Back to the Mediterranean for Evo Bistro
• May 21, 2015

With cranes animating the Tysons Corner skyline, the Silver Line extension and a new Hyatt Regency, it’s clear that the area is experiencing a major facelift.

Just three miles away, in McLean, Virginia, another facelift is underway at Evo Bistro. The restaurant, which opened in 2007, has gone through a succession of leadership changes over the years, but the original owner and executive chef, Driss Zahidi, is back, restoring the restaurant’s authentic Mediterranean character.

Zahidi was born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, a city that exhibits a variety of culinary styles and influences. The oldest of five children, he regularly helped his mother in the kitchen. By the time he was in high school, he landed his first job as a line cook. After college, he got a master’s degree in physics and spent a year working in France as a chemical engineer before returning to his passion for cooking.

In 2000, Zahidi moved to the United States, relocating to Washington, D.C., after a brief stint in New York. He worked in a number of commercial kitchens before co-founding Evo Bistro. Zahidi’s goal since the beginning was to serve elegant, upscale Mediterranean cuisine alongside an extensive wine list, which he did until 2011. At that time, Zahidi left Evo Bistro, which slowly moved away from its Mediterranean roots.

In February of this year, Zahidi’s ambition to restore Evo Bistro to its original concept became a reality when he resumed ownership and the executive chef position. He also continues to operate Le Mediterranean Bistro in Fairfax, a French Moroccan restaurant, which he opened in 2013.

At a recent Evo Bistro lunch, the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. The open dining room was bathed in natural light and accented with colorful artwork by Buck Nelligan. The menu has shifted back to a Mediterranean montage of dishes influenced by Spanish, French, Italian and Moroccan flavors. Tapas range from garlic shrimp with white wine sauce to lightly fried artichokes with jalapeno aioli, sweet peppers stuffed with wild mushrooms and savory goat cheese and saffron paella.

“Back home we used to have paella weekly,” said Zahidi of his Moroccan upbringing. The restaurant now has three paella dishes to choose from: a vegetable version, rich with piquillo peppers, spring squash and asparagus; a chicken and chorizo rendition with wild mushrooms and peas; and a seafood interpretation with mussels, shrimp and scallops.

The menu’s diverse flavor portfolio complements the diverse wine selection for which Evo is known. In addition to this impressive wine list, Evo Bistro also has a retail wine shop, with every bottle on the list available for purchase either individually or by the case. Guests can call ahead and pick up their order or simply take it home after their lunch or dinner.

Since Zahidi’s return, every day at Evo Bistro is a cause for celebration. Tuesday is Spanish Night, with a variety of paella specials plus 25 percent off Spanish wine bottles. On Thursdays, diners get 50 percent off select Champagne bottles, and on Mondays and Wednesdays until 9 p.m., and Fridays at lunch, guests get 50 percent off featured wines.

Additionally, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Evo has happy hour in their bar and lounge that includes $5 and $6 drink specials, plus $6 and $9 tapas. The workweek lunch special is also not to be missed, with three tapas plates for $12.
Evo Bistro sits in the crosshairs of a fast-growing region, and Driss Zahidi’s return helped sharpen the restaurant’s focus while restoring its originality. Evo Bistro has successfully revamped its look and reclaimed its identity as McLean’s premier destination for Mediterranean cuisine.

Evo Bistro, 1313 Old Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, Virginia.

Talbot County’s Incomparable Charm
• May 11, 2015

With Washington, D.C., in my rear-view, I drove east, watching as the terrain became sparser, yet more vibrant. Wide fields of gold were scattered with grain mills and dandelions. In the distance, a small plane flew low over the countryside.

Talbot County is located on the Delmarva Peninsula, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, facing more than 600 miles of tidal shoreline. Cassandra Vanhooser, Talbot County’s director of tourism, is a woman who understands both the historical impact and the present-day attraction of the Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary.

“The word ‘Chesapeake’ resonates around the world,” she said. Agriculture is an important component of the county’s identity, evidenced by the many farm fields, yet what struck me most were the countless boats outside people’s homes and businesses – symbols of pride and purpose that bind the communities of Talbot County together.

Since the late 17th century, the region has been inextricably linked to the water that surrounds it. That sentiment hasn’t changed, according to Vanhooser. “The maritime history is still alive and well,” she said.

