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THIS ISSUE
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Georgetown dad Josh Randle, president of Randle Strategies and senior advisor for the Washington AI Network, with his children George, Peter and Ann Louise on O Street. Photo by Andy Cline.
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CARE FOR CREATIVES: A MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR A LARGER COMMUNITY BY STEFAN BAYOUMI
The George Washington University’s Care For Creatives program seeks to address these issues head on with their mental health support program, specifically geared towards creatives and entrepreneurs.
FEINSTEIN RESIDENCE, SOLD AT $6.25 MILLION, TO BE SUBDIVIDED BY THE GEORGETOWNER
Washington Fine Properties has sold Willow Oaks, the former residence of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who died in 2023 at the age of 90. The home, located at 3300 Nebraska Ave. NW, closed for $6.25 million. Feinstein and her late husband Richard Blum bought the home for $5.6 million in 2001.
A QUARTER CENTURY OF CHEF GEOFF’S! BY KATE OCZYPOK
Chef Geoff’s on New Mexico Ave. marked 25 years of “great food, libation, merriment and unforgettable memories” on June 2.
FASHIONING POWER, FASHIONING PEACE AT WOODROW WILSON HOUSE BY THE GEORGETOWNER
With the first plume of white smoke after the fourth ballot of the conclave, history was made. On Thursday, May 8, the world stood waiting with bated breath, wondering who Francis’s successor would be, the 267th successor to St. Peter, the next pope.
MAYOR BOWSER DIVES INTO POOL SEASON BY PEGGY SANDS
On Friday, May 23, Mayor Bowser jumped into the Langdon Park Pool and announced that the District’s 21 park pools and 37 spray parks would be open to D.C. residents for free this summer, beginning the next day, Saturday, May 24.
A CONFLUENCE OF ART AND DANCE IN KALORAMA BY THE GEORGETOWNER
A star-studded art salon was hosted on May 29 by visual artist Kelly Dinglasan Minton and her husband Joel Minton at their elegant Kalorama home.
News Bytes
COMPILED BY KATE OCZYPOK
GEORGETOWN VILLAGE HONORS ELIZABETH MILLER
Georgetown residents came out in droves to celebrate community and honor Elizabeth Miller at the Georgetown Village Spring Gala, held at the penthouse of Nancy Taylor Bubes and Alan Bubes on May 8. Despite beginning with rain, the day cleared beautifully — just in time to shine on the honoree and guests.
devoted Georgetown advocate, Miller has been a tireless supporter of Georgetown Village. Her leadership roles include serving as chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E. She currently co-chairs the Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces and remains actively engaged in local and national community efforts.
During the celebration, Georgetown Village — a nonprofit that “provides social connections, programs and services to those 55 and older” — presented Miller with a commemorative plaque that captured the impact of her public service. On the plaque: “As a creative force and champion of connection, your work has inspired us and helped shape a stronger, more caring neighborhood.”
In her remarks, Miller said that connection is her “love language,” stating: “Georgetown Village’s work has a profound and positive impact on our community. I like to say they’re the best private club in Washington, D.C. — where everyone who wants to join is always welcomed.”
CLAIRE WILSON NAMED MINISTRY CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A haven for homeless individuals, Georgetown Ministry Center has named Claire Wilson its executive director.
According to GMC: “With over 15 years of leadership in nonprofit, association and government sectors, Wilson brings a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to social justice and a proven track record of driving meaningful change in the lives of vulnerable populations.”
Wilson joins GMC following her tenure as executive director of Minneapolis’s Loppet Foundation, “where she expanded equity-focused programming and grew the
organization’s staff and budget significantly,” continued GMC in a statement. “Her leadership through the pandemic strengthened the organization’s infrastructure and community impact, connecting over 80,000 Minnesotans with nature-based, inclusive programming,”
Prior to that, Wilson served as deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, where she oversaw supportive housing, mental health and disability services. Her work resulted in major policy reforms and increased investments in critical services for underserved communities.
CELEBRATES 100 YEARS
A standing-room-only centenary Mass on May 18 filled Epiphany Catholic Church with singing, reverence and joy. Led by Bishop Roy Edward Campbell Jr. of the Washington Archdiocese, the Mass, with six concelebrants, was followed by a parish feast and social gathering that extended the joyous
milestone with fellowship. Of course, there was a birthday cake or two.
A historically Black church, Georgetown’s Epiphany is celebrating 100 years with a rich history of diversity and overcoming the odds. The parish was founded in 1923, when — due to the bigotry and segregation of the times — about 300 Black parishioner families left Holy Trinity Catholic Church to form their own community.
“They only wanted to be able to worship in the structured, religious teachings of the church without being humiliated or attempts being made to give them feelings of inferiority,” recalled Neville Waters Jr., son of Gertrude Turner Waters, one of Epiphany’s founders.
In 1925, the church was canonically
A
EPIPHANY
The Rev. Paul Lee and the Rev. Stefan Megyery cut the Epiphany Church birthday cakes on May 18. Photo by Robert Devaney.
New Georgetown Ministry Center Executive Director Claire Wilson.
Honoree Elizabeth Miller flanked by Georgetown Village Executive Director Lynn Golub-Rofrano and Board President Judith Bunnell. Photo by Lien James.
established and its building, featuring a stained-glass window depicting the Epiphany, was constructed at 2712 Dumbarton St. NW.
MACARTHUR HIGH TO BE RENAMED FOR JOHN THOMPSON
After almost two years, the new MacArthur High School at 4530 MacArthur Boulevard NW is going to be renamed for Georgetown University men’s basketball coach John Thompson Jr. Brought up in naming discussions, the Hoya legend led his team to a 1984 NCAA championship. Thompson was coach at Georgetown from 1972 to 1999; he died in 2020.
Last week, the school’s Thompson rebrand “garnered unanimous support in the D.C. Council, where a bill to rename the school was approved on first reading,” according to the Washingtonian.
Crime Report
At the June 2 meeting of ANC 2E, Lt. Danielle Vitatoe of the Metropolitan Police Department reported that thefts from autos were increasing, but violent crimes were declining in and around Georgetown. She added that there were no reported burglaries for May.
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Topher Mathews reported that there were several auto break-ins around 34th and Q Streets two weeks ago. He also noted that about five police officers appeared to have arrested a group of persons on the 3400 block of R Street last month. Lt. Vitatoe told commissioners she would get back to them about those two incidents.
Commissioners also told Lt. Vitatoe about a large group of all-terrain vehicle drivers who rode down O Street on Memorial Day and entered Rose Park, imperiling the public and causing damage to property. She was not aware of the ATV disturbance and asked if anyone had called the police. For years, there have been ATV riders all across the city causing an ongoing commotion.
Meanwhile, according to the Washington Post, there “were among 20 people slain in the District in May, all by gunfire, in a surge of violence that brought the city’s 2025 homicide toll to 69 as of Saturday, the last day of the month. After a long stretch in which the pace of killings in D.C. was lower than in 2024, the
spike in violence last month meant that the body count as of May 31 nearly equaled the District’s 73 homicides in the first five months of last year. … The May violence, including 18 killing in 18 days, also claimed the lives of Israeli Embassy employees Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26.”
Coach John Thompson Jr. at the 2016 groundbreaking for the athletic center named for him. Courtesy Georgetown University.
Property damage by ATVs in Rose Park on May 26.
