Georgetowner's January 28, 2015 Issue by The Georgetowner

G OR

JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 10, 2015

E TO W N E R

THE G

VOLUME 61 NUMBER 8

60 T

Fine

Dining With Chef Frank Ruta

PERMIT-EVADING HOUSE AND A CANNONBALL VALENTINE'S DAY DINING GUIDE CULTURAL LEADERS IN IN COUNTRY EASTON’S BARTLETT PEAR INN

N I V E RSAR

THE FILLMORE SCHOOL BUILDING AND SITE

GEORGETOWN $14,000,000 | Fillmore-School.com

Landmark opportunity in Georgetown. C. 1893 detached structure totaling ~22,000 square feet of finished space. Soaring ceilings, abundant natural light, modern elevator and two staircases. 1.25 acre parcel with parking for 100+ cars and frontage on 34th and 35th Streets NW. R-3 zoning.

MICHAEL BRENNAN, JR. +1 202 330 7808

SPRING VALLEY $5,500,000 | ttrsir.com/id/HEC7KX

Stone and stucco colonial with 8BR, 6.2BA and 7,705 finished sq ft of high-end finishes and state-of-the-art “green” technology. Custom millwork, fine cabinetry, exotic stone countertops, 3 fireplaces, advanced mechanical systems and high performance appliances. 16,500 sq ft lot with terraced yard and extensive landscaping, outdoor fireplace, pergola, custom pool and pool house. Wine cellar, elevator, 2-car garage.

BETHESDA, MD $3,395,000 | ttrsir.com/id/GJB7P4

6BR, 5.5BA home with hardwood and marble floors, luxurious formal rooms, paneled library, gourmet kitchen with island and stainless steel appliances, 2 wine coolers, and 4 fireplaces. Complete with finished basement, pool, and 3-car garage.

DAVID DeSANTIS +1 202 438 1542

THEO ADAMSTEIN +1 202 285 1177 JONATHAN TAYLOR +1 202 276 3344

FOREST HILLS $3,150,000 | ttrsir.com/id/4ZJJSR

Built in 1929, this stately Forest Hills Colonial stone residence encompasses over 7,000 sq ft on an expansive lot with mature plantings, manicured gardens, and a pool. The main level features grand entertaining spaces and comfortable family living. The kitchen is renovated and boasts custom cabinetry, chef’s grade appliances, butler’s pantry and an adjacent breakfast room with walls of windows.

MICHAEL RANKIN +1 202 271 3344

GEORGETOWN $2,495,000

Light-filled East Village townhouse has been beautifully renovated. The five bedroom, four and one half bathroom residence features high ceilings, gas fireplace, hardwood floors, marble baths, and a chef’s grade table-space kitchen with built-ins and an island with a breakfast bar. There is a pergola-covered balcony off the fifth bedroom/study, a lower level family room, and two parking spaces.

McLEAN, VA $2,170,000 | ttrsir.com/id/BXH5ZS

Distinctive New England style stone and shingle home offers 8000 sq ft of sumptuous living on 4 levels. Light infused open spaces, 10’ ceilings, 6+BR, 8BA, 3 fireplaces, 2-car garage, .35-acre level lot. Grand gourmet kitchen, private rear garden, room for a pool, 5 minutes to DC.

ROBIN WAUGH +1 703 819 8809

MICHAEL RANKIN +1 202 271 3344

TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PICTURING MARY: WOMAN, MOTHER, IDEA

FALLS CHURCH, VA $1,999,999 | ttrsir.com/id/ECDNB4 Spacious 8BR, 6BA, 2HBA home with 10,000 sq ft sited on almost 1.5 acres of level and landscaped grounds privately shielded from surrounding homes. Features include an outdoor fireplace, stone terrace, and patio. Stunning family room centered on a gorgeous ceiling-to-floor stone fireplace, two-story breakfast room, top-of-the-line, award winning chef’s kitchen, and more.

PENNY YERKS +1 703 760 0744

GEORGETOWN $1,900,000 | ttrsir.com/id/NJYBED

Spacious residence at one of DC’s most prestigious addresses. Soaring ceilings, hardwood floors, recessed lighting and abundant natural light. Designer kitchen and bathrooms with top-of-the-line fixtures. Two garage parking spaces and extra storage. Full service building features 24-hour front desk, exercise room and rooftop pool.

MICHAEL BRENNAN, JR. +1 202 330 7808

This landmark exhibition organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC brings together more than 60 Renaissance- and Baroque-era masterworks from the Vatican Museums, Uffizi Gallery, and other museums, churches, and private collections in Europe and the United States. Visit nmwa.org for more information.

Through April 12, 2015

ttrsir.com

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

©MMXIV TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change. Date Source: MRIS (Sales, 12/1/12+, Legal Subdivision: Georgetown)

SINCE 1954

CONTENTS NE WS

BODY & SOU L

4 Calendar

Town Topics 8 Editorial/Opinion 9 D.C. Scene 10 Business 11 Historic D.C.

What Will Get You Through a Divorce

Murphy’s Love

R E A L E S TAT E 12

Urban Turf 13 Featured Property 14 Antiques Addict 15 Haute & Cool

C OV E R S T OR Y 18

Frank Ruta at Capella

F OOD & WI N E

I N C OUN TRY 26

Barlett Pear Inn 27 Calendar

ART 28

Mary Stuart at Folger and San Fermin at Wolf Trap

El Greco at the National Gallery

The world’s most desired luxury homes — brought to you by Long & Foster and Christie’s.

S OC I AL SCEN E 30

“American Sniper” Premiere and GBA Reception.

Top 10 Valen-dining 21 Lessons of Terrior

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ON THE COVER

Chef Frank Ruta, who recently took over the kitchen in The Grill Room and The Rye Bar at Capella, graces the cover of The Georgetowner. An internationally acclaimed chef, his move to Georgetown signals a new era of fine dining for the neighborhood. Photo by Angie Myers.

The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2015.

Find your agent at LongandFoster.com

To view our featured luxury properties, see our center spread in this edition. GMG, INC. January 28, 2015

UP & COMING JAN. 31 Jazz Masters with John Eaton: Richard Rodgers Jazz pianist, musicologist and humorist John Eaton brings his popular continuing education program, “Jazz Masters with John Eaton,” to The Alden. Each session is an entertaining and insightful afternoon combining Eaton’s knowledge of the Great American Songbook, hilarious commentary and elegant renditions of jazz standards, both popular and obscure. Tickets are $10. For details, visit mcleancenter.org/alden-theatre. 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, Va.

Calendar

FEB. 3 Children’s Book Event: “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner Readings of Kate Messner’s children’s book about cross-country skiing through a winter forest will take place at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. at the National Building Museum. The book describes the secret kingdom where frogs, beavers, red squirrels and bumblebees live in small open spaces and tunnels between the snow and the ground. Recommended for ages 3-5. Free with admission to the Building Zone. For details, visit nbm.org. 401 F St. NW.

“Shovel Before It Melts” by Carl Bretzke from the upcoming exhibit, “Anytime/Anywhere - A Modern Landscape” at Susan Calloway Fine Arts.

The members of the band Ex Hex.

FEB. 4 Black History Month Book Talk

FEB. 5 Valentine’s Cocktail Event at Hill’s Kitchen

David B. Almond talks about his book “A Sailor’s Story in Black & White: Battle for the Hawk” as part of the U.S. Navy Memorial’s “Authors on Deck” book lecture series. This eyewitness account of Almond’s induction into the U.S. Navy chronicles a series of events during his time at sea. What begins as an adventure of an eager sailor ready to serve his country becomes a battle for control of the vessel between two groups divided by race. For details, visit navymemorial.org. Naval Heritage Center Presidents Room, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Taste of the Nation D.C. will host a Sip & Shop cocktail event at gourmet kitchenware store Hill’s Kitchen, highlighting seven favorite items of Capitol Hill restaurateurs. Hill’s Kitchen will donate 20 percent of the event’s revenue to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in America. For details, visit nokidhungry.org. 713 D St. SE.

Ex Hex Live at Georgetown Dr. Martens Dr. Martens #StandForSomething will present Ex Hex at the Dr. Martens store in Georgetown as the power pop trio gets ready to head for Europe. For details and to RSVP, visit www.culturecollide.com/drmartensexhex#. 3108 M St. NW.

FEB. 6 Opening Reception for “Anytime/Anywhere” Susan Calloway Fine Arts will host a free reception for “Anytime/Anywhere – A Modern Landscape,” an exhibition featuring the work of Carl Bretzke, who brings a modernist sensibility to plein-air painting. Bretzke studied with landscape painter Joseph Paquet and has exhibited widely in Minnesota and California. A radiologist practicing in Minneapolis, Bretzke holds an M.D. from the University of Minnesota Medical School. For details, visit callowayart.com or call 202-965-4601. 1643 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

FEB. 7 Pike & Rose Audio Visual Arts Festival The Pike & Rose mixed-use development will present PRAVA, the first-ever Pike & Rose Audio Visual Arts Festival, a one-night immersive art experience featuring international, national and regional artists. Musical performances and art installations will span 40,000 square feet over three floors of office space. The event, open to ages 18 and older, is free with online registration. To register, visit PRAVAFest.org. 11580 Old Georgetown Rd., North Bethesda, Md.

Smithsonian Black History Month Family Day The Smithsonian kicks off its celebration of Black History Month with a family day of music and drama performances, arts and crafts and other thematic activities. The free

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

event is inspired by the exhibition “Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals at Talladega College,” which displays murals portraying significant events in the journey of African Americans from slavery to freedom. For details, visit nmaahc.si.edu. National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Ave. NW

Game of Drones Family Day at the Building Museum Discover the secrets of robotic drones as local drone engineers demonstrate and display the machines’ inner workings to families and scouts. At 1 pm a “spy mission” takes place, during which drone makers will guide their vehicles through a series of challenges. 11a.m. - 2p.m. 401 F St. NW

FEB. 12 Opening Reception for Georgetown Arts Georgetown Arts 2015, the 6th annual art show of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, will kick off with a reception at the House of Sweden. All art – most of which is for sale – is by artists who live and work in Georgetown and is suitable for viewing by adults and families with children. The proceeds will support CAG, which aims to preserve the historic character, quality of life and aesthetic values of Georgetown. For details, visit cagtown.org. 2900 K St. NW.

FEB. 14 Chinese New Year Family Festival The Smithsonian welcomes families from Chinatown and throughout D.C. to celebrate the 2015 Lunar New Year – the Year of the Goat – in partnership with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. The event will include craft activities, traditional performances and artists’ demonstrations. For details, visit americanart.si.edu. Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F Sts. NW.

Georgetowner Cultural Leadership Breakfast with Ari Roth Join The Georgetowner for breakfast at the George Town Club with Ari Roth. The former artistic director of Theater J shares his plans for the intercultural company he will soon launch at Atlas Performing Arts Center. 8 - 9:30 a.m. 1530 Wisconsin Ave. NW. RSVP to richard@georgetowner.com. Sponsored by Long & Foster.

TOWN TOPICS

NEWS Dumb Moves on Dumbarton Major non-approved changes, including the stuccoing of exterior brick walls and removal of multi-paned windows, that were recently made to a historic 1898 colonial revival home once owned by Secretary of State John Dulles are quickly garnering the indignation and wrath of many in the Georgetown community for what seems to be a violation of the law, not to mention good taste. Tom Luebke, Secretary to U.S. Commission on Fine Arts and head of the Old Georgetown Board, a governmental body charged with reviewing all exterior alterations in the federal historic district, called the homeowner’s failure to obtain permits is one of the most egregious violations of process his organization has seen in a long time. The Citizens Association of Georgetown’s president Pamla Moore echoed those concerns and expressed hope for a reversal of the changes stating, “CAG is very keen on the District government moving to enforce the laws regarding this unpermitted work in our historic district.”

block of Cambridge Place NW – where the Norregaards live – were evacuated. Fearing the potential explosion of the cannonball’s innards, the Metropolitan Police Department’s bomb squad arrived, then contacted the Army for assistance. Those called to the scene were unable to X-ray it in the Norregaards’ home, so the cannonball was sent to Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The family has said it would like the cannonball back after analysis.

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Cannonball discovered in Georgetown chimney.

Ellington School Project Gets More Money

3107 Dumbarton St. NW showing unauthorized stucco and other changes to its exterior. Councilmen Jack Evans when speaking of the house states, “Historic preservation is important to all of us in Georgetown. Frankly, I think the homeowner should take down the stucco and the additions and work through the ANC and Old Georgetown Board to make sure any changes are in keeping with the historic character of the neighborhood.” The home is located at 3107 Dumbarton St. NW.

