Latest News

Caitlin Franz • January 29, 2015

A drone about 2 feet in diameter caused a two-hour lockdown at the White House early Monday morning.

The frenzy it created was much larger than the drone itself.

It has come to light that the drone was being operated by an off-duty staff member of a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency He was reportedly intoxicated at the time of the incident and lost control of the drone.

Several emergency vehicles were called to the scene. Secret service officials searched the grounds with flashlights, looking for more flying objects that might have landed on the White House lawn.

The drone was not dangerous—but it’s raising questions about future security problems.

It’s the last thing the White House security staff needs. The storm has finally died down from the fence-hopping intruder, who might as well have waltzed through the front door.

Drones, which can be purchased as glorified toys, are easily equipped with cameras for aerial photography or surveillance.

Photos taken at the White House could pose a privacy threat to the Obama family.

The President and his wife missed the commotion. They are traveling in India. However, his daughters may have been at home. Their location has not been released by White House staff.

Updated Jan. 27 5:35 p.m.

Robert Devaney •

The Fillmore School property, located at 1801 35th St. NW, has been listed for $14 million with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty by seller George Washington University, it was announced last week.

The university acquired the historic schoolhouse and its more than one acre of land last year as part of a deal with the National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, when GW took possession of all Corcoran real estate. The Fillmore space has been used by the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design since it purchased the former D.C. public school in 1998.

In April, TTR Sotheby’s and GW will begin reviewing purchase offers. The Corcoran School will hold classes in the Fillmore building until the end of the spring semester

Here’s what TTR Sotheby’s International Realty writes in its listing for the 35th Street property: “The Fillmore School is a landmark opportunity in Georgetown. Built circa 1893 and named after President Millard Fillmore, the school served as an architectural and educational anchor for the community for more than a century. The all-brick, fully detached structure encompasses nearly 23,000 square feet of finished space on four levels. Notable features include soaring ceilings, double hung windows, a modern elevator and two staircases. The existing building holds tremendous conversion potential, ranging from condominiums or apartments to office or institutional use. The 1.25-acre site offers parking for 100 cars and frontage on 34th and 35th Streets NW. For more information, visit www.Fillmore-School.com.” The listing agent is Michael Brennan, Jr., vice president of TTR Sotheby’s.

Money from the sale of the 35th Street property will go toward renovation — estimated at about $80 million — of the former Corcoran Gallery’s 17th Street building, which will continue to hold classroom and studio spaces for the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design.

Robert Devaney • January 25, 2015

You know it is turning out to be a great day, when . . .

You learn an easier way to FedEx Field from Georgetown by driving straight out Pennsylvania Avenue, moving past the Jericho City of Praise Church — “Jesus Is the Reason for the Season” — and parking close to the stadium entrance.

You get to shake hands with former Redskins defensive end Dexter Manley, known as the “Secretary of Defense,” who still has quite the grip and still signs autographs.

You chat with the team owner’s wife, Tanya Snyder, who stopped by the NFL Fan Style Tour before entering the stadium with her children and friends. Noting the fashion, NFL or otherwise, “I’m wearing Celine,” she said. Asked about any possible name change for the Redskins, she said, “There will be a funeral before that ever happens.” Snyder was certainly charming to all and was sure to give presents to the marines outside the stadium for “Toys for Tots.”

Oh, and best of all — we almost forgot (not really). You know it is turning out to be a great day, when the Washington Redskins beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-24, with an interception in the last minutes of the game, just about smashing the Eagles’ chance for a play-off berth.

The hometown team may be up or down, but fans are always happy to check out new merchandise and play some games. So, that was why the NFL Fan Style Tour stopped at FedEx Field Dec. 20 — and maybe brought the Redskins some good luck — after traveling to different stadiums throughout the 2014 season. That was one of the reasons we went to FedEx Field in the first place.

