KICK UP YOUR HEELS!
THE A-LIST TURNS HEADS
PA RT PAIES! RT PA IE RT S! IE S!
THE WASHINGTON BALLET PREMIERES SEPTIME WEBRE’S ‘HEMINGWAY THE SUN ALSO RISES’
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR INTRODUCES THE FAMED CYRUS CYLINDER TO WASHINGTON PLUS DANNY GLOVER’S AFRICA PASSION | ARTS OUTLOOK | FASHION GOES TROPICAL TWO GEORGETOWN MANSIONS FETCH MILLION
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SPECIAL FEATURE
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THE A-LIST
HOLLYWOOD ON THE POTOMAC
Mighty Olympus..................................................
EDITOR'S LETTER ................................
'Good Son' screening ............................................. Toast to Congress ...............................................
FYIDC
Proust Plus with Danny Glover .............................
INSIDER'S GUIDE ..................................... THE DISH ................................................. SOCIAL CALENDAR ................................ WHO'S NEXT Entrepreneur Spencer Gerrol ........
Passion for Peace .............................................. Alma Powell's life of service ..................................... America's Promise Luncheon for Alma Powell .............
HOTEL WATCH
Reigniting History with Jonathan Tisch ......................
Georgetown Institute on Women, Peace and Security Launch.............................................. Heroes Curing Childhood Cancer ..........................
OVER THE MOON Movie Time in Middleburg ..... Studio Theatre Gala ............................................
St. Jude Gourmet Gala ..........................................
Cathedral Choral Society Gala .............................. Maryland Youth Ballet Gala .................................
POLLYWOOD Cyrus the Great Comes to America ........................... Sackler Gallery of Art Opening for 'Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia' Exhibition............ British Embassy Reception for Cyrus Cylinder .............
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Nowruz Commission Gala ..................................... PAAIA Norooz Reception ................
EMBASSY ROW A Pope and a Prime Minister ......... Kennedy Center Nordic Festival............ Gavin Newsom Book Party ...............
LIFESTYLES
Karin Tanabe Book Party .....................................
FASHION 'Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises' ...... GLITTERATI What a Pair ............................... TREND REPORT Island Style ......................... TREND REPORT Pretty Pastels ....................... PERFORMING ARTS Perfect Pitch ................
Urban League Gala.............................................
SOME Gala ..................................................... Georgetown House Tour Kick Off .......................... Chance for Life Charity Event .............................. Parties! Parties! Parties!........................................
WASHINGTON SOCIAL DIARY
HOME LIFE
AROUND TOWN
Alvin Ailey Opening Night Gala ..........................
INSIDE HOMES John Mason's hybrid loft ......... FURNISHINGS Home Made decor....................... OPEN HOUSE Real Estate Blooms ..................... REAL ESTATE NEWS Lucky Sevens..................
THEARC's Wacky and Whimsical Tea Party ..............
MY WASHINGTON Cathy Lanier's favorite places ...
First LadiesYesterday and Tomorrow........................... Teach for America Gala ..........................................
ON THE COVER The Washington Ballet's Emily Ellis, Nicole Naskins and Morgan Rose as the Can Can girls in "Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises." Photo shoot design and art direction by Design Army. (Photo by Dean Alexander) TOP FROM LEFT Alma Powell and Ann Jordan at the Luncheon for Alma Powell (Photo by Kyle Samperton); The Cyrus Cylinder, the highlight of an exhibition of Persian artifacts dating from 550 B.C. to 331 B.C., on display through April 28 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art (Photo by Tony Powell); Diem Larsen and Molly Pomeroy at the Heroes Curing Childhood Cancer Gala (Photo by Ben Droz); KATE SPADE strapless "Karmen" dress ($398) and "Radio Samira" clutch ($298), Kate Spade, 3061 M St. NW, Washington, D.C., www.katespade.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 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Anne Kim-Dannibale MANAGING EDITOR
Alison McLaughlin SENIOR EDITOR
Kevin Chaffee ASSISTANT EDITORS
Brittney Dunkins and Laura Wainman COLUMNISTS
Janet Donovan, Roland Flamini, Patrick D. McCoy,Vicky Moon, Stacey Grazier Pfarr and Donna Shor
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
J.C. Suarès GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Matt Rippetoe
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Dean Alexander, Matt Allen, Brett Bagley,Tony Brown, Ben Droz, Alfredo Flores,Tony Powell, Kyle Samperton and Sheryl Marie Tauzon
PUBLISHER & CEO
Soroush Richard Shehabi ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
John H. Arundel ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Kaitlin Froelick, Sheila Menn and Christina Salek-Raham BOOKKEEPER
Trina Hodges WEB TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT
iStrategyLabs LEGAL
Ackerman Brown PLLC INTERNS
Chelsea Coli and Rebecca Lathe FOUNDER
Vicki Bagley 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.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Beyond the Politics Washington is inundated with news about its politicians, diplomats, media stars and philanthropists and we do our best to keep up with the headlines when compiling our annual A-List of the capital’s major movers and shakers. While we’ve certainly taken note of recent Cabinet changes by adding Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (among others) to this year’s roster, other additions are more reflective of individuals who excel by sheer force of their powerful creative genius. That said, we’re pleased to learn more about Philippe Auguin and Francesca Zambello, the new music and artistic directors, respectively, of the Washington National Opera and know you’ll enjoy learning more about these international music superstars by reading their replies to Washington Life’s signature Proust Plus questionnaires. As far as combining art and politics is concerned, there has been quite a buzz surrounding the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art’s latest exhibition, “The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A new beginning for the Middle East.” The 2,600year-old Persian artifact is often referred to as the first bill of human rights because it details the story of Persian King Cyrus the Great’s religious tolerance.The account of how he freed Jews who had been held captive in Babylon is inscribed on the Cylinder, which began its five-city U.S. tour right here in the District. Ernest Hemingway fans and balletomanes alike will be flocking to the Kennedy Center this month to see the world premiere of Septime Webre’s “Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises.” We partnered with creative firm Design Army and photographer Dean Alexander in this month’s fashion shoot to give you a sneak peek at the gorgeous Old World costumes and the dance talent you can expect to see on stage. Our thermometers weren’t exactly registering the temperatures
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we were hoping for at press time, but since spring has officially sprung we do have delicate pastels and island style to get you in the spirit of the season. In another staffing change in the Washington music world, Scott Tucker, the new conductor for the Choral Arts Society of Washington, chatted with WL’s Performing Arts columnist Patrick McCoy about why he made the switch from the academic to the performing world after 17 years and what he wants to bring to the Capital’s music scene. Plus, we give you our editor’s picks for not-to-be-missed performances for the coming months. As always, we bring you the best of the Washington social scene from book parties for former WL managing editor Karin Tanabe and California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom to an evening of wine and peace with Danny Glover, THEARC’s always adorable Wacky and Whimsical Tea Party and St. Jude’s Gourmet Gala. We hope to see you this month at several Washington Lifesponsored events, including the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards, the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, Trust for the National Mall’s Benefit Luncheon and the Catholic Charities Gala. Keep your calendars open in May for the Refugees International Dinner and the Kennedy Center Spring Gala.
Nancy R. Bagley Editor in Chief Readers wishing to contact Nancy Bagley can email her at nbagley@washingtonlife.com
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FYIDC The Insider’s Guide to Washington
world’s largest tailgate
VIRGINIA GOLD CUP! It’s a Spring tradition held continuously since 1922, a fixture on the social calendar and known as the world’s largest tailgate. On Saturday, May 6 about 50,000 people will pour onto Great Meadow Field Events Center just outside the postage stamp-sized village of The Plains,VA. (pop. 387) for the 88th Running of The Virginia Gold Cup, sponsored again this year by Washington Life magazine. Race day kicks off with Jack Russell Terrier races, followed by six hurdle and timber horses races, tent, tailgate and hat contests, and over 40 vendor booths for shopping. www.vagold.cup.com
Silk ties and Spring Style
GET THE LOOK!
Wardrobe stuck in the winter doldrums? Head over to Saks Fifth Avenue, Tyson’s Galleria (2051 International Dr., McLean, Va.) and its new Armani Collezioni Men’s Shop, featuring upscale evening wear and the tailored-to-perfection Made-to-Measure collection. David Nelove, the much-admired brand’s vice president popped into the grand opening, and though his visit was short, the iconic Armani style is here to stay. www.saksfifthavenue.com/armani.
Art Unveiled
DISTRICT PATRON’S PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
The spectacular collections of a group of District art lovers are on display this month through Transformer Gallery’s (1404 P St. NW) annual Collector’s View series. Showcasing the relationship between patrons and the artists and celebrating how these relationships spur the local arts community is at the root of this behind-the-scenes exhibition featuring the in-home collections of Andrea Evers and Brian Aitken, Jean and Gary Cohen, Deborah Kalkstein and Carlos Bachrach, Aaron M. Levin and Associates and Anne Luskey. There’s sure to be a crowd so get your tickets early for this highly anticipated event. www.transformerdc.org. Editor’s Quick Pick
COCKTAILS AND CREATIVITY
Art Jamz (1728 Connecticut Ave. NW), the art studio that
combines nightlife with creative expression, is back and better than ever with a brand new split-level loft studio. The year-old spot for unforgettable hands-on art experiences still offers top-notch cocktails and the chance to free your inner Pollock with access to paints, brushes and more in a larger space. www.artjamzdc.com.
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P H OTO S C O U RT E SY O F E AC H C O M PA N Y
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FYIDC | THE DISH
GLOBE-TROTTING GOURMET Chef Jacob Esko dishes on his love for local fare and his fresh take on classic cuisine
For over 20-years, Swedish chef Jakob Esko has cooked his way across the globe. Now, as executive chef of the Grill Room at the brand new Capella Hotel in Georgetown (1050 31st St. NW), this world traveller is shaking up the Washington culinary scene with locally-sourced ingredients and distinctly memorable dining. Our two sons were born in Barcelona. This is the fifth country they have lived in and my younger son is only 5 years old. DESCRIBE THE MOOD AND STYLE OF THE GRILL ROOM It’s a comfortable environment with dramatic wall-to-ceiling windows and a view of the canal. It also features a patio and canal-front dining. WHAT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL ITEM ON THE MENU? The most unusual might be one of the classics — the baked Alaska. I have not seen this dish on a restaurant menu in the last 10 years. It is unusual and at the same time very recognizable. WHAT IS YOUR SIGNATURE DISH? The rye whiskey and alderwood marinated salmon with lavender cream is a dish that comes with Scandinavian tradition in preparation and at the same time blends perfectly with American rye whiskey and smoked alder wood. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PAIRING FROM THE GRILL ROOM AND RYE BAR? We created a rye and parsley gratinated bone marrow that is perfect as a bar snack to share or as a dish in our Grill Room. WHAT DISH WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS FOR A TRULY “D C EXPERIENCE?” Our steak tartar, which is prepared table-side, is an experience with local connection. We are using locally farmed, dry-aged beef and one of the ingredients is the fantastic Gordy’s Pickles made here in D.C.
WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST JOB AS A CHEF? I was very lucky to start my first job at a 1-star Michelin restaurant outside Zurich, Switzerland. The staff was only the owner, a sous chef, and myself — so it was a very intense learning experience. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN WASHINGTON? I have only been here for six weeks, but my wife is from here, so re-location was easy.
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ON YOUR DAY OFF WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO EAT IN WASHINGTON? I had an excellent dinner last weekend at Cashion’s Eat Place. Chef Manolatos really knows how to cook and the atmosphere was great. Everything we ate was full of flavor. I have also had impressive meals at Mintwood Place and Fiola. I’m looking forward to trying out some additional restaurants soon. WHAT DO YOU HOPE PATRONS TAKE AWAY FROM A MEAL AT THE GRILL ROOM? It is my hope that Grill Room diners can connect with new ingredients and be pleasantly surprised by the flavor differences they find in loved ingredients when they are carefully — Brittney Dunkins selected with an eye for quality.
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COURTE SY PHOTO
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A CHEF? In my family, and in most families in northern Sweden, it is common for the men to do the majority of the cooking. I have cooked since I was very little, when I started baking and preparing desserts, which I still love to do. I went on to study for two years at culinary school in Umea, Sweden.
FYIDC | SOCIAL CALENDAR
APRIL
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VITAL VOICES GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS The Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards celebrate women leaders around the world who are the unsung heros working to strengthen democracy, increase economic opportunity and protect human rights. Every year since 2002, the organization has gathered to honor women who are social entrepreneurs, political representatives, businesswomen, human rights defenders and civil society advocates. 7:30 p.m.; Kennedy Center Opera House; $350; contact BernadetteCastillo@vitalvoices. org, 202-636-8743.
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S&R FOUNDATION OVERTURES SPRING CONCERT SERIES URBAN TANGO TRIO
Urban Tango Trio consists of Latin-Grammy winner Octavio Brunetti on piano; Machiko Ozawa, former concertmaster of Orquesta Sinfonica Sinaloa de Las Artes, on violin; and acclaimed composer/arranger Pedro Giraudo on bass. Together they capture the passion and excitement of Argentine tango in a repertoire ranging from traditional favorites to contemporary interpretations. 6 p.m.; Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage; tickets are free; more information at overturesseries.org/performances/ bios/urban-tango-trio.
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THEATREWASHINGTON HELEN HAYES AWARDS
This highly anticipated black-tie evening pays homage to the venerable Helen Hayes by honoring the best and brightest stars of the Washington theater world. 6:30 p.m. reception, 8 p.m. awards program, and 10:30 p.m. gala; Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW; tickets start at $400; sponsorships start at $8,000; contact Lindsay Esser, 202-337-4572.
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Charlotte Buxton and Robin Stiner at the 5th annual Trust for the National Mall Benefit Luncheon (Photo by Tony Powell)
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GREAT LADIES LUNCHEON AND FASHION SHOW
Co-sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, Elise and Mark Lefkowitz and the Estée Lauder Companies to benefit the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, the event honors public television advocate Sharon Percy Rockefeller with a fashion show featuring designs by first-lady-favorite Jason Wu. Kathleen Matthews moderates a pre-lunch seminar featuring Dr. Howard Fillit with NBC4’s Barbara Harrison as emcee. 11 a.m.;Tent outside Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase; $200; contact Kerri Larkin, 240-497-5318.
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WASHINGTON PERFORMING
ARTS SOCIETY GALA This black-tie evening of song and dance chaired by Ruth and Arne Sorenson offers a spectacular auction and a performance by “Glee” star Matthew Morrison. 6 p.m. cocktails and auction, 7:30 p.m. dinner and entertainment; the Ritz-Carlton,Washington D.C., 1150 22nd St. NW; $600; contact Roger Whyte, 202-533-1891.
2012 Outstanding Supporting Actor Sean Lynch and Resident Musical Award recipient, Matthew DeLorenzo at the 28th Helen Hayes Awards (Photo by Tony Powell)
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FASHION FOR PAWS RUNWAY SHOW
A who’s who of local pet owners gather for this nationally acclaimed one-ofa-kind fashion extravaganza where canine loving philanthropists walk the runway with their beloved pups. The evening includes a seated dinner attended by more than 1,700 guests. This year’s fundraiser is chaired by Tommy McFly, Charlotte Pindeda, Dr. Katy Nelson, Denise Durgin and Susan Ostrowski. 7 p.m. VIP reception, 8 p.m. dinner; National Building Museum, 440 G St. NW; cocktail attire; tickets start at $150, tables at $10,000; contact fashionforpaws.org.
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MARCH OF DIMES GOURMET GALA Political heavyweights bring their best recipes to the table to raise funds for March of Dimes’ medical research and healthcare programs. Over 25 competitors including members of Congress and their spouses take part in the black-tie evening co-chaired by Julianne Chambliss and Helen Green. 6 p.m. reception; National Building Museum, 440 G St. NW; black tie; tickets are $1,500; contact Tina Cavucci, 571-257-2308; ccavucci@marchofdimes.com.
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year with proceeds benefiting the Corcoran College of Art and Design community outreach programs and scholarship fund. 7 p.m. dinner; 8:15 dancing; Corcoran Gallery of Art, black tie; $500; sponsorships start at $10,000; contact Libby Hefler, hampdenla@aol.com.
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SIGNATURE THEATRE STEPHEN SONDHEIM AWARDS
Featuring performances by Carolee Carmello, Rebecca Luker and Emily Skinner and honoring famed director and producer Harold “Hal” Prince, this black-tie affair is a must-attend for musical lovers. 6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner and award presentation; Embassy of Italy, 3000 Whitehaven St.; $150; contact Zack Lynch, 571-527-1828.
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TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL BENEFIT LUNCHEON More than one thousand of the capital’s most influential civic, philanthropic and social leaders gather for a formal luncheon in a vast tent to support the restoration and improvement of the National Mall. 11:30 a.m.; National Mall; Spring hats encouraged for ladies,
business attire for all; $500; contact 202-4079408, nationalmall.org.
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THE NATION INSTITUTE’S RIDENHOUR PRIZES
Presented by the Nation Institute and Fertel Foundation, this annual event celebrates the protection of the public interest and social justice and the legacy of investigative journalist Ron Ridenhour. The evening culminates in the presentation of four awards, the Book Prize, Courage Prize, Documentary Film Prize and Prize for Truth Telling. 12 p.m.; National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW; contact 212-812-0251, ridenhou@nationinstitute.org.