19th-Century Cannonball Paralyzes 21th-Century Streets When word got out that a cannonball was being stored in a shed, D.C. Fire and Metropolitan Police were called to Cambridge Place Jan. 21 and a bit of historical hysteria ensued. Streets were blocked and residents concerned due to the possible presence of live ammunition (the cannonball appeared to have gunpowder in it). The Georgetown family, the Norregaards, found the 19th-century cannonball in their fireplace in December after renovations to the chimney. Rula Norregaard did not know just how volatile the family’s new show-and-tell piece could be, according to her interview with the Washington Post. Some homes in the 3000

Mayor Bowser freed up an additional $7.5 million to bail out the Duke Ellington School of the Arts modernization and expansion project. Shortly after the start of construction, the D.C. Department of General Services (DGS) determined that the original $139-million dollar budget for the magnet school was not enough to complete the tasks planned. DGS and school officials then scrambled to find ways to dramatically cutback the plans and reduce costs. The mayor requested that $7,556,800 of the original $49-million planned budget for the Garrison School modernization effort be reallocated to Ellington and that the Garrison work be delayed. It is expected that final signoffs on the bailout/carve-out will be completed soon.

Ernie Banks: A Baseball Legend Who Was Real BY GARY TISCHLER

Natalie Cole Celebrates MLK Legacy at Kennedy Center BY ROBERT DEVANEY

With Natalie Cole on stage, Georgetown University’s 13th annual Let Freedom Ring Celebration at the Kennedy Center honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and rocked the house. Photo Courtesy Georgetown University

Panel Created to Celebrate Rock Creek Park’s 125th “Find Yourself in Rock Creek Park” is the new theme of Washington’s urban park, founded in September 1890. To help celebrate Rock Creek Park’s 125th birthday, a greenribbon, 22-member panel of advisors has been formed, coordinated by Rock Creek Conservancy. On the panel are representatives of environmental organizations, such as Audubon Naturalist Society, Casey Trees and the Dumbarton Oaks Parks Conservancy; Tommy Wells of the D.C. Department of the Environment; and local politicians Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. Rock Creek Park is one of the largest urban forested areas in the world, twice the size of New York’s Central Park and the third oldest national park. Rock Creek itself runs 33 miles from Laytonville, Md., to Georgetown, D.C., and the Potomac River. Information on upcoming events will be available at RockCreekPark125.org, soon to go live. There is a mobile app, too.

City Deficit Grows with Firefighters’ Overtime Settlement

By Peter Murray A 14-year quarrel about overtime pay for the District’s firefighters is about to come to a head – at the expense of the new mayor’s and the city’s spending priorities.

GMG, INC. January 28, 2015

Brid

TOWN TOPICS

Brid Key

Leslie Buhler has announced she will retire at the end of June after 15 years as executive director of Tudor Place. Since 2000, Buhler has overseen an expansion and updating of the museum’s educational programs, bringing more visitors to Tudor Place from around the District and the suburbs. While mindful of the need for historic preservation, she has directed archaeological investigation on the property and made the house and lawn available for selected events. She also coordinated a master plan. “I’ve experienced great professional and personal satisfaction in advancing one of the greatest house museums in the nation’s capital, bring-

Key

Tudor Place’s Buhler to Retire

A rendering of one of the NPS proposed waterfront designs. ing attention to the extraordinary collection and archive it holds, and engaging the public with wonderful historic and cultural resources unique to Tudor Place,” Buhler said. A national historic landmark on five-and-ahalf acres, on Q Street between 31st and 32nd Streets, Tudor Place was completed in 1816 by Thomas Peter and his wife Martha Custis Peter, a granddaughter of Martha Washington. It is noted for its architecture, garden and historic collections, including more than 200 items owned by Martha and George Washington. The estate had only been open to the public for 12 years when Buhler became executive editor.

Austin Kiplinger and Leslie Buhler of Tudor Place.

Park Service to Hold Feb. 4 Meeting on Boathouses

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January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

The National Park Service will hold a public meeting on Potomac River boating facilities from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Palisades Public Library, 4901 V St. NW. According to the NPS, it “is developing an implementation plan for nonmotorized boating facilities and related park improvements in the western section of Georgetown Waterfront Park. As part of the 1987 Plan for the Georgetown Waterfront Park and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park that established a zone for boathouse facilities, the plan has not yet been implemented. The need for such facilities was confirmed in the 2013 Feasibility Study for a Nonmotorized Boathouse Zone.” The proposed project area extends from 34th Street NW approximately a quarter-mile upriver from Key Bridge. The project area encompasses both public and private land, including portions of the C&O Canal Park, Rock Creek Park and several privately owned parcels (the Potomac Boat Club, several private residences and a small parcel accessible from the shoreline only). There is a 30-day public scoping period during which the NPS is soliciting public comments on the proposal. The park service invites all interested in this development plan to attend the meeting.

Phil Mayhew (1934-2015) A good neighbor, classic Georgetown gentleman and friend of The Georgetowner, Philip Mayhew died of cancer Jan. 9. Born in San Francisco Dec. 1, 1934, Mayhew lived around the world: in the Philippines as a boy, Washington state, Pennsylvania and, then, as a foreign service officer with the State Department, in Laos, Congo, Jordan, Vietnam and Thai-

land. A 1956 graduate of Princeton University, Mayhew served in the military and worked for the Washington Post briefly. He also worked with the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Defense Department. The King of Thailand presented Mayhew with the Order of the White Elephant for his diplomatic service. After faithfully representing the U.S., Mayhew returned to his Georgetown townhouse on 35th Street hill. He is one of the last of a generation of neighbors that included Emerson Duncan and Paul Hartstall. There, Mayhew personified the lesson of Voltaire’s “Candide”: after all your adventures, tend your own garden. Neighbors on 35th Street and Prospect Street are planning a celebration of Mayhew’s life; time to be determined. Call The Georgetowner for details at 202-338-4833.

Telling Georgetown’s Story, Person by Person “I grew up in a small town,” said developer Richard Levy, one of those recently interviewed for the oral history project of the Citizens Association of Georgetown. He meant both Georgetown and Washington, D.C., he said. It was a sentiment echoed by those at the table and by many in the audience. The facts may be the same, but the feelings are more vivid. That is why Georgetowners of all stripes crowded the grand room of the City Tavern Jan. 13 for the third live presentation of the CAG project, coordinated by committee chair Cathy Farrell. Five prominent residents, current and former, were there to tell their story about growing up, living or working in D.C.’s oldest and most

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TOWN TOPICS famous neighborhood: Anne Emmet, Philip Levy, Richard Levy, Elizabeth Stevens and Gary Tischler. Emmet, an artist, was ready with some insight into old social traditions. Sons of real estate pioneer Sam Levy, Philip and Richard Levy recalled growing up on M Street above the family store. Stevens, with her husband George Stevens, Jr., founding director of the Kennedy Center Honors, raised three children on Avon Lane. With a nod to the old and new, Stevens began the talk, saying that it is “so lovely to live here,” recalling the elegant specialty shops, such as one run by Dorcas Hardin, along with Neam’s Market and the French Market. She also recalled Menehan’s Hardware Store on M Street. She noted that with Jackie Kennedy the town had gotten real style. Nevertheless, she said that Georgetown “hasn’t changed that much.” Richard Levy, who learned more Georgetown history while doing research for his West Heating Plant condo project, reminded the crowd that the town once had 12 gas stations and at least two car dealerships. The parking lot behind the Old Stone House was a used car lot, he recalled. He also pointed out that Georgetown has had a vibrant group of Jewish merchants. Living in a house once occupied by John F. Kennedy, he cited the Kennedy era as Georgetown’s second rebirth. (The brothers also mentioned the Biograph Theater and Key Theater, run by their other brother David, now decreased. The CVS on M is where the Biograph was; the Key, Restoration Hardware.) Owner of Bridge Street Books on Pennsylvania Avenue, Philip Levy remembered watching football at his father’s store and the cops walking the beat. For him, this “small town” was full of country western music (the Shamrock on M Street) and was the bluegrass capital of the world (after Nashville). He listed the Bayou, the Cellar Door and Shadows, where Ri Ra is now. He later noted the importance of Blues Alley. Emmet began by mentioning that her mother bought the family’s P Street house in 1950 for $50,000. As her mother become bedridden, Emmet’s neighbors pitched in. To sighs from some in the audience, she mentioned Dorothy Stead’s dress shop. She remembers when Volta Park was a “junk heap” and she was not allowed to go there. She and her girlfriends got to meet the King of Jordan. Then, at a different time, they went with the boys to Wisconsin and M, carrying paint cans and brushes. They held

the wet brushes against the turning cars – and never got caught. (The audience howled.) She said the town has changed a lot. Tischler, known as the longest-serving and most prolific writer for The Georgetowner, said he began writing for the newspaper (which just celebrated its 60th anniversary) in 1980. He wrote immediately about Sen. Ted Kennedy and then about burlesque dancer Blaze Starr (not in the same story or breath, we assure you). He has written 2,000 articles about the town and its people and called the place “steadfast” and “classy.” He gave a quick list of notables for him – “George Stevens, Ed Shorey, Don Shannon, Virginia Allen, Chris Murray” – and worried about missing more. He did give a tip of the hat to author Kitty Kelley, who, he said, “is famous doesn’t act like it.” He also said, “The best view of Georgetown is from the Kennedy Center and the best view of the Kennedy Center is from Georgetown,” and that he hoped to write 2,000 more stories. If you want to interview or be interviewed for the oral history project, contact the Citizens Association of Georgetown by emailing CAGmail@CAGtown.org or calling 202-337-7313.

Fletcher’s Boathouse to Re-Open by March 1 The Boathouse at Fletcher’s Cove is expected to reopen by Mar. 1. Last October, the National Park Service (NPS) deemed the walkway to the dock unsafe, shutting down business operations and preventing access to the river. Mud and debris underneath the structure have tipped the walkway at a dangerous angle. Kevin Brandt of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NPS office is confident the fishermen will be back on their boats in time to enjoy the warmer weather and fishing season. This is also good news for the D.C. Fisheries and Wildlife Division. Sales of permits at the boathouse bring in approximately $60,000 for D.C. government annually, about 60 percent of total revenue from the sale of fishing and wildlife permits. The long-term solution is not immediately clear. Future flooding could cause the problem to repeat itself. The Park Service is freeing up funds to repair the walkway to hit the Mar. 1Preview deadline.

University News & Events BY C AITL IN FR AN Z

NEWS FROM THE HATCHET: NEWS FROM THE HOYA:

Another Win On The Court “The Hoyas picked up their fourth-straight victory by beating the Golden Eagles. GU wins against Marquette in overtime 95-85.”

EVENTS:

FEB. 11 Citizen Suspect: The Criminalization of Muslim Youth in Post 9-11 America Dr. Arshad I. Ali will speak about how police surveillance programs impact the lives of young Muslims in America. He will also discuss how young people use language to develop their personal identity, combining racial, gender and religious influences. This event is free and open to the public.12:30pm to 1:45pm. Edward B. Bunn, S.J. Intercultural Center, #260 37th and O St., NW

“Delta Gamma and Kappa Kappa Gamma were both charged with hazing, upping the total of organizations that have been charged with that type of misconduct to seven since 2013. In 2014, a total of 17 chapters were sanctioned for various violations and 10 chapters are currently on disciplinary or social probation..”

Rise in Sexual Abuse Cases “Twenty-three sexual abuses were reported to the University Police Department last semester, the highest number reported to campus police in any semester over the last four years.”

EVENTS: FEB. 5 Annual Designer Lecture: Tsao & McKown The architects will discuss the history of their business and their current work. Register online with EventBrite. Continental Ballroom, Marvin Center, 800 21st Street Washington, DC 20052. 6 - 8:30pm.

NEWS FROM THE EAGLE:

AU Rises in Rank

“AU has risen to 50th on a list of Kiplinger’s 100 best value colleges, included on the list for the fourth time since 2011. The university rose nine spots in ranking since 2013.”

Professor Gives Guilty Plea

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“The AU professor charged with breaking into the Foxhall Square Mall in September plead guilty on Jan. 23. School of Public Affairs professorOrder David Pitts guilty to first- and sec11881470 For # plead ond-degree burglary when he appeared in D.C. Superior Court for his felony status conference, according to D.C. Superior Court documents.”

CommunityMeetings

Patient of the Week James and Dental Hygienist Earla Foggy Bottom

Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m. – Georgetown’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission holds its next monthly review on Monday, Feb. 2 in the Heritage Room at the Georgetown Visitation School.