Setting up next to the FedExField Hall of Fame Store, the NFL Fan Style Tour’s 2,000-square-foot truck showed off this year’s top fashion pieces from NFL Men’s, Women’s and Tweens/Junior’s apparel, as well as NFL Homegating products. The truck included NFL Auction items, a Virtual Dressing Room, a Photo Mosaic, NFL Trivia and EA Madden Gaming Stations, giveaways and special appearances.

Meanwhile, so much more happened. Now, that’s a great Saturday.
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the Georgetowner • January 20, 2015

Art Rave Fashion Friday

January 16, 2015 at 12:00 PM | Free | mgmproductions@funuptofundown.com | Event Website

To kick off the new year, Art Rave is hosting a fashion day with fashion designers & specialized crafters, jewelers, interior design, stylists & beauty care. We have a great indoor venue, located in the lively Shaw – Howard and U Street corridor. Check it out on Friday night.

Address:
651 Florida Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001

Ice Yards at The Yards Park

January 17, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. | Free | shelby@brandlinkdc.com | Event Website

After the success of the popular Splash Yards last summer, The Yards is bringing it back – in ice, with Ice Yards. This free-to-attend, 21-and-over event transforms the park into a winter wonderland complete with ice bars, hot tubs and fire pits. The action-packed days’ activities will include: Ice Bars and Cocktails, Frosty Beer Garden, Adult Snow Cones, Outdoor Fire Pits, Hot Tubs, Ice Sculptures, Interactive Winter-themed Video Games, DJ and Live Music, and much more.

Address:
The Yards Park
355 Water Street SE

Via Umbria Wine Tasting Open House with Chef Simone

January 17, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. | nicole@taapr.com | tel: 202-625-8370 | Website

Join Via Umbria for a guided tasting of Chef Simone’s favorite wines from Montefalco. In addition to leading a sensory tasting, Simone will speak about the role of wine in Umbrian culture, food-wine pairings and the personalities, terroir and varietals that distinguish Umbrian wines.

This tasting will include:
Dionigi Grechetto Colli Martani
DiFilppo Trebbiano Spoletino
Terre Margaratelli Rosso dell’Umbria
Benincasa Montefalco Rosso
Fontecolle Sagrantino
Adanti Sagrantino

Address:
1525 Wisconsin Ave.

Cathedral Sings! Vivaldi’s “Gloria”

January 18, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. | $10 | lsheridan@cathedral.org | tel: 202-537-2228 | Event Website

Join us for a community sing-along of Vivaldi’s Gloria, RV 589. Singers of all abilities welcome. Led by Cathedral Choral Society Music Director J. Reilly Lewis with Todd Fickley at the Great Organ. Soloists: Melissa Mino, soprano; Shantelle Przybylo, soprano and Aleksandra Romano, mezzo from the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at WNO.

Address:
Washington National Cathedral
3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Robert Devaney • January 16, 2015

With love and appreciation, Georgetown leaders gathered on P Street Aug. 16 to thank Timothy Downs for his safety efforts during the reconstruction of O and P Streets on the west side of town as well as years of service to Washington, D.C., and its oldest neighborhood.

Downs, who is battling cancer, is too sick to venture outside his P Street home to meet neighbors, construction workers, business persons, administrators at Georgetown University, members of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, local politicians and the Mayor of Washington, D.C., who wanted to thank him. So, just before noon, they stood in front his house and saluted Downs for his community work.

Perhaps a touch taken aback but happy to see everyone, the humble Downs said, “What did I do?”

Led by the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E and the citizens’ group, where Downs’s wife Barbara served as president a little over 10 years ago, the well-wishers offered a certificate of thanks, which was read by Mayor Vincent Gray:

“As the historic restoration of Georgetown’s O and P Streets nears completion, we recognize and honor Tim Downs for his constructive leadership and engagement in this and many other community projects in Georgetown. With his customary cheerful vigilance and generous spirt, Tim guided the community toward a restoration project for O and P Streets that met the community’s concerns for safe navigation on the streets and sidewalks while at the same time meeting the highest standard of historic preservation. The Georgetown community and the many visitors who come here to enjoy the community will benefit from Tim’s involvement in this restoration project for years to come.”

