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Gary Tischler • April 23, 2015

These days, St. Patrick’s Day, the American national holiday saluting this country’s Irish heritage, which holds multitudes, sneaks up on you.

There was and will be a parade, and there will be green beer and Guinness, in all the establishments calling themselves worthily or not Irish, and there will be singing and beer on the floor and bragging and the telling of tales, perhaps. It’s the cliché of it all.

Someone somewhere, whole slew of somebodies are reading one by one out loud “Ulysses” and the lads will be hoping that there’ll be a lass, like Molly in that same book saying “yes, yes, yes.”

But there is something about the Irish worth celebrating, and it has less to do with froth on a glass, than it does the way the Irish have made their presence felt in the world, here, for certain, aye, but also elsewhere wherever they showed up in numbers.

Our histories—that sea of Americans different from one another and the same—are intertwined, beginning with early immigrants and landowners, going on to the flood of migrants in the wake of the mighty, blighted potato famine which brought a flood of the Irish to these shores, some of them just in time for the Civil War.

There is something about the Irish—they came from a country beautiful, but hard in giving out its natural wealth. They come from a country full of tillers and priests and nuns and publicans and teachers and politicians and rebels and thinkers, and the men and women of words, words, words, and actors, poets and playwrights and the mighty mothers of them all.

Getting older makes wretched excesses of Irishism less appealing, but the song on songs linger, and the words remain strongly spoken and go on being written. I remember the celebrants, too: once, I went to a St. Patrick’s Day bar in San Francisco accompanied by a young lady named Margie O’Clair, black of hair and smart of whip-like wit and beauty, too. She asked me why I wore an orange jacket to an Irish bar and proceeded to tell me why I shouldn’t have. And yet, I survived, because the Irish, I guess, can tolerate a German’s stupidity. [Editor’s note: orange is the color for Irish Protestants, who also have been called Orangemen.]

In years gone by, I knew the local places here—some still surviving—the Dubliner and Kelly’s Irish Times, cheek to cheek near Union Station, Danny Coleman and Hugh Kelly, proprietors, respectively, and I heard a gentleman from the Irish Embassy, at three in the wee morning sing “Danny Boy” in the kitchen of the Irish times., red faced and white haired and in fine voice as he was.

Here in Washington, we always tell the tales of the Kennedys, the brothers, John, Robert and Ted, the father Joe, and the mother Rose, and the not-so-holy ghosts of their stories. Boston, no matter who lives there will always be an urban shrine to the Irish.

Washington always had a lively Irish music scene, and in the 1980s, there was the Irish Tradition, the closest thing to local Irish rock stars, with accordionist Billy McComiskey, guitarist Andy O’Brien and champion Irish fiddler Brendan Mulvihill, singing “The Wild Rover” in the Dubliner and Times.

It’s the music and the poets that survive and count for so much. The Chieftains were just in time, and the plays and playwrights always are—George Bernard Shaw, the greatest and smartest wit that ever lived, Oscar Wilde, the most sophisticated man who came to such a sad end, Brendan Behan, Samuel Beckett and a whole new generation of Irish Playwrights. And let me just list: Joyce Himself and Flann O’Brien and Yeats and Seamus Heaney and the American Eugene O’Neill.

In the wiki wonderland, there is a category called “List of Irish People”. Not all, but it seems so. And the longest list are made up of writers, actors and musicians, not generals or Wall Streeters. To with: actors: Stephen Boyd, Kenneth Branagh,Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne, a number of Cusacks, including Sinead, wife to Peter O’Toole, Daniel Day Lewis, Colin Farrell, Barry Fitzgerald, whose horse knew the way in “The Quiet Man”, Fionnula Flanagan (ah, what a name), several Gleesons, including Brendan, Richard Harris, Micheal Mac Liammhoir (co-founder of the Gate Theatre), Colm Meaney, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Liam Neeson, Maureen O’Hara, Milo O’Shea, Niall Toibin, Fiona Shaw.

Towith: musicians: Chloe Agnew, Big Tom Of big Tom and the Mainliners, Enya, Sinead O’Connor, Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard, Liam, , Paddy, Tom and Willie Clancy, The Corrs, The Edge, Seamus Ennis , Uilleann piper, Angela Feeny opera singer, Rory Gallagher, blues/rock guitarist, and I could go on, but here’s one that sums it up: Finbart Furey, singer/songwriter, uillean piper, 5 string banjo player and actor.

