News & Politics

Robert Devaney • December 6, 2013

Georgetown’s best-known Santa Claus is back on the rooftop of Jack Davies’s Prospect Street house, which overlooks the Potomac River, and welcoming all with a big “Merry Christmas” wave. It may your last chance to see him.

For several years, Davies has been putting up his 20-feet-tall, inflated Santa Claus on the back of his house with its grand vista of the Potomac River. Those entering D.C. from Virginia on Key Bridge easily see it, especially when it is illuminated at night. Davies — a philanthropist and businessman who is part owner of the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics as well as founder of AOL International — said he is happy to bring a little yuletide cheer to people.

The rooftop of Davies’s house has something new this year: a for-sale sign on the railing. Yes, the house has been on the market since spring, and there is a good chance this will be the last time to view this not-so-secret Santa. (Perhaps it will convey to the new owner, if he wants to continue this new Georgetown Christmas tradition.)

And what about that Santa inflatable up on the deck? “The best $700 I ever spent,” Davies told the Georgetowner in 2011. As for that house at 3618 Prospect St., NW, check with Washington Fine Properties.

Jeff Malet • December 5, 2013

Dozens of nationally known authors attended the National Press Club’s 36th Book Fair and Authors’ Night on Nov. 19 in partnership with Politics & Prose Bookstore. The book fair is a fundraiser for the National Press Club Journalism Institute, which provides scholarships and training for the next generation of journalists. The Georgetowner on this night was hosted by John P. Cosgrove, the senior past president of the National Press Club, who personally presented President John F. Kennedy with his club membership card in 1961.

View our photos from the book fair by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Jeff Malet • December 2, 2013

The 2013 Capitol Christmas, an 88-foot-tall Engelmann spruce from Colville National Forest in northeastern Washington State, arrived in Washington, D.C., Nov. 25. The tree spent several weeks on the road visiting 22 communities across the country before arriving at the U.S. Capitol in time for Thanksgiving. It will be decorated by more than 5,000 handmade ornaments, handcrafted by Washingtonians to reflect this year’s theme, “Sharing Washington’s Good Nature.” It will be lit in a ceremony by House Speaker John Boehner, 5 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3, on the Capitol’s West Front lawn. Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, will serve as master of ceremonies. After the lighting ceremony, the Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit nightly from dusk to 11 p.m. throughout the holiday season. The Capitol Christmas Tree has been a tradition at the U.S. Capitol since 1964.

View our photos of the arrival by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101552,149396,149385,149379,149374,149368,149362,149357,149394,149388" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

A cavalcade of remembrances marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy came full circle to Georgetown Nov. 24, as Franco Nuschese and Café Milano hosted a private champagne brunch attended by the nation’s media. They were there to salute the publication of “Five Days in November,” a memoir by bestselling authors Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin. Hill is the Secret Service agent who jumped on the presidential limousine in Dallas and remained with Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy and her children throughout the ordeal and one year after the tragedy. He chronicled the events as guests at the brunch viewed projections of the iconic photographs that appear in the book. A preliminary sketch and one of the 23 finished Kennedy paintings by Elaine de Kooning were on display. [gallery ids="101553,149352" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney • November 26, 2013

You can see that the next generation is taking over at the George Town Club. You can see the changes in the windows that now shine in light through the first floor’s new design. You can even see that the club wants to be your second home. Call it the new cool or the club gets its groove back.

“We have carefully re-invented the George Town Club,” said designer Andrew Law of the elegant in-town club, known for its members involved in politics, diplomacy, business, academia and other professions. Founded in 1966 and rich in stories, the club of late had fallen flat but has undergone a design, culinary and leadership renewal that is attracting new members to the corner property at 1530 Wisconsin Ave., NW.

“The club feels relevant again,” said designer Deborah Winsor, who with others worked on the club over the summer. Sisal rugs brighten up a few of the rooms 10 in total — and linen fabric are used on walls to show off antique woodwork. During the rehab and carpenters’ work, insor moved and re-purposed furniture and then moved artwork from downstairs and hung new and contemporary art from Hemphill Gallery.

entrance door open to all of the first floor allows guests to glance from the entrance to the windows on Volta Place in the Grill — where simply, again, removing the drapery blocking the windows made the room appear new.

“Demographics are changing,” said club treasurer John Girouard. “If you don’t change, you’ll die. Just last week, we had 20 new applicants.”

There are more than 100 new members an amount ever increasing. Girouard is thinking management’s increased efficiency and quality control along with targeting the 30
to 50 demographic. There is new programming for the club’s calendar and talk of “date night,” where children are watched in one room while parents dine upstairs.

