “Meet the Press,” NBC News, and Ms. KRISTIAN TODD Dr. RYUJI UENO, Co-founder, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Mr. CHRISTOPHER (“CHRIS”) WALLACE, Host, “Fox News Sunday,” and Ms. lorraine wallace, Author The Honorable ELIZABETH WARREN, U.S. Senate, and Mr. BRUCE MANN, Professor, Harvard Law School His Excellency the Ambassador of Germany PETER WITTIG and Ms. HUBERTA voN VOSS-WITTIG
Mr. ROBERT WOODWARD, Associate Editor and Journalist, The Washington Post, and Ms. ELSA WALSH, Journalist The Honorable JANET L. YELLEN, Chairman, The Federal Reserve System, and Mr. GEORGE AKERLOF, Economist Ms. FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO, Artistic Director, Washington National Opera, and Ms. FAITH E. GAY, Senior Partner, Quinn Emanuel British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch and Lady (Vanessa) Darroch
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POLLYWOOD
IN MEMORIAM
Remembering Jim Kimsey AOL’s founding CEO had a transformative impact on technology and philanthropy in the region. BY STEVE CASE
Jim Kimsey in the April 2004 issue of Washington Life (Photo by Jeffrey Prehn)
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OL would have never happened without Jim Kimsey. I owe him a great debt, but so do all of us who live in the Washington D.C. area, which benefited from the rise of AOL, and, for that matter, the many across the globe who benefit from the Internet that Jim helped make possible. When we started AOL in 1985, only three percent of Americans were online. Few people believed in its potential. Those who did figured that big companies like AT&T and IBM would dominate, so there was little interest in funding our f ledgling startup in Tysons Corner. Venture capital was much harder to come by in those days. AOL would have never raised the money we needed to get started if it hadn’t been for Jim. As the founding CEO, investors saw him as the “adult supervision” they insisted on back then. He had a track record in business, and was a proven leader, with an impressive military background including several tours of duty in Vietnam. He gave our newfangled ideas credibility, which helped
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Kimsey with Jean and Steve Case (Photo courtesy Steve Case)
not only attract venture capital, but also key strategic partnerships with Commodore, Apple, IBM and others. AOL would never have gotten liftoff without Jim. But Jim’s contributions weren’t limited to AOL. He had a transformative impact on the rise of the D.C. region as a startup city. There were few startups in the region back then, and not much infrastructure to support entrepreneurs (indeed, the capital we raised came from San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago and Toronto – none of it came from the D.C. region). Now, there are hundreds of startups throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia, and a strong ecosystem to support them. The growth of AOL, and the fact that Jim insisted on keeping our headquarters in Virginia (despite some early pressures to relocate to California), ended up creating a more vibrant community in this region. Jim’s philanthropic contributions were vast. Of course, his primary focus was his hometown, of which he was so proud, and he made dozens of transformative
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investments in local causes. He never forgot the people he met when he was fighting in Vietnam. He started an orphanage there soon after the war ended, and went back to visit in the ensuing decades. Jim also traveled the world on behalf of organizations he was passionate about, including Refugees International. On a more personal level, I am deeply grateful for all that Jim did for me. He believed in me and came to my defense when some early investors wanted to fire me. He empowered me to lead, to be a better CEO and to focus not just on business but to give back to the community that supported us. Jim also made me a better father, sharing stories of adventures with his beloved sons, and insisting that I take time off to spend quality time with my children, too. I wouldn’t be who I am today, without Jim. Washington wouldn’t be as vibrant as it is now, without Jim. And the world wouldn’t be as full of potential as it is now, without Jim. Thanks, Jim.
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POLLYWOOD | EMBASSY ROW
RUGBY DIPLOMACY U.S.-U.K “special rivalry,” hot Italian artifacts and the Emirates’ new cultural center. BY ROLAND FLAMINI
JOCK DIPLOMACY: An appropriate drizzle
washed Georgetown University’s Cooper Field during a British Embassy vs. State Department touch rugby encounter recently. Rugby is at its best played in wet conditions, when the field is suitably muddy, and the ball wet and slippery. Embassy staffers wore red jerseys while the State Department team were in blue. The game was organized by the British Council to promote rugby in the Washington area where several clubs already flourish. Even in the rain the game was fast and energetic.The result was tactfully declared a draw: “Rugby and diplomacy won at the end of the day,” the embassy stated. “At least, that’s what we’ll say.” But that was before the much vaunted “special relationship” wobbled on its plinth when President Obama took a swipe at Prime Minister David Cameron in his Atlantic magazine interview when he said that Cameron failed to support the administration’s efforts to bring order to Libya following the downfall of Gaddafi. Obama will visit the U.K. this month, possibly to mend some fences. DIPLOMATIC NOTES: Musical performances have always loomed large among events sponsored by Washington’s embassies. This month, members of the Music Conservatory of Padua, Italy, will join forces with members of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras in the Washington, D.C. area for a concert in the cavernous atrium of the Italian embassy. The young Washingtonians will then return the favor by performing in Padua. In March, the ornate reception halls of the Embassy of Indonesia, festooned with mahogany carvings and housing a full-sized pipe organ, were the crowded venue for a rare performance of music by the somewhat neglected American composer Lou Harrison (1917-2003). He integrated Western and Indonesian idioms in works positioned on the far edge of contemporary musical expression, combining objects scavenged from junk yards (discarded flower
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The British Embassy vs. the U.S. State Department touch rugby match was marked by friendly rivalry based on an always “special relationship.” (Courtesy British Embassy)
pots, automobile parts), Indonesian gamelans and Chinese gongs as percussion instruments in his compositions. The concert featured members of the adventurous, innovative Washington-based Post-Classical Ensemble, with its regular conductor Angel Gil-Ordonez, with additional music and song provided by the embassy’s own gamelan ensemble. Oh, the gamelan is an ancestor of the xylophone.
the country. “The United States is the world’s largest art market,” Miracco says, “and we have to protect our heritage.” By coincidence, the agreement was signed just as the landmark National Gallery of Art exhibition, “Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenic World,” with a large part of the works coming from Italy, was drawing to a close. RENOVATION: The United Arab Emirates,
PROTECTING HERITAGE: Hardly a day passes, when Italian Embassy cultural attaché Renato Miracco doesn’t hear of an archeological arti-
fact from Italy being offered for sale somewhere in the U.S., along with a dubious story about how it got here. Which is why Italy and the United States recently renewed a five-year, bi-lateral agreement — called a memorandum of understanding — designed to block illegal trafficking of archeological material from the pre-classical, classical and imperial Roman periods in Italy. The agreement, which has also been signed by China and other countries, spells out import procedures designed to establish the provenance of objects entering
regarded by many as the Obama administration’s new BFF in the Arab world, has raised its profile on Embassy Row. Its one-time ambassadaor’s residence at 2406 Massachusetts Avenue NW, is soon to be transformed into a cultural and conference center and a home away from home for Emirati students and uniformed personnel receiving training in the U.S.The 1912 mansion described by Addison Nottingham, one of the principals at ACG Architects, as “not quite neoclassical” underwent major renovation. The building’s protected façade got a facelift, Nottingham said, when ACG recreated new spaces and added structure, including underground parking and a series of courtyards.
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Secretary of State John F. Kerry with Rima Al-Sabah and Kuwaiti Amb. Salem Al-Sabah
John Negroponte, Alma Powell, Diana Negroponte and Gen. Colin Powell
Bernard Shaw
WL EXCLUSIVE
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF KUWAIT Newseum | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
Melinda Rahall, Saudi Arabian Amb. Prince Abdullah Al-Saud and Nick Rahall British Amb. Sir Kim and Lady Darroch with Ryan Crocker
A TIME TO REMEMBER: The liberation of Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s clutches was welcomed throughout the world but nowhere more than the invaded nation itself, and Kuwait’s people will always be grateful. “You restored our sovereignty, our human dignity and most of all our freedom,” Kuwaiti Amb. Salem Al-Sabah told the crowd at the 25th anniversary celebration, not forgetting to thank the families of fallen U.S. soldiers who attended as special guests. “President [George H.W.} Bush put his presidency on the line to make sure we got the Iraqi army out of Kuwait,” Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the joint chiefs at the time, told his hosts. “You can be sure America will be your friend forever.”
Michael and Mariella Trager with Susanna and Jack Quinn
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United Arab Emirates Amb. Yousef Al-Otaiba and Kuwaiti Maj. Gen. Marzouq Al-Bader
Samia and Huda Farouki
Lala Suleymanov and Azerbaijan Amb. Elin Suleymanov
Sally Quinn and Graham Wisner
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POLLYWOOD | BOOK TALK BOOK TALK
EXCERPT: THE DEVIL’S CHESSBOARD David Talbot delivers some uncomfortable historical analysis on the infamous Dulles brothers.
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hen Salon.com founder David Talbot’s book, “The Devil’s Chessboard,” came out in October 2015, it was met with silence by the establishment media, as it is highly critical of the New York Times and the Washington Post, among others. As Talbot explains to journalist Robert Scheer, “There’s an official history and then there’s real history, and whenever real history raises its snout, it tends to get slapped down by the media gatekeepers.” The book is certainly explosive, linking former CIA Director Allen Dulles to the assassination of President Kennedy and uncovering the secret history of U.S. led regime change under the Dulles brothers. >> Allen Dulles was one of the wiliest masters of secret power ever produced by America and his most ambitious clandestine efforts were directed not against hostile governments but against his own. While serving in multiple presidential administrations, he learned to manipulate and sometimes subvert them. John Foster Dulles would rise to become the chief counsel for American power, a man destined to quietly confer with kings, prime ministers and despots. He liked to think of himself as chess master of the free world. His younger brother would become something more powerful still — the knight-errant who enforced America’s imperial will. As director of the CIA, Allen Dulles liked to think he was the hand of the king, but if so, he was the left hand — the sinister hand. He was master of the dark deeds that empires require.
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The Dulles brothers were not intimidated by mere presidents. When President Franklin Roosevelt pushed through the New Deal legislation to restrain the rampant greed and speculation that had brought the country to economic ruin, John Foster Dulles simply gathered his corporate clients in his Wall Street law office and urged them to defy the president. “Do not comply,” he told them.“Resist the law with all your might, and soon everything will be all right.” Later, when Allen Dulles served as
“When President Franklin Roosevelt pushed through the New Deal legislation to restrain the rampant greed and speculation that brought the country to economic ruin, John Foster Dulles simply gathered his corporate clients in his Wall Street law office and urged them to defy the president.” the United States’ top spy in continental Europe during World War II, he blatantly ignored Roosevelt’s policy of unconditional surrender and pursued his own strategy of secret negotiations with Nazi leaders. The staggering sacrifice made by the Russian people in the war against Hitler meant little to Dulles. He was more interested in salvaging the Third Reich’s security apparatus and turning it against the Soviet Union — which he had always regarded as America’s true enemy. After the war, Dulles helped a number of notorious war criminals escape via the “Nazi
ratlines” that ran from Germany, down through Italy, to sanctuary in Latin America, the Middle East, and even the United States. Allen Dulles outmaneuvered and outlived Franklin Roosevelt. He stunned Harry Truman, who signed the CIA into existence in 1947, by turning the agency into a Cold War colossus far more powerful and lethal than anything Truman had imagined. Eisenhower gave Dulles immense license to fight the administration’s shadow war against Communism, but at the end of his presidency, Ike concluded that Dulles had robbed him of his place in history as a peacemaker and left him nothing but “a legacy of ashes.” Dulles undermined or betrayed every president he served in high office. Dulles would serve John F. Kennedy for less than a year, but their brief ly entwined stories would have monumental consequences. Clearly outmatched in the beginning by the savvy spymaster, who beguiled Kennedy into the Bay of Pigs disaster, JFK proved a quick learner in the Washington power games. He became the f irst and only president who dared to strip Dulles of his formidable authority. But Dulles’s forced retirement did not last long after Kennedy jettisoned him from the CIA in November 1961. Instead of easing into his twilight years, Dulles continued to operate as if he were still America’s intelligence chief, targeting the president who had ended his illustrious career. The underground struggle between these two icons of power is nothing less than the story of the battle for American democracy.
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COVE R I M AGE CO U RT E SY O F H A RP E R CO L L I N S
INTRO BY CLAIRE HANDSCOMBE
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Susan DiMarco with Vicki Heyman and Amb. Bruce Heyman
John Bessler, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Lise Strickler and Mark Gallogly WL EXCLUSIVE
Sandra Oh
CANADA STATE DINNER APRÈS PARTY W Washington D.C. | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL CANADIAN FLAIR: Following all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau’s state visit, guests of the Canadian American Business Council were invited to wind down atop the W Hotel overlooking the White House. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman, actress Sandra Oh, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and State Department Chief of Protocol Peter Selfridge joined the festivities (where decadent treats such as maple-glazed doughnuts were passed about) after the official state dinner.
Peter Selfridge and Parita Shah
Canadian Minister of Defense Harjit Sajjan
Christine Warnke and David Short
Rebecca Wainess, Ingrid Sanden and Suzanne Kianpour
Megan Henretta, Jon Sohn and Devorah Churchill
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Scotty Greenwood and Victoria Chamberlain Photo by Freed Photography.
Canadian Minister of Heritage Melanie Joly
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POLLYWOOD
Karina Corell, Bob Hisaoka and Christie Weiss
Katherine Bradley, Secretary of Education John King, Jr., Adele Fabrikant and Elisa Villanueva-Beard David Bradley, Mary Haft and Chip Akridge
WL SPONSORED
TEACH FOR AMERICA GALA
Gabriela Smith
Omni Shoreham Hotel | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL EDUCATION NATION: Teach for America board members, educators and supporters convened to recognize leaders who change the lives of young people through education. Proceeds from the event enable local teachers to continue serving low-income communities where they impact the lives of over 48,000 students daily. This year TFA surpassed its goal and raised over $1.5 million for the cause. Cochairmen Yolanda and Dale Jones and Maggie and Tom Sheedy were joined by long-time supporters who included Bob Hisaoka, Katherine and David Bradley, Lauren Peterson and Diana Davis Spencer.