Towith: writers: John Banville, Brendan Behan, Maeve Binchy, Patrick Bronte, Brian Coffey, Roddy Doyle, several Delaneys, Thomas Flanagan, Brien Friel, F. Scott Fitzgerald (says so here), Oliver Goldsmith, Seamus Heaney, James Joyce, Patrick Kavanagh, Benedict Akiel (Saoi of Aosdana) C.S. Lewis, Malachi Martin, horror writer, Frank McCourt, poet Nuala Nik Dhomhnaill, the glorious O’s, Edna O’Brien, Sean O’Casey, Frank O’Connor, Mairtin O Direain, Sean O’Faolain, George Bernard Shaw, Laurence Sterne, Bram Stoker, horror writer, John Millington Synge, Twenty Major, blogger, Oscar Wilde. And so on.

So many words, so many characters, so many songs.

So, I would suggest what we can all do for St. Patrick’s day. Say a word or two, sing a song, act a part. And, of course, say a prayer.

David Roffman •

All right, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has arrived. So, it’s time to make our 2015 NCAA predictions.

There are lots of ways to measure the performance of a team when preparing our 2015 NCAA predictions. Some examples, moving from least useful to most, are won-loss record, RPI rating, average margin of victory, NCAA tournament seed, and predictive power ratings. Yes, that’s correct: won-loss record is at the bottom of the list when it comes to making your NCAA predictions. Luck plays a large role in wins and losses, so margin of victory is a better predictor to use when making predictions for the 2015 NCAA tournament. Our power ratings combine margin of victory with information about who a team played, where they played them, and when they played the game. These are the most important factors when rating a team.

I must interject here that several teams in the select 64 simply do not deserve to be in the tournament. Texas and UCLA come to mind. They both have 13 losses on the season. Pathetic! Indiana doesn’t deserve to be in the tournament either.

I might also interject here that every sports pundit in America thinks Kentucky –including the President of the United States — will win it all, based on the fact that Kentucky has a purported five players who will go in the first round of the NBA draft this year. And they’re all freshmen. They may all make NBA teams in the first round, but they will not win this year’s NCAA Tournament. Stay tuned for my upset prediction.

Locally, it is impressive that Georgetown University, University of Maryland, University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University have all made the cut to the select 64. They will all win their first two games which will take them to the Sweet Sixteen, but only U.Va. will advance any further.

I am also impressed by the state of Iowa, which is fielding three teams in the tournament: Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa. All three are sleepers and could surprise a lot of people. Another powerful sleeper to watch is Wichita State. They got to the Final Four last year remember, and they come in with a solid team this year as well.

Here is the way I see the four divisions coming out: In the Midwest, Kentucky will make the final four by narrowly defeating a tough Notre Dame squad.

University of Virginia emerges out of the East defeating a super Louisville team.

In the West, I see Wisconsin and Arizona in a heated battle with Arizona coming out on top.

And in the Southwest, it will come down to Gonzaga and Duke, but the stronger team will be victorious, and that is Gonzaga.

Thus, my Final Four will be Arizona playing Kentucky, and Gonzaga meeting UVA. Two great games for sure. The upset of upsets will be Arizona beating Kentucky handily, and meeting Gonzaga in the Final game for the title. Arizona has a solid starting five, including a very hot three point shooting guard and a big, tough center. Gonzaga also is solid, with a 5th year senior at point guard and he too can knock down the threes with ease.

I predict Arizona will be victorious in the end. And it will be great for college basketball to see the all freshman Kentucky squad go down in defeat.

Although a few games have begun, there is a link to this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament brackets. Take a chance, fill them it and see whether you, I or President Obama is right.

NCAA.com

Linnea Kristiansson •

Few people know that the Williams sisters weren’t the first African American siblings to take tennis by storm. Before Venus and Serena, Margaret and Roumania Peters were an unbeatable pair in the Jim Crow tennis era of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s. Council member Jack Evans will ask the District Council to name Rose Park tennis courts at 26th & O Streets after the sisters.

Having begun playing tennis as young girls in Georgetown, the sisters were eventually offered tennis scholarships to Tuskegee University in Alabama. Due to segregation, the Peters sisters could play only in the all-black American Tennis Association. Established in 1916, ATA is the oldest black sports organization in the country.

During their time in Alabama and for a decade after leaving, the Peters sisters dominated the women’s game, winning 14 doubles titles between 1938 and 1941 and between 1944 and 1953. Roumania won ATA national singles titles in 1944 and 1946. Films of their ATA victories were shown at black movie theaters, including the Mott on 26th Street NW near P Street in Georgetown, where they were local heroes. The Peters also played matches in front of the British royalty on a trip to the Caribbean. Celebrities such as actor-dancer Gene Kelly practiced with them when he was in Washington.