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CATHOLIC CHARITIES GALA This black-tie evening features dinner, dancing and performances by the Spazmatics, a hilarious New Wave ’80s band. The night culminates in a young professionals after-party and benefits Catholic Charities’ efforts to foster a spirit of community through service. 6:30 p.m.; Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Rd. NW; black-tie; $350; contact Kimani Superville, 202-772-4331.
THE CORCORAN BALL
Hosted by the Corcoran Women’s Committee, the ball celebrates its 58th
SAVE THE DATE :/ 6321625(' (9(176
MAY 2 REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL DINNER MAY 3 PHILIPS COLLECTION GALA MAY 4 BALL ON THE MALL MAY 5 KENNEDY CENTER SPRING GALA MAY 10 WASHINGTON TENNIS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION TENNIS BALL MAY 16 PUBLIC CITIZEN GALA
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T.C. Osterander, Pamela Brown, Sen. Mark Warner and Lisa Colis at the 2012 Corcoran Ball (Photo by Kyle Samperton)
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FYIDC | WHO’S NEXT
WHO’S NEXT Spencer Gerrol, founder and CEO of SPARK Experience Design PHOTO BY SHERYL MARIE TUAZON
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n 2009, when Spencer Gerrol told friends and family that he was leaving his stable, executive-level position with a large company to start his own design firm, they told him he was crazy. Though he didn’t have a lot of money saved up and the economy had tanked, Gerrol, now 30, took a leap of faith. “I literally felt I was jumping off a cliff without a parachute,” he says. “But I knew if I could just get one client, I would make it.” Nearly four years later, Gerrol and his team have designed for thousands of clients, from PepsiCo. and other Fortune 500 companies to government agencies and nonprofits.. WHAT MAKES SPARK DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DESIGN FIRMS IN WASHINGTON? There are thousands of Web design and creative agencies, some of which are very innovative and that I have incredible respect for. But, they are basing their designs on instinct, and though they are often good instincts heading in the right direction, they aren’t grounded in the principles of human psychology.You need to understand how people are motivated and why they make decisions before you can create effective, usable and engaging designs. SPARK Experience Design was created to mix the aesthetic side with science and empirical data. Our creative team works directly with the Ph. D. psychologists we have on staff to produce evidence-based Web and mobile app designs. HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR STARTING AND RUNNING A BUSINESS? It is a threefold combination of education, experience and mentorship. I was lucky that I was educated in the exact field I ended up in; that is not usually true for most people. Second, I worked in the field of design and usability long enough to climb to executive levels which allowed me to see what they were doing right and what I’d want to emulate,
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mentors and not letting ego get in the way of learning. This is my first startup and there was a lot I didn’t know, so I knew I needed the mentorship of older, wiser people who have already lived what I am trying to do. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESS AS A BUSINESS OWNER? This year we were recognized by Empact100 as one of the top 100 companies started by entrepreneurs. There was a ceremony at the White House and it was incredibly flattering and humbling at the same time. It was amazing to be around all these talented entrepreneurs and to have our team be recognized.
as well as learn from what they were doing wrong. I had the advantage of seeing how a company is run at every level, from bottomlevel grunt work to the top of the totem pole. I’ve also consulted for dozens of companies and I’ve learned that the internal politics of most companies is very dysfunctional. I wanted to create a family-like atmosphere at SPARK in which we all support one another. Third, is taking advice from my
WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO DESIGN FOR HERE AND WHAT WOULD YOU CREATE? Honest Tea. We love their mission, identify with their local story, share their values, drink their product and have a particular expertise in the beverage industry. We would design an app that sparks a movement of greater social responsibility among consumers and ignites a viral campaign that creates positive change while connecting the Honest Tea brand with repairing the world. The brand would expand along with contagious benevolence.
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POLLYWOOD The Nexus of Politics﹐ Hollywood﹐ Media and Diplomacy | America’s Promise Luncheon for Alma Powell and more!
Empress Farah Pahlavi and Rudi Bakhtiar at the Nowruz Commission celebration at The Mellon Auditorium. (Photo by Tony Brown)
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CYRUS THE GREAT
COMES TO AMERICA THE CYRUS CYLINDER+ A + -YEAR-OLD ICON OF IRANIAN RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE+ STARTS A FIVE-CITY U/S/ TOUR AT THE ARTHUR M/ SACKLER GALLERY OF ART IN WASHINGTON/ E D I T E D BY N A N CY B AG L E Y A N D S O R O U S H S H E H A B I
As CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour recently noted, “Today we are served an almost daily diet of tensions and threats among Iran and Israel and the United States over Iran’s nuclear program. But not many may know that 2,600 years ago Jews and Iranians — then called Persians — lived in harmony, and that the Jews owed their very freedom to the Persian King, Cyrus the Great. This little clay object, the Cyrus Cylinder, tells us why. One can read the story in the Old Testament, how the first temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, who forced the Jewish people into exile and captivity until the Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon and freed the Jews to go home and rebuild their temple. His account is written on this ancient clay. And if you look closely, you can see the cuneiform figures, the oldest form of writing, carved into the surface.”
director of the British Museum, at the opening night of the Cyrus Cylinder exhibition and tour, made possible by a partnership between the British Museum, the Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art.
And there by the waters of Babylon, they sat down and wept. And then, Cyrus arrives and allows all the deported people, not only the Jews, but especially the Jews, to go home, to take with them the vessels from the temple that had been stolen and to rebuild the temple.The reason why the cylinder is so interesting is because most people in Europe and America only know the story from the Hebrew bible.They know the story of the Jews coming back, rebuilding the temple, Cyrus having allowed them to go. This is the story from the other side, from the Persian end. So this document is a great document in the story of Israel and in the story of Iran. And that’s why it’s so powerful now.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Why is this 2,600-year-old cylinder so important today? NEIL MACGREGOR: [The Cylinder reflects] the first serious attempt to govern a society or state of people from different nationalities and faiths. The ancient Persian Empire was the first empire to address that. What Cyrus decides after he conquers Babylon, in 539 B.C., is that he is going to allow the ‘It’s not just a touchstone for different communities to go home to the lands Jews and a source of Iranian idenfrom where they’d been deported and allow all the different parts of his empire to worship tity, it also helps form the basis their own gods.This is an astonishing statement of democracy and human rights of how you run a multicultural, multi-faith in Europe and at the founding of society. It’s 2,600 years old but we all know the United States of America.’ it’s what we need today to think about just as —CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR much. That’s why it matters. CA: I hadn’t been aware of the incredible role that the ancient Persian King Cyrus plays in the life of Jews, in the life of Jerusalem. NM: He’s absolutely central, the Jews had been attacked by the Syrians, by Nebuchadnezzar, by Belshazzar and the people of Jerusalem had been taken captive and deported to Babylon.
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CA: Do you think it has some kind of worth, particularly today, when we’re in a state of really bad relations between Israel and Iran, between the United States and Iran? NM: The Cyrus Cylinder reminds us how strange the [political] situation is today, because through all Jewish history from the prophet Isaiah, from Ezra onwards, Cyrus and the Iranians are the good rulers. They’re the rulers who allowed the Jews to return. And when the British government in 1917 issued the Balfour declaration to create the homeland for the Jews in Israel, the Jews of Eastern Europe compared King George V to the Persian King Cyrus. Cyrus has always been a hero in Jewish tradition. So, the current state of relations is an odd historical phenomenon. Same in the United States, because when the Founding Fathers in the 18th century
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P H OTO BY TO N Y P OW E L L
The following are excerpts from a discussion between Amanpour and Neil MacGregor,
were trying to decide how to govern the U.S., what role religion would play, this was the model. We know that Jefferson had two copies of the biography of Cyrus in his library and that he told his grandson that he should study the life of Cyrus. The United States Constitution is, in many ways, a reflection of these ideas. If you want people to live peacefully together, you need to allow different kinds of religion in the same state. So, it’s very odd that Iran and the U.S. are in this state at the moment, because they each share the same founding principles. CA: I heard you say that the Cyrus Cylinder is an even more important document in terms of governance, human rights and freedom than the American Constitution or even the Magna Carta. NM: Well it’s much older than either of them but the three do deserve to be put together. The Cyrus Cylinder, the Magna Carta and the American Constitution are all part of a dream of what a society could be, what a society should be. One of the things that I found very fascinating, is that a couple of years ago, the British museum lent the Cyrus Cylinder to Tehran, and it became in Tehran a focus of real national pride. This is part of Iran’s story that needs to be remembered.
that can be part of an Islamic tradition. CA: Did all of this surprise you? NM: It surprised me very much and I think it’s worth thinking about when we look at the role that the Cyrus Cylinder plays. Here is a state, thought of as exclusively Islamic, which quite deliberately focused on pre-Islamic Iran and articulated that the values set out in the
‘The Cyrus Cylinder reminds us how strange the [political] situation is today, because through all Jewish history from the prophet Isaiah, from Ezra onwards, Cyrus and the Iranians are the good rulers. They’re the rulers who allowed the Jews to return.’— NEIL MACGREGOR Cyrus Cylinder of religious toleration are Iranian values. Just as in the Parliament of the Islamic Republic there are still seats reserved for Christians, Zoroastrians and Jews. So Cyrus’ ideal lives on in the Islamic Republic. CA: What did the Iranians want you to do, did they want you to bring it here to the U.S.?
P H OTOS BY H A SA N SAR BAK H S H I AN
CA: How did it come that you took the cylinder to Iran? NM: The request came from the Iranians. One of the roles of museums like the Sackler and the British Museum is to ensure that the community of scholarly research goes on functioning as a community, whatever is happening politically. We’ve been trying in recent years to show the history of Iran to the public, because you can only understand a country if you understand its history and above all how it sees its history. I was surprised that the Cylinder is the one thing they wanted to borrow. It was shown on its own to great acclaim in Tehran [and there was a] great debate.What I found fascinating is the role Cyrus has played in the Jewish tradition and later in the Christian tradition. But interestingly [Iranian Vice President] Mashaei began talking about Cyrus as a forerunner of the prophet, embodying values
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Image of Persepolis at the entrace to The Cyrus Cylinder exhibit.
NM: Yes, we talked a lot about this. And when it was in Iran there was a great deal of discussion because this is not just part of Iran’s history, but of the whole Middle East, and indeed of the world. It has shaped the way people think ever since. We talked about our desire to bring it to the United States and that was met with great enthusiasm by the Iranian government. CA: By President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? NM: Yes. He talked very interestingly about Cyrus. He also is an heir of Cyrus, like Jefferson, like everybody else. Of course, everybody wants to be Cyrus’ heir. He was talking about the Cyrus Cylinder as representing Iran’s commitment to justice and to different religions living together. I think he wanted very much that the world be reminded of this part of Iran’s history and that there’s a long history of Iran being the voice of tolerance. CA: So in sum, Cyrus and his heirs, Darius, and on and on, represented a multicultural, multifaith tolerance. Is that what they represent? NM: What they represent is the first recognition that if you’re going to run a society with different languages and different beliefs, you cannot impose one system by force. You need to find a way of getting the consent of your different peoples by recognizing their diversity. And that is the question we all now address when you live in a world city like London, where there are hundreds of different nationalities, languages and religions living together. But there’s only been one empire that really ever accommodated those differences and it is the ancient Persian one. That’s why it has become again a period of history that people want to study and we can learn from. How did the Persians, for several centuries, hold together this extraordinarily diverse group of people, in moderate peace and in great prosperity? CA: I really am fascinated about how Thomas Jefferson was so devoted to it as well and had, as you say, copies of the biography of Cyrus. I’ve read that the Cyrus biography was required reading in the 18th century, along with Machiavelli, for all who wanted to go into
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Thomas Jefferson’s copy of Cyrus the Great’s biography, “Cyropaedia” by Xenophon (Photo by Reza Ganji/IHF America)
“I would advise you to undertake a regular course of History and Poetry in both languages. In Greek, go first thro’ the Cyropaedia, and then read Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon’s Hellenus and Anabasis...” - THOMAS JEFFERSON, from a letter written to his grandson, 1820
Gold plaque showing Persian Zoroastrian priest, from the time of Cyrus the Great (Photo by Reza Ganji/IHF America)
The Cyrus Cylinder tour was made possible by a partnership between the British Museum, the Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art. Numerous Iranian American organizations and individuals have contributed their
governance and politics. NM: It’s not just Jefferson, it’s not just Machiavelli. By the time you get to the 18th century, everybody in Europe is interested in Cyrus. One of the best sellers in France is Les Voyages de Cyrus, written in English and French by the same author. We know that there are even Icelandic poems about Cyrus in the 18th century. It is impossible to exaggerate what he meant to the Enlightenment world, the world out of which the American Constitution is born. CA: Doesn’t it blow your mind that this is a Persian king in today’s world where Persia is viewed so negatively by so many people? NM: It’s astonishing. You talked about the relationship between Israel and Iran, the U.S. and Iran being so bad. But, this is a very new phenomenon. For most of western history, the Persian Empire, and that moment in Iranian history, has been the model to which statesmen look to think how to solve problems. CA: Does the actual Cylinder say the Jews were allowed to go back to Jerusalem? NM: No. The Cyrus Cylinder is only about what happens in Mesopotamia, but fascinatingly the words used in the Cyrus Cylinder are exactly the words used in the Hebrew bible in Chronicles and Ezra. God called Cyrus and took him by the hand. God tells Cyrus to be his Shepard, to set the people free. The difference is of course that in Babylon, it’s the Babylonian god that does that. In the Hebrew Scriptures it’s Jehovah. But they use the same words and they speak to Cyrus in the same way. And this is evidence I think that there’s a general decree by Cyrus to let everybody go home. And the Jews in Jerusalem know what is happening in Babylon because a lot of them have just come from there. And of course we know so much about this because they stopped building the temple in Jerusalem, and then, as we all know from building projects, sponsorships, etc. money runs out. It gets slow, things start going badly. So, the Jews in Jerusalem appeal to Darius to help them.
time and money to support bringing the cylinder to exhibitions in Washington (3/5-4/28), Houston (5/36/14), New York (6/20-8/4), San Francisco (8/9-8/22) and Los Angeles (10/2-12/2). More information and press on the tour can be found at:
CA: The son of Cyrus? NM: Yes, the son of Cyrus. And the Jews said your king wanted this temple to be built what are you going to do? So, they go through the files in the bureaucracy and they find the document where
Cyrus said this temple must be built and that the Persians will help. Ezra in the Hebrew scriptures tells us this and he quotes the document in Aramaic, a language the Persians used. So, thanks to the extraordinary bureaucracy of the Persian Empire, another great thing they really ace on bureaucracy, they’re wizard record keepers. And then the temple goes ahead. More money comes, on orders from the Persian King and the Second Temple gets completed. CA: Is there also a dispute as to whether the Cylinder really is a human rights document? NM: I suppose it depends on what you mean by human rights. It’s clearly about the rights of peoples. I mean we now tend to think about human rights being the rights of individuals. The Cylinder is about the rights of communities to organize themselves in their own way, live where they choose, and worship their own gods. So, that’s also a very important aspect of human rights. In
‘What’s extraordinary about Cyrus, is that he appears as a paragon of princely statesmanship in the two pillars of Western cultures, that is the Greco-Roman tradition and the Bible .... The story of Persia, Iran, is part of the story of modern United States’ —JULIAN RABY Director of the Sackler Gallery.
that sense it is probably the oldest document we have of an articulated statement by a ruler that the communities over which he rules will have certain rights and privileges that he will defend. CA: And what do you hope to achieve by taking it on a five-city U.S. tour [in D.C through April 28, then Houston, NYC, SF and LA]? NM: There are two real values in it. Firstly, it’s more important now than ever to understand Iran. And one can only understand a country by understanding its history and how it views its own history. And most of us are not taught very much about Iranian history in school. So I hope it’ll allow a large public to think, again, about what it means to be an Iranian. The second is that I hope it will help us all think about how we tackle the question of great diversity of ethnicities and faiths
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Dame Jillian Sackler and Julian Raby
+ Leonard Levin, Mrs. Levin, Dr. Darioush and Nina Nasseri and Ford Peatross
Rep. Henry Waxman
Sima Ladjevardian, Farhood Malek and Nasrin Soudavar
WL SPONSORED
OPENING NIGHT AT THE SACKLER GALLERY FOR
THE CYRUS CYLINDER Rod Baharloo and Rudi Bakhtiar with Sheila and Afshin Molavi
Saadi, Fatema and Abolala Soudavar
PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL AND HASAN SARBAKHSHIAN +
Jafar Davoody and Mamucher Azmudeh
Amina Semlali, Trita Parsi and Mitra Lore
Christopher Isham, Darya Nasr and Alireza Rastegar
+ Nasser Manesh and Gary Tinterow
Nader Biglari
Vali Nasr and Maureen White
Christiane Amanpour
Forough Yazdani and Katy Sadeghian
Neil MacGregor, Lady Susie Westmacott and Amb. Peter Westmacott
P H OTO CAPT I O N H E RE
WL EXCLUSIVE
BRITISH AMBASSADOR’S RECEPTION FOR
THE CYRUS CYLINDER WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
David Sanger, Jane Harman, washingtonlife.com P R I L Wright |and Robert Litwak | ARobin
PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
31 Fateh Dalia and Hossein
+ Nasser Kazeminy, Annie Totah, Empress Farah Pahlavi, and David and Haleh Niroo
+ Alma and Rep. Charles Rangel WL EXCLUSIVE
CELEBRATING THE DIVERSITY OF NOROOZ AT THE 4TH ANNUAL NOWRUZ COMMISSION GALA * Hasti and Amir A hami
Mellon Auditorium PHOTOS BY TONY BROWN * AND RONALD BAKER +
+ Mela and Mort Anvari
At their gala honoring the Iranian New Year (celebrated by 300+ million people worldwide) founders Bijan and Gissou Kian, and Nasser Kazeminy, together with ambassadors from 11 nations which also celebrate Norooz (or Nowruz), welcomed over 450 guests including high-ranking military officers and members of Congress. The vivacious Rudi Bakhtiar served as emcee while guests enjoyed a traditional Persian meal prepared by Design Cuisine and colorful performances by the Silk Road Dance Company and entertainers from other countries.