Greek Life Disciplinary Concerns

Open House Sunday 1-3PM

John Tsaknis Jeannette Suh DDS Gunther Heyder DDS Indra Mustapha DMD Maria Hodas DDS, MS DDS

Feb. 3, 6 p.m. – Georgetown Business Improvement District has postponed its Jan. 26 meeting to review the Georgetown 2028 plan to Feb. 3. The meeting will still be held at the House of Sweden (2900 K St. NW). The BID is inviting community members to provide input and learn more about the plan. Feb. 5, 9 a.m. – The Old Georgetown Board will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday. Feb. 5 at 401 F St. NW. An agenda for the meeting can be found at cfa.gov/upcoming-meetings. Feb. 12, 4:30 p.m. – D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative will be holding a Winter Members’ Meeting on Feb. 12 at the Kreeger Museum (2401 Foxhall Road NW) with a focus on education advocacy. Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m. – The Georgetown Business Association is holding a February Networking Reception on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Venue details and information on registration can be found at georgetownbusiness.org.

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EDITORIAL/ OPINON

What’s the Matter With WMATA? Time and time again, Metrorail – once a stateof-the-art transit system – has failed the city and its commuters. In June 2009, a Red Line collision during the afternoon rush killed nine people and injured 80, with some survivors trapped for hours in damaged cars. Two weeks ago, on Jan. 12, a woman was killed and 84 people were injured when smoke filled the L’Enfant Plaza station. Then, on Jan. 20, there were reports of smoke in both the Rosslyn and Union Station Metro stations. What caused the smoke? Burning rubber from a train’s brakes. This should be no surprise to anyone who rides Metro in the warmer months, when it is rare for stations not to reek of burning rubber. Other deficiencies abound, such as Metro’s constantly broken escalators (also known, when running, to injure riders by throwing them down), extended wait times (looking at you, Red Line), inexplicable service outages at certain stations (if yours, you know the ones) and deteriorating orange fabric floor covering in the cars (the often disgusting antithesis of a red carpet). Metro service is so notoriously bad that there’s a Twitter account (@unsuckdcmetro) committed to documenting its flaws. The account

churns out hundreds of tweets a week, with its 28,400 followers chiming in to report stories about bad personal experiences, sometimes with photo and video proof. In the wake of the recent incidents, the agency in charge of Metrorail, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), is proposing to – what else? – raise fares and reduce service. This proposal is a slap in the face, not only for regular Metro riders but for all Washington residents. A Metrorail ride can cost up to $6.90, an absurdly high price for the subpar service the system provides. (For comparison, a ride on the far more extensive New York City subway costs a flat $2.50). If our metropolitan area hopes to continue to attract millennials, and the tax money and urban revitalization that come with them, Metrorail needs to be turned around. The bodies in charge – the governments of D.C., Maryland and Virginia, in addition to Congress – should use the Jan. 12 tragedy to spur large-scale improvements in the system. These may well require not only better management and funding, but a complete reorganization of this unresponsive agency.

It’s a Snow Day, Not Judgment Day

Jack Evans Report: Keeping Agencies Accountable BY JACK EVANS I wrote last month about the community side of a council member’s role. Attending community meetings, working with civic associations and handling constituent services are all critical parts of the job I’m thankful you have elected me to do. The other side is legislative. This part includes both writing and reviewing potential and existing laws and providing oversight of government agencies – to make sure they are efficiently and effectively utilizing your tax dollars. That oversight happens throughout the year, but during February and March the D.C. Council undertakes a robust performance oversight process of all agencies. Over the next few weeks, I will send questions to the agencies under my purview to collect data on agency structure and recent spending. On Feb. 25 and March 11, the Finance and Revenue Committee, which I chair, will hold hearings with members of the public and representatives from the agencies that the committee oversees to make recommendations on adjustments to next year’s agency budgets. A schedule of all of the Performance Oversight Hearings can be found on the D.C. Council’s website: dccouncil.us. After the conclusion of the oversight process, the mayor will release a draft budget proposal for the 2016 fiscal year. At that time we will have another round of hearings with the

agencies that fall under the committee’s oversight responsibility. After we make changes to the budget that we consider appropriate, a final version will be passed in June. The Performance Oversight Hearings are an excellent opportunity to share your experiences – both positive and negative – with D.C. government agencies over the past year. This is the right time to recognize good work and to bring accountability to areas that need improvement. I also want to announce that I am co-chairing a joint public oversight roundtable on the Jan. 12 incident at the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station and the response by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and D.C. agencies. The hearing will take place on Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building. As some of you may know, I joined the WMATA Board of Directors four days before this incident occurred. WMATA’s acting general manager announced 10 safety enhancements last week to improve the safety of the system. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board will likely make safety recommendations as part of their final report to WMATA. I am fully committed to working to implement these safety improvements and to continue to make Metro safer, more reliable and better able to respond to the transit needs of our city and region. Jack Evans is the Ward 2 Councilmember, representing Georgetown since 1991.

Cuban Realities: Will History Repeat Itself? Photo by Richard Shield. Every winter, with the prospect of imminent snow – not to mention wind, cold and ice – people who go to school, run our schools and work in our schools go a little crazy. Gone are the days when hardy kids (according to our grandparents in Idaho) walked at least five miles to school carrying their books and homework across the tundra. Nowadays, school officials avidly watch weather forecasts for the data they need to decide whether to close schools, call a two-hour delay or stay open. As far as we can tell, it’s a crapshoot. The last big brouhaha came several weeks ago, when local weather folks predicted the possibility of an inch of snow (maybe) or a little more at worst. We got three inches. Some schools and parents were blindsided and buses had a heck of a bad time on slippery roads. Officials who opted for their schools to open were roundly criticized and weather forecasters had egg – or snow – on their faces. Later, when another storm was predicted, some school districts erred on the side of caution. They closed, but very little snow showed up (down?). They, too, were roundly criticized. Weather forecasting remains an imprecise science. And on television it is as much a show as a vital source of information. Weather people

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on television love a certain amount of drama. They get excited about snow. It’s like a 50-car pileup for traffic reporters. The TV talk hypes “possible” snow accumulation and plays on our memories of blizzards past, such as 2010’s Snowmageddon (or was it Snowpocalypse?). That little note of anxiety coming from the various “Storm Centers” can panic school officials and make them jump the gun – or wait until the last minute, which means teachers have to get up early to find out if they’re going in late. The decision to close or not to close, to open on time, late or not at all, isn’t an easy one. There’s more to it than trusting your favorite meteorologist. It’s not just about the commute to work for teachers, but also about whether it’s safe for buses on the rarely plowed back roads to get to freezing children waiting at bus stops. There are issues of black ice and extreme cold to consider. Plus, schools are sometimes in the middle of testing periods, which are difficult to reschedule. And a heavy accumulation of snow days can lead to a backlog at the end of the school year. But not every storm is a crisis, or a Perfect Storm. In the end, for both weather forecasters and school officials, it’s a judgment call. Let’s not make it sound so much like the Last Judgment.

BY C A RLO S G UTIERREZ [Editor’s note: The following commentary is in response to the Jan. 14 Georgetowner cover story, “Cuban Dreams.”] Since 1959, numerous overtures have been made by several U.S. presidents to improve relations with Cuba. The pattern has been repeated over and over: the Castro regime always finds a way to derail talks. Why? Because if the U.S. were no longer “the empire” and the “enemy” of the Cuban people, the Castro brothers would have no reason to exist. Above all, they want to remain in control of every aspect of Cubans’ lives. We now have the opportunity to observe whether the pattern is repeated. Last week in Havana, Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson met with her Cuban counterpart, Josefina Vidal. Before the meeting, the Obama administration announced the new U.S. regulations for travel, remittances, telecom, small business support and credit card use. The administration also confirmed its commitment to reestablish and review Cuba’s inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terror. The goal is to remove Cuba from the list. I criticized the deal as being lopsided in Cuba’s favor when it was announced. However, it should be recognized that President Obama has so far delivered on his end of the bargain.

How about Cuba? To the dismay of some, the Cubans upped the ante dramatically at the first meeting: they want the Cuban Adjustment Act (“Wet foot, dry foot” policy) repealed, something Jacobson said the U.S. would not do. The bombshell was when Vidal asked how diplomatic relations can be established if the embargo is still in place. She knows well that lifting the embargo needs congressional approval since it would require a change in the law. This is highly unlikely. Once again, the Cubans are making the negotiations impossible. There will be other surprises. We now have the opportunity to observe whether there truly is political will among the Cuban government to change, starting with human rights, release of political prisoners and allowing Cubans to open small businesses and buy supplies from the U.S. If history repeats itself, the Cubans will find a way to derail the talks. I hope the media will track these events closely. We will then understand why Cuba has remained isolated for more than 55 years: because of Cuban reluctance to reestablish relations with the U.S. Stay tuned. Born in Havana, Carlos Miguel Gutierrez was Secretary of Commerce (2005 to 2009) under President George W. Bush. The former CEO of the Kellogg Company, Gutierrez is a co-chair of Albright Stonebridge Group.

DC SCENE

1.President Obama waves goodbye at the end of his speech, marking the close of his sixth State of the Union address. Photo by Erin Schaff. 2.Wide-angle view of the State of the Union on Jan. 20, 2015. Photo by Erin Schaff. 3. “Captain America” in front of the Supreme Court Building for the 42nd Annual “March for Life.” Photo by Jeff Malet. 4. Sixteenth Annual Polar Bear Plunge in Annapolis. The event benefits the Special Olympics Maryland. Photo by thisisbossi Creative Commons Flickr. 5. Thousands of anti-abortion protestors rallying on the National Mall for the 42nd Annual “March for Life” up Constitution Ave. to the Supreme Court Building in Washington D.C. on Thursday, January 22, 2015. The event takes place every year on the anniversary of the Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized access to abortion. Photo by Jeff Malet.

PUBLISHER

FEATURES EDITORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Evelyn Keyes Kelly Sullivan Richard Selden

COPY EDITOR

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Sonya Bernhardt

Robert Devaney Please send all submissions of opinions for consideration to: editorial@georgetowner.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Paul Simkin

Richard Selden WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA

Charlene Louis

ADVERTISING

Angie Myers Erin Schaff

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Philip Bermingham Neshan Naltchayan CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Bird Pamela Burns Jack Evans Donna Evers John Fenzel

Amos Gelb Lisa Gillespie Wally Greeves Jody Kurash Stacy Notaras Murphy Mark Plotkin David Post Linda Roth Alison Schafer Richard Selden

Shari Sheffield Bill Starrels Sallie Lewis INTERNS

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BUSINESS

Business Ins and Outs

including the fixtures. Drop by to bid farewell to owner Sara Mokhtari, who will leave D.C. for California.

BY R OBE RT DEVANEY

Fillmore School Property Lists for $14 Million The Fillmore School property, located at 1801 35th St. NW, has been listed for $14 million with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty by seller George Washington University, it was announced last week. The university acquired the historic schoolhouse and its more than one acre of land last year as part of a deal with the National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, when GWU took possession of all Corcoran real estate. The Fillmore space has been used by the Corcoran College of Art and Design since it purchased the former D.C. public school in 1998. In April, TTR Sotheby’s and GWU will begin reviewing purchase offers. Classes will be held in the Fillmore building until the end of the spring semester Here’s what TTR Sotheby’s International Realty writes in its listing for the 35th Street property: “The Fillmore School is a landmark opportunity in Georgetown. Built circa 1893 and named after President Millard Fillmore, the school served as an architectural and educational anchor for the community for more than a century. The all-brick, fully detached structure encompasses nearly 23,000 square feet of finished space on four levels. Notable features include soaring ceilings, double hung windows, a modern elevator and two staircases. The existing building holds tremendous conver-

sion potential, ranging from condominiums or apartments to office or institutional use. The 1.25-acre site offers parking for 100 cars and frontage on 34th and 35th Streets NW. For more information, visit www.Fillmore-School.com.” The listing agent is Michael Brennan, Jr., vice president of TTR Sotheby’s. Money from the sale of the 35th Street property will go toward renovation (estimated at about $80 million) of the former Corcoran Gallery’s 17th Street building, which will continue to hold classroom and studio spaces for the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design.

IN: VaporFi to Open Feb. 7 “With sales expected to exceed $2 billion in 2014 and continue growing exponentially, opportunities abound in the exciting e-cig industry, with franchising being one of the biggest.” So reads the International Vapor Group’s description of its business, VaporFi, an e-cigarette store at 3210 O St. NW and next to the Chinese take-out, Kitchen No. 1, will open Feb. 7. It will occupy the space that housed William Donahue’s Antiques of Georgetown for decades until it closed in 2012.