The Grill Room is the highlight right now, showing off the club’s new cool. The Reading Room and Living Room have been redone. Other rooms will undergo design changes.
The club’s general manager is Yann Henrotte with chef Martin Galicia making up the new menu. Working on the changes have been Law, Winsor, Girouard, along with George Town Club President Sharon Casey, Vice President Lynn Doran and Elizabeth Miller as well as restaurateur Bo Blair with his wife Meghan.

It was the club’s longtime leader Wyatt Dickerson, he of Pisces fame during the 1970s and ‘80s, and partner with the scandalous Tongsun Park, that recommended Bo Blair, he with the younger generation’s guest lists and of nearby Smith Point and elsewhere.

The club wants to be a place for Georgetowners to stop by for coffee before work or relax after work, not just a spot for suburban visitors. One member said he wanted more of a “Cheers” effect for young and old alike, classy but not stand-offish.

To that end, for example, the club is offering a reduced initiation fee for residents of $2,000 (monthly dues, $150; quarterly minimum of $240). Preview membership waives the initiation fee for one year. Those younger than age 35 can join for $750. There are also on-resident and international memberships with lower fees; foreign diplomats accredited to the U.S., O.A.S. or the U.N. are offered free memberships.

The club is open Monday through Saturday but plans to be open also on Sunday sometime in 2014. The club held several get-togethers to promote its new look and vibe. Here are a few photos taken at the George Town Club recently. [gallery ids="101547,149606,149616,149600,149608,149613,149619" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet • November 25, 2013

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink officially opened on Saturday November 16 for the season and will remain open through March 16, weather permitting. The rink is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Don’t worry if you don’t have skates: they are available to rent for a nominal fee. Skating instructor Alice Shelley is also returning this season. There are group classes and private lessons available seven days a week at all times for all ages, levels and abilities when the rink is open. You can e-mail (aliceshelley@ yahoo.com) or call (202-507-2396) Alice Shelley, director of the Sculpture Garden Skating School, for more lesson information.

View our photos from opening day at the rink by clicking on the photo icons below. [gallery ids="101541,149932,149937,149947,149966,149952,149956,149960,149972,149929,149924,149943,149896,149901,149890,149904,149910,149915,149918,149977" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet •

The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company performed Burgess’s new piece “Homage” at the National Portrait Gallery’s Kogod Courtyard Nov. 16. This performance is part of the exhibition, “Dancing the Dream,” which is on display at the National Portrait Gallery. From the late 19th century to today, according to the exhibit, dance has captured this nation’s culture in motion. “Dancing the Dream” will showcase generations of performers, choreographers and impresarios. The show will include images of performers, such as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Michael Jackson, Savion Glover, George Balanchine, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Beyoncé, Isadora Duncan, Agnes de Mille and Lady Gaga. Dance has drawn from the boundless commotion of cultures to represent the rhythm and beat of American life. This exhibition will explore the relationship between the art of dance and the evolution of a modern American identity.

Burgess set his piece to a background of interviews and a diverse set of dance music from such notables as Bob Fosse, Shirley Temple, John Travolta, Josephine Baker, Shirley MacLaine and Elvis Presley. Next April, Burgess has been commissioned to perform a second “Homage”.

View our photos of the performance at the Kogod Courtyard and open rehearsals inside the exhibit area by clicking on the photo icons below.
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Marie Loiseau •

Secretary of State John Kerry, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former first lady Laura Bush gathered at Georgetown University Nov. 15 for “Advancing Afghan Women: Promoting Peace and Progress in Afghanistan.” They joined forces to speak to an overflowing Gaston Hall about the importance in continuing to support and assist the advancement of Afghan women.

The event kicked off with greetings from Georgetown University President John DeGioia, who showed a movie featuring real Afghan women sharing their success stories. The audience heard about girls having greater access to school than ever before and Afghan women becoming more prominent in the business world.

The video was followed by remarks by Clinton who, in addition to being a former first lady and former Secretary of State, is the U.S. Afghan Women’s Council honorary co-chair and a supporter of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace & Security.

Clinton spoke of the need for a society to engage all of its members. “Men and women are like two wings on the same bird,” she said. This became a reoccurring image throughout the program.

John Kerry, the 68th Secretary of State and supporter of the cause, took the stage after Clinton. He spoke of the many different levels of success that have been achieved in Afghanistan since 2001, and the terrible regression that would take place if efforts came to a halt. “What has been achieved is nothing less than remarkable,” he said. “It would have been more than a tragedy if the world ever allowed this progress to be threatened or, worse yet, to be abandoned.”

The crowd then heard from Anita Haidary, a young Afghan woman and co-founder of Young Women for Change. She spoke of growing up in Afghanistan, being an exchange student in California, her strides for change upon returning to her homeland, and the importance of advocating for Afghan women.