* Xavier Hermes
* Gissou Kian, Christine
+ Morgan Gomroki and Sara Aliabadi
* Jasmin and Cmdr. Babak Barakat
P H OTO CAPT I O N H E RE
RaďŹ ekian and Bijan Kian
* Ardavan Aliabadi and Nazli Karimi
* Silk Road Dancers 32
+ Jim and Suzanne Mellor with Lori and Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn
* Shamin andSaid Jawad with Namik Tan P R I L and Amb. | washingtonlife.com | AFĂźgen
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Pouria Abbassi and Saghi Modjtabai
Darien Salahi, Rep. Gregory Meeks and Ladan Ahmadi
Rep. Mike Honda and Hadi Sadegh, WL EXCLUSIVE
PAAIA CELEBRATES THE ARRIVAL OF THE CYRUS CYLINDER AND THE IRANIAN NEW YEAR Capitol Hill
Nancy Bagley, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Soroush Shehabi
Rep. Carolyn Maloney,
Rep. Jackie Speier
Rep. Trent Franks
Rep. Donna Edwards
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAAIA
The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Amer icans (PAAIA) in conjunction with Representatives Michael Honda, Randy Forbes, Frank Wolf, and Carolyn Maloney hosted a reception for members of Congress and congressional staff. Eleven members, including Leader Nancy Pelosi, acknowledged the contributions of Americans of Iranian descent in the U.S. PAAIA announced that, working together with representatives Henry Waxman, Peter Roskam, and 11 other Republican and Democratic members on Capitol Hill, it had assisted in introducing a bipartisan resolution recognizing the cultural and historical significance of the Iranian New Year (Norooz or Nowruz) and acknowledging the Cyrus Cylinder as a symbol of respect for human rights and religious tolerance.
Traditional Iranian New Year “Haft-Seen” (photo courtesy of PAAIA)
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Yousef Javadi and Rep. Anthony Cardenas
Kimia Ramezani and Setareh Ebrahimian
Morad Ghorban, Rep. Andre Carson and Robert Babayi
“Nowruz embodies the principle that each individual’s thinking, speaking, and conduct should always be virtuous. It promotes compassion for our fellow human beings irrespective of ethnicity or religion. Because of this, Nowruz maintains a unique capacity to unite people of many faiths.” — Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA/17th)
“Forced from the homes of their ancestors, faced with persecution and prejudice, Iranian Americans turned to our country … for a place to rebuild their lives and live out their dreams. They have since taken on leadership roles [and] their prominence is a tribute to our country’s promise of pluralism and diversity.” — Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA/49th)
“I would also like to thank PAAIA for setting up this event.“Celebrations like Nowruz provide an opportunity to teach the American people about the rich cultural history of the Iranian people.” - Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA/4th)
The Iranian American community is important, not self-important, but important in how it gives back. The minute [Iranian Americans] hit this soil, [they] help to build bridges.” - Rep. Anthony Cardena (D-CA/49th)
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POLLYWOOD | EMBASSY ROW
A Pope and a Prime Minister A voice from ‘The End of the World,’ wearing the green in Washington and let them eat cake BY ROLAND FLAMINI
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny at the Irish Embassy’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration (Embassy photo)
DIPLOMAT DEPARTS: Every month, an average of about 15 foreign embassies in Washington celebrate their country’s national day, but only one ambassador can regularly expect the head of his government to come to the United States to attend the proceedings. “Such visits have taken place over the St Patrick’s Day period for many years,” an Irish embassy spokesman said. This year, Taoiseach (prime minister) Enda Kenny of the Republic of Ireland headed the receiving line at his embassy’s St Patrick’s Day reception. Kenny was leading a group of members of his government on a charm offensive to increase U.S. investment, which he hopes will help his country’s economic recovery. St Patrick’s Day 2013 had a special significance because Ireland, despite its fiscal troubles, currently holds the presidency of the European Union. This makes Kenny the point man on preliminary negotiations for a U.S.-E.U. trade agreement. Even without one, bilateral trade already averages $2.69 billion a day. The reception was also an opportunity to say goodbye to Ambassador Michael Collins, who has served in Washington since August 2007 and is leaving to take up a new ambassadorial post in Berlin.
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THE CARDINALS’ CHOICE: At a reception given by the Vatican nuncio in Washington the day before the papal conclave the talk centered on — what else? — who would be the next pope. “There was a lot of chatter about the likeliest candidates,” recalled one guest, Tom Espinosa, chairman of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders. “Some names surfaced,” he said, particularly from the United States and Latin America. The nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó, diplomatically avoided speculation about individual candidates, but, according to Espinosa, he predicted, “We’ll have a new pope by the end of the week.” Actually, the nuncio was hedging his bets: by Wednesday evening, the cardinals had chosen Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires “from the end of the world,” as the new pontiff put it — an especially welcome result to Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. who, according to recent surveys make up more than 35 percent of the 77.4 million Roman Catholics in America. CULTURE CAMPAIGNS: More European countries are stepping up their cultural programs in the U.S. and elsewhere to remind the world that there’s more to them than gloomy economic news. In January, the Italian Embassy launched 2013,The Year of Italian Culture in the United States, a wide ranging series of events, including art (Giotto and Caravaggio) design exhibitions, music performances (2013 is the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s birth), films and technology. In March, the Spanish Embassy unveiled its own spring/summer arts and culture program in the U.S. and Canada including music performances, art, design and architecture exhibitions, etc. The focus is on Florida, colonized
by Spain 500 years ago this year. A major exhibition of The Spanish Colonial Art spans the 16th through the 18th centuries; the new Latino reality is covered in an exhibition of photographs called LATINO/U.S. Cotidiano providing a glimpse into the daily lives (cotidiano) of the 50 million Americans of Latino origin. Also, wall-to-wall new Spanish cinema by Luis Garcia Berlanga and others. FOOD AND DIPLOMACY: Hillary Clinton’s cuisine diplomacy appears to have survived her departure and the appointment of John Kerry as the new Secretary of State — at least so far. A month ago, chefs from the embassies of Indonesia, Belgium, Japan, Jamaica, Denmark, Colombia, El Salvador and Thailand met at Blair House to discuss — what else? — food. No one is planning a bake-off between the United States and Iran to resolve the nuclear weapons dispute quite yet, but the participants agreed that a fine meal left negotiators in a more conciliatory mood than a bad meal.
Nurzhan Aitmakhanov and Chef Yerlan Abdrakhmanov from the Embassy of Kazakhstan and Lars Beese from the Embassy of Denmark at the “Food Summit” at Blair House (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of State)
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Eva Hafström and Swedish Amb. Jonas Hafström
Norwegian Amb. Wegger Strømmen, Minister of Culture for Norway Hadia Tajik, Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser and Minister for Cooperation of Norway Rigmor Aasrud Mary Mochary and Lena Ingegerd Scott
NORDIC COOL 2013 OPENING GALA Joseph Gildenhorn and Bonnie McElveen Hunter
The Kennedy Center Concert Hall and Terrace PHOTOS BY MARGOT SCHULMAN YASSINE AL-MANSOURI AND SCOTT SUCHMAN
SHIMMERING SCANDINAVIANS: Guests competed with dramatic blue and fuchsia lighting meant to replicate the Aurora Borealis as they arrived in colorful medals, sashes, stars and rosettes to launch the Kennedy Center’s Nordic Cool Festival. Designed to resemble Nobel Prize-related events in Stockholm, the white-tie gathering featured a notable crowd of ambassadors and highranking ministers from Scandinavian states, a performance by the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, folkloric singers, astonishing floral arrangements and tasty Scandinavian fare.
Minister for Cooperation of Denmark Manu Sareen, Gitte Wallin Pedersen and Danish Amb. Peter Taksøe-Jensen
VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Holly Page, April Delaney and Jacquie Bloom
Julie Chase, Frank Blaul and Eve O’Toole
David Burns and Mark Hamilton
Gavin Newsom and Ellen Tauscher
GAVIN NEWSOM BOOK PARTY The Jefferson Hotel | PHOTOS BYKYLE SAMPERTON
Michael Steel and Mary Kathryn Steel
STAR STRUCK: It’s perhaps no surprise that Gavin Newsom, California’s handsome and swashbuckling lieutenant governor, drew a crowd, including a lot of especially smart women eager to see and also hear him talk about his new book, “Citizenville: How to Take the Town Square Digital and Reinvent Government.” The book party was co-hosted by real estate heiress Constance Milstein (a prominent Democrat) and her husband, Count J. C. de la Haye-St. Hilaire, along with Ted Greenberg, Tammy Haddad and former Calif. Rep. Ellen Tauscher. FUTURE PLANS: Accompanied by his wife, actress Jennifer Siebel, Newsom mingled easily in the crowd of mostly journalists and government officials, telling more than a few within earshot how someday he’d “love to be governor of California.” VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
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Maria Teresa Kumar and Hilda Solis WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
Jonathan Martin and Betsy Fischer Martin
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HOLLYWOOD ON THE POTOMAC
MIGHTY OLYMPUS Stars turn out for Anton Fuqua’s action thriller ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ B Y J A N E T D O N O VA N
Anton Fuqua, Gerard Butler, Angela Bassett and Aaron Eckhart (Photo by Janet Donovan)
F
ew people can claim their own Secret Service code name, but if you’re Gerard Butler — who plays disgraced agent Mike Banning in “Olympus Has Fallen” — you can. The Scottish hunk stars in the new action-packed ter ror ist/hostage flick centered on familiar ground: The White House. It is directed by Anton Fuqua of “Training Day” fame, and stars Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo, Ashley Judd and Rick Yune. Butler, Fuqua, Bassett and Eckhart recently attended a private screening at the AMC Georgetown Loews and stayed afterwards to discuss the unique challenges of filming around an iconic landmark like the White House. “We were very cognizant the whole time about the story we were telling.You always try and find a relevant backdrop to the situation,” Butler said. “At the end of the day, the heart of the movie is about the leaders of this country, those people who risk their lives and die for us on a daily basis. You have this emotion and this connection with the White House and the president.” “There’s a lot of emotion tied up in this movie,” said Eckhart, who plays President Asher. “There are many layers. I think our challenge
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was to keep the energy up in the film. How are we going to energize this? How are we going to make this real, and how are we going to convey that? That was an interesting challenge for us.” Because a large portion of the movie takes place in the “bunker” where the president is tied up, Fuqua was set on Eckhart for the part. “I needed somebody who could hold the audience,” he said. “If you can bring that emotion and that intensity, you can imagine yourself in that position where you’re the most powerful man in the world and you’re completely humiliated. He’s an incredible actor and really brought it to life with a great performance. In the end, you’re really inspired by the president.” Though it takes place in Washington, Eckhart doesn’t consider it a political film. “It’s a movie about people, emotions and families, and the kinds of decisions you have to make in a crisis,” he said. “Sometimes, those decisions aren’t the most popular. Sometimes, people get hurt and that adds weight to the president’s shoulders. There are no politics when something like this happens. In training for the part, I thought about what I’d like to see in a president, the core values, honesty and trustworthiness. That’s what I wanted to portray.”
Angela Bassett, who plays Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs, had the opportunity to discuss the film with first lady Michelle Obama. “I told her that we did a movie in Washington about servicemen and the secret service. Then we went off into a conversation about these men and women — especially the women who also serve their kids and family,” Bassett said, adding that she was at the White House with fellow actress-turned-Senate-candidate Ashley Judd. There was more fun when moderator Rick Klein, ABC News’ political director, singled out Dan Bongino, a former secret service agent, for a reality check. “If you don’t have a question, you can pass, but I’m sure you’ve got to have something interesting to add,” he noted. Bongino was game and asked who the filmmakers used as a technical advisor on set. “Your layout in some of the White House scenes was amazing, even the pictures were in the right spots on the wall. It was incredible,” he said.“Did you have someone on the inside?” Tuns out they did — a gentleman who worked under former President George H.W. Bush. “We all got to know these guys really well,” Fuqua said. “We walked away knowing we were in good hands.”
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Chris Tavlarides, Dana Lee and Jimmy Lynn Lynn and Ted Leonsis with Ray Mancini Chris and Lorraine Wallace
WL EXCLUSIVE
‘GOOD SON’ SCREENING Home of Ted & Lynn Leonsis | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT: Many of the regions heavy hitters turned up at the beautiful Maryland home of Lynn and Ted Leonsis to screen the documentary, “The Good Son.” The film, produced by Chris Tavlarides and Jimmy Lynn, is about the life of boxer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, and chronicles both before and after his infamous fight with Kim Duk-Koo. Duk-Koo was knocked out in the 14th round and died shortly after, forever changing the sport of boxing.
April and Rep. John Delaney
VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Cynthia and Jeong Kim with Jim Kim and Youn Sook Lim
David Thomas
Roger and Kyle Mody
Lee Brooks, Rep. Tom Petri and Debbie Gebhardt
Ben Fishel and Linda Douglass
Sen. Mark Begich, Rep. Don Young, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and Sen. John Hoeven
Reps. Doris Matsui and John Carney
TOAST TO THE 113TH CONGRESS
Erica Johnson and Michelle Cooper
Madison Hall, Library of Congress | PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON
Rep. Ann Kuster and Nini Johnson 40
CHEERS TO THE NEWBIES: National Journal and The Atlantic welcomed members of the 113th Congress with a lighthearted reception before the President’s State of the Union Address. Newly elected senators and congressmen were treated to a few words of advice from Sens. Mark Begich and John Hoeven and Reps. Don Young and Eddie Bernice Johnson who spoke on topics ranging from Congressional traditions and the “Sandbox Rules” for new members to the best way of making the transition from a state representative to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
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Poppy McDonald, Aleksia Ilic and Jordan Houstetter
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POLLYWOOD | PROUST PLUS
DANNY GLOVER
Famed actor, UNICEF ambassador and philanthropist Danny Glover reflects on his inspirations, the importance of family and the legacy of the civil rights movement INTERVIEW BY BRITTNEY DUNKINS
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? Live with an open heart. WHAT DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHERS? A sense of vulnerability and transparency and a great sense of humor. WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? I have two: my mother and my father. WHAT DECEASED PERSON WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH AND WHAT WOULD YOU ASK THEM? Two people: Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. I would ask the same question of each: “Where do we go now?” WHAT WOULD YOU STILL LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IN LIFE? To be the best father and grandfather I can be. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW? This is the week we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King. I am traveling the country, speaking in the community and with students at colleges and universities about his incredible vision. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED? It was from my parents: they can take away any material thing but they can never take away what is in your heart and in your mind. WHAT TRAIT DO DISLIKE MOST IN OTHERS? Dishonesty and transparency. And a lack of compassion and humility.
WHAT IS THE LAST BOOK THAT YOU READ THAT AFFECTED YOU DEEPLY? “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander. WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST FEARS FOR UPCOMING GENERATIONS? That they will not understand their value and responsibility in this historic age.
Danny Glover pictured on a trip with UNICEF
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WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES? That they will seize the moment and make history that will change the world.
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PHOTOS COURTE SY OF MR. GLOVER
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Being the best son, sibling and parent that I can be.
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Emira Woods, Mamie Willie Bonglo and Veda Simpson Andy Shallal and Danny Glover Christina Sevilla, Jana Sedlakova and Rachel Wang Pang
WL SPONSORED
AN EVENING WITH DANNY GLOVER Eatonville Restaurant | PHOTOS BY BY KYLE SAMPERTON GLASS HALF FULL: The crowd really wasn’t expecting actor Danny Glover to show up at the reception for African Passion Wines — but there he was, mixing it up with Busboys and Poets founder Andy Shallal, South African Amb. Ebrahim Rasool and other guests over drinks and and hors’ doeuvres. The evening benefited TransAfrica Union’s social advocacy programs.