OUT: Tari to Close Jan. 31 After selling its original store and moving to 1742 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Tari Consignment will close Jan. 31. Everything is on sale,

OUT: Charm Charm, the jewelry store on M street between 29th and 30th Streets has picked up shop and moved to Bethesda. The Georgetown location closed on Dec. 30, with the new location, a pop-up, opening at 7801 Woodmont Ave. (inside of Reddz Trading) on Jan. 21. The new store will carry the same brands and accessories as the Georgetown location. On the store’s Facebook page was posted: “After five years in Georgetown, Charm Georgetown has decided to close its doors to pursue other ventures. We can’t fully express our deep gratitude for your business and support over these past few years. Working with each and every one of you has been an absolute pleasure.”

IN: Former Georgetown Univ. VP Linda Greenan Joins Cardinal Bank Some people just aren’t the retiring type. Linda Greenan is known around town for her work, before she retired, as a vice president for community relations at Georgetown University. She continues to be involved in D.C. politics and has been on boards of local groups. “I decided to go back to work again because, after two years of retirement, I was beginning to get a little bored,” Greenan wrote to us. “I came out of retirement and began working at Cardinal Bank as vice president and client relations

officer. . . . My role will be to serve as a resource for Cardinal’s clients (non-profits and associations, property management firms, medical groups, title companies and other local businesses) and to identify new business lending, deposit and investLinda Greenan. ment opportunities.” Cardinal is a regional community bank with approximately $3.5 billion in assets and 32 branches in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

MAYBE: Nobu Coming to West End? If the District has indeed become a hub for top-notch restaurants, the D.C. arrival of Nobu, one of the world’s top Japanese restaurants, would highlight that distinction. While it remains only a possibility, a source told the Washington Business Journal recently that Nobu is in talks for a West End space at 2501 M St. NW, two blocks east of Georgetown. It is speculated that Nobu will occupy the ground floor of the former American Association of Medical Colleges building, which will be converted to luxury condominiums with retail space at the bottom.

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HISTORIC D.C.

Mr. Lincoln and the Winter of Our Discontent BY D ONNA E V E RS

Matthew Brady’s 1860 photograph of Abraham Lincoln.

braham Lincoln is such an iconic figure that the present-day public does not see him as his contemporaries did. We see him as a grave, contemplative figure, like Daniel Chester French’s elegant statue, just out of sight past the columns of the Lincoln Memorial. But the Abraham Lincoln who ran for president in 1860 was around 6-foot-4 at a time when the average American adult male was around 5-foot-8, and his badly tailored suits and tall hats made him look like a scarecrow. On top of that, he had a high raspy voice.

He added the stovetop hat in his debates with the 5-foot-4 Stephen A. Douglas (so he could really tower over him), but the effect was not always in his favor. Although the Lincoln-Douglas debates made Lincoln a prominent figure in Illinois politics, he lost the 1858 U.S. Senate race in Illinois to Douglas. The big argument of the day was if the territories should decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery. In the fall of 1859, the whole country was up in arms about the question of slavery – specifically, slavery in the territories. In October, John Brown had stormed the armory in Harpers Ferry, Va. (now W. Va.), and the national debate about states’ rights and slavery just got hotter. Invited to speak at Henry Ward Beecher’s Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, Lincoln got the opening he needed to plead his case against the spread of slavery in a national forum when he was invited to speak at Henry Ward Beecher’s Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. Then, even better, the venue was changed to the Cooper Union in Manhattan. Lincoln overcame his ungainly appearance with a brilliant and carefully researched speech, in which he showed how the majority of the founding fathers had voted to prohibit the spread of slavery in the territories. So, he argued, the country, and especially the South, should accept this position. He became the Republican candidate for president and won the election with only 40 percent of the votes, the three other candidates splitting the rest of the votes among them. He

didn’t even have a clear popular majority. But it is hard to imagine what would have happened if one of the other candidates –Breckinridge, Bell or Douglas – had won. Many in the South believed that England and France could not get by without their cotton, and that one or both of those countries would support the Southern cause. It was a bad bet, because neither country wanted to wage war against the stronger Northern coalition. On the other hand, many in the North thought a war would end quickly, due to the region’s economic superiority. That didn’t happen either; Southerners were fighting to keep a system that they felt they couldn’t survive without. Lincoln was so sure his Cooper Union speech would get a lot of press that he visited Matthew Brady’s photographic studio beforehand. Brady, a master, was able to retouch (what we would call “Photoshop out”) some of Lincoln’s more unflattering facial features. Lincoln knew that this would make or break his chances for the Republican presidential nomination, especially since he clearly stated his belief that slavery was immoral. He ended the speech on Feb. 27, 1860, his longest ever, with: “Let us have faith that right makes might.” The speech by the previously little-known politician from Illinois was a daring gamble. He won – and by April the United States was embroiled in a war that would claim more American lives than any other in our history.

I DREAM

Donna Evers is the owner and broker of Evers & Co. Real Estate, the largest womanowned and -run real estate company in the metro area; the proprietor of Twin Oaks Tavern Winery in Bluemont, Va.; and a devoted student of Washington-area history. Reach her at devers@ eversco.com.

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REAL ESTATE

Urban Turf: Real Estate in Real Time

BY PETER M U R R AY “A conversation that I thought would last 15 minutes became two hours,” says Urban Turf cofounder Will Smith of his initial brainstorming – with cofounder-to-be Mark Wellborn – about a D.C-focused real estate blog. Smith grew up in Alexandria, attended St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School and graduated from Brown University. When he met Wellborn, Smith was working on a number of other online publications he founded in the area. A D.C.-native from Capitol Hill, Wellborn had gotten his master’s from Columbia University’s journalism school and was working at the New York Observer. The meeting, in 2008, took place at a mutual friend’s party in Brooklyn, where – in quintessential late-twenty-something fashion – “people were kicking around business ideas,” says Smith. The partners clicked when they started talking about D.C.’s lack of an authoritative real estate blog and the success of such blogs in New Urban Turf cofounders Will Smith and Mark Wellborn inside Kafe Bohem in York City. Shaw. Photo by Erin Schaff. Founded later that year, Urban Turf’s rapid growth coincided with a development tidal wave that has washed over trends but also to fill in the details, to paint a Washington. The blog has served up valuable picture of what is happening on both the macro scoops as the real estate market has boomed, and micro levels. bringing new life – and prestige – to a city best After starting out with what Wellborn known for its political-industrial complex. describes as an “archaic idea of the web,” the As that happened, Wellborn says, “We’ve site now publishes five or more posts a day, with evolved much more into a news publication some sponsored articles that help pay the bills. rather than a real estate blog.” (The ads are clearly labeled, Smith is eager to The statement holds up. Urban Turf has interject, and they are written by someone strengthened its foothold, attracting a healthy outside editorial, Wellborn adds.) mix of real estate consumers and professionThe timing and targeting could not be more als (70 percent and 30 percent of readership, on point given the rapid influx of millennials respectively) and boasting more Facebook to American cities. Lark Turner, Urban Turf’s “likes” than Washington City Paper in the lead journalist and a newcomer to D.C., puts process. (City Paper’s footprint on Twitter still it most succinctly: “Millennials are returning dwarfs Urban Turf’s, though.) to cities in America, and there is probably no District residents increasingly rely on Urban better example in the country [than D.C.] of all Turf not only to inform them about real estate of these trends.”

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ANTIQUES

The Antiques Addict

Hooked Rugs: America’s Indigenous Folk Art BY M ICHE L L E GA L L E R Early American hooked rugs were a craft of poverty. Prior to 1780, most floors in American homes were bare, especially among the poor. Painted floors or stenciled floor cloths were found in the homes of those who were slightly better off. Only the very wealthy had the means to import carpeting, since the American textile industry was in its infancy. After 1830, as factories in America began making wool carpets for the rich, having a floor covering became a symbol of domestic and socioeconomic well-being. This was a period when Americans were looking beyond the bare necessities, trying to make their homes more livable. As the fashion for floor coverings took hold, poorer women began ransacking their scrap bags for materials to employ in creating their own floor coverings. Their work was laborious and slow, hooking rag strips through tightly woven linen or hemp backings using a special tool adapted from the sailor’s marlinspike. Then, after 1850, trade tariffs relaxed and coffee, grain and feed started to arrive wrapped in jute burlap sacks made in India. This free fabric was strong, but loosely woven enough to allow the rag scraps to be easily hooked through it into the characteristic loops. The women who made the early rugs also designed them, borrowing many of the motifs from the Oriental rugs imported by the wealthy.

A New England peddler noticed the rug-hooking trend and saw an opportunity. In 1876, he began stamping the best of the traditional designs onto burlap. His designs also included lions, tigers, leopards, dogs, cats, birds, deer and floral patterns. From this point on, every woman could make her own colorful rugs from scraps of clothing. For the next 50 years, this essentially rural craft spread to the humblest households along the northeastern seaboard. In the waning years of the 19th century, with the industrial revolution well underway, machine-made goods were seen as superior to homemade goods. Hooked rugs were viewed as “quaint” and lost their popularity. By the 1920s, however, American cities were filling up with multitudes of immigrants. Many Americans reacted to these social changes by idealizing the colonial period as a time of noble virtues and high moral standards. There was a flurry of interest in hooked rugs and homemade quilts as “virtuous” colonial artifacts (though most had been produced long after the end of the colonial period). In the 1930s and ’40s, antique dealers and interior designers recognized the beauty and historical value of this form of needlework, leading to a resurgence of rug hooking. In fact, the great majority of the rugs we find today sold as “antiques” were made between 1900 and 1960.

Since they are less than 100 years old, they are more properly called “vintage.” American country antique collecting was at its height in the mid-1960s. Armistead Peter 3rd (1896-1983) and his wife Caroline Ogden-Jones Peter (18961965), the last private owners of the venerable Georgetown estate Tudor Place, began to redecorate their stately home after Peter’s father passed away. They elected to purchase three hooked rugs for their bedrooms, and those boldly pattern rugs are still part of the collection. Hooked rugs were prevalent throughout the American South, and many depicted Today, older hooked rugs have homey vignettes or historical places.The rug pictured features George Washington again regained popularity, due in depicted in a whimsical folk-art style. Courtesy of the Nazmiyal Collection. part to their wonderfully colorful graphics. Also, like American primitive antiques recognized as an art form that, in addition, traces in general, they show “the hand of man” and mix the nation’s history from pre-industrial times. well with other styles, including transitional and The good news is that wonderful examples can the now-popular mid-century modern look. still be readily found and are reasonably affordCondition is very important when collecting able. They add a dash of color, whimsy and older hooked rugs. Collectors should be sure to history to any well-decorated home. check the backing for signs of rot or for missing An antiques dealer for more than 25 years, fabric. A restorer can patch the backing and Michelle Galler owns Antiques, Whimsies restore missing rag, but a buyer should be ready & Curiosities, based in Georgetown and in to do some heavy negotiating for a damaged Washington, Va. Contact her at antiques.and. hooked rug. whimsies@gmail.com to suggest a topic for a These once purely utilitarian objects are now future column.

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Exceptionally restored and renovated, semi-detached home in the heart of Capitol Hill. Original brownstone on fabulous tree-lined street. 4BR, 3FBA, finished basement, sun-drenched family room w/original tin ceiling and built-ins. Wonderful backyard. Deborah Charlton/Georgetown Office 202-415-2117/202-944-8400

Palisades, Washington, DC

Old City #2, Washington, DC

Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

$1,095,000

Bright and spacious 4BR, 3.5BA Victorian home, built in 2000. Modern kitchen, large living room with fireplace. Luxurious master bedroom suite. Full basement. Move-in condition. Fabulous location. Scott Polk 202-256-5460 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

$859,000

Stunning & updated 2BR with large den and 2.5BA. Inviting open living/dining area with gas fireplace. Gleaming hardwoods & custom marble baths throughout. Designer gourmet kitchen with high-end SS appliances. Private balcony. Garage Parking. Miller Spring Valley Office 202-362-1300

$785,000

Fabulous renovation of the lovely 4BR, 3.5BA townhouse located in close proximity to Metro! Features include washer/dryer, skylights, off-street parking and loads more. Friendship Heights Office 202-364-5200

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January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

Find your agent at — www.LongandFoster.com/LuxuryHomes

Wesley Heights, Washington, DC

$599,900

Kalorama, Washington, DC

$595,000

Seldom available 2BR, 2.5BA corner unit with renovated kitchen & baths, refinished hardwood floors & freshly painted. 2 un-assigned parking spaces, pool, tennis court, gated entrance & security. Victoria Lobos-Kirker 301-213-3725 Chevy Chase Office 202-363-9700

Exceptional, exclusive address in boutique building in Dupont/ Kalorama. Tasteful 8-unit building-unique, sophisticated. Top floor, elevator. 1BR w/amazing sunlight, Chef’s kitchen, double vanity, in-unit W/D, storage room & doesn’t share walls w/neighbors. Lydia Benson/Bethesda Miller Office 202-365-3222/301- 229-4000

Mt Vernon Triangle, Washington, DC

Mount Pleasant, Washington, DC

$455,000

Fantastic floor plan, overlooking K Street. This sunny 1BR offers hardwood floors, granite and stainless steel kitchen, front desk concierge 7am-12pm, gym, and a huge roof top terrace with outdoor grills and spectacular city views! Salley Widmayer/Georgetown Office 202-215-6174/202-944-8400

Woodley Park, Washington, DC

$494,500

2BR, 2BA condo with unique semi-private entrance, living room, dining room, kitchen with granite and custom cabinets. Near Metro, shops and restaurants. 24-hour desk, fitness, and roof deck. Foxhall Office 203-363-1800

$445,000

Fantastic Value – 2BR condo with garage parking, wood-burning fireplace, new kitchen appliances, hardwood floors. Pet-friendly. Close to Heller’s Bakery, Farmer’s Market and Columbia Heights Metro. Marjory Hardy/Leon Williams 202-256-8807/202-437-6828 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

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Chevy Chase, Washington, DC

$285,000

Spacious 1BR, 1BA with hardwood floors, fireplace in living room, spacious kitchen, large bedroom with two huge closets. 24-Hour desk, onsite management and roof deck. Close to schools and Metro. Pat Gerachis 202-494-0876 Foxhall Office 202-363-1800

Rockville, Maryland

$199,500

Sunny, 1BR, 1BA at Grosvenor Metro and Strathmore. Patio views of park and ponds. 2 parking spaces. Cats allowed. Low fee includes utilities, cable, tennis, outdoor pool, grocery market. Denise Warner 202-487-5162 Georgetown Office 202-944-8400

202.944.8400

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE • MORTGAGE • TITLE • INSURANCE • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • RELOCATION SERVICES

LongandFoster.com 866-677-6937 GMG, INC. January 28, 2015

THE NEW FINE DINING Chef Frank Ruta in Georgetown

Charcuterie plate at The Rye Bar.