Joe Russo and Mark Lowham (Photo by Jay Snap)
VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Maggie Sheedy and Yolanda Jones Kay Kendall, Sam Reid and Joey Sloter Jimmy Lynn, Lyn McFadden, Richard Creighton, Jane Ottenberg and Mark McFadden
Vadim Nikitine and Kristin Ehrgood
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Mae Haney Grennan, David Perlin and Skye Raiser
Justin Bakewell and Jack Davies
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Timothy Lowery
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POLLYWOOD
HOLLYWOOD ON THE POTOMAC
JOHN LEGEND SCREENS ‘UNDERGROUND’ AT THE WHITE HOUSE WGN’s series starring Aldis Hodge explores the Underground Railroad.
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usic superstar John Legend has a lot on his plate these days: The White House just held a special screening for his new WGN “Underground” series; he’s carrying on heated Twitter exchanges with Donald Trump Jr. on racism; and he’s expecting his first child with his wife, model Chrissy Teigen. We focused on “Underground.” According to producers, the film centers on a group of slaves planning a daring 600mile escape from a Georgia plantation. Along the way, they are aided by a secret abolitionist couple running a station on the Underground Railroad during their attempt to evade the people charged with bringing them back, dead or alive. Legend and his production company were in charge of the score and soundtrack for the series and Legend served as executive producer. “I believe the story of people brave enough to risk everything for freedom will be inspirational,” he says. We spoke to cast members prior to the White House screening, a smart, introspective, engaged group who gave us their take on the relevance of the series in today’s world as well as the significance of this underreported sequence of events during the revolt against slavery. We focused on Aldis Hodge … think “Straight Outta Compton”… who brilliantly portrays Noah as he leads his fellow slaves in a daring escape on the Underground Railroad. “It’s such a pivotal moment for America’s culture as it stands today because the subject matter resonates so loudly,” Hodge said. “It’s very, very relevant with the issues we deal with — social injustice, our personal outlook on our own culture and cultural history. Something like this can bring a different sort of appreciation for who we are, not only as different individual people, but as Americans because at the end of the day, that’s just what
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“Underground” follows a group of slaves who plan an escape via the Underground Railroad. Image courtesy
it’s about. We’re all Americans. We’ve got to make it work.” Hodge notes that there are still towns and schools in America that are segregated and that “this makes no sense.” “There are still people [who] believe in cultural dissection,” he says, adding that “something like this can show the foundation of where it kind of started, how ugly it was and how ugly it never needs to be again.” Hodge maintains that his story tells the tale of the first integrated civil rights movement where people of both races came together. Both Hodge and the other cast members, who are quite young, hope that what they’ve created influences the younger generations to take a look back at history. “I know, especially being a Black American, our history is whitewashed from the history books,” he says. “You have to search for our real history. You have to go to the Library of Congress to get those books.” “This curriculum is not taught in schools. ... We’re not celebrated, so there’s a younger
generation of Black Americans that don’t understand there’s something to be proud of with their history.There’s a younger generation of White Americans that don’t understand that they have something to be proud of with the white abolitionists who actually helped to turn this thing around and understood the importance of integration and acceptance.” We asked him to weigh in on other political issues such as immigration, which has been playing out on the campaign trail. “I feel like America was built on immigration. It was built on, even though the ethics were different, immigration. I feel like that is the core of it, cultural integration. Even though people misused it back then, we can’t live without it. You have to either accept what it is and acknowledge it or move somewhere else, possibly. This country thrives on every different culture’s contribution to what it is. This series sort of shines a big, beaming light on the difference in acknowledging that and not acknowledging that.” Our take? Hodge for Congress!
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French Amb. Gerard Araud, Maestro Philippe Auguin, and I.M.F. Director Christine Lagarde
DJ and Devika Patil with Mary Anne Huntsman and Evan Morgan
Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter Countess (Anais) de Viel Castel with Prince Ermias Selassie and Princess Saba Kebede w l e x cl u s i v e
A MAESTRO CELEBRATES
Birthday Cake
French Ambassador’s Residence and Buck’s Fishing & Camping restaurant PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
LORD OF THE RING: Philippe Auguin, who is conducting Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” for the Washington National Opera starting later this month, certainly got his wish for a grand as well as fun-filled 55th birthday. After a VIP guest-filled fête at French Amb. Gerard Araud’s residence (Champagne, a violin-shaped cake, and a short performance of opera classics sung by the Maestro himself in a rich baritone), many of the guests moved uptown to the lively afterparty hosted by Septime Webre, Kevin Chaffee, Renaud de Viel Castel and James Alefantis at the latter’s Buck’s Fishing & Camping restaurant. Yes, diplomats, philanthropists, ballerinas and other artsy types were spotted dancing to the sounds of a five-piece Latin orchestra but we promised not to reveal who climbed atop the tables for post-midnight salsa action.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Lucky Roosevelt
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Drew Chafetz, Mark Gillespie and Ryan Sparks
Jarod Field, Ashley Murphy and Dan Roberge
Septime Webre and Nina Auchincloss Straight
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Dr. Shkala Karzai and Omar Popal
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Pascal Blondeau and Izette Folger
Morgann Rose and Agnes Noltenius
Abeer Al-Otaiba
Isabel Ernst and JoAnn Mason
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POLLYWOOD
Britain Amb. Sir Kim Darroch and LadyDarroch WL EXCLUSIVE
Ashley Judd and Melanne Verveer
Zainab Hawa Bangura and Sierra Leone Amb. Ibrahim Conteh
Jeanne Ruesch and Leslie Cunningham
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON AWARD Halcyon House | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL GLOBAL TRAILBLAZER: Zainab Hawa Bangura, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, was awarded the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security. According to the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS), which manages the award, Ms. Bangura “has used her position to highlight the brutality exacted on women and girls in conflict.” The institute also bestowed Alissa Rubin, Paris bureau chief of the New York Times, with the 2016 Global Trailblazer Award. GWIPS executive director Melanne Verveer moderated the afternoon event and actress/activist Ashley Judd provided closing remarks before the group moved on to a dinner reception at S&R Foundation’s Halcyon House. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
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Kate Goodall and Pamela Denby
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Swedish Amb. Björn Lyrvall, Madeleine Lyrvall and Carl Gershman
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Courtney Hayes, Richard Gere
Arne and Ruth Sorenson with Linda and Tom Daschle Gene and Gina Adams
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N STREET VILLAGE GALA The Ritz Carlton | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL HIGHLIGHTING THE HOMELESS: Actor Richard Gere, who played a homeless man in the film “Time out of Mind,” headlined this annual fundraising gala for N Street Village, which provides services for homeless women. Tom and Linda Daschle presented the Founder’s Award to Melissa Maxfield, SVP of Government Affairs at Comcast NBCUniversal. “N Street Village is so much more than a homeless shelter – it’s a real community of support and healing,” said gala co-chairman Hillary Baltimore.” VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Hillary Baltimore and Patricia Howell
John Tinpe and Lyndon Boozer
Rev. Karen Brau and Rebecca Ballard
Melinda and Melissa Maxfield
Tim Shriver and Linda Potter
Schroeder Stribling and Debbi Jarvis
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Jennifer Holliday
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SPECIAL FEATURE
MARK TERCEK
ADJUSTING TO THE ENVIRONMENT Former corporate banker Mark Tercek discusses the challenges and rewards of leaving Wall Street for The Nature Conservancy BY ERICA MOODY
Mark Tercek in Everglades National Park (Photo by Erika Nortemann/TNC)
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uddhists have long believed and now scientists are confirming that you can train yourself to become more compassionate,” Mark Tercek tells us from his Nature Conservancy headquarters in Arlington, Va., an organization that employs more than 4,500 people worldwide. “A lot of people wiser than me who have been important in the nonprofit field somehow knew that all along.” It might be unexpected to hear a selfdescribed “Wall Street guy” praising the art of sitting still, but what’s really unexpected is a Goldman Sachs partner taking a 90 percent pay cut to head up an environmental nonprofit. That’s just what Tercek, a Georgetown resident and father of four, did in 2008, a few months before the financial collapse. “After having been a very mainstream investment banker for more than 20 years, I was thinking I should do something different. I had a notion of doing something good for society,” Tercek explains, admitting that “it wasn’t a very well-developed notion.” He planned to retire in 2005, but his boss at the time, Hank Paulsen, had a better idea: Tercek should lead Goldman Sachs’ initial environmental effort, something that was quite unusual (“even radical” he says) at that time.
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“Hank and I had the idea that we were going to show the world that doing the right thing environmentally was also the right thing business-wise in many cases,” Tercek says, an idea that provided useful experience for his transition to The Nature Conservancy. That came about when a headhunter called asking Tercek for a recommendation of someone to fill the role. “My idea was not anyone other than me,” he recalls, “even though my friends who knew anything about NGOs said they were never going to hire me.” Lo and behold, they saw the value in hiring Tercek, and the “late bloomer” to environmental awareness found himself bringing an unusual perspective to The Nature Conservancy. The financially savvy businessman from Cleveland demonstrated that environmental efforts could be aligned with private sector initiatives for the common good. Plus, his big city background led to an urban youth initiative, Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF), that aims to broaden support for nature. “A lot of my colleagues seemed surprised that I wasn’t a very experienced fly fisherman or horse rider or regular camper and I remember thinking to myself, well those people don’t have a monopoly on the environment,” Tercek says.
LEAF is off to a great start and that is particularly important since it’s estimated that by 2050 three-quarters of the world’s people will live in cities. It also reflects his belief that the effectiveness of conservation organizations will depend on diversity to flourish. “There’s a lot of talk about diversity right now — gender, racial, sexual orientation diversity — and that is very important for a number of reasons,” Tercek says, adding that “one of them is that diversity in general is very important.” Speaking of his professional background, he continues, “Although I’m a white American man, I brought some diversity to The Nature Conservancy...Mixing things up is very good for probably all organizations, certainly for us.” But it wasn’t smooth sailing at first. Tercek is candid as he recalls the stress he felt in the beginning as a first-time CEO, and how an executive coach and Buddhist meditation helped him change his mindset. “I was doing a decent job broadly but I could tell on the interpersonal front things weren’t perfect, both with my colleagues and with the board. Then a friend of mine, wellknown executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, volunteered to give me pro bono executive training and, after interviewing the people I worked closely with, let me know that I was
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being a real jerk. I wasn’t listening well. I was too negative. If I was having a bad day I let people know I was having a bad day. If I was bored in a meeting I let people know I was bored and he helped me understand that as a CEO you really can’t do that. Everybody’s looking at you.” Tercek found that reforming these bad habits was more difficult than anticipated but somewhere in the process, he discovered meditation. That’s when everything became easier. Buddhist meditation practices were “my big a-ha moment,” Tercek says, “that this notion of caring about others more than yourself is the way to be happy. And I realized that that’s what the people who work for The Nature Conservancy or support us have discovered. That’s why they’re so happy. They’re not thinking about themselves all day, they’re thinking about how to make the world a better place. It sounds obvious when I say it, but it was only through Buddhist meditation that I became aware of that.” Tercek’s passion about the subject has led him to speak at an upcoming mindfulness summit. He and his wife Amy support Minds Incorporated, a local group that works to instill the practice in schools across Washington. And at work, he’s been thr iving. He travels three to four days a week, overseeing projects that include community conservation work in northern Kenya, the Great Bear Rainforest in northern British Columbia, the Virginia Coastal Reserve and, one of his favorites, Montana, where The Nature Conservancy has permanently protected almost 500,000 pristine acres. This was accomplished by implementing his practice of impact capital — raising money from investors to lever up donor equity while promising them a full return, some of it financial and some through impact. He’s also doing this in Washington to solve the problems of storm water runoff. The Nature Conservancy has raised funds from an institutional investor for green infrastructure within the city (green roofs, parks, quasi wetlands) to capture storm water, reducing the impact on the environment and
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also beautifying areas that could use that kind of investment. Not surprisingly, Tercek thinks climate change is now the biggest man-made threat to the environment. There are reasons to be encouraged, he says, ratting off a few: the Paris convention, progress in China, the “belated but good progress” the U.S. is finally making, the fact that solar and wind costs are plummeting. What’s discouraging, he says, is the political divide. “We [The Nature Conservancy] actually think environmental progress is important for economic progress too, and we think there are market-friendly, economically friendly ways to address climate change. We regret that right now on Capitol Hill it seems to be a partisan issue, so we’re going to do everything we can as a nonpartisan organization to reduce the divide and find pragmatic common ground so that we can make more rapid progress.” He’s started in the U.S. with what he calls the 50-state initiative. A board of trustees in every state (equal parts Democrat, Republican and Independent) shares the concern for climate change and a dedication to be a voice for pragmatic, market-friendly ways to deal with it. With all these challenges, the biggest thing Tercek has learned on the job might surprise you. “I came to The Nature Conservancy thinking that market-driven principles and a businesslike approach would be the answer to everything. And I was partly right,” he says. “We’re utilizing those strategies very effectively and it’s allowing us to get more and more done, but what I’ve learned is that’s insufficient. To really succeed in this kind of work you have to appeal not just to people’s minds but also to their hearts.” While attending Nature Conservancy events, Tercek noticed that “the oldest supporters, some in their late 80s, often seemed like the youngest, most curious, upbeat people in the room because they’ve found the secret to the fountain of youth: engage in important causes with your heart and mind and you not only make the world a better place, you make yourself a happier person.”
