Annette Funicello: ‘America’s Sweetheart’
• May 23, 2013

There are some news items that just stop you short and take you back.

Annette Funicello has died at the age of 70 from complications of multiple sclerosis. That just doesn’t seem right. Who knew Annette Funicello was 70?

Who knew Mouseketeers could pass away?

Annette Funicello was, it’s fair to say the most famous of all the Mouseketeers, which included Cheryl and Cubby and Karen and Doreen and head Mouse man Jimmy. For a generation of people who were adolescents in the mid-1950s, a time when Walt Disney had ventured into television with his own nighttime show, he invented the Mickey Mouse Club which aired right before supper (and probably put a dent into “It’s Howdy Doody Time” for younger children) in American households all across the land.

Funicello had talent—she took lessons in everything, including singing, dancing and acting. Her appeal was to look very pretty and remain wholesome at the same because the show’s and her audience was pre-teeners to early teens which were nothing like the know-about-everything counterparts today. They had fan magazines, they had television and movies. They had the beginnings of rock and roll.

Girls and young boys watched the shows—but the minute you went out for football, you stopped watching because, well, it was “The Mickey Mouse Cub” for God’s sake. How weenie can you get? You watched “American Bandstand” instead where you could learn the hand jive or jitterbug and the girls from Philly looked a lot older than the girls in your small town home room.

Funicello had a number of hit singles, including “Tall Paul,” “O Dio Mio,” “First Name Initial” and “Blame It on the Bossa Nova,” and starred in a number of Disney vehicles including “Babes in Toyland.” Her career took a step toward iconic when she and Frankie Avalon starred in as series of serenely innocent beach movies in which her navel—show it, not show it—became an object of much fan discussion. The films, made by Roger Corman at low budget American International, nevertheless stayed in the public memory: “Beach Party,” “Beach Blanket Bingo” and “How to Stuff a Wild Bikini.” It was innocent and very entertaining stuff by any standard.

She had been suffering from MS at a debilitating pace and, according to reports, had been in a MS coma for some time.

Frankie Avalon and Paul Anka, who wrote some of her songs, mourned her passing as did Britney Spears, also an alum of the Disney factory.

We’re going to miss you, Annette. Why? Because we liked you.

Weekend Round Up May 16, 2013
•

Capital Collections Estate Auction

May 17th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | Free | info@weschlers.com | Tel: 202-628-1281 | Event Website

Capital Collections Estate Auctions are held approximately six times a year and combine American & European furniture & decorations, Asian works of art, jewelry, coins & watches, paintings, prints, drawings & sculpture and 20th century decorative arts. The auctions are held on Fridays and are available for exhibit the Saturday prior to the sale through Thursday.

An illustrated catalogue accompanies each sale and is available for purchase and online viewing at www.weschlers.com

Address

909 E Street NW

Concert for Life

May 17th, 2013 at 08:00 PM | $25.00 | carderdp@aol.com | Tel: 703-915-1889 | Event Website](http://www.concertforlife.org/)

The 20th Concert for Life AIDS benefit will be held at 8:00 PM on Friday, May 17, at Foundry United Methodist Church, 1500 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036. This year’s theme will be “Looking Back, Living Forward.”

100% of the proceeds from this all-volunteer, non-sectarian concert will go to beneficiary organizations that help people living with HIV/AIDS. Tickets are available at the door or online at www.concertforlife.org – Concert $25, Concert/Reception $75.

Address

Foundry United Methodist Church; 1500 16th Street NW

DC Shorts Laughs – Short Comedy Films and Stand-Up Comedy All in One Night

May 17th, 2013 at 07:00 PM | $15-$25 | lgross@scottcircle.com | Tel: 202-393-4266 | [Event Website](http://laughs.dcshorts.com/)

Summer is so close – so get ready for the giddy times ahead with some of the DC Short’s favorite comedy films – and live performances by the area’s top stand-up comedians from the famed Funniest Feds competition.