BY ARI POS T | P HOTO S B Y A N G I E M Y E R S n the mid-to-late 20th century, haute cuisine swept Washington, D.C. Lay the blame on Jacqueline Kennedy, our first lady of cosmopolitan refinement, who so famously brought French culinary traditions to the White House and into vogue (despite her husband, whose tastes were notoriously bourgeoisie américaine). However, this revolution of the American palate was not without precedent. Washington has a vibrant food history that can be traced from 19th-century taverns—when oysters were cheap and ubiquitous as burgers—through turn-of-the-century tearooms and the supper clubs of Prohibition to opulent midcentury dining rooms like the Willard Hotel, the Occidental Restaurant and the Ebbitt House (now the Old Ebbitt Grill), which modeled themselves on European establishments. By the 1980s, Georgetown and downtown D.C. were an epicenter of fine dining for the elite. Rive Gauche. La Chaumière. Nathan’s. Citronelle. Jean-Louis at the Watergate. Nathan’s. Sans Souci. Le Pavillon. Le Lion d’Or. These are just a handful of the restaurants – most are gone now -- whose Old World elegance and deep-buttoned leather booths welcomed clientele from across the city seeking refinement, comfort and luxury. Then, a gradual but momentous series of events started a culinary revolution. Catalyzed by the information glut of the internet, a combination of health and ingredient consciousness, environmental awareness and a globalized multiculturalism created a new era of more passionate, knowledgeable consumers. Today, we call each other foodies: the many among us who seek new food experiences as destinations, to enrich our senses, bolster our health and broaden our horizons. Consider free-range meat or poultry, grains like quinoa, Greek yogurt and almond milk, microgreens and whole wheat everything. Twenty years ago, these specialty items were rarely available in restaurants or grocery stores. Now they occupy

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

Chef Frank Ruta, who recently took over the kitchen in The Grill Room and The Rye Bar at Capella.

menus and kitchens across the country. This seismic epicurean awakening shook the traditional standard of fine dining at its foundation. French and Italian bistros fell to the wayside as gastronomy, concept restaurants, Asian fusion and exotic international cuisine begat a new restaurant boom. As Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema declared in reference to the closing of the Dining Room at Palena, the lauded Cleveland Park institution, and City Zen in the Mandarin Oriental: “Fine dining was dealt a blow in Washington last year.”

Diners, it seemed, were decidedly focused on new adventures in food. Mind you, a great deal of good has come out of this trend. It is in many ways a reflection of society itself, and Washington’s culinary evolution is a reflection of what is happening throughout the country. With greater appreciation of food’s cultural significance, chefs today are recognized as creative, intelligent artisans, at once guides to our heritage and defining voices of our future. Cooking is a popular and respected profession for the first time in

consommé and roast chicken (which guests had to order forty history, which allows chefs greater opportunities to flourish and At 16, he started working for a local catering company, and minutes in advance—and did). His plaudits culminated in 2007 to open restaurants that can be singular products of their identity. after a brief stint at a nearby restaurant accepted a three-year when he won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic In Washington, restaurants like Komi, Little Serow and Rose’s apprenticeship with the American Culinary Federation. (shared with Vidalia’s RJ Cooper, who now owns Rogue 24 on Luxury have attractN Street NW). ed national and interRuta chalks None of this seems to have much affected Ruta, who in retnational acclaim for up his early rospect remains unfazed, modest and, frankly, very zen about the their innovation and career to no whole affair. “We were lucky to have a diligent, passionate, hardunique culinary permore than stanworking crew,” he explains with a shrug, quick to credit his team. spectives. Komi’s dard operating “We were just back there cooking, doing what we love to do.” Johnny Monis took procedure. But Ruta acknowledges that his kitchen ethics—this heightened Best Chef Midsomeone must awareness of a restaurant as a sort of complex, constantly evolvAtlantic at the James have noticed ing organism—stem from his White House training, which Beard Awards in him, because at instilled the value of adhering at all times to a strong foundation. 2013. Little Serow age 21, almost “If I do something, it has to have precedent,” he says. “If I was named number immediately ate it with my grandparents, learned it from classical cooking seven in the 10 top after completor from someone that I worked with—I rely on that anchor. It new restaurants in ing his apprendoesn’t mean we can’t create new things, but it has to pertain to America by Bon ticeship, he was the cooking world and to me, so that I have a way to measure its Appétit in 2012. tapped by first value or success.” Rose’s Luxury got lady Rosalynn Palena closed rather suddenly last year, due unfortunately first place on Bon Carter to cook to financial challenges in the wake of the restaurant’s 2010 Appétit’s list of Best in the White expansion. Ruta then spent about six months crafting weekly New Restaurants in House. prix-fixe dinners with his Palena partner and pastry chef Aggie America 2014. He spent Chin and master baker Mark Furstenberg at Mark’s (ridiculously But around the the next decade amazing) bakery, Bread Furst. The four-course, family style city today, a small, A favorite drink, the “Not an Apple Martini” from The Rye Bar. working under “Bread Feast” menus, collaboratively conceived and billowing wickedly impressive legendary White with fresh breads, quickly became one of Washington’s most group of chefs are reviving traditional European standards, comHouse chefs Henry Haller and Hans Raffert. “These guys were talked-about dining experiences of 2014. While feeling things out bining fresh ideas with the complexity, history and craft of our walking encyclopedias of classical cooking,” he says, “and it with Capella, this is where Ruta focused his creative energy. “If city’s culinary forebears. was instilled within them to pass that knowledge on—they really Capella hadn’t come along,” he says, “we would probably still be Cementing this revival is none other than Frank Ruta, former went out of their way to teach me. And I still think about the doing those dinners.” chef and owner of Palena, who took over the Grill Room at things Hans or Haller showed me, or some time that [pastry chef] Since the beginning of January, Ruta has been slowly fixing Georgetown’s Capella hotel on Jan. 2. Roland Mesnier scolded me for screwing something up. They his own gears into the existing clockwork of the Grill Room and Ruta is something of a local legend—the kind of guy you also taught me why you make a dish a certain way, they wouldn’t Rye Bar at Capella. The restaurant has remained open through overhear other cooks talk about. Working in a kitchen downtown, just say ‘do it.’ Everything was done for a reason. Everything the transition, so he is developing a new menu while running the I once posed the question to my chef: “Who’s the best chef in the had precedent.” current kitchen. city?” Without a moment’s pause, his eyes and knife still fixed Working alongside this small group of chefs, as well as maitre “We’re still in formulation,” he says. “Making a menu is like to a half-filleted fish, he said, “Frank Ruta. Get back to work.” d’s and domestic help from the days of Truman and Eisenhower, a game of Tetris—it all has to fit. You’re not making a dish just Even as an isolated event, Ruta’s arrival in Georgetown Ruta learned to be a chef who exists purely and entirely in the to fill a slot, it has to make sense why we’re doing that. So we’re is enough to portend a minor deluge of culinary talent to the arena of the kitchen. using the existing menu as a starting point, slowly evolving it neighborhood. But with other likeminded restaurateurs already “We didn’t have a mentality that we were out front. You while training the team—except for me, Aggie and the sous chef, down the block—including chef Brendan L’Etoile’s Chez Billy didn’t go starting conversations with the president. And you we kept the existing staff—getting them to work in a way that’s Sud, chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Fiola Mare, and Robert Wiedmaier’s didn’t talk about it outside of work, either. You just said you familiar, the very basics. We’re sort of dismantling everything newly renovated Marcel’s—it doesn’t seem a far cry to declare were a cook, and back then people would usually leave it at that. and starting from the ground up. We don’t want to decorate the Georgetown the heart of a new era of fine dining. Things are a little different today.” cake before we bake it.” A master of his craft with an exhaustive knowledge of techRuta left the White House in 1987 for Merano, Italy, to However, guests that come in today can already get small nique, and a tireless cook who oversees every plate that hits the work for restaurateur Andreas Hellrigl at Ristorante Andreas. “I tastes of Ruta’s forthcoming menu, table and makes nearly every food item in house (from the dinner wanted to work at an elevated restaulike his seasonal gnocchi, a recipe rolls to the mayonnaise), Ruta has made a name for himself as a rant,” he says (meaning somewhere brought over from Palena. This chef truly synonymous with his kitchen. He also has a reputation with a Michelin star). “Just to see winter, he is serving it with wild rice for letting his food do the talking—he’s far from hermetic but he what it was like. Back then, all you could do is read about places like that and sweet potatoes. Some custom keeps a low profile, often deflecting the self-promotion that has in travel books.” terrines and cooked hams are also developed around the popularization of career cooking. He found, to his surprise, that available, and more meats—“which he was already at that level—thanks need a few more months”—are curto Haller’s and Raffert’s training— rently curing in the back. For now, and when Haller retired the followjust the idea of it seems enough to ing year, Ruta returned to the White satisfy him. House to assume the role of sous chef “Capella just seemed like it could under Raffert. be a good fit for the style of cooking After three more years in the we like to do—that spot in between White House kitchen, he felt an urge luxury and comfort food. There were to return to restaurants, with a distant dozens of opportunities available, but eye toward opening his own. He this one just felt right. I’m still learnworked a series of appointments in ing the neighborhood, though. I just the ensuing years, mostly with chef went to Chez Billy and had a good Yannick Cam (who now runs the wonnight there—service was great, food derful Bistro Provence in Bethesda). was good. I’m excited to try more Once Ruta made the decision to places.” open his own restaurant in 1997, the “We have good bones here,” he venture took three years to realize. says, glancingly aware of his offhand “People think you open a restaurant culinary metaphor. “The space is This philosophy is a hard-earned lesson from his professional and that’s it,” he says, “but even if beautiful, it’s in Georgetown. I still roots rather than an inherent disdain of publicity. “When I started you have serious financial backing, it feel like everything’s in front of me, out around the late ’70s,” he says, “cooks were categorized by the Organic Chicken Liver Spuma from The Rye Bar. takes time.” I’m still trying to get it right. But, government as laborers, not as professionals.” Palena opened in 2000, in the really, all I’m going to try to do is cook Ruta grew up in McKeesport, Pa., a steel-mill town of Polish, Cleveland Park space that once housed chef Carole Greenwood’s what I know how to cook.” Hungarian and Italian immigrants. “My family cooked a lot, but eponymous restaurant. In his initial review, Sietsema wrote, Coming from any other chef, that statement would be easy to not any more than anybody else in town,” he says. “We had a “Palena should be required eating for anyone who aspires to cook shrug off. Coming from Ruta, it feels more like an affirmation, plum tree, we made a lot of our own sausages, wine. And Sunday in this city.” fortified by centuries of richly flavored heritage and flush with dinner was a big deal—as it is with Italians. It was all just part At Palena, Ruta churned out endless dishes of iconic promise for the future. of growing up. But when it came to cooking, it’s just something acclaim: seasonal gnocchi, a truffled cheeseburger, as well as I loved to do.” unforgettable renditions of classics like bouillabaisse, mushroom

“ For

me it was always about the food, not the individual... There are so many of us who contribute to a finished plate. I may have been the impetus, but it took everyone, from the front of the house to the prep cooks, to make it happen.

