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Gwendolyn Shearman • April 11, 2016

Relief for drivers and pedestrians alike is coming to the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Those who cross the intersection daily, both in their vehicle and on foot, know all about the congestion, headaches and danger that it can cause, but there may be a possible solution in sight.

The Georgetown Business Improvement District has teamed up the District Department of Transportation to test the use of traffic control officers at the intersection to respond to recurring concerns regarding pedestrian safety as well as commuter and bus delays.

Also named Joseph Pozell Square, the intersection is the most famous one in Georgetown and one of the busiest in Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Reserve Officer Joseph Pozell was struck by a sport-utility vehicle, while working May 14, 2005, at the corner. Pozell was well known in Georgetown for his civic work and as superintendent of the historic Oak Hill Cemetery on R Street, NW. The volunteer traffic officer died from his injuries three days later on May 17.

“We are hoping that intersection management will improve conditions for everyone, including bus riders on the two D.C. Circulator Routes and five Metrobus routes that traverse this spot,” said BID transportation director Jonathan Kass.

Five traffic control officers tested out the idea on April 5 and quickly eased and increased the flow of traffic and eliminated pedestrian congestion at M Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

DDOT officers will be controlling traffic during the evening rush hour for the week of April 8-12, and also during the busy afternoon hours of April 13.

Upon completion of the trial run, the BID will collaborate with DDOT to determine whether permanent deployment of traffic management officers should be put into place at the intersection.

Residents, business owners and visitors to the area are encouraged to comment on the impact traffic officers have on conditions to info@georgetowndc.com.

Gary Tischler •

Love her or hate her—and there were plenty of people to be found on either—if not both—side of the spectrum—it was impossible to deny that Margaret Thatcher was a formidable presence, an original very much in in the vein of Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle.

Both men believed in the glory of their nations, the uniqueness that came out greatness. Thatcher, who served three terms as Great Britain’s prime minister, rising to power in a somewhat unlikely fashion, was a great leader herself and believed in her own greatness. You might add President Ronald Reagan to that list—you didn’t have to agree with Reagan to know that his presidency had consequence. Thatcher’s 11-year-rule had consequence also. News of her death at the age of 87 from a stroke came today.

She came to office at 10 Downing Street in 1979, 20 months before Reagan came to the presidency. In each other, they found allies, friends and large-sized personalities. Nancy Reagan called the two “soul mates,” which did not prevent Thatcher from going her own way by going to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands crisis, a war Reagan had sent Secretary of State Alexander Haig to prevent. No such thing: Thatcher had an almost messianic belief in herself, and more often than not she was proved right.

She was a grocer’s daughter but rose to power among Great Britain’s Tory or conservative party and then marched literally into office over the dying body of the Laborites, under whom Great Britain had stagnated into an almost second-rate country.

Although educated in Oxford, Thatcher presented herself as a solidly middle class woman in style and manner, disguised as a great leader, who had little truck with feminism, even though she became the first (and so far ever) female Prime Minister of Great Britain. She fought what she saw as a socialist state tooth and nail, and every bit as stubbornly as Argentina’s junta. She took on labor unions, privatized state institutions and cut programs for the poor.

She called Reagan “Ronny,” and during the turbulent 1980s they were a matched set on the world stage. Astutely, she saw the coming of Mikhail Gorbachev as a potential for rapprochement, seeing him a Soviet leader more amenable and hungry for changes, although perhaps not as much change that resulted from his policies.

The Irish Republican Army tried to assassinate her, but she survived the attempt. She did not survive what may have been her own overconfidence. After winning a third term, she instituted a flat tax that affected not only those who could pay it, but those, like the unemployed, who could not. The backlash was huge—thousands went into the streets and demonstrated against her and the tax. The riots and the tax did her in—ousted as party leader by the Tories, a shocking turn of events that stunned her, England and the world.