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Mark Tercek greeted by native participants in singsing welcoming ceremony at Tarobi village on the Kimbe Bay coast in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. (Photo by Mark Godfrey © 2008 The Nature Conservancy)
Mark Tercek during a birding tour of the rainforest above Kimbe Bay in Papua New Guinea (Photo by Mark Godfrey © 2008 Nature Conservancy)
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SPECIAL FEATURE
WASHINGTON LIFE’S
men & women of
Portraits by Tony Powell
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hese remarkable and stylish men and women are helping redefine Washington culturally, politically, philanthropically and gastronomically. Hirshhorn Museum Director Melissa Chiu is turning heads as the first non-American to lead that institution and is using her connections in New York and around the world to increase support and visibility for the Smithsonian’s contemporary art museum on the National Mall. Chef and restaurateur José Andrés made headlines this year when he backed out of opening a restaurant in Donald Trump’s Washington hotel after Trump made disparaging comments about Hispanic immigrants. Andrés is also using his clout to lobby for clean cookstoves worldwide. The new Danish Ambassador, Lars Lose, and wife, Ulla Rønberg, bring a fresh take on diplomacy and culture to the nation’s capital. Desiree Barnes is the first-ever “press wrangler” at the White House, managing to help the White House press corps and reign them in at the same time. NBC4 meteorologist Doug Kammerer is passionate about talking to the next generation of viewers (and meteorologists!) at local schools and connecting with viewers in this new media world. Laurie Strongin, who lost her son Henry to a rare disease, turned her sorrow into a charity that brings smiles to the faces of hospitalized children and hopes to change what a hospital stay means for children throughout the country. What they all have in common is a passion for working towards the greater good. They exemplify hard work, substance and grit, and make it seem effortless. Here, they give us a small glimpse into their lives and share how they manage to always look impeccably put together. We also feature an elegant and unique group of trendsetters that are changing the city’s sartorial landscape and asked them to let us in on the secrets behind their personal style.
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1)0-77% ',-9 HIRSHHORN MUSEUM DIRECTOR The elegant, Australian-born Chiu is the first non-American to serve as director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, one of the nation’s leading institutions of contemporary art. She raised eyebrows in 2015 for unabashedly holding the museum’s 40th anniversary gala. in New York rather than Washington, but her methods are undeniably raising significant funds and boosting the museum’s profile. HOW DO YOU BELIEVE YOU’VE POSITIVELY IMPACTED THE HIRSHHORN?I think I bring an international perspective to the museum and I’ve enjoyed setting an agenda for our exhibition program for the next few years, which reflects an interest in making the Hirshhorn central to any thinking on contemporary art here in Washington. WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO CRITICS WHO SAY YOU SPEND TOO MUCH TIME IN NEW YORK?Over the last year we have planned events across the country including Los Angeles, Miami and Houston. We have held events in New York such as a fundraising gala that raised $1.5 million to benefit the exhibition program at the museum here in Washington. New York is an important art center and its proximity means that its an important place for the Hirshhorn to build support but the Hirshhorn is located in Washington. And all our programs, performances and exhibitions happen here. My first year at the museum was spent on the road building support for the museum and now we get to focus on developing the museum program of exhibitions. PERSONAL STYLE: I like very simple designs.
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%1& 0%67 +)68 037) %2( 900% 6 2&)6+ DENMARK’S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.; LEADER OF INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROJECTS AT THE DANISH AGENCY FOR CULTURE The young and dynamic new Danish ambassador, Lars Gert Lose and his wife Ulla, currently on leave from the Danish Agency for Culture, are already making a splash in diplomatic and social circles. WHAT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING YOUR TENURE AS AMBASSADOR? Ambassador Lose: The historic relationship between the United States and Denmark has never been stronger. We share the same values of peace, democracy, human rights and free trade. As ambassador, I want to make sure that this great relationship meets the challenges of the future through a strong transatlantic partnership. I want to work for enhanced security cooperation and with the U.S .and other coalition partners to strengthen the fight against ISIL. A big priority of mine is to enhance trade and economic opportunities for Danish businesses. The U.S. is Denmark’s largest trading partner outside Europe. Still there is huge potential – ready to be seized. DO YOU PLAN TO ENTERTAIN IN ANY SPECIAL WAY? Mrs. Rønberg: We both have an affinity for music, as do our kids. We do not all like the same style of music – I am a classically trained pianist and my husband is a self-proclaimed rock’n’roller on his guitar. We try to make music part of how we entertain. I believe that our modern residence could become a showcase for contemporary Danish art, crafts and design and am working on a project that would eventually bring contemporary art to this embassy. This April, we will open a Jacob Riis exhibit at the Library of Congress. Riis, an immigrant and Danish journalist whose photographs document life in New York City slums in the 19th century, revealed “how the other half lives.” DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE. Mrs. Rønberg: We like Danish designers Malene Birger and Bruuns Bazaar, who are established in the U.S. and around the globe. Clean lines and simple silhouettes is what Denmark and Danish design is known for. That is also how we both identify our personal style.
()7-6)) &%62)7 WHITE HOUSE PRESS WRANGLER She began working in the Obama White House as an intern at the age of 19, and is still there today, having spent her entire professional career at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. These days, she travels with President Obama, most recently to Cuba and Argentina, and helps facilitate and manage the press corps. WHAT, EXACTLY, DOES A PRESS WRANGLER DO? I’m essentially a traveling press aide to spokespersons and reporters during State visits, dance recitals, foreign trips, golf and virtually anything with a press component or outside of the White House. We are always there to assist the White House press pool. YOU STARTED WORKING AT THE WHITE HOUSE WHEN YOU WERE 19. HOW HAVE YOU RISEN THROUGH THE RANKS? Patience, sacrifice and being open to the rapid pace White House staffers operate on. WHAT’S THE MOST FUN YOU’VE EVER HAD ON THE JOB? Honestly, anytime we travel or encounter folks who felt they wouldn’t have had a voice or an opportunity to take part in history is always rewarding. WHAT’S THE MOST SERIOUS OR SOMBER DAY YOU’VE HAD?Attending the service where the President delivered the eulogy, for those who lost their lives in the Charleston, South Carolina church shooting. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE? Functional and comfortable. Although I love colors and prints, most people would tell you I like wearing black. It requires the least amount of thought on an early morning. 48
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.37f %2(6f7 CHEF AND RESTAURATEUR In the last 18 months, Andrés has opened China Chilcano and Beefsteak in Washington, J by José Andrés in Mexico City and a fish restaurant, Pwason Beni, in an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He’s also talked clean cookstoves at the 2015 Milan Expo and had a public spat with Donald Trump. His secret, he says, is he always wants to keep moving. WHY HAS THE ISSUE OF CLEAN COOKSTOVES BECOME SO IMPORTANT TO YOU AND HOW ARE YOU HELPING THE CAUSE? Imagine you are a woman in Haiti, feeding your family every day.You cook the traditional way, with wood, or charcoal, or even animal waste.Your home is filled with toxic smoke.You have lung diseases from inhaling this smoke.Your children do not go to school. They go to gather wood for the fire.Your country has no forest left. I visited Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. I wanted to help. As a chef, making cooking better for everyone was so important to me. My organization, World Central Kitchen, works with a group called Switch Haiti. Together we have converted 100 school kitchens in Port-au-Prince away from charcoal, to clean cookstoves with liquid petroleum gas. We improved the health of 60,000 schoolchildren. We believe investing in clean cookstoves all around the world will not only save lives, but empower women and girls through access to more education. DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE. My style has to keep up with me. I like things that are casual and classic. I have a vest that I love from Eddie Bauer. For shirts, I love Vineyard Vines. And I am always wearing shoes from Camper, the brand from Spain. WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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P H OTO BY R YA N F O R B E S
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(39+ /%11)6)6 NBC4 METEORLOGIST It’s not uncommon for Kammerer to work 12 hour-plus days, particulary during major weather events like the blizzard of 2016. He often begins his days off the clock, talking to school children about meteorology and ends them by doing a radio “hit” at home just before midnight, The Clark Kent lookalike harkens anchormen of yore and has earned the trust of finicky Washingtonians. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT T0 YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS AT SCHOOLS? I really like talking to people about the weather. I love kids and if I can share my passion and knowledge with them, and earn potential viewers for the rest of their lives at the same time ... nothing makes me happier. HOW DO YOU REACT WHEN VIEWERS BLAME YOU FOR INACCURATE PREDICTIONS? It happens all the time. Usually, when the viewers say we didn’t forecast correctly, we really did and it was their perception of our forecast that was inaccurate. One of the hardest parts of the job is that we only have two and a half to three minutes on air to get a forecast out there, and do so in a way that the public understands. For instance, if we predict a 30 percent chance of rain, some people understand that as no rain and call and complain when it begins to sprinkle, even though we told them it would be a good ideas to keep an umbrella handy. That said, if we are inaccurate, I’ll be the first one out there to tell you, “hey, we got it wrong this time.” WHAT ‘S YOUR SECRET TO STILL LOOKING PUT TOGETHER ON THE AIR AT THE END OF A LONG DAY? Fitted shirts. Suits are always going to be tailored, but fitted shirts are something people tend to forget, and we end up swimming 50 in our shirts.
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0%96-) 78632+-2 HOPE FOR HENRY FOUNDER AND AUTHOR, “SAVING HENRY” Since launching in 2003, after her son Henry died of Fanconi Anemia, Strongin’s Hope for Henry foundation has served more than 15,000 younger patients at Children’s National, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and other hospitals around the country. She has raised over $3.5 million and hosted hundreds of birthday and Halloween parties, superhero celebrations, visits by athletes, readings and book signings to ensure that the sickest children don’t miss out on the wonder of childhood. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WATCH THE CHILDREN AT EVENTS YOU HOST IN HOSPITALS? I remember so clearly what it was like to be the mom of a young child spending weeks and months in the hospital undergoing radiation, chemotherapy and countless surgical procedures in the hope of getting better. But when we were there, there weren’t any programs like Hope for Henry to provide needed distractions from the monotony of lengthy hospital stays and the pain and fear that the kids and families experience. When Hope for Henry throws an over-thetop superhero celebration; a Halloween party with a haunted house, trick-ortreating and a pumpkin patch; or spa day with makeovers, manicures and photo shoots, I watch the kids’ faces light up and smiles abound. All of a sudden it’s like the hospital walls fade away and you can’t hear the beeping of the IV pumps anymore. All you can hear is laughter.
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DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE. Casual chic. I wear a lot of black. My favorite brands are Theory, Rag & Bone,Vince, Max Mara and DVF. My favorite new designer is Hope for Henry Honorary Chairman Abeer Al Otaiba, whose new line, SemSem, is absolutely gorgeous. 51
FEATURE | MEN & WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE & STYLE
WASHINGTON TRENDSETTERS From social media standouts to PR mavens, these men and women are being noticed across Washington for their individual style.
Photo by Tony Powell
ABA KWAWu
Founder & President, TAAPR
Photo by Tony Powell
Photo by Emma McAlary
timothy R. lowery
MONLING LEE
Architectural and Urban Designer
General Manager, CityCenterDC
How has your style evolved over the years? I used to purchase a new wardrobe to go with the trends of each season. As I’ve “grown up,” I now love great investment pieces with unexpected details and I update with pieces I love from the seasonal trends
How do you define your personal style? I believe what Yves Saint Laurent once famously said, “Fashion fades; style is eternal”… and I personally value classic elegant attire that isn’t subject to the ever changing tides of cyclical trends.
Who are your style icons? Michelle Obama
Do you consider Washington a stylish city? How would you describe Washington style? Washington D.C. is a true world capital, uniquely international, cosmopolitan, sophisticated and stylish ... and while the city is known for politics and a more conservative style, I believe D.C. is certainly becoming more fashion forward as evidenced by the growing presence of most major fashion labels having a presence here.
Where do you shop locally? Tysons Galleria, Relish Georgetown, Steven Alan Shaw, Take 5 Boutique Mosaic, Tabandeh Mazza (accessories) What is your favorite article of clothing and why? That’s a tough one! I love my Mulberry day bag with the zip pouch that turns into a clutch, It takes me from parent/teacher meetings to the gym, to the board room and out for cocktails after work. What are your go-to outfits for both work and play? I love a well tailored dress with great heels for work. For play it can range from anything from Rag&Bone leather to Rebecca Minkoff blouses and Clover Canyon midriffs.
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Where do you shop locally? CityCenterDC, of course! What is your go-to work attire? A navy blue suit, a crisp white French cuff dress shirt, beautiful tie and a well-coordinated handkerchief…accented by an elegant watch and cufflinks.
How has your style evolved over the years? While my style might have been a bit more fluid and eclectic in the past, I can say that my current style is a direct manifestation of my #COLORINDEX series on Instagram @monlinglee. The series started as an exercise to explore and catalog different color combinations that potentially exist in my wardrobe, using a color reference book for designers of the same name by Jim Krauss. After picking a specific color combination in the book, I would then try to reproduce the palette with items in my closet with a strict adherence, with hope that this more clinical approach would not only produce outfits with potentially interesting color results, it would also let me revisit items long forgotten. Who are your favorite designers? I keep an eye on a number of designers each season, whose works combine structure with unexpected color and texture. My current designer obsession lies with Roksanda and Delpozo, whose uses of color and shape are nothing short of brilliant and exhilarating.
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Photo by Violetta Markelou
samuel wilson
VIOLETTA MARKELOU Photographer/Visual Artist
Company Member, The Washington Ballet How do you define your personal style? I would have to say that my style is “casual professional.” It is a look that is semi-formal and well placed in the day, but can easily transition to night life. I often forgo some of the formal pieces like a belt or socks, creating a more contemporary look. It’s really all about balancing the colors, shapes and vintages of clothing to keep in touch with today’s trends. I am often inspired by big name designers such as Dolce and Gabbana or Ralph Lauren when planning an outfit. These fashion icons show ways I can exaggerate certain trendy items without being too bold or eccentric.
How do you define your personal style? It’s a mix of the classic and the whimsical. I love a good tailored tuxedo, but I also love polka dots and graphic shapes and prints. I love menswear. I wear both bow ties and [neck]ties. Most people know me for this look.
What are your go-to outfits for both work and play? I am a professional dancer with the Washington Ballet and most of my day is spent in tight athletic clothing; however, dressing well to meet with patrons is also part of my job description. Some of my favorite outfits include an unexpected statement piece such as a leather vest or ascot. Items like these show my eclectic style, make me stand out, and are often conversation starters.
Where do you shop locally? I am a big thrift shopper! I have been shopping second hand and vintage and thrift finds for over 20 years. 95 percent of my wardrobe is from anyone of these three. I never buy anything new. Except shoes! I love Buffalo Exchange and Los Gitanos Vintage.
