Georgetowner • September 11, 2014

We are upon the 13th anniversary of 9/11, and here, it seems, we are again.

Most of us, it’s safe to say, have no trouble remembering the images from the terrible, blue-sky Tuesday morning of Sept. 11, 2001.  We clearly recall the deaths, the planes crashing into the towers in New York — and into the Pentagon, here, dark smoke lifting toward the sky, the vast confusion and shock of the day, the horrible numbers of death, bodies falling from tall buildings — and the fourth plane crashing in a small-town field in Pennsylvania.

A nurse, sitting among others watching the second tower come down on the television in the Mayflower Hotel, said, “I woke up this morning in one world, and I’ll wake up tomorrow in another.” That world is the one we live in today.
We remember the events that followed: President George W. Bush declaring war on terrorism and regimes singled out as evil, and soon after that, striking against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and in 2003 moving forces against Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, a decision and its consequences still being hotly debated today.

We remember less how much the country and world has changed in the aftermath of 9/11. We live now in the world created by al-Qaeda, 9/11 and America’s and the world’s response to that day. We live in a world of security threats and security checkpoints in official buildings and airports.  We live in a kind of lockdown, interrupted by periodic acts of terror around the world.  We live in a world of Big Brother, where telephones and emails are monitored by a huge state security network to the point where nothing is private anymore.  We live in a world of chaos in the Middle East, even as we triumphantly engineered and executed the killing of al-Qaeda leader and U.S. nemesis, Osama bin Laden.

We feel somehow diminished. We have left Iraq and will soon do so in Afghanistan. We do not feel safer, or better off or more certain of our course in the world.  The Arab Spring descended into lost chances and chaos.

Here we are again.  On Sept. 10, President Barack Obama laid out plans for battling a dark force, which emerged from a much morphed al-Qaeda group called ISIS (the Islamic State in Syria), which is now based in the blasted landscape of civil-war Syria and which controls large chunks of territory and oil in Iraq, a nation that teeters on the edge of civil war and collapse. ISIS is the most alarmingly violent and murderous group yet seen in the Middle East and among terrorist groups, which is saying something.  Beheadings of two Americans, mass executions and slaughter, an ambition to create a caliphate in the Middle East are the dark characteristics of ISIS.

It’s been suggested that President George W. Bush predicted this chaos as a result of the American pullout from Iraq. It is too bad that we didn’t have George W. Bush predicting what would happen if we invaded Iraq in the first place.

Here we are again. Even if President Obama pulls together a Gulf War-type of coalition to fight and destroy ISIS, it means we will be back in the muddy again, even without boots on the ground. We will be back in the center of the storm that began with 9/11 and is still raging with a fury we have so far not understood.

Georgetowner • September 10, 2014

Two bags of Peanut M&Ms from the gas station, a shared bottle of Aquafina, a touring guide to Loudoun County wineries, and we were off to get a quick handle on the whole “wine thing” that everyone talks about but that we snarked-off as a bit too snobby for our down-to-earth sensibilities.  We thought our tastes had already moved up considerably from the days of Everclear punch and flat beer in red Solo cups when we up-scaled to the expensive bar shots of Patrón and Grey Goose.  Frankly, our experience with wine was limited to “Three-Buck Chuck”and Manischewitz at my mom’s house twice a year. Clearly we knew better than those haughty folks who hauled their cookies all over the place to “become one” with the grape. After all, wine is wine, right?

On the one day this month that Erin and I both have off together, we were both dead set on doing something other than our usual piling of shopping carts with projects we’ll never actually finish from Michael’s and The Home Depot. With the thought of adventure spurring us on we set out for a great adventure in the wilderness. Not actually being the super adventurous types we looked for something just far enough outside of D.C. to have cows and suitably romantic dusty back roads, but that would also still leave enough time in the day to stop at the mall in Tysons for a quick Cinnabon and then on to a movie about a raccoon and tree that help guard the galaxy.

We headed to the northern tip of Loudoun County on Route 9. Erin drove, I fell asleep and Google navigated us through a couple of short life lessons that went a long way in establishing that we were the real wine snobs.

Our first stop was the Corcoran Winery. There is a zero snooty factor about the place. Erin even used the word “charming” out loud before catching herself.  The folks hanging out at the winery seemed totally without the pretension that we had previously, and now to our mutual chagrin, derisively projected onto all those we saw as the high-born bourgeois wine-swirling and goblet-sniffing crowd.

