Bono to Speak at Georgetown University This Evening
• November 26, 2012

Musician and activist Bono will speak at Gaston Hall this evening to Georgetown University students as well as leaders in the corporate, nonprofit and political sectors. The Nov. 12. event is being hosted by the Georgetown McDonough Global Social Enterprise Initiative in partnership with Bank of America. Brian Moynihan, Bank of America CEO, and John DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, will introduce Bono.

According to the university, the Global Social Enterprise Initiative, part of Georgetown’s business school, “advocates for solutions to global challenges in health and well-being, economic growth, the environment and international development.” The Atlantic Monthly is the media partner for the event, which will be webcast live on Georgetown.edu.

“Beyond his fame as the lead singer of the Irish rock band U2 and winner of 22 Grammys,” according to the university, “Bono is also known around the world as an activist in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty. He is the co-founder of ONE, a grassroots advocacy organization with more than 3 million members that urges policymakers to support effective programs, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund, which are saving millions of lives in the poorest parts of the planet. Bono also co-founded RED, a private-sector initiative involving some of the world’s most iconic brands. RED has channeled nearly $200 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.”

S&R Foundation hosts DC Jazz Festival Annual Trustee Reception at Evermay
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Last Wednesday, The S&R Foundation hosted the DC Jazz Festival Annual Trustee Reception at the Evermay Estate in Georgetown. The reception included a cocktail party, followed by a performance by 10-time Grammy winner Paquito D’Rivera performed with guitarist Yotam Silberstein and pianist Alex Brown.

Before the performance, Dr. Sachiko Kuno a founder gave opening remarks, as well as DC Jazz Fest founder and executive producer Charlie Fishman.

During his performance, D’Rivera switched between alto saxophone and guitar to play Jazz Meets the Latin Classics. The setlist included some original compositions, as well as playful takes on well-known classical music pieces.
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Biz Group Nominates 2013 Officers; Elections at Dec. 12 Party
• November 19, 2012

The Georgetown Business Association announced its nominated 2013 officers at a board reception at the George Town Club Nov. 14. New year’s top officers are slated to be: president, Riyad Said of Wells Fargo; vice president, Janine Schoonover of JSWGroup; treasurer, Karen Ohri of Georgetown Floor Coverings; secretary, Molly Quigley of Clyde’s Restaurant Group.

After the board meeting, the GBA held its monthly networking reception across the street at Sara Mokhtari’s T-square Loft above her Wisconsin Avenue boutique, Tara D.C. couture consignment.
The GBA’s next event is its Annual Reception and Holiday Party on Dec. 12 at Dumbarton House. Brian Armstrong of the George Town Club, Terry Bell and Deborah Bell of Ilo Salon and Zubair Popal of Cafe Bonaparte and Malmaison are up for awards at the annual meeting.

Announcement of the GBA Officer and Board of Director Nominees:

NOMINEES FOR GBA OFFICERS

President

Wells Fargo – Riyad Said

Vice President

JSW Group – Janine Schoonover

Secretary

Clyde’s Restaurant Group – Molly Quigley
Treasurer

Georgetown Floorcoverings – Karen Swarthout Ohri

PROPOSED GBA 2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

New Nominees (to be elected by Membership at Annual Meeting)
2013 – 2016

(1) Georgetown University Lauralyn E. Beattie

(2) Tony & Joe’s Dean Cibel

(3) Bank of Georgetown Tyisha Cottman

(4) Eastbanc Barry Greenberg

(5) Long & Foster Margaret Heimbold

(6) EagleBank Andrew Peters

(7) Cox Graae + Spack Architects Joanna Schmickel

(8) Capital Restaurant Concepts Representative Name TBD

(A few additional candidates were unable to confirm their participation by our deadline for notifying the board. If they express interest in the future, the board may hold a special vote to consider their nomination.)