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How has your style evolved over the years? I’m definitely more experimental with my style than ever. I love pairing the unexpected, say a motorcycle jacket with full skirt. A body-conscious top with a baggy jean. And now I mix prints of all kinds-in one outfit. I never did that before. It’s a lot of fun.
Who are your style icons? I love Gwen Stefani and Carolina Herrera. I wish I could raid their closets!
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Photo by Cheriss May, Ndemay Media Group
FELIX BIGHEM
General Sales Manager, Rolls-Royce (Sterling) How do you define your personal style? Creative, out of the box! How has your style evolved over the years? I come from a background where we really had to make do with what we had, and that was not much. Over the years, being able to express my style started with consignment shops, then malls and afterwards my wife introducing me to BeeCroft & Bull, a men’s clothing boutique in downtown Norfolk, Va. which was a game changer. We could not even see affording a pair of shock (Pantherella’s) there. I would later become one of their known customers. What is your favorite article of clothing and why? Neckwear is the thing that catches the eye first. I predominately wear bow ties, and from time to time a neck tie or cravat or ascot. Carrot & Gibbs, known for their bows, is a good designer that embraces the styles that I like. I shop everywhere for ties, from a major department store to a small kiosk at a conference.
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FEATURE | MEN & WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE & STYLE
Photo by John Robinson Photography
DEAN ZACHARIAS
MARISSA MITROVICH
Founder & Editor, Proper Kid Problems How do you define your personal style? My style is really undefinable. I wear what I want, when I want and how I want. Some days that’s a pastel blazer with linen slippers and other days it’s head-to-toe black. I don’t think style should be constraining, so I don’t put a label on myself as it’s one of the best forms of expression that we have. Who are your style icons? Yves Saint Laurent, Cary Grant, and Ralph [Lauren]. Who are your favorite designers? Favorites is a dangerous word, but if I had to say it would be Hermès, Billy Reid and Thom Browne — I thought his Black Fleece line for Brooks Brothers was incredible. It’ll be interesting to see where Zac Posen takes the brand. What is your favorite article of clothing and why? Dad’s Brooks Brothers Brooksgate blazer from the ’80s that he bought when he met my Mother. It goes everywhere with me and is the staple of my wardrobe. I’ll take a heritage garment over something new any day of the week (especially when it’s from Dad’s closet).
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Founder, Politiquette
How do you define your personal style? Colorful. I love to incorporate whatever is inspiring me during a certain moment of time. This spring it’s all things rainbow and metallic. Photo by Tony Powell
kelly oubre jr.
Basketball Player, Washington Wizards How do you define your personal style? I try to be the best dressed! I dress to kill. Who are your style icons? Kanye West and Pharell Williams Who are your favorite designers? Ralph Simmons and Rick Owens What are your go-to outfits for work and play? Skinny joggers with a shirt and jacket. I like jeans because they are versatile.
Where do you shop locally? Ron David, Sherman Pickey, Ella Rue, City Center (special love for Gucci, Zadig&Voltaire, and CH Carolina Herrera). What are your go-to outfits for both work and play? For work I always tone things down, but don’t ever abandon my love for fashion. I think about what Claire Underwood, Robin Wright’s character on “House of Cards,” might wear and go from there. However, unlike Claire, I prefer A-Line skirts and will mix in prints. I use a Celine small ring bag in navy for work. For play, this is my artistic outlet. I just bought an amazing rainbow fringe Christopher Kane skirt and I also wear a lot of easy, boho pieces from Isabel Marant. My neutral handbag for spring is Gucci Dionysis bag that is green with cherry blossoms on it (ahem).
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Dr. Tina Alster, Maureen Mayer and Barbara Crocker
CHRISTIAN DIOR LAUNCH Palmer’s Alley NW. | PHOTOS COURTESY CHRISTIAN DIOR
Sandra Hoffman and Hollis Pica
SNEAK PEEK: The V.I.P. opening of Christian Dior’s sleek new boutique in CityCenterDC attracted much of the capital’s fashion-centric community, including many whose platinum status derives as much from American Express as the contents of their jewelry boxes. The gorgeous two-story emporium boasting LED lighting, trendy videos, chic artwork and furnishings (make sure to notice Guillaume Piechaud’s Aiguille chair), will surely be a destination of choice for ladies seeking the ultimate in high-end handbags, shoes and readyto-wear. If privacy is a priority, there is also a private VIP Salon where a sip of Veuve Cliquot is de rigueur while choosing just the right sequined gown for the Opera Ball.
Robin Givhan
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Tiffany, Chris, Carrie and Stephanie Zhu
Ludmila Cafritz, Marianna Gray and Izette Folger
Vini Oliviera, Brent Klein and Lynn Kuok
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LIFESTYLES
MONIQUE LHULLIER gown ($3,995), Saks Jandel, 5510 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 652-2250; CARTIER Caresse D’Orchidees par Cartier necklace ($77,500) and earrings (11,100), Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 654-5858; TIFFANY & CO. cocktail watch in 18k gold with diamonds ($22,000), Tiffany & Co., 5481 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 657-8777.
2-+,8 %8 8,) ;%< 197)91 GLAMOROUS GOWNS AND DIAMOND-ENCRUSTED JEWELS SHINE FOR THEIR AUDIENCE OF WAXWORK PRESIDENTS PROVIDING CERTAIN INSPIRATION JUST IN TIME FOR THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ ASSOCIATION DINNER PHOTOGRAPHY TONY POWELL< ASSISTED BY STEPHEN KEN< WWW TONY-POWELL COM WARDROBE CHAZA BETENJANE< T H E ARTIST AGENCY MAKEUP AND HAIR CAROLA MYERS< ASSISTED BY SHERLEY Z WWW CAROLAMYERS COM MODEL IRINA BARTELL< T H E ARTIST AGENCY EDITORIAL DIRECTION VIRGINIA COYNE< ERICA MOODY AND CATHERINE TRIFILETTI EDITORIAL ASSISTANT EVAN BERKOWITZ PHOTOGRAPHED AT MADAME TUSSAUDS WASHINGTON D C = F ST NW< WASHINGTON< DC >
BCBGMAXAZRIA side cutout gown ($368), and VIA SPIGA metallic ankle strap sandals ($250), Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (240) 744-3700; TIFFANY & CO. diamond stud earrings ($41,200), Tiffany & Co., 5481 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 6578777; CARTIER Panthere de Cartier yellow gold bracelet ($24,400), Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 654-5858.
NOTTE BY MARCHESA tea length gown ($1295) ), Saks Jandel, 5510 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 652-2250; CARTIER Juste un Clou rose gold and pave diamond necklace, (11,000), bracelet (44,000) and ring ($11,000) and Baignoire watch in rose gold with diamond case ($25,700), Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 654-5858; TIFFANY & CO. diamond stud earrings ($41,200), Tiffany & Co., 5481 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 657-8777;
PAULE KA v-neck contrast bow gown ($1,660) and FRENCH CONNECTION studded pointed toe pumps ($110), Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (240) 744-3700; TIFFANY & CO. Aria necklace of Akoya cultured pearls and diamonds in platinum ($30,000) and Victorian mixed cluster diamond and platinum earrings ($16,000), Tiffany & Co., 5481 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 657-8777; CARTIER Trinity de Cartier XL pave diamond ring ($43,700), Cartier, Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 654-5858.
N / NICHOLAS dress ($529), Saks Jandel, 5510 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 6522250; HALSTON HERITAGE clutch ($345) and SJP Sarah Jessica Parker pumps ($560), Bloomingdales, 5300 Western Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; TIFFANY & CO. Enchant scroll earrings in platinum with diamonds ($11,000), Tiffany & Co., Tiffany & Co., 5481 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 657-8777; CARTIER Paris Nouvelle Vague Delicate white gold and diamond necklace ($16,300) and LOVE bracelet in white gold, pave diamonds and ceranic ($43,700), Cartier, 5471B Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, (301) 654-5858
LIFESTYLES | TREND REPORT
SIMONE ROCHA Silk cotton blend kimono top ($825); Nordstrom,The Fashion Center, 703-415-1121 OSCAR DE LA RENTA Pink beaded tassle earrings ($345); Saks Fifth Avenue, Chevy Chase, 301-657-9000
BCBG Rossana cutout back jumpsuit ($298); BCBG Chevy Chase, 301-656-0841
BURBERRY Gabardine lace trench coat ($2,995); Burberry CityCenterDC, 202-463-3000
CHRISTIAN DIOR Calfskin and vinyl shoes with flower embroideries and rubber sole ($780); Dior CityCenterDC, 202-408-5990
'LIVV] &PSWWSQ 4MRO Relive last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peak bloom in these rosy hues. BY ERICA MOODY
CURRENT/ELLIOTT The Boyfriend shorts ($170); Saks Fifth Avenue, Chevy Chase, 301-657-9000
GUCCI Blooms print zipped around wallet ($660); Gucci CityCenterDC, 202-795-7950 62
PAUL SMITH Silk blend scarf ($250); Paul Smith CityCenterDC, 202-289-9000
MANOLO BLAHNIK Suede Lauratopri anklestrap sandals ($745);; Neiman Marcus, Mazza Gallerie, 202-966-9700
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LIFESTYLES | JEWELRY
DAVID YURMAN Châtelaine pendant necklace with turquoise and diamonds ($1,950); Tiny Jewel Box, 202-393-2747
SYDNEY EVAN Large Bezel Evil Eye Eternity Ring ($3,150); Liljenquist & Beckstead, Fairfax Square, 703-749-1200
PALOMA PICASSO Olive Leaf Ring ($1,000); Tiffany & Co., Chevy Chase, 301-657-8777
ALEXIS BITTAR Midnight Marquis Tennis Bracelet ($1,498); Alexis Bittar, CityCenterDC, 202-842-2804
IPPOLITA Rock Candy 5-Stone Waterfall Earrings ($595); Mazza Gallerie Chevy Chase, 202-966-9700
-283 8,) &09) Play up your everyday look with spring’s most versatile color combination.
IPPOLITA Polished Rock Candy Turquoise Oval Necklace ($3,695); Saks Fifth Avenue, Chevy Chase, 301-657-9000
BY AUBREY ALMANZA
TORY BURCH Flower Bud Earring ($195); Tory Burch, Georgetown, 202-337-1410 DAVID YURMAN Châtelaine Ring with Hampton Blue Topaz and diamonds ($2,750); Saks Fifth Avenue, Chevy Chase, 301-657-9000
MARCO BICEGO Lunaria Bracelet in dark aquamarine ($3,510); Liljenquist & Beckstead, Fairfax Square, 703-749-1200
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JORGE ADELER Yellow Gold and Aquamarine Cuff Links (Price upon request); Village Centre, 703-759-4076
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LIFESTYLES | PERFECT PITCH
SHINING STAR T BY PAT R I C K M C C OY
ony Award winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth talks about about her upcoming performances here, the excitement of starring in the world-premiere production “I Am Anne Hutchinson/I Am Harvey Milk” at The Music Center at Strathmore and having a diverse musical repertoire.
WASHINGTON LIFE: You have performed for many great audiences> What inspires you about your appearances in the nation’s capital? KRISTEN CHENOWETH I love being anywhere major history has gone down. What bigger place than D.C.? And this concept opera is about historical people. So it fits. WL: Talk to us about your participation in the world-premiere production of “I am Anne Hutchinson/ I am Harvey Milk” at Strathmore. It is such an ongoing narrative in our society today. Could you perhaps connect how it resonates with you as it relates to justice and equal rights with regard to today’s social climate? KC I wonder if in some ways our Hillary Clinton can relate to Anne Hutchison. A strong female unwilling to back down on her beliefs and not seemingly afraid of anything. She depends on family, love of politics and big questions about the future. The two women have a lot in common. WL: What is the most difficult part of the “whole preparation piece” for you when you get a new role, particularly on a perhaps controversial topic or subject? KC The subject matter is exciting to me, but the voice and mind need lots of rest time to compute. I have to be on vocal rest so I can do this two nights in a row. That’s the challenge for me, physically. Acting-wise, it’s a gift from heaven.mon folk, and we are all those kind of people.
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WL: Your April visit brings you to the area by way of a collaborative effort, but you certainly have a huge, loyal following as a solo artist. Tell us about your solo tour and perhaps what you will have in store for audiences at your Wolf Trap performance later this summer. KC I’m thinking of moving into music by female heroes of mine that spans decades. It will surprise some folks and I can’t wait to try them out. In some ways it’s always been me, songs like “Little Green” by Joni Mitchell and others. People will have to come in order to be surprised. WL: Balancing being a great singer, as well as an actress is not always an easy feat for some artists. What are some of the ways that you keep up both aspects of your career? What is it like to do one, but not the other in a given production? KC Ah, the balance question. I suck at it! I love it all, so I am forever overbooking and trying to be at my best. I love being an artist. And sleep. WL: Funding for the arts continues to be a challenge in our public schools and communities. How did the arts change your life and in what ways are you personally advocating for bringing them back into the lives of young people as well as adults? KC In Oklahoma we didn’t have a lot of funding for the arts when I was growing up. The Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center named its Kristin Chenoweth Theatre after me. This summer will be our second summer arts camp. Auditions are
being held right know. I will be a part of the whole thing, which makes me happy. WL: A few years ago, you were on “CONAN“ kidding around with the music of opera composer Puccini (and cracking your bones). What were your first experiences with opera and classical music? Would you consider doing a recording or performance of that repertoire perhaps with a “twist”? KC I’ve wanted to make a more traditional classical record, but have been too scared. There are so many amazing opera divas out there who do it all the time, several nights a week. I am thinking of an idea that involved opera with a whole other form of music — it’s a secret. WL: If you had the opportunity travel back in time as a participant in a Masterclass with any legendary actress or singer, who immediately comes to mind? What does that legend mean to you and how does he/ she inform your own legacy as an artist? KC My biggest regret is that I never met Leonard Bernstein. I wanted to so much — “Candide” being my favorite of all his pieces that I’ve ever accomplished for PBS’s “Great Performances.” Somehow I know he looks down and is proud of me. I don’t know how I know this. I guess I just feel it. Kristen Chenoweth will star in “I Am Anne Hutchinson/I Am Harvey Milk” at the Music Center at Strathmore April 23 & 24.