Gray then remarked one of his executive powers included the ordering of proclamations: “I proclaim today, Aug. 16, 2012, Timothy Downs Day in the District of Columbia.”

It was a scene, both sweet and bittersweet, with a thankful crowd that showed anew what makes Georgetown so special. [gallery ids="100942,130234,130205,130231,130226,130213,130221" nav="thumbs"]

Serafine George •

A woman was sexually assaulted in Glover-Archbold Park just west of Georgetown University’s main campus April 1, said U.S. Park Police who are investigating the crime.
The victim was walking alone when she was assaulted in the area of Foxhall Road and Canal Road at around 8 p.m. The attacker fled on foot after assaulting the victim. The park has a jogging and hiking trail.

Currently, there is no physical description of the attacker, Park Police reported.

During 2012, two sexual assaults took place near Canal Road and the C&O Canal. One woman was attacked on July 25, when jogging along the Capital Crescent trail at 9:15 p.m. Another woman was attacked on July 7, around 1 a.m. near 31st and M Streets, close to the canal.

In 1998, Christina Mirzayan was sexually assaulted and then beaten to death on Canal Road – near where the April 1 crime occurred — when walking home from a dinner with friends. Mirzayan was spending her summer on a science and technology fellowship, now named in her memory, at the National Academy of Sciences.

Her attacker was linked to the assault of nine other women. His attacks became increasingly more violent ending with the killing of Mirzayan. The case remains open.

As for Tuesday’s incident, the Park Police reports that it has increased patrols in the area — and adds: If anyone has any information or believes they saw something that may relate to this incident please contact The USPP Tip Line at 202-610-8737.

Gary Tischler •

About 10 to 14 days ago, maybe even last weekend, and for sure Tuesday and Wednesday, America discovered gay marriage.

That’s not exactly true, of course, since the issue of whether gay couples should be allowed to marry has been around a few years, although not as many as you might think. It’s just that the last week or two seems to have turned the issue—the very existence and fact of it—into a portrait of a rising tide. The media was talking about it—it turns out according to respected polls that for the first time a majority of Americans approve of gay marriage, up considerably from a low 30 percentage or so several years ago. President Barack Obama, who went through what appeared to many a torturous process clearly indicated in his second inaugural address that he saw gay marriage as a civil rights issue and approved of it.

Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announced that she was for gay marriage. Former President Bill Clinton has said as much earlier, even though the Defense of Marriage Act–also known as DOMA–was passed during his administration. At the recent Conservative Political Action Committee gathering, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, once a high profile opponent of gay marriage, announced that he had changed his mind after his son had come out as a gay man.

This week, a whole bunch of people were talking about gay marriage, DOMA, gay rights, California’s Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage, about the rights to federal benefits by gay married couples. They also talked about the enduring power of love and snakes in the garden. Some of the talking was being done in front of the Supreme Court by attorneys, justices and plaintiffs. A lot of it was being done on the steps of the Supreme Court where a host of people had gathered for two days while the court heard arguments, pro and con, about overturning Proposition 8 and about restrictive aspects of DOMA.

On March 26 and 27, a certain kind of street theater was being performed outside the Supreme Court as it always does in this politically divided country when divisive issues are being argued legally here. The pros and cons, the antis and the for-it, the religious right, the liberal left, the principled conservatives, and principled liberals, the flag wavers and the sign-carriers, the young and the old, the rabid and the argumentative, always gather like colorful, visceral and verbal moths to the flame of history—along with tourists startled and pleased at being in the midst of history-making.