At just under two hours from D.C., Talbot County’s culture exhibits a more relaxed, nostalgic filter than its bustling, politically charged counterpart. People craving the quiet allure of small, historic settings love traveling here, as do boatmen, artists and cyclists.

I stopped in Easton first. Established in 1710, the town remains the county seat, in addition to being a center for arts and culture. I went straight to the Academy Art Museum, where the exhibition “From Rubens to the Grand Tour,” on view through July 5, focuses on two paintings by 16th-century master Peter Paul Rubens. In addition, colorful portraits by California artist Ray Turner brighten the Museum’s Lederer Gallery.

Talbot County’s titillating natural backdrop is celebrated in festivals and events throughout the year. This summer, from July 11 to 19, the town will host the 11th annual Plein Air Festival. Named for the French term for ‘open air,’ the festival is the largest outdoor painting competition in the nation. In 2015, 58 of the world’s premier plein-air painters will compete for over $25,000. Another event is the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, when it will take place from June 7 to 21.

From Easton, I traveled south to the quaint town of Oxford. Since colonial times, Oxford residents have wrapped their yards with signature white picket fences of varying designs. These fences are blanketed in rose bushes, lavender hydrangeas and other flora. My visit wasn’t complete until I sampled homemade ice cream from Scottish Highland Creamery. The owner, Victor Barlow, and his wife, Susan, use local ingredients, fresh milk and cream, along with Italian flavorings. In Oxford, I felt as if I’d jumped into a chalk drawing, a la Mary Poppins.

I crossed the Tred Avon River on the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, America’s oldest privately owned ferry (1683), and drove to St. Michaels. The town is home to a cluster of lovely shops and restaurants, in addition to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The museum, which sits on 18 waterfront acres, has 12 exhibit buildings, a working boat barn, the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse and the world’s largest collection of traditional Bay boats. It’s a place designed to share the heritage of the region, from oystering to waterfowling and boatbuilding. This year marks the institution’s 50th anniversary; from May 22 to 24, the community will commemorate the history of the Chesapeake Bay with activities and events, including a party on May 23.

Before driving back to D.C., I had lunch at the town’s famous Crab Claw restaurant, overlooking St. Michaels Harbor. Also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the restaurant will have food and drinks specials, music, trivia and giveaways on May 22.

Still farther south is Tilghman Island, accessible via the Knapps Narrows Drawbridge, the nation’s oldest operating drawbridge. Tilghman Island is home to a working watermen’s community, with sport fishing, charter cruises and lighthouse tours available to visitors.

Whether you have a whole weekend or just a day, Talbot County is a premier escape, one that recalibrated my mind and relaxed my soul. It can do the same for you.
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84th Georgetown House Tour
• April 28, 2015

This year’s Georgetown House Tour offers a wide range of residences in Washington’s oldest neighborhood. A star on the tour is at 35th and Prospect Streets: Quality Hill-Worthington House, built in 1798. Sen. Clairborne Pell, D-R.I., and his wife Nuala lived there from the 1960s to about 10 years ago. As with the other places on the tour, what a story this house with its occupants in mind could tell, besides the lesson in architecture and design. Books, such as “The Georgetown Set,” “Aspects of Georgetown” or even the novel, “Prospect Street,” can add to the conversation. Your chance to hear such whispers by the windows comes this Saturday.

With spring in full bloom, Georgetown has never looked better. Every year, the neighborhood charms locals and visitors alike with its historic buildings and distinct panache. The streets are famously colored with homes in every hue, from lavender to canary yellow – and classic red brick – but this diversity extends well beyond the playful color palette.

A closer inspection of Georgetown homes reveals the range of architectural styles that have influenced the neighborhood over the course of its rich history. The Georgetown House Tour, which celebrates its 84th anniversary this year, is a unique opportunity for people to go back in time and witness this stylistic diversity firsthand.

This year, the tour includes ten stops, each with its own architectural flair. Clues to each home’s time period and style can be found in many different places, from the design of the roof to the amount of cornice ornamentation.

“There’s really something charming and magical about being able to go into all these old homes in one day,” said the Rev. Gini Gerbasi, the new rector at St. John’s Church, which hosts the tour.

When Georgetown was founded in 1751, Georgian design was the ubiquitous architectural style. Up until the Revolutionary War, homes were classically designed, with square or rectangular facades and symmetrically spaced windows. Front doors were paneled and accompanied by decorative pilasters and a transom light. This year, the first stop on the tour is the Quality Hill mansion, built in classic Georgian style, with a storied history to match.