Scott Bolden and Erika Martin
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Catherine Miceli, Denise Ransom and Deadra Campbell
Jummy Olabanji, Mark Neuman and Yodit Gebreyes Andrew Van der Veen and Bruce Raynor
LaRhonda Burley and Andrea Szempruch
Antunesia Harris and Folabi Blaybagu
Maria Priezzheva and Darias Jonker
Allison Roessler and Nick Clark
Alicia Merritt, Mark Gundursen, Stephen Ball and David Salmon
Melvin Foote and Kay Hixson
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Bryun Steenkamp and Tania Theron-Joubert
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POLLYWOOD | AU COURANT
ALMA POWELL: A LIFE OF SERVICE INTERVIEW BY JANET LANGHART COHEN
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or the last decade, Alma Powell, wife of Gen. Colin Powell, has worked with America’s Promise Alliance to ensure that all of our nation’s children have access to the fundamental resources they need to succeed. She has served as chairman of the board since 2004 and has grown the organization to include hundreds of partners working toward common goals. Washington Life recently caught up with Mrs. Powell to discuss her personal, professional and familial successes of late. walking into the new Educare Center right here in our nation’s capital, in a D.C. Promise Neighborhood in Ward 7. We support the D.C. Promise Neighborhood Initiative, which was founded by Irasema Salcido; it has grown into a community effort that delivers the 5 Promises.
YOUR FAMILY IS RENOWNED IN PUBLIC SERVICE YOUR WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN KEEPING THOSE PROMISES? Our HUSBAND SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS A SOLDIER AND special role is to spark and support a movement of people to help Amer- STATESMAN YOU SERVE IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE ica’s youth. We don’t deliver direct service programs [as] our organiza- AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE KENNEDY CENTER AND AS tion consists of over 400 partners who work together to help provide CHAIRMAN OF AMERICA’S PROMISE ALLIANCE DID YOU these five basic promises. Our Grad Nation initiative helps communities AND YOUR HUSBAND INSTILL SERVICE IN YOUR CHILgive the support our young people need to succeed. DREN? Colin and I have been very blessed. We just celebrated 50 years of marriage and raised three children. We found it to be sheer WHO ARE THE PARTNERS AND OTHER SUPPORTERS? State joy nurturing a new generation of offspring who also serve. Our Farm is our biggest supporter of the Grad Nation Campaign. Walmart son Michael sits on the board of America’s Promise. Our daughis a contributor as is AT&T, and Target supports our efforts to have chil- ter Linda sits on the board of The Colin Powell School for Policy, dren reading on grade level by the third grade. a school Colin is developing at City College of New York which will serve a large immigrant population, and she’s a CASA volunAT A LUNCHEON RECENTLY HELD IN YOUR HONOR YOU teer working to protect the interests of children in foster care. Our ASKED EACH GUEST TO BRING A BOOK TO CONTRIBUTE TO younger daughter, Annemarie, sits on the board of the West Side THE REACH OUT AND READ PROGRAM TELL US ABOUT THAT Montessori School helping to provide early education and scholPROGRAM Our association with Reach Out and Read is to support arships to underprivileged children. one of our partners,The American Academy of Pediatrics.They prepare America’s youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. HELPING OTHERS? I believe to whom much is given, much is required. Service is a noble obligation. We all have a part to play in CAN YOU GIVE SOME LOCAL EXAMPLES OF THE WORK building this village, this country, by meeting the challenges of helping YOU’RE DOING WITH APA? One of my greatest feelings was the young people of our great nation.
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P H OTO BY KY L E SA M P E RTO N
AMERICA’S PROMISE ALLIANCE APA BELIEVES THAT CHILDREN NEED FIVE THINGS TO SUCCEED AND WORKS TO GIVE ALL CHILDREN ACCESS TO THEM WHAT ARE THE FIVE PROMISES IT MAKES TO YOUTH? We promise to give a child a caring adult, a safe place, a healthy start, a marketable skill through an effective education and an opportunity to give back to society.
POLLYWOOD
Alexine Jackson, Leslie Hayes and Debbie Dingell
Sharon Malone,Alma Powell and Janet Langhart Cohen
Lucky Roosevelt,Samia Farouki and Alma Gildenhorn
LUNCHEON FOR ALMA POWELL Top of the Hay, Hay-Adams Hotel | PHOTOS BY BY KYLE SAMPERTON
Deidre Jeffries and Rashida Jolley
LADIES’ LUNCH: When Alma Powell, chairwoman of America’s Promise Alliance and wife to Gen. Colin Powell, turned down offers of parties to celebrate both her 50th wedding anniversary and 75th birthday, her longtime friend Janet Langhart Cohen got creative by proposing a “Ladies Luncheon” to honor her lifetime of service instead. Mrs. Powell agreed, but asked that each of the 40 guests bring a pre-school-level book to donate to local hospitals and those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Though the guest of honor joked that she half expected the event to turn into “a roast,” everything from her favorite French tulip centerpieces to the many fulsome speeches praising her work, was a touching tribute that will long be remembered by all who were there. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Buffy Cafritz and Liz Stevens
Marlene Malek and Shamin Jawad
Robin Harris and Karen Bose
Patty Coleman and Catherine Reynolds
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Alexandra de Borchgrave and Ann Hand
Denia Hightower and Gail West
Ayris Scales
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POLLYWOOD | HOTEL WATCH
REBUILDING HISTORY Hotel magnate Jonathan Tisch talks to Washington Life about his family’s storied history in the hospitality industry and returning to Washington, D.C. to assume ownership of the Madison Hotel, now known as the Loews Madison Hotel.
LEFT: Donald R. Wilson Jr., Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Jonathan Tisch at the March 1, 2013 groundbreaking of Loews Chicago. RIGHT: Loews Madison Hotel lobby.
46
which was torn down later. In 1959 my father took over the Loews theaters that had separated from MGM, — not to show movies but because he was interested in the land for a potential hotel chain. We moved to New York and in 1963 opened the former Summit Hotel on 53rd and Lexington, and that was the previous site of the Loews Lexington. Later, they bought C&A Insurance and that became Loews Corp., with assets of $80 billion and five operating subsidiaries. My father and uncle were actually in the middle market fashion industry and just saw an opportunity to take over a hotel. At its core, taking care of kids in summer camp is the same as taking care of guests. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON? We managed the Madison before. We wanted to be in the D.C. market, and this was a positive opportunity to do that because we
knew the building already and the previous owners did a wonderful job transforming it. Our history in D.C. goes back to the 1970s when we operated the Loews L’Enfant Plaza Hotel. We were there for 25 years. We briefly operated The Jefferson Hotel. The Madison property gives us a secure position to stay in the market for years to come. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH INTEREST FROM PEOPLE IN NEW YORK WANTING TO OPEN HOTELS IN WASHINGTON. WHY DO YOU THINK NEW YORKERS ARE FASCINATED WITH WASHINGTON? Washington is the political spoke of the country. If you want to have a sense of how business works, then you need to understand Washington. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that two of the biggest names in the hotel business, Marriott and Hilton, are headquartered in Washington. Whatever your political interests, it happens in D.C.When you combine
that with New York City being the center of the world, there’s a lot of access there to get things done. It’s a very important connection that can’t be ignored. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE LOEWS MADISON HOTEL? We spend a lot of time understanding partnerships and creating relationships with guests, co-workers and the community. That’s a formula we plan to follow at Loews Madison. Washington is important because it’s the nation’s capital; it’s a destination that people will always come to.As we build our infrastructure in terms of properties, if we want a national footprint — which we are actively working towards — the D.C. market is vital. We brought in Paul Whetsell as president and CEO and are now activating this strategy to be in major markets including Boston and Chicago where we’re under construction on 400 rooms built
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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PHOTOS COURTE SY LO EWS HOTELS & RE SO RTS
HOW DID YOUR FAMILY GET INTO THE HOTEL BUSINESS? Back in the 1940s, my grandparents Sadie and Al Tisch, my father Bob and mother Martha took over a summer camp in Lakewood, N.J., called Camp Lincoln Laurel. A couple of years later, they leased a hotel in Lakewood called the Laurel in the Pines. That started their affinity and ability to offer hospitality in the late ’40s, expanding into Atlantic City where I was born in 1953.Their desire to do more took them to Bal Harbour, Fla., in 1957 where they opened Americana Bal Harbour, which many thought was pretty crazy because much of the hotel activity was farther south in Miami Beach. The Americana opened with 700 rooms, 2,500 square feet of meeting space and really changed the nature of how people looked at big hotels. It was quite successful right from the beginning. It was sold in 1972 and became the Sheraton Bal Harbour,
FROM LEFT: Loews Hotels & Resorts’ storied past includes famous guests Sophia Loren and President Jimmy Carter at the Loews Regency in New York City.
from scratch, and San Francisco. We are very aware of the role that technology plays in the travel experience today so we’re making sure the lobby experience both from a social and technology understanding meets the guest’s needs. We also want to make sure it’s an environment where people can be social and have a “power breakfast,” a term born at Loews Regency in New York City, but without being overbearing. THE LOEWS MADISON WAS KNOWN FOR ITS CONNECTION TO CELEBRITIES LIKE FRANK SINATRA AND FORMER PRESIDENTS. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO RECLAIM THAT HISTORIC GLAMOUR? We’ve been in the hotel business close to 75 years. We know how to put on events and attract people, and we’re comfortable making sure all of our guests, whether bold name or not, are comfortable. Once we get the rhythm of the property, we’ll be bringing in bold names from politics and Hollywood.We’ll be organizing events with various business segments that Loews is connected to like the NewYork Giants, which I’m hesitant to mention because of the Redskins, and my brother who is a movie producer in L.A. Or this could be another spot for power breakfasts.We still feel that we can create a climate at the Loews Madison that will
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
reclaim a bit of history, but also look to the future for people making news today. AS HOST OF “BEYOND THE BOARDROOM,” YOU INTERVIEWED THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. WHAT HAVE YOU GLEANED FROM THESE INTERVIEWS? Here was a chance to create a show that hadn’t been done before: CEOs being interviewed by a CEO. I tried to have a conversation with the 56 interviews I did over the seven-year lifespan of the show. We were able to discuss aspects of life and pivotal moments about our next roles. Dick Parsons was head of Time Warner, at the time the largest company in the world with 270,000 employees, and I thought it was interesting to get his perspective with questions from someone facing similar issues like capital allocation. If you asked about compelling issues that came from their experience, to a person, they said they couldn’t do it by themselves. You need to build strong organizations around you, make sure that people with a direct line to you understand the message. Because the air gets a little thin up there, you want to make sure you’re getting an honest read on a situation, and that people working with you are articulating a vision that everyone can buy into. It was fascinating to
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hear stories of how they got started. No one starts at the top. HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS? I’ve learned from people I respect in the industry, like Bill Marriott in Washington, the notion that our industry has become so fractured in terms of product offerings, with so many subsets of different levels of hospitality. One room costs $500 a night, and then another next door at a smaller, boutique hotel costs $150 a night. But at the core, they’re doing the same thing at every hotel: respecting that people want to feel safe and secure, are getting value for what they’re paying for and feeling like they’re not being taken advantage of. YOU’VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN NEW YORK’S PHILANTHROPIC CIRCLES. DO YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE THAT IN WASHINGTON? It’s going to take some time to understand where we can make a difference. We have a not-for-profit called Donors Choose, which is a fantastic organization and website that allows coworkers and guests to make a difference in the lives of students all over the country. We’ll continue to pursue programs with them and we’ll see what other groups we can work with. It’s too
early to make any announcements now, but community is very important to us; it’s one of the tenets of our company. YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN YOUR CAREER. WHAT OTHER GOALS DO YOU HAVE, PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? We will continue the growth plan at Loews Hotel under the leadership of President and CEO Paul Whetsell, by continuing to look at other properties and as hotels become part of Loews. I turn 60 in December, and between my commitments to the corporation and hotels, the Super Bowl coming to Met Life Stadium, my other responsibilities here in New York and my family, every day is different. But it’s very enjoyable. I’m very fortunate to have fantastic partners in my wife and cousins, and children who understand my craziness and hopefully learn from me. HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR DOWN TIME? I go to Soul Cycle and spin class sometimes at 6 a.m. and work out with weights a couple times a week. No golf, no tennis; Soul Cycle is 45 minutes of very intense exercise and you’re done.
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SPECIAL FEATURE | THE A-LIST
ALIST THE
Gen. Martin Dempsey
Rep. John Boehner
Hon. Sonia Sotomayor
President BARACK H OBAMA and First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA
Vice President and Mrs. JOSEPH R BIDEN
President Barack Obama and ямБrst lady Michelle Obama
Ms. ADRIENNE ARSHT Mr. PHILIPPE AUGUIN Mr. MARTIN BARON
JR (Jill)
H.E. the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia ADEL BIN AHMED AL-JUBEIR and Mrs. Al-Jubeir (Farah) Mr. and Mrs. ROBERT L ALLBRITTON (Elena) H.E. the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, YOUSEF AL-OTAIBA and Mrs. AlOtaiba (Abeer) H.E. the Ambassador of Kuwait, Sheikh SALEM ABDULLAH AL-JABER AL-SABAH, and Sheikha RIMA AL-SABAH
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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The Honorable BEN S BERNANKE, Chairman, Federal Reserve Board, and Mrs. Bernanke (Anna) Mr. JEREMY BERNARD The Honorable and Mrs. JAMES H BILLINGTON (Marjorie)
H.E. the Ambassador of Italy CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO and Mrs. Bisogniero (Laura Denise) Mr. ANTONY J BLINKEN and Ms. EVAN RYAN
The Speaker of the House of Representatives and Mrs. JOHN A BOEHNER (Debbie) Mr. BENJAMIN C BRADLEE and Ms. SALLY QUINN
Mr. and Mrs. DAVID G BRADLEY (Katherine) The Honorable JOHN O BRENNAN Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Mrs. Brennan (Katy) Associate Justice and Mrs. STEPHEN G BREYER (Joanna)
Mr. and Mrs. CALVIN CAFRITZ (Jane) Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAM N CAFRITZ (Buffy) Representative and Mrs. ERIC I CANTOR (Diana)
49
John O. Brennan
Secretary of State John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry
Jacob Lew
Rima AL-SabahMarco Rubio
Rep. Eric Cantor
Roger and Vicki Sant
Mr. and Mrs. STEVEN B CASE (Jean)
Senator and Mrs. AL FRANKEN (Frannie)
Mr. MICHAEL KAISER
Mr. JAMES (“JAY�) CARNEY and Ms. CLAIRE
Mr. DONALD E GRAHAM and Mrs. AMANDA
SHIPMAN
BENNETT
Associate Justice and Mrs. ANTHONY KENNEDY (Mary)
The Honorable and Mrs. RICHARD B CHENEY (Lynne)
Mr. DAVID GREGORY and Ms. BETH WILKINSON
The Honorable JOHN F KERRY, Secretary of State, and Mrs. TERESA HEINZ
The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and Mrs. G WAYNE CLOUGH (Anne)
The Honorable CHARLES T “CHUCK� HAGEL Secretary of Defense, and Mrs. Hagel (Lilibet)
Mrs. CHRISTINE LAGARDE, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
H.E. the Ambassador of France FRANÇOIS DELATTRE and Ms. SOPHIE L’HÉLIAS-DELATTRE
General MARTIN E DEMPSEY, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Mrs. Dempsey (Deanie) The Honorable and Mrs. CHRISTOPHER J DODD (Jacki) Mr. and Mrs. ROBERT S DUVALL (Luciana)
50
Mr. and Mrs. JAMES C LEHRER (Kate)
Count and Countess JEHAN DE LA HAYESAINT HILAIRE (Constance Milstein)
Mr.and Mrs. THEODORE J “TED� LEONSIS (Lynn)
Mr. JIM HOAGLAND and Ms. JANE STANTON
Mr. and Mrs. THEODORE N “TED� LERNER (Annette)
HITCHCOCK
The Honorable ERIC H HOLDER JR , Attorney General, and Dr. SHARON MALONE Representative STENY H HOYER Mr. and Mrs. VERNON E JORDAN JR. (Ann)
The Honorable JACOB J “JACK� LEW, Secretary of the Treasury, and Dr. RUTH SCHWARTZ
Mr. and Mrs. J WILLARD MARRIOTT JR (Donna)
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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S O N I A S OTO M AYO R , M A R T I N D E M P S E Y, J O H N B O E H N E R B Y J . S C OT T A P P L E W H I T E . C H U C K H AG E L , R A N D PA U L , M I K E FROMAN, DAN PFEIFFER BY CHARLE S DHARAPAK. BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA BY NEW YORK TIME S, DOUG MILLS, P O O L . J O H N O. B R E N N A N R E X F E AT U R E S V I A A P I M AG E S . E R I C C A N TO R BY JACQ U E LY N M A RT I N . JACO B L E W ,
Evan Ryan and Tony Blinken
inner circle
NEARLY PEOPLE WORK AT THE WHITE HOUSE BUT OUR SOURCES REVEAL THAT THESE ARE THE SIX WHO MATTER THE MOST
T H O M A S D O N I LO N , D E N I S M C D O N O U G H BY C A R O LY N K A ST E R . J O H N K E R R Y A N D T E R E S A H E I N Z K E R R Y BY E VA N AG O ST I N I . VA L E R I E JA R R E T T BY H A R A Z N . G H A N B A R I . P E T E R O U S E BY S U S A N WA L S H . A L L A P P H OTO S . R I M A A L - S A B A H P H OTO V I C K Y P O M B O. E VA N R YA N A N D TO N Y B L I N K E N / R O G E R A N D V I C K I S A N T, F I L E P H OTO S . P H OTO C A P T I O N H E R E
THOMAS DONILON National Security Advisor
DENIS MCDONOUGH Chief of Staff
MIKE FROMAN Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs
DAN PFEIFFER Senior Advisor
VALERIE JARRETT Senior Advisor
Chuck Hagel
PETE ROUSE Counselor to the President
Sen. Rand Paul
Mrs. JACQUELINE BADGER MARS
Senator and Mrs. RAND PAUL (Kelley)
The Honorable CAPRICIA P MARSHALL, Chief of Protocol of the United States, and Dr.