During these two days, there was a prevalence of couples—traditional man-woman couples and their children, not-traditional woman-woman couples and man-man couples, some of them also accompanied by their children. On the first day’s arguments, the divide seemed about as equal as it exists across the country, while the judges heard arguments for overturning and/or keeping Proposition 8 in place. The hard-line folks from a Topeka, Kan., Baptist congregation were there, taking a rest from demonstrating near military funeral sites but so were numerous couples, some of them long-married, having had to do so in Canada. The atmosphere, by written and video accounts, were often argumentative and loud.

On Wednesday, after judges had already seemed reluctant to initiate wholesale rulings on either subjects and often sounded reluctant to be in the position of making rulings on them, the atmosphere in front of the Supreme Court had changed. There were fewer people for one thing, and the arguments were fewer. The hard-liners, the shrill voices on either side seemed to have left. There was one man across the street waving a bible, acknowledging his sins, raging against reprobates, talking about Adam and Eve, quoting scriptures, even as he was argued with—and been heckled by—a group of young persons, some of whom surrounded him and yelled, “Take a picture of the freaks.”

Celebration seemed to be in the air more often than not. A woman weaved and bobbed through the crowd while her spouse held up a sign that read, “Equality Is Patriotic.” “Seven years and not a single person harmed,” she said.

Signed proliferated amid the gathering, most of them celebratory, urgent and insistent: “A Veteran for Everyone’s Rights,” “It’s Time For Marriage Equality,” “Equality Now,” “Blame My Straight Mother: she gave birth to a bi-sexual daughter,” “Equal Rights for all the Sexes,” “Devoted, Monogamous and Living in Faith,” “Love is Love” (by Stephen and John, married for 25 years) and “We’re Not Done Yet,” this sign by a student with an intensely celebratory, rambunctious group from American University.

A couple carried a bright sign that read, “The Young Are at the Gates.” They explained that it was a replica of a banner carried at a Susan B. Anthony demonstration for women’s right to vote.

“It’s a blessing,” one woman, said. “It’s inspiring to be here.” Valerie Brookhart, who is married to Army Major Savannah Brookhart, was here with her children, wide-eyed, one-year-old Aleks and three-year-old Charlie. “As DOMA stands, right now I’m not eligible for benefits should anything happen, and that’s just not fair.” The couple have been together for four years. Her spouse has served two tours in Iraq.

Another woman, who had managed to get into the hearing for “about five minutes,” said, “It was difficult to hear what was going on, but it sounded like some of the judges were unhappy to have the cases in front of them. “

We also saw activists Kesh Ladduwahetty, founder of Arts for Activists and First Amendment activist Mary Beth Tinker, who said she was here “to support equality.” “It’s amazing in some ways the rapid change that has occurred,” Tinker said. Tinker was part of a Supreme Court case with her brother and other students who wore black armbands to school in Des Moines, Iowa, protesting the Viet Nam war. They were banned from their school for refusing to take the armbands off. It became a Supreme Court case on free speech with the court ruling in the students favor.

It was a bright, cold morning, full of energy and speeches. Even opponents of circumcision showed up, dressed in white. A line of attorneys emerged from the court, walking down the steps, after the close of testimony, and the crowds cheered. “You don’t hear lawyers being cheered every day,” said one impressed spectator.

There was no decision, that day, only the reading of the runes by the media. It awaits a later day, probably in June. But it was also clear that something had changed in the country and that the mainstream, once easily recognizable, was becoming an even bigger coat of more and many colors.

Visit Elvert Barnes PROTEST PHOTOGRAPHY docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/protestphotography [gallery ids="101221,145132" nav="thumbs"]

Gary Tischler •

In the city we live, history gives us a kiss, soft, whispery and insistent almost every first-cup-of-coffee regular day. It is a subtext to our daily life in ways that do not exist anywhere else in the United States.

So, on a Thursday morning, like any other June 28—already dubbed historic at the break of day—you walk down the street like anybody else, chat with an old friend back in town, say hello to the French-Canadian woman and her four-year-old daughter on the way to the day care center, wave to the folks at Joseph’s House and watch the fire truck pull out of the station house, see the young men plugged in abd wearing ties, the professional young women with their damp hair on the bus and flinch at the soreness in your knee, wondering if it counts as a pre-existing condition.