This place was exactly what we didn’t know we needed. After walking past the rows of vines, a good number of picnic tables and ponds appeared. At the tables were folks just hanging out as if they were in some hyper-glorious rural backyard. The vibe was definitely laid-back but not sleepy. Just a few feet away stands a small, super-rustic tasting house where the people working behind the bar actually seemed to enjoy the wine they poured and the people they were pouring for. The various groups “tasting” that day included a thirty-something woman and her friends enjoying a low-key birthday celebration; another group getting ready to go to a Nat’s game; and in the corner, a cluster of three friends huddled together and shaking-off a bit of city angst before heading into a new work week.  Corcoran’s tasting room is by no means a fancy place. T-shirts, shorts and sandals seemed the outfit for the day.  It hurts a little to say, but the wine we tasted there left the “Three-Buck Chuck” and the Manischewitz we thought of as wine, as firmly displaced as the grain alcohol punches and the bad frat house beer of earlier years. We even began thinking about where in our house we could build a kinda-sorta wine rack from the wood I bought on our last outing to Home Depot for the closet shelves we both knew I’d never really get to.

Our next stop was the Crushed Cellars winery, a small boutique winery that puts out about 1,500 cases of wine from their ten acres of land. The affable owner Bob Kalok gave us a bit of a tour and showed us the actual grape part of the process as he made his way to feeding the koi in one of the winery’s ponds. We walked among the vines and while not quite Provence, by the last row Erin and I were holding hands and talking about getting out of town more often, maybe to a bed and breakfast. For God’s sake, this place even had a dog sleeping on the floor in the sun and folks sipping their wine on a terrace while over-looking the grapes that would find their way into the next batch. There was something about the serenity that seemed to seep through the place. We didn’t feel like strangers in a strange land. We were among friends we didn’t know an hour before and when we left, we left with a case of wine and no desire to get that Cinnabon. If we did rush out, it was to get home and start building that wine rack that Erin was already sketching out on the back of the Wine Touring Guide.   [gallery ids="101849,138461,138456,138453,138448,138445,138440,138469,138474,138472,138464" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has issued new guidelines today that will allow unlicensed websites and smartphone applications to provide alcohol services in the District.

The following is from the board:

The Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) recently reviewed several technology businesses that partner with liquor-licensed retailers to provide alcohol order and delivery services. ABRA informed companies Drizly and Klink today that the board did not find their business models in violation of District law.

The board advises technology companies facilitating the sale of alcohol through websites and apps to limit their operations to:

• Connecting consumers over the Internet to District retailers, such as liquor and grocery stores; and/or

• Promoting a retailer’s alcoholic products.

Technology companies are restricted from:

• Soliciting, selling and shipping orders for alcoholic beverages;

• Storing alcoholic beverages for sale to consumers; and

• Collecting any money, fees or transacting any credit or debit cards for the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Any credit or debit card information provided to a website or app would need to be transferred to a liquor-licensed retailer in order to complete the transaction. The licensee would also need to retain the discretion to process or deny any order. Complete details are available in the Board’s “ABC Board Advisory Opinion – Online Service Providers” and online, the ABC Quick Guide.
“We encourage businesses that facilitate the sale of alcoholic beverages to contact the agency before starting any new operations in the District,” said ABRA Director Fred Moosally. “This will allow us to ensure operations are compliant with the law before they begin.”

A technology company that violates D.C. law could be subject to criminal and civil penalties as well as an order to cease operations in the District. A licensed retailer that violates the law could face fines and possible suspension or revocation of its license.

Businesses that have questions can contact ABRA by email or call 202-442-4423. Complete District alcoholic beverage laws and regulations are available on ABRA’s website — www.ABRA.DC.gov.

Georgetowner •

Summer in Georgetown. The trees and flowers are in full bloom. Earlier this spring, the annual House Tour allowed us a glimpse behind the closed gates and doors of Washington’s oldest neighborhood. Founded in 1751, Georgetown lives on as a charming historic village that is thriving and attracting a new generation of Washington urban dwellers.

As Georgetown resident, councilman and recent mayoral candidate Jack Evans says, “This is the golden age of Georgetown.”