In her later years, she wrote her memoirs. She had been suffering from dementia. She attended Ronald Reagan’s state funeral in Washington in 2004 as did Mikhail Gorbachev. Thatcher sat behind the Reagan family. Gorbachev sat alone. Meryl Streep won an Oscar for playing Thatcher in the film, “The Iron Lady” two years ago.

A book of condolences for Margaret Thatcher will be opened at the British Embassy, 3100 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 9 and 10.

Nico Dodd •

Georgetown residents and others who use Rose Park in Georgetown have been invited to participate in a charette discussing the playground’s renovation.

As first reported by Georgetown Patch, the first meeting about the renovation will be 7 p.m., this Thursday at the Rose Park Recreation Center, 2600 O St. NW. The design charette wil be May 4 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the Fellowship of Jerusalem Baptist Church, 2600 P St., NW.

Rose Park has not been devoid of improvements. Last October, Rose Park inaugurated a new brick walkway, fence and benches, along with new trees and bushes, all of which were community donations.

Robert Devaney •

When you get a free beer from the Mayor of Washington, D.C., you know it is a good night.
Georgetown landmark, Martin’s Tavern, celebrated its 80th anniversary April 3 with a standing-room-only party that seemed to attract half of the town, including Mayor Vincent Gray.

Gray presented Billy Martin, fourth Martin in line of the tavern’s owners, with a proclamation that named the day “Martin’s Tavern Day” in the District.

Martin said he was proud of his family’s long-standing Georgetown business and knew some were looking down from heaven in approval. After the speeches, as if Martin needed to encourage anyone, the crowd continued the party. And the mayor was invited to be a Martin’s Tavern guest bartender.

Every president since Harry Truman has dined at Martin’s, except Barack Obama, who has a few more years to come and belly up to the bar.

The following is a history of the Martin family, according to the tavern’s website:

In the late 1890s, William S. Martin traveled from Galway, Ireland, to America. Forty years later, he and his son, William G. Martin, opened Martin’s Tavern on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and N Street, NW.

It was 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression and the beginning of the repeal of Prohibition. William G. Martin, a recent graduate of Georgetown University, was beginning a prodigious career in professional baseball, football and basketball. Successful in business and sports, he earned a seat as a Hall-of-Famer.

In 1949, William G. Martin’s son, William A. Martin, joined the tavern after serving in the Navy during World War II. William A. Martin attended Georgetown University Medical School and excelled as a Golden-Gloves boxer and Pro-Am golfer. His stories of “The Dugout,” recalling countless meetings with Speaker Sam Rayburn, Senator Lyndon Johnson and other monumental Capitol Hill leaders, were passed on to his son, current owner Billy Martin.
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Didi Cutler •

The S&R Foundation and its co-founder Sachiko Kuno hosted a magical few hours March 30 on the beautiful grounds of Evermay Estate in Georgetown — for a perfect launch of Evermay’s First Annual Easter Weekend Egg Hunt. Activities included an egg hunt, an egg decorating contest and a piano concert by Japanese pianist Kentarou Isuko. In the garden, an artist tied up balloons into various animal shapes for the children. The day which finally felt like spring enhanced the enjoyment of the search for eggs with children dashing all over the sprawling gardens as they spotted the hidden eggs. There was also great anticipation as to which child would win the egg decorating contest.

Headquartered at Evermay on 28th Street, the S&R Foundation — which gives support to talented individuals with high aspirations and great potential in the sciences and in the arts — also hosts musical programs there and at other venues, such as the Kennedy Center. [gallery ids="101223,145184,145179,145141,145173,145167,145147,145154,145161" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

A Washington Business Journal blog, Biz Beat, got people buzzing today about a Georgetown institution: Blues Alley, founded in 1965. It is such an landmark that the alley it is located along is named Blues Alley, NW.

The report headlined Blue Alley’s being the “subject of tax break bill,” according to the Journal. It also set off concern that the jazz club might be moving from its 1073 Wisconsin Ave., NW, location.