Federal architecture followed, influenced by the lines of its Georgian predecessor. Most homes were two to three stories tall, with box-shaped, symmetrical exteriors, yet there were several distinguishing modifications.

Larger panes of glass were used in the windows and louvered shutters were introduced. Front doors became more expressive, with semicircular or elliptical fanlights and narrow side lights. Entry porticos or porches were commonly added, as were three-part Palladian windows, generally on the second story above the entrance.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Washingtonians welcomed new architectural ideas and embraced worldly influences. One example of this is the Italianate style, a departure from classicism and an acceptance of artistic freedom. Italianate homes have a sense of romantic lavishness to them, with their elaborate moldings, overhanging eaves and high stoops. Stop #5 on the tour is a fitting example, with its rich ornamentation, including detailed cornice brackets and lintels.

Stop #7 is the Renwick Chapel at Georgetown’s famed Oak Hill Cemetery. Notice the gates and the gatehouse, which are Italianate in style, while the chapel design is Gothic Revival. The Gothic Revival style came about in the mid 19th century as designers became increasingly influenced by medieval motifs and themes. Inside the chapel, visitors will notice the pointed arches, steeply pitched roof, gilded decorative plaster ceiling bosses and stunning Gothic windows.

By the 1880s, many architectural elements of the Georgian era were being embraced and revitalized in a style appropriately known as Colonial Revival. This was a conscious return to American’s past architectural heritage and colonial beginnings.

Gerbasi loves the neighborhood’s rich history and is particularly drawn to St. John’s roots, which go back more than 200 years. The world has changed around it over the decades, but the church’s mission of serving the neighborhood has remained constant. Every year, the house tour helps the church maintain its historic building and supports its aid to communities inside and outside the parish.

“St. John’s is a de facto community center,” said Barbara Wolf, co-chair of the House Tour. Among the nonprofit community service organizations – with a focus on homelessness, education, workplace development and seniors – that the Georgetown House Tour helps provide for are the Georgetown Ministry Center, Bright Beginnings, Jubilee Jobs and the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project.

The 2015 Georgetown House Tour, on Saturday, April 25, is sponsored by TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, Beasley Real Estate, Christie’s Long & Foster, Doyle New York and Farrow & Ball.

Locations of the properties listed in the Georgetown House Tour book. Tickets are available online for $50 and at St. John’s for $55. GeorgtownHouseTour.com

Live Jazz, Sultry Dining at Newly Opened Sotto
• April 23, 2015

On March 3, Ari Gejdenson of Mindful Restaurant Group unveiled his newest venture: Sotto on 14th Street NW. The space is home to a harmonious blend of live jazz, wine, craft cocktails and American cuisine with a smoky finish. Sotto, ‘below’ in Italian, is appropriately located underneath Ghibellina, another of Gejdenson’s popular dining destinations.

The jazz and blues cultural center HR-57 was the former tenant of the building, before moving to H Street four years ago. As a tribute to the building’s past, Sotto has live jazz and blues Tuesday through Saturday, featuring a constant rotation of local artists and aspiring talent.

The restaurant’s ambiance is as sleek and sexy as the jazzy sounds that fill it. Sotto’s dimly lit space, designed by Gronning Architects, incorporates lots of exposed brick, with attractive wood and steel accents for an overall warm, sultry effect. Patrons waiting for a table or simply looking to drink and snack on appetizers can sit at the long wooden bar, flanked by rustic steel barstools.

Sotto’s bar manager Daniel Barnes created his cocktail list based on classics from the 1950s and earlier; think of a “Trolley Car” with spiced rum, blood orange and angostura or an “Ed Ellington” with scotch, Lillet Rose, cranberry and orange. His take on these cocktails goes back to D.C.’s jazz culture, when jazz clubs were really big up and down U Street. “We’re trying to continue that by having jazz here,” said Michael Rosato, Sotto’s general manager.

Executive chef Keith Cabot’s menu reflects regional American cuisine with an emphasis on smoked meats. The chef’s selection of housemade sausages was inspired by Gejdenson’s trip to Austin. Other highlights include the Brussels sprout salad with an herb cream dressing and pomegranates, pork ribs, beef brisket and a delicious half-chicken with a delightfully crisp skin and chili sauce. Sotto also has a sweet selection of desserts, like poached apple with caramel ice cream or banana bread with dulce de leche and chocolate.