If you are reorganizing your household or moving, the ideas and suggestions below may help you. Downsizing is a subject that we all encounter throughout our lives. It is closely linked to change. A change of job may lead to a change of address, sometimes even a change of climate. A change of family structure — blending families, maturing children, retirement, the loss of a spouse — may all lead to a change in the square footage we occupy. There are so many factors that can trigger the need to downsize and reorganize.

Regardless of the reason, as it relates to living space, change offers us an opportunity to refresh or reset the organization of our lives and also to examine our relationship to the things we hold on to along the way. It offers a chance to take inventory of our lives and to decide what holds the greatest meaning for us with respect to memory, personal history, beauty and value.

Our willingness to meet changes in a positive way will allow for transitions that keep us current with the realities and routines of our lives. Furthermore, it will allow for outward expressions of our own personal style and our need for beauty and order in our surroundings.

Practical questions to consider when downsizing (especially if you are moving):

How long will it take? Your move is imminent, your lead-time is a year or less, your lead-time is three-to-five years. Spend a little time devising a strategy before acting. Have a recipe for success.

What should remain and what should go? Choose one room at a time and look at the objects in it. Rate them according to how much you have used, cherished and enjoyed them in the past year or so.

How much space will I actually have for the things I choose to keep? Is it wishful thinking? Do I love it? Do I use it? Can I live without it? Can it fit and/or be repurposed in my new space? Identify those things and sell, consign, donate or give the rest away to friends, family or charity.

REMEMBER: Sort not by the space you are in, but by the space into which you are moving.

If you get stuck, you can get more information on the internet or hire a professional space arranger. The National Association of Professional Organizers (napo.net) is a nonprofit association with more than 3,300 members throughout the world.

Create a place that actually represents how you live now. Consider the following criteria:
size, condition, value, comfort and aesthetics.

Size: Will the size and proportion of your furniture overcrowd your new space? Edit by removing, consigning, selling or donating furniture that is taking up valuable living space. Establish its value, and if collectible, make sure it finds the most appropriate sales venue, be it consignment, auction or direct sale.

Condition: If a piece of furniture is broken, damaged, worn out or threadbare and you decide to keep it, have it cleaned, repaired, refinished or reupholstered. Otherwise, you will always be reminded of its shortcoming

Value: If the things you own have intrinsic value — such as antique furniture, art, objets d’art, carpets or collections of any sort – make sure that you have appraisal information in your important documents files. While you live with your valuables, keep them in top condition. The information on file will save future generations from opportunistic buyers or, worst-case scenario, having valuables end up in a garage or yard sale.

Comfort: Those chairs in the living room and that sofa in the guest room are beautiful and my grandmother gave them to me. However, they are very uncomfortable. Your justification may be that you rarely sit in the living room or only occasionally have guests. In every instance, ask yourself if you have the luxury of displaying furniture that you avoid using because it is uncomfortable. Everything in your living space should have a useful and aesthetic purpose attached to it.

Aesthetics: Each of us decides for ourselves what we consider beautiful. If a framed poster is more beautiful to you than a dark, brooding oil painting with no value other than that it came from a family member, get the painting out of your space. If you inherited three sets of china and you rarely set a formal table, choose the one that is most pleasing to you. Sell, consign or give away the rest. Unless you have the luxury of unlimited storage space, not choosing sends you down the path of boxing things you like but will rarely (or never) use.

Lastly, we suggest to our readers that good professional help is always available and well worth the expense when measured against the successful results. In the age of the internet, there are endless resources and much shared knowledge at hand.

We spoke with Georgetowners Fran and Ankie Barnes about their experience in downsizing and changing their home and lifestyle.

Q. What advice would you offer someone who is downsizing?

A. Start early and be very organized as to where all your belongings will go. If you know measurements ahead of time, there won’t be unnecessary surprises on moving day. Downsizing makes one really analyze how many things one owns and how many things one can comfortably live without.

Q. Did you have any professional help or advice?

A. I had some design help from my husband’s architectural office Barnes Vanze Architects. We also hired the services of Orchestrated Moves. We had many books to sort through, and we used Book Bliss Online.