Address

U.S. Navy Memorial Heritage Center – Burke Theater, 701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; Washington, DC 20001

Coldwell Banker & Operation Paws for Homes to Host a Pet Adoption Event

May 18th, 2013 at 12:00 PM | mnute@cbmove.com | Tel: 202-333-6100 | [Event Website](http://w.ophrescue.com/#ld)

OPH anticipates bringing a wide variety of dog breeds and ages… even puppies. Visit OPH’s “Adoptable Dogs” section on their website www.ophrescue.org . During our last three events a total of over 35 dogs were placed in their forever homes. With your help we can make this event even more successful.
We hope that you will come to our meet and greet with the pets and visit with volunteers from Operation Paws for Homes and a group of Coldwell Banker’s very own pet friendly agents.
Address

Georgetown Washington Harbour, 3000 K Street, NW, Suite 101

Music on the Lawn – Whitsunday

May 19th, 2013 at 12:00 PM | Free | office@gracedc.org | Tel: 202-333-7100 | Event Website](http://gracedc.org/news/upcoming.php)

Local musicians Herman Burney and Marshall Keys will be entertaining us with their bluesy jazz! Please join us and feel free to bring a picnic lunch. We’ll also have cake and festive drinks to help celebrate Whitsunday, which is considered to the birthday of the church.

Address

Grace Episcopal Church, Georgetown; 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW

Seven Hills Wine Dinner at Blue Duck Tavern

May 20th, 2013 at 07:30 PM | $145, plus tax & gratuity | marvina.williams@hyatt.com | Tel: 2024196755 | Event Website](http://www.blueducktavern.com/gallery/blueduck/index.html?icamp=blueducktavernredirect)

Join Executive Chef Sebastien Archambault & Chef de Cuisine John Melfi for an intimate, four-course dinner with Erik McLaughlin of Seven Hills Winery, one of the pioneering wineries in Washington State.

Wines to be poured include:

Seven Hills Riesling

Seven Hills Merlot

Seven Hills Cabernet

Plus, two single-varietal library selections

Address

Blue Duck Tavern; 1201 24th Street NW

Another Commencement Weekend in Washington
•

It’s another commencement weekend in Washington which may (or may not) supply some relief from the scandals–the IRS, Benghazi, the AP–and sports woes–the Caps, the sliding Nationals, not living up to expectations. As for extra neighborhood traffic, we can’t help you with that.

At Georgetown University, a host of distinguished speakers—from Nobel Prize winners, to heads of state to high government officials, will send graduates from the various schools—from college to foreign service and graduate school—off to a brighter future over a four-day series of commencement events that ends Sunday.

George Washington University may not a host of speakers but does have one who’s got a little bit of star power and dazzle. That would be one Kerry Washington, B. A., GWU class of ’98, who graduated from the university magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa and has previously served as on the university’s board of trustees. Washington will be the main speaker at GWU commencement ceremonies on the National Mall on Sunday.

Lest we forget Washington’s acting career has gone into the kind of warp drive which has become both ubiquitous and deserved. In films, she recently starred as Broomhilda von Schaft in Quentin Tarrentino’s unique take on slavery “Djano Unchained,” with Jamie Foxx, with whom she performed with in “Ray,” for which she won an NAACP image award. She is also currently wowing network television in the Washington-based series “Scandal,” in which she is the first African American woman to headline a network TV show since 1974.

Georgetown University holds graduation ceremonies for each of its undergraduate and professional schools as well as award celebrations on campus, beginning today and ending Sunday.

“Our commencement speakers this year are extraordinary individuals, representing the highest levels of excellence in a diverse array of fields—from public service to public health, education, economics and humanitarian endeavors,” said Georgetown University president John DeGioia. “By sharing their experience and wisdom, they offer inspirations to our students who are themselves at this moment in their lives, envisioning the impact they can make in our world.

Here’s a list of speakesr at the various events and schools:

Lt. General David H. Huntoon Jr, Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, at the Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, Friday at Gaston Hall.

Eric Maskin, Adams University Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Healy Lawn Friday, .

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, Georgetown Public Policy Institute Awards Ceremony, Friday at the Leavey Center Ballroom.

Mauro L. I. Viera, Ambassador of Brazil to the U.S., McDonough School of Business at Healy Lawn, Friday.

Gerald M. “Jerry” DeFrancisco, President of Humanitarian Services for the American Red Cross, for School of Continuing Studies at Healy Lawn, Friday.

Marc Grossman, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Master of Science in Foreign Service Awards Ceremony, Gaston Hall, Friday.

Lisa J. Shannon, Founder of Run for Congo Women and a Thousand Sisters Campaign, , Saturday, Healy Lawn for Doctor of Human Letters, College of Arts and Science.

Dir. Lisa Simpson, President and CEO, Academy Health , School of Nursing and Health Studies, Healy Lawn, Saturday.

Dalia Grybauskaite, President of the Republic of Lithuania, School of Foreign Service, Saturday, Healy Lawn.

