Jillian Rogers •

-In light of a recent armed robbery near the Paper Mill in Georgetown, the Citizens Association of Georgetown is asking for residents help to expand their Public Safety Program to areas south of M Street.

“Any kind of crime that involves a gun is very scary for people,” said CAR Director Diane Colasanto. “We got requests from residents of the area to do more and we are very responsive to those requests. We know how frightening it is.”

CAR’s Public Safety Program includes extra police officers to patrol the residential streets on the weekends, private guards patrolling five nights a week and other efficient endeavors.

For more information or to make a tax deductable donations, visit CAR’s website.

Jillian Rogers •

-Our favorite sausage entrepreneur and Virginia neighbor, Jimmy Dean, passed away yesterday at the age of 81.

While he may best be remembered for his breakfast foods, Dean was also a country music artist. Best known for his 1961 country hit, Big Bad John, Dean was inducted to the Virginia Country Music Hall of fame in 1977 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in February, 2010.

His career also included various TV and acting stints such as CBS’s “The Jimmy Dean Show” and a James Bond movie, “Diamonds Are Forever”

Dean died of natural causes in his Henrico, Virginia home and is survived by his wife Donna Meade Dean.

Jillian Rogers •

-Acclaimed chef Ed Witt parted ways with Georgetown’s Morso restaurant today, according to Hisaoka Communications’ Kate Gibbs. Known for its offbeat eastern Mediterranean cuisine, Morso had just barely opened up its principal dining room in late May before Witt’s announcement was made. Gibbs blamed his departure on “creative differences” with the restaurant’s ownership. He is expected to stay in the D.C. area.

Morso Express, the restaurant’s next-door take-out wing, will remain open, but the formal dining room will be closed until a new executive chef is hired. We’ll be patiently waiting.

Jillian Rogers • November 3, 2011

Georgetown fashionistas packed into Wink boutique yesterday for an afternoon filled with girls’ best necessities- cocktails, shopping and a Troubadour trunk show.

The designer, Lindsay Carter, was on site and I was pleasantly (very very pleasantly actually) surprised she took time out of her busy schedule to show me her favorite pieces, (The Minetta dress and Poe skirt are obvious best sellers!). After viewing her collections, it is a no brainer that Women’s Wear Daily named her Designer to Watch in 2009.

“I like to push the edge, yet stay within the boundaries,” said Carter.

Sticking to her southern roots, Carter looks to the South, the City and the Sea when creating her vision of Troubadour.

“For me, each collection is a mood rather than an inspiration.”

She must have been in love when deciding on clean lines and romantic ruffles for her fall collection, and sipping daiquiris on the beach when choosing bright (and fantastic!) colors for her summer pieces.

When stopping in for some retail therapy myself, I was not shocked to find many shoppers trying on the Sophia Romper in deep pool from her summer collection.

Next season, Carter will be expanding her line to add knit tops and other knockouts but will continue to produce great dresses fans love.

“Their easy. Throw it on, style it and walk out the door.”

In these tough economic times, Carter recommends one thing- Vintage!

“Cut and manipulate pieces to make them your own. Or go into your husbands or boyfriends closet.”

Or we can just go to Wink. Located on M Street below Steve Madden, Wink offers a variety of chic and eclectic clothes for all price ranges.

For more information or for your shopping pleasure, check out what Carter calls “southern goth sheik, yet reckless preppy,” at troubadourclothing.com

Jillian Rogers • May 23, 2011

-Critics continuously slam Mayor Adrian Fenty for favoring prosperous neighborhoods when allocating fiscal spending, yet recent Washington Post data shows Fenty has poured a substantial amount of money into many of the poorer communities over the past 3 years.

According to the Post, “Records show, for example, that predominantly black Ward 5 received more school construction funds — $152 million — than any other ward in fiscal 2008 and 2009…Wards 8 and 2 followed with $117 million and $103 million, respectively, crushing the idea that when it comes to school construction, wards were favored by class and race.”

Georgetown, which is located in Ward 2, has seen Fenty allocate $1 million a year on the Circulator bus service, $23 million to rebuild the burned-down library and $30 million to help fix Hardy Middle School.