Re-elect 2013 – 2016 (to be elected by Membership at Annual Meeting)

(1) Law Offices of Joel Bennett – Joel Bennett

(2) Clyde’s Restaurant Group – Molly Quigley

(3) Wells Fargo Advisors – Riyad Said

(4) Ilo Day Spa – Gary Walker

2012 – 2015 (No Action Needed)

(1) Georgetown Club – Brian Armstrong, GM

(2) HSBC – Rokas Beresniovas

(3) House of Sweden – Cecilia Browning

(4) Latham Hotel – Michael Damion

(5) Georgetown Resident – Edward “Chip” Dent
(6) Ginsberg & Helfer – Alan Helfer

(7) ReMax Allegiance/Georgetown – Tanya Sabel

(8) Wedding Creations – Ed Solomon

2011 – 2014 (No Action Needed)

(1) The Georgetowner – Sonya Bernhardt

(2) Tudor Place – Leslie Buhler

(3) Dumbarton House – Karen Daly

(4) Strasburger Attorneys – Kathy Darling

(5) Georgetown Floorcoverings – Karen Swarthout Ohri
(6) Café Bonaparte – Zubair Popal

(7) JSW Group – Janine Schoonover

(8) Wedding Creations – Hope Solomon

(9) James B. Wilcox, Jr., PLLC – Jim Wilcox

Ex-Officio (to be elected by Membership at Annual Meeting)
(1) CAG – Jennifer Altemus

(2) The Georgetown Current – Davis Kennedy

(3) ANC 2E – Bill Starrels

(4) Councilmember Vincent Orange – Elizabeth (Beth) Webster
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Comcast Boxes Slammed; Cable Giant Agrees to Listen
• November 15, 2012

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E complained about the small utility boxes pop- ping up around Georgetown of late, and the installer Comcast was taken aback, thinking it had full approval for the boxes’ installation.

“This business is coming into our community and just making an aesthetic wreck of what we try to preserve in the historic district,” said commissioner Tom Birch of the small refrigera- tor-sized boxes on the sidewalks.

“We were not aware of additional require- ments,” said Aimee Metrick, spokesperson for Comcast , which has agreed to go through the design review process. Designs in public space are to be reviewed by the Old Georgetown Board, part of the Commission of Fine Arts.

“We’re hoping that this project will now go into the review process, as it should have in the first place,” Birch told the entertainment news site, TheWrap, which added, “Birch said a review would consider whether the boxes could be moved to rooftops or other alternative locations.”

“I’ve got a neighbor who has one right in front of his house now, and I don’t know what that’s going to do to real estate values,” Birch told the news site. “There’s some piece of street furniture out there that wasn’t there for the last 250 years.”

2 Students Elected to ANC2E
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For the first time in 10 years, two students from Georgetown University will sit on Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E, which expanded to single-member districts and eight commissioners after D.C. redistricting. Peter Prindiville leads single-member district 2E08, which includes two blocks between 36th and 37th Streets and between Prospect and O Streets and on the university’s main campus: Nevils, Alumni Square, Copley Hall, Harbin Hall, Village C East and Henle Village. For district 2E04, Craig Cassey will represent Village C West, New South Hall, Southwest Quadrangle, Village A and the Jesuit Residence. Both commissioners ran unopposed.

ANC Report: Crime, Traffic and Runs
• November 9, 2012

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2E held its monthly meeting for May at Georgetown Visitation Prep April 30.

The two Sunday armed robberies at Five Guys and near Serendipity 3 were noted by commissioner Ed Solomon, who advised once again all to be alert and lock up. [See news story below.]

Commissioner Jeff Jones, the ANC lead on the O and P Street Project, said its completion date is Aug. 24 with fill-in work for trees to continue.

The District transportation department’s Paul Hoffman gave an update on Glover Park’s Wisconsin Avenue make-over with concerns expressed about traffic and safety. (Expect more on this project.)

Dates were approved for Bike DC on May 13, National Triathlon on Sept. 9, the Best Buddies Challenge on Oct. 20 and the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28. Also noted was the new date for the Taste of Georgetown: June 2. [See “Business Ins & Outs.”]

Commissioners also expressed their wor- ries about too much development at Williams-Addison House at 1645 31st Street to architect Dale Overmeyer, who assured them that new plans would keep the mansion a single-family home. The issue will go before the Old Georgetown Board. [gallery ids="100763,123206,123203" nav="thumbs"]

Flavor-Packed ‘Taste of Georgetown’ Satisfies Again
• November 6, 2012

A beautiful Saturday added to the food, fun and crowds of the 19th Annual Taste of Georgetown, June 2, held along a section of pedestrian-only Wisconsin Avenue between M and South Streets. Presented by the Georgetown Business Improvement District, all proceeds from the Taste of Georgetown benefit the Georgetown Ministry Center’s services supporting the homeless, which is headquartered at nearby Grace Episcopal Church.

