News & Politics

Ari Post • November 28, 2011

Join the Georgetown Business Association at City Tavern Club this today, Nov. 9 for “Economic Development in Georgetown,” a presentation by D.C. community leaders and Georgetown business owners exploring the current state of economic development in Georgetown and its impact on business.

The list of speakers includes D.C. Councilmembers Jack Evans and Vincent Orange; ANC 2e Commissioner Bill Starrels; Michael Fitzgerald, President & CEO of Bank of Georgetown; as well as a handful of prominent small business owners, such as John Hays of The Phoenix and Karen Ohri of Georgetown Floorcoverings.

Wenesday, Nov. 9, 2011, from 6 – 9 p.m.
City Tavern Club
3206 M St., NW

6:00 Registration
6:15 Presentation
7:00 Q&A
7:30 Reception

For more information visit GTownBusiness.com

Georgetowner •

With James Madison’s historic home Montpelier as a backdrop, the annual Montpelier Hunt Races took off Saturday, Nov. 5 with all the pomp and circumstance to be expected of an event that dates back to 1934. The event presented seven races over its natural tracks, including a hurdle race featuring live brush jumps, the only course of its kind in Virginia. Attendees were treated to another unique aspect of Montpelier’s course: the proximity of its viewing areas to the race track. Unlike other horse races where guests have to watch the spectacle through binoculars to get a good view, guests at Montpelier can sit trackside, practically in the middle of the action. [gallery ids="100373,110777,110789,110782,110786" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

In celebration of its “20 Something Anniversary,” all Pizza Paradiso locations – including the one here in Georgetown – will host a week full of discounts and deals for its patrons, all of which are centered around the number 20. From $20 take-out to 20 cent toppings, Paradiso is getting creative with their birthday bash.

Drop in Monday for take-out and get one large and one small pizza for $20.

On Tuesday, Pizza Paradiso is giving away 20th Anniversary Beer Glasses with a purchase of a beer.

For $20 on Wednesday, you can get All You Can Eat Pizza & Beer with a two-drink maximum.

On Thursday, $20 gets you a small special pizza paired with an Anniversary Beer.

Your first beer purchase on Friday will only cost you 20 cents.

On Saturday, your first three toppings on any pizza will also cost you only 20 cents. Dine in only.

Sunday is “20 Free Pizzas” Family/Kids Day. From 1 to 4 p.m., kids can make their own pizzas with Chef Ruth Gresser. The first 20 pizzas sold will be free. This offer is only available at Pizza Paradiso’s Old Town location.

Samantha Hungerford •

The 17-year-old boy who was shot on M Street Halloween night died today after eight days spent in critical condition. The teenager is the first fatality among the six victims that were shot that night in five separate incidents throughout D.C.

On Oct. 31, a man was arrested close to the scene of the Georgetown crime and charged with carrying a pistol without a license, according to The Washington Post. The District police have not yet stated whether that man will be charged with the shooting. They also have not released the names of the man who was arrested or the young victim.

Gary Tischler •

Just as presidents are always called “Mr. President,” so every boxer who put on gloves and won a championship can call himself champ, even if he’s turned into a chump.

“The champ is dead,” read one headline, and you might be forgiven if you thought that Muhammad Ali, the man who in many people’s minds is THE champ, had passed. But when news came that Smokin’ Joe Frazier, the man with the fierce left-handed punch and the bearing of a modest man, had died, for sure a little piece of Muhammad Ali died too.

The two men, along with George Foreman, provided a level of high-stakes drama in heavyweight boxing annals rarely seen before and never seen since. Ali, through astonishing boxing skills and a charismatic, brash, brassy, exultant ego and personality, achieved untouchable-icon status in the American boxing pantheon – something the quiet, stolid, straight-ahead Frazier never managed. He merely punched the sun god into the canvas, and in three fights, one of which was the Fight of the Century, the other the Thrilla in Manila, he solidified the legends of both men by being unstoppable, even in two defeats.