Diners can enjoy all of this in one of the restaurant’s cozy booths or at long wooden tables. At the end of the restaurant, a stunning glass wine cellar is the backdrop to the night’s local talent.

Sotto is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, starting at 6 p.m. [gallery ids="102023,134915,134914" nav="thumbs"]

Being Green: Building Museum Leeds The Way
•

Susan C. Piedmont-Palladino is an architect, a professor of architecture and a curator at the National Building Museum. Here she answers some of our questions on sustainability in D.C.:

The Georgetowner: At the National Building Museum, you tell stories of architecture, design and engineering. Is sustainable architecture historic or is this a new phenomenon?

Piedmont-Palladino: In many ways, sustainability is a rebranding of what we used to call common sense. For most of human history, we designed and built as if our survival was at stake, because it was. Had our ancestors not been so successful at sustainable architecture, we wouldn’t be here.

The coal-fired industrial revolutions, and then the age of oil, made it possible to do things we couldn’t do before: extract, transport and construct with materials from far away, heat and cool homes, chill food and water. Those are all wonderful achievements, but over the past few generations we forgot how to build sustainably.

One of my favorite examples of this forgetting – I call it “technology-induced amnesia” – is right on the outside walls of so many Washington houses: wooden shutters. Everyone loves how they look, but no one uses them anymore to do what they do best, which is keep the hot sun out, but let the breezes in.

The Georgetowner: What do you think the future of sustainable architecture entails, especially in D.C.?

Piedmont-Palladino: Washington is well positioned for a greener future for many reasons. First, the city has made green building a priority in new construction through a series of laws beginning with the Green Building Act in 2006, and more recently the 2014 Green Building Code. The city is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the organization that developed the LEED system. It’s not just single buildings, though, that make a difference in the environment. We have to address energy, water and air quality at the scale of the city. Public transportation, sidewalks with trees and rain gardens, bicycle lanes – all these are crucial.

The Georgetowner: What does LEED mean?

Piedmont-Palladino: LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” Designing a building involves a mind-boggling number of decisions, so when you see that plaque on the wall, it means the team that designed and constructed the building made those decisions with energy and environmental stewardship as their top priority.
Designing to LEED standards prompts architects and their clients to think not only about energy efficiency but also indoor air quality, where all the rainwater goes, how the building’s inhabitants get to work, where all the materials come from. There are different levels of LEED certification, with LEED Platinum being the highest.

The Georgetowner: How do you think D.C. is doing as far as getting on board with the green movement?

Piedmont-Palladino: One of the important reasons that our city is increasingly seen as a leader in sustainability is that we’re experiencing a big change in attitude. That has to happen in order for sustainability to stick. Think of historic preservation: we now think twice before we demolish an old building. We have standards and institutions to help us assess the value of a building, to decide whether it deserves protection. That was a huge shift in attitude from the midcentury attitude of “tear it all down and make it new.” Not only is historic preservation a model for how we can recalibrate our opinions of what’s beautiful and valuable, it’s also an indispensable partner in sustainability.

The Georgetowner: If we took a green building tour in D.C., where should we stop?

Piedmont-Palladino: The USGBC’s website is a great place to start. You can search by location and see all the LEED buildings in that area. Many on the list are office buildings, where you might be able to peek into a great lobby, like the one that Gensler designed at 800 17th St., but there are also LEED charter schools, grocery stores and hotels.

My list of must-sees would include the embassies of Finland and Canada, the National Portrait Gallery and each of the District’s renovated branch libraries. What’s great about that beginning list is that these aren’t just environmentally responsible buildings, they’re wonderful places to be, and they contribute to the life of the city. That’s real sustainability.

For more information, visit nbm.org.

Telling the World’s Stories from a Sustainable D.C. Home
•

On a rainy Friday morning in April, a throng of visitors waited for their tour time inside the new National Public Radio headquarters at 1111 North Capitol St. A man in black skinny jeans wove through the crowd carrying a guitar case covered with stickers. In the entry, a massive LED media mosaic flashed large images while a ticker streamed the day’s top headlines in bright, bold letters.