Packed ANC Agenda: Budget, Field Projects, Streateries
BY PEGGY SANDS
They tried. They really tried. The commissioners and presenters at the Monday, June 2, meeting of ANC 2E, the advisory neighborhood commission for Georgetown, Burleith and Hillandale, tried to keep their reports, questions and proposals brief.
But even with a prompt start at 6:30 p.m., the meeting’s first half — devoted to the convoluted D.C. budget and the just-released official report on streateries — did not conclude until 10 p.m.
Everyone seemed to agree that, while 2024 saw Georgetown’s “comeback,” 2025 has become a transitional — perhaps a transformational — year. The impact of a sudden, completely unexpected cut of about $1 billion (reduced to about $400 million) to the District’s already approved and ongoing 2025 budget caused major disruption in April and May.
The diminished funding, allegedly due to a mistaken reading of District budget rules by Congress, was supposed to be fixed immediately. But as Congress became engulfed in national budget debates, Mayor Muriel Bowser eventually proposed a new budget altogether, with immediate cuts to a wide range
of what she called “important but not core” programs. On May 27, she presented it to the District Council (see separate story).
ANC 2E Chair Gwen Lohse expressed concern for whether long-committed funds to rebuild the Jelleff Recreation Center at 3265 S St. NW and the Volta Park baseball field, delayed because of a sinkhole on the property, are still in the budget. The mayor’s spokesperson basically promised to “get back on that,” adding that the mayor is working to reduce the red tape on finishing those projects.
The project to rebuild the Ellington School track and field and construct public bathrooms and meeting rooms in the two field houses is now underway, it was announced. The main concern: the untested lights to be built on unusually tall poles to better target on-field activities. With a few exceptions, the field is not to be used for competitive activities. But the residents want all the usage assurances, including access to the field houses and traffic and bus parking management, in writing.
As for what to do about improving, making permanent or terminating the streateries and sidewalk expansions established along M
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Street, Wisconsin Avenue and some side streets in Georgetown during the pandemic’s socialdistancing phase, the District Department of Transportation’s “Proposed Permanent Streatery Guidelines” report was presented.
“The guidelines,” reads the report, “seek to strengthen the safety, accessibility and aesthetics of outdoor dining in public space” and outline “design requirements and the approval process for streateries in the District.”
The lack of planning for, attention to and enthusiasm for widened sidewalks not used for outdoor dining had led to the assumption
that the expanded sidewalks will not be made permanent.
Concerns about streatery management came up repeatedly during the meeting. Former ANC Chair Tom Birch outlined a number of issues that he recommended should be committed to in writing, including: requiring each streatery to offer a served outdoor dining experience (not a picnic or fast-food area); setting standardized streatery size limits; fining streatery sponsors for encroachment onto designated parking spaces; and a commitment by D.C. officials that enforcement of streatery regulations will go beyond self-enforcement. This section of the meeting ended in applause. Other agenda items discussed at the meeting included the probable exclusion from the D.C. budget of the restoration of the historic Foundry Branch Trolley Trestle in Glover-Archbold Park, a favorite project of Georgetown University ANC members for years. The fenced-off trestle is in danger of collapse and a special permit has been issued for its demolition.
Volta Park Baseball Field.
Travel Alert: Changes to Bus Routes, Stops
BY TOPHER MATHEWS
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is overhauling its bus routes. Some of us know about the bus revolution coming at the end of June, but no one in Georgetown has been more helpful in getting the word out than Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Topher Mathews. The following excerpts, lightly edited, are from his Georgetown Metropolitan blog.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I want to again warn you that the entire WMATA bus system is about to change dramatically. Starting on June 29, every single route in the city will bear a new name, and a majority of them will travel new routes.
Here is a handy thumbnail description of how the existing Georgetown lines will appear starting June 29:
D2: This will now be called the D96 and it will now travel from Bethesda all the way to Foggy Bottom. The Georgetown-to-Dupont section will largely remain the same.
G2: This will now be called the C91. It will still travel from Georgetown University to Howard University. But instead of traveling along O, P and Dumbarton Streets through Georgetown, it will travel on Q Street.
D6: This will now be called the D94. It will still travel to Sibley, but no longer will it go eastward to RFK. It will now terminate in Chinatown.
38B: This will now be called the A58. It will still travel from Farragut out to Ballston by way of Georgetown, but now it will continue onward all the way to Seven Corners.
30 Series: The 30 series will be replaced with the D80 and the D82. Through Georgetown it will mostly be the same (although with an unfortunate number of eliminated bus stops). The D80 will travel to Union Station (like the current 33) and the D82 will go to Foggy Bottom (like the current 31).
Finally, there will be a novel new route called the C85. It will travel from Foggy Bottom along M Street through Georgetown. It will then head out to MacArthur Boulevard in the Palisades in order to reach the new MacArthur High School. Then it will wind its way back through Glover Park and up through Ward 3.
What I want to discuss this month is the euphemistically named “bus stop consolidation” that WMATA is also deploying at the end of the month. In English, what this means is that WMATA is eliminating a bunch of bus stops.
These are the actual stops on the Wisconsin and M Street routes and whether they will continue or not:
SOUTHBOUND ELIMINATED?
Wisconsin and ... 34th R
Dumbarton
M and ...
Wisconsin
Thos. Jeff.
Pennsylvania and ... 28th
NORTHBOUND ELIMINATED?
Pennsylvania and ... 28th
M and ... 30th
31st
Wisconsin and ... N P Q R 34th
So, for the 30 series replacements, when you’re going downtown the eliminated stops are the one in front of Lutèce and the one in front of the Barnes & Noble. When you’re heading back to Georgetown from downtown, the eliminated stops are the one in front of Sprinkles and the one in front of Ralph Lauren.
Additionally, the asterisks next to a couple of the stops relate to the 38B replacement (the A58). It will in fact continue to stop at M and 30th (in front of Sprinkles) and M and Thomas Jefferson (in front of the Barnes & Noble). It will also continue to use the stops west of Wisconsin that it currently uses.
But it won’t continue to stop at M and 31st (in front of the Urban Outfitters) or M and Wisconsin (in front of the Capital One Café). Essentially, they took the four stops on M between 30th and Wisconsin and split them up; one half will keep being used by the 30 series replacement and the other half by the 38B replacement. This has the added annoyance of making it more difficult for a rider heading downtown to simply wait at one stop and take whichever bus comes first. The only stop on M or Wisconsin to be fully removed is the one in front of Ralph Lauren.
For more details, visit wmata.com/initiatives/ plans/better-bus.
Courtesy WMATA.
Curiouser and Curiouser
Here in Don-derland, the ax falls without warning.
Last February, the Kennedy Center suffered a double decapitation: of Deborah F. Rutter, president since 2014, and of David M. Rubenstein, board chairman since 2010. Rubenstein has donated more than $100 million to the performing arts center, including $50 million to the expansion known as the Reach. Was the replacement of board members and his own election as chairman within the commander in chief’s prerogative? So it seems, but what many (including this newspaper)
fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama. The current president had the right to shelve her a year early, but many (including this newspaper) would call it a wrong.
Then, on May 30, the former host of “The Apprentice” posted on Truth Social that he was terminating the employment of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet. Sen. Gary Peters, a member of the Smithsonian’s board of regents, put it best: “Clearly, the president has no authority whatsoever to fire her. The Smithsonian is an independent institution, and the director of the Smithsonian is the one who she reports to, and
“Their heads are gone, if it please your Majesty!” the soldiers shouted in reply.
have called a hostile takeover was, to say the least, contrary to the Kennedy Center’s 50-plus-year bipartisan tradition. A number of staffers, shows, subscribers and donors have gone missing.