The Georgetowner contacted Blues Alley executive director Harry Schnipper April 1 about the Journal item. “He is making a mountain out of a mole hill,” Schnipper said. As for the “tax break bill,” Schnipper said that he “talked to Jack Evans several year ago,” but that’s about it. Schnipper also said that he had not read the Journal story.

“There’s so much that could happen with Georgetown’s Blues Alley — perhaps an expansion, perhaps a relocation, perhaps a new venue,” wrote Michael Neibauer in the Journal. “I spoke on Monday with club owner Harry Schnipper about his plans, and here’s what I learned, in a nutshell: Schnipper has spoken with Hines Interests LP about going to CityCenterDC, with PN Hoffman & Associates, Inc., about moving to the southwest Waterfront and with Hyattsville and Alexandria officials. He is on the shortlist to operate the D.C.-owned Lincoln Theatre. . . . But Schnipper offered no additional details. I can’t say whether the discussions keyed on a relocation of Blues Alley or an expansion.”

“Right now,” Schnipper told the Journal, “I’m focused on the Lincoln Theatre.”

According to the Journal, “Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans introduced a bill in January to provide ‘historic music cultural institutions’ with a 10-year property tax abatement, along with deed recordation and transfer tax abatements, for newly leased or purchased property in the District. The legislation would apply only to corporations that have operated a commercial venue for a minimum of 45 years and hosted a minimum of 100 live musical performances in each of the last five years.”

“It’s geared toward trying to help, to keep them [Blues Alley] in Georgetown, to keep them in that location,” Evans told the Journal. “Blues Alley is a landmark.”

There was one more thing that Schnipper did mention to the Georgetowner, when it questioned him about the Journal report: “We don’t own that building.”

Robert Devaney •

The Georgetown Business Association will host candidates for the at-large District Council special election in a panel-style forum at Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., April 1.

Candidates Anita Bonds (interim at-large councilmember), Michael Brown, Matthew Frumin, Patrick Mara, Perry Redd, Elissa Silverman and Paul Zukerberg plan to attend; candidate John Settles will not attend. The special election — to fill an at-large seat vacated by the elevation of District Council Chair Phil Mendelson — will be held April 23.

Co-sponsored by the Citizen’s Association of Georgetown, the forum will be moderated by Davis Kennedy, publisher of the Current Newspapers. It will include questions submitted by D.C. voters, by those attending the forum as well as by the forums’s local media sponsors, the Georgetowner, the Georgetown Patch, the Georgetown Current and the Georgetown Dish. Tony and Joe’s Restaurant is located at 3000 K St., NW., at Washington Harbour.

= Anita Bonds is the interim at-large councilmember and Democratic Party chair.

= Michael Brown is a former councilmember looking to reclaim a seat he once held on the District Council.

= Matthew Frumin is a Ward 3 advisory neighborhood commissioner.

= Patrick Mara is a political strategist and school board member in the District.

= Perry Redd is a social activist and executive director of Sincere Seven, an advocate of social change.

= Elissa Silverman is a budget analyst and former Washington Post and City Paper reporter.

= Paul Zukerberg is an attorney specializing in marijuana and other substance possession cases.

RSVPs for the April 1 forum should be send to admin@otimwilliams.com for confirmed seating.

Robert Devaney •

Talking business developments, cherry blossoms, baseball and the sluggish start of springtime, members and guests of the Georgetown Business Association met for lively conversations and ample refreshments at TD Bank on Wisconsin Avenue. Longtime members spoke with new prospects about the association’s involvement in Georgetown and its District connections during the networking evening. [gallery ids="101220,145136,145113,145131,145119,145125" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

Well, one business is leaving and another arriving. A new restaurant will fill the void left by the departed Morso. Capitol Prague Restaurant will soon set up at M and Potomac Streets, part of the Eton Court complex.

