Little Birdies Flies to Wisconsin Avenue

August 19, 2015

Little Birdies Boutique, which made its debut on P Street in 2014, has moved its children’s clothing store just around the corner to a smaller space (700 square feet) at 1526 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

“We are thrilled to be moved into our new Wisconsin Avenue location,” owner Shanlee Johnson tells us. “Our new space offers in-house custom monogramming by the local favorite, Whyte House Monograms, and we are looking forward to all the fun events we have planned for fall. Join us in October for our grand opening party and enjoy discounts, swag bags and celebration.”
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P Street Shops Get Special Treatment From American Express


With the artistic talents of designer Sheila Bridges from New York and the marketing reach of American Express, selected shops on the 3200 block of P Street got their doors and window fronts lit up and prettied up with a reindeer theme. The lights and displays went up on Nov. 29, Small Business Saturday, and will remain through 2014. Said designer Bridges: “Every business here complements the other. It is amazing. They have a great sense of pride.” Word on the streets persisted that President Obama had planned to make a stop at P Street for Small Business Saturday but nixed the idea because of the Ferguson protest march on M Street.

All We Art Gallery Goes Online


The innovative art gallery All We Art, at 33rd Street and Wisconsin Avenue, has left its physical space after a year. It will maintain its online business, AllWeArtStudio.com.

On its Facebook page, the gallery gave its friends and patrons a unique valediction: “Wanderer, your footsteps are the road. Art is an ever-changing way of expression, and so is the art market in our ever-changing world. All We Art, following its mission and its destiny, is going forward. We are moving online. Our art space will no longer be open to the public for walk-in purchases in Georgetown. Soon, you will able to shop art and handicrafts at our renewed website. We thank you all for your support, and we hope we’ll see you soon over the cloud. We are keeping you posted as always. Thanks, gracias, merci!!!”

Bank of Georgetown’s Tenfold Program


In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Bank of Georgetown launched a new initiative called “Give Back: Tenfold.” It’s an employee-led, company-wide program that supports 10 of the causes for which their employees volunteer, giving their time, talents and resources. After compiling a list of those organizations, the following were selected: Alternative House, Community Residences, Cornerstone Montgomery, D.C. Public Schools, First Book, Fisher House, Georgetown Ministry Center, Kids in Need Distributors (KIND), Martha’s Table and New York Avenue Men’s Emergency Shelter.

“Service is at the heart of our culture, and we respect the limitless energy our team dedicates to giving back. This is the perfect time to celebrate the philanthropic interests of our employees and their spirit of generosity. So, we asked them, ‘What charities are you passionate about?’ ” said Mike Fitzgerald, chairman, president and CEO.
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LLS Woman of the Year: Katie Simmons Hickey

August 17, 2015

“Every time I watch that video, still, I get choked up,” Katie Simmons Hickey says softly.

She’s referring to her own fundraising video, created to inspire contributions for her candidacy in this year’s Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year competition. The 10-week annual fundraiser, which concluded last month, raises funds for LLS blood cancer research. Candidates like Hickey competed on behalf of children who are local blood cancer survivors, the Boy and Girl of the Year.

Hickey’s video features the 2014 Girl of the Year, 9-year-old Rylie, known to friends and family simply as “Rue.” During the course of the three-and-a-half-minute video, Rue shares how the most difficult part of being diagnosed with cancer at the tender age of 6 was making friends — “because I was bald ’cause of the chemo and everybody pointed at me and they were just kinda confused. So it was really hard for me to make friends,” she earnestly explains.

It’s the kind of video that, once you see it, you can’t pretend you didn’t. And if you were having a hard time understanding why the work of organizations like LLS is important, it becomes glaringly apparent in the face of a doe-eyed child who just wants to make friends like everybody else.

“I met Rylie at Kick-Off Night and I wasn’t 100 percent committed at that time,” says Hickey, referencing the evening that became a defining factor in her decision to accept her nomination. “Listening to her story from her mom and her dad, her brother and even Rylie, herself, was kind of the icing on the cake. There was no way I was turning back.”

And turn back she did not. “I was in it to win it,” says Hickey. “I’m very competitive by nature. I always have been since I was young. [I thought,] I’m not doing this unless I win it.”