On this day, unlike the day before, it’s a concern. It’s an ordinary day in your Adams Morgan-Lanier Heights neighborhood, heat rising, cats and dogs on the move, kids off to school, and the connector bus turning the corner from Columbia Road to Calvert Street on its way to the Woodley Park Metro Station, but it’s anything but ordinary at the Supreme Court of the United States on Capitol Hill. Up here, history doesn’t just give you a buzz on the check, a peck-peck, Italian-style, it’s a full-blown smack on the lips, a suffocating as well as exhilarating full bear hug.

This day was the day that Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed by the president in March 2010) would meet its fate at the hands of the Supreme Court which would hand down a decision on the constitutionality of the bill’s most high-profile, and controversial, mandate forcing Americans to buy health insurance and imposing a penalty if they did not. Most experts in the days leading up to this decision agreed that if the mandate were declared unconstitutional, the rest of the bill would likely be in tatters or even not be upheld at all, including a popular pre-existing illness coverage portion. The rune-readers had also predicted that if the bill would be saved in any way, it would be swing-vote Justice Paul Kennedy who would provide the difference-making vote, as he usually does in any 5-4 decision between hard-to-the-right and hard-to-the-left.

By 9 a.m., all the usual suspects were there: Walt Whitman’s tumultuous crowd of Americans, the pro-life folks, some in strident dark, one dressed in a death-devil cold mask, belly dancers who were part of a logical-pragmatic-sounding group in favor of single-payer health care and doctors. They opposed the mandate but wanted everything else left, according to Kevin Zeese of Baltimore. His cause was helped by the ladies in red, Jennifer Carpenter and Adele Singer from Berkeley Springs, Va.

A priest was marching toward the gathering hundreds, maybe even a thousand, in front of the white-columned Supreme Court on First Street, NE. A young man was warning him that a local reporter who had questioned him before might be there. “You stay at my side at all times,” the priest said. “Keep me from saying anything stupid.”

I don’t know what happened to the priest, but every reporter in the world seemed to be there, including a sweating thin man whispering excitedly into a microphone in Spanish, every other word “Obamacare”. There were doctors dressed up in white, on both sides of the issue. “I’m interested in single care,” one doctor said. “But I’ll tell you I have idea what’s going to happen. None whatsoever.” A young medical student from Georgetown University Medical Center was there to “support the bill.” “I’m hopeful,” she said. “Very hopeful.” Her dog Ellie was also there, doing her bit.

Before the announcement — and few people seemed to know how it would be made — competing and middle groups abounded. You could hear banging drums, the honking of horns, chanting for or against Obamacare, for women’s health, or against pro-choice and religious groups hostile to Planned Parenthood. One member sported a sign: “Keep your rosaries off my ovaries.” A poet, no doubt. “We are individual citizens,” said one young man from New Mexico, but deserted me when he found out I worked for a newspaper.

You found young people all over place, articulate, raccous, loud, smart as nails, opiniated, really noisy and to the point. Alex Mizenko, from Tom’s River, N.J., was a George Washington University student who majors in public health policy and minors in political science and constitutional law. He figured to be somebody good to talk with. “This bill is the president’s signature bill,” he said. “If they uphold it, it’s law. It’s not a perfect bill, or the best bill, but it’s a start. So here they are talking about repealing it before it’s uphold. It’s a start, and you can’t really go back. They might shoot down the mandate; they might not uphold it. I hope they do.”

And so it went—a group of young and not so young conservatives made their political points—“People forget…this is a republic, we are citizens of a Republic not a Democracy.”

You couldn’t tell by the crowd, which was huge, diverse, young and old, undisciplined and passionate. The general feeling—from people on both or all sides of the issues—was a suspenseful feeling of not-quite-certainty.