Capitol Prague will operate a restaurant and a coffee shop two doors away, said manager Petra Foist, who added, “We hope to open in mid-April.” With Czech and Slovak cuisine—schnitzel, goulash, braised pork and dumplings—as well as various beers, “it will be down-home cooking,” Foist said. Capitol Prague will be the only restaurant in Washington, D.C., with Czechvar lager on draft, she said. That beer is made by the famed Budweiser Budvar Brewery (Bud?jovický Budvar) in the Czech Republic. (Capitol Prague is still constructing its website.)

One block away from the new restaurant, a business is closing its 33rd Street location — but not closing. It will become an online operation: J. Chocolatier’s retail shop is closing Monday, March 4.

“We have had a fantastic three-and-a-half years in our Georgetown location,” wrote J. Chocolatier owner Jane Morris in an email. “Not to worry: J. Chocolatier will continue bringing delicious chocolates to the D.C. area. . . . We plan to roll out a brand new website with online ordering later in March (and just in time for Easter treats). Local shipments usually arrive in one to two days. You can also continue to purchase our bon bons at CocoVa in Adams Morgan or order them with your wine at Veritas Wine Bar in DuPont Circle. We plan to expand our wholesale business to select stores in the D.C. area very soon.”

Morris continued: “We are proud to say that our Georgetown retail sales have grown every year, with increases ranging from 20 percent to 50 percent year-over-year. That’s no small feat in a difficult economy with the shockingly small boot-strap budget that we had. We achieved this by providing our customers with excellent products and services. You, the customers, did the rest through word-of-mouth. In fact, we are exiting the Georgetown store up 27 percent so far for 2013.”

As to the question of why close the 33rd Street store now, Morris replied: “It has been a treat to work in such beautiful surroundings everyday. Unfortunately, there were some problems with the Georgetown location. We had minimal foot traffic. Plus, the old building was nearly impossible to keep cool in the summer. That caused major headaches like sky-high utilities and constant AC and refrigeration repairs. All of these factors combined really hurt our bottom line. It just didn’t make sense to continue operating in a location that wasn’t working well for us.”

And as far as future retail space, Morris wrote: “We haven’t ruled that out. We continue to look for another retail location, but are carefully considering our options. In the meantime, we will be looking to partner with other local businesses to do pop-up shops and markets. We also look forward to another season at the Downtown Holiday Market this December.”

Fans can follow J. Chocolatier on Facebook or Twitter. It also guide chocolate tastings for private groups and corporate clients. There is a party today, Monday, with free chocolate and Champagne, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at J. Chocolatier, 1039 33rd St., NW—202-333-4111.

Gary Tischler •

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I’d fallen asleep during the Oscars. In the dark, I finally accepted the fact that the show was indeed over and that the smoke alarm hadn’t gone off either.

My goodness, this year’s Oscars show was long. I was getting punchy at the end, so much so that when first lady Michelle Obama appeared via Skype just prior to Jack Nicholson announcing the best picture award (Surprise! “Django Unchained.” Just kidding.), I’d jotted down Michele Bachman’s name instead of the first lady’s. I dare not repeat that mistake.

Still, we watch these things, sometimes almost avidly, because, well . . . so that the next day we could begin conversations with “I’m ashamed to say I watched the whole thing.”

And I did. And I’m only a little ashamed. I have now seen enough clips of “The Life of Pi” that I don’t actually have to see it, and I congratulate Jet Li, I’m sorry . . . Ang Lee on his surprise win for Best Director. Somebody up there doesn’t like Steve Spielberg, or maybe it’s the town, or Ben Affleck’s revenge or the curse of “The Color Purple.” Getting recognition from Affleck, who stood up on the podium with George Clooney and a host of actors now working in television when his “Argo” won Best Picture, probably didn’t soften the blow for Spielberg, who gets robbed as routinely as a guy carrying an iPhone or an iPad after midnight in the city.

The Oscars have better-late-than-never hopped on the train of officially putting on a show as opposed to an awards ceremony. These Oscars started to resemble the Grammys which hardly bother to hand out any awards between numbers. Still, first-time Oscars host Seth MacFarlane is no substitute for Justin Timberlake.