Resources:
OrchestratedMoves.com
BookBlissOnline.com
BarnesVanze.com

For questions or inquiries:
Alla Rogers and Dena Verrill,
principals at Dena Verrill Interiors – DenaVerrillInteriors.com [gallery ids="101772,141171,141179,141175,141181" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

At-large councilmember Vincent Orange received the Spirit Award for his work in the community from the Nationals Aug. 24. He secured increases in the minimum and living wages to $11.50 per hour and $13.60 per hour and paid sick leave for tipped wage workers as well as resolving issues allowing the permanent presence of food trucks in the District. Orange is well known a Washington Nationals fan and provided the seventh — and deciding — vote for the return of baseball to the nation’s capital.

“It was a great honor to receive the Nationals’ Spirit Award and bear witness to an exciting victory over the San Francisco Giants,” said Orange, as his wife Gwen looked on. “I also enjoyed sharing the day and field with my ‘starting nine youth,’ who greeted the Nationals’ starting nine on the field.”

Georgetowner •

Weschler’s

Tiffany & Co. Lucida Platinum and Diamond Solitaire Ring

Auction Date: September 19

Estimate: $25,000 – $35,000

Love is in the air at Weschler’s with a selection of nearly twenty diamond engagement rings, from their fall Capital Collections Estate Auction. The standout is a Tiffany & Co. Lucida platinum and diamond solitaire ring, set with an internally flawless, E-color, diamond weighing 1.63 carats. The auction will also feature an important selection of 20th century American works of art cultivated from prominent Washington, DC collections.

www.Weschlers.com

Sotheby’s New York

Platinum, 18 Karat Gold, Colored Stone and Diamond ‘Oiseau de Paradis’ Brooch, Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., France, circa 1963

Auction Date: September 23

Estimate: $150/250,000

From an ‘Oiseau de Paradis’ brooch by Schlumberger boasting fantastical colored stone plumage, to an Art Deco inspired pair of David Webb diamond earrings framed by swirling enamelwork, the Important Jewels sale this September deftly guides collectors from day to night. Modern classics are mixed among exquisite period jewels including a rare Belle Époque garland design bracelet by Cartier. The sale also offers a superb array of top quality colored gemstones and diamonds, many of which are set in signed mountings.

www.Sothebys.com

Potomack Company

Magnificent String of Opal Beads with Diamond and Sapphire Clasp

Auction Date: October 18

Estimate: $10,000 – $15,000

This resplendent necklace consists of 29 graduated gemstone orbs in a rainbow of hues with a larger oval opal, sapphire and diamond clasp. Opal was considered good luck in the Middle Ages and is celebrated today as the October birthstone.

www.PotomackCompany.com

Doyle New York

Rose Gold, Platinum, Mystery-Set Ruby and Diamond Leaf Clip-Brooch, Van Cleef & Arpels

Auction Date: October 21

Estimate: $150,000 – $250,000

Part of Doyle New York’s Important Jewelry Auction. 18 carat brooch, composed of three overlapping leaves mystery-set with 316 square, rectangular and fancy-shaped rubies, centering fine ribbon-like veins and topped by two stylized leaves set with 20 tapered baguette and baguette diamonds.

www.DoyleNewYork.com

Freeman’s

9.69 Carat Diamond Ring with Diamond Accents

Auction Date: November 3

Estimate: $75,000 – $95,000

This pear shape diamond set in a platinum ring with triangular-cut diamond accents will be sold in Freeman’s Fine Jewelry & Watches auction on November 3.

www.FreemansAuction.com

BRINGING DOWN THE HAMMER

Sotheby’s

July 16, Fine Jewels Auction

Enamel and Diamond Bracelet, Verger Fréres, ca. 1920

Estimate: $34,280 – $51,420

Final Selling Price: $127,693

Bonham’s

July 02, Post-War & Contemporary Art (London)

Lucio Fontana (Italian, 1899 – 1968)

Concetto Spaziale, 1952

oil on canvas

Estimate: $400,000 – $565,000

Final Selling Price: $1,241,847

Christie’s

September 03, Out of the Ordinary auction (London, South Kensington)

Mark Stoddart

‘Hippo’ Dining Table, 2002

Estimate: $8,285 – $11,599

Final Selling Price: $28,805

Georgetowner •

Dear Stacy:
After this just-starting school year, my husband and I are facing an empty nest. Due to some special needs in our family, we have spent much of the last 10 years focusing on our (now thriving) children. I think we have both been looking forward to them leaving the nest so we can finally focus on ourselves, but I realize that I am a little worried about being left alone together. We haven’t been very connected to one another throughout the last decade, and the idea of returning to an empty house and just looking at each other seems so depressing to me.
–Stressed about the Nest