William M. Cowan, U.S. Senator representing Massachusetts, McDonough School of Business, Saturday,

(For all George Washington University and Georgetown University activities, times and details go to the schools’ websites — gwu.edu and georgetown.edu.l)

Washington Cathedral Wins Preservation Vote
• May 22, 2013

The Washington National Cathedral was the top vote-getter in the Partners in Preservation contest, sponsored by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It won a $100,000 grant. Coming in a close second, George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate will also receive $100,000. Partners in Preservation will issue grants to other historic places in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

“We are overjoyed by this vote of support for our restoration efforts,” said the Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean of Washington National Cathedral. “This money will be put to good use restoring this incredible structure that has been entrusted to us by the American people. The generosity that American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have shown is equaled only by the remarkable work they have done calling attention to the critical preservation projects that are in need of support across the region. Our success is made greater by the knowledge that many other competitors will also be able to move forward with their projects.”

The cathedral will use the money to repair the vault of the nave, which is now shrouded with netting to catch any fragments loosened by the August 2011 earthquake. Mount Vernon plans to use the grant to restore George Washington’s large dining room.

“The National Cathedral is one of the most prominent landmarks in a city full of iconic buildings, and it is a huge contributor to our crucial tourism industry,” said Mayor Vincent Gray. “Moreover, the building is not only historic and beautiful but a gathering place for people of all races, backgrounds and faiths and a setting for scores of concerts, speeches and dozens of other cultural events throughout the year. I’m thankful to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, American Express and the voting public for the funding to help restore this gorgeous space to its pre-earthquake grandeur.”

Other grant winners in the District — with prizes ranging from $90,000 to $50,000 — included Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Congressional Cemetery, All Souls Church Unitarian, the Carter G. Woodson National Historic Site, the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue and Meridian Hill Park and the Gala Hispanic Theatre at the Tivoli.

While Georgetown’s Heyden Observatory at Georgetown University and Abner Cloud House at the C&O Canal got consolation prizes of $5,000, its Dumbarton Oaks Park on R Street will receive $50,000, which the Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy plans to use to repair the garden’s original built structures including viewing platform, stone houses and retaining wall.
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Record-Breaking Georgetown Garden Tour Sells Out
• May 16, 2013

We know Georgetown loves its homes and trees. Now, we know for sure that it loves its gardens just as much, if not more.

The 85th annual Georgetown Garden Tour began to run out of tickets May 11 as neighbors and visitors kept up a steady stream as they went to Christ Church to check in and then to Georgetown back and side yards. Tour volunteers had to write on some tour tickers, “admission for two.”

Although the weather forecast was mixed, the day got busier and warmer with more than 700 tickets sold, a record for the garden tour.

Lovers of horticulture and design had the chance to see seven unique private gardens as well as 27-acre Dumbarton Oaks Park — “America’s Secret Garden” — on R Street.

On Monday, May 13, it was announced by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation that the Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy would receive a $50,000 grant to repair the garden’s original built structures including viewing platform, stone houses and retaining wall, as part of Partners in Preservation’s multi-million-dollar commitment to preservation.

The tour included gardens that featured spring foliage and a palette of flowering trees, shrubs and perennials as well as the contemporary sculptures in a garden of an R Street home. Aligned with Georgetown’s history and the neighborhood’s close quarters, each garden displayed its own sense of privacy and peace.

All proceeds from the Georgetown Garden Tour will go to the preservation of the historic parks, public spaces, and tree-lined streets of Georgetown, the garden club said.

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Weekend Round Up May 9, 2013
• May 13, 2013

Opening Reception: Poetic Visions artworks by Brenda Kingery

May 10, 6 p.m. | FREE | gallery@callowayart.com | Tel: 202-965-4601 | Event Website

Kingery’s paintings have been described as Narrative Symbolism. Her work depicts a shared history of indigenous cultures, filled with life, movement and memories in a series of patterns that can almost be described as visual tapestries. Kingery was appointed in 2007 by the President of the United States to board of trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Native Alaskans in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Address

1643 Wisconsin Ave NW

85th Annual Georgetown Garden Tour

May 11, 10 a.m. | 35 | Event Website

Georgetown’s most intriguing gardens, open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The tour is presented each year by the Georgetown Garden Club. It is supported by the generous contributions of neighbors and local merchants and benefits local environmental and beautification projects. Christ Church, 31st and O Streets NW, will serve as headquarters for the tour. Included in the $35 ticket price is an afternoon tea served, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Keith Hall, Christ Church.

Address

Christ Church, 31st and O Streets NW

Copperthite Donation at Library

May 11, 2 p.m. | Event Website](http://www.cocopieco.com/)

Pie reception and donation of 1913 landmark photograph to Georgetown Public Library’s Peabody Collection on the occasion the 125th anniversary of the Connecticut-Copperthite Pie Baking Company; 3260 R St., N.W.