GMG, INC. January 28, 2015

FOOD & WINE

Top 10 for Valen-dining BY SALL IE L EW IS

n the words of John Lennon, “All You Need Is Love” – and, might we add, a special place to celebrate over a nice meal.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, now is the time to plan a special night out with your friends or loved ones. Feb. 14 falls on a Saturday this year, and the District has a slew of dining destinations for the sweetest weekend of 2015. Here are ten of our favorites

Outside Hotel Tabard Inn on N Street.

Oysters from Hank’s Oyster Bar.

1. Hank’s Oyster Bar: You know what they say about oysters. Hip D.C. hotspot Hank’s will be having a three-course tasting menu for $33 on Valentine’s Day, with cocktail pairings for an additional $20. Call 202-462-4265 or visit hanksoysterbar.com. 633 Pennsylvania Ave. SE and 1624 Q St. NW.

5. Tabard Inn: Cozy up at D.C.’s Tabard Inn – serving treasured holiday meals for more than 25 years – and indulge in their four-course prix-fixe menu for $90 per person. Call 202-331-8528 or visit tabardinn.com. 1739 N St. NW. Proof: “Food is the Focus. Wine is the Passion.” Such is the motto at this popular Penn Quarter dining destination. The team at Proof is currently putting together a four-course prix-fixe menu for Valentine’s Day. Call 202-737-7663 or visit proofdc. com. 775 G St. NW.

Mushroom Tartines at 2941 Restaurant.

6. Restaurant Nora: Indulge in a beautifully crafted Valentine’s dinner at America’s first certified organic restaurant. For $130 per person, you will sit down to five courses, with options such as Belgian endive salad, housemade red pepper tagliatelle with black truffles and Grand Marnier crème brûlée. Call 202-4625143 or visit noras.com. 2132 Florida Ave. NW. 7. La Piquette: This charming Cleveland Park bistro has a wonderfully authentic French tasting menu planned for your Valentine’s night out. Perhaps foie gras or vol-au-vent…braised lamb shank…a fresh berry dessert with crème Chantilly – their $60 three-course menu will delight the soul. Call 202-686-2015 or visit lapiquettedc.com. 3714 Macomb St. NW.

A dessert at Cafe Bonaparte.

Tea at After Peacock Room on P Street.

After Peacock Room: Sit amidst the beautiful Prussian blue, deep green, black and gilded interiors and enjoy a fivecourse Valentine’s Day tasting menu for $95 per person, with an optional $40 wine-pairing supplement. Seating for dinner begins at 5:30 p.m., with the last seating at 9:30. Reservations required. Call 202-525-4903 or visit afterpeacockroom.com. 2622 P St. NW.

3. Acqua al 2: The Italian favorite in Eastern Market is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. Swing by on Feb. 14 for a five-course menu for $85. (Ask the reservationist about Harold Black’s bar upstairs for a pre- or post-dinner drink. This swanky, secretive speakeasy serves up sleek, smooth cocktails.) Call 202525-4375 or visit acquaal2dc.com. 212 7th St. SE. 4. Café Bonaparte: If cozy, French, romantic dining is your kind of vibe, be sure to swing by local Georgetown favorite Café Bonaparte, where there will be a four-course Valentine’s Day dinner by Michelin 2-star chef Gerard Pangaud for $69 per person. An early-seating three-course dinner is also available for $59. Call 202-333-8830 or visit cafebonaparte.com. 1522 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

A fresh salad from Restaurant Nora.

8. 2941 Restaurant: Escape the hustle and bustle of D.C. and venture out to Falls Church, where, over the entire Valentine’s weekend, 2941 will be serving a three-course prix-fixe dinner for $78. Think tuna tartare with avocado, black truffle ribollita, fresh East Coast oysters, filet mignon, seafood risotto and dark chocolate mousse. Reservations required. Call 703-270-1500 or visit 2941.com. 2941 Fairview Park Dr., Falls Church, Va. 9. 1789 Restaurant: Enjoy a six-course tasting menu in the Federal-style dining destination that locals have called a favorite since the 1960s. The prix-fixe menu, available from 5 to 11 pm, costs $105 ($150 with wine pairings). Complimentary valet parking. Call 202-965-1789 or visit 1789restaurant.com. 1226 36th St. NW. Dessert topped with strawberries at Proof DC.

FOOD & WINE

The Lesson of Terroir

BY THE ODORE P UTA LA he story of how I, a wine amateur, ended up preaching the gospel at the Wine Bar on the second floor of Bistrot Lepic is not worth telling. I tasted. I looked through books. I looked up grapes and regions and appellations. I asked questions of the French crew and received choice words, such as ‘inky’ and ‘sauvage.’ After one hectic Sunday night, the manager decanted – sniffing it in a big glass with satisfaction – a Pic Saint-Loup. He poured me a glass and I swirled it, and within, magically, was the manure from the manure spreaders of my childhood, along with the shale-y underground on which everything in our part of the world grew. Each time we taste a wine we get that lesson of terroir. This is what makes wine enjoyable – not to hoard, but to sample; to understand the earth a wine comes from, the weather, the slopes, the soil and its minerals; a sampling of the DNA of a particular place, its creatures, its flora, the traditional local dishes. I decant a Madiran for two French gentlemen and they savor it along with a venison fricassée, singing its praises with Gallic pride when

I pour. A lady, a sommelier, orders a Bandol. She tells me she only decants vintage bottles. “Really?” I reply. “I would decant a young pinot or even a Beaujolais,” I say. “Beaujolais, I cannot stand Beaujolais,” the lady says, and we chuckle. A venerable vigneron from a small town in the Languedoc, in excellent shape well into his seventies, brings a rosé and a red for a wine tasting. I asked him about the vintage. “Every year is good in the South of France,” he says, and he smiles. For all my homework regarding French wines not of the modern style, I have a new crush: a varietal exotic to me, with a long history, a grape not easy to handle. I’ve been hearing how every seafood restaurant in New York is pouring Greek white wines. There have been whispers about the Xinomavro grape, dark red wines of northern Greece. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’m breaking out of my own routine, discovering the beauty of something new, beautiful, different, earthy and enjoyable with just about everything, sipping this foreign beauty in new company.

Photo by Steven Rattinger

MALMAISON

Dine & Dance the night away at MalMaison on January 31st! our

s a M b a supper club features a three

course brazilian Dinner Menu DesigneD by

2-Michelin star

Proudly Serving The Georgetown Community for 24 years PRE-FIXED MENU Three Courses Each Lunch $26.95 Monday thru Friday Nightly Dinner $36.95

chef gerarD

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liVe Music f e at u r i n g b r a z i l i a n Jazz sensation “ e n c a n ta Da”

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GMG, INC. January 28, 2015

YOUR DINING GUIDE TO WASHINGTON DC’S FINEST RESTAURANTS

1789 RESTAURANT 1226 36TH ST., NW 202–965–1789 1789restaurant.com

With the ambiance of an elegant country inn, 1789 features classically-based American cuisine – the finest regional game, fish and produce available.

Open seven nights a week. Jackets suggested. Complimentary valet parking.

CLYDE'S OF GEORGETOWN 3236 M ST., NW 202–333–9180 clydes.com

This animated tavern, in the heart of Georgetown, popularized saloon food and practically invented Sunday brunch. Clyde’s is the People’s Choice for bacon cheeseburgers, steaks, fresh seafood, grilled chicken salads, fresh pastas and desserts.

MALMAISON

3401 K ST.,NW 202–817–3340 malmaisondc.com Malmaison opened in June 2013 and features elegant French dining in Washington D.C’s historic Georgetown waterfront. Housed in a majestically refurbished industrial warehouse reminiscent of NYC’s Meatpacking District, the modern restaurant, pastry shop and event lounge features the culinary talents of legendary 2 Michelin Starred French Chef Gerard Pangaud and Pastry Chef Serge Torres (Le Cirque NYC).

BISTRO FRANCAIS 3124-28 M ST., NW 202–338–3830 bistrofrancaisdc.com

A friendly French bistro in the heart of historic Georgetown since 1975. Executive chef and owner Gerard Cabrol came to Washington, D.C., 32 years ago, bringing with him home recipes from southwestern France. In addition to daily specials, our specialties include our famous Poulet Bistro (tarragon rotisserie chicken), Minute Steak Maitre d’Hotel (steak and pomme frites), Steak Tartare, freshly prepared seafood, veal, lamb and duck dishes and the best Eggs Benedict in town.

DAS ETHIOPIAN 1201 28TH ST., NW

202–333–4710 dasethiopian.com DAS Ethiopian offers you a cozy twostory setting, with rare outside dining views and al fresco patio dining. DAS is located at the eclectically brilliant historic corner of the internationally renowned shopping district of Georgetown. A tent under which all come to feast is the very Amharic definition of DAS. From neighborhood diners, nearby students and journalists to international visitors and performers, all enjoy the casual but refined atmosphere that serves up the freshest Ethiopian dishes from local and sustainable food sources.

MARTIN’S TAVERN

1264 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–7370 martinstavern.com Don't let the beer fool you, it's a compliment to your dining experience. Since 1933, the warm atmosphere of Martin’s Tavern has welcomed neighbors and world travelers looking for great food, service and years of history within its walls. Fourth generation owner Billy Martin, Jr., continues the tradition of Washington’s oldest familyowned restaurant.

Serving Brunch until 4 p .m. 7 days a week!

BISTROT LEPIC & WINE BAR

1736 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–0111 bistrotlepic.com

1050 31ST ST., NW 202-617-2424 thegrillroomdc.com

Come and see for yourself why Bistrot Lepic, with its classical, regional and contemporary cuisine, has been voted best bistro in D.C. by the Zagat Guide. And now, with its Wine Bar, you can enjoy “appeteasers,” full bar service, complimentary wine tasting every Tuesday and a new private room. The regular menu is always available. Open every day for lunch and dinner. Now serving brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Tucked up along the historic C&O Canal, a national park that threads through the Georgetown neighborhood, The Grill Room at Capella Washington, D.C., specializes in hand-cut, bone-in, artisan meats, bracingly fresh seafood and tableside preparations. Framed with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and fluid geometric lines, the ambiance is one of relaxed refinement.

Reservations suggested.

ENO WINE BAR

2810 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW 202–333–4710 enowinerooms.com Visit ENO Wine Bar and enjoy wine flights, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate & small plates. ENO offers 100 bottles under $50 & 30 wines by the glass starting at $9. The ENO Experience is perfect for a pre-theater meal or try our dessert wine & chocolate flights after. Outdoor seating available.

Enjoy select bottles of wine 50% OFF Sunday & Monday WINE DOWN Sun –Thurs from 5 pm -7 pm & sip wines on tap for $5. Mon- Thurs 5 pm - 12 am Fri & Sat 4 pm – 1 am Sun 4 pm - 11pm

PIER 2934

2934 M ST., NW 202–337–4536 pier2934.com Pier 2934 is a family owned establishment that wants to share with the Nation’s Capital the same values we hold: having fun, eating good food, and bringing people together. So come in and enjoy a Cajun boil on a warm summer night with the family on our spacious, yet cozy patio, or meet up with friends at the bar for happy hour and some fried finger food and oysters. All you can eat Snow Crab Legs. RESERVATION ONLY. $30/ per person. Not valid with any other offers.

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

THE GRILL ROOM

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

CAFE BONAPARTE

1522 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–333–8830 cafebonaparte.com Captivating customers since 2003, Cafe Bonaparte has been dubbed the “quintessential” European café, featuring award-winning crepes and arguably the “best” coffee in D.C.! Other can'tmiss attractions are the famous weekend brunch every Saturday and Sunday until 3 p.m. and our late-night weekend hours serving sweet and savory crepes until 1 a.m.

We look forward to calling you a “regular” soon!

FILOMENA RISTORANTE

I-THAI RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR

Filomena is a Georgetown landmark that has endured the test of time and is now celebrating 30 years. Our old-world cooking styles and recipes brought to America by the early Italian immigrants, alongside the culinary cutting-edge creations of Italy’s foods of today, executed by our award-winning Italian chef. Try our spectacular lunch buffet on Friday and Saturday or our Sunday Brunch.

I-Thai Restaurant and Sushi Bar offers a taste of authentic Thai cuisine and Thai noodle dishes, where quality is never compromised. Using only the freshest ingredients, each dish is carefully prepared by our talented house chefs. With their extensive knowledge and expertise they are able to transform each dish with the perfect blend of herbs and spices into a delightful experience with the boldest and most genuine flavors possible.