The Library of Congress was beheaded in early May. Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first person of color to serve as Librarian of Congress — and the first credentialed librarian to do so in decades — was appointed to a 10-year term in 2016 by
that’s the person who makes the decision as to hiring and firing of individuals.”
Last we heard, Sajet (pronounced “sighYET) was still on the job.
The Georgetowner considers these eminently qualified leaders to be exemplary public servants with a proven record of success. Their callous removal — attempted, in Sajet’s case — is yet another painful confirmation (but who’s counting?) that we have gone Through the Looking-Glass.
Parades and Patriotism
Last weekend, we saw a parade and other celebrations of Pride. This coming Saturday, there’s another parade, which will proudly celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Now, that’s quite a juxtaposition. Already, we’ve observed military equipment being transported for the Constitution Avenue parade. The Army has been planning its festivities on the National Mall for years, but it was President Trump who upped the ante, demanding a “big, beautiful” parade with soldiers, tanks — the works. Some (including this newspaper) are turned off by the prospect of such a grandiose spectacle, but we should recall 8,000 troops marched in the Gulf War victory parade in June 1991.
While June 14 is the Army’s milestone birthday — it was established by the Continental Congress in 1775 — it is also the president’s 79th. And it is Flag Day. On June 14, 1777, Congress approved the flag’s design.
Add to all this the centennial of someone close to our hearts: Pierre Salinger. A World War II veteran and press secretary to President John F. Kennedy, Salinger was born on June 14, 1925, and died in 2004. We got to know him because he was a regular columnist for The Georgetowner from 1997 to 2002.
We mention this because we prefer Salinger’s brand of patriotism to that of the current White House occupant. Like many men of his generation, as well as before and after, he served his country and did not need to be a show-off about it. Indeed, we will remember similar patriots on Juneteenth and the 4th of July, as we are aware we are living in unprecedented, chaotic times.
So, on Saturday, let’s contemplate what it means to be a patriot — beyond the missiles. Important though they are, it’s what is in our hearts as Americans that makes all the difference.
Happy Pride from Olive
BY CRAIG WILSON
I have lived on Olive Street for almost 40 years. Not to be hyperbolic, but it’s been a blessing.
Those 40 years have been shared with my husband, Jack, who was just my partner when we started out. We are now married.
There are other gays in the neighborhood — there are straight people, too! — but we all feel comfortable with each other. As I said, it’s a blessing to be here.
We are out front most nights in the good weather, “stooping” with the neighbors. Most of us have dogs who join us. We all have stories.
Our former neighbor Kathleen Parker once wrote in her Washington Post column that Jack’s and my run on Olive Street “can only be described as the most small-town values union I’ve ever witnessed.” We took that as a compliment.
As the bluest area in one of the bluest cities in America, Georgetown is heaven for gays. No one cares. No one puts up a fuss. Most everyone
Street
just wants another drink and the opportunity to come inside to see what the gays have done to their living room.
We don’t put up a rainbow flag because we don’t need to. People know who, what and where we are.
My life at work was just as much a blessing. I was a feature writer for USA Today for 30 years and wrote a weekly column, basically about my daily life, which was very similar to that of my readers.
At first, readers thought I worked for a law firm when I talked about my “partner,” but over the years it became clear I was gay and Jack was not my law partner.
I always thought the strength of the column was that it was not a gay column for and about gay people. It was stories of everyday life everyone could relate to.
Like life on Olive Street. Happy Pride!
Craig Wilson and Jack Cahill on Olive Street. Photo by Matt Mendelsohn.
A Native Georgetowner Says Goodbye
BY ALISON SCHAFER
Goodbye, Georgetown. I am moving away, after a lifetime in this neighborhood (I did leave for several years for college and jobs elsewhere).
I am a native Georgetowner, raised on the corner of 30th and Q, playing kick-thecan and dodgeball (the worst game ever) in the alley down the street, going to Sara’s for popsicles, climbing over fences into neighbors’ backyards — something that would get you arrested or shot at today. It was a lot less fussy here then.
But I am leaving, at least for a while. Editor-inChief Robert Devaney has kindly permitted me to write this short piece about the things I will miss most. And the things I will not miss at all.
I will pine for so many things: My lovely garden, small but fussed over and adored. A garden that no doubt won’t last much past my departure, since the houses on both sides of me have been built out, and someone
will probably do the same to my house. The D.C. government, and many of my would-be neighbors, seem to have forgotten, at least lately, that small and medium-sized houses have their charms, and that green space is what makes Georgetown so desirable.
I won’t miss the construction trucks outnumbering residents’ cars on my street, or the mania to build up and out. I will miss my bunny, who trims the grass and who lives in the back of my yard, swanning around like he owns the place. And the doves, and the robins.
I’ll miss the yellow corridor of ginkgo trees in Rose Park in the fall, and the one day in November when all the berries fall off at once. I’ll miss the massive and gorgeous wisteria framing a garage down an alley off 33rd Street. I’ll miss the cool door knocker on P near 28th, and all the little touches and architectural details all over residential Georgetown. I’ll miss crisp walks right after the time changes in the fall, when people haven’t pulled their front curtains down yet and you can see into their living rooms and sneak into their lives for a moment.
I’ll really miss my people. Maurice at Morgan’s, always ready for some banter. My mother used to say he was the only person she wanted at her funeral. Ingola, towering and opinionated and funny.
David Dunning, the Mayor of Rose Park.
The dynamo Elizabeth Miller. Jimmy, my mailman, who yells “How’re the dogs, Alison?” every time I run into him (which is a lot). And I’ll miss my wonderful neighbors, both on my side of the ’hood and on the west side, across the great rushing divide of Wisconsin Avenue, which is so familiar ... and yet so fresh and exotic.
I won’t miss the giant SUVs stopping dead on
Georgetown’s narrow streets, as if that will somehow make them fit better. In fact, I won’t miss drivers from Virginia and Maryland at all. Learn how to drive and buy a smaller car. I won’t miss the proliferation of banks along Wisconsin and M; not only do they add nothing to the street scene, they don’t even make sense — who goes to a bank anymore?
Finally, I will miss it. All of it. Baked and
their truck-bikes full of kids and groceries. George Saunders reading from “Lincoln in the Bardo” at the Renwick Chapel. Dumbarton Oaks. The dog who hated my dog just on principle (you have to kind of admire that). The big crowd at Saturday morning Al-Anon at the Westside Club. The toddler scene at Rose. The snow days when it’s just dog walkers in the middle of unplowed streets.
“climbing over fences into neighbors’ backyards — something that would get you arrested or shot at today.”
Wired. The trees in Montrose. The behindthe-scenes drama at CAG. The Georgetown Garden Tour. The European parents with
The daffodils on the hill down to Rock Creek Parkway in late February. I’ll miss all of it.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
TAKE OVER THE BAR
Wednesday, June 11
This month’s event in the Citizens Association of Georgetown’s Take Over the Bar Series will be at the rooftop bar of Rosewood Washington, D.C., 1050 31st St. NW, from 5 to 7 p.m. The Take Overs are free to attend, with participants responsible for their own beverages. Visit cagtown.org.