Hickey’s competitive nature came in handy. The National Capital Area Chapter broke records this year, raising over $1.8 million for blood cancer research. Leading the 22 other candidates was Hickey, who took home the title of “LLS Woman of the Year,” raising over a quarter of a million dollars — $277,202.59 to be exact — making her First National Runner-Up.

“The last week I was a nervous wreck because I didn’t think we had it. I was pushing every day, stepping out of my comfort zone asking people for money, asking clients, friends and family,” says Hickey. “I had to step back and remind myself it wasn’t for me, it was for the kids and families.”

The kids and families affected by cancer are, of course, the reason LLS exists. “These kids are the true meaning of inspiration,” says Hickey. “To see them show up [to fundraising events] two days after chemo, smiling.” She trails off. “It was such an inspiration to see.”

It was the thought of the kids and families that kept Hickey going through some of the more grueling moments of the taxing, 10-week fundraising schedule, as well as her own personal reasons. Her best friend, Colleen, has been in remission from cancer for 14 years, and this past October Katie and her husband lost their son, Gabriel.

From this hardship, Hickey mustered strength. “I just knew I couldn’t give up,” she says. “No parent or patient is given that privilege. I’ve seen families go through it. It’s heartbreaking.”

The hours of hard work that Hickey and her team of supporters — including her 3-year-old son, 4-year-old daughter, husband, mother and former-nanny-turned-campaign-manager — spent stuffing envelopes, scrawling mailing addresses, posting on Facebook and planning fundraising events is apparent in the tremendous results they garnered.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Hickey says of being named LLS Woman of the Year and First National Runner-Up. “It’s exciting. I’m ecstatic that my name will forever be tied to Woman of the Year for this region. It’s still a shock to me. I’m grateful and humbled that I’ve been given the opportunity to make an impact on LLS. Seeing the kids’ faces, knowing you’ve worked to help find this cure.” She pauses, seemingly grasping for words that ultimately escape her, possibly because they don’t exist.

“It’s inexplicable,” she finally says. “Nothing I’ve ever been involved with can ever come close to that.” [gallery ids="102149,133049" nav="thumbs"]

Will Greece and China Affect My Portfolio and Why Do We Care?


If you’ve been watching the news lately you have seen China’s stock market fall by a third in less than a month, and Greece’s economy plunge towards default. So far, China has wiped out $3.5 trillion in wealth, more than the total value of India’s stock market, and the Greeks have voted to reject austerity measures that would save them from default and ultimately remove them from the European Union.

It is no surprise that people have been asking me how I think Greece and China will affect the market. My response is why do you care? While this usually triggers a nervous response, scary times do not always make your portfolio scarce.

Greece is one of the largest exporters of sea sponges. When was the last time you invested in sea sponges?

In China, the reality is the Chinese stock market has simply fallen back to levels last seen in March, but it’s still up by more than 75 percent in the last year (Economist Magazine, 7/11/15).

China is slowly transforming and adjusting to a capitalist economic structure, while the European Union is in its infancy. Compared to the magnitude and vitality of the more mature American economy, Greece and China might as well be in the dark ages.

As an investor you probably think I should be more concerned. But if you consider the history of U.S. monetary policy you realize that while imperfect, we have historical heft behind our economy.

The real problem is not the things we cannot, nor will never, control such as terror threats, typhoons, interest rates, political uncertainty, or the untimely booms and busts that are a reality of modern investing. The real conversation is how does one protect one’s cash flow during those scary times.

Gone are the days where $1 million in retirement, when interest rates were 10 percent, meant retiring on $100,000 of income, and when rates fell to 4 percent grandma had to cut $60,000 out of her lifestyle. No longer can you cut the budget by visiting the grandkids less.

Now let me rephrase the question. How much short-term return would you be willing to give up for the possibility of sleeping soundly at night, knowing that you are not only financially secure but also financially independent?

Security during the scary times means first determining the amount of money you need to support your lifestyle, with and without work. Second, calculate the gap. Then take five years of the gap out of the market and place it in a secure non-market based account to draw on worry-free. Then set up portfolios of risk, or market based vehicles, in five, 10, 15 and 20 year portfolios, putting the most volatile allocations furthest in the future where risk can be better managed, and where over time the temporary volatility of Greece and China become simply a pimple on an elephant’s back.

