News & Politics

Georgetowner • March 5, 2012

Young Innovators Seminar and Exhibition

MARCH 2ND, 2012 AT 10:00 AM | EVENT
WEBSITE

Learn more about how to support and promote young innovators at this event with speakers including White House Director for Youth Engagement, Ronnie Cho, and Sweden’s Minister for Enterprise, Ms. Annie Loof, who are helping to get the youth’s ideas to market

Address

House of Sweden

2900 K Street NW

Tilar Mazzeo & Stacy Schiff

MARCH 2ND, 2012 AT 07:30 PM | $15 | TEL: (202) 675- 0342 | EVENT WEBSITE

Mazzeo is a New York Time best-selling author of books on wine, travel, French culture, and the history of luxury, including The Secret of Channel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World’s Most Famous Perfume. Schiff is the author of Vera, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and most recently, Cleopatra: A Life, named one of The New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2010. Reception and boook signing to follow.

Address

Folger Shakespeare Library

201 East Capitol Street SE

Washington, DC 20003

Family Day 2012: Up, Up, and Away!

MARCH 3RD, 2012 AT 10:00 AM | TEL: (202) 639- 1700 | EVENT WEBSITE

Inspired by themes of space and travel as seen in Are We There Yet? featuring special hands-on art workshops, performances and more

Address

500 17th Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20006

The Art and Words of John Paton Davies, Jr.

MARCH 3RD, 2012 AT 12:00 PM | TEL: (301) 581- 5100 | EVENT WEBSITE

Monoprints by the celebrated diploment turned artist, John Paton Davies, Jr. will be on display

Address

Strathmore

10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD

Preparing for the Ball: Dancing

MARCH 6TH, 2012 AT 07:00 PM | 10-12 | TEL: 202-337-2288 | EVENT WEBSITE

Second in a series of four 19th-century skills & etiquette workshops, with the “American Ladies,” Pat Sowers and Jackie Geschickter. Become immersed in Jane Austen’s world at Dumbarton House’s annual Spring Ball on March 24. To prepare for the festivities, attend one or all four classes on period games and dances. Series includes: Feb. 28, Gaming; March 6, Dancing; March 13, Gaming; and March 20, Dancing. Classes are held in the Belle Vue Room. Each class $12; Members $10.

Address
Dumbarton House

2715 Q Street, NW,

Washington, DC, 20007

Dalton Pratt hosts a trunk show for Kara Ackerman Jewelry

MARCH 8TH, 2012 AT 06:00 PM | $45.00-$2000.00 | DALTONPRATTDC@GMAIL.COM | TEL: 202-333-3256 | EVENT WEBSITE

Dalton Pratt invites you to a trunk show featuring Kara Ackerman fine and fashion jewelry. Thursday, March 8th 6:00 to 8:00 pm cocktails, Friday March 9th and Saturday March 9th 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.

Address

1742 Wisconsin Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20007

Gary Tischler •

As usual, as always, the Helen Hayes Awards nomination announcements give great joy to those individual artists who have been nominated and generate a lot of grousing, head scratching and more than a little controversy.

The folks at the Helen Hayes Awards, which tally up the work of a hierarchy of judges to arrive at their nominations, have been at it for 28 years now, and, as with all awards processes, you’re not going to make everybody happy. This is true for the HHs, as well as the Oscars, Grammys, Tonys and so on. But the Helen Hayes Awards have always had a kind of ebb and flow throughout their history, almost a celebratory duty to reveal the depth and breadth, the true size and variety of the talented groups and individual artists that comprise the Washington theater community.

Theaters come and go, and those that stay are eventually rewarded. It took Joy Zinoman, founder of the Studio Theater, a number of years to receive an outstanding director, while her successor David Muse is up for two this year (and deservedly so) for “The Habit of Art” and “Venus in Fur.” Small theaters often struggle for years to get recognized, but look what’s happened in recent times to Toby Orenstein at Toby’s Dinner Theater and Adventure Theater, the surging children’s theater in Glen Echo that is starting to be recognized.