CULTURAL LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST
Thursday, June 19
The Georgetowner’s Cultural Leadership Breakfast Series will present a talk by playwright Gustavo Ott, artistic director of GALA Hispanic Theatre. Admission to the event, at 1310 Kitchen and Bar, 1310 Wisconsin Ave. NW, is $40, payable in advance at georgetowner.com or via Eventbrite.
JUNETEENTH IN GEORGETOWN
Thursday, June 19
A day of learning and service will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mount Zion–Female Union Band Society Cemeteries, 2501 Mill Road NW. Last year, nearly 150 community members made the inaugural event a success. Visit blackgeorgetown.com.
FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE
Saturday, June 21
The Georgetown BID, Georgetown Heritage and the Embassy of France-Villa Albertine have partnered to host the second annual Fête de la Musique – World Music Day. More than 40 musical acts will perform from 3 to 7 p.m. throughout Georgetown and from 6 to 10 p.m. at La Maison Française, 4101 Reservoir Road NW. Visit villa-albertine.org.
ANC 2E MONTHLY MEETING
Monday, June 30
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E, representing Georgetown, Burleith and Hillandale, will hold its next meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 1524 35th St. NW, and via Zoom. Visit anc.dc.gov.
OLD GEORGETOWN BOARD
Thursday, July 3
The Old Georgetown Board–Commission of Fine Arts will meet at 9 a.m. at 401 F St. NW, Suite 312. The filing deadline is June 12. Meeting documents are posted on the Monday afternoon prior to the meeting. Visit cfa.gov.
INS & OUTS
BY ROBERT DEVANEY
Georgetown is truly becoming the land of the rising sushi. There are Kyojin Sushi, Two Nine, Bluefin, Susheria, Mai Thai, Khin’s Sushi and Gtown Sushi & Poke. Now, let’s welcome two more this week.
IN: SUSHI GAKU
On May 21, sushi chef Yoshi Ota and his wife Yoko opened Sushi Gaku in the former basement space of the Donahue at 1338 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
“I am so honored to join this historical area in Washington and am excited to introduce my sushi dishes, which I have dedicated my life to cooking for 40 years,” Ota tells us. “One signature dish at Sushi Gaku is traditional-style nigiri sushi. This Edo-style nigiri sushi is prepared with akazu (dark vinegar), sushi rice and perfectly balanced fish pieces.”
According to the restaurant: “Chef Yoshi is planning to serve very fermented ancientstyle sushi for the upcoming omakase course, which will debut after the opening as it takes at least two months to prepare.”
In addition, Ota is one of the only chefs in the area to hold a fugu (pufferfish) preparation license.
IN: KORYOURI URARA ON BOOK HILL
Ike Behar has returned to Georgetown, sKoryouri Urara, a new sushi restaurant at 1608 Wisconsin Ave. NW, opened on May 20, taking the place of another Japanese restaurant, Oki Bowl, which moved to 1614 Wisconsin Ave. NW, formerly the home of Jaco Taco (now gone). Its name translates to “beautiful small dishes.”
IN:
JACK HOWARD THE SALON REPLACES SALON ILO
Says Jack Howard, hair colorist with 30 years of experience: “I met Terry Bell in London in 1993, and I give him immense credit for kick-starting my career. Together, we own and operate a unique salon experience … called Jack Howard The Salon.
“You may be familiar with (and loyal to) the team that has always been here at this salon with Terry. I want you to know the vast majority of the team will be doing the same beautiful services here. I’m simply here to shake things up a bit. Jack Howard The Salon will provide a luxury customer experience — where you can become your best self and step into your confidence.”
COMING: AMANDA HAGERMAN JEWELRY ON PROSPECT
Amanda Hagerman Jewelry plans to open this summer at 3259 Prospect St. NW, next to the Elliott and near La Bonne Vache. Hagerman tells us: “After several months of searching (shout out to my brokers Arris
& Rachel for assisting!), then a handful more after finding the property, we officially closed on the most adorable little dwelling in Georgetown. 3259 Prospect St. NW will soon be the new home of all things Amanda Hagerman Jewelry. I believe this space came to me out of pure serendipity. I’m still pinching myself!
“I’m beyond honored and excited to join the Georgetown small business community! After nine years of working solo in my studio, only sharing my work at shows and pop-ups, the idea of a year-round brickand-mortar space is a thrill. I truly believe independent shops are the heart of our downtowns, and I can’t wait to contribute as a small, woman-owned artisan shop. I hope it becomes a welcoming space for all — more to come on my shop/atelier concept!”
MOVING: TUCKERNUCK TO FOXTROT SPOT
Movin’ on up! Women’s clothing shop Tuckernuck plans to take over the shuttered Foxtrot market at 1267 Wisconsin Ave. NW by winter. Tuckernuck, which got its brickand-mortar start at 1054 Potomac St. NW, has been at 1055 Wisconsin Ave. NW for almost 10 years.
OUT: FEDEX SHIPPED OFF
The FedEx Office at 3329 M St. NW — next to Bank Alley — closed on May 24. The nearest store is 2440 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Glover Park. Previously, the space was a Kinko’s.
OUT: FANGYAN
After less than two years, Fangyan departed the ground-floor space at 1057 Wisconsin Ave. NW that once held an AT&T Store. The shop featured collections from more than 15 Asian designers and labels, such as Mukzin, Fansilanen and ZI II CI IEN, in addition to its own brand of silk, wool and cashmere styles.
Terry Bell’s Salon Ilo, at 1637 Wisconsin Ave. NW for 40 years, has been replaced by Jack Howard The Salon — but most of the team is staying put.
Amanda Hagerman Jewelry.
Jack Howard.
Sushi Chef Yoshi Ota and wife Yoko at Sushi Gaku.
Photo by Bill Starrels.
Sushi Gaku.
DISCOVER INSPĪR EMBASSY ROW
Inspīr Embassy Row redefines luxury senior living with personalized support, holistic wellness, and enriching experiences.
Located in one of DC’s most coveted neighborhoods, our elegant community offers Assisted Living and Memory Care in a culturally vibrant setting.
Experience the lifestyle that sets us apart. Join us for events that offer a true taste of life at Inspīr. Scan the QR code to RSVP. If you have any questions, contact 202.293.2100 or embassyrowinfo@inspirsl.com.
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202.293.2100
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE
An Afternoon of Elegance & Discovery
June 11th | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Indulge in artisanal teas, delicate pastries, and elegant finger sandwiches while exploring our exquisite residences and amenities.
Summer Solstice Party
June 17th | 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Join us on the rooftop for refreshments, entertainment, and connection. Learn about Oceana Memory Care, meet our team, and tour our apartments and amenities.
Faces of Dementia: A Caregiver’s Journey
Through Love, Loss, and Resilience
June 19th | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Join Mary Lou Falcone as she shares her powerful caregiving journey, highlighting love, resilience, and hope. Part of our monthly Exchange Series.
An Invitation to Wellness: Tour. Taste. Thrive. June 25th | 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Explore how wellness comes to life at Inspīr Embassy Row—tour our wellness floor, meet our expert team, and enjoy a healthy smoothie.
DADS & GRADS
Your career: President, Randle Strategies Senior Advisor, Washington AI Network
Your age range: 30s
Your children’s names and ages: Ann Louise, 3; Peter, 2; and George, 6 months
How your wife and you met: My wife, Alex, and I were introduced by our respective roommates while living in Georgetown.
How has your view of fatherhood changed from when your children were first born, or if you are a new dad, has your view of fatherhood changed from what you expected before you became a dad?