PELOSI
ROBERT MARSHALL
Mr. and Mrs. CHRISTOPHER MATTHEWS (Kathleen)
Representative NANCY PELOSI and Mr. PAUL Mr. DAVID PLOUFFE and Ms. OLIVIA MORGAN
Mr. and Mrs. ROGER SANT (Victoria/“Vicki�) Associate Justice and Mrs. ANTONIN SCALIA (Maureen) Mr. and Mrs. DANIEL M SNYDER (Tanya)
Senator and Mrs. JOHN S MCCAIN III (Cindy)
The Honorable and Mrs. COLIN L POWELL (Alma)
Associate Justice SONIA SOTOMAYOR
Senator A MITCHELL MCCONNELL and the Honorable ELAINE LAN CHAO
Mr. and Mrs. EARL A “RUSTY� POWELL III (Nancy)
Mr. and Mrs. GEORGE C STEVENS JR (Elizabeth/“Liz�)
The Honorable JANET NAPOLITANO, Secretary of Homeland Security
Mr. BRUCE REED and Ms. BONNIE LEPARD
H.E. the Ambassador of the United Kingdom SIR PETER WESTMACOTT and Lady Westmacott (Susie)
The Honorable and Mrs. WILLIAM T NEWMAN JR (Sheila Johnson) Her Majesty Queen NOOR AL-HUSSEIN Her Imperial Majesty Empress FARAH PAHLAVI
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Senator and Mrs. HARRY M REID (Landra) The Chief Justice and Mrs. JOHN G ROBERTS JR (Jane)
Ms. KATHARINE WEYMOUTH
Senator and Mrs. JOHN D ROCKEFELLER IV (Sharon Percy)
Mr. ROBERT WOODWARD and Ms. ELSA
Mr. and Mrs. DAVID RUBENSTEIN (Alice)
Ms. FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO
WALSH
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PROUST PLUS
WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW? I love to read several books simultaneously, preferably in their original language, to avoid a loss in translation and in the “melody.” In Italian: “Il Gattopardo” by Giuseppe di Lampedusa (the novel from which Lucchino Visconti made his unforgettable movie); in German: “Faust Zweiter Teil” by Johann Wolfgang Gœthe; in English: “Richard III” by William Shakespeare and “America’s Supreme Court: Making Democracy Work” by Justice Stephen Breyer; and in French: “Les Mémoires de Saint-Simon.” FAVORITE PAINTING “The Magpie,” by Claude Monet (1868). The immaculate untouched snow, the crispness
PHILIPPE AUGUIN Music Director, Washington National Opera
of the air, the motionless magpie. Pure life, so beautiful, SHARE A MAGIC MOMENT THAT INFLUENCED
so ephemeral.
YOUR CAREER/ The first time I conducted the Vienna Philharmonic many years ago was the upbeat
FAVORITE WASHINGTON RESTAURANT?
for a harmonious and still continuously rewarding
Café Milano for the vitello tonnato
relationship. SIGNATURE ENTERTAINING HALLMARKS? White THE MOST MEMORABLE MUSIC PERSONALITIES
orchids, stylish afternoon tea or informal brunch,
WITH WHOM YOU HAVE WORKED? Herbert
conversations about art, literature, music, travel and
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND? I am an
von Karajan, who discovered me and had me work
history.
optimistic realist.
intensively with him, rehearsing, recording, performing and traveling between Salzburg, Berlin, Vienna and New
WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD PLAYLIST/STEREO NOW?
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT MOST
York. Also Sir Georg Solti, who named me his musical
Dave Brubeck (whom I heard live!) Oscar Peterson,
INSPIRES YOU? I am immersing myself again into
son and sent me to prepare orchestras, including at
Billie Holiday, Dianne Reeves, Wynton Marsalis
three masterworks for the coming season: the season’s
La Scala and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Two
opening of the Washington National Opera’s “Tristan
perfectionists, two opposite complex personalities
SOMETHING INTERESTING OR SURPRISING THAT
und Isolde,” “Arabella” for the Metropolitan Opera and
united in a self-discipline and work ethic without
PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I studied
“Simon Boccanegra” for the Vienna State Opera.
compromise.
constitutional law for four years.
SOMETHING YOU ARE VERY PROUD OF? To be able
SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MET BUT
FAVORITE WEBSITE? aimeeauguinphotography.com,
to embrace an entire symphony through the prism of
NEVER DID? Mozart. I would have brought him the
the website our teenage daughter created herself
its very first note.
complete edition of his known works today and
— because it shows focus, artistic sensibility and
the resources of modern medicine including plenty
professional skills.
DID YOU HAVE A MUSICAL CONNECTION
of penicillin. He could have continued to write
TO WASHINGTON BEFORE CONDUCTING
more masterworks, living then long enough to give
WHAT DO YOU COLLECT? Books, music scores,
“GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG” HERE IN ? When I
penicillin further to his younger colleagues Schubert
engravings, happy memories
was 26, I conducted the chamber concerto “Dumbarton
and Schumann, who both also died too young. Just
Oaks” by Igor Stravinsky, composed in 1937 for the
think of all the marvelous music that could have
wedding anniversary of the estate’s owners at that time,
come after; he would have been the most prodigious
Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss.
romantic composer.
52
Washington Life’s PROUST PLUS series is adapted from the timeless list by French writer Marcel Proust to reveal aspects of an individual’s inner personality.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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PHOTO BY SCOT T SUCHMAN
”
PROUST PLUS
FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT IN THE WORLD? Any mountain with a trail to hike on WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO THAT YOU’VE NEVER BEEN? Antarctica FAVORITE WASHINGTON RESTAURANT? Café Milano for the branzino WHAT ARE YOUR SIGNATURE ENTERTAINING HALLMARKS? I love to cook and have live music at home. WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD PLAYLIST/STEREO NOW?
FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO
Alison Krauss, David Bowie, Wagner, Rossini, Strauss Some of the greats like Placido Domingo, Luciano
SOMETHING INTERESTING OR SURPRISING THAT WHO INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER THE MOST?
PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I love the
My mentor was the director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. He
outdoors as much as being in a theater.
Artistic Director, Washington National Opera
taught me much about the theater, opera, design and
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND? In a
SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MET BUT NEVER
good place and excited about “Show Boat.” When I am
DID? I am waiting for my day to thank Hillary Clinton.
directing.
WHAT CHARITY OR CAUSE IS CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART? God’s Love We Deliver
starting rehearsals it is all I can think about.
WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO OR WORDS TO LIVE BY THAT MEAN A LOT TO YOU? Don’t be a jerk on the
WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT MOST
YOURSELF AND IN OTHERS? When you think you
INSPIRES YOU? I am preparing new productions of
already know the answer
Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi’s “The Force of Destiny.”
songs
Pavarotti, Mirella Freni — and not all for the best.
way up, ’cuz you will meet them on the way down. WHAT HOBBY DO YOU MOST ENJOY? Outdoor sports: hiking, skiing, snow-shoeing, swimming
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF WHAT WOULD IT BE? My weight!
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE COMPOSER? The opera
with Friends
composer is Wagner for his hypnotic music and iconic
SOMETHING YOU ARE VERY PROUD OF? Drawing
characters. The Beatles are my favorite 20th-century
new people to opera.
music makers and Alison Krauss is my favorite living composer.
FAVORITE CELLPHONE/COMPUTER APP? Words
FAVORITE WEBSITES? The New York Times and New Yorker. Isn’t it obvious?
WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW? “The
PHOTO BY SCOT T SUCHMAN
SHARE A MAGIC MOMENT THAT INFLUENCED
Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.” and “The
WHAT DO YOU COLLECT? Actually nothing. Less is
Mists of Avalon” — a weird pairing!
more.
YOUR CAREER/ The first time I heard the “Ring Cycle” at the Bayreuth Festival in 1979.
NAME A FAVORITE BOOK AND WHAT YOU LIKED BEST ABOUT IT “War and Peace” — history, rich
NAME THE MOST MEMORABLE MUSIC
characters, grand story, politics, love, drama. What else
PERSONALITY WITH WHOM YOU HAVE WORKED/
is there?
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Washington Life’s PROUST PLUS series is adapted from the timeless list by French writer Marcel Proust to reveal aspects of an individual’s inner personality.
53
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THE JOURNALIST AND THE ‘MODERN” WOMAN
THE S TA R CROSSED L OV E R S STARRING SONA KHARATIAN JARED NELSON
M AC H I S M O CAN MASK INNER DEMONS
THE SOLDIER STARRING JONATHAN JORDAN
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THE ENCHANTED SHOWGI R L STARRING AURORA DICKIE
LIFESTYLES | GLITTERATI BOUNKIT 24-karat gold plated lapis lazuli and amthyst clip earrings ($470); bounkit.com
PALOMA PICASSO “Olive leaf ” drop earrings with blue topaz in 18-karat gold ($45,500); Tiffany & Co., 8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna,Va., tiffany.com TINY JEWELBOX Vintage 18-karat yellow gold earrings with 4.75 carats of diamonds with a single white pearl suspended from each ($18,000); Tiny Jewel Box, 1147 Connecticut Ave. NW, tinyjewelbox.com
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JORGE ADELER Custom 14-karat white gold earrings with dangle teardrops ($5,998); Adeler Jewelers, 772 Walker Road, Great Falls, Va. adelerjewelers.com H. STERN “Ancient America” 18-karat rose gold earrings with diamonds ($5,400); hstern.net
KATE SPADE “Marquee” cluster studs ($68); Kate Spade, 3061 M St. NW, katespade.com
KENNETH JAY LANE 22-karat gold plated beaded tassell earrings ($140); Neiman Marcus, 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, neimanmarcus.com
P H OTO S C O U RT E SY O F E AC H C O M PA N Y
ROBERT COIN Mother of pearl surrounded by diamonds drop earrings set in 18karat rose gold ($4,900); Liljenquist & Beckstead Jewelry Boutique, 1780 M Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va., landbjewelry.com
ROBERT COIN 36-carat amethyst earrings set in 18-karat gold ($2,300); Liljenquist &Beckstead Jewelry Boutique, 1780 M Tysons Galleria, McLean, Va., landbjewelry.com 60
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JUICY COUTURE Tropical jacket ($248); Juicy Couture, 3034 M St. NW, juicycouture.com
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Tropical prints are all the rage for resort wear BY ALISON MCLAUGHLIN
MICHAEL BY MICHAEL KORS Palm print mid-rise skinny jeans ($125); michaelkors.com
MARNI Parrotprint tote bag ($345); Neiman Marcus, neimanmarcus.com
KATE SPADE NEW YORK Evening Belles “April” clutch ($228); Kate Spade, 3601 M St. NW, katespade.com
CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA Multicolor Dolly Feathers shoes (price upon request)
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JUICY COUTURE Palmetto jacket ($248); Juicy Couture, 3034 M St. NW, juicycouture.com JUICY COUTURE Palmetto shorts ($128); Juicy Couture, 3034 M St. NW, juicycouture.com
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DIOR Three-tone dark pink, powder pink and grey leather ‘miss dior’ bag (price upon request); dior.com WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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LIFESTYLES | PERFECT PITCH
FROM CORNELL TO CHORAL ARTS J BY PAT R I C K D. M C C OY
oining the rich fabric of the Washington choral music scene, conductor Scott Tucker, 55, talks about leaving his academic post with Cornell after 17 years to take the baton at Choral Arts Society of Washington and the road ahead in this new season of music making. WASHINGTON LIFE: Tell us how you learned about the music director position with Choral Arts and why you made the decision to relocate. SCOTT TUCKER I am acutely aware that any artist can become complacent. I thought after 17 years that it was possible that I might become a little too self-satisfied and maybe lose my edge if I just coasted there to the end of my career. Leaving was a very difficult decision, but I am convinced it was the right one. Additionally, I have a love interest in Washington. It was not at all clear that she would remain were I to move here because she has a music career of her own. But so far things have worked out, so I feel especially lucky. I have known of Choral Arts since I was a teenager, and first discovered “Mass” by Bernstein. Norman Scribner’s name was seared into my mind because he prepared the chorus for the premiere of that work at the Kennedy Center. An alumnus from the Cornell Glee Club joined Choral Arts after his graduation in 2000, and he introduced me to the Maestro and kept me abreast of the goings on here through the years. WL: The rapport between you and former music director Norman Scribner seems quite remarkable. Could you discuss the role of Executive Director Debra Kraft in that transition? ST Debra is an incredibly gifted strategic thinker. Choral Arts is very lucky to have her. She has wonderful instincts and is able to take in the big picture as well as the finest details. This is a rare gift, and she put it to use in the transition. She didn’t do it alone, of course. The board worked extremely hard to identify the organization’s needs and to
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chart a plan for the transition. It helped a lot that Norman Scribner is a gentleman with the grace and foresight to put the organization first and to offer himself as a resource while at the same time completely removing his ego from the equation. I have enormous respect for him. His influence on choral music in this city is immeasurable and yet he is truly modest, not falsely so.
Scott Tucker (Photos by Stephen Elliott)
WL: What elements of the collegiate teaching experience will you bring to this new setting? ST Teaching a college choir is not so different from preparing adults. The key is to share your vision of the music and have the singers internalize it in such a way that all of us work together toward the same goal. I was never a didactic teacher. I have always been lucky enough to work with smart, musical people. My job is just to harness that collective musicality and to focus it. WL: At Cornell, you worked with the Glee Club. Any plans to explore that kind of ensemble singing with the men of Choral Arts? ST I also conducted the Women’s Chorus at Cornell. I am equally interested in treble and repertoire for divided men’s voices. Yes, I am sure there will be programs that involve all kinds of combinations of voices and timbres in our future. WL: Though you already conducted one of the Christmas Concerts and also the Martin Luther King Tribute, April 2013 will mark your “official
concert.” Tell us about the music and theme for this. ST The thing that inspired the April concert was actually going to see National Presbyterian Church: walking inside, hearing the organ being played and just the expansive nature of the space. It is a very inspiring building. I used to be a brass player long ago. The sound of brass and organ in a space like that is compelling. That was my thought really behind programming these works. The program itself is designed to move from a very dark place to a light place, beginning with Hindemith’s “Apparebit repentina dies.” The chorus has an incredible entrance after a long brass introduction, representing how the “judge” will appear on the last day. So, it starts with a sense of terror. The Brahms pieces take that theme of judgment and explores the idea of why light is given to mankind, but then turns to very comforting text as he explores that theme. The second half of the program features Benjamin Britten’s “Rejoice in the Lamb,” a whimsical, yet sincere expression of what our relationship is to God. Ending the program is the music of Gabrieli, who wrote antiphonal music for the large space of Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Venice.