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LIFESTYLES
AUCTIONS
AUCTION ACTION Shirley Temple’s eye-popping blue diamond ring, paintings by Milton Avery and Paul Cadmus and a Holy Bible carried at the Battle of Bunker Hill top the list of April auction offerings. BY KEVIN CHAFFEE
1931 he had saved enough money to travel to Europe where he settled in Mallorca for two years. It was on Mallorca that Cadmus painted his first mature work, “Self Portrait” in 1932. Formerly in the Forbes Magazine Collection, its sale price is estimated at $80,000-100,000. Doyle New York’s May 10 auction of Post War and Contemporary Art will be highlighted by the sale of “Woman Drawing,” The Shirley Temple Blue Diamond
SOTHEBY’S The April 19 auction of Magnificent Jewels in New York is headlined by a Fancy Deep Blue Diamond Ring owned by actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014). The father of “America’s Little Darling” purchased the 9.54-carat ring for $7,210 in early 1940 around the time of her 12th birthday, probably inspired by the premiere of her film “The Blue Bird.” Such stones are extremely rare and the Shirley Temple Blue in particular has a traditional cushion cut that lends softness, charm and personality as well as a mesmerizing ocean quality. The potentially internally flawless VVS2 clarity jewel comes to auction with an estimate of $25-35 million. DOYLE NEW YORK Doyle New York’s May 3 auction of Impressionist and Moder n Art will feature, “Self Por trait, Mallorca,” an important early painting by Paul Paul Cadmus, “Self Portrait, Mallorca,” oil on canvas, 1932 Cadmus. (19041999). Born in upper Manhattan, Cadmus was the son of two professional artists who studied at the National Academy of Design and then refined his technique as a commercial illustrator. By
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Milton Avery, “Woman Drawing,” oil on canvas, 1942
a fine example of modernist painter Milton Avery’s style in rendering landscapes and figures with delineated fields of color that give his works a sense of profound tranquility. This painting, from the estate of a Virginia philanthropist, emphasizes balance of form rather than the need for anatomical accuracy or a naturalistic color palette. Estimated at $200,000-400,000. BONHAM’S This large-format example of the iconic red, white and blue John F. Kennedy presidential campaign poster was designed by artist Donald Wilson, who recalled in an oral interview for the JFK Library that campaign officials were initially divided over having a serious, mature poster or a smiling one because Republicans had been arguing that Kennedy was not experienced enough to become president. “I convinced him that he looked wonderful smiling,” Wilson noted, “but it wasn’t easy.” Estimate: $600-900. This pocket King James Bible, an
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Kennedy for President poster, Citizens for Kennedy and Johnson, 1960
outstanding survival of the American Revolution, was carried at the battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Its owner, Francis Merrifield, has inscribed it at length, thanking God for his safe deliverance from the battlefield and specifying his regiment and even the number of his gun. Estimate: $50,000-80,000.
The Bunker Hill Bible of Francis Merrifield, Edinburgh, printed by Adrian Watkins, 1755
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y over the moon﹐ around town﹐ the red cross ball﹐ prevent cancer foundation gala and more!
John, Enrico, Kristin, and Valentina Cecchi at THEARC’s Wacky and Whimsical Tea. Photo by Tony Powell.
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AROUND TOWN
A Man For All Seasons and a Crusading Beauty Remembering the storied lives and contributions of Austin Kiplinger and Yolande Fox. BY DONNA SHOR
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e recently lost two exceptional Washingtonians: Austin Kiplinger, a compassionate publishing tycoon, and Yolande Fox, a crusading Miss America. In very different ways, they helped to further changes in actions and attitudes that were to sweep across this city and the nation in the postwar era. Most importantly, both were well known for their developed sense of justice and fairness. After leaving Cornell and Harvard, Austin Kiplinger served in the Navy. He became a decorated World War II pilot in the South Pacific where he survived antiaircraft fire in a damaged plane. He was a cub reporter on the San Francisco Chronicle, then an NBC and ABC broadcaster in Chicago before returning, at the urging of his father, W.M. Kiplinger, to help run Kiplinger Publications, the family’s successful publishing company. Under Austin, and subsequently his son Knight, the company grew into the conglomerate of tax and investment publications it is today. Consistent with the family’s beliefs, Kiplinger employees receive generous profit-sharing benefits and can vacation at handsome company properties in Florida Austin Kiplinger also gave millions to causes that sustain and enhance life: educational, charitable and cultural institutions as diverse as the National Symphony Orchestra, Tudor Place and the Historical Society of Washington, which received his unparalleled collection of Washingtoniana. He didn’t just write checks, he often actively participated in support, as when he joined the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. told of his
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Austin Kiplinger with his son, Todd Kiplinger (Photo by Kyle Samperton)
dreams for a color-blind society. Kiplinger’s buoyant good humor and sense of fun were unf lagging, as I soon found when I met “Kip” and his wife “Gogo” (Mary Louise). I was a Californian, just married in Europe and back in the U.S. after almost two decades overseas. I knew no one here. The Kiplinger’s became my first friends in Washington. Kip and my husband, Franc Shor, had been reporters together on the San Francisco Chronicle. Kip would eventually go on to lead a publishing empire; Franc would become associate editor of the National Geographic. It was Franc’s turn to become chief next; but he died before that happened. When Kip died at age 97, a thousand people f illed the Kennedy Center Concert Hall where Knight Kiplinger led a touching celebration of his father’s life. (Gogo had died in 2007, and their oldest son Todd, a year later.) At the church, Kip’s 14 grand- and greatgrandchildren were all present, so there’s plenty of bench strength to ensure Kiplinger continuity here.
Catholic convent girl of French Basque ancestry from Mobile, Ala., Yolande Betbeze studied philosophy and sang with Mobile’s opera company. Her coloratura soprano so impressed the Miss America judges in the talent competition that she won the crown in 1951. Always at the forefront of social justice issues, she participated in sit-ins and protests, supporting the NAACP and CORE on racial equality and SANE for a nuclear disarmament policy. Yolande criticized pageant officials discriminating against minorities. She urged that contestants be judged on their brains as well as their bra size. She married film mogul Matthew Fox, who died after ten years of marriage. Their daughter ”Dolly” Campbell is also an operatic singer. Yolande’s longtime companion until his death in 2009 was Cherif Guellal, a dashing former Algerian ambassador to the U.S. and a resistance fighter in his country’s struggle for independence. Personal note: When Cherif hosted a gala I was chairing at his embassy, he sent his social secretary over to my house to finalize details. The secretary turned out to be an attractive young blonde. Her name? Sally Quinn.
A publicity photo of Yolande Betbeze around the time she was voted Miss America 1951 (Courtesy photo)
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Kay Kendall and Septime Webre
Tiffany and Rylie Rose
Katelin Haney and Kris McBrady
WL SPONSORED
THEARC WACKY AND WHIMSICAL TEA
Angie Goff
The Ritz Carlton West End | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL HIGH TEA: Big and little people alike came and left with smiles on their faces at this annual afternoon tea extravaganza featuring games, musical entertainment and a dance lesson from Washington Ballet Director Septime Webre. Proceeds from this yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event, chaired by Kris McBrady and Katelin Haney, benefited the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC), which provides access to high quality educational, health, cultural, recreation, and social service programs in Southeast Washington.
Alessandra Bella Wood and Lisa Wood
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Dr. Marcee White and Jayden White
Elle, Mark Green, Charlie, Caroline, and Michael Rankin
Stacy Bear, Sarah Stettinius and Eun Yang Chloe Shime, Logan Batties, Ellison Doomes and Nadia Foster
McCoy, Conner, and June Herman
Edmund and Noelle Fleet
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| CHARITY SPOTLIGHTS
Catholic Charities B Y J A M E S V. R E Y E S
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n Thursday, September 24, 2015, I was fortunate enough to greet Pope Francis as he visited Catholic Charities in Washington. He had stopped to visit with more than 500 people currently being helped by the group, and a few supporters were invited to be there. It was the first time a Pope had ever made time to visit a Catholic Charities mission, a place where I believe the rubber meets the road when it comes to our faith. It made me realize how important my task was as the Chair of the upcoming Catholic Charities Gala 2016, on April 30 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. If the work of Catholic Charities in Washington was important enough to warrant a visit by the Pope, I had better figure out how to raise the most money to fund that work. I was first brought into the Catholic Charities family by it president and CEO, Msgr. John Enzler, who has served as a priest in this archdiocese for more than 40 years. I quickly fell in love with the simplicity
Pope Francis in Washington. (Photo by Tony Powell)
of the mission: providing food, shelter, protection, opportunity, sound mental and physical health, and more. They do so much, never asking about faith. Catholic Charities helped more than 123,000 men, women and children just last year. It has a sterling reputation for providing quality services while being great stewards of the money entrusted to them. I am honored to chair this event and I hope
you will join me in supporting this wonderful cause as well. We still have space for sponsors from the business community and those buying tickets for our Young Professionals After Party. It’s going to be a great night, and the cause couldn’t be better because the lives of people Catholic Charities serves are often changed dramatically. I close with words spoken by Pope Francis to the U.S. Congress immediately before he came to Catholic Charities to be among the oft-forgotten members of our community: “Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves.” Visit CatholicCharitiesDC.org/Gala for sponsor and ticket information. The writer is with Reyes Holdings LLC and Chairman of the Catholic Charities Gala 2016
Multiple Sclerosis Society BY NORAH O’DONNELL
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Norah O’Donnell (Photo by Tony Powell)
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he MS Society Women on the Move luncheon on May 19 brings influential women —and men — together with a community of individuals affected by multiple sclerosis in the greater Washington, D.C. area. This year, the event’s theme, “Together we are Stronger,” is reflected in the substance of the luncheon organized by its new chapter president, Chartese Berry. Berry comes to the Society with more than 20 years spent in a fields ranging from nonprofit development to sports marketing. She also shares her expertise as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland and at her alma mater, Georgetown University. Her professional accomplishments aside, she also assesses the business acumen and compassionate leadership necessary to direct a successful organization. Berry’s godmother lived with multiple
sclerosis and was a tremendous influence on her life. Furthermore, Berry fought and won a battle with cancer. Her experience both as an ally and a survivor gives her a unique perspective because she intimately understands what it means to walk alongside someone affected by a life threatening disease in addition to the strength it takes to thrive in the face of illness. Throughout her journey, Berry developed a singular vision: leave a lasting legacy by impacting the lives of others. The Society has a new woman on the move at its helm and you can share her vision and learn what is to come under her leadership at the Women on the Move luncheon. Together, we are stronger than MS. Together, we’re moving closer toward a cure. Visit WomenontheMoveMS.org for sponsor and ticket information. CBS This Morning co-anchor Norah O’Donnell is chair of the MS luncheon.
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Afghan Amb. Hamdullah Mohib and Lael Mohib
WL EXCLUSIVE
INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS BALL Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, Fla. | PHOTOS BY LUCIAN CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY
Peruvian Amb. Luis Rubio Castilla and his daughters Karina and Natalia
Whitney Pidot and ball chairwoman Jeanne Pidot with Loretta Swit Susan Keenan, Helen de Wyman Miro and Bruce Mazza Langmaid
ELEPHANT NOT IN THE ROOM: Donald Trump didn’t loom large over the 59th annual International Red Cross Ball as usual this year, but the Republican presidential candidate’s absence in New Hampshire was nonetheless felt by the tony crowd celebrating at Mar-a-Lago, his fabulous residence-cum-private club. Prior to the lusty cheers mixed with boos that greeted “The Donald’s” name when it was briefly mentioned onstage during the program, guests mingled poolside for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, mixing it up with actors carrying out the evening’s theme based on the iconic TV series “M*A*S*H,” which portrayed doctors and nurses at a battlefield hospital. POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE: The presentation of colors by a military honor guard and grand entrances by “M*A*S*H’ star Lore a Swit, the Duke of Westminster, Red Cross Chairman Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, ball dignitaries and ambassadors from Japan, Peru, Denmark and Afghanistan ensured a few unforgettable moments before the inevitably blurred swirl on the dance floor — with many gents in white-tie and ladies in ball gowns and major jewels that go straight back to the vault the next morning. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Suzanne Neidland and Gregory Parrish
Honor Guard
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Danish Amb. Lars Lose and ball protocol chief Stuart Bernstein
American Red Cross Chairman Bonnie McElveen-Hunter and the Duke of Westminster
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Japanese Amb. Kenichiro Sasae and Nobuko Sasae
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Rep. Fred Upton, Heidi and Keith Stirrup
Carolyn Aldigé and David Tutera
Elvis and Jen Oxley Janelle Hinze, Maria Bowman and Alexandria Davis
WL SPONSORED
Jessie Edington and Katie Jo Hamre
PREVENT CANCER FOUNDATION GALA National Building Museum | PHOTOS BY ALFREDO FLORES SPRINGING FORWARD: The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s 22nd Annual Spring Gala did not disappoint the more than 900 guests who return each year for what is widely seen as one of city’s grandest events. The fundraiser brought in $1.6 million for cancer prevention and early detection. Reps. Fred Upton (R- Mich.) and Diana DeGe e (D-Colo.) received the 2016 Cancer Champion award and their late colleague, Rep. Mike Oxley (R-Ohio), who died this year from lung cancer was honored in a “Lighting the Way” ceremony. Foundation board member and celebrity party planner David Tutera designed the Paris-themed décor.
Kathryn Rand and Ryan Kennedy VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra
Meiyu Tsung and Bitsey Folger
Heather Kirby, Jan Lodal, Elizabeth Lodal and Jim Johnson WL SPONSORED
WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS GALA Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
ART SOIRÉE: Toes were tapping as Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra entertained a spirited crowd of more than 600 guests. This year’s gala celebrated WPA President Emeritus Doug Wheeler, who will be an integral part of planning as the organization prepares for its 50th anniversary next year. Cocktails, dinner and dancing were part of the scene, along with an auction benefiting education initiatives for Washington area children and families.