With your first child, you’re very nervous and cautious and want everything to be perfect. With the second, you learn how to juggle, and with the third, you just try to keep your head above water, but that’s because you’re drowning in love. From the very first moment I held our first child at Sibley, I was completely over-the-moon smitten, and I still am! Now, I’m blessed beyond measure to know that feeling three times over. Fatherhood is far more rewarding than I ever imagined.
How do you make time for your children between work, meetings, etc.?
Life is busy, but we make time for the things we care about the most. My kids know that breakfast and bath time are consistently times spent with me. Whether it’s helping me crack eggs, stirring pancake batter or simply strolling down the street to Call Your Mother to pick up bagels (they love the stickers!), I try my best to be fully present in the time we share together. The best thing about being a dad is that no matter what the day may bring, the moment I return home and walk through the front door, I’m embraced by the most beautiful faces welcoming me home. There’s no other feeling like it.
Your career: Orthopedic Surgeon
Your age range: 40s
Your children’s names and ages: Mila, 7; and Shay, 3
How your wife and you met: We met through mutual friends in New York City.
How has your view of fatherhood changed from when your children were first born, or if you are a new dad, has your view of fatherhood changed from what you expected before you became a dad?
Before I became a dad, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what fatherhood would be like: teach some lessons, provide, protect and have fun with the kids. I expected it to be a mix of responsibility and joy, but once my children were born, everything changed in ways I couldn’t have fully imagined. My view of fatherhood has grown deeper, more emotional and more humbling. I’ve learned that being a father isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. Fatherhood changed me. It softened parts of me I didn’t know needed softening, and it gave my life a deeper purpose. I’m still learning every day, and I think that’s part of what makes it so powerful.
How do you make time for your children between work, meetings, etc.?
My job is often demanding, and there are days where it feels like there’s just not enough time. But I’ve learned that it’s not about having more time, it’s about making the most of the time I do have — quality over quantity. I try to be intentional. When I’m with my kids, I really try to be with them. That might mean reading a book even if I’m exhausted or giving them 15 minutes of undivided attention before I jump back into emails. Making time isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. These little moments become the big memories.
IF YOU’VE NOTICED MORE AND MORE FATHERS IN GEORGETOWN WITH STROLLERS, OR SIMPLY WALKING WITH THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, YOU’RE RIGHT.
SARAH BLAFFER HRDY, AUTHOR OF “FATHER TIME,” OBSERVES: “AS MOTHER-CENTERED AS THE STUDY OF BABY CARE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, IT IS INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT MEN AS WELL HARBOR EXTRAORDINARILY CARING PROCLIVITIES, EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO TENDING BABIES RIGHT FROM BIRTH. THE GROWING INVOLVEMENT IN INFANT CARE BY LATE 20TH- AND EARLY 21ST-CENTURY MEN IS NO LONGER TOO RARE TO NOTICE. NOR IS IT EITHER UNNATURAL OR EMASCULATING. RATHER IT REPRESENTS A BOOSTING OF A NOTE IN THE BIOLOGICAL CHORD OF MASCULINITY THAT HAS ALL TOO OFTEN BEEN OVERLOOKED OR SUPPRESSED, EVEN WHILE PRESENT ALL ALONG.”
WITH THAT, WE PRESENT A FEW EXAMPLES OF FINE FATHERS AND FINE MEN.
Your career: Founder of Mosquito Strikers, a D.C.-based pest control company
Your age range: 50s
Your children’s names and ages: Katelyn, 18; Ryan, 16; and Jordan, 16
How your wife and you met: Sarah Ford Strike and I met on a Blind Date Setup at a Spring Gold Cup in The Plains, Virginia. It was love at first cocktail!
How has your view of fatherhood changed from when your children were first born, or if you are a new dad, has your view of fatherhood changed from what you expected before you became a dad?
My expectations of fatherhood have certainly evolved over the years. The Strike children over the years have grown from needing help and nurturing to offering help to those in need as they get closer to adulthood. They have become comfortably independent young adults due mainly to a strong foundation that we as parents provided.
How do you make time for your children between work, meetings, etc.?
The window of childhood doesn’t (sadly) last for long. I aptly realized early on in fatherhood that making personal sacrifices at my expense was a huge benefit in the bonding process with my children. Saying that I “didn’t have time” was an excuse, and I quickly realized that I always needed “to make time” based on my priorities!
Your career: I am Chef Geoff. I own a small local group of restaurants: Chef Geoff’s and Lia’s.
Your age range: 50s
Your children’s names and ages: Henry 18; Grace 18; and Riley, 16
How your partner and you met: Norah and I met in the Georgetown University cafeteria line during our first week in college.
How has your view of fatherhood changed from when your children were first born, or if you are a new dad, has your view of fatherhood changed from what you expected before you became a dad?
My view hasn’t changed a bit. My motto has always been: “Good manners, good behavior — everything else is fun.” Being a dad has been the most fulfilling joy in my life.
How do you make time for your children between work, meetings, etc.?
With three kids so close in age it is simply impossible to do everything. It is perfectly healthy for a kid to go solo to a sporting event. As a parent I just do what I can and don’t sweat what I cannot. The ultimate goal is to help them become as independent and strong as possible.
Geoff Tracy
(L to R) Geoff Tracy, his daughter Grace, wife Norah O’Donnell, daughter Riley and son Henry.
Ashok Gowda
Ashok Gowda and his children Mila and Shay.
Josh Randle
Tom Strike
Tom Strike, his wife Sarah and his sons Ryan and Jordan with their daughter Katelyn, who recently graduated from Georgetown Visitation.
Josh Randle with his children George, Peter and Ann Louise. Photo by Andy Cline.
DADS & GRADS
Forbes Dudley, 22
Former Georgetowner intern, graduated from William & Mary with a B.A. in English.
Following my graduation from William & Mary, I will be attending NYU’s Summer Publishing Institute to study books, media and to learn from leading professionals in the publishing industry. This program will cover topics from acquisition and editing to marketing, promotion and sales. I plan to land a job in publishing in the next couple of months!
On a different note, I just completed my 200hour Yoga Teacher Training with Georgetown’s very own Down Dog Yoga. I’m hoping to teach some yoga in New York City too.
Thomas Dudley, 22
Graduated from Texas Christian University in May with a Business Degree in Supply Chain Management.
I’ve accepted a position with ITS Logistics in Fort Worth, Texas. I’m excited to launch my career in supply chain and see where it takes me.
Grace Tracy, 18
Graduated from National Cathedral School and will attend Georgetown University in the fall to study finance and marketing.
I’ve been so blessed to have had such a great high school experience, and I’m most looking forward to building upon the lessons I’ve learned, the opportunities I’ve chased and the relationships I’ve built. I’m excited to study among other Hoyas in the McDonough School of Business and expand on the STEM and econ classes I took in high school. Overall, I’ve learned so much from my teachers, peers and parents, especially the importance of hard work, curiosity and gratitude. I can’t wait to carry these lessons with me into college and beyond.
Henry Tracy, 18
Graduated from St. Albans School and will attend Georgetown University in the fall to study economics and psychology.
First off, I’m grateful for the opportunity to attend Georgetown, where I know I’ll be able to thrive and further my education. What I’m most looking forward to is meeting new people. My parents have always reminded me that strong relationships are the key to both success and happiness, so I am excited to form new meaningful connections. One of the biggest things I’ve learned in high school is to attack each opportunity that comes your way. Whether it’s for joy, growth or connection, it’s incredibly helpful to seize every one of the endless opportunities that high school offers you.