1063 WISCONSIN AVE., NW 202–338–8800 filomena.com

3003 M ST., NW 202–580–8852

Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Sun.–Thu. 11:30 a.m .–10:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

SEA CATCH RESTAURANT

THE OCEANAIRE

1054 31ST ST., NW 202–337–8855 seacatchrestaurant.com Overlooking the historic C&O Canal, we offer fresh seafood simply prepared in a relaxed atmosphere. Outdoor dinning available. Join us for Happy Hour, Mon.-Fri. from 5 to 7 pm, featuring $1 oysters and half-priced drinks

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BODY & SOUL

What Will Get You Through a Divorce? BY D EB B IE MA RT INEZ

Don’t start making your list just yet, because the answer is one word. And that magic word is: YOU. It’s not going to be your therapist, your accountant, your attorney or even your friends. Yes, your posse, of course, is necessary to the process. But at the end of the day, it is little ol’ you that is going to get you through. Let me explain… Your therapist can help you sort through the emotions; your accountant can tell you the bottom line; your attorney will draft the MSA; your friends will listen. But you hold the cards to the one thing that will propel you to the other side, and that, my friend, is attitude. What I am about to say will cause the hair on some people’s neck to stand on end. But before the hate mail starts coming in, I ask that you take some time to digest what I am about to say. Divorce is just another bump in life, albeit a big bump, but a bump nonetheless. People change jobs, move from house to house or city to city, first careers don’t work out, second ones are born. Divorce is no different. How we perceive it, and then react to that perception, is what makes it different. Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating divorce. I, myself, was married for 15 years before the plug was pulled. But when faced with this life-change, how you “see” it will make all the difference as to when the phoenix rises from the ashes. Divorce can cause you to sit, fester and ruin

your life OR it can jump-start it. Fact is, you got a divorce; you did not lose a limb or go blind. You can spend countless hours ruminating over something that is over, or you can look at all the doors divorce opens. You have what hundreds of people every day get taken away from them, and that is the gift of life. Don’t squander it. Divorce has a way of making what you do and don’t want in your relationships, and in life, a lot clearer. Believe it or not, this time is a gift, so use it wisely. Don’t just live through this change, embrace it. My son told me that we all live to learn. I disagree with him. Only the self-actualized people live to learn, and I invite you to become one of them. Use your divorce to raise you up, not push you down. Divorce robs us all. It robs our children, our sense of safety and security, our selfesteem, our finances, our trust, and our overall well-being. So how much more will you allow it to rob you of? We have one life, and none of us know how many chances we will get to course direct and live it the way we were intended to. So, ladies, put on your Katherine Hepburn glasses, and men, adjust those Top Gun Ray-Bans, and get out there and say, “Bring it on!” Trained in Collaborative Divorce, Debbie Martinez is a certified Mindful Life Coach and Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Reach her at debbieatthepowerofdivorcecoach.com.

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BODY & SOUL

Murphy’s Love:

Getting Behind the Cold Shoulder BY STA CY NOTA RAS M U R P H Y

there are questions on the table. It often seems so much safer to write a person off without taking on the discomfort and vulnerability of asking the real questions. But when we do, we have the potential to deepen our relationships and to recognize which friendships can tolerate such honesty. I can imagine you have some ideas about why this wouldn’t work in this particular instance. But do you want to be the person who made assumptions, kept safe and lost a friend – or the one who knew she tried everything she could?

Dear Stacy: I have a longtime friend from my mid-20s (I’m now in my 30s) and we’ve grown apart somewhat due to different places in life and age. I’ve tried to reach out with invitations for a year, with no real response. Our conversations are perfunctory, at best, and are more acquaintance-like than anything. Although we are now more in the “same place” life-experience-wise (new wives, new moms), my friend doesn’t seem keen on sharing or learning about what I’m up to. Do I just let this friendship go (I’m always the instigator of communication) or ask if I’ve done something that has pushed her away? – Old Friend Dear Old Friend: This sounds really frustrating, but also like a fairly natural occurrence in the cycle of friendships. Sure, Hollywood has given us the fantasy that my preschool best friend should remain an integral part of my life until she moves into an adjoining room at the rest home. But even in the age of Facebook, people do grow out of friendships. If this is what you think is happening here, then maybe you can move the relationship into the “Friendly Acquaintance/Holiday Card” category and move on.

Stacy Notaras Murphy (stacymurphyLPC. com) is a licensed professional counselor and certified Imago Relationship therapist practicing in Georgetown. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. Send your confidential question to stacymurphyLPC@gmail.com. Yet, if you suspect you have done something to warrant the cold shoulder, wouldn’t you really want to know what it is? In the absence of facts, our brains just fill in the blanks on a never-ending cycle of “What if?” How about asking – directly, peppered with love and curiosity? If she’s actually mad because you did

something wrong, you can apologize and get your friend back. If she’s mad because she thinks you did something wrong, and you disagree, you can work on it. If she’s mad because she thinks you did something wrong, and you conclude she’s delusional, then you can save money on the annual postage by moving her to the “Good Old Memory” column. My point is,

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IN COUNTRY

Easton’s Bartlett Pear Inn: Food Fit for Romance BY PAU L SIMK IN

e’ve been married just a few months and reality got in the way of any sort of honeymoon – unless a quick trip up the Hudson Valley to meet the in-laws counts (it doesn’t). Romance for us has come in bits and bites, counted in hours snatched between deadlines and page designs. What counts as a getaway for us is calling ahead to Moby Dick’s in Georgetown, stuffing down a sandwich, then running over to the Loews 14 for an action flick or settling in for an episode of “Bewitched” on Amazon. When the opportunity to find a romantic B&B getaway for a 450-word story came up, my wife and I pounced. We shortlisted our choices based on several

Top: The Bartlett Pear Inn on Harrison Street in Easton, Md. Photo by Paul Simkin. Right: A wrought iron bed graces a room in the Bartlett Pear Inn. Photo by Jenna Walcott.

criteria: driveable in a couple of hours, a million cosmic miles away from our day-to-day grind, great food and a bathtub big enough for two. A couple friends pointed us to Easton, Md., and Alice and Jordan Lloyd’s Bartlett Pear Inn on Harrison Street, said to be the ideal place to catch our breath and shake off the city. In less than two hours we were there. Walking around the sleepy town a bit to get a sense of things, we stopped at an antique shop across the street. A nearby drugstore and soda fountain seemed straight out of the 1950s. Then, making our way past a giant ceramic pear in the garden, we walked into the Inn. A quick look at the menu, and we quickly realized that the 30-seat restaurant on the first floor was the heart of the place and – as it turned out – the perfect place for the perfect meal. The laid-back co-owner and chef Jordan Lloyd explained the restaurant’s holistic focus. “We try to incorporate our passion for all things fresh in everything we do: local, natural, wholesome. This philosophy allows us to stretch our imagination across all aspects of our business. Without the help of our local farmers, dedicated teammates and supportive families, we wouldn’t be who we are.” Taking him at his word, we put our faith in the expert waitstaff, who guided us through the menu and wine choices. I tried the lamb loin, made with a light yogurt marinade and a natural mint jus. The sides were sautéed greens, burnt root vegetables and a parsnip puré. She went with the whole roast quail, stuffed and

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IN COUNTRY FEB. 20

FEB. 28

The Middleburg Community Center will host an auction of original artwork from select local artists on Friday, Feb. 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Middleburg Montessori School. For details, visit middleburgonline.com. 300 West Washington St., Middleburg.

Attendees at the annual sell-out Oyster Roast fundraising event support the BIC while mingling with new and old friends and feasting on local Eastern Shore oysters and clams, clam chowder, roasted peanuts, pork barbecue, grilled chicken and sides. $75 per person; $10 for beer on tap or Chatham Vineyards wine (includes refills). For tickets, call (757) 678-5550. 7295 Young St., Machipongo, Va.

Top: Locally sourced foodstuffs are ready for preparation and dining. Photo by Jenna Walcott. Right: A giant ceramic pear by artist Jan Kirsh on display in the Bartlett Pear Inn garden. Photo by Paul Simkin. served with Swiss chard, D’Anjou pears, pecans and sugar-glazed butternut squash. If ever there were a meal to foster romance, this was it. After the dessert of Alaskan s’mores made with graham crackers, roasted marshmallow meringue and white chocolate ice cream – well, if we weren’t already married, I would have asked her to marry me all over again. For more information about the Bartlett Pear Inn, call 410-770-3300 or visit bartlettpearinn.

In Country Calendar

Art of the Piedmont Auction

FEB. 23 – MARCH 1

Annapolis Restaurant Week During the Seventh Annual Annapolis Restaurant Week, dozens of Annapolis and Annapolis-area restaurants are offering two-course fixed-price breakfasts for $12.95, two-course luncheons for $15.95 and three-course fixed-price dinners for $32.95. To make a reservation, visit annapolisrestaurantweek.com.

Barrier Islands Center Oyster Roast

MARCH 7-8

House Mountain Horse Show The Virginia Horse Center Foundation presents a two-day regional schooling horse show for hunter and jumper riders, named after the Lexington-area mountain. The show is managed by Keedie Leonard & L. M. ”Sandy” Gerald. For details, visit horsecenter.org. 487 Maury River Rd., Lexington, Va.

APRIL 22-26

Lexington Spring Premiere

Steak from Harry Brown’s in Annapolis. Photo by Angie Myers.

This United States Equestrian Federation “AA”-rated hunter and jumper horse show features a $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby on Friday and a $25,000 Grand Prix Show Jumping event on Saturday evening. For details, visit horsecenter.org. 487 Maury River Rd., Lexington, Va.

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PERFORMANCE

Schiller’s Pair of Queens BY G ARY T IS CHL ER | P H O TO G R A P H Y B Y J E F F M A L ET

Holly Twyford, as Elizabeth I of England, lords it over Kate Eastwood Norris, as Mary Stuart.

t’s always an odd feeling interviewing actors you’ve seen on Washington stages in many guises. Such was the case during a three-way phone conversation with Holly Twyford and Kate Eastwood Norris. Norris and Twyford, peers and longtime friends who have often shared the stage, are starring in the Folger’s production of Friedrich Schiller’s “Mary Stuart.” You feel as if you know them. You’ve seen them as a parade of fascinating women (and sometimes men and even a dog). Now, for the first time, both are playing royal queens. Norris has the title role of Mary, Queen of Scots: the charismatic, passionate Stuart who has been imprisoned for 12 years, accused of plotting the assassination of Elizabeth I of England, her great political rival. “They are both queens – powerful, strong women,” Twyford says. “Elizabeth has to decide whether or not to order her execution. It takes place in a very short time period. Mary has days left to live.” These two women – Mary and Elizabeth, Elizabeth and Mary – are enemies, but they share the common ground of being female rulers in a world mostly ruled by men. The problem for Elizabeth is that as long as Mary is alive, as long as people – Catholics in England and elsewhere, allies in France, her subjects in Scotland – look to her, she is a threat to Elizabeth’s reign. In 1800, the play premiered as “Maria Stuart” in Weimar, Germany, where Schiller and fellow poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe gave birth to what became known as Weimar Classicism. Schiller, who also wrote “Don Carlos,” “The Wallenstein Trilogy” and “William Tell,” has been called the Shakespeare of Germany.

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

The play has not been done very often, though the two queens have been the subject of numerous novels, biographies and films. Actresses from Bette Davis to Helen Mirren have played Mary. A 1971 film, “Mary of Scotland,” starred Vanessa Redgrave as Mary and Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth. The Folger production uses a translation by Peter Oswald, also the basis of a production at London’s Donmar Warehouse that moved to Broadway for a successful run in 2009. “I wasn’t all that familiar with the play, so we both read it,” says Twyford. “The language is what drew me, and I think both of us. The clarity of it – I really dig it.” Norris concurs: “It doesn’t use archaic language. It has a contemporary feel to it, but remains natural and classical. It’s not David Mamet, by any means – we just don’t thee and thou a lot, for one thing.” The play is famous for including a scene in which the two monarchs meet face-toface, a lengthy, emotionally wrenching episode that never took place. But it could have, and maybe should have, the two point out. “And, oh my god, it’s difficult. It’s really hard to do.” Norris says. “Sometimes, when I’m standing face-to-face with Holly and I see the look in her eyes, the anger, it’s kind of scary, I’ve got to admit.” “I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else,” Twyford says. The two women have a long personal and professional history, which makes things easier. “Let’s see, there’s ‘Taming of the Shrew,’ ‘As You Like It,’” Twyford says, rattling off a number of plays in which they’ve appeared together. “Shakespeare, there’s seven right there.” Twyford played a dog in “Two Gentlemen of Verona” and, famously, they both appeared as Hamlet in the Joe Banno-directed production of “Hamlet” at the Folger, which featured four different Princes of Denmark. On the phone, you get a sense of the easy talk of friendships, of fun and laughs. But occasionally, just days until opening night, you get a hint of regal, royal edge in their voices. They are after all – besides Kate and Holly – Mary and Elizabeth, and by play’s end, you probably won’t forget that. And likely, neither will they. “Mary Stuart” opened at the Folger Elizabethan Theatre on Jan. 27 and will run through March 8.