Jenny Bilfield, Arthur Espinoza and Kay Kendall Jeanne Ruesch
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Christine Warnke, Muriel Bowser and Donna Rattley Tim Flanagan Sheila Johnson and William T. Newman WL EXCLUSIVE
Marc Battle, Krystal Brumfield and Karen Campbell
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GALA Marriott Marquis Washington, DC | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL CHAMBER’S CHOICE: It was a veritable who’s who of who runs the city, as nearly 1,000 of DC’s top business people gathered at its most dazzling new convention hotel for the DC Chamber of Commerce’s annual Choice Awards and Gala. Gala Co-chairs Christine Warnke, Donna Ra ley Washington and other Chamber officers bestowed a Lifetime Legacy Award on Marcella A. Jones and honored Pepco’s CEO Joseph Rigby as Leader of the Year. Also picking up awards were George Washington University with an Economic Impact Award, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation with a Community Impact Award, Comcast as Business of the Year and the Washington Area Community Investment Fund with the Chairman’s Distinction Award. Ballgoers danced into the evening to the tunes of the legendary SOS Band. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Bernard Demczuk and Steven Knapp
Chip and Denise Roth
Tucker Barnes and Mary Abbajay
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Brian Kenner and Donner Cooper
Chet Burrell and Natalie Ludaway
Manoucheka Attime and JR Clark
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Alicia Henry and Missayr Boker
Celinda Lake and Michael Khoo
Dan and Sunita Leeds Ilyse Hogue and Amy Hagstrom Miller
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NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA’S REALIZING THE PROMISE Union Market | PHOTOS BY ALFREDO FLORES
Steve Kerrigan, Renee Bracey Sherman, Don Bruns and Michelle Kinsey Burns
Sasha Bruce, Pia Nargundkar and Molly Murphy
PARTY FOR PROGRESS: Forty-three years after the landmark Supreme Court decision on reproductive freedom, NARAL ProChoice America supporters celebrated the progress they’ve made over the years with political action and advocacy. The organization’s president, Ilyse Hogue, presented Whole Women’s Health founder and CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller with the Champion of Choice award and activist Lucy Flores was recognized as a rising star. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Kimberly Lane and Jack Davies
Richard Creighton
Eric Holder and Heather Wathington
Dean Bragonier, Richard Creighton, Kay Kendall and Stephanie Lilley
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CELEBRATE THE MAYA WAY Long View Gallery | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL A LEGACY CONTINUED: Maya Angelou Schools cofounders David Domenici and James Forman Jr. invited guests to support See Forever Foundation’s mission to provide education and guidance to at-risk youth. The annual event honored, a passionate supporter of the Maya Angelou School network, former Attorney General Eric Holder, who recounted the enriching experience of tutoring young people in the organization’s early days. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
James Forman, David Domenici and Reid Weingarten
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Leon Harris, Vikasha Fripp, Clayton Lawrence and Maria Fernanda Borja
Danny Espinoza, Bob Marshall and Sandra Batres
Nicaraguan Amb. Francisco Campbell and Costa Rican Amb. Roman Macaya
Mario Acosta-Velez, Brenda Cintron, Zulema Tijero and David Ramos
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LATINO STUDENT FUND GALA The Organization of American States | Photos by alfredo flores at
BRIGHTER FUTURES: Supporters of the Latino Student Fund gathered at at the O.A.S. to celebrate 16 years of dedication to educating Washington’s underserved Hispanic youth. The event’s emcee, ABC7’s Leon Harris, recognized student scholars who have shown exemplary academic achievement. The ambassadors of Panama, Nicaragdua and Costa Rica were also in attendance to show their support.
Lorena Riveros and Maliha Saeed View all the photos at www.washingtonlife.com
Jan Anderson, Mariana Huberman and Dick Jung
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John and Lori McDaniel
David Litt Michael Hankin and Will Baker
Nick Schauman
CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION’S ‘D.C. ON THE HALF SHELL’ Union Market | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
Delia Whitfield, Andy Galluzzi, Richard and Georgie Franyo
OYSTER FEAST: Guests arrived hungry at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s inaugural fundraiser, “D.C. on the Half Shell,” for a night of cocktails, dining and live entertainment. Wild oyster harvesters and aquaculture entrepreneurs provided nourishment for a night benefiting the foundation’s efforts to restore and protect the bay. Brown Advisory CEO Michael Hankin was honored with the Conservationist of the Year award and chairwoman Susan Aplin organized the event with the help of sponsors Jill Daschle, Buck and Sally Chapoton, Mark and Liz Ordan, David and Katie Leavy and Discovery Communications.
Susan Aplin
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Amy Brandwein
Kelly Collis, Tommy McFly and Jen Richer Calaneet Balas, Holden Moran, Heather McGowan and Lauren Gulotta
Jeannie Kokes and Elizabeth Za McDonnell Dorothy Cann Hamilton WL SPONSORED
CELEBRATING WOMEN CHEFS Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL TURNING UP THE HEAT: The Ovarian Cancer Alliance’s 11th annual “Celebration of Women Chefs” brought 60 female chefs, mixologists and restaurant owners to the Reagan Building, including Centrolina’s Amy Brandwein, RIS’s Ris Lacoste, Roofers Union’s Jenn Flynn and Society Fair’s Shannon Overmiller who prepared savory and sweet dishes along with specialty cocktails. International Culinary Center Founder Dorothy Cann Hamilton was a special guest. “The Tommy Show” hosts Tommy McFly, Jen Richer and Kelly Collis emceed.
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Sabrina Zahid and Theory So
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Tom Liljenquist and Jocky Creasy
Niki Singh, Annie Totah and Vanita Kataria
Maggie Johnson
Lynda Erkiletian and Todd Buterbaugh
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ST. JUDE GOURMET GALA National Building Museum | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
Teri Carr and Tom Wertz
FIGHTING CHILDHOOD CANCER:: Since St. Jude Children’s Hospital opened more than 50 years ago, childhood cancer survival rates have risen from 20 to 80 percent. Its annual gourmet gala, now in its 17th year, is only helping to increase this number, working to make founder Danny Thomas’ belief that “no child should die in the darn of life” a reality. A top culinary gala of the spring, Washington area top restaurants and bakeries providing tastings included Charlie Palmer Steak, Del Campo, 1789, cakelove, District Spice, Bastille, Clarity and Et Viola. UBS served as event chair. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Vicken Poochikian and Irene Roth
Bastille’s Chef Christophe Poteaux
Julia Walter, Sabine Curto and Robert Fard Jefferson Hotel Managing Director Philip Wood
Martha Slagle and Ellen Sigal
Jefferson Hotel Manager David Bueno
CELEBRATING THE JEFFERSON The Jefferson Washington, D.C. | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL TRULY TOP NOTCH: There was much to celebrate when U.S. News & World Report named The Jefferson Hotel the “Number 1 City Hotel” in the U.S.A. and the country’s Number 2 hotel 0verall. After meticulously restoring and renovating the Jefferson in 2009, co-owner Connie Milstein oversaw every aspect of the “European luxury,” “elegant accommodations,” excellent service and relaxed atmosphere cited by the publication in its review of 1,715 properties (which takes into account other award rankings as well as expert and guest reviews). “It was the inspiration of a lifetime to come back to D.C. to do the Jefferson,” Milstein told guests after toasting her staff for “making it all happen.”
Jayne Visser and Meagan Stroud WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Tony and Buffy Miles WL SPONSORED
Nobuko Sasae
Flo Stone, Gail Percy and Wade Davis
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL BENEFIT
Gregory McGruder, Roger Stone and Liz Norton
Embassy of Japan | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL HONORING ANTHROPOLOGISTS: In its 24th year, the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital remains the largest and longest-running event of its kind. To celebrate, Japanese Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae and his wife Nobuko Sasae presented a benefit to acknowledge anthropologists Wade Davis and Gail Percy. The world-traveling duo was honored with the Champions of Endangered Cultures and Ecosystems award. Davis and Percy have collaborated as researchers, editors and guides on National Geographic and wilderness ecotourism expeditions, from North America to Asia..
Kathleen McNamara and John Spears VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM
Lilly Eskelsen-Garcia, Esai Morales and Crystal Brown Peter Heckman and Joni Hendrickson Jordan and Frank McGhee Kirk Blackman WL EXCLUSIVE
NEA FOUNDATION ANNUAL GALA National Building Museum | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL EXCELLENT EDUCATORS: “I believe there is no more noble profession than being a teacher,” Ohio preschool director and high school teacher Debra McDonald said after accepting the NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence, an honor that came with a check for $25,000. McDonald and more than 40 other public school educators were recognized at the NEA Foundation’s annual gala that was emceed by actor Esai Morales, who calls himself an “actorvist” and co-founded the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.
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Dirk Andrews, Pam Wells, Heather LaBarbara, Debra McDonald and Mohsen Ghaffari
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Dyan Wibowo, Anastasia Listiawan, and Ratu Rahayu Abdufarrukh Khabirov Danielle Jones WL SPONSORED
Mishira Hassan Misook Won
WINTERNATIONAL EMBASSY SHOWCASE Ronald Reagan Building | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL CULTURAL CONVENTION: Visitors to the Annual Winternational were delighted by the spectacle of 34 embassies showcasing their customs and traditions. Sponsored by the Trade Center Management Associates, the event was created to promote interest in travel through a celebration of tourism, trade and unique cultural practices. The fourth annual event was a feast for the senses, with art and handcraft displays, musical performances and bounteous offerings of traditional snacks and sips. The international showcase lived up to its hype by connecting over 2,500 participants to dynamic cultures from across the globe.
South African Amb. Mninwa Mahlangu, Changu Newman and Botswanan Amb. David Newman
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Manuel Martinez, Diane Flamini, Isabel Ernst and Aniko Gaal Schott
Calvin Cafritz, Jane Cafritz, Bitsey Folger and Maestro Ivan Fischer
Brendan and Lila Sullivan
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BUDAPEST ORCHESTRA PARTY The St. Regis Hotel | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL HEARTS AND FLOWERS: Those who like to celebrate Valentine’s Day in restaurants weren’t the sort of crowd that turned out to greet Budapest Festival Orchestra Maestro Ivan Fischer with hearts (in the form of little cakes) and flowers (red roses in a towering arrangement) on an evening that also featured Champagne, hors d’oeuvres and a performance by a horn quintet composed of symphony members. “We’re glad you came in to snuggle with us,” event co-host Jane Cafritz told Fischer, who made sure to explain how his orchestra, founded in 1983 under communism, managed to survive. “The regime changed and we changed,” he said before expressing appreciation that so many guests were planning to attend his concert at the Kennedy Center the following night.
Monaco Amb. Maguy Maccario Doyle
Samia Farouki and Jeanne Ruesch
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Jill Elisofon Maestro Valery Gergiev, Susan Carmel Lehrman and Lucky Roosevelt
Mariinsky Theatre soloist Yekaterina Osmolkina as “The Dying Swan”
Luce Churchill
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AN EVENING WITH MAESTRO GERGIEV Mar-a-Lago Club, Palm Beach, Fla. | PHOTOS BY HORTON PHOTOGRAPHY INC A noted philanthropist’s love affair with Russian culture was much in evidence once again when Susan Carmel Lehrman hosted a second annual gathering in Palm Beach to celebrate the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg’s annual U.S. tour with a superb musical program of works by Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff and other composers. “The beauty of Russia’s culture is not only Russia’s treasure, but also the world’s,” she said, noting that ongoing efforts to share this bounty never fail to remind audiences of the “deep cultural bonds” between the two nations that persist, as Maestro Valery Gergiev noted, in a “complicated but hopeful time for U.S.-Russian relations.”
Ellen Bennett, Dr. Ahmad Esfandiary and Mary Mochary
Dr. Milton Corn, Ann Stern and Gilan Tocco Corn
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Kelley and Mark Freeman
Bill and Pilar O’Leary
Dr. Farzad Najam, Sariah Najam and Masud Akbar
Brian O’Reilly
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HEROES CURING CHILDHOOD CANCER GALA The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
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Mike and Kathie Williams, Alison and Dr. Kurt Newman
CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN: In its eighth year, the gala co-chaired by Kerry Iris and Eric Kassoff and Caroline and Chris King is Children’s National Medical Center’s signature event to assist research efforts in the fight against childhood cancer. Children’s National President and CEO Dr. Kurt Newman was there to encourage supporters to keep up the good work. This year’s proceeds exceeded $850,000. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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PARTIES PARTIES PARTIES
Educators, jewelers, musicians and theatergoers! VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
TADICH GRILL OPENING
TEACH FOR AMERICA PRE-GALA RECEPTION
TADICH GRILL (by Alfredo Flores)
CARL RESIDENCE (Photos by Tony Powell)
Tadich Grill opened in San Francisco 160 years ago, making it the third oldest restaurant in the country. With its second outpost now open in Washington, D.C., owners Gerard Centioli and Mike Buich are hoping for the same kind of staying power. If the major crowd at the opening party was any indication, they have nothing to worry about.
The national nonprofit Teach For America gathered staff, alumni and supporters for its annual holiday party at the residence of Bernard and Joan Carl. A~er 25 years, 50,000 teachers and 42,000 plus alumni, they have plenty to celebrate. Corps members past and present were there to ring in the occasion.
7. Anthony Fish & Mike Buich
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8. Lyndon Boozer, Amanda Perry and Jake Perry
1. Bri any Whitby and Christie Weiss 2. Joan Carl, Stephen and Andrea Weiswasser
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3. Kimberly Diaz and MenSa Ankh Maa
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3 9:30 CLUB WORLD’S FAIR CLUB (Photos by Ben Droz)
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The legendary music venue celebrated 35 years with a “World’s Fair”- themed evening and exhibition. The club also unveiled of a new glossy history book “9:30: A Time and a Place.”