“We’re bold progressives,” said Sophie Vick, who had worked on foreclosure defenses. Her friend, Rob Wohl, a tall, gangly curly-haired supporter of Obamacare stuck up a fist at a “Repeal It” sign.

In front of us, as we spoke, someone yelled, “The press guys are coming down.” There were boos coming from the right-to-life group. And then cheers arose from the “Support Obamacare” group. “What are they booing about?” Wohl asked. Suddenly, the crowd parted in front of me as NBC News Supreme Court reporter Pete Williams plunged through. “What happened, what happened?” we yelled at him. “Upheld, upheld, gotta go, gotta go,” he responded and went.

In that moment, the couple in front of me and their friends looked like they’d been poleaxed. People were checking their cell phones all around them, either texting, tweeting or squinting to read the confirmation. “Oh, man, oh, man,” someone kept saying. “So Kennedy got it done,” somebody said. “No, man, it was Roberts, Chief Justice Roberts,” another person said. “Are you s——g me?” almost everybody said.

Bit by bit, the ruling flashed through the crowds like crumbs from above. And soon enough, if you need to be sure that it had happened, you could hear the at once strident and somber voice of Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). “This is a sad day for America. … Democracy died today. … You can be assured that this congress will repeal this decision.”

Suddenly, the forces for the rule of law were saying that, well, they didn’t like the rule of law. As if by magic, “Repeal Obamacare” signs popped up all over.

Others were giddy from cheering, beaming. That was true for Jan Studer and Kristi Milan who had traveled from Idaho just to be here. “This is so exciting, just to be here in the middle of history like this, “ Studer said. “It’s a great day for all Americans, for freedom itself.”

It was left for newsies, for presidents, congressmen and women, for would-be-presidents to sort out the meaning of it all, the intricacies of the bill—all several thousand pages of it—and the ruling—almost 200 pages of it with dissents, and the political leverage, indicators and advantages gained and lost. It’s plain at first plush that the fact that Roberts called the mandate a “tax, and therefore constitutional” will provide grist for the GOP mill and that just as plain is the fact that the president had a win and could explain it all to you and us over the remainder of the campaign.

As for the rest, we had stood, for an hour or so, locked blissfully in the embrace of history as you can do only in this federal city. Exhilarated and exhausted, we returned to the street with the fireplace, the hospice, the kids in day care, the cat prowling and the garden hose spraying. It looked pretty much the same. [gallery ids="100880,127502,127485,127497,127493" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Gala Auction- Metamo’rphosis I.

April 4th, 2013 at 06:00 PM | 100.00 | Tel: (202) 337-2288 | Event Website

The Ladies of the Dumbarton House Board and International Club of D.C. cordially invite you for an evening of music, food and cocktails with live and silent auctions featuring the one-of-a-kind commissioned pieces currently on exhibition in the museum.

Business/cocktail attire suggested

Proceeds from the auctions will go toward Dumbarton House’s preservation efforts.

Address

Dumbarton House; 2715 Q Street, NW

Bowen McCauley Dance: An Evening of Dance & Music, April 5 & 6

April 5th, 2013 at 07:30 PM | $36-40 | dance@bmdc.org | Tel: 800-444-1324 or 202-467-4600 | Event Website

In keeping with her commitment to collaborations and live music, Lucy Bowen McCauley brings together artistic partners Alan Paul of Shakespeare Theatre, the Witkowski Piano Duo, Italian virtuoso saxophonist Gaetano DiBacco, and a host of accomplished musicians. The company performs to musical works by Igor Stravinsky, Patrick Soluri, Larry Alan Smith, and Paule Maurice.

Individual concert-only tickets are $40 and can be ordered online or by calling the BMD Office at 703-910-5175.

Address

2700 F Street, NW

AARP DC

April 5th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | Tel: 202-434-7711 | Event Website

Senior DC residents and council members are invited to join the discussion of ways to make DC more age-friendly. Featuring AARP DC State President, Mercy Morganfield, AARP Board of Directors member, Diane Pratt and council members.