The question you should be asking is not how the price of sea sponges in Greece will affect your portfolio, or how today’s problems affect tomorrow’s bottom line, but rather, how can you structure your portfolio to help achieve long term security even through the bumps and busts.

John E. Girouard is the author of Take Back Your Money and The Ten Truths of Wealth Creation, a registered principal of Cambridge Investment Research, and an Investment Advisor Representative of Capital Investment Advisors, in Bethesda, Maryland.

At LiLi the First, Women Come First


It has become a frustrating trend that shopping for women’s clothing has turned into a task more daunting than it is enjoyable. Ifat Pridan, owner of LiLi the First boutique, is turning that trend on its head.

Tucked inside a cozy Wisconsin Avenue space, LiLi the First is quickly making its mark on Georgetown, one month after opening its doors. The modern boutique, previously located in Vienna, Virginia, is a haven for women who are seeking a positive shopping experience and confidence boost, no matter their shape or size.

“I just want women to feel beautiful and comfortable,” said Pridan. “Clothes should not be just for women who look like models.”
Female empowerment is at the forefront of Pridan’s business, as she partners with the Women’s Center in Washington, D.C., to support local women going through any number of difficulties. The boutique’s “Fashion Support” rack features gently used, chic pieces of clothing available for grabs, with 100 percent of proceeds donated to the women’s nonprofit.

The effort is already proving to be a success, as Pridan has raised more than $1,000 in donations that go toward classes, training and counseling for local women. “I just want to help women to be stronger,” she said, adding that even under a calm exterior, there are plenty of issues a woman may be dealing with and in need of support.

Aside from the “Fashion Support” rack, Pridan often holds in-store events as a way to thank customers and celebrate fashion, with 10 percent of the events’ proceeds donated to the Women’s Center.

The fusion of chic styles, emerging designers and community outreach is enough to make LiLi the First a desirable boutique, but Pridan’s friendly, customer-oriented service is what keeps shoppers coming back for more. She creates a personal connection with customers by offering tips on pieces that would help them look and feel their best. After seeing a number of repeat customers within her first month of business, Pridan says the trust she establishes with them goes a long way and brings back what traditional shopping should be. “It’s something you can’t find online,” she said.

Pridan said she hopes to continue the success of LiLi the First’s strong Georgetown debut: “From my perspective, growing is part of every entrepreneur’s business goal.” While she doesn’t know about expansion happening in the immediate future, the next step for Pridan is to put her own name on clothing labels and delve into designing, a fitting venture for the woman behind a pioneer business.

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Business Ins and Outs

July 22, 2015

Georgetown Business Association Welcomes New President, Veep

With the resignation of its president, Charles Camp, the Georgetown Business Association’s board of directors voted in a new president and vice president July 15, and then gathered at Dog Tag Bakery for its monthly reception.
The new GBA president is Sonya Bernhardt, formerly its vice president. Bernhardt is the CEO of Georgetown Media Group, which publishes The Georgetowner Newspaper and The Downtowner Newspaper.

The GBA vice president is Hope Solomon, who works at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and previously worked with the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms. Solomon also is involved with the family business on P Street, Wedding Creations & Anthony’s Tuxedos.

“I wish Sonya and Hope and the GBA, of which I remain a corporate member, all the best in the future,” former GBA president Charles Camp told The Georgetowner Newspaper. Camp heads the Law Offices of Charles H. Camp, P.C., located on Thomas Jefferson Street, NW.

Meghan Ogilvie, chief operating officer of Dog Tag Bakery, which opened a little more than six months ago, thanked the GBA for its award of “New Business of the Year.” Ogilvie spoke about the bakery’s commitment to educate veterans on how to run a business, besides learning how to bake and make soup and sandwiches. The program runs through Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education. The Dog Tag nonprofit on Grace Street was co-founded by Rev. Rick Curry, S.J., and Connie Milstein, both of whom live in Georgetown.