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9. Caroline and Seth Hurwitz 10. Andrew Grossman and Sean Barna
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DAVID YURMAN CITYCENTERDC OPENING DAVID YURMAN CITYCENTERDC PALMER ALLEY NW (Photos by Tony Powell) Washington best-bejeweled showed up for the opening of CityCenter’s latest shop, David Yurman. Guests including Georgetown Cupcake’s Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Berman sipped champagne and tried on jewelry from the New York-based designer. This location is Yurman’s first stand-alone store in the District and second in the region. 4. Marissa Mitrovich 5. Tracelyn Hairston and Lauren Underwood
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6. Katherine Berman, Laurie Strongin and Sophie LaMontagne WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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HOME LIFE Real Estate News and Open House I Inside Homes and My Washington
'EWE 1I\MGERE Pati Jinich, the popular PBS chef and author of “Mexican Today,” fills her Chevy Chase abode with art and furniture from her homeland. BY VIRGINIA COYNE PHOTOGRAPHS BY TONY BROWN HAIR AND MAKEUP BY ANDREA MITCHELL, WWW.ANDREAMITCHELLUK.COM
HOME LIFE | INSIDE HOMES
he exterior of Pati Jinich’s home fits right in with other traditional houses in Chevy Chase’s historic town of Somerset, but cross the threshold and you are transported to a world of burnt-brick colored walls, wooden barn-style doors with wrought iron details and Mexican art from Oaxaca. “Inside, we just went crazy,” says the petite and infectiously enthusiastic chef and author of “Mexican Today,” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) out this month. “We couldn’t help ourselves and we made it mostly Mexican.” J When Jinich and her husband and fellow countryman Daniel were building the house in 2010, his grandmother died and bequeathed them her nearly century-old piano. Realizing they would need to ship the piano to Maryland from Mexico in a large shipping container, they decided it afforded them the opportunity to transport more pieces from their homeland to the States as well. The couple traveled to the artisan town of Tlaquepaque, where they found the tile they would use in their kitchen and commissioned a large wrought iron dining room chandelier and massive handmade sliding wood doors with iron scrollwork detail. Back home, Jinich worked with interior designer Jodi Macklin to fill in the blanks. “I love how we were able to tie together the pieces that Pati bought from Mexico with beautiful fabrics, furniture and objects that were sourced locally,” Macklin says. Macklin helped choose many of the rugs and window treatments (most incorporating the “chaudron” color Jinich says she is obsessed with) as well as some of the furniture, including the Tomlinson bar stools in the kitchen, which are perhaps the most used seats in the house. “I work there, I cook there, I test [recipes] there, I feed my kids there and when they come home from school that’s where they sit to have a snack, so my favorite place
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OPENING PAGE: Pati Jinich tests a pumpkin brittle recipe in her home kitchen for an upcoming cooking demonstration at the Mexican Cultural Institute of Washington, where she serves as resident chef. PREVIOUS PAGE (clockwise from top left): A piano that once belonged to husband Daniel Jinich’s grandmother serves as the centerpiece of the living room. The sculpture on the coffee table was created by Pati Jinich in a ceramics class; the kitchen, featuring custom Wood-Mode cabinetry, is the heart of the house. The backsplash tile and the lights above the island were found by Jinich in Mexico; the sliding wood doors between the breakfast nook and the family room were comimissioned and handmade in Mexico; the chandelier above the round table is Niermann Weeks; outdoor furniture by JANUS et Cie graces the back porch. THIS PAGE (clockwise from top left): Sofas by R. Jones are upholstered in a burnt brick or “chaudron” colored fabric by Perennials in the family room; the side tables in the living room are old family pieces; the dining room features a large table that was also passed down from family and a wrought iron chandelier commissioned and fabricated in Mexico. The curtains were made by Everett Designs in Silver Spring using Bergamo fabric. The painting above the sideboard is by Diego Rivera’s grandson, Pedro Diego Alvarado.
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in the house is the kitchen,” Jinich explains. “What I think distinguishes me from other cooks who happen to have shows and cookbooks is that everything I do, I do in my kitchen,” she continues. “I feel like the people who watch the show and get the cookbook really connect because it’s very authentic.” Her popular, James Beard-nominated PBS show, “Pati’s Mexican Table,” is indeed recorded in this kitchen, where a crew of 25 people will invade again this June to film the cooking segments for her fifth season. The kitchen also features a large island, a faux stone oven hood and Wood-Mode custom cabinetry painted to look more Old World than new. The adjoining breakfast nook, with a round wooden table, is another popular family gathering spot. An intricately carved Mexican cupboard, a wedding gift from friends, is filled with silver pieces made by Jinich’s grandparents, who were silversmiths. The sentimentality continues throughout the house. The large dining table and chairs once belonged to husband Daniel’s other grandmother; the side tables in the living room are family pieces as well. The artwork hanging on the walls is Mexican, including the realistic rendering of corn above the sideboard in the dining room, painted by Pedro Diego Alvarado, a grandson of Diego Rivera. Jinich says her mother, Mexico City-based art dealer and appraiser Susana Roth, whom she credits for helping her see art as a longterm investment, helped choose many of the pieces. Every room features leafy green plants, which Jinich has nurtured from saplings and claims she would feel unsettled without. “I like plants that will grow with me,” she says, “that will age with me, that will absorb the energy of the house and that will also give us energy back.”
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HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS
A Diversity of Choices Recent high-end sales in the District include a historic townhouse, a carriage house and a glass house BY STAC E Y G R A Z I E R P FA R R
Christopher and Kyra Detmer bought FULTON STREET NW from Peter and Carole Segal for $2,518,750. Mr. Detmer is a managing director at the Washington Wealth Group. Mr. Segal is an attorney at Seyfarth Shaw. The six-bedroom Wesley Heights residence was built in 1941 and completely renovated in 2012. It features an elevator, a pristine white kitchen with a breakfast area overlooking a lush garden, five fireplaces, and a glass gallery across the rear that leads to a beautiful flagstone terrace. Washington Fine Propertiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Theresa Burt represented the Segals while Max Rabin of TTR Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assisted the Detmers in the transaction.
THE DISTRICT Mary Mottershead , a senior executive at EastBanc real estate development, and Bob Moore Jr. of Georgetown Strategic Capital, sold their house at
P STREET NW to The 3323 P Street Trust for $5.7 million.
The coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new digs will be several blocks over at TH STREET NW, which they bought for $2,295,000 from R. Teel Oliver.
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Their captivating new East Village retreat is nestled behind a gated entry through a built-in main level garage. Once inside, the foyer of this 19th-century carriage-housestyle four-bedroom residence gives way to a spectacular living room, dining room and gourmet kitchen with an adjoining family room opening onto a lush, private, Oehme Van Sweden-designed garden. TTR Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Christopher Ritzert was the listing agent for 1313 28th Street NW. Nancy Taylor Bubes represented Mottershead and Moore. McKinsey & Company Chair man Emeritus Buford Alexander sold BILTMORE STREET NW in Kalorama for $2.8 million. The stately 19th-century Colonial combines old-world charm with a masterful renovation that includes a light-
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filled kitchen with a cozy breakfast area, a wood-paneled library, second level family room, impressive wine cellar and seven fireplaces. The house is the former residence of Larry Lomax, an international antiques dealer to celebrities. Washington Fine Properties Patrick Chauvin, Marc Satrazemis and Brad House were the listing agents. Lynda Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dea Teubner of Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. was the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent. William Scott purchased TH STREET NW from a private LLC and will benefit from city living at its best in this 1885 Logan Circle historic townhouse. The totally renovated four-bedroom abode, which sold for $2,149,000, features an open floor plan and rooftop deck that make it perfect for entertaining. RE/MAXâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Larry Gardner listed the property. TTR Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daniel Heider was the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent
MARYLAND Bruce and Deborah Downey sold the 2000-built Craftsman in Avenel at RAPLEY PRESERVE DRIVE for $1,750,000 to Joseph Strasnick, owner of the Laurelbased commercial construction company, The Sierra Group, Inc. Mr. Downey is a partner at NewSpring Capital. The beautiful custom mini-estate in Potomac features five bedroom suites, a gourmet kitchen opening to the family room and a half-acre lot with a three-car garage. Washington Fine Properties William F. X. Moody, Robert Hryniewicki, Adam T. Rackliffe, and Christopher R. Leary were the listing agents. The buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent was Mark Fitzpatrick of Re/Max. VIRGINIA A stunning eight-bedroom fieldstone manor house in Langley Falls sold for $3,450,000 when George Awad purchased GEORGETOWN PIKE in McLean from Bob Watt , chairman and founder of Watt Tieder law firm. TTR Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yerks Team represented the seller while Tamer Eid of Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent. The property features every conceivable bell and whistle plus an in-law suite with kitchenette, heated pool, and whole house generator.
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BRANDYWINE STREET NW sold for $2.4 million when a private LLC sold it to Jenny and Yogesh Vaswani. The modern â&#x20AC;&#x153;glass houseâ&#x20AC;? is adjacent to Rock Creek Park and features formal living and dining rooms and an open kitchen with Thermador Pro appliances. The unique 1978-built house boasts two rain showers, a climate controlled wine room and an au-pair suite. Coldwell Bankerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s James Kastner was the listing agent. Everâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s & Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bonnie Roberts-Burke was the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent.
Lyon Bakery owner Alan Hakimi and Roxanna Foroughi, co-owner of Fuse pilates bought TH STREET NW for $2,050,000 from Hagen and Victoria Saville. The charming six-bedroom fieldstone Colonial in Wesley Heights was built in 1928 and boasts spacious rooms, a lower level recreation room and a beautiful garden. Washington Fine Propertiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nancy Taylor Bubes was the listing agent; Nelson Marban, also of Washington Fine Properties, was the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agent.
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HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS
PROPERTY LINES a glass-enclosed sun room, spacious library and home theater. The beautiful surrounding grounds were designed by Michael Bartlett, the late landscape architect. Washington Fine Propertiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bobbie Brewster is the listing agent. The couple recently purchased Penthouse 812 in The Shoreham West at 2700 Calvert Street NW for $3,295,000 from William and Marilyn Lane. Mr. Pillsbury, an heir to a baking products fortune, is a retired senior Foreign Service officer with the United States Information Agency.
CASTLE ONCE MORE: Residential developer Ross McNair is selling Baltzley Castle at MOHICAN DRIVE in Bethesda for $4,449,000. Occupying over one-half acre with waterfront views overlooking the Potomac River, this late 19th-century stone mansion was built by twin brothers Edward and Edwin Baltzley, who used the funds from Edwinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invention of a splatterless eggbeater to purchase acres of land along MacArthur Boulevard with the vision of developing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rhineland on the Potomac.â&#x20AC;? The property later served as an illegal speakeasy during Prohibition and in 2010 McNair launched an extensive restoration. Coldwell Bankerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diana Keeling is the listing agent. SPRING VALLEY BEAUTY: Philip and Nina Pillsbury listed their stately Georgian Colonial at GLENBROOK ROAD NW for $3,795,000. The six-bedroom red brick beauty designed by noted architect Gordon Earl MacNeil in 1942 is filled with classical details and elegant formal rooms. Stylish as well as practical, the fully-renovated interiors include
PRIVATE EDEN: Constance Minshall listed the Bauhaus-inspired residence at ABINGDON ROAD in Bethesda for $6,995,000. The residence sits on 2.6 acres of lush grounds with a pool, tennis court and stunning views of the Dalecarlia Reservoir. The 1933 Art Decostyle estate boasts large rooms with floorto-ceiling windows, a gourmet kitchen, luxe master suite with a private sundeck and a second family room opening to a large terrace. Washington Fine Properties Heidi Hatfield and Anne Hatfield Weir are the listing agents.
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REGILDING THE GILDED AGE: Noted architect Alexandros Washburn is selling his childhood home at
MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE NW for $2,995,000 which he recently updated from top to bottom. Mr. Washburn served as the chief urban designer of New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The grand Embassy Row townhouse was designed by prominent Gilded Age architect Nicholas T. Haller in 1910. Washburn preserved original elements of the design but renovated the property allowing for grand spaces that are perfect for large social gatherings, a modern chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen, luxurious master suite and an entertainment center with glass doors to a southern terrace. Washington Fine Propertiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bobbie Brewster is the listing agent. Send real estate news to Stacey Grazier Pfarr at editorial@washingtonlife.com.
PUTTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ON THE RITZ: Ritz Camera chairman and CEO David Ritz and his wife Robyn are selling their 14,800-square-foot Potomac house for $4,825,000. The seven-bedroom Nantucket-style abode at FOX MEADOW LANE in Bradley Hills was built in 2002 by acclaimed architect Bruce Rich and includes a two-story English conservatory, a library with nautically influenced custom mill-work, a gourmet kitchen with two-story ceiling, a detached exercise facility and an eight car garage on more than three private acres. William F. X. Moody, Robert Hryniewicki, Marsha Schuman, and Betsy Schuman Dodek of Washington Fine Properties are the listing agents.
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HOME LIFE | OPEN HOUSE
Open House These luxurious homes range from beautifully restored to brand new, from the Virginia suburbs to downtown Washington. FAIRFAX COUNTY RIVER DRIVE< LORTON< VA
ASKING PRICE: $2,150,000
This Potomac River waterfront custom residence located in Hallowing Point River Estates was designed for ease and enjoyment. Its 7,600 square feet of superior craftsmanship features an elevator to three levels, spacious formal rooms, an open chef â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen with adjoining family room and an enormous master suite. Enjoy panoramic views, the gentle slope to the waterfront elevation and a new dock.
LISTING AGENT: Susan Gray Chambers, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
DUPONT CIRCLE HILLYER PLACE NW< WASHINGTON DC
ASKING PRICE: $5,500,000
This beautifully restored 8,200-square-foot townhouse is situated on one of the most sought after blocks in Dupont Circle. Details include original mahogany front doors, Tiger oak herringbone floors with 11-foot coffered ceilings, double French doors with Juliette balconies, a library with a fireplace, charming breakfast area and banquet-sized dining room and a sun-filled garden level with a sumptuous master suite. The top two floors have two separate and spacious two-bedroom two-bath rental units.