Since 1973, NPR has been creating conversations. It’s a place where the stories of our day reach millions of radios across the nation, where curiosity and exploration come together. Reimagining a new home for this institution was no small feat. But today, the 440,000-square-foot LEED Gold landmark building has shown what can happen when a strong company mission teams up with a clear vision of sustainability.

In 2008, the Georgetown-based architecture firm Hickok Cole created the winning entry in a competition to design NPR’s new D.C. headquarters in the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood. Hickok Cole was inspired by the building’s history, which dates back to 1926, when it was a warehouse and workshop for the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company, and later, a storage facility for the Smithsonian. NPR’s new home is made up of three main elements: the entry block, the old four-story warehouse building and a new seven-story office block.

Mixing old with new was an important priority for the firm. The design incorporates many of the building’s existing features, including pre-cast concrete, which references the original cast-in-place concrete facade. In the building’s entry, visitors can see the original mushroom-cap columns alongside new, modern interpretations. The team put a great deal of effort into restoring and exposing elements of the past while implementing fresh, forward-thinking, sustainably-minded designs.

“NPR was very focused on being sustainable,” said Robert Holzbach, who led the design team at Hickok Cole. “So much of sustainability is not visible, but they wanted to be visibly green too,” he added.

Completed in spring 2013, the building earned LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and has a number of systems in place that helped it earn this accolade. One of the largest challenges faced in D.C. is storm-water collection. At NPR, the small plots of trees and plants that hug the edge of North Capitol Street are actually bio-retention ponds or rain gardens. Rainwater running off the streets is captured and steered into these ponds or gardens so it can percolate into the ground. The permeable paving along the main plaza also takes advantage of any excess rainwater.

Green roofs are another design feature that assist with this effort. The team at Hickok Cole sees great value in their implementation.

“We love green roofs,” said Bryan Chun, the firm’s project architect on the NPR building. “They decrease heat-island effect and add insulation to the roof. The biggest component is storm-water retention, so the sewer facility doesn’t have to treat it,” he added.

NPR has three green roofs that cover everything except for the very top portion of the building, where the mechanical elements are. Hydrated purely by rainfall, these roofs are home to an ever-changing show of natural vegetation, not to mention active honey beehives.

From the street, a cluster of satellite dishes can be seen from the roof. These satellites are what beam out NPR’s content to all of the United States. Because of their obvious, symbolic importance, they became an integral part of the design, a means for passersby to visibly witness what the NPR mission is all about.

One of Hickok Cole’s main goals was to incorporate NPR’s vision and ethos into the project whenever possible. Along the exterior of the large glass office block there are waves of blue fins, long rectangular sheets of glass with a color fill sandwiched between them. This glass, though decorative and aesthetically pleasing, is also a subtle notion of NPR’s vision, expressed abstractly. Since NPR is all about sound, these fins are a stylistic representation of the nature of sound waves.

Fostering a positive, bright workspace was a key priority for the organization’s leadership. They recognized that the more natural light available, the more productive the work environment. Having natural light was also the number-one wish of NPR’s radio hosts.

As a result, there is a tremendous amount of natural light that filters through the building’s large glass walls and into the open offices.

“It’s like a glassy jewel box inside this concrete shell,” said Holzbach.

Light cascades through all the office windows on the upper stories in addition to pouring through a clerestory into the two-story, 100,000-square-foot newsroom on floors three and four. This addition lifted the office block up above the existing roofline, so that light could infiltrate the central part of the building. Even the studio rooms make use of small slivered windows, bringing in light whenever possible without jeopardizing the quality of the sound.

In a symbolic sense, the prevalence of glass is a great metaphor for the transparency that NPR strives for in all their work. With glass, however, came many important design decisions related to energy efficiency. At NPR, “Low-E” glass windows (referring to their low-emissivity coating) are used, reducing radiant heat.

One of the most impressive LEED features is the facility’s solar-shades system, which operates off of a central computer that gauges the location of the sun while monitoring heat gain. The computer controls the shades, mechanically lowering and lifting them to maintain optimal brightness in each room.

Even the emergency staircase is light and inviting. One of the main themes of the new design was fostering a collaborative spirit. This effort can be seen in areas such as the large stairwell landings, the office island blocks, the 30-minute meeting rooms and the large outdoor terraces.

No technology was spared in the making of NPR’s new headquarters. “It’s a building that was built for radio,” said Marty Garrison, vice president of technology operations, distribution and broadcast engineering.