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So, it is the kind of music that is expansive and uses inspiring space in a way that is sonic and in surround sound.. WL: During Scribner’s tenure he created the annual tradition of the M.L.K. Choral Tribute. Have you thought about a signature event or project to repeat annually? ST The M.L.K. tribute grew organically out of Norman’s great need to do something when the city erupted after King’s assassination. I would hope any annual project that would grow out of my tenure would be equally the result of my interests intersecting with the city’s needs. WL: What are some things you are looking forward to about living in the nation’s capital? ST I am a sap when it comes to being in the nation’s capital. I drive by the Kennedy Center in the evening, with the Lincoln and Washington
monuments in view, and my heart literally skips a beat. I suppose that would make many people roll their eyes, but I am afraid I can’t help myself. I am also feasting on the art and architecture, and especially the embassy life here, with the rich offerings of cultural events. WL: When did you know that you would pursue a professional career in choral music? ST I was drawn to music very early and originally hoped to be a professional trumpet player. I got interested in choral music via doing musical theater. I was involved quite a bit in community theater in college, and right after, I formed a chorus out of a cast of “Hello, Dolly!” I just sent around a questionnaire, asking who would like to give a choral concert after the show was over. Almost everyone signed up, but of course, I had no music and no real knowledge of repertoire. I called my old high school teacher who was very gracious and lent me some music from her library. Once I started to learn the choral repertoire, I was hooked. I realized that I could study choral music for the rest of my life and never even scratch the surface. This sense of an endless pursuit really appealed to me. WL: Who were some of your musical role models? ST My first trumpet teacher in Boston, Richard Given. He never stopped pushing himself, and that made an impression on me. My older sister Nancy has always been a huge source of inspiration to me. She is a very fine, self-taught guitarist and has a sense of creativity and artistic integrity
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that is rare. My mother is a great lover of music, as was her father, and I have very early memories of her playing the piano and singing. Playing the trumpet in Ben Zander’s youth orchestra taught me to look deeply into the score to understand why a composer makes the choices he or she makes. Later, Jim Marvin at Harvard University served as an incredible mentor to me when I was his assistant conductor. The most important lessons I learned about preparing a choir were from him. WL: What are your interests outside of music? ST I am kind of a nerd. I love chess and used to play constantly when I was a little boy. I have also always loved reading things like Hawking’s “Brief History of Time,” books that shake my complacency and renew a sense of wonder. Astronomy, the ocean, and studies about the brain have always done that for me — large frontiers, I suppose. I love professional sports, and still follow my beloved Boston teams with interest. Recently I have gotten a lot of satisfaction from dancing Tango (though I don’t feel very successful at it yet) and indoor climbing. I have a membership at Earthtreks in Rockville and find it a great way to stay in shape and problem-solve. WL: Tell us something exciting that most people may not know about you. ST I don’t know how exciting this is, but when I was 14 I played in an ensemble called America’s Youth in Concert. We performed in Europe, but before we left we did a concert at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. I imagine that the audience was made up of family members and friends of the performing forces all roped into buying tickets for an effort they were funding anyway. I have mixed feelings about those sorts of things now, but as a young musician it made a strong impression on me to perform in those amazing halls. Now when I walk out on the Kennedy Center stage to conduct, I have a sense that a circle has been closed. WL: After a successful concert, are you more likely to grab a beer or a glass of wine? ST Scotch.
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LIFESTYLES | PERFECT PITCH
Trading
Spaces PERFORMING ARTS BEYOND THE CONCERT HALL
JAZZ AT NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART SCULPTURE GARDEN There’s no better way to enjoy spring’s fragrant beauty than with an evening of outdoor jazz. A perennial favorite, the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden opens in May for local and regional jazz artists, creating an ideal setting in which to relax and enjoy music that rivals anything you’ll hear at an upscale supper club. Don’t forget blankets and picnic baskets. 7th St. and Constitution Ave.,Washington, D.C. 20565, 202-289-3360, www.pavilioncafe.com
Bill Evans
BLOOMBARS Founded in 2008 by John Chambers, this happening Columbia Heights venue boasts a variety of arts events, including poetry readings, dance and film. Of particular note is The Garden, which hosts diverse performances on open mic nights. BloomBars is also a nonprofit dedicated to the arts, offering enrichment classes and partnerships with schools and other organizations. 3222 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20010, 202-567-7713, bloombars.com
THE OVERTURES MUSIC SERIES AT EVERMAY Majestically overlooking Georgetown, this historic estate has recently become the site of the Overtures Concert Series, sponsored by the S&R Foundation.WL Performing Arts has been a guest at several concerts in this opulent setting, most recently jazz with Cyrus Chestnut. Launched by foundation founders Sachiko Kuno and Ryuji Ueno, the upcoming lineup presents a variety of salon-style concerts that feature established artists as well as performers on the cusp of great careers in an elegant music room that’s often transformed or enhanced to suit the musical genre. S&R Foundation, 1623 28th St. NW,Washington, D.C. 20007, 202-298-6007, www.sandr.org
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B I L L E VA N S P H OTO C O U RT E SY DAV E W E I S S M A N . N AT I O N A L G A L L E R Y O F A RT FAÇ A D E F I L E . N AT I O N A L G A L L E R Y O F A RT S C U L P T U R E GARDEN FOUNTAIN AGNOSTICPREACHERSKID AT EN.WIKIPEDIA VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. TAMAKI KAWA KUBO BY BEN POWELL PHOTOGRAP H Y. S O I C H I M U R A J I P H OTO C O U R T E S Y S & R F O U N D AT I O N . B L O O M B A R S C O U R T E S Y P H OTO. M A K E P E AC E B R OT H E R S P H OTO B Y L I LY G I R M A .
ith world-class organizations like Arena Stage, the Kennedy Center, Music Center at Strathmore and Shakespeare Theatre — just to name a few — Washington offers some of the best halls to take in a musical celebration. That said, venues outside the traditional realm are offering opportunities to experience the performing arts in different ways. Numerous area cafés, hotels and even boutiques are incorporating live performances into the fabric of their establishments, whether you’re looking for classical music or jazz standards. A recent Friday evening at The Hamilton brought out crowds for Bill Evans’ Soulgrass, with opening act People’s Blues of Richmond. The contemporary backdrop and relaxed atmosphere proved a welcome contrast to the traditional concert hall setting, allowing Evans’ intimate saxophone riffs to connect more personally with the audience. Here, a few more trendy spots to round out any traditional roster of concert hall appointments.
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National Gallery of Art
Looking Back: Springing Forward FAVORITE PERFORMANCES PAST AND FUTURE he past year was an exciting time for performing arts in the Washington, D.C. metro area. We began this column with exclusive interviews with star soprano Renée Fleming and Maestro Norman Scribner, who retired from the Choral Arts Society after a storied 47-year tenure as music director. Memorable performances included violinist Joshua Bell’s thrilling concert at the Music Center at Strathmore, the season opening performance by the Washington Bach Consort at National Presbyterian Church and “One Night With Janis Joplin” at Arena Stage. At The Folger Theatre, we chatted with famed Italian sculptor Ulderico Pinfildi about his rendering of the presepio, an iconic recreation of the nativity. A surprise wedding was thrown into the mix when we got the inside scoop on Washington Chorus conductor Julian Wachner’s marriage to the former Emily Bloemker, who is perhaps best known for her appearance on TLC’s “What Not To Wear.” And who could forget Washington Performing Arts Society’s lavish brunch at the Hay-Adams for opera legend Jessye Norman on the eve of President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. We were also on the scene for the National Symphony Orchestra’s recent community outreach project, which culminated with a free public performance at Howard University. There’s so much more to look forward to with Arena Stage’s National Civil War Project, celebrating the 150th anniversary of that historic conflagration; the 2013-14 Kennedy Center season featuring the series “American Voices” curated by Renée Fleming; and the National Symphony Orchestra Opening Ball marking the debut of the young concert organ virtuoso Cameron Carpenter.
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Editor’s Picks — Not to Be Missed April 6, 8 p.m.
April 28, 2 p.m.
J E S SY E N O R M A N A N D AU D RA M C D O N AL D P H OTO BY C H RI S M . B U R C H . K E I KO M ATS U I CO U RT E SY P H OTO. M I C H A E L F E I N ST E I N S AY R E B E R M A N /CO R B I S / A P I M AG E S . K AT H L E E N B AT T L E A P P H OTO/ E D R E I N K E .
S&R FOUNDATION SPRING GALA CELEBRATION WITH KEIKO MATSUI Bethesda Blues and Supper Club The foundation’s second annual gala features jazz pianist Keiko Matsui, who has enjoyed international acclaim for her unique musical style for decades. Proceeds from the evening help support the foundation’s programs and emerging artists. 7719 Wisconsin Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814; 240-330-4500; www. bethesdabluesjazz.com; $80.
WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY PRESENTS MATTHEW GRILLS IN RECITAL The Kennedy Center The 2012 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions joins the ranks of past winners Renée Fleming, Frederica von Stade, Kathleen Battle, Jessye Norman and Washingtonian Denyce Graves in what’s sure to be a star-turning copresentation with Vocal Arts DC. 2700 F St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20566; 800-4441324; www.kennedy-center.org; $35. Now through May 12
Keiko Matsui
“THE MOUNTAINTOP” Arena Stage Katori Hall’s Olivier Award-winning new play recreates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night in the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. The drama unfolds with an exhausted King resting in his room after delivering a speech. An unexpected visit from the maid compels him to confront his own humanity and the fate of our nation. Bowman Wright stars as King with Joaquina Kalukango as Camae. 1101 Sixth St. SW, Washington, D.C. 20024; 202-488-3300; www.arenastage.org; $90. May 18, 8 p.m.
Michael Feinstein April 20, 9 p.m.
SPRING GALA AT STRATHMORE WITH MICHAEL FEINSTEIN The Music Center at Strathmore Michael Feinstein comes to Strathmore to celebrate the legacy of George and Ira Gershwin. The “Ambassador of the Great American Songbook” and twotime-Emmy- and five-time-Grammy-award nominee will share personal stories from his recent book “The Gershwins and Me.” It promises to be a night that will leave you humming along with your toes tapping. 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852; 301-581-5100; www.strathmore.org; $300 and up.
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UNDERGROUND RAILROAD AN EVENING WITH KATHLEEN BATTLE AND PIANIST CYRUS CHESTNUT AND THE HERITAGE SIGNATURE CHORALE The Music Center at Strathmore Legendary soprano Kathleen Battle joins The Heritage Signature Chorale and acclaimed pianist Cyrus Chestnut in a moving evening exploring the rich tradition of the spiritual in a program that expresses the suffering and salvation of enslaved Africans as they found their way to freedom. 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852; 301-581-5100; www.strathmore.org; $55-$95.
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WASHINGTON S O C I A L D I A R Y Around Town﹐ Teach for america’s Gala﹐ Heroes Curing Childhood Cancer and More!
Piper Gioia and Sally Sagarese at St. Jude’s Gourmet Gala (Photo by Tony Powell)
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AROUND TOWN
First Ladies Yesterday and Tomorrow High-powered group plans to establish a Women’s History Museum; Teach for America celebrates a major success in helping to transform low-performing schools BY DONNA SHOR
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT “I realized one
day that in our country’s historic landmarks only the men are commemorated. Only the guys. Typically it’s ‘George Washington slept here’ …but where was Martha?” NPR and ABC political analyst Cokie Roberts said this recently at the Arts Club, teamed with Professor Catherine Allgore, education director of California’s Huntington Museum and a history professor at the University of California. Both have written prize-winning books on America’s first ladies, the topic of their dialogue. The event was part of the centennial celebration of the 1913 March to the White House. Led by women’s suffragist Alice Paul, American marchers were joined by supporters from every foreign country where women already had the vote. It took 72 years to win it here after the seminal 1848 women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. where Elizabeth Cady Stanton insisted their right to vote be on the agenda. Finally, on Aug. 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment passed. History books often say that women were “given” the vote, but it took years of struggle, pain and suffering. Women suffragists were pelted with rotten tomatoes at the White House gate, spat upon by the crowds and suffered physical injury and imprisonment. At the program –– where Roberts queried “Where was Martha?” anent those first ladies hidden in plain sight ––– host Joan Wages, president and CEO of the National Museum of Women’s History, said, “If we are going to talk about American history, we need the full picture of female contributions as well as male.There are 55,000 museums in the world, and not one
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charter NWHM member, Marilyn Young marched in the Alice Paul commemorative parade a quarter-century ago. Her lapel button said it all: “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” LEADERSHIP CHANGING LIVES Teach
TOP: Catherine Allgor, Cokie Roberts and Joan Wages at the National Women’s History Museum event at the Arts Club. ABOVE: Jessica Williams and Coline Jenkis, the great-great-granddaughter of suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton
of them provides the depth or grasp of the importance of women in history.With the building of a National Women’s History Museum, we would be the only capital in the world (to have one).” Bills that could establish the privately funded museum on or near the National Mall have been submitted by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Sens. Susan Collins (RMaine) and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.). Attending: Coline Jenkins, the activist great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton; philanthropists Charlotte Cameron Marshall and Marcia MacArthur; and three sisters from California, Suzanne Sharp, Carol Collins and Sally Young with their feisty mother Marilyn Young. A
For America’s third annual gala at the Omni Shoreham celebrated its 20th anniversary here.The national nonprofit group recruits and develops a TFA Corps, chosen from among our nation’s most promising future leaders, to teach for two years in the lowest performing schools. After beginning with only 17 members, there are now 3,400 who have taught in the Washington, D.C. area. One who is typical in her belief in the potential of all children and championing of quality public education is Ashleigh Rose. A Stanford graduate with a master’s degree in sociology, Rose teaches seventh grade at Perry Street Preparatory and is high school varsity girls rugby coach. There is nothing I would rather do than teach” she says. Speakers affirming TFA goals included teachers, students, lawmakers and a crosssection of Washington movers and shakers. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) spoke as did Colorado State Senator Mike Johnston, an accomplished educator who founded a redesigned urban public high school that made Colorado history with 100 percent of its seniors admitted to four-year colleges. Katherine Bradley and Walter Isaacson opened the program; at dinner’s end, Jack Davies proved a talented auctioneer. “He just raised $104,000 for Teach For America” his wife, Kay Kendall, said happily at the dessert reception.
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Cindy Steuart, Len Goldman, Lisa DeMarco and Bridgit Fried
Rep. John Delany, Kate Fletcher and Allie Hoffman
Ginger Pape and Katherine Bradley
Hillary Baltimore and Jerry Jasinowski WL SPONSORED
TEACH FOR AMERICA GALA Omni Shoreham | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ
Christie Weiss, Teddy Weiss and Edie Tatel
CELEBRATING YEARS IN THE REGION Teach For America broke last year’s record by raising over $1.2 million at its 3rd annual gala. Paula and Bob Hisaoka, already known to be among the regions most philanthropic couples, generously came in as a title sponsor for the event at $100,000+. Evening highlights include: Colorado State Senator Mike Johnston who wowed the crowd with personal stories and had guests speculating when he would be running for national office; and Jack Davies (actually wearing a tie) skillfully leading the text donations pledges.
Evan and Ahnna Smith with Jesus Aguirre
Natasha Luddinstin and Zead Haddad
VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Peter Barrett and Lu Leone
Gina Adams and Willee Lewis
Katherine Bradley with Bob and Paula Hisaoka
Mark Lowham and Christopher Ritzert Terry Eakin III
Jack Davies, Jack Evans, Amanda Marcum and David Catania WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Kevin Beverly and Howard Shapiro with Diana and Bill Conway
Stacey Pavesi Debre and Joey Sloter 71
Alvin Ailey Artistic Director Robert Battle and Debra Lee
Alvin Ailey dancers Daniel Harder, Vernard Gilmore, Hope Boykin and Guillermo Asca
Gina Adams
WL EXCLUSIVE
ALVIN AILEY GALA The Kennedy Center | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL DANCE WITH THE DANCERS: To hear guests tell it, this year’s Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Gala was nothing short of a tour de force, with the dancers, under the direction of Robert Battle, delivering one of their most exciting performances in years. Even the audience got into the act in “Minus 16,” after the cast led 20 “volunteers” onstage to participate in offbeat pas de deux that made those left behind wish they had been picked, too. LATE-NIGHT SCENE: After a post-performance meal of beet salad, salmon and chocolate mousse in the Atrium, there was plenty of opportunity for budding balletomanes to join in the fun when Free Spirit’s Tina Turner- and Stevie Wonder-inspired tunes kept the dance floor hopping until well past midnight.
Ann Jordan and Susan Eisenhower
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Frederica Wilson and Rep. Terri Sewell
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Carolyn Niles, Valerie Jarrett and Hillary Baltimore
Dr. Sharon Malone and Gwen Ifill
Michael Powell
Mary and Alex Barth
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Christina Vaughan, Sophie l’Hélias Delattre, Mary Jordan and Jeanne Rossomme
Megan Jakel and Kanji Segawa
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THEARC’s Janet Stone with Carl Cole, Ericka Fleet and THEARC Executive Director Edmund Fleet
Sunshine Cummings and Patricia Daniel-Cummings Event Chairwomen Allison Metz, Renee Esfandiary Crupi and Elizabeth Engel
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THEARC WACKY & WHIMSICAL TEA PARTY THEARC | PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON FAMILY FUN: THEARC’s fourth annual Tea Party proved to be a smashing success. With over 320 guests in attendance, the event was completely sold out. Proceeds from the funfilled event underwrite cultural and social services programs for local children and adults who would otherwise be unable to afford them. ENJOYING TEA AND CRUMPETS: Carrie Marriott, Elizabeth Conahan, Nancy Cordes, Marnie Owens, Kristin Ehrgood and Annie Lou Berman.