Address

John A Wilson Building; 1350 Penn. Ave NW; Ground Floor Atrium

2013 Capital Art Fair

April 6th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | $10 a person | rnewman@capitalartprintfair.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818 | Event Website

Held at the Holiday Inn-Rosslyn Westpark Hotel in Alexandria, VA, the 2013 Capital Art Fair will bring over 25 established art dealers to the Washington, D.C. area. Visitors to the fair will find thousands of works on paper for sale, from great master prints to cutting edge, contemporary pieces. The fair is located just a block away from the Rosslyn Metro stop on the Orange and Blue Lines. Fair hours are as follows: Saturday, April 6, from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday, April 7 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Address

The Holiday Inn-Rosslyn Westpark Hotel; 1900 North Fort Meyer Drive; Alexandria, VA 22209

Drink the District: Wine Edition

April 6th, 2013 at 12:00 PM | Presale: 30. Regular: 39. Door: 50. | jake@drinkthedistrict.com | Tel: 304-280-6530 | Event Website

Drink the District: Wine Edition is a celebration of the world’s favorite fermented drink on Saturday, April 6th from 12-4 PM and 5-9 PM at Yards Park. Guests will enjoy unlimited tastings and full pours of over 100 wines with access to games, food trucks and and plenty of like-minded wine lovers on site. Tickets can be purchased now for $30 or $50 at the door. For more information, go to www.drinkthedistrict.com.

Address

East Lawn at Yard’s Park; 355 Water St SE Washington, District of Columbia 20003

Marina – A Spanish Romantic Opera by Emilio Arrieta

April 6th, 2013 at 08:00 PM | $ 40 (General admission), $25 (Seniors), $ 23 (Students) | teatroliricodc@aol.com | Tel: 202-360-3514 | Event Website

Award-winning tenor Javier Bernardo of Chicago Lyric Opera stars in Emilio Arrieta’s 1887 opera “Marina”, staged by Teatro Lirico of DC. Set in a Mediterranean fishing village, the composer’s grand tale of true love between an orphan girl and a ship’s captain much delayed by misunderstanding is one of the most beloved bel canto works of the canon. Sung in Spanish, with English supertitles, “Marina” also features baritone Jose Sacin, soprano Callie Schlegel and the chorus.

Address

Casa Italiana. 595 1/2 Third Street, NW – Washington, DC 20001 (Metro: Judiciary Square)

UPPERVILLE GARDEN CLUB 50th ANNIVERSARY DAFFODIL SHOW

April 9th, 2013 at 02:00 PM | Free | patilu222@aol.com | Tel: 540-687-5229

Come and enjoy the beauty of hundreds of golden daffodils and join us for tea at our Golden Anniversary show! This is an American Daffodil Society accredited horticulture competition. It also includes beautiful artistic arrangements entered by individuals and various garden clubs. All amateur growers are invited to exhibit and enjoy the competition. The Public is invited to enjoy the beauty of the show and join us for tea.

Address

Buchanan Hall; 8549 John Mosby Hwy; Upperville, VA

French Fete at M29 LIFESTYLE

April 13th, 2013 at 11:00 AM | FREE | M29@fourseasons.com | Tel: 202 295 2829

A party hosted by M29 Lifestyle and Alliance Francaise with patisseries and crepes courtesy of PAUL and Cafe Bonapart! Parents will discover treasures galore in the store while children enjoy a storytelling hour, puppet show and activities in and outdoors.

All guest can enter to wine one or two Kiki & Coco in Pairs books or a $25 gift card. Drawing takes place at 3 PM.

Complimentary valet parking at Four Seasons Hotel with store purchase of $50 or more.