Inside the Studio 31 Control Room, where many of the shows take place, it is apparent how many small but significant technical issues are involved in building a studio of NPR’s caliber. For acoustic reasons, no wall is shaped the same; the control boards, glass thicknesses and soundproofing all have to be designed and prepared with unparalleled precision. Advanced, state-of-the-art technology can be seen throughout the complex, from the master control systems to NPR’s renowned microphones, network operations and data centers.

This spring marks NPR’s second anniversary in their new location. It’s evident that fostering a healthy, productive environment is a key priority. On the top floor, with views of the Capitol and the Washington Monument, light floods over the white office space. Next to the windows are spin machines for employees to use after work. There are outdoor terraces on the fourth floor for working and relaxing during off-hours.

Each floor has its own kitchenette with free Peet’s Coffee. Downstairs, there is a fitness center with a full-time trainer and a cafeteria that serves both hot dishes and a full salad bar.

In the world of sustainability, even small decisions can have a large impact. There are many LEED accreditations within NPR that might surprise, for instance, its limited customer parking, which encourages more eco-friendly means of getting to work. The facility is located close to pubic transportation and has a bike garage for employees. Additionally, the bathrooms have low-flow toilets, the cafeteria has recyclable packaging and all the cleaning products are biodegradable. No effort is too small.

NPR is a place that seeks to inspire thought, encourage learning and develop an understanding of the world at large. The new headquarters is a beacon of great design and strong, transparent storytelling. Thanks to the large team of designers, architects, engineers and consultants who worked diligently on this project, NPR is housed in a building that will carry public radio forward in a thoroughly modern and sustainable fashion in the years to come.

Le Décor: Green With Envy
• April 13, 2015

As spring moves gloriously into the neighborhood so does a renewed appreciation for all things green. We’ve curated a list of products that are undeniably chic and environmentally stylish that pay tribute to the colors and materials of the outside world.

1. African Kuba Cloth Pillow
www.onekingslane.com
Bring a touch of Africa into your home with a vintage Kuba Cloth pillow from One Kings Lane. These cloths are made from woven raffia palm leaf fibers and linen and accented with shells and other cultural treasures.

2. Pottery Barn Jasmine Bamboo Mirror
www.potterybarn.com
This classic mirror echoes sophistication and natural beauty thanks to its clean bamboo pattern. Measuring 34’’, the mirror has an aluminum base and is hand-painted with an antique finish that will be right at home in a foyer, a bedroom, or hanging above a small vignette.

3. Proteak Cutting Boards
www.proteakstore.com
Proteak Cutting Boards are built from sustainably grown teak wood and make an excellent addition to both residential and professional kitchens. Teak has been used throughout history on boats thanks to its strength and water resistance. Each board is unique and has its own individual beauty.

4. Teak Wood Hanging Planters
www.anthropologie.com
These handmade teak hanging planters, each unique from the next, are great for both indoor and outdoor use. Simply fill them with the succulent or plant of your choosing and hang them in a special place.

5. Bamboo China Collection
www.saksfifthavenue.com
This elegant ceramic china by Juliska features hand painted bamboo detailing that can be served from day to night. This dishwasher safe collection would be ideal for a spring to summer party in the garden.

6. Restoration Hardware Outdoor Wood Furniture
www.restorationhardware.com
The outdoor wood furniture collections at Restoration Hardware combine sustainable teak materials with Sunbrella outdoor fabrics. These cloths are certified to be low-emitting by the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI).

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Beyond the Blossoms: One Company’s Mission to Preserve Tradition
• March 26, 2015

Each spring, the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the Japanese gift to the United States of more than 3,000 cherry trees. People from around the world come to Washington to see the unforgettable blooms. Interestingly, visitors leave with not only a memory of these flowering trees, but also with a budding appreciation for Japanese culture.

Paul MacLardy is the owner of Arise Bazaar in Clinton, Maryland, one of the largest Japanese textile emporiums in the nation. Arise also has a large selection of Japanese ceramics and antiques, but MacLardy’s textiles are what set him apart. With upwards of 8,000 pieces – traditional Japanese kimonos, fireman’s coats, obis, workers jackets and Happi coats – he is a leading collector of Japanese textiles.

On Saturday, April 11, he will be displaying a portion of his collection at Sakura Matsuri.