Others have instant success: take note of Signature Theater’s instant blowout with “Sweeney Todd,” which debuted under Eric Schaeffer and seemingly never stopped. And Synetic Theater, the Georgian (as in Russia) troupe that specializes in mounting silent Shakespearean works and classical theater by way of movement, choreography and silence, is popular with judges and critics every year, often walking away with outstanding ensemble, direction, choreography and design awards.

But 15 nominations for Synetic’s version of “King Lear”? Really?

The nominations, including several for acting, raise questions about the nominations that are showered on Synetic. The problem with the group — headed by the husband and wife team of Pata and Irina Tsikurshvilli — is a kind of contradiction. I think it’s a remarkable group, and there is no argument with the fact that the troupe is a Washington treasure. Its style is unique, original and often downright astonishing. There’s no other company doing work like Synetic except perhaps major dance companies. Synetic is in a category all its own for which there is no real competition. It seems to me at least that matching actors, for instance, who don’t have to memorize lines or speeches, or deal with the niceties dealt with by actors in even the most cutting edge new plays seems unfair to both. Just saying.

Traditionally, the awards constitute a combination of old and new, and honor both resident and non-resident plays. But those distinctions sometimes blur. For instance, the Kennedy Center, which imports much of its theatrical offerings, including highly anticipated national tours of Broadway shows, has also been a successful producer under its president Michael Kaiser. Last year’s ground-up production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies,” which starred Bernadette Peters and was directed by Schaeffer, could be expected to get a few nods. It did, competing with the award for “Best Musical” with “Liberty Smith,” a popular family take on the American Revolution, at Ford’s “Pop,” a musical about Andy Warhol at Studio, “Hairspray” at Signature and “Side by Side with Sondheim” at Signature.

Schaeffer, Peters and other artists did not make the list, although Jan Maxwell did.

“Best Resident” play nominations were given to Folger’s mounting of “Cyrano!,” Synetic’s “King Lear”, Arena’s “Ruined,” the haunting, stark “A Bright New Boise” at the Woolly Mammoth and “Venus in Fur” at Studio.

My favorites for actors and actresses: Ted van Griethuysen playing W.H. Auden in “The Habit of Art” at Studio Theater, and the remarkable Erica Sullivan for her quick-silver turn in “Venus in Fur.” I’d also give the nod for best performer in a musical to the immensely appealing and energetic Geoff Packard, who made “Liberty Smith” as good as it could possibly be. And I’ll still take “Follies” as best among the musicals, and “A Bright New Boise” in a tie with “Venus in Fur.” (They often have ties at these things).

Winners will be announced in the annual gala at the Warner Theatre April 23. For a complete list of nominees, go to www.TheatreWashington.org.

Ari Post •

After a long standoff between citizens, business owners and community organizations, the Glover Park ANC has voted to raise the cap of its 16-year-old moratorium to bring in more bars and restaurants—by two.

Two more liquor licenses for beer, wine and spirits have been brought into the commercial strip that has been struggling to attract commerce for years. Empty storefronts and underwhelming establishments run up and down the blocks of Glover Park, with retail scarce and new businesses almost nonexistent—unless you can’t the new Chipotle, which sticks out like a very fancy weed.

The neighborhood has long struggled with revitalization efforts, caught between lifting the moratorium altogether to bring in more bars and restaurants, and its residents resisting for fear of their neighborhood turning into a raucous bar crawl avenue and party scene every weekend. As Washington City Paper pointed out, “It’s a familiar debate: Places like H Street, Barracks Row, and U Street have all flirted with the idea of turning off the taps.”

This is the first increase in liquor licenses for the neighborhood since 2008, when three new licenses were released and all but devoured by the already-existing Surfside, Breadsoda and Rocklands.

Still, the Glover Park Citizens Association (GPCA) is fighting to lift the moratorium entirely. “By not recommending to end the [liquor license] moratorium completely the last time this debate happened, the ANC missed a chance to promote growth and diversity in our neighborhood eateries… Liquor licenses are necessary for Glover Park restaurants to compete with restaurants in other nearby areas,” GPAC said in a joint statement on their petition website, [GPMoratorium.com](http://www.gpmoratorium.com/#!).

