G’TOWN House Tour Parties Honor Frida Burling
• July 26, 2011

The Georgetown Hour Tour kicked off at the Steiners’ home on Q Street, April 28, with a classy patrons’ party for Saturday’s main event. During the house tour, the Georgetowner, along with Eagle- Bank, 42 Degrees Catering, Boffi Georgetown, Canal Builders, hosted a daylong hospitality suite at Boffi on M Street, April 30. (Special thanks to DC Greenworks, Ultra Violet Flowers and Euro Motorcars, Inc., Bentley Bethesda.) Saturday climaxed with a presentation to the house tour’s patron saint: Frida Burling — who lets you know that she is 95, just a little older than the house tour itself — and reminded all: the tour benefited the Georgetown Ministry Center and other charities. [gallery ids="102513,120129,120121,120133" nav="thumbs"]

Corcoran Ball Artfully Shimmers
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Never failing to impress, the 56th Annual Corcoran Ball — hosted by Tammie Collins — shone through rich colors, classic settings and an A-list all its own, as those other parties went on around town, April
29. With the masterpieces in ad hoc dining rooms, the thousand or so guests also viewed fresh artworks by Corcoran students. And to finish, dancing amid the alabaster splendor. [gallery ids="99666,106029,106040,106037,106034" nav="thumbs"]

White House Correspondents’ Parties, Etc.: D.C.’s Prom Dates
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The parties before and after the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton, April 30, grabbed the attention of pols, entertainers, media, activists and fans before that huge Sunday evening announcement by President Obama. He attended the dinner, poking fun at Donald Trump along with comedian Seth Myers. The first lady was wearing Halston; the Donald was wearing a frown.
Parties began with Quinn Gillespie, Lani Hays, Creative Coalition, People, the Bradleys, Tammy Haddad’s garden brunch on R Street, where Sarah Palin was the one not to miss (but she left early). Then, afterwards, MSNBC at the Italian Embassy; Capitol File with Bing and the Creative Coalition at the Reagan Building; Washington Life on Q Street; Vanity Fair at the French ambassador’s residence. On Sunday, brunches from Politico Q Street and John Laughlin and Thomson Reuters at the Hays Adams.
So, is all this truly D.C.’s nerd prom season, as many like to say? We report; you decide.
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‘Once Upon a Prom’ at Ella Rue
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Ladies, hurry up and drop off those old prom dresses at Ella Rue. The boutique, owned by Krista Johnson, will accept donations for Once Upon a Prom, a non-profit, now in its fifth year, run by Ashley Taylor of Ann Hand LLC. The P Street shop held a fundraiser, March 31. The dresses are provided free, one per each young woman who otherwise could not afford it. The 2011 Prom Dress Giveaway at Eastern Market is set for April 17. [gallery ids="99224,103531,103528" nav="thumbs"]

BID Members, Friends ‘Come Out and Play’ at Swedish Embassy
• July 13, 2011

Board members, staff, friends and business leaders met June 9 for a lively annual meeting of the Georgetown Business Improvement District at the House of Sweden on the edge of the Potomac. The main event was the unveiling of the redesigned BID website and a new logo and tagline for the merchants of the town – “Come Out and Play” – as well as staff, safety and finance reports. Along with Design Cuisine finger food, guests later got those cool brown swag bags with the new logo and enjoyed desserts from Sprinkles Cupcakes on M Street and Georgetown Candy on Wisconsin Avenue. Sweet! [Editor’s Note: See GT Observer in this issue for news on the BID update.] [gallery ids="100065,106149,100066,100067,100068,100069" nav="thumbs"]

Family Fun on Volta Park Day . . . Then, the Thunder
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Volta Park Day lived up to its familiar, neighborhood charm: hamburgers, hot dogs, coconut cake, popcorn, snow cones with the slide, water dunk, sprinklers, band and flea market. Moms, dads and the kids were still smiling, although the picnic was cut short by thunder and light rain around 5:15 p.m. on June 12. The park’s C.M. Anderson reminds us that the Volta Park pool opens its full summer schedule on June 21: Tuesday through Thursday, 1 to 8 p.m., public; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.; closed Monday.
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A Neighborly 4th of July for Georgetown
• July 11, 2011

Whether you attended the reading of the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives or the parade along Constitution Avenue, the hometown parade along MacArthur Boulevard is also a favorite of Georgetowners. Add to that list the Citizens Association of Georgetown’s July 4th celebration at Rose Park, kicked by a sidewalk parade of toddlers around the block. The Image Band provided music and opened with a reggae “Star-Spangled Banner.” Sprinkles cupcakes, Häagen Dazs ice cream, a pie-eating contest and tug-o-war: what’s not to like? Later, many a Georgetown rooftop held groups cheered by the fireworks from the National Mall for America’s 235th birthday. [gallery ids="100224,106399,106425,106421,106404,106417,106413,106409" nav="thumbs"]

Nationals Park Upgrades With N.Y. Eateries
• July 7, 2011

New York City’s Union Square Hospitality Group — which includes Blue Smoke, Box Frites, El Verano Taqueria and the most famous one, Shake Shack (which recently opened on Connecticut Avenue at Longfellow Square) — and the Washington Nationals celebrated the upgraded Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk at Nationals Park with a grand opening party, June 13. Happy partiers enjoyed ShackBurgers, steak tacos and perfect fries along with beer and wine at sunset. The new walk and restaurants will open two-and-a-half hours before the game. [gallery ids="100076,100077,106150,100078" nav="thumbs"]

DMV Office May Move Out of Georgetown Park
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Attention, commercial real estate agents: The District is seeking space for a new Department of Motor Vehicles location. Georgetown Park landlord Vornado Realty Trust is renovating part of the M Street mall, and its plans may include the DMV offices on the lower level.

The DMV is hedging its bets (though its lease continues for two years) with this announcement:
The District of Columbia’s Department of Real Estate Services (DRES) is seeking offers of buildings or space to be occupied by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This solicitation reflects the immediate need for a 6,000 to 7,000 square-foot replacement of the current Georgetown DMV, currently located at 3222 M Street, N.W.

Offered space must be located within the Northwest or Northeast quadrants of the District, and within 1,500 feet of District of Columbia Metrorail Station. DMV requires easy access for the public with preference being given to first floor retail space with entry from the street. Offered space must be contiguous within the building. The full Solicitation for Offers (SFO) with detailed instructions is posted on the DRES website under “Solicitations”. RFO responses are due by 4 p.m., EDT, June 23.

Questions regarding this SFO should be submitted via email only to Sheryl Ponds, Department of Real Estate Services.

Hays Family Honored With Lifetime Award From Georgetown Business Association
• June 29, 2011

The Hays family — and their store, The Phoenix, on Wisconsin Avenue since 1955 — was given the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Georgetown Business Association at its Senior Advisory Luncheon on June 15. The business, founded by Bill and Betty Hays, has been continued by John and Sharon Hays — and now their Samantha. Presenters, including Brad Altman, Jim Wheeler and Sonya Bernhardt, publisher of the Georgetowner, speaking for last year’s awardee, retired publisher David Roffman, told stories about the Hays family, the neighborhood and the Phoenix, “more than a store.”

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