Dear Stressed:

I am impressed that you are naming this fear so far in advance. Commonly, that’s the kind of unconscious concern that shows up in other forms like relentless nitpicking, public passive aggression, or addictive behaviors that numb us to our real pain. Personally, I have seen that the transition to an empty nest can be particularly isolating. But why, when so many of us actively fantasize about getting our lives “back” once Junior is successfully launched? Here’s my take: too many of us make our lives child-centric for too long. When we finally reach the finish line (a.k.a. graduation, moving out, whatever) we realize we have lost our skills at being intimate partners in favor of being co-parents.

When I say “intimate partners” I am not just talking about sex, although that’s often the reason couples finally get themselves to counseling. Rather, intimate partners are couples who turn toward each other when making decisions and setting goals. This is often a stark contrast to how we parent our teenagers, who need to be voting members in those conversations. You don’t need to change how you have been parenting, but you do need to focus on the times when you aren’t in parent-mode.

Quick fix? Make plans to get reconnected, starting now. Reinstitute date night. Start a list of things you want to do together when Junior moves out, and include easy ones (e.g., take more walks together) as well as big time fantasies (e.g., move to a new place, take a long vacation). Make sure you are incorporating appreciations into your daily life. Even if you do this already, I would imagine much of that gratitude is expressed regarding the ways each of you has been caring for Junior(s). Start to refocus that positivity on the things between you. If you need guidance feel free to use my go-to appreciations categories: what you look like, what you do, and who you are. You can make this better, but it will take some time and talk to get there.

Stacy Notaras Murphy (www.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.

Georgetowner •

Internationally renowned Inn at Little Washington chef-owner Patrick O’Connell is working on a new book called “Magnificent Obsession.” It’s about décor and design – with a few recipes because, as they say, “we can’t help ourselves.” It’s slated to be published in April 2015, just in time for Mother’s Day.

Chef Peter Chang has legions of fans in Virginia. Now he plans to increase the size of his fan club in the Maryland suburbs. Chang plans to open his latest restaurant at Rockville Town Center in Q1 2015. The former Chinese embassy chef has five successful Peter Chang restaurants in Virginia, with a Fairfax location in the works for 2015.

Just Opened: Brookland Pint opened in the Monroe Street Market project, brought to you by the owners of Meridian Pint (Columbia Heights) and Smoke & Barrel (Adams Morgan). With 24 beers on tap, it serves upscale bar food and seats 118 inside and 48 on the outdoor patio. Chef duties go to Rebecca Hassell, who is well known in the ‘hood.’ TaKorean at The Yards in Capitol Riverfront has just opened, serving Mexican-Korean cuisine. This fast casual restaurant at 1309 Fifth St. SE is its first brick-and-mortar location. Takorean started as a food truck before moving to a stall in Union Market. Alphonse Italian Market & Osteria on U Street, NW is open at 6 a.m. for breakfast, as well as Italian food throughout the day. Brought to you by the folks who operate the Russia House and Biergarten Haus. Shake Shack recently opened its first Virginia location at the new Plaza at Tysons Corner Center. Jersey Mike’s recently opened in Gainesville at 8136 Stonewall Shops Square. It is the fifth location for franchisees Pat and Kathy White, who also own Jersey Mike’s restaurants in Fairfax, Manassas, Culpeper and Chantilly. Penn Commons opened its doors at 6th & H Streets, NW in Penn Quarter, from Passion Food Hospitality group.

Quick Hits: Famed CityZen executive chef, Eric Ziebold, plans to open his own restaurant in Penn Quarter at 1015 7th Street, NW in 2015. NYC chef David Chang says the Momofuku he plans to open at CityCenterDC will be different from his NYC Momofuku restaurant. The Virginia native has something to prove upon his return to his roots. James Ringel and brother Arthur, who worked at Hank’s Oyster Bar, plan to open DC Harvest on H St NE. Mr. Smith’s will still remain a Georgetown institution, as it plans to relocate to Chadwick’s spot on K St. NW under the Whitehurst Freeway, not far from the waterfront. New York-based The Melt Shop plans to open at 1901 L St. NW, serving breakfast, lunch and maybe dinner, for those who crave grilled cheese comfort food at all hours of the day and night. Look for Capriotti at 34th & M in Georgetown where The Cellar Door used to be. Yes there have been other places that opened there since but the most memorable is The Cellar Door. Capriotti’s also recently opened in Rosslyn. Cafe Mayo opened at 3147 Dumbarton St. NW, serving a variety of sandwiches including Cuban and banh mi as well as American favorites. Chipotle’s Southeast Asian concept, ShopHouse, will open next at Union Station, adding to the stores open in Dupont Circle, Chinatown and Georgetown.