The next GPCA meeting to discuss the moratorium is Tuesday, March 6, at 7pm at Stoddert Elementary on Calvert St. For more information visit [GPAC](http://www.gpcadc.org/) online.

Marit Fosso •

Experience a bit of Spanish culture in Washington, D.C. from February 29 to March 7 at the annual Flamenco Festival at the GW Lisner Auditorium. Performances range from traditional gypsy flamenco to contemporary and Spanish classical dance. The Flamenco Festival will also be presented at venues in New York, Miami and Boston.

The festival kicks off with Gala Flamenca on February 29, where three of flamenco’s leading female dancers – Rafaela Carrasco, Olga Pericet and Carmen Cortés – will share the stage.

On March 2, Olga Pericet will combine different dance-styles, challenging technique and impressive athcleticism in her performance Rosa, Metal, Ceniza.

The following night, March 3, award-winning dancer, Manuela Carrasco, will show-case the essence of gypsy flamenco in her new show Suspiro Flamenco.

To round up the festivities, Rafaela Carrasco will perform the show Vamos al Tiroteo on March 7, together with four male dancers, a live band and two flamenco singers, to a selection of popular Spanish songs.

For more information, please visit www.spainculture.us or www.flamencofestival.org

Coming up in our next issue, look for more information on the Spanish Cultural Program for Spring/Summer 2012, including an interview with the Ambassador of Spain!
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Michelle Kingston •

One Georgetown University student was sexually assaulted at 36th and N Streets at 2:15 a.m. on Sunday. They were physically injured after being beaten by the suspect who is described as an 18-22 year old white male standing 5-foot-11 to six feet tall with short brown hair, wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans.

Later that evening, 2 students were victims of an armed robbery at 9:30 p.m. at 33rd and N Streets. According to the Department of Public Safety, 2 men approached the students. One of the suspects pointed a two-tone, semiautomatic hand gun at the students and demanded money, while the other suspect searched the student’s pockets and took their wallets and cell phones. Both suspects fled the scene by foot towards Wisconsin Avenue.

The suspects were described as black males wearing dark clothing. The gun carrier was wearing a mask and stood at 5-foot-6 and the other suspect stood at six feet tall.

University officials are urging Georgetown students to not walk alone late at night. The Metropolitan Police Department is handling both incidents and currently investigating. The Department of Public Safety encourages anyone with any information to contact them at (202) 687- 4343.

Gary Tischler •

Watching the 2012 Oscar Awards made you feel:

1) Thrilled

2) Bored

3) Old

4) Nostalgic

5) Made you miss Billy Bush

6) Didn’t watch it

If you picked 6), I can’t say I blame you.

As for me:

1) Thrilled (sometimes)

2) Bored (often)

3) Old (uncomfortably so)

4) Nostalgic (comfortably so)

5) Made you miss Billy Bush (surprisingly so)

Some highlights of the evening include Angelina Jolie’s gam thigh-high striking pose of grand dame movie star, Meryl Streep, who broke her almost three-decade losing streak and made her husband cry, and George Glooney, who didn’t win, but kissed Billy Crystal on the lips. We also got to see a portion of the sink scene from “Bridesmaids,” thank you so much. And, rumor has it that one flew out of the cuckoo’s nest, otherwise known as the dress that Jennifer Lopez almost wore.

The biggest thrill was not Jennifer Lopez—missed that because Robin Roberts was busy talking to Prince Albert of Monaco on ABC’s red carpet show. It happened right in the middle of things when Cirque du Soleil’s “Iris” performers put on a startling, gorgeous homage to movies, with flying Cary Grants and heart-stopping flights without nets, like a convention of lithe stuntmen and women.

Let’s not forget Christopher Plummer’s acceptance speech. After being reminded once too often that he was the oldest Oscar winner ever, at age 82, first by a gabby English red carpet reporter, then by Billy Crystal, he took the Oscar and looked at it sweetly and asked, “I’m only two years older than you, where have you been all my life?”