The Virgin Queen in all her bedecked glory.

San Fermin: A Symphony Out of a Solo Act BY PETER M U R R AY

San Fermin’s leader Ellis Ludwig-Leon. Courtesy of San Fermin.

ith Ellis Ludwig-Leone at the helm, San Fermin melds classical music with rock ’n’ roll to create lush, manic and irresistible chamber pop soundscapes. The Brooklynbased band came together around LudwigLeone’s vision, constructed during a nine-week retreat in Banff, Canada, where the Yale graduate developed the concept and aesthetic of the band’s music. “I hadn’t really written songs before. I had done composition stuff, but I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be,” Ludwig-Leone reflects. “I had this idea that you needed to be totally secluded and in your own mindspace to do what you wanted to do.” When he came back to New York with a composition for a debut album in hand, LudwigLeone got to work pulling together a band to record the effort. Childhood friend Allen Tate was the obvious choice for the album’s male voice, but the female voice, just as essential in Ludwig-Leone’s composition, was more difficult to nail down. Ludwig-Leone’s recruited guitarist Tyler McDiarmid knew Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe of budding indie pop band Lucius, so LudwigLeone approached them. “I actually cold-called them,” Ludwig-Leone says, and the duo agreed to be a part of the project. (Their contribution shines brightest on the soaring, ecstatic “Sonsick.”) Ultimately, 22 musicians – from trombonists to drummers to upright bassists – lent their talents to San Fermin’s debut, which arrived in September 2013 on Downtown Records. Touring required that the band be whittled down to eight members, and the Lucius girls were out of the equation due to their band’s schedule. Rae Cassidy stepped in on female vocals, but ended up quitting the band to pursue a solo career in April 2014. Ludwig-Leone says there is bound to be “changeover” in a band with so many members. But he also notes, “We think of it now as a real band in the sense that everyone is invested and involved.” The band’s onstage chemistry, honed over

two years of nonstop touring, is proof. LudwigLeone talks of the band’s eight members finding “their moment” during their rowdy live shows, which direct the audience toward what’s happening onstage. As for behind-the-scenes, Ludwig-Leone says he’s “really happy” with how the group interacts. He paints a clearer picture, saying, “I run the rehearsal and talk with people about the parts if I have comments. John [Brandon] and Tyler tour-manage, so they’re in charge of that stuff. Everyone finds a place where they’re in charge. On the music part, it’s super cool because now that all the musicians know the aesthetic of the band, they can add things that are almost always great.” Ludwig-Leone returned to seclusion to write San Fermin’s sophomore record, “Jackrabbit.” This time, he stayed in New Hampshire, and only for three weeks. But when he got back to New York, he realized – with the help of the band, his manager and his mentor, composer Nico Muhly – his new work was missing something, “an upbeat heart of the record.” Around the time of his return, Charlene Kaye joined San Fermin’s roster on female vocals. Ludwig-Leone went to work on the last three or four songs on the record (which he says are his favorites) with her in mind, saying that it’s important for a song to “fit” the person singing it. The album’s title track “is totally high energy,” Ludwig-Leone says, which is no surprise given that the song was recorded with the eightmember live band. With Kaye’s ethereal vocals at the forefront, the song is a proper sequel to the band’s biggest hit to date, “Sonsick.” The rest of the second album, though, continues the dialogue and questioning that Ludwig-Leone started in the first, but with “three-dimensional characters.” He explains, “There aren’t any answers, it just keeps spinning out of control.” San Fermin plays the Barns at Wolf Trap on Jan. 30. “Jackrabbit” arrives in stores April 21. and “Mary Stuart” opened at the Folger Elizabethan Theatre on Jan. 27 and will run through March 8

COMPANY|E

ART

El Greco Show to Close Feb. 16 BY ARI POS T he paintings of El Greco – born Doménikos Theotokópoulos in 1541 on the Greek island of Crete – are among the most recognizable works in all of art history, as instantly attributable as those of Jackson Pollock. Not much art of the 16th century survives in the realm of intellectual pop culture, yet El Greco endured centuries of obscurity to achieve a sudden transcendence in the early 20th. In his lifetime, all subject matter in art was effectively predetermined, relegated by church and nobility to biblical scenes, portraiture and what amounted to political propaganda. So the real issue of El Greco in our time is not what he painted, but how he painted; not what his work showed, but what it revealed. What brought these paintings suddenly into the limelight some 300 years later, and why are they so deeply affecting and seemingly permanent? At the National Gallery of Art through Feb. 16, a 400th anniversary celebration of El Greco features ten works (seven from the gallery’s own collection), offering a rare opportunity to see the breadth and development of his career. Beginning as a painter of Byzantine icons, El Greco studied the works of Titian and Tintoretto in Venice – possibly working in the studio of the elderly Titian – then the mannerist style in Rome, where he moved a few years after the death of Michelangelo. From the late 1570s until his death in 1614, El Greco lived

“Christ Cleansing the Temple” by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos). Oil on panel. Samuel H. Kress Collection.

and worked in Toledo, the religious capital of Spain. But his role as an painter of the CounterReformation is not what attracted artists like Cézanne, Degas, Modigliani, Picasso, Giacometti and so many others, well into the 20th century. I would suggest that it was his figural obsession, which – though couched in biblical allusion – exists almost unfettered by religious fervor. This resonated with the agnostic spirituality of turn-of-the-century artistic innovation, as well as its defiance of narrative conventions. In paintings like “Saint Ildefonso,” “The Repentant Saint Peter” and especially “Saint Jerome,” there is a physical agony to the figures; the bodies crane and twist as if sculpted

from crude clay. They contain a strong sense of yearning, doubt, distortion and chaos that found its id during the industrial decades, and again amidst the new social consciousness of the age of relativity. The painting “Laocoön” is strangely a modern masterpiece, painted three centuries too soon. The figures pose dramatically in a relaxed state of heightened physicality, like Degas’s dancers, and float in narrative and moral ambiguity, like Picasso’s “Family of Saltimbanques.” In a mere impression of a horse and clouds in the background, many brushstrokes exist on their own terms, defining nothing but the space of the canvas. It is hardly abstraction, but it is certainly a broad step away from reality and into the realm of painterly suggestion. Not much work from the 16th century can be absorbed purely on its own terms, in the way that art of the last 150 years is consciously made to be understood for its own sake (which is itself a reflection of our intellectual time and place). El Greco was perhaps the first artist to recognize his medium as its own religion. He was an innovator of expression in light, the human figure and paint itself. His work conveys deep spirituality, like the Byzantine icons of his youth, which are also alive in their sheer force of expression. Perhaps El Greco’s rediscovery in the late 19th century was no more than a fluke, but it may just be that the gods of painting rescued him from a long trial in Purgatory.

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SOCIAL SCENE

Capricorn Party Honors Sarnoff

B Y M A RY B I R D Under heightened security, guests entered the Embassy of France Jan. 14 to attend the first Capricorn party, named after the late legendary Lolo Sarnoff’s annual birthday fete. Sarnoff was truly a renaissance figure who excelled as a Swiss-German artist, scientist and philanthropist. In 1988, at age 72, she founded greater Washington’s Arts for the Aging (AFTA) to engage older adults in health improvement and life enhancement through the arts. AFTA Director & CEO Janine Tursini remembered Sarnoff as “my friend and mentor.” Matt Hastings recalled Lolo’s wit when she remarked, “They tell me the music is country. Which country?”

Amb. Szapary Feted at Schott Home BY M ARY BIR D

Firmly entrenched in the diplomatic community, Hungarian-born Aniko Gaal Schott and her husband Nash welcomed guests to their embassyelegant home Jan. 16 to bid farewell to Hungarian Ambassador Gyorgy Szapary, who will return to Budapest. They also chose the occasion to welcome visiting friend Csaba Kael, the CEO and artistic director of “MUPA,” Hungary’s Palace of the Arts, which is the largest performing arts center in Central Europe. Guests enjoyed elegant hors d’oeuvres and a caviar-laden buffet of temptations.

Lolo Sarnoff

GBA Mission: ‘Help Businesses Make Money’ Says New President

Roger Carp of Long and Foster and Constantine Ferssizidis of TD Bank.

At the George Town Club for a Georgetown Business Association networking reception Jan. 21, new GBA President Charles Camp welcomed guests and got right to the point: the group is here to “help businesses make money.” Another mission for GBA, Camp said, was the fact that “You’ve got to know who your neighbors are. The new officers greeted members and new members in the club on Wisconsin Avenue which has regained its popularity throughout town for meetings, whether business or social. Camp said he seeks to get GBA more involved with a listserv and a renamed website, such as “GeorgetownBusiness.org,” He also wants the group to work more closely with the Citizens Association of Georgetown and the Georgetown Business Improvement District. “We have our own niche,” Camp said of the Georgetown groups. “We can work together.”

Hungarian Ambassador Gyorgy Szapary and Susan Eisenhower

Lynda and Bill Webster.

Hostess Aniko Gaal Schott with Bill and Ann Nitze.

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Paul Orange with his dad, at-large council member Vincent Orange.

Ellie McMullen of Capital Adventures and Lisa Byrd of the George Town Club. OR

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Dining With Chef Frank Ruta

PERMIT-EVADING HOUSE AND A CANNONBALL VALENTINE'S DAY DINING GUIDE CULTURAL LEADERS IN IN COUNTRY EASTON’S BARTLETT PEAR INN

www. Georgetowner.com GBA officers for 2015: President Charles Camp, Vice President Sonya Bernhardt, Secretary Theresa Bowman and Treasurer Alan Helfer.

January 28, 2015 GMG, INC.

SOCIAL SCENE

‘American Sniper’ Screening Attracts Bradley Cooper, Political Stars

PHO TOGRAP HY B Y J E F F M A LE T Georgetown University alum and Oscar-nominated actor Bradley Cooper was in town Jan. 13 for a screening of the Clint Eastwood-directed film, “American Sniper.” Based on the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, one of the most lethal snipers in U.S. history, the movie details his tours in Iraq and his battle with posttraumatic stress disorder. A Marine Corps veteran whom Kyle had brought to a shooting range to help calm his PTSD killed Kyle in 2013. Kyle’s widow, Taya Kyle, attended the screening held in the Burke Theater at the U.S. Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue. Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) were also in attendance. Taya Kyle, widow of Chris Kyle, who was portrayed in “American Sniper”, Bradley Cooper, Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden.

Taya Renae Kyle, Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez, Fleet Master Chief April Beldo, Bradley Cooper, Flee Master Chief JoAnn Ortloff and Master Chief Yeoman John Perez.

Bradley Cooper and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas).

Gala Guide FEBRUARY 3

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Opening Night Benefit The black tie gala features a dance performance followed by dinner in the Nations Gallery to support the company’s Washington, D.C programs. Kennedy Center. Contact Ariel Metzger at 202-6368745 or ariel@camppbellpeachey.com.

FEBRUARY 4

2015 Sugar and Champagne Affair The Washington Humane Society’s annual dessert and champagne reception honors local crusaders against animal cruelty. The event showcases the area’s leading pastry chefs and the VIP Chef’s Tasting Room is an exclusive savory gathering prepared by leading chefs. Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Call 202-735-0324.

Contact Kelsey Beaumont at 202-2327267 or kbeaumont@studiotheatre.org.

FEBRUARY 7

Sweethearts and Patriots Gala

The second annual event benefits Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and military families. City Tavern Club. Email sweetheartsandpatriots.org.

FEBRUARY 17

St. Jude Gourmet Gala

Benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, this event features Mardi Gras fun with over 50 of the area’s top chefs. National Building Museum. Contact Beth Desai at 703-351-5171 or bethdesai@stjude.org.

MARCH 1

The Wacky & Whimsical Tea for THEARC

FEBRUARY 7

Studio Theatre Gala This evening of cocktails, dinner, dancing and a unique cabaret performance supports Studio’s artistic, education and community outreach programs. Studio Theatre.

A Sunday afternoon high tea with games and activities for young and old alike, this event supports Ward 8’s Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus, known as THEARC. The Ritz-Carlton. Contact Janet Stone at 202-550-8528 or jstone@thearcdc.org.

★★★ See more Social Scene photos online at Georgetowner.com ★★★

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GMG, INC. January 28, 2015

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