IN GEORGETOWN, WE’RE SURROUNDED BY SCHOOLS. IT’S ALWAYS WONDERFUL TO SEE GOWNED YOUNG PEOPLE WALKING TO OR FROM THEIR CEREMONIES, WHETHER THEY ARE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR FROM A COLLEGE OR A UNIVERSITY. THEY’RE FULL OF LIFE — AND THE FUTURE. CAPS OFF TO THEM! WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE TWINS?!
WITH THAT, WE PRESENT A FEW EXAMPLES OF GRADUATES WHO ARE GOING PLACES.
Cate Tarr, 22
Graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a major in journalism and a minor in history.
I am moving to New York City in September and will be a fall intern at “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” where I will be rotating throughout various departments within the show.
Laney Tarr, 22
Graduated from Tulane University with a major in communications and a minor in business.
I will be doing a training program this summer with a digital marketing firm in New York.
Hailey Wharram, 22
Former Georgetowner intern and current staffer. “From Georgetown, With Love” (excerpt)
In May, I graduated from Georgetown University with a major in English and minors in journalism and film. Ever since I first stepped foot on the Hilltop, I’ve wondered what this momentous occasion would feel like. Now, at long last, I have my answer: bittersweet.
Graduation day was both exhilarating and emotionally exhausting. On one hand, walking across the stage was a relieving exhale — after a slew of sleepless, concerningly caffeinated nights, I had finally done it! And yet, when I returned to my seat with my diploma in hand, I couldn’t help but cry: after four incredible years spent nurturing my creative passions surrounded
by the people I love, this once-in-a-lifetime experience was over.
Though I’m not entirely sure what’s next for me, I do know I want to continue storytelling.
The night before graduation, I attended Georgetown’s President’s Dinner as my best friend Rachel’s plus-one. There, we had the chance to chat with Emmy Award-winning actor Henry Winkler ahead of his speech at our graduation ceremony. When Winkler (who’s an absolute sweetheart, might I add) asked me about my post-grad plans, I told him I wanted to be a writer, and he shared the following advice with me: countless people will tell you No, but you have to continue writing from the heart in spite of the noise. While the prospect of diving headfirst into an industry where rejection is commonplace might be fear-inducing for many, my sincere enthusiasm about facing this challenge head-on reassures me that I am pursuing the right path.
My time at The Georgetowner has also solidified my ambitions to become a professional writer. I started interning here during my junior fall, and now, nearly two years later, I am an associate editor with over 40 articles under my belt. Reflecting on my time working here, I could not be more grateful to have gotten my start in such an encouraging environment. To the entire Georgetowner team, I truly cannot thank you all enough.
While my future is still unwritten, I am thrilled to discover what the next chapter of my life has in store for me.
2025 University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate Cate Tarr. Courtesy of Carrington Tarr.
2025 Tulane University graduate Laney Tarr. Courtesy of Carrington Tarr.
Georgetowner staffer and former intern Hailey Wharram, who recently graduated from Georgetown University.
Geoff Tracy and his high school graduate daughter and son Grace and Henry.
Former Georgetowner intern Forbes Dudley after graduating from William & Mary in May.
Texas Christian University graduate Thomas Dudley.
Auction Block
BY KATE OCZYPOK
This month’s Auction Block features a fascinating array of items. Pop culture lovers will recognize the “M” from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” History buffs will be intrigued by the gloves President Abraham Lincoln brought to that fateful performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre. One of the works of art, a 1923 painting by Henri Matisse, sold for $1.4 million.
DOYLE
The Iconic Wall-Mounted “M” from The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Estimate: $5,000–$8,000 Sold for: $35,200
The gold-painted, wall-mounted “M” from the Minneapolis apartment of “Mary Richards” in the longrunning 1970s sitcom “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” sold for four times its estimate. The eye-catching initial appears about halfway through the pilot and for the last time in the series finale, when Mary gives a farewell hug to Rhoda, played by Valerie Harper. The lot also included five stills taken on the set, each with the letter in the background.
FREEMAN’S | HINDMAN
Pair of Stained Leather Gloves
Carried by President Abraham Lincoln on the Night of His Assassination at Ford’s Theatre
Estimate: $800,000–$1,200,000
Sold for: $1,512,500
This pair of leather gloves, carried by President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, the night of his assassination by John Wilkes Booth, sold for over $1.5 million.
A Brooklyn Eagle article from March of 1925, stating that the items were delivered to Lincoln’s friend, memorabilia collector
Capt. Benjamin Richardson, by the president’s son Tad, featured a photo of the gloves and a handkerchief, both possibly stained with Lincoln’s blood.
CHRISTIE’S
Henri Matisse’s ‘Henriette, robe jaune’
Estimate: $300,000–$500,000 Sold for: $1,405,200
The authenticity of this portrait of Henriette Darricarrère, one of the favorite models of Henri Matisse (1869-1954) in Nice, France, was confirmed by the artist’s greatgrandson Georges. The painting, which portrays Matisse’s muse with a lemon-yellow blouse, bright red lips and soft peach skin, sold for over twice its estimated value at Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art auction.
THE POTOMACK COMPANY
Rookwood Pottery Silver Overlay Decanter
BONHAMS
Raffaello Sorbi’s ‘The Bocci Court’
Estimate: $1,500–$2,500 Sold for: $3,250
From a private San Francisco collection, this decanter made at Cincinnati’s famed Rookwood Pottery, with silver overlay and a stopper on a chain, dates from around 1892. It was decorated by William Purcell McDonald (1882-1931). The silver is stamped “GORHAM” and “R336.”
Sold for: $28,160
Signed and dated “Raf Sorbi/1893” at lower center left, this oil painting by Raffaello Sorbi (1844-1931) from the Louis Pisani Gallery in Florence, Italy, went to a private collection in the first decade of the 20th century, then descended in the family. A smaller version painted by Sorbi in 1881 was part of Sotheby’s European and British Paintings auction in December of 2023.
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CHEVY CHASE FLOOR WAXING SERVICE
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Chevy Chase, MD
VIRGINIA FAMILY VACATION RETREAT
5 Bedroom, 4 Bathroom furnished Vintage Farmhouse, recently renovated, 65 miles from Key Bridge. $3,800/month
Perfect weekend retreat from the city.Beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wood-burning fireplace.
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BLURRED LINES AND SEAMLESS STORIES
The elegance of tension lies in the increasingly fluid boundary between Retro and Midcentury design - a dialogue as nuanced as the blurred lines Shakespeare often employed to reveal deeper truths. Retro design embraces exuberance and flair, exemplified by the dramtic silhouette of a “Sputnik” chandelier or a Peter Max scarf, while Midcentury champions restraint and purpose, captured in the timeless contours of a molded Eames chair. Yet in their overlap, a shared reverence for form, innovation, and cultural optimism emerges. It’s this convergence that resonates most today, as millennials gravitate toward interiors that blend nostalgia with intension - curating spaces where history and modern sensibility coexist in quietly confident harmony. This Father’s Day, perhaps the most compelling spaces are those that honor traditions passed down - spaces that weave legacies into the enduring narrative of thoughtful, timeless design.