Thrilling, too, was the odd fact that every time they ran a clip of the charming dancing fools from “The Artist,” (the semi-French, semi-silent film which won the Best Picture Award as predicted), it energized the place in ways that no amount of banter by presenters trying and failing to be funny—that was for you, Emma Stone, and you Robert Downey Jr., or even the ladies from “Bridesmaids”, although God knows they tried manfully or womanfully—could match.

Humorous was the skit number featuring a 1930s depression audience watching a test screening of “The Wizard of Oz” and their reactions. Thank God that wasn’t real.

Crystal—after many a winter’s absence—returned to his old hosting role with aplomb—the clips, being kissed by Clooney’s “The Descendant’s” character, running into Justin Bieber, the odd on target quip. And yet, it wasn’t the same. It was predictable and a little wan, like that little bad boy’s smile after a joke that didn’t quite land as sharply as it should have.

For the most part, however, I was bored by the predictability of the big awards—maybe a long awards season seems to settle the choosing of the winners to the point of an absence of any sort of surprises. Ergo, if you’d been paying attention you knew the French guy was going to beat Clooney for best actor, and that “The Artist” was going to win Best Picture, and best director, and best dog, if there had been a category.

The only semi-surprise was Streep’s win for best actress as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady”, a film that did not match either “Harry Potter” or the latest “Transformers” receipts. A popular semi-favorite in that category, Viola Davis of “The Help” did not win, but Octavia Spencer from the same movie did win best supporting actress. She immediately turned into emotional, wordless, joyful mush, providing a refreshing authentic moment.

The two films that could be considered the big winners were “The Artist” which was a French film with few, if any, words, some barks and the sound of tap dancing and phones, that paid kinetic, original tribute to the golden age of Hollywood as it was beginning to learn to speak, and “Hugo”, Martin Scorcese’s homage to Paris and the founder of narrative film. Our political right wing—ever suspicious of all things French—will find further proof that something’s rotten in Hollywood by that pervasive French and Parisian flavor to the proceedings. On the other hand, the French to a man and dog said, “I love this country.” Go figure.

“The Artist” and “Hugo” were about old Hollywood. They are films about the movies when they were both movies and cinema, oozing nostalgia. So for that matter, an alarmingly thin Jolie, who in a splendid gown, her hair down like a gorgeous witch, struck a pose that made her seem like she was auditioning for some far-in-the-future remake of “Sunset Boulevard.”

All of which made me feel both pleasantly nostalgic—the older you get, the more there is to remember—and old—the older you get, the more there is to remember.

When Plummer mentioned his daughter Amanda, I remembered Tammy Grimes, whom I had an occasion to interview twice over the years, was her mother, and when the French producer of “The Artist” paid tribute to the late director Claude Berri as his inspiration, I remembered seeing both “Jeanne de Florette” and “Manon of the Springs,” two remarkable films Berri directed in the 1990s, at the Key Theater, which of course is no longer there.

Michelle Kingston •

The Federal Highway Act of 1956 changed the lives of Americans. Thousands of jobs were created, cars were purchased and suburbs emerged. Our economy thrived and revitalized our nation. Trains were no longer needed as automobiles were affordable and all the rage.

56 years later, it is 2012. Cars are not as affordable. Gas prices are through the roof. Our carbon footprints are larger than life. And our economy, well, we all know how that is.

To help with job creation and get America moving again (and fast), many are in support of bringing the High Speed Rail to the United States. The HSR will connect major cities together with a 17,000 mile national high speed rail system with an estimated completion date by 2030.

The trains are revolutionizing the world as they speed across countries at 220 miles per hour. They currently operate in more than 20 countries worldwide including the UK, France, Spain, China and Germany. In Japan, 9 billion passengers have been riding the trains for over 45 years without a single fatality. Ten more countries are under construction including Saudi Arabia and Italy. Turkey, Morocco, Russia, Poland, Brazil and Argentina are among the 14 countries currently under development.

The High Speed Rail Summit, an independent, nonprofit trade association focused on advancing the speed rail in the country, will be meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 28- March 1 where supporters and opponents of bringing the trains to our nation can voice their opinions. Numerous highlighted speakers who will be in attendance include U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Congressman John Mica, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Congressman Jim Oberstar. They’ll inform the public and continue to gain popularity and support to begin building the trains that could reshape our country’s transportation system and kick our economy back in to full gear.