Both Peters sisters earned master’s degrees in physical education from New York University and returned to Washington to work. The little-known predecessors of Althea Gibson, who, in 1956, became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title (and went on to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals), their wider recognition is long overdue.

Robert Devaney •

The Citizens Association of Georgetown met March 25 at Malmaison at 34th and Water streets for “Talking Traffic, Transportation & Bridges” with the hopes of answering such questions as: “Can traffic congestion ever be reduced in Georgetown? Is there a solution to the nightmarish rush-hour backups on 34th Street? How will repairs on the Pennsylvania Avenue and Key bridges affect us? What happened to the crosstown bus service? And the perennial question: will Georgetown ever get a Metro stop?” CAG’s Christopher Mathews who chairs its transportation committee introduced a trio of experts on the subject.

Allison Davis WMATA, regional planning manager in the office of planning, began by discussing Metro rail service and its benefits: 54 percent of all jobs are half a mile from a station; job growth is four times in neighborhoods with a station.
Davis also noted how expensive rail gets and how long it takes. She spoke of the ambitions in 1960s for a monorail to the newly opened Dulles Airport. Rail, she said, “takes a lot of time.” By 1985, planner got serious about a Metrorail link to the airport. So, she said, it took 29 years for the first rides to begin on the Silver Line that will connect Dulles to downtown. “It is about matching modes and needs,” said Davis, who noted the flexibility of bus service.

As for Georgetown, a Metro subway station is in the future, as in the year 2040. “We’re looking 2040 or beyond,” she said. Long-term commitments are needed from Virginia, Maryland, the feds and the District, she said. She gave a piece of advice on transit choices: “Don’t focus so far in the future.”

Colleen Hawkinson of the District’s Department of Transportation said that it is important to recognize that DDOT not only oversees roads, curbs and trees but also runs the Circulator buses, Capital Bikeshare and the streetcar project on H Street.
Hawkinson said DDOT looks at the “big five,” as it sees them: “pedestrians, bicycles, transit, vehicles and freight. The streetcar has “no fatal flaw” in its system, according to a critical report, she said. Those in vehicles will feel the impact of upcoming projects on Rock Creek Parkway and Canal Road as well as the rehabilitation of Key Bridge.

Will Handsfield, transportation director at the Georgetown Business Improvement District, listed the increasing use of ride services, such as Uber and Lyft. He said that on-demand travel cost can be 30 to 60 percent cheaper and that entrepreneurs were jumping into the transportation sector. Some bus lines were privately run and owners like Leap Line in San Francisco. New companies like Flex Spot were trying to monetize shared parking of homeowners’ driveways. He also said the Bridj, a pop-up bus service, was coming to Washington.

Some of the techie and innovative ideas Handsfield mentioned may take the heat off some systems or streets in the years to come but this day. During the question-and-answer session, residents took their chance to voice frustration about backed-up traffic and potholes in Georgetown, a perennial issue, to be sure – almost as old as the question of what to tie up one’s carriage.

One 34th street resident, Ann Satterthwaite, with her neighbor complained about traffic on 34th street that is snarled from M street north to Q street and sometimes farther. Traffic used to back up later in the week, Satterthwaite said. Now, it is four days at least. A neighbor said his house vibrates with the increased traffic: “I wake up every morning at 5:30 to 7 [a.m.] with the house shaking.” DDOT’s Hawkinson said she would look into traffic signal changes made on M Street by the department in a few months to see if it causes delays up 34th Street. Satterthwaite said one solution would be to divert traffic off 34th Street during rush hour.

Sallie Lewis •

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.

Linnea Kristiansson •

No, it’s not the kind of club you were hoping for. The retail take-over of restaurant space continues. Four years after the Ralph Lauren-owned retailer left town, Club Monaco will return to 3295 M St. NW, an address which once held Rhino Bar & Pumphouse, which closed Feb. 28 after 18 years. The building for decades held a bar, more or less for college kids, such as Winston’s and the Shamrock.

Real estate broker John Asadoorian, who represented the landlord in deal, told the Washington Business Journal that the store is aiming to open by early 2016. The new Club Monaco will mark the brand’s return to greater Washington. The company used to have stores in Georgetown and at Pentagon City.