A conversation between Bush and Clinton then took place, moderated by Melanne Verveer, executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues. Bush and Clinton both voiced worries about the future of Afghanistan. “I fear that once our troops leave,” said Bush, “the eyes of Americans will move away.” Bush and Clinton say they’re going to continue to spread the word and make sure that, when American troops leave Afghanistan in 2014, the Afghan women will not be abandoned.

The speakers, Kerry especially, made it clear that each person in Gaston Hall could make a difference in the futures of Afghan women. Assistance and advocacy are not limited to prominent political figures, and everyone can help to ensure Afghan women have access to education and other life-improving opportunities. “Our responsibility is clear,” said Kerry. “We need to make sure that they succeed… And making that happen is going to take every single one of us.”

The event was put together by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council, the George W. Bush Institute and the Alliance to Support the Afghan People.
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Georgetowner •

The Georgetown Holiday Pop Shop

December 4th, 2013 at 06:30 PM | $40 online and 50 at the door | corrie@georgetowner.com | Tel: 202 338 4833 | Event Website

The Georgetown Holiday Pop Shop is a seasonal event sponsored by Georgetown Media Group, EagleBank, PamShops4You and Long & Foster. This unique evening features top local vendors in a one-stop shopping and cocktail party event. Get into the holiday spirit while you shop, drink and eat, all while benefiting the Georgetown Senior Center. This year’s event is popping up in Tony & Joe’s at Georgetown’s Washington Harbour from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Address

Tony and Joes; 3000 K St NW,

Alley Cat Studio Presents: Pat Goslee, Sally Kauffman, Lynn Putney

November 23rd, 2013 at 03:00 PM | free | alleycat.studio.gallery@gmail.com | Tel: 2023650219

Alley Cat Studio is pleased to present an exhibition of current paintings by Pat Goslee, Sally Kauffman and Lynn Putney. The exhibition explores the line, gesture and painterly compositions of three Washington DC painters.

Address

Alley Cat Studio, 29 Kings Court #6 SE, Washington, DC 20003

Grammy Winning Afro Bop Alliance at Blues Alley

November 25th, 2013 at 08:00 PM | $18 (student discount for 10pm show) | joeandafrobopalliance@gmail.com | Tel: (202) 337-4141 | Event Website

The exhilarating Afro Bop Alliance thrills audiences with their infectious polyrhythmic grooves, harmonic colorings, and improvisational flights. They won a Latin Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Recording for their 2008 album, Caribbean Jazz Project, which was also nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album at the Grammy Awards. They’ve received critical acclaim worldwide & will take the stage at Blues Alley on Monday, November 25th. Shows 8pm & 10pm.

Tickets can be found on the bluesalley.com website!

Address

Blues Alley; 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Tudor Tots Thanksgiving at Tudor Place!

November 23rd, 2013 at 10:30 AM | Member child: $5; Nonmember child: $8 | Event Website

Celebrate turkey day at Tudor Place. Tiny tots will enjoy an interactive story and then scour the historic mansion in search of history games and toys. After the hunt, children will make a special holiday craft to take home and enjoy period dancing to get the whole family moving.

Member child: $5

Nonmember child: $8

Adults: Free

Address

Tudor Place; 1644 31st Street, NW

Sequoia Restaurant: Thanksgiving Feast

November 28th, 2013 at 12:00 PM | $49.95 for adults; $19.95 for kids; $20 for the Unlimited Bar Package. | Tel: 202.944.4200 | Event Website

Join the Sequoia family for a Thanksgiving feast on the water that is sure to delight you and your family. With all natural poultry and stuffing galore, and selections a-plenty, this year Sequoia is offering a buffet fit for a king and a Thanksgiving you and your family are sure to remember. Seating for the Thanksgiving feast is from 12 to 7:45 p.m. $49.95 for adults; $19.95 for kids; $20 for the Unlimited Bar Package. Call 202.944.4200 to make a reservation.

Address

Sequoia Restaurant; 3000 K St NW

Christmas at Mount Vernon

November 29th, 2013 at 09:00 AM | $17 for adults and $8 for youth 6-11. | info@mountvernon.org | Tel: 7037802000 | Event Website

Holiday visitors will enjoy themed decorations, chocolate-making demonstrations, 18th-century dancing, plus a rare opportunity to tour the third floor of the Mansion. In 1787, George Washington paid 18 shillings to bring a camel to Mount Vernon for the enjoyment of his guests. Visitors can meet Aladdin the camel on the grounds.

This event takes place from November 29, 2013 – January 6, 2014 from 9am – 4pm.

Address

George Washington’s Mount Vernon; 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway; Mount Vernon, VA 22121