Sakura Matsuri (which means Cherry Blossom Festival) is Washington’s annual Japanese street festival, the largest one-day celebration of Japanese culture in the U.S. Vendors and performers from all over the world fill nearly a mile of downtown D.C., sharing their love for Japanese custom and history.

Arise Bazaar will have a large, three-booth set-up with about 800 kimonos and textiles, along with Japanese ceramics, furniture and small gifts – all of which are for sale. There will also be three people present to do tying demonstrations and help attendees dress in a traditional kimono ensemble. The team takes pride in educating people about the many variations and details that go into these dressing ceremonies. With the large range of kimonos available, MacLardy has something for everyone, and his price points are accessible as well. Most kimonos cost between $40 and $100, but he also has a number of vintage kimonos, some of which are 19th-century collector’s pieces that can cost up to $5,000.

For MacLardy, the buying and selling of Japanese textiles is a passion that goes beyond business; it’s a mission to preserve a legacy.

In 2001, MacLardy published his book, “Kimono: Vanishing Tradition.” In it, he acknowledges that the art of making kimonos by hand has been slowly disappearing. The master kimono makers were reaching the end of their lives without passing on their skills. Young people who might take up the craft were uninterested. Furthermore, over the 20 years that MacLardy had been visiting Japan, he noticed that people weren’t wearing kimonos nearly as often.

“Ironically, since we’ve written that book, that’s all changed,” he said. “When we started the company, people weren’t wearing kimono traditionally. Most people were buying long kimono or fabric to hang on a wall. Now, more and more people are buying kimonos to wear.” His forthcoming, second book, “Kimono: Symbols and Motifs,” will highlight this change in attitude.

The older generations have long understood the sophistication of Japanese textiles, but they are increasingly fascinating to younger people. MacLardy travels across the nation attending Japanese festivals and anime conventions, where he’s found a resurgence of interest in traditional Japanese textiles among young people. He’s also found that they are being reinvented in a modern way through experimental, untraditional styling. The kimono’s influence was evident in the 2015 fashion shows by designers such as Tracy Reese, Thakoon, Duro Olowu and Tibi, suggesting a heightened worldwide appreciation for these age-old garments.

For Paul and his team at Arise Bazaar, preserving the ceremonial dress of Japan is more important than ever in a changing 21st-century landscape. Stop by the Arise Bazaar booths at Sakura Matsuri on April 11 to take home a symbol of Japanese culture. The event, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. will close the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Arise Bazaar is open Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment — 7169 Old Alexandria Ferry Road., Clinton, Md. — 301-806-0337.

Inspired by Whistler: After Peacock Room
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Walking into After Peacock Room is like opening an elegant coffee table book and spending an afternoon in its glossy pages. The location, a former consignment shop, has metamorphosed into a delightful teahouse and fine-dining café. With its gilded industrial hardware, crystal chandeliers, plush blue benches and peacock-colored walls, it is both cozy and hip.

The aesthetic of After Peacock Room is inspired by James McNeill Whistler’s “Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room,” created in 1877 for wealthy English shipowner Frederick Richards Leyland. Whistler’s work was purchased by Charles Lang Freer and later installed in the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery on the Mall, where it remains today.

Heewon Ra is the lady behind After Peacock Room. The Korean beauty, who has lived in D.C. since 2001, remembers the first time she saw the Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery more than ten years ago. That moment would spark a sense of wonderment that would flower years later in her first venture into the restaurant business.

Prior to opening, Ra’s love of art and interior design drew her to a curatorial internship at the Hirshhorn Museum and to studies at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. After graduating, she spent time in Paris, where she fell in love with Mariage Frères, the famed teahouse in her Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood.

Upon returning to D.C., she dreamed about creating something similar to Mariage Frères, and Georgetown, with its pretty homes and European feel, seemed like just the place. “My goal was to provide excellent food and service in a nice ambiance,” she said. Inspired by the beautiful Prussian blues, deep greens and gold that come alive in Whistler’s work, After Peacock Room serves as a contemporary interpretation of the classic.

The quaint size of the teahouse is part of its appeal. In 2011, Ra snatched up the building on 27th and P. She began construction in 2013, and by 2014 After Peacock Room was in business. Along with being her first restaurant, the space was also her first interior-design project, and the outcome is a tribute to her talent. The interior walls, which are canvas, are layered in oil paint in hues of sea green and midnight blue that come alive at night.