Paxton Baker with his children
Richard Thompson and Kay Kendall
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Eun Yang and Dominique Howard
Jessica Heyward and Elena Tompkins
Sarah Stettinius
Suzanne Moran and her daughter
Jill White and her daughters
) Lisa Smith (far left) and Tracy Patch (far right ren child their with WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Kristin Rae Cecchi and Mae Haney Grennan
Shannon Grewer and Nancy Taylor Bubes
Jean-Marie Fernandez and Karen Donatelli with their daughters
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Zin Mar Aung, Claudia Paz y Paz and Carol Lancaster
Paul Tagliabue and Paul Pelosi
Melanne Verveer WL EXCLUSIVE
GEORGETOWN WOMEN IN PEACE AND SECURITY INSTITUTE LAUNCH Georgetown University Leavey Center | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ
Tina Brown
WOMEN IN PEACE: A global group of leaders came from far and wide to toast the opening of an institute dedicated to the inclusion of women in negotiating peace and rebuilding communities and to honor its new leader Melanne Verveer. The institute was launched on the heels of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security which was launched in 2011 and is part of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Nancy McEldowney and U.A.E. Amb. Yousef Al-Otaiba
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Carla Koppell and William Lietzau
Mary Jordan Jeanne Ruesch and Mayesha Alam
Marlene Malek aand Clare Ogden
Don Steinberg
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Lisa Barry and Amb. of Finland Ritva Koukku-Ronde
Kathy Baczko and Jacqueline O’Neill
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Lee and Elizabeth Blalack with Dr. Kurt Newman Severina Mladenova and Matthew Nicely WL SPONSORED
HEROES CURING CHILDHOOD CANCER GALA The Four Seasons | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ
Ike and Catherine Leggett
Kirsten Willis, Alison Morrison, Becky Shaffer and Allison Jacobs
DR. SEUSS AND FRIENDS: Friends of Children’s National Medical Center pulled out all the stops for their signature Heroes Gala, raising $689,000 to help create the Dream Clinic in Oncology there. Chairs Elizabeth and Lee Blalack chose a Dr. Seuss theme for this year’s occasion. “After our own daughter’s triumph over childhood cancer, we were moved by Dr. Seuss’s advice that ‘unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better,’” Elizabeth Blalack noted. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Michele Rettew
Victoria and Jesse Sevcik Kate Kiernan and Leslie Kiernan
Jennie Cullen and Reggie Meyer
Suzanne and Tim Davis
Amy Porter Stroh and Richard Riddell
Bret and Amy Baier
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Dr. Max Coppes and Jessica Frend
Dr. Joe and Diem Larsen
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OVER THE MOON
Movie Time in Middleburg ‘Downton Abbey’ star Dan Stevens stars at a film premiere to benefit the National Sporting Library and Museum BY VICKY MOON
V
irginia Fout comes from a celebrated Hunt Country family. Her father, Paul Fout, was a notable horseman; mother Eve was an artist, equestrian and conservationist. Brother Doug is a race horse trainer and sister Nina won a bronze medal as a member of the Three Day Event team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. So, it would seem as if the youngest daughter would follow in related horse pursuits? Except that Virginia landed in Los Angeles and found a home in the entertainment world. Her company,V Productions, orchestrates movie premieres, weddings, award shows and private parties around the globe, starting with the invitations and moving on to décor, lighting, audio, catering and floral design. Fout is fresh off her ninth year on behalf of the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards benefit hosted by Sir Elton John and Davish Furnish at West Hollywood Park.With 940 guests in a 44,000-square-foot tent with accents inspired by Yves Saint Laurent in hues of red, fuchsia and tangerine, the latest result was a $6 million success for the cause. The stellar list of celebs included Billie Jean King, Bono, Britney Spears, Jane Seymour, Naomi Campbell, Quincy Jones, Sharon Stone, Steven Tyler and many more. British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay prepared the five-course meal followed by a performance by Scottish songstress Emeli Sandé. After barely drawing a deep breath,Virginia is now diligently putting the finishing flourishes on a major event for Middleburg’s National Sporting Library and Museum, an ever-sospecial “dinner and a movie “on April 21. The film, “Summer in February,” based on a book of the same title, celebrates the life and work of the controversial and “larger than life” British artist Sir Alfred Munnings. The evening will include a preview of the art exhibition
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“It’s a big coup to have this event here to share the significance of the setting in Middleburg with the actors, writers and producers,” Fout says.“The history and the heritage draw attention to it all.” Given the subject matter of the art, it’s also a picture-perfect balance. Sheila Johnson is also a sponsor of the dinner and movie celebration. Her 163-room Salamander Resort and Spa is set to open here in August. No newcomer to film, Johnson will also be launching the Middleburg Film Festival in October and is listed as executive producer on the Virginia Fout (with Elton John) will design the National Sporting Museum and Library’s premiere enviable IMDB party for the film “Summer in February” on Apr. 21. website for “Munnings: Out in the Open” featuring several projects over 50 of his works. including the The film’s executive producer and Sir Alfred Munnings’ “My Horse is My upcoming “The principal actor, Dan Stevens (whose Friend: the Artist’s Wife and Isaac” will Butler.” Starring on display at the museum’s show of Oprah Winfrey, character, Matthew Crawley, had to be be the artist’s work. (Courtesy Pebble Hill Robin Williams killed off in “Downton Abbey” so he Plantation, Thomasville, Ga.) John and could pursue other projects), is expected to attend along with Jonathan Smith, who wrote Cusack, the film, inspired by a newspaper article, the book and screenplay. Smith, it should be will no doubt be part of the festival as well. noted, taught English at the private Tonbridge She’s also launched her own line of scarves School in Kent which Stevens attended. titled “Interludes.” Each piece, manufactured in British Ambassador Sir Peter Westmacott Italy, has been digitally translated in rich and is honorary chairman with Clarice Smith as stunning color from one of her own photographs chairman. Patrons include Jacqueline Mars, on to 100 percent natural yarn of Modal. Mimi Abel-Smith, Valerie and Guy Dove, Dielle With individual names that include Fleishmann, Jacqueline Ohrstrom, Betsee “Solace,” “Joy!” and “Felicity,” Johnson says Parker, Helen Groves (of the King Ranch) and the photo images express “moments of Nadia and Michael Stanfield. inspiration.” Starting as a young girl with a What details will Fout impart for the fortunate Polaroid camera and graduating through film 400 guests? “Chevron chairs at the dinner table and now digital, she’s taken her passion for from which they will watch the movie,” she says. photography around the world. Proceeds from Similar to the ones used at the Elton John event, the sale of each $475 scarf will go to Lady they’re comfy “with just enough of a swivel.”The Salamanders, the first national all-women’s tent will be erected on a slope behind the library Street Soccer USA team, which aims to end in an abbreviated amphitheater setting. homelessness through sports.
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Wendy Garner, Bobbi Terkowitz, Susan Butler and Louise Levathes
Hannah Arem, David Muse, Craig Paschal and Victor Shargai Philippa Hughes and Cid Szegedy
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Jamie Bennett
Paata Tskurishvili
MAD HAT GALA The Studio Theatre | PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON PROPER TOPPERS: Studio Theatre’s “Mad Hat” gala featured headwear ranging from a Byzantine empress’s crown and Great White Hunter’s pith helmet to chapeaux creatively smothered in feathers and frills. Illusionist Ricky Jay’s seemingly impossible mastery of a deck of cards added to the evening’s excitement along with dinner, dancing and a show inspired by a recently rave-reviewed play that dare not print its name: “The Motherf**ker with the Hat.” — Chuck Conconi
Joy and Murray Zinoman
Kevin Moran VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Chef Adam Sobel
Karen and George Joulwan
Tom Liljenquist
John Melfi, Renee Eisman, Alejandra Gonzalez, Emily Spizuoco and Mikey Mack
ST. JUDE’S GOURMET GALA National Building Museum | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL
Adele, Eunice and George Mazloom
GRAND GOURMANDS: More than 650 flocked to one of Washington’s tastier fundraisers drawing over 40 of the area’s best chefs, including this year’s Honorary Chairman Bourbon Steak’s Executive Chef Adam Sobel, to raise funds for children with life-threatening illnesses. Now in its 15th year, the gourmet spread didn’t disappoint with delectable bites from area restaurants including Blue Duck Tavern, Ris and Marcel in an evening that raised more than $158,000. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
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Annie Totah and Carole Margaret Randolph
Cakelove’s Warren Brown
Liliana Baldassari, Pilar O’Leary and Alex Migoya 77
Roger Whyte and Jared Silk Tom Gallagher, Diane Dykstra and Doug Wheeler
Episcopal Bishop of Maryland Eugene Sutton, Sonya Sutton and J. Reilly Lewis
Debra Kraft, Italian Amb. Claudio Bisogniero and Laura Denise Bisogniero
ANGEL OF THE ARTS AWARDS GALA Embassy of Italy | PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON
Catherine Wheeler and Betsey Feinberg
MUSIC OF THE NIGHT: More than 200 patrons of the Washington music community came to honor the president emeritus of Washington Performing Arts Society, Douglas Wheeler, as the recipient of the Cathedral Choral Society’s 2013 Angel of the Arts Award. A\er a ceremony where the guest of honor was hailed as “the very essence of an Angel of the Arts,” guests enjoyed a seated dinner and performances by Caleb and Daniel Morris, Bob Israel, Memphis Gold and the Washington Performing Arts Society Men and Women of the Gospel Choir. The evening closed with a live auction to fund the orchestra for the fall 2013 performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” and dancing to The Brooks Tegler Orchestra.
John and Charlotte Marshall
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Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County Chief Executive Officer Suzan Jenkins
Alyce Jenkins, Dana Tai Soon Burgess, Michelle Lees, MD State Delegate Tom Hucker and Jameson Freeman
MYB dancers performing at the gala Liam Doherty, Nathaniel Remez, Darren Hsu, Beau Chesivoir and Sam Rodriguez
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MARYLAND YOUTH BALLET GALA Silver Spring Civic Building | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL HOMETOWN TALENT: The 42-year-old Maryland Youth Ballet’s annual gala was filled with well-known Marylanders, including “First Lady of Montgomery County” Catherine Legge and the entire MD District 20 delegation sharing the role of honorary gala chairmen. Graduates of MYB have gone onto illustrious ballet companies including ABT, New York City Ballet and the Joffrey. Funds raised from the evening go towards supporting MYB’s programs for local disadvantaged children as well as children with physical disabilities, so they too can experience the joy of dance. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
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Ethan Browne and Reva Jolovitz
Kate Loxtercamp, Ellen Roop and Darcy Lawrence
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MYB dancers Elena Danos, Emilie Forest and Julia Beros
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Karin Tanabe
Mary-Alice Farina and Chris Frates
Christopher Reiter, Juleanna Glover, Stephanie Green, Michael Clements, Eliza Krigman, Renaud de Viel Castel, Flavius Mihaies, Samantha Sault and Matt Lauer
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‘THE LIST’ BOOK PARTY Showroom 1412 | PHOTOS BY TONY POWELL CHIC-LIT SATIRE: The party to celebrate Karin Tanabe’s first novel was abuzz with rumors about the true-life identity of its main characters. A\er all, there is certainly no denying that “The List,” inspired by the author’s tenure as a features writer at Politico, not only skewers its marks but leaves some of them rather well done. DENIABILITY FACTOR: Regarding speculation about her portraying the protagonist, Tanabe only admits to being “a brune^e not a blonde.”
Aureta Thomollari and Teddy Kim
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Jim Vance
Linda Cropp, Maudine Cooper and Anthony Williams
Debbie Jarvis and Jerry Moore
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Susanna Quinn, Jamie Dorros, Amy Baier and Kristin Rae Cecchi
Kriss Mincey, Rynthia Roost and Tonya Kinlow
Brad Trenkamp and Margaret Dunnell
URBAN LEAGUE WHITNEY M. YOUNG JR. MEMORIAL GALA
Ray and Karen Skinner
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel | PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON DIAMOND JUBILEE: The greater Washington affiliate of the nonprofit social services and civil rights organization celebrated its milestone 75th anniversary with a grand fête that included a rousing performance by the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Show Choir. NBC4’s Aaron Gilchrist and Danella Sealock presided as emcees while guests bid on luxury silent auction items.
Wendi and Michael Aiken WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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Yinka Ajirotutu and Brian Williams 79
Natalie Sheehan, Linda Paris and Emily Yaffee
Susan O’Neil
le Anne Byers, Erin O’Connor and Amy Zett
Chris Brimsek
Piao Sam and Grace Golojuch
SO OTHERS MAY EAT JUNIOR GALA Corcoran Gallery of Art | PHOTOS BY BRETT BAGLEY GOURMANDS: A gathering of young Washingtonian philanthropists hit the dance floor in support of So Others May Eat at the group’s annual cocktail benefit, chaired by Mike Donovan and Chris Brimsek, The upbeat fête raised funds for SOME’s Affordable Housing Initiative, which provides housing to the homeless. VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
Calvin Simpson and Leah Brown
Mike Dononvan and Ryan Redmann
Susan Beimler and Bill Moody
Dale Overmyer with Victoria and Douglas Rixey Stephanie Bothwell and James Warren
Marc Schappell and Nancy Taylor Bubes
Charles and Betsy Rackley
GEORGETOWN HOUSE TOUR KICK-OFF RECEPTION Frank Randolph Residence | PHOTOS BY NESHAN NALTCHAYAN
Christian Zapatka, Samar Langhorne and Frank Babb Randolph
OPEN HOUSE: Prominent Georgetowners graciously open their historic and beautiful homes each year for the Georgetown House Tour and this year’s Apr. 27 event features nine spectacular properties and their impressive gardens, which participants can visit at their own pace. Tickets also include admission to a Parish Tea in Blake Hall at St. John’s Episcopal Church with homemade sandwiches and sweets. And don’t forget the exclusive Patrons’ Party on Apr. 24 at the home of Washington Fine Properties President Tom Anderson and Marc Schappell.
Colman and Richard Riddell VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS AT WWW WASHINGTONLIFE COM!
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Ivette Domingues, Monica Davis and Arlene Shapiro Callie Nierenberg, Angie Goff and Megan Britton
Jeff Snyder, Ethan Foxman, Brad Nierenberg and Kennedy Snyder
CHANCE FOR LIFE City Club Tavern | PHOTOS BY BEN DROZ POKER WITH A PURPOSE: Who wouldn’t want to play a rousing hand of poker and sip wine in the name of curing pediatric spinal cord cancer? The eighth annual Chance for Life charity event raised more than $105,000 to fund grants for pediatric spinal cord research, tests and clinical trials. Though there is no crying in poker, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house a\er 12-year-old Kennedy Snyder, who has been ba^ling a spinal cord tumor since the age of two, kicked off the poker tournament with an inspiring speech, and the positive energy continued throughout the day into the evening’s wine tasting and a\er-party.
Kristine Rigley, Janina Rivera and Kerry Rigley
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Robert Porter, Melanie Yedia and Tim Bebus
Mike Ponticelli and Michael Nieman
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PARTIES PARTIES PARTIES
Business, Dance and Technology 2012 CHAMBER’S CHOICE AWARDS GALA
DANCE INSTITUTE OF WASHINGTON’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
Marriott Wardman Park PHOTOS BY KEA TAYLOR OF IMAGINE PHOTOGRAPHY
More than 1,200 guests celebrated high achievers of the District’s business community.. 1. A. Sco Bolden, Erika Martin and Barbara Long 2. Jim Vance
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French Embassy PHOTOS BY LOUIS MYRIE
The French Embassy hosted a capacity crowd to celebrate the institute’s 25 years of providing dance education to at-risk youth. 4. Mya Owens-Frye and Marcellous Frye with Hydeia Hall and Jaelyn Moore
3. Cherrie Dogge and Vincent Gray
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5. Reggie Van Lee, Arthur Mitchell and Fabian Barnes
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3 5 HEROINES IN TECHNOLOGY GALA Hilton McLean Tysons Corner | PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON The 12th annual black-tie evening honored women in the technology community, including Sarah Chu, Lyne e Spano, Sandy Peavy, Dawn Halfaker, Anne Altman and Lynda Mann.
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6. Stephanie Alire, Altman and Willis Ngo 7. Jason and Amanda Tiede 8. Peavy and Mitzi Mead 9. Chu, Teresa Bozzelli and Ruxandra Zaborowski
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HOME LIFE Real Estate News and Open House I Inside Homes and Furnishings Real Estate News and Open House | To come
% ,SQI SJ ,MW 3[R PORTRAIT PHOTO BY TONY BROWN P H OTO CAPT I O N H E RE
WWW.IMIJPHOTO.COM
ALL OTHERS BY MATT ALLEN
Real Estate guru John Mason gave himself complete control over the interior of his penthouse loft as well as the exterior of the building when he chose to design and build his own apartment complex. WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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HOME LIFE | INSIDE HOMES
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ost people can only daydream about designing their ideal apartment, complete with a fantastic view of the city, ample living space and a walk-in closet. John Mason made that dream a reality with one simple idea: he developed and built his own building. Mr. Mason, founder and president of Intrepid Real Estate, wanted to create Washington’s first New York-style luxury boutique apartment building; it had been a goal of his for a long time. In 2008, after several months of planning and location discussions, he settled on 2501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW as the ideal setting for his 18-unit building. Mr. Mason liked that the neighborhood was steps from Georgetown, nine blocks from the White House, one block from Trader Joes and walking distance to the Kennedy Center, Rock Creek Park and downtown. “I like being able to walk in Georgetown, have drinks a block away at the Four Seasons or jog on Constitution Avenue past the monuments and bridges on the Potomac River,” Mr. Mason says. With the exception of maintaining a historic façade on the corner of 25th and Penn, Mr. Mason built the structure from the ground up. While there are still two units for sale there, he chose to settle in to a hybrid loft on the top floor and decorated it in a transitional style, using a mixture of contemporary and classic design features. He stuck with the do-it-yourself theme and decorated without the help of an interior designer. “I had used several decorators in past homes,” Mr. Mason says,“and in this one, I used the furnishings we had previously collaborated on and arranged them myself.” He looked to classic New York Fifth Avenue coops for inspiration, and chose dark wood paneling, earth tones and soft white hues to create a warm and comfortable living environment. Personal accents are scattered throughout, from vintage Louis Vuitton suitcases adorning the bookshelves to the prominent
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TOP: The dark, earthy tones of the apartment were influenced by classic New York co-ops. BELOW: Mr. Mason combined dark wood paneling and soft white hues to create a warm, inviting feel that flows throughout his home.