Club Monaco has changed its approach to casual wear in recent months, adding denim and other trendy styles to its shelves. To boost its rebranding, the company had a pop-up boutique in Noma restaurant — considered one of the best restaurants in the world — in Copenhagen, Denmark. The new location will also give shoppers a view into the preppy revamped appeal of Club Monaco.

Robert Devaney •

For the Washington Nationals, the future is now, as in this season, their 10th anniversary in the nation’s capital. They also announced that Nationals Park would host the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Yes, again the team is tagged to win the World Series, but it lost to the New York Mets, 3-1, in its home opener April 6.

Whether the place to see baseball or to take in a cool baseball social scene, Nationals Park has some new additions — besides the players — that include new Kentucky Bluegrass on the field, the second set of grass since the stadium opened — and food, lots of it, and luxurious stadium boxes.

As if there were not enough to eat taste-test at the stadium on South Capitol Street, new concession concepts include Throwing Cheese, “featuring decadent macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, Virginia Biscuit Company (in May) with ham and friend chicken biscuits. Also expanded is South Capitol Sushi: “After a successful introduction last season, the sushi stand has been relocated to Section 217 in the Norfolk Southern Club. The stand will continue to offer fresh hand-­rolled sushi and seasonal rolls all prepared in-­house.”

There are many fan favorites to choose. For the whole food shebang at Nats Park, click here.

There are other cool add-ons for fans the team reports: “Norfolk Southern and the Nationals have teamed up to build and install an innovative scoreboard, mini?railroad and mural. The train-­themed scoreboard updates in real time by pulling feed directly from the official Nationals scoreboard located in the ballpark.”

Boxes have expanded, too: “Championship Boxes at Club 24, created to attract local business leaders. Club 24 allows companies to conduct business in an intimate, private setting, while enjoying a game at Nationals Park — inspired by the 1924 Washington Senators, the last team to win a World Series for Washington, D.C. Also, due to the high demand for Club 24 boxes, K Street Boxes are currently being constructed and will have identical amenities to Club 24.”

Still, it is about the future for the home team and baseball: the Nationals has donated baseball caps, T-shirts and jerseys to all D.C. Little League and D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation Rookie League players. Approximately 4,500 participants, ranging in age from 4 to 13 years old, will wear Nationals-branded apparel all season. Capitol Hill Little League, at Payne Elementary School, hosted its own Opening Day festivities March 28 with food, games, a “Parade of Teams,” featuring Nationals Racing President Bill Taft, along with several baseball games.

Georgetowner •

Cottage Conversation with Don Doyle and Sidney Blumenthal

April 9th, 2015 at 06:00 PM | $10-$20 | mmartz@savingplaces.org | Tel: 202-688-3735 | Event Website

Join us on Thursday, April 9, as historian Don Doyle, author of “The Cause of All Nations: An International History of the American Civil War,” examines international perspectives of the American Civil War. Dr. Doyle will be joined by Mr. Sidney Blumenthal, a widely-published journalist and former aide to President Clinton, for this program.

Address

Upshur Street at Rock Creek Church Road NW

2015 DC Design House Preview Day

April 11th, 2015 at 12:00 PM | $50 | dcdesignhouse@theloftatai.com | Tel: 301-807-0910 | Event Website

Be the first to see the 2015 DC Design House, a new country estate at 956 Mackall Farm Lane in McLean, VA. This is the 8th Annual DC Design House benefiting Children’s National Health System. The Preview Day offers the first look at the 27 finished spaces, designed by the area’s top interior designers and architects. Chef Bryan Voltaggio will prepare food for the event as well as signed copies of his new book, which will be for sale.

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Address

956 Mackall Farm Lane; McLean, VA 22101

Blessing of the Fleets

April 11th, 2015 at 01:00 PM | Free | mweber@navymemorial.org | Tel: (202) 380-0723 | Event Website

The Blessing of the Fleets ritual is intended to safeguard crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a blessing given by a clergyman at the water’s edge. During the Navy Memorial’s ceremony, sailors from the U.S. Navy’s Ceremonial Guard proceed across the outdoor plaza’s “Granite Sea” to pour water from the Seven Seas and Great Lakes into the surrounding fountains, “charging” them to life and welcoming the spring season.

Address

The United States Navy Memorial; 701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

A Shakespeare Birthday Celebration

April 11th, 2015 at 01:30 PM | Free | julia.strusienski@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-0232 | Event Website

Join the Georgetown Neighborhood Library as we honor the Bard in the month of his birth with a talk by a Folger Shakespeare Library docent and a group reading of the first act of “Hamlet.”