In: West End Cinema Re-opens as Landmark Theatre

West End Cinema, the independent movie theater at 23rd and M streets NW that closed March 31 after four years of operation, reopened July 17 as part of Landmark Theatres.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Landmark Theatres is known for showing documentaries, independent and foreign films, and operates 50 theaters — 229 screens in 21 markets — across the U.S. Its first spot in D.C. was E Street Cinema at 555 11th St. NW in Penn Quarter, and it also operates Bethesda Row Cinema. In 2016, Landmark’s footprint in D.C. will expand with new screens in the old Atlantic Plumbing building at 8th and V streets NW later this year, and at the Capitol Point project at New York Avenue and N Street NE, one block from the NoMa/Gallaudet U Metro station.

Previously known as the Inner Circle triplex, before Josh Levin revived the place as West End Cinema, the new theater in the West End neighborhood will have two screens, and its lobby service will include alcoholic beverages.
Landmark President Ted Mundorff said that the new venue will “bring even more films and events to the Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom and Georgetown neighborhoods.”

In: Baco Juice & Taco Bar

Baco Juice & Taco Bar is coming to 1614 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Owner Christopher Luceri promises healthful juices and smoothies as well as tacos, burritos and breakfast foods with a Mexican twist. He also wants to use the front of the property for a patio and outdoor seating, as the entrance is set back from the street. Baco’s other business location is in Pennsylvania.

OUT: Bandolero Closes After 3-Year Run

Bandolero, the Mexican restaurant at 3241 M St. NW, closed July 20 after opening three years to great fanfare under the direction of celebrity chef Mike Isabella. Not much later, Isabella left Bandolero and continued his work at Graffiato, Kapnos, G Sandwich Shop and other restaurants. He was succeeded by chef Tony Starr, who has worked at Zaytinya, Neyla and Georgia Brown’s. The previous restaurant in that space was the well-regarded Hook. Owners Jonathan and Bethany Umbel left this message for fans: “Dear friends, neighbors, and customers, Bandolero is officially closed. We’d like to thank all of our loyal patrons who have come to Bando and supported us over the past few years. It has been an amazing three years serving everyone! Gracias por su apollo, hasta que nos encontremos de nuevo. Sigan comiendo TACOS y bebiendo TEQUILA.” [Translation: Thanks for your support. Until we meet again, keep eating tacos and drinking tequila.]

OUT: Sandro Not Coming to 33rd & M

Sandro, a Paris-based fashion label that sells women’s and men’s clothing, will not be opening its first D.C. store in Georgetown, as previously reported. It has pulled out of its lease for the building at 33rd and M Street NW. The corner spot, across from Georgetown Cupcake, previously housed Red Fire Grill Kabob, which closed in 2013. Before closing four years ago, the Indian restaurant Aditi was there for 23 years. The building has stood empty for two years.

Malmaison Celebrates 2 Years on the Waterfront

Malmaison, the French restaurant at 34th and K Street (Water Street) founded by the Popal Group, will celebrate its second anniversary with “Fete de Malmaison” on Thursday, July 23. The restaurateurs promise “an evening full of music, dancing and champagne” — all with a close-up view of Key Bridge and the Potomac River.

Georgetown Exxon Safe for Now
A pending sale of the land on which the Georgetown Exxon sits, at Wisconsin Avenue and Q Street NW, has fallen though, giving residents more time for one of the few service stations in Georgetown.

The land, owned by D.C. gas station king, Joe Mamo, remains for sale. Still, the town’s gas stations are in their last years: Key Bridge Exxon at 3601 M St. NW is slated to be swept aside for condos. Across from the Four Seasons, the Valero property at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, is also set for condos. Both sites are owned by EastBanc Inc. Georgetown Shell, across the street from the Georgetown Exxon, is the only station not under threat of redevelopment.

Spa Director Lance Etchison Dies

Lance Etchison, who worked at BlueMercury from 1999 t0 2014 and was its spa director, died July 14 at the age of 45 at his Logan Circle home. The aesthetician was known for his facials and make-up and skin-care talent. “Etchison, according to close friends, died one day after undergoing cosmetic surgery,” reported the Washington Post. Most recently, Etchison worked at Sherber Rad, a skin-care and plastic surgery center, and volunteered with Canine Companions for Independence.