LISTING AGENT: Ingrid Suisman, 202257-9492, and Tatjana Bajrami, 202-4681439, Long & Foster Realtors, Inc
KENT
UNIVERSITY TER NW< WASHINGTON< DC This stunning newly-built custom house boasts 5,611 square feet of living space on three floors. Modern amenities and superior craftsmanship are evident in the three gas fireplaces, high ceilings, custom millwork, elevator and hardwood floors throughout.
MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS TH STREET NW< WASHINGTON< DC
A grand house with five bedrooms, six baths, two half baths and a gracious floor plan with generous rooms perfect for entertaining and family living. Other features include stunning hardwood floors, ornate moldings, a luxurious master suite and beautiful exterior including a large flagstone terrace with a fountain, pool and multiple parking areas. .
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ASKING PRICE: $2,995,000 LISTING AGENT: Hans Wydler, 202600-2727, hans@ wydlerbrothers. com, Wydler Brothers
ASKING PRICE: $5,950,000 LISTING AGENT: Nancy Taylor Bubes, 202-2562164, Washington Fine Properties
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HOME LIFE | HISTORICAL LANDSCAPES
First the House, then the Garden How one man’s addiction became a lasting gift to the nation’s capital. BY DONNA EVERS
David and Carmen Kreeger stand near two of their favorite sculptures, “Hagar in the Desert” by Jacques Lipchitz (1969) and Henry Moore’s “Standing Figure: Knife-Edge” (1961).
avid Lloyd Kreeger often described himself as lucky, but it was more than luck that brought him from humble beginnings to being the owner of a worldfamous insurance company, a generous philanthropist and a passionately devoted art collector. He once compared his fascination with art to alcoholism, and this obsession resulted in a gift for all Washingtonians: a gem of a museum, and more recently, an enchanting sculpture garden. Kreeger’s parents couldn’t afford to send him to college, so he got a scholarship to Rutgers, and then to Harvard Law School. He soon became a successful lawyer in New York, where he met Carmen Matanzo y Jaramillo, who became his fellow art enthusiast as well as his wife. The couple could only afford copies of the French Impressionists they both loved, but when they moved to Washington and the stock value of his company, GEICO, soared, they went shopping in the art galleries of Europe and came home with a real Renoir and a real Monet. They also decided to only buy paintings that they could both agree on, a plan they followed for the rest of their lives. In time they had over 200 valuable paintings by artists who included Picasso, Monet, Miro and Kandinsky. Because they soon had more
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than they could hang in their cedar and glass residence in Forest Hills, they asked famed architect Philip Johnson to build them a bigger house. Johnson said that he and his partner didn’t do residential commissions, but Kreeger convinced him by saying, “Build us a museum instead, and don’t tell your partner that Carmen and I are going to live in it.” In 1967, they moved into the ultramodern building on 5½ acres, with Byzantine domes, marble walls, huge expanses of glass overlooking outside patios for their growing sculpture collection and a concert hall where David could play his Stradivarius. When the couple moved into their dream museum, their son and daughter were already grown and out of the house, but the Kreegers were surrounded by their paintings, which by this time seemed like family to them. David died in 1990 at age 81, and in 1994, their houses became the Kreeger Museum, with Judy Greenberg as director, a position she holds to this day. Carmen moved to Chevy Chase and died in 2003, at age 94. The museum now has many visiting exhibitions and its intimate atmosphere is like a great country house where the “residents,” the permanent collection, graciously accommodate “the guests” (visiting collections). When the guests
leave, the residents fill up the space again in a surprisingly seamless way. The sculpture garden is the most recent embellishment. The view from the patio includes two tree limbs lit up with the glittering and sinister “Poison Ivy” by local artist Dahlia Luttwak. The sleek bronze nude, “Pomona,” by Maillol, overlooks newcomers reclining on the grass nearby: two equally buxom nudes, “Transitions/Displacements” by Ledelle Moe. Leonardo Nierman’s “Flame and Friendship” and Mark White’s steel “Blooming Lily” seem to flicker and burn under moving patches of sunlight and shadow.These are just a few of the artworks and sculptures that interact with the landscape to create a panorama of drama and delight. The Kreegers’ son, Peter, says his parents created “a work of art to house their works of art.” The Kreegers’ very personal collection can become equally personal for everyone who visits. Get to know David and Carmen’s friends; they would have wanted it that way. Donna Evers, devers@eversco.com, is the owner of the largest woman owned and run real estate firm in the Washington Metro area, the proprietor of Twin oaks Tavern Winery in Bluemont,VA, and a devoted student of Washington area history.
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The Kreeger Museum Sculpture Garden
HOME LIFE | OVER THE MOON
Historic Homes and Gardens Hunt Country residents gather to celebrate Spring at historic houses during the Upperville Garden Club’s Daffodil Show and Historic Garden Week in Middleburg. BY VICKY MOON
Belle Grove, a Federal house built in 1812, will be open on April 24 and 25 during Historic Garden Week in Middleburg. The daffodils and tulips will be in full bloom. (Photo courtesy of Missy Janes)
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s spring bursts forth in Middleburg, sweet foals are napping near their mothers in the morning sun near broad yellow swaths of dancing daffodils. And, with this welcome growth comes the dazzling Upperville Garden Club Daffodil Show. Historic and intimate Buchanan Hall on the eastern edge of Upperville is awash in vibrant colors with a highly competitive array of daffodils: large cupped, small cupped, doubles, one or more flowers to a stem and Jonquilla. Susan Grayson and Caroline Nash Helmly are co-chairing the event, with a 2 p.m. start time on April 12. Admission is free (donations accepted) and of course, tea will be served. Just who among the 50-plus exhibitors will come away with a blue ribbon remains the only lingering question. The flower spectacle out here does not stop with the daffodils. The dogwood trees are now flourishing and tulips in lively primary pigments follow when Historic Garden Week in Virginia comes to Middleburg on Sunday, April 24 and Monday, April 25. Four homes and gardens will be on display. One of them, “Belle Grove,” is a Federal house built in 1812 by Isaac Settle, tavern keeper and postmaster in Paris (Virginia). It has been
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restored and furnished with antiques belonging to the current owner. Heart pine floors, handcarved mantelpieces and faux-grained doors add warmth and elegance. One wing has a separate summer kitchen connected by a hyphen, and its unusual sevenfoot wide fireplace is still visible. A stone smokehouse is out in back and the views from Belle Grove have changed little since the Civil War. Mature Kentucky coffee, ginkgo and holly as well as dogwood and flowering fruit trees shade the lawn, and a spring perennial bed graces the front walkway. Belle Grove remained in the SettleEdmonds family for 155 years and is now on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places and, of course, is protected by a conservation easement. MORE ON FLORALS: There’s word that the late Bunny Mellon’s Upperville Oak Spring Library, the research foundation she created on the history, future of plants, gardens, botanical art and their roles in society, has a new president. Sir Peter Crane will step into this role in July. He hails from Yale, where he served as the Carl W. Knobloch Jr. Dean of the School of
Forestry & Environmental Studies and Professor of Botany. He has a strong background and expertise on diversity of plant life. Crane previously served as a director of the Field Museum in Chicago where he was involved with scientific programs. From 1999 to 2006 he was director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of the world’s largest and most influential botanical sites. His tenure there was marked by record growth of the gardens’ scientific, conservation and public programs. Oak Spring is on 122 acres of the Mellon estate as part of Little Oak Spring and is open only to scholars. It’s not all about fragrant flowers this spring. Don’t forget the heaven-sent scent of fried chicken, always a staple at the Middleburg Spring Races set for Saturday, April 23 at Glenwood Park. For this, we divulge an insider’s secret … don’t miss Pam Lawson’s famous chicken at Nick’s Deli in Marshall. REAL ESTATE NEWS: Fifty-four of the original 2,000 acres of the late Paul and Bunny Mellon’s estate recently sold for $1,325,000. Listed by Washington Fine Properties LLC, the open parcel was sold by Susie Ashcom of Thomas & Talbot.
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home life | in memoriam
In Memoriam
Washington loses two remarkable ladies who blazed the path for women in real estate Cathie Gill
Cathie Gill took an interest in real estate going back to her youth on the North Shore of Boston, where she’d accompany her father, a real estate investor, on monthly rounds to collect rent checks. She arrived in Washington in the early 1960s and became an instructor at The Beauvoir School. Her early passion for real estate led her back to her father’s livelihood, and subsequently, through hard work and dogged perserverence, she parlayed her passion into a business, Cathie Gill Inc, which brokered $1 billion in sales transactions over three decades in the nation’s capital. “She sought to run her business like a family, while also drawing upon her experience as a teacher,” recalls her son John Gill, now vice president of the firm his mother started. “Her desk was a teacher’s desk and the office, which at its peak had 50 agents, was open, much like a classroom.” Cathie launched her real estate brokerage in 1985 with commissions made on the $6.6 million sale of “The Rocks” estate
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in Crestwood to Sen. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller IV. While the estate’s historic sale defined her early career, her crowning achievement was the $21 million sale of 2101 Foxhall Road (now the Phillips Park development), the third highest in the City’s history. As with many of her clients, there was no public listing, and Cathie represented both the buyers and the seller. Her clients were royalty and foreign governments, prominent families, high-ranking politicians, universities, members of the Forbes 400, and an Indian tribe, as well as young families and recent college graduates. “Whether it was a multi-million-dollar listing or a studio rental, the client would always get Cathie’s interest and attention, and she would work equally hard on both to ensure a successful outcome,” John Gill said. “For that very reason, quite a few individuals she rented apartments to when they first came to Washington eventually purchased a home from her, too, many years later ... If ever there was an example of someone finding his or her ‘true calling,’ my mother was that person. She was fortunate enough to find a career she both loved and excelled at — her innate competitive nature and ‘working seven days a week’ work ethic took it from there.” - John Gill
Pat Dixson Pat Dixson, who had suffered for 20 years from early-onset Alzheimers, died on Dec. 22 at age 72. She was a golden child of Washington real estate, possessing a Midas Touch that seemed to make every transaction turn to gold. Millions of dollars worth of real estate sales passed through her boutique office. Dixson was the stuff of the legend in her trade after setting a local single home transaction record — one that held for years — with the $14 million sale of the Foxhall Road estate of arts patrons Duncan and Marjorie Phillips in 1989. Her secret was that she earned her rewards,
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consistently doing more than others would be prepared to do and knowing more than they were willing to find out. She especially understood the inner workings and the potential problems of the older historic homes that were so much in demand in Washington, especially in Georgetown. Her celebrity clients included members of the Bush family, Sen. George McGovern and film director Francis Ford Coppola. She herself lived in a big Georgetown house with historic provenance (hers had once been owned by Sen. Robert Taft). The enormous parties she
hosted are still remembered for their eclectic guest lists, flowing bar and delicious food that ranged from Swedish gravlax to Popeye’s chicken. Dixson was born in an Orlando, Fla. but grew up in North Carolina. Her Southern accent and ways, especially her sense of hospitality, were great assets in her life and she would have been the first to agree that being blonde and beautiful also helped. Donna Shor
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MY WASHINGTON Braden Holtby, Goaltender,Washington Capitals BY ERICA MOODY
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HOW DOES LIVING IN WASHINGTON COMPARE TO CANADA? WAS WASHINGTON WHAT YOU EXPECTED AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE CITY? I’m from a small town in Canada, so I had to adjust a bit upon moving to such a busy city. I love D.C. We’ve been fortunate to settle into a really great area in the region [Old Town Alexandria,Va.] with a nice, close-knit community feel to it, sort of like living in a small town but with all the benefits D.C. offers, from historical sites and restaurants to shopping and events. YOU AND YOUR WIFE BRANDI HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN. HOW DO YOU MANAGE TAKING CARE OF TWO INFANTS AND STAYING WELL RESTED FOR GAMES? It’s tough, but we manage. On practice and off-days I’m fortunate to spend a lot of time with them as a regular dad while keeping up with routines that keep me rested for game days. We have summers off so we use that time to recover mentally and physically and spend as much time together as a family then, too. During the season while I’m gone, my wife and kids meet up with friends with children at parks and get out in the community and stay busy. We’ve met some great families through the preschool program and the kids have a lot of playdates that keep them busy when I’m on the road with the team.
WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE ATHLETE GROWING UP AND WHY? Growing up, it was Derek Jeter. I liked the way he’s the ultimate professional. He always came up big in the big games. PITTSBURGH, PHILLY, N.Y. RANGERS. WHO DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR BIGGEST RIVAL AND WHY? They are all pretty similar but we have played the Rangers more in the playoffs, so you have to say them. IN PRACTICE, WHO HAS THE BEST SHOOTOUT MOVES? T.J. Oshie by far. OBVIOUSLY HE’S ONE OF THE BEST IN THE LEAGUE BUT WHO’S SECOND BEST? AND IS IT EVEN CLOSE? On our team, Kuzy [Evgeny Kuznetsov] and Backy [Nicklas Bäckström] are second best, tied closely behind Osh [T.J. Oshie]. Kuzy is very skilled in the shootout and Backy can be pretty sneaky in how he moves the puck, which works well to our advantage.
MY TOP SPOTS Billy Reid (1) (3211 M Street NW) Billy Reid is an amazing designer and the boutique is one of my favorite places to get suits. National Building Museum (2) (401 F St. NW) The museum has a great location in D.C. and there’s always a unique exhibit to explore and learn from. Virtue Feed & Grain (3) (106 S. Union St., Alexandria, Va.) This is one of my favorite spots. The food, along with the bar atmosphere, is a great combination. Chadwicks (4) (203 Strand St., Alexandria, Va.) Another one of my favorites in Old Town. It is a nice English pub with a good menu. Firehook Bakery (430 S Washington St., Alexandria, Va.) Whenever I want to please my sweet tooth or just have a nice cup of coffee, this is my favorite spot.
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he Washington Capitals are thrilling hometown fans with a historically dominant season. But what’s extra special is that on a team full of explosive goal scorers like Alex Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov, it’s the guy keeping the puck out of the net, Braden Holtby, who may just be the team’s MVP. His personal season statistics will likely go down as one of the most successful goaltending campaigns in NHL history. But Holtby is focused on one prize: Washington’s first Stanley Cup. >>