You can now snack while you paddle the Potomac. Nauti Foods, D.C’s first floating food boat, has partnered with local food vendors, such as Dolcezza Gelato, Bullfrog Bagels and Sticky Fingers, to offer light fare to those who are floating on the Potomac River. The Nauti Foods boat is stationed north of Key Bridge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings. The business hours are flexible, as weather and daylight will determine hours.

New York-based Pizza Vinoteca is slated to open its first D.C. area store in Arlington’s Ballston area this month. This pizza parlor at 800 N. Glebe Road, is near Mussel Bar. Pizza Vinoteca features high-tech ordering as guests can order via iPad. For takeout, customers order at a kiosk and then monitor the progress of their order via LED stock ticker. The restaurant will seat 110 with a 26-seat bar.

Restaurateur Reese Gardner’s Georgetown restaurant, Orange Anchor at Washington Harbour, is slated to open next month. Another new restaurant, Union Social, is slated open at 100 Florida Ave. NE in NoMa in Q4 2014 or Q1 2015. Gardner also plans to change his Mighty Pint in Dupont Circle into a restaurant called Second State, an homage to the native of Pennsylvania, with a menu similar to Copperwood Tavern’s, but with more emphasis on Pennsylvania traditions than Virginia’s.

Richmond-based Sugar Shack Donuts (named one of the best doughnut shops in the country by USA Today) plans to open a location at the Belle Pre apartments at 804 N. Henry Street in Alexandria. It will open as a restaurant and “speakeasy,” as well as serve handmade doughnuts and doughnut-inspired food, mixed drinks and gourmet coffee and espresso
products. Sugar Shack will join Lost Dog Cafe in the apartment building.

Linda Roth is president of Linda Roth Associates, a public relations & marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry, providing creative connections through media relations, marketing initiatives, community outreach and special events. Reach her at: Linda@LindaRothPR.com or 703-417-2700. www.lindarothpr.com

Georgetowner •

IN: Rent the Runway Coming to M Street

Rent the Runway, the women’s designer dress, gown and accessories rental business, has moved into 3336 M St., NW, part of the Cady’s Alley design, home and fashion district, EastBanc and Jamestown announced Sept. 8, with an opening planned for November. Nearby stores include Calypso St. Barth, Intermix, Steven Alan and Bonobos along with home design brands, Calligaris and Donghia.

IN: Artist’s Proof

Leaving Cady’s Alley, where it first opened last year, Artist’s Proof — a contemporary art gallery that features emerging artists from here and around the world — moved to 1533 Wisconsin Ave., NW. (One of its exhibitors, Christian Develter provided the art for this newspaper’s front page.)

IN: Do’s Custom Tailor on Regency Row

Do’s Custom Tailor and Formal Wear has moved to 3409 M St., NW. The shop had been at Wisconsin and M and before that at Georgetown Court on Prospect Street for years.

IN: Chaia Fixing Up Grace Street Shop
Known at the farmers markets near the White House and at Dupont Circle, Chaia (“farm to taco”) owners and chefs Bettina Stern and Suzanne Simon are planning their first brick-and-mortar place at 3207 Grace St., NW., in the former G. Morris Steinbraker building. Look for a spring 2015 opening.

OUT: Modern; IN: Georgetown Piano Bar
The Georgetown Piano Bar plans to open its doors Sept. 12 and will be located at 3287 M St., NW, former home of the nightclub Modern. The team creating the bar is composed of piano player Hunter Lang, former Mr. Smith’s manager Gene McGrath, former Mr. Smith’s employee Morgan Williams and Bill Thoet, according to the Washington Business Journal

IN: Tari Moves Up Wisconsin Avenue
After selling the property, having a sale and packing up, boutique owner Sara Mokhtari quickly found a new place for her clothing consignment business at the old Dalton Pratt space at 1742 Wisconsin Ave., NW. — with new inventory as well.