Address

Georgetown Library, 3260 R St., N.W.

The Castleton Festival’s Annual Viva La Musica Gala

May 11, 6:30 p.m. | $500 | BoxOffice@castletonfestival.org | Tel: 1-866-974-0767 | [Event Website](http://www.castletonfestival.org/)

The Castleton Festival’s annual Viva La Musica Gala, a benefit performance, silent auction and dinner, supports Maestro Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Artists Training Seminar (C.A.T.S.), a rigorous, credit-earning, eight-week program where promising young artists attend classes and coaching with professional artists, gaining invaluable artistic experience. This year’s gala will feature Grammy winner Susan Graham, accomplished pianist Alessandro Taverna and a special appearance by the US Army Chorus.

Address

Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington, 1700 H Street NW

Shortcut to Europe: European Union Embassies’ Open House

May 11, 10 a.m. | Free | emily@pivotpointcom.com | [Event Website](http://passportdc.org/)

Enjoy authentic music, dance, food, film, and art from 28 distinctive nations along with a rare behind-the-scenes look into the European Union embassies. Complimentary shuttle buses transport visitors along the embassy routes. Participating embassies include: Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Slovakia, and Sweden. Admission is free, no reservations required, and complimentary shuttle service is provided.

Washington, DC and surrounding neighborhoods

Dumbarton House: An Ice Cream Sunday

May 12, 1 p.m. | $6 per child or adult and free for NSCDA and Dumbarton House members | education@DumbartonHouse.org | Tel: 202.337.2288 | [Event Website](http://icecreamsundaymay.eventbrite.com/#)

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m, bring the family to make your own ice cream treats as well as sample an ice cream flavor popular during the Federal period at Dumbarton House. End your visit with a tour of Dumbarton House to learn about the history of early Georgetown First Lady Dolley Madison, a visitor to the historic home, who first popularized ice cream in America when she served it at the White House. Admission is $6 per child or adult and free for NSCDA and Dumbarton House members.

Address

2715 Q Street, NW

Armed Robbery Outside CVS; ‘Robbery Snatch’ on M Street
• May 9, 2013

An armed robbery occurred in the CVS parking lot at 1403 Wisconsin Ave., NW, April 30 before 5 p.m. The D.C. text alert indicated that the armed suspect was wearing a black mask and jeans; seen leaving in white car, going north on Wisconsin Avenue. On May 2, another crime alert just after noon: robbery snatch on the 3000 block of M Street at 11:52 a.m.; “wearing a green jacket, blue jacket,” if that helps.

Partners in Preservation: Vote Now
•

You can vote through May 10. Partners in Preservation invites the public to visit www.PartnersinPreservation.com to help their favorite historic place earn points by voting online and via mobile, sharing with friends via Twitter, checking in on Foursquare and capturing images using Instagram. The historic place that receives the most points is guaranteed full funding of its preservation project. Full details on the program terms and how to earn points for historic places can be found at www.PartnersinPreservation.com.

At the end of the program, a Partners in Preservation advisory committee comprised of Washington-area civic and preservation leaders will recommend how the remainder of the preservation grants will be awarded. The three Georgetown spots are Abner Cloud House at the C&O Canal, Dumbarton Oaks Park on R Street and Heyden Observatory at Georgetown University

O & P Street Project Wins Award
•

The District Department of Transportation and its O and P Street Project has run the Mayor’s Historic Preservation Award. Pamla Moore, CAG’s chair of the historic preservation committee, sought and received the ANC’s support to nominate DDOT for the award in November. The ANC agreed with CAG that the project was a “model of rehabilitation and restoration. . . . DDOT was continuously cooperative with the community and set the highest standard for a public works project.” Commissioner Jeff Jones said at the time, “This is not hype. DDOT deserves this award, from the management level to those who put in the pavers.”

Life of Pie: Mike Copperthite Celebrates Family Business
•

Historian, consultant and baker Mike Copperthite continues to celebrate the 125th anniversary of his family business, the Connecticut-Copperthite Pie Baking Company of Georgetown. He hosted a party for Carol Dyer’s “Back In The Day” poster, as seen previously in the Georgetowner, at Martin’s Tavern April 24 also to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Martin’s Tavern. He sent a very nice donation check to St. John’s Church. This Saturday, May 11, at 2 p.m., Copperthite will be at the Georgetown Public Library, offering up some pie slices and a photograph donation to the library’s Peabody Room, which is a center for historical research for Georgetown.