Who Does Your Financial Advisor Work For?

July 16, 2015

Pop quiz: Who does your financial advisor work for? The easy litmus test is to take a look at the fine print on the bottom of his or her business card.

Is your financial advisor a fiduciary? Is he or she faithful to the client first, without conflict of duty?

Wall Street banks are protesting a new Labor Department proposal that would require their advisors to disclose something that most people have never understood. Unless investment advisors are truly independent, they owe their alliance first to the companies they work for.

That might seem obvious, but most consumers are oblivious to the difference between an advisor who owes his job to a company — the shareholders — and an independent advisor who owes his job (and his income) to his clients.

As an independent investment advisor, I know my job is to protect my clients from their worst financial instincts, to reach realistic goals and to sleep soundly at night. I’m not worried about the stock price of a large Wall Street firm, stock options or year-end profit bonuses.

I rarely agree with the “titans” of Wall Street, but here they have a point. The proposal is a bad fix for the wrong problem. It’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing. Implementing it may be a nightmare for the big banks, but, worse, I cannot see how it helps consumers. Consumers, it turns out, are confused about how money and investing really works.

If you feel like a consumer who is financially illiterate, give yourself a break. You are in the majority.

Not surprisingly, Wall Street is unhappy about the rule. It will make it harder for the big banks to rake in a hefty profit by selling their latest financially engineered products. It will mean stacks of paperwork for them as they defend their recommendations and try to keep from being held responsible if they fail.

Proponents of the proposal claim it will save investors money by limiting conflicts of interest. The goal is to keep advisors from recommending products that will earn them and their company the most profit at the expense of the investor.

For independents like myself, this proposed rule is one I’ve been living with and refining for decades. I’m happier getting paid for what I know — like plumbers and auto mechanics — than for what I can sell.

After watching Washington regulate the financial industry for nearly four decades, I can confidently predict that by the time Washington gets around to closing loopholes, the lawyers working for the big Wall Street firms will have already identified some new ones and engineered products to take advantage of them. Trying to regulate Wall Street is like trying to pick up a beanbag chair: squeeze one end and the other end gets bigger.

The real problem is not how to control Wall Street. The real problem is how to educate the public, and public officials, about how Wall Street really works, how financial products are designed, how much it costs to manage your money, and how to tell whether one investment is better than another.

There is a simple solution. When you hire a real estate broker or retain legal counsel you have to sign a simple disclosure. Why should Wall Street be any different?

The author of “Take Back Your Money” and “The Ten Truths of Wealth Creation,” John E. Girouard is a registered principal of Cambridge Investment Research and an Investment Advisor Representative of Capital Investment Advisors in Bethesda, Maryland.

Crumbs and Whiskers, D.C.’s First Cat Cafe, Opens to Paw-sitive Reception in Georgetown


Cat lovers, rejoice! Crumbs and Whiskers, Washington, D.C.’s first cat cafe, officially opened its Georgetown doors June 20 after months of anticipation.

For a $12 weekend cover charge and signature of a waiver, customers can spend an hour cuddling and mingling with furry friends in the mellow yet modern dwelling, located at 3211 O Street NW. The three-story site houses 20 vetted and vaccinated felines, all of which are up for adoption through partnership with the Washington Humane Society.

The cats are primarily between 1 and 3 years of age, and while some are a bit older, all are equally friendly, loving, and curious.

Crumbs and Whiskers caters to keeping both kitties and customers comfortable by supplying an array of throw pillows and cushions among the cat houses to allow for easier interaction between the two, as well as being stocked with as many mouse toys as there are lint rollers to keep both felines and humans happy.

Patrons can enjoy a selection of light refreshments from coffee and tea to shakes and cookies, which are prepared by Gtown Bites across O Street and delivered to Crumbs and Whiskers upon ordering.

Owner Kanchan Singh believes her business will be a success in finding forever homes for the cats who roam the cafe. The 24-year-old began her initiative as a Kickstarter campaign, which raised more than $35,000 by 700 backers.

Crumbs and Whiskers is open daily and online reservations are encouraged.
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