1 “PETER MAX “ (BACKGROUND PHOTO) (Background Photo) Spoonflower.com $15 per yard
** More details and links to shops at Georgetowner.com
GRACE HILL
Cocktail of the Month
The
Smoked Old Fashioned
BY JODY KURASH
My cocktail arrives covered with a smoky dome. I spy liquid-gold bourbon and orange slices through the white fog. Other patrons turn their heads and admire this creative presentation. A pair of regulars to my left nod approvingly.
As the mist gradually fades, I lift the sniffer from atop my drink. A trail of vapor slowly drifts out, filling the air with a sensual, woody aroma. I inhale a sharp earthy scent that grows more piquant as I raise my glass. What follows is a bold and charcoal-like — yet sweet — delight.
This enchanting cocktail, the Smoked Old Fashioned, is the signature drink at the bar at the historic Union Hotel in Everett, Pennsylvania.
Before John Patton bought land from the Virginia Colony in 1738 and settled there, Everett — just a two-hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from Georgetown — was home to Native Americans. Initially known as Aliquippa Town, after Chief Alliquippa, its name changed to Bloody Run in 1755, marking a brutal conflict between the settlers and Native Americans. It wasn’t until 1873 that the town became known as Everett.
Elizabeth Tussey established the first tavern
and trading post in 1769. Since then, the business changed names and took on different forms. In 1861, a jail and a post office were located in the basement. During the Civil War, it was occupied by Union troops led by Maj. Gen . Robert Huston Milroy, after their defeat at the second battle of Winchester. It became known as the Union Hotel in 1863.
The hotel closed in 2016, remaining shuttered for six years until new owners Mona and Randy Shaw turned it into a boutique inn and restaurant with a focus on wellness treatments such as reiki, naturopathy and hypnosis. Its highly rated dining and quaint charm make it an ideal getaway from the Washington, D.C., area.
our coffee on the front porch while relaxing in rocking chairs.
However, the uncovered treasure here is the bar, where Matthew Thomas Gasper has created a genteel atmosphere. Matt, who has a nomad-like background, now calls this cozy spot home, ruling the bar with distinction.
I had the pleasure of making a weekend excursion to the Union Hotel with two of my besties in early May. Our accommodation, a spacious Jacuzzi suite, had a lovely sitting room perfect for conversation. We enjoyed taking
Even though it was crunch time when I ordered my first cocktail, I noticed that Matt took care to craft my drink with precision. It did not disappoint.
Later I was able to chat with him about the process of creating this technical tipple. While the Old Fashioned is one of the world’s oldest cocktails, Matt has definitely put his fingerprint on this particular variation.
He starts with Bulleit bourbon, which imparts just enough tang to make the drink interesting. He goes big on the orange, choosing thick slices which he expertly muddles — enough
to generate a vivid zest, but gently enough to avoid any pulpiness. He also amps up the complimentary components: a double punch of locally sourced orange bitters and Angostura bitters. These bold additions act as a sublime foil to the smoky richness.
The process includes a portable handheld smoker, fired with beechwood to create the flavorful fog that he carefully captures in a sniffer. This gets placed atop a dimpled rocks glass to infuse the woody taste into the liquid. The final display looks like a mysterious misty bubble.
With every sip, a smoldering flavor mingled with the orange pieces and piquant bitters, imparting a sophisticated satisfaction. The attention-grabbing presentation was backed up with exceptional service.
“The experience makes a huge difference,” Matt says. “I’ve learned how to take care of people and see what they need. The whole experience makes it special and gives them what they are searching for.” He adds: “I want them to feel like they’re number one.”
WORTH?
Freeman’s | Hindman’s Asian Art team will be in the Washington DC area this month evaluating property for auction consignment. Contact us to schedule an appointment to find out what your collection or item might sell for at auction.
Smoked Old Fashioned. Courtesy Jody Kurash.
The Latest Dish: Worldwide Flavors at Embassy Chef Challenge
BY LINDA ROTH
International battles in Washington, D.C., can be tasteful — especially when they’re happening at the Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge, on Thursday, July 10, at Mellon Auditorium, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW. Guests can enjoy international flavors and cast their ballots for their favorite dish of participating countries, including: Bahrain, Bolivia, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic,
Egypt, Guatemala, Mauritania, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe. Tickets are $150. Learn more at eventsdc.com.
Bonne Vie Café & Bistro is slated to open
Hospitality is slated to open a Wolfgang Puck Bar + Bites franchise where Legal Sea Foods used to be in Union Station … Suzie Q’s, a retroinspired neighborhood bar, opened in Navy Yard at 71 Potomac Ave. SE … Now open at the new Canal House of Georgetown at 1023 31st St. NW: C+O Restaurant and Lounge … Chrys Kefalas will open Yala Greek Ice Cream, an authentic Greek ice cream shop, at 3143 N
St. NW in Georgetown in time for the July 4 fireworks (permit-gods willing) … Ramen by Uzu is slated to open where Bakeshop used to be in Georgetown at 3210 Grace St. NW. A second-quarter opened is targeted … Sam
at 1602 U St. NW, where Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan blend — and where Local 16, then Baby Shank, used to be. The classic bistro’s founder and executive chef is Raphael Francois, previously with Michel Theurel at La Maison du Bœuf in Brussels, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught in London and Le Cirque in New York.
Italian distiller Francesco Amodeo — formerly of the late, great Hook in Georgetown — brings a taste of the Amalfi Coast to the Union Market District when he opens Tarì Trattoria at 300 Morse St. NE, featuring amaro and herbal liqueurs from Don Ciccio & Figli in Ivy City. It will seat 30 indoors, with a few seats more than that on the outside patio.
Quick Hits: North Carolina-based Tailwind
hospitality group is slated to open Jinya Ramen Bar at the Wharf at 675 Wharf St. SW, where Lucky Buns was … Iconic New York bagel shop H&H Bagels opens at 601 K St. NW in Mount Vernon Triangle on June 12
... Marcus Samuelsson’s Marcus DC restaurant opened at the Morrow Hotel, near the Union Market District at 222 M St. NE. Anthony Jones, formerly of Dirty Habit at Hotel Monaco, is executive chef.
Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the food service and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR, #LindaRothPR or lindarothpr.com.
Shoja’s Harvest Eats
Embassy Chef Challenge. Courtesy LRA PR.
Embassy Chef Challenge. Courtesy LRA PR.
Embassy Chef Challenge. Courtesy LRA PR.
DC Artswatch
BY KATE OCZYPOK
GEORGETOWN’S TUDOR PLACE GETS PUBLIC HISTORY AWARD
Tudor Place Historic House & Garden received the National Council on Public History’s Outstanding Public History Project Award for the Georgetown historic site’s 2024 installation and tour: “Ancestral Spaces: People of African Descent at Tudor Place.” This reimagining of the traditional house tour resulted from a collaboration by Curator Rob DeHart with the descendant community and a program-specific advisory committee.
WOOLLY MAMMOTH ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LEAVES FOR LINCOLN CENTER
After seven years as artistic director, Maria Manuela Goyanes has left Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company to become a producer at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater and artistic director of its LCT3 programming initiative. In a press release, Managing Director Kimberly Douglas called Goyanes “an incredible visionary and one of the most tenacious advocates for bringing innovative and thought-provoking new work to Washington, D.C.”
Read more arts content, breaking news and Social Scene items in The Georgetowner’s Monday and Thursday online newsletters! Subscribe on our homepage using the QR code below.