OPPOSITE PAGE, FAR LEFT: The central location and commanding views of Washington are the owner’s favorite things about his apartment. TOP: The hybrid loft layout combines the living room and library space with a connection to the dining/kitchen area. The bedroom remains separate to maintain privacy. BOTTOM: Mr. Mason spends most of his time in the living room, relaxing and enjoying time with his dog.
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black-and-white globe in the living room corner. Mr. Mason spends most of his time in his library/living room, whether he is playing with his Rhodesian Ridgeback, Samson, or watching sports on the mounted big screen. “The floor plan and layout was important to me,” Mr. Mason says. “I kept the library, living room and kitchen in a loft layout, while the bedroom is separate like in a traditional apartment configuration.” When he’s not enjoying the comforts of his building or working in the office, Mr. Mason likes to take advantage of the terrific location of his home by exploring the best
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that Washington offers. He and Samson enjoy long walks in nearby Rock Creek Park and Georgetown and since he is a private pilot, he is also a frequent visitor to the Smithsononian National Air and Space Museum. And like any good native Washingtonian, he never passes up an opportunity to watch RGIII and the Redskins at FedEx Field. “I am a fourth-generation Washingtonian and actually grew up in the city as opposed to Maryland or Virginia.My family’s history here gives me a sense of pride and appreciation for the beauty and uniqueness of Washington.”
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HOME LIFE | FURNISHINGS
HOME
MADE
Whether recycled, reimagined or forged by hand in the U.S., these pieces satisfy body and soul.
Penguin Classics Graphic Deluxe Edition “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen with jacket illustration by Ruben Toledo, ($20), and Clothbound Classics “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde with jacket illustration by Coralie Bickford Smith, ($23), both at us.penguingroup.com.
GRAYPANTS “Drum” series 18-inch, $995, graypants.com
LES INDIENNES “New Lattice” duvet ($334 to $450) and standard pillow ($80/pair) on top of a “Madame de Montreuil” quilt ($392 to $622), lesindiennesshop.com
ED WOHL American-made birdseye maple - cutting cutting trays, (from $129), Room & Board, 1840 14th St. NW, 202-729-8300.
PIGEON TOE CERAMIC S American-made sugar and creamer set, (from $34), Room & Board, 1840 14th St. NW, 202-729-8300.
THE COMMON PROJECT “Condesa Sillo” chair in black, ($250), thecommonproject.net
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B O O K S C O U RT E SY P E N G U I N G R O U P U S A . A L L OT H E R S C O U RT E SY O F E AC H C O M PA N Y.
“Deauville” gold glazed handmade ceramics, prices vary, Canvas Home, shop.canvashomestore.com
HOME LIFE | OPEN HOUSE
Real Estate Blooms April’s rainy weather won’t be dampening the blossoming housing market GREAT FALLS INNSBRUCK AVENUE+ GREAT FALLS+ VA “Alderley” is a Cotswold Stone Manor on five gated acres. A grand foyer and reception hall lead to large living and dining rooms on either side.The gourmet kitchen has stainless steel appliances, a butler’s pantry and attached breakfast room with French doors leading to the backyard.The master suite is located in its own wing and includes a sitting room, gas fireplace and two baths, each with an attached dressing room.There are five additional bedrooms, five full and two half baths, including a private guest suite. The lower level contains large, finished rooms, a wine cellar with tasting area, a gym and outdoor access. The grounds include two courtyards flanking the front entrance, a rear home-lengthspanning terrace, as well as a pool, patio and beautiful gardens.
MCLEAN
ASKING PRICE $8,750,000 LISTING AGENTS: Penny Yerks, 703760-0744; TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
ASKING PRICE $7,750,000
CREST LANE+ MCLEAN+ VA Sited on over three acres overlooking the Potomac River, this residence allows for maximum privacy, with the convenience of a location just one mile outside of Washington. Designed to take advantage of the dramatic views, the river is visible from virtually every window in the house. Careful wood detailing makes the generously-appointed interior spaces flow together in a perfect setting for entertaining or casual family living. There are four bedrooms, four full baths, one half bath and a fireplace. Additional amenities include a heated indoor pool and ample guest parking for more than 35 cars.
LISTING AGENT Mark McFadden, 703-2161333; Washington Fine Properties, LLC
KALORAMA BANCROFT PLACE NW+ WASHINGTON+ DC This elegant townhouse is located on sought-after Bancroft Place NW in the prestigious neighborhood of Kalorama, home to many of Washington’s ambassadorial residences.The neighborhood itself is within walking distance to the sidewalk cafes and fine restaurants of Dupont Circle, and just a few short blocks to Mitchell Park. This classic house offers six bedrooms, three full baths and two half baths on two levels as well as parking for one vehicle. The property’s rooftop deck offers stunning panoramic views of Washington.
BETHESDA MACARTHUR BOULEVARD+ BETHESDA+ MD
This stately seven-bedroom Colonial is set on a gated and professionally landscaped lot. Sunlight fills the main level’s inspiring living spaces. The second level offers an expansive owner’s suite with private balcony, four additional bedrooms and a den. The finished lower level features a recreation room, billiard room and fully appointed apartment with separate entrance, kitchen and two bedrooms. The grounds boast a patio adjoining the heated pool and spa as well as a fenced-in yard and four-car garage.
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ASKING PRICE $1,995,000 LISTING AGENT: Jim Bell, 202-6074000; Beasley Real Estate
ASKING PRICE $2,450,000 LISTING AGENT Wendy Banner and The Banner Team, 301-3659090; Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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HOME LIFE | REAL ESTATE NEWS
Lucky Sevens Two historic Georgetown mansions fetch over $7 million apiece BY STAC E Y G R A Z I E R P FA R R
THE DISTRICT Mark S. Tenenbaum sold N STREET NW in Georgetown for $7,550,000 to The Conklin Revocable Trust. Mr. Tenenbaum is
founding partner of the Tenenbaum & Saas law firm in Chevy Chase. The extraordinary historic Federal property was built in 1820 and features a double parlor, embassy-sized dining room, gourmet kitchen, paneled library, lower-level home theater, in-law suite, lush garden and pool. The listing agent was Washington Fine Properties’ Nancy Taylor Bubes; the buyer’s agent was Mark McFadden of Washington Fine Properties. Pine Creek Partners venture capitalist Rick Rickertson sold the Laird-Dunlap Coach House at TH STREET NW in Georgetown’s East Village to Bassem M. Khoury for $7.6 million. Mr. Khoury is an international businessman and former economic minister of the Palestinian Authority. The five-bedroom Colonial Revival was built in 1799 by John Laird, the owner of a tobacco warehouse and one of Georgetown’s richest men. Originally part of one estate, the main house was split off from the coach house and is currently owned by Ben Bradlee, a former editor of the Washington Post. Judge Dunlop, Laird’s son-in-law, inherited the house — thus the name. Notable former owners include Abraham Lincoln’s eldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln and J.P. Morgan’s granddaughter Helen Burgess. Mr. Rickertsen did a major renovation with architect Richard Foster and interior designer Susan Alefantis shortly after he purchased it in 2004 for $4,150,000. “American Pie� singer Don McLean (a friend of Mr. Rickertsen’s) once entertained guests with his music at a Christmas party there. Features include a gourmet kitchen, a dining room seating 12-plus guests, a maplepaneled library, wine cellar, ballroom and pool.
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Gregory Brennan sold a five-bedroom Tudor residence at 4529 Lowell Street NW in Wesley Heights for $1,840,000.
Washington Fine Properties’ Eileen McGrath was the listing agent while Kimberly Casey, also of Washington Fine Properties, was the buyer’s agent. Heather Podesta, who recently separated from her husband, fellow lobbyist Tony Podesta, bought WYOMING AVENUE NW from Dave and Kirsten Pollin for $3,825,000. Mr.
Pollin is co-founder of The Buccini/Pollin Group, a hotel development company. The seven-bedroom Kalorama property features a 7,000-square-foot main house and a two-level carriage house with its own living quarters. Built in 1919, the house was previously home to both The Sullivan School and The Field School. Former occupants include a Supreme Court Justice and two bishops. Beasley’s Jim Bell was the listing agent for the transaction; Tessa Morris of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty was the buyer’s agent. KALORAMA SQUARE NW , the former residence of the late Martin and
Elizabeth Malarkey, sold for $2 million to an undisclosed buyer. The private townhouse in the heart of Kalorama features four original fireplaces, an elevator, large foyer, dining room with a fireplace overlooking a private garden, library and a pool with views of the Washington Monument. Lawrence Calvert of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty represented the seller while Jeanne Livingston of Long & Foster was the buyer’s agent. David and Amanda Bowker purchased TILDEN STREET NW in Spring Valley for $2,280,000 from Dr. Christopher J. Cannova.
Mr. Bowker is a partner in WilmerHale’s Litigation/Controversy Department. Mrs. Bowker is an art historian with a specialization in photo history. Dr. Cannova is a Bethesdabased orthopaedic surgeon. The classic brick Colonial was built in 1942 and features five bedrooms, a fully finished basement, gourmet kitchen, au pair suite and large garden with mature trees. Michael Rankin of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty represented the
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Venture capitalist Rick Rickertson sold the historic Laird-Dunlap Coach House at 1248 30th Street NW in Georgetown’s East Village for $7.6 million.
purchasers. Connie Carter of Washington Fine Properties represented the sellers. Local real estate developer Gregory Brennan sold LOWELL STREET NW in Wesley Heights for $1,840,000. The five-bedroom Tudor was built in 1927 and has undergone meticulous renovation with designer-grade materials and fixtures from Waterworks. The chef ’s kitchen includes a Wolf oven and range and Sub-Zero refrigerator.The family room off the kitchen opens to a large pool-sized back yard and terrace. Michael Rankin of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty represented the seller. ZipRealty, Inc.’s Rhonda Hayden was the buyer’s agent.
agent. Long & Foster’s Greta Nicoletti represented the buyers. Mr. Iaquinto is an executive at the IT company, Deltek.The five-bedroom Colonial was built in 2009 by Laurence Cafritz and features 6,800 square feet of interior space with high ceilings, an elevator, stone porches and a private rear patio with an outdoor stone fireplace. The listing agent for the sale was Washington Fine Property’s Sherry Davis, while Long & Foster’s Greta Nicoletti was the buyer’s agent. Long & Daniel Mulvey is the new owner of Foster’s Greta Nicoletti was the buyer’s agent. CATHEDRAL AVENUE NW. He purchased the Woodley Park property for $1,950,000 from VIRGINIA Kalorama Holdings, a private LLC. The six3401 North Ohio LLC sold OHIO bedroom house was built in 1926 and boasts STREET for $1,675,000 to Dean and many amenities including a gourmet kitchen, Meredith Zerbe. Mr. Zerbe is the national entertainment room and wine cellar.The listing managing director of alliantgroup, an agent was A-K Real Estate Inc.’s Sunil Chhabra, accounting firm. His wife is an executive at while TTR Sotheby’s Jeffrey Sachse was the Baxter BioScience. The five-bedroom Arts & Crafts-style house in Minor Hill was built buyer’s agent. in 2012 and features over 6,000 square feet MARYLAND including a gourmet kitchen, luxurious master Kevin and Alla Iaquinto bought suite, spa bathrooms and large fenced yard. KIRBY ROAD in Bethesda for $1,950,000 from The listing agent was McWilliams Ballard’s Debra Battista with the help of Washington Fine Jacob Ballard. The buyer’s agent was Kenneth Properties’ Sherry Davis, who was the listing Courtade of Keller Williams.
PROPERTY LINES “FIDELIO� FOR SALE The Virginia estate of the late George Andreas, a collector of contemporary art and artist, and his wife Ursula, has been listed for $21 million. Located in the heart of Virginia hunt country, the 61-acre Neoclassical villa, named “Fidelio� after the Beethoven opera, features six bedrooms, frescoed ceilings, a mahogany-paneled elevator and chimney pieces dating from the 15th to the 17th centuries. The property also has a pool, a spa with sauna and steam room, tennis court and guesthouse. Also included: a threebedroom, two-bath stone cottage and a 5,000-square-foot estate office and studio. TTR Sotheby’s International Realty’s Christopher Ritzert and Christie-Anne Weiss are the listing agents. ARCHITECT’S MANSE The former residence of the late
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Arthur Keyes is for sale for $2,995,000. The famed Districtbased architect was known for his work on Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory Arts Center and the west wing of the National Gallery of Art. TTR Sotheby’s John Mahshie listed the modernist house at ST STREET NW which is located on an elegant cul-de-sac in Massachusetts Avenue Heights. The property, built in 1950, features four bedrooms and five baths, a floating staircase, indoor lap pool and light-filled porch overlooking lush landscaping. FORMER MAYOR’S HOUSE Current D.C. Councilmember Marion Barry’s former residence at SUITLAND ROAD SE, is on the market for $469,000. The former mayor and his thenwife, Effi, paid $125,000 for the Hillcrest property in 1979. Mr.
Barry lived in the property for his first three terms as mayor. CLIFTON CHATEAU ON MARKET A 27,000-square-foot mega-mansion is being sold by architect Ron Hubbard and his wife, Cheryl, for $9.2 million. Mr. Hubbard formerly worked with the Department of Defense and has overseen many D.O.D. construction projects. He is founder of C+H Associates, an architectural planning firm. The Chateau in Oak Hollow is located at DOYLE ROAD in Clifton. The French-inspired dwelling sits on five acres and was built in 2000. The seven-bedroom property includes an indoor pool, art gallery, three-story marble entrance, golf green, two ponds and an eight-car garage. The listing agent is Jobin Realty’s Meghan Wasinger.
TOP FIVE One of the five most expensive properties in Northern Virginia is currently FOUNDERS RIDGE LANE in McLean’s exclusive Reserve. John and Sara Darvishi are selling the 2008 French Provincial for $13,999,999 (previously listed at $17.9 million). The 20,000-squarefoot custom-built mansion boasts an indoor pool, indoor racquetball/basketball court, wine cellar, elevator, ballroom, luxury movie theater, steam showers, nanny quarters and a generator equipped to power the entire house. Mr. Darvishi is also the listing agent for the property. Stacey Grazier Pfarr is a real estate agent for Delaware Realty in Lewes, Del. Contact her with real estate news at hstaceypfarr@ gmail.com.
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MY WASHINGTON Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of Police, Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
WHY ARE YOU SO COMMITTED TO WASHINGTON WHEN YOU COULD HAVE JOINED A POLICE FORCE ANYWHERE? I joined this department in 1990 and have spent my entire career here. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.
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HOW HAS THE FORCE CHANGED THE MOST IN YOUR YEARS AS CHIEF? We have expanded our relationship with the community, which has allowed us to obtain more information and be more proactive about crime fighting, preventing crime and closing cases. People are more comfortable giving us information. In the past four years, juveniles are 63 percent less likely to commit homicide and 85 percent less likely to fall victim to homicide.
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WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? Trying to manage everything on my schedule without offending anyone.
MY TOP SPOTS 1. My favorite workout place is The National Mall where I start with a run in the morning by the U.S. Capitol. Then I head toward the Lincoln Memorial. The steps are brutal, but watching the sunrise on the National Mall is spectacular. 2. The National Arboretum is my favorite scenic spot. I enjoy walks there and love the wildlife and open spaces. Plus, it’s not far from my neighborhood in Northeast. 3. Not only are the headlines and history at the Newseum fascinating, it has a great view of the Inaugural parade route as well. 4-6. FAVORITE RESTAURANTS I love the chopped salad and crispy salmon at Matchbox (713 H St. NW) and the great hamburgers at Clyde’s (707 7th St. NW), both in Chinatown. Tunnicliff’s Tavern (222 7th St. SE) is great for tilapia and other fish specials. 7-8. PAMPERING PLACES Salon John Paul (4820 Yuma St. NW) for hair and Golden Nails (400 7th St. NW) for manicures. 9. EASTERN MARKET feels very neighborly. I enjoy exploring for local arts and crafts there.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CAUSE? I rescue dogs. Right now, I have five (Australian Shepherds, a Goldendoodle and I got a Shih Tzu for my mom).
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YOU HAVE RULED OUT RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICE. WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS FOR A SECOND ACT? I try to stay focused on my current position and am not actively engaged in seeking a career beyond this one.
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PHOTO O F CATHY L . L ANIER BY ANTHONY B ROWN/ WASHIN GTON D.C . METRO POLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT. ALL OTHERS COURTESY.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR LONG CAREER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? The Metropolitan Police Department has reduced homicides, pushed technology and intelligence-led policing and pulled off the 2009 and 2013 inaugurations.
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