The dining room in the back, called the Hawthorn Flower Room, is inspired by Leyland’s collection of blue and white porcelain; the walls are painted with gold flowers. Rockville-based woodworker Jed Dinger made the communal dining tables, and the black bistro chairs that accent them were freshened with brushstrokes of gold paint, which Ra added herself.

After Peacock Room was closed from June to November while the kitchen was updated and the wine-and-beer license was pending. During that period, the decision was made to transition from a full teahouse to a daytime tea-and-coffee destination with a fine-dining dinner component. Chef Nick Sharpe, who worked under the acclaimed Michael Mina in San Francisco, now helms the kitchen. The menu features the best of seasonal tastes.

On Sundays, After Peacock Room offers takeout coffee service from 9 to noon, with the proceeds donated to local charities.
Ra looks forward to growing the restaurant’s dinner business and being able to host small private parties. For now, though, she is focused on sustaining a unique teahouse and an elegant dining experience in the neighborhood.

After Peacock Room is located at 2622 P. St. NW.

Sense of Harmony: Architect John Rhett
• March 11, 2015

Designing idyllic country homes has become a cornerstone of architect John Rhett’s career. “Most of my clients have a place in the city where they do business and enjoy the urban life, but they need a place to recharge,” he said. “People want to relax in the country. People want to enjoy what they have, and they like to reconnect with nature.”

Rhett’s work is a testament to this communal appreciation for the rural landscape. The Connecticut native received an architecture degree at Rice University and did additional work at the University of New Mexico, where he studied solar architecture and sculpture. While there, Rhett spent time working for an adobe contracting company, where he learned firsthand about the efficiency of passive and active solar architecture, the importance of the sun’s orientation in respect to a home and, more generally, the value of sustainability in design.

Today, Rhett is based in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a satellite office in Charleston, South Carolina. The Rhett family has deep ties to the Holy City, going back to 1624.

“Charleston has great classical architecture and that appeals to me a lot,” he said. “The city has a beautiful culture of art and music, and Charlottesville has a similar energy.” In both places, Rhett has found a “culture of craft.” He enjoys employing local talent and using local materials when working on his projects. “It adds another layer of joy,” he said.

In all of Rhett’s work, both commercial and residential, he and his team actively work to solve the puzzles presented to them. They consider what a client envisions as well as the potential and energy a property has to offer, then propose creative solutions to balance those factors.

As a result, Rhett’s projects and his peaceful country homes are all different. They are a product of listening to his client’s vision and making it come alive through creative – and often technical – choices. According to Rhett, there are always things to be aware of: “where the sun is, where prevailing winds are coming from, how a house can use those to its advantage.”

A harmonious sense of proportion suffuses Rhett’s designs, yet it operates on a subliminal level. The owners of his country homes are able to relax and enjoy their surroundings because the designs aren’t discordant; rather, they are in balance. In addition, the property and the home complement one another.

Particularly with country residences, Rhett recognizes the opportunity for the surrounding landscape to influence the architecture, to tie together in a unique way so that the home is an extension of the land. It’s a philosophy of respecting the natural environment and incorporating architecture into it, bringing out the best of both.

Sustainable architecture and eco-friendly building is a large part of the industry today, and Rhett believes it is here to stay. “It’s addressing very important issues and I think it will grow more important over the years as resources get more and more scarce,” he said.

Though most of his homes are in Virginia, Rhett has had the opportunity to work elsewhere, from the aforementioned California to Portugal, and he takes pride in bringing those diverse experiences to every project. He has been influenced by many bright minds, including Thomas Jefferson; Carlisle Becker, a landscape professor of his at Rice; Antoni Gaudí, the acclaimed Catalan architect; Frank Lloyd Wright; and François Goffinet, a Belgian architect and garden designer for whom Rhett worked prior to starting his own firm in 1995.

Goffinet taught Rhett a great deal about master planning of properties and the symbiotic relationship between land and home.

While with him, Rhett worked on his first landscaping project, a multimillion-dollar job in Bel Air, California, during which he learned from some of England’s finest horticulturists. Since then, the landscape component has been further woven into his career.

As spring settles in after a winter that persisted into March, the countryside around D.C. will be further beautified by Rhett’s lasting work and harmonious, creative legacy.

Rhett Architects
1857 Rivanna Farm, Charlottesville, Virginia
434-249-4667
jmr@RhettArchitects.com