MARIA MATHIESON
STARTS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT CHORAL ARTS
Maria Mathieson began a new role as executive director of the Choral Arts Society of Washington on May 27. She previously served as executive director of the Peabody Preparatory, the noncredit division of Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute in Baltimore, and as head of music education at Levine Music in D.C. Mathieson holds MBA degrees from the Global Leaders Institute and the University of Maryland Global Campus.
KARA BLOND IS NEW DIRECTOR OF SITES | AFFILIATIONS
Kara Blond is the new director of Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian Affiliations, overseeing the Smithsonian’s efforts to share its content through traveling exhibitions and supporting collaborations among partner museums and cultural organizations. As executive for presidential libraries at the National Archives and Records Administration, she managed a system of 16 presidential libraries and museums.
ALL HAIL THE FREAK
EDUCATION, CURATORIAL HIRES AT PHILLIPS COLLECTION
The Phillips Collection announced two new appointments: Tiffany McGettigan as chief of education and responsive learning and Dr. Clarisse Fava-Piz as curator of modern art. McGettigan, a former DC Public Schools teacher who served as the Hirshhorn Museum’s head of education, started on May 5; Fava-Piz, previously the Denver Art Museum’s associate curator of European and American art before 1900, will begin on July 28.
NEW BOARD PRESIDENT, MEMBERS AT CAPITAL JEWISH MUSEUM
Earlier this year, the board of the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum voted to approve a new president, Chris Wolf, and three additional members: Tracy Reichman Kalik, Dr. Diane Webber and Jeff Yablon. Wolf, a fourthgeneration Washingtonian, practiced law in D.C. for 40 years, retiring as partner at Hogan Lovells US. He has served on many other boards, including both the national and local boards of the Anti-Defamation League.
ICYMI in the arts this month ...
ONSTAGE, GEORGETOWN
By Mark Edelman
June, as Oscar Hammerstein put it, is busting out all over. As the temperatures climb, why not spend a cool summer night at one of these great DMV theaters?
BUCOY-CALAVAN’S VISION: CHORAL ARTS AS THE AMBASSADOR CHORUS
By Richard Selden
Along with excerpts from (as a social media post put it) “all the choral bangers” — Handel’s “Messiah,” Beethoven’s Ninth, the Mozart, Brahms and Verdi Requiems and Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” — the Choral Arts Society of Washington’s diamond jubilee concert on June 15 will feature a commissioned world premiere: “To Imagine Creation” by Filipino Chinese composer Saunder Choi. Speaking at The Georgetowner’s May 22 Cultural Leadership Breakfast at 1310 Kitchen and Bar, Choral Arts Artistic Director Marie Bucoy-Calavan said she told Choi she had something like a Disney fireworks show in mind.
The Kreeger Museum and Hamiltonian Artists present WATER IN THE GAS
June 7th - August 23rd, 2025 at The Kreeger Museum
Misha Ilin, ratking, 2025. Ceramic and enamel.
‘The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood’
REVIEWED BY KITTY KELLEY
All that glitters is gold for a Tinseltown writer.
The first commandment for authors: Write what you know.
In his fourth book, “The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood,” Matthew Specktor does exactly that. Being a show-business baby — his father remains a top agent and his mother was a one-time screenwriter, blackballed for crossing the picket line during a writers’ strike — Specktor celebrates Hollywood at its most glamorous and powerful apex. Having worked in the industry during the 1990s, he’s professionally equipped to tackle the subject of old-school movie moguls who once made magic.
Specktor opens his book with a prologue recalling his 13-year-old self attending a Sunday afternoon party in the Hollywood Hills with his parents. The party, he writes, is “afloat on … wine and dope.” Most of the guests are writers, directors, actors and actresses. “The mood is riotous, a little unhinged.” When he joins his mother, “She hands me her wineglass, so I can take a robust swallow.” (Pause here to consider Mom giving her underage son alcohol.)
Looking back at that 1979 party, the author sees it as “the golden hour,” when movies reigned at the center of American cultural life. To tell the story of that time — the era of Hollywood’s boom and bust — Specktor, a MacDowell Fellow, uses the techniques of fiction to present a nonfiction story, combining the personal upheaval of his family after his parents’ divorce with the tumultuous revolution in Tinseltown.
He states up front that, to tell this story, he will “occupy the minds of other people,” meaning he won’t attribute previously published material, which might jolt journalists. While roaming free-range through the pastures of others, he declares that he will “use an artist’s privileges” as he melds fact with fiction and jumps from first-person to third-person narration. Caveat emptor: This author is going to color outside the lines.
Shortly before the book was published, Specktor gave an interview in which he described himself as growing up “celebrity-adjacent,” meaning he knew people who knew celebrities. He wrote this “hybrid memoir” with just enough recognizable names to engage readers.
For example, he recounts Marlon Brando calling his father and leaving a long, rambling message on the family’s answering machine. That’s the first and last time Brando’s name surfaces here. Perhaps his overreaching gimmick is understandable, considering the competition from real celebrity memoirs published in the past few years, including Streisand’s “My Name Is Barbra”; “Inside Out” by Demi Moore; “Thicker Than Water” by Kerry Washington; “Finding Me” by Viola Davis; and “Making a Scene” by Constance Wu.
Specktor’s writing chops make this book catnip for anyone interested in old Hollywood, when the studio system ruled supreme and MetroGoldwyn-Mayer boasted “more stars than there are in heaven.” At that time, Lew Wasserman was enthroned at Music Corporation of America, an emperor heralded in Connie Bruck’s 2000 masterpiece “When Hollywood Had a King: The Reign of Lew Wasserman, Who Leveraged Talent into Power and Influence.”
For Specktor, “the golden hour” seems to be when Wasserman was sovereign and young Turks led by the “hubris and ungodly ambition” of Creative Artists Agency’s Michael Ovitz conspired for CAA to topple the MCA monarch. “It’s good to be King,” Specktor writes, echoing Mel Brooks, “but would it be better to be Emperor?”
Here, the author suddenly interrupts narrating the approaching battle to tell readers that he personally identifies with Ovitz, because “this man, who is the conduit through which Hollywood will enter its period of imperial decline, is just like me. He loves art with a ferocity few people can equal.”
That ferocity will eventually enable Ovitz to become one of the world’s most renowned art collectors (Picasso, Johns, de Kooning, Newman and Rothko).
Wasserman and Ovitz dominate this book like Iago and Cassio. When Spektor later sees Wasserman, now tottering in his 80s, the author feels “a wild urge to fall at this man’s feet and embrace him” because, to Specktor, Wasserman represents the golden era of Hollywood.
Alongside such idolatry for a mogul who never spoke to him, readers might be unsettled by Specktor’s dismissal of his screenwriting mother, now deceased, as a “professional failure.”
Conversely, he lauds his 91-year-old father as a success because he represents a client roster of marquee stars like Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Barbra Streisand, Geoffrey Rush and Helen Mirren. Shining through this kaleidoscope of false gods and famous names is a short chapter entitled “White Dancing” about a diminutive Black man of towering influence who teaches a graduate fiction workshop that Specktor feels fortunate to have taken years ago. “It is only through him (“Mr. Baldwin: We call him that …”), I am finally able to understand that writing is not some glamour profession, a gin and tonic and a cigarette as you slouch over your typewriter, bitching about the studio’s notes, but a moral one, in which you are tasked with failing again and again and again.”
God bless James Baldwin for trying to save a young man, now 58 years old, still bedazzled by Hollywood.
Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” Recent books include “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.” She serves on the board of BIO (Biographers International Organization) and Washington Independent Review of Books, where this review first appeared.
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