What’s fun about watching the Oscars is that it’s getting to be like watching Access Hollywood, about which I am a little bit ashamed. You can grouse, snark and talk about dresses and things you would never mention to your buddies, and you can say Charlize Theron and Halle Berry are beautiful to your wife or girlfriend because they agree with you although you shouldn’t get too interested in Jennifer Lawrence—who, bye the bye, was a popular winner for Best Actress, tripped on her dress and comported herself with youthful, bracing dignity and humor, the way she appears to have done all through the awards season.

The same cannot be said for Anne Hathaway, of whom we have seen way too much and heard from way too much. We can only hope that she will gain her weight and hair back and that she can now stop talking about being worried about the Fantines of the world. She has now won every award for which she was eligible this season, plus winning a life time achievement award in the dieting hall of fame. Not only that: she guessed correctly the contents of the mystery object contest. Seriously. Yes, she won. The Oscar . . . For Best Supporting Actress. Is that a surprise? Other than that, how did you enjoy the show, Mrs. Lincoln aka Sally Field?

MacFarlane turned out to be an odd duck of a host. He’s that bad little boy with the big grin who looks good in a tux, can even warble a little and has a penchant for bad jokes. He sang and danced to a song called “We saw Your Boobies,” chronicling just about every female Hollywood star who, well, you know what. The opening sequence, the trophy for which has been retired by Billy Crystal, proved to be one of those things in which William Shatner (not yet retired it appears), beams down as Captain Kirk to critique MacFarlane’s work as a host. This allowed MacFarlane to dump bad one-liners and appear to make it a part of the act, although he continued to do so long after the schtick was over. This is called having your tasteless joke and eating it too, especially the one about assassin John Wilkes Booth being the only person to get into Lincoln’s head. Yuck.

There were some surprises—Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor for his urbane German killer (a little like the urbane SS killer from “Inglorious Basterds,” for which he also won the same award), upsetting either Robert DeNiro or Tommy Lee Jones, who are starting to look alike.

Quentin Tarantino, ever the disheveled bad boy, won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, which will now encourage him, no doubt, to do a a six-part movie about the end of the world in which everyone dies an excruciating but movingly painful and realistic death.

Our friends and neighbors, it should be noted, did well at the Oscars. Local filmmakers Sean and Andrea Nix Fine won an Oscar for Best Short Documentary and Georgetown resident George Stevens, Jr., received an honorary Oscar—along with stunt legend Hal Needham and documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker. Stevens is the founder of the American Film Institute and the Kennedy Center Honors as well as being a noted film director and playwright and the son of one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, George Stevens.

Among other highlights was a tribute to the 50-year-old James Bond series, which—Jimmy, we hardly knew ye— included a jazzy, sleek and grand dame killed-it rendition of “Goldfinger” by Shirley Bassey, with which Oscar winner for a Bond song Adele could not compete with.

Then, there was the red carpet. It was red, it was crowded and every five seconds, up popped Chrkrisumcrissy Generalwith,Chowdownith, which was annoying because you had to spell her name right (K-r-i-s-t-i-n C-h-e-n-o-w-i-t-h Kristin Chenowith) and listen to her sparkly little chatter and jokes about her diminutive stature, although, to her credit, she blurted out a loud “Holy crap!” when Anne Hathaway guessed the mystery item under covers (the red slippers from “The Wizard of Oz”).

Little did I know that after seeing numerous versions of “Les Miserables” and the movie version, I would get to see the whole thing all over again when every member of the cast of the movie and various unidentified people in costume rang through several lines of every song in the show, I think. Now, I won’t have to do that again for a few years. And oh-my-god, there she was again: Anne Hathaway aka Fantine, still alive after all that suffering.

Only one question remains: If Anne Hathaway wakes up in the middle of the night, does she start singing “I Dreamed a Dream”?