RSVP at M29@fourseasons.com

Address

M29 Lifestyle; 2800 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Robert Devaney •

A Georgetowner newspaper tradition for decades, the naming of Georgetowners of the Year for 2012 focuses on a citizen, business persons and a city institution. Each year may cite one person, several or an entire group. For 2012, we select Jennifer Altemus for her work at the Citizens Association of Georgetown; restaurateurs Tony Cibel and Greg Casten for their commitment to stay and rebuild at Washington Harbour; the chic Four Seasons Hotel, ever improving, as a Georgetown institution.

Jennifer Altemus
Since 2009, Jennifer Altemus has been president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown and headed the town’s premier neighborhood group, which endeavors to protect, preserve and beautify Georgetown on many levels.

Altemus, who lives in Georgetown and also graduated from Georgetown University, hails from Bethesda. An event management expert, she works at the Library of Congress. Her energy, intelligence and charisma has amped up the neighborhood group’s image as surely as those traits helped her deal with representatives of Georgetown University, which worked with CAG and other groups to find common ground and agreement on its campus plan, a huge years-old struggle.

Tracing its civic roots to 1878, CAG has a full range of services and programs that keep Georgetown functioning on a high level: an oral history project, a local artist gallery show, timely discussions on such subjects as real estate, social media, the CIA and the Redskins, concerts in Volta or Rose Park and other benefits — and who does not love dancing at its annual glitzy gala? CAG is also involved in public safety, zoning issues and tree planting. The list goes on. Altemus knows that all could not be done without the work of CAG executive director Betsy Cooley, its superlative board of directors and many volunteers.

Altemus’s drive and presence have taken CAG itself to a new level. For such accomplishments — above and beyond — Jennifer Altemus is Georgetowner of the Year for 2012.

Tony Cibel and Greg Casten
After the damaging April 2011 flood, when things looked bad, the anchor restaurants of Washington Harbour on the Potomac — Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place and Nick’s Riverside Grill — came back strong this fall. There were grand re-openings for both popular river-viewing spots and a 25th anniversary party for Tony & Joe’s, to boot, with many old fans in attendance, including the likes of Sonny Jurgensen and Marion Barry. The newly opened ice rink, is a smash hit.

Native Washingtonian Tony Cibel, patriarch of the family business which has included the Dancing Crab, Nick’s Riverside Grille, Kaufmanns Tavern, Cabanas and the Rockfish, committed to a $4-million reconstruction with nephew partner Greg Casten, who always seems to be on the job, as well as Dean Cibel and Nick Cibel. Casten also heads up ProFish, one of D.C.’s largest seafood wholesalers.

With its great re-design, Tony & Joes has set the culinary bar higher with its new executive chef David Stein. They stayed the course and made their eateries shine anew for newer fans. For such accomplishments — above and beyond — Tony Cibel and Greg Casten are Georgetowners of the Year for 2012

The Four Seasons Hotel
Since 1979, the Four Seasons, an AAA 5-star luxury hotel, has stood at the eastern gateway of Georgetown. Its very name evokes cool chic and the possibility of seeing a head of state, actor or rock star. The 222-room hotel was refurbished in 2005 at a cost of $40 million and again in 2009 for $40 million — and just last year renovated its famed breakfast and lunch-only restaurant for a cool million. For 2013, a $2-million renovation is underway for the spa rooms and event space, and the Eno Wine Bar is under construction. The Bourbon Steak restaurant under award-winning chef Michael Mina hosted for the Obamas for their wedding anniversary dinner last year.

The Four Seasons hosts three major fundraisers for cancer research: Drive Fore the Cure golf tournament, Sprint Four the Cure run and Georgetown Jingle Christmas parties. These events have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hotel general manager Dirk Burghartz, hotel manager Yvette Thomas-Henry and chief concierge Javier Loureiro, along with the hotel’s entire staff deserves praise for its work and its commitment to Georgetown and the Washington community. For such accomplishments — above and beyond — the Four Seasons Hotel is a Georgetowner of the Year for 2012 [gallery ids="101122,139567,139562,139558" nav="thumbs"]