Questions? Interested in participating in the reading? E-mail julia.strusienski@dc.gov

Address

Georgetown Neighborhood Library; 3260 R St. NW

The Hoya 95th Anniversary Gala

April 11th, 2015 at 08:00 PM | gala@thehoya.com

Mark your calendars! The Hoya 95th Anniversary happens on April 11th, and you’re invited to take part in the festivities. Join for a night of fun and excitement.

#TheHoya95th @TheHoyaGala

Address

CITY TAVERN CLUB; 3206 M St NW

Salomé Chamber Orchestra

April 11th, 2015 at 08:00 PM | $35 adults, $30 seniors (65 and up), $30 students | office@dumbartonconcerts.org | Tel: 202-965-2000 | Event Website

Dumbarton Concerts’ season comes to an electrifying close with the Washington debut of Salomé Chamber Orchestra–New York City’s sensual, conductor-less orchestra formed by the three dynamic Carpenter siblings. The program includes Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, showpieces by Alexei Shor, and “La cumparsita”, one of the most famous tangos of all time, by Matos Rodríguez.

Address

3133 Dumbarton St. NW

Victory Road- The World Premiere

April 11th, 2015 at 07:30 PM | $40-45 | dance@bmdc.org | Tel: 703-910-5175 | Event Website](http://www.bmdc.org/victory-road)

Bowen McCauley Dance unites with Jason and The Scorchers to transform their songs into movement. Featuring music from their deep collection, the band joins BMD on stage for an exhilarating performance.

Enjoy an evening with revolutionary artists: The Washington Post named BMD “DC’s premier contemporary dance company” and Rolling Stone Magazine credited Jason and The Scorchers with “rewriting history of rock-n-roll in the South.”

Address

The Kennedy Center Terrace Theater; 2700 F St. NW

Washington Bullets Legends Kevin Grevey & Phil Chenier Team Up to Help the Casey Cares Foundation

April 11th, 2015 at 05:30 PM | Monique@MaroonPR.com | Tel: 443.864.4246 | [Event Website](http://caseycares.org/index.cfm?page=news&id=1240.)

The exclusive event benefiting the Foundation, which provides ongoing, uplifting programs with a special touch to critically ill children and their families, will include a conversation and Q&A session with the former Washington Bullets teammates, who will share insights on basketball’s rich history in the district and their outlook on the Washington Wizards. NBC Sports anchor, Steve Buckhantz is set to emcee the event.

Address

Grevey’s Restaurant & Sports Bar in Falls Church, VA

DC’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry

April 13th, 2015 at 06:00 PM | 120-225 | sdenafo@strength.org | [Event Website](http://ce.nokidhungry.org/events/taste-nation-washington-dc-0)

Residents of our nation’s capital can enjoy the most celebrated food in the DC area on April 13, when DC’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry returns to the historic National Building Museum. The annual tasting event will feature the city’s top chefs, sommeliers and mixologists united for a cause: making sure all children in this country get the healthy food they need, every day. Proceeds from the event benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America.

Address

National Building Museum;401 F Street NW

Upperville Garden Club Daffodil Show

April 14th, 2015 at 02:00 PM | Free | stephybates@aol.com | Tel: 5405927086 | [Event Website](http://www.uppervillegardenclub.org/)

This American Daffodil Society accredited horticultural competition will amaze you. View thousands of daffodils of all sizes, colors, and forms, posed and submitted by amateur daffodil growers. All amateur growers are invited to exhibit. There will also be artistic arrangement divisions to enter.

Address

Buchanan Hall; 8549 John Mosby Highway; Upperville, VA 20185

Caitlin Franz •

A second person was arrested on Wednesday morning in connection with the stabbing death of lawyer David Messerschmitt, who was found dead at the Donovan hotel in Washington, D.C. Feb. 10.

A 19-year-old woman, Dominique Johnson was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Last week, Jamyra Gallmon, 21, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. She allegedly went to his hotel room after answering a Craiglist ad Messerschmitt had placed for a sexual encounter with a man

Gallmon and Johnson were reportedly roommates.

Messerschmitt was found dead Feb. 10 at the Donovan Hotel in a fourth-floor room. He had stab wounds in his abdomen, groin and heart.

According to court documents, Gallmon acknowledged that she intended to rob Messerschmitt, but pulled a knife from her sweatpants, which she used to stab him. She then took his cash and Metro card.

Johnson’s initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court was Thursday, and Gallmon is due in court on Friday.