The signature event highlighted the cuisine, chefs and crews of some of Washington, D.C.’s best-known dining spots. Samples of dishes from 25 of Georgetown’s restaurants were offered along with music with Blues Alley musical ensembles on Georgetown University’s Taste of Music Stage and a Washington City Paper Pavilion on the Eagle Bank lot that featured more than 25 craft beers, and wine and specialty cocktail sampling. Crab cake BLT sliders, lobster rolls, pasta, falafel, cupcakes (of course) and pies. Old favorites were back, such as Martin’s Tavern. Newcomers made their debut, such as Shut Your Pie Hole, connected to the historic Copperthite Pie Baking Company, which is no really new. It plans to open a pie shop in Georgetown soon.

Judging the extensive samples were Mike Isabella of the newly opened Bandolero, Sam K of Hot 99.5 Radio, Jessica Sidman of the City Paper and Katie Aberbach of Washington Post Express.

The winners were:

= Best use of seasonal ingredients: Clyde’s (green gazpacho)

= Veg Friendly: Muncheez (falafel)

= Best way to satiate a sweet tooth: Café Bonaparte (crepes)

= Carnivore’s dream dish: Bodega (paella)

= Best Overall: Neyla (all dishes) [gallery ids="100835,126017,126010,126029,126004,126033,125997,126038,125989,126045,126022" nav="thumbs"]

Bandolero Celebrates With an Opening Party
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Chef Mike Isabella held a welcome party—”Tacos & Tequila”—at the site of his lastest epicurean effort, Bandolero, for friends, foodies and neighbors May 29.

The M Street modern Mexican restaurant opened May 24 and wanted to treat its guests to the big flavors in its little tacos and strong margaritas. The wait staff kept bringing out trays of tacos, whether with tuna tartare, crab or corn and snapper to the happy crowd, which included media and PR types and a few other participants in food and chef shows.

Known for his other restaurant, Graffiato, and being a sort of protege to DC restaurant czar Jose Andres, the personable and enthusiastic Isabella moved from kitchen to front bar, greeting everyone and posing for photos. The drinks—tequila rules here—included a “City of Gold” sipper, highly recommended. There’s more to the menu, of course, but also on the tasty list with those fish and pork tacos are pork rinds with the pumpkin-seed mixed dip or guacamole. Bandolero is in the former Hook space at 3241 M Street, and Isabella has just ramped up Georgetown’s culinary vibe. [gallery ids="100833,125756,125751,125745" nav="thumbs"]

Wolf Trap Ball: A Retirement Bash for CEO Terre Jones
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The stage was set . . . for a ball, the 2012 Wolf Trap Ball that celebrated the “17 Years of Leadership, Innovation and Vision” of Terre Jones, Wolf Trap president and CEO, Sept. 15.
Jones will retire in December and move to Santa Fe with his wife Polly. We should be lucky to have such a retirement party that included sorrel jelly with caviar, lobster fricassee and California smoked bison tenderloin — and dancing and music and more dancing. After all, we were on the Filene Center stage at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. John Lee, Wolf Trap Foundation board chairman, greeted the guests and the honoree. Wolf Trap Associates board chairman Peter Lauria listed the embassies represented in the room as well as current and former government officials — and the corporate sponsors. In honor of Jones, Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary got the group singing to lyrics like “one love, many hearts.” And the song Jones aptly chose to lead this night’s song list? The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.”
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Suitsupply Celebrates 3rd U.S. Store Opening
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Suitsupply opened its third U.S. store Aug. 30; the others are in New York and Chicago. Next to the Four Seasons Hotel at 2828 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., at the corner of M and 29th Streets, the store showed off its affordable and custom men’s clothing and celebrated with food, such as hamburger and crab cake sliders, from the hotel, Dutch-inspired drinks and Heinekens and DJ-driven music that included Michael Jackson. The well-dressed crowd of guys and a few of their gals checked out the bright and smarty arranged retail space that features a tailor in the center of the shop, ready to fit your suit while you wait. The Amsterdam-headquartered men’s clothing company combines nicely priced suits (compared with traditional leaders such as Armani) with attention to detail and service — and outfitted the Dutch Olympic team for the London Games. [gallery ids="100967,130841,130837" nav="thumbs"]