The speakers will discuss the many challenges with launching a major new infrastructure project as large as this, such as the high cost to begin the project (just $98 billion in California alone), but will also stress the importance of bringing the high speed rail to the United States. The High Speed Rail Summit said the project will not only revive our economy and add millions of new jobs, but it will reduce our dependence on oil, reduce congestion and provide safe and affordable transportation. These trains have the ability to take 18.6 million cars off the road, said Peter Calthorpe for the New York Times. “This type of development means less air pollution, fewer respiratory diseases, less water consumption, efficient local infrastructure and lower costs to local governments,” he said.

With the pros and cons piling up across the country, it might be difficult to decide to stand for or against the High Speed Rail. Join others this Tuesday- Thursday at Alion Conference Center, 1100 New Jersey Ave S.E., directly across the street from Navy Yard metro station, for speeches, networking events and programs to establish an opinion on the project that could quite possibly change the way Americans travel. Again.

Register here:

YouTube Video: High Speed Trains Around The World

Georgetowner • March 1, 2012

Random Acts of Kindness Day

February 17th

Did you know that this week is Random Acts of Kindness Week? Take a moment this week to do something nice for others…

Take a look at how some of Georgetown’s businesses will be celebrating Random Acts of Kindness on February 17th:?

Sprinkles Cupcakes: 1 free mini cupcake per customer?

The Dog Shop: free dog treats and 10% off sales donated to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue?

Vineyard Vines: free shipping and gift wrap?LUSH: complimentary facials/hand treatments?

Alchimie Forever: a customer will be randomly selected from Facebook for one gift certificate?

Bangkok Joes: show your Facebook post to receive a free spring roll

Where: Georgetown Businesses

CAG Georgetown ARTS Show 2012

February 16th-20th, 11am-5pm

The talent of Georgetown resident artists will be on view at the 3rd Annual Georgetown Arts Show.

Address

House of Sweden

2900 K St, NW

Admission: Free

Contact: 202.337.7313

Out of Sight

February 18th, 2012 at 10:30 AM | $5

Life and Works of Enslaved and Domestic Servants at Tudor Place — Come tour and explore the changing nature and routines of domestic service from 1816- modern times.

Address

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden

1644 31st Street, NW

Washington | DC | 20007

National Eating Disorders Association’s 2nd Annual Washington D.C. NEDA Walk

February 19th, 2012 at 11:00 AM | $20 | Event Website

National Eating Disorders Awareness week’s 2nd annual Washington DC NEDA 5k Walk

Address

The National Mall across from the Smithsonian Castle

St. Jude Gourmet Gala

February 21st, 2012 at 05:30 PM | $350 | daniela.romero@stjude.org | Tel: (703) 351-5171 | Event Website

The Heisley Family Foundation will be hosting the 14th annual St. Jude Gourmet Gala featuring a cocktail reception and silent auction from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM followed by a program and restaurant tasting 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM. Business attire requested.

Address

National Building Museum

401 F Street NW

Washington, DC

Marit Fosso •

Albrecht Muth, a 47-year-old Georgetown resident, was charged in the murder of his 91-year-old wife, Viola Drath. He is now being hospitalized.

According to the Associated Press, his doctors are calling him delusional. Muth claims that he sees Archangel Gabriel who gives him instructions on what to do.

While in jail, he had been starving himself, but has begun eating again. He says he does want to continue with his 40-day fast soon, however.

“He thinks that he is chosen like Moses and Jesus, that he will be protected in his 40-day fast,” said Maria Amato, lawyer for the D.C. Department of Corrections.

On Tuesday, Muth was ruled temporarily incompetent for trial by Washington, D.C. Superior Court Judge, Russel F. Canan and was moved to St. Elizabeths psychiatric hospital in Washington, D.C. where he will receive a full mental evaluation, according to the Huffington Post. After the doctors at St. Elizabeth Hospital have evaluated Muth, the D.C. Superior Court judge will revisit his ruling.