Every obituary of Frazier, who died at the young age of 67 after a shockingly brief bout with liver cancer, talked about his fights with Ali, who treated Frazier in those days with all the sharp-tongued jabbing and malice the man was famous for and capable of. To African Americans, Ali was the hero, Frazier was the inarticulate foil, which in hindsight, was patently unfair to Frazier, and perhaps overlooked some of Ali’s more cruel flaws. Ali, after all, stood up to the powers that be for refusing to enter the draft, a costly, controversial and principled move when many African American soldiers were dying in Viet Nam. Ali was always the jabber, the rope-a-doper, the poet, the sting-like-a-bee dancer in the ring. Frazier was in the mode of Joe Louis and, more so, Dempsey and Rocky Marciano, inelegant but frighteningly lethal punchers.

“I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration,” Ali said. “My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones.”

Gracious words from the former champ who still suffers from the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease. Not so gracious were the references that described Frazier as a gorilla, to better to rhyme with Manila, and calling him an Uncle Tom. Frazier could not get over the slights, the smirks and the insults. When Ali lit the Olympic torch in 1996 in Atlanta, Frazier’s response to a request for a comment was “They should have thrown him in.”

But he forgave if not forgot. “I forgive him,” Frazier said just before the 40th anniversary of his first fight with Ali, in which he floored him, a first for Ali. “He’s in a bad way.”

Ali, in fact, respected Frazier’s courage as a fighter, no more so than in the third fight in Manila, in one of those raw, impossibly brutal fights where no one ever backed off. By the 14th round Frazier couldn’t see and his trainer refused to let him come out to fight the final round. Ali was almost as exhausted and beat up.

“Closest thing to dying that I know of,” Ali reportedly said. In a post-fight interview, he said, “Joe Frazier, I’ll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I’m gonna tell ya, that’s one helluva man, and God Bless him.”

“He’s the greatest fighter of all times, next to me.”

To the people that knew Frazier in Philadelphia, where he is an icon, he didn’t need to stand next to anybody. He was as upright as any man could be.

Foreman, made one of the most genial and well-liked sports self-promoters who ever lived, took Frazier’s title from him, but lost it quickly to Ali who rope-a-doped him in Zaire in another fight of the century. “Good night, Joe Frazier. I love you dear friends, George Foreman,” it said on Foreman’s twitter page.

When you look at the sporting scene today, it’s all about money, very little about character and there are no heavyweights on the boxing scene who could carry Frazier’s coffee or take on Ali in his prime and have a chance of two rounds, let alone 15. Lots of razzle and dazzle out there, just some no-names wrapped in title belts that blot out the sun and media money, not much class.

Class he had in abundance. If class were money, Frazier died a rich man.

Zachariah Weaver •

The building at 1078 Wisconsin Ave. was built in 1889, the same year PAUL Bakery started in northern France, Marketing Manager Laetitia Steiner said about the bakery’s new location in Georgetown.

“So that’s like destiny,” she said.

PAUL began in Lille in northern France as a family-built company, and is now an international chain bakery with 453 shops in 25 different countries around the world. The new Georgetown location, however, gives PAUL an advantage because of its authentic old structure that adds to PAUL’S experience.

PAUL, which has announced various opening dates, is set to open up in Georgetown on Nov. 21, marking its first official day of business.

“When we started building the store we had to re-secure the whole thing,” Steiner said. “But we kept as much original stuff as we could, like the brick walls.”

She explained that all of the decoration is imported and that they made sure with their local architect that everything stayed true to PAUL’s spirit. She said she feels that Georgetown seems to have some knowledge of what PAUL is supposed to be like and that this location provides what the bakeries in France offer.

“I feel that Georgetown knows what this bakery is, what PAUL is,” she said. “Georgetown residents have a great knowledge of our breads and they tell me they’ve been to PAUL and ask if we will keep that certain grain they like. I say yes, we will.”

There were some Georgetown residents, she said, who asked her if a specific bread, Badine, was going to be served at the new location. Steiner is hopeful for the success of the new shop because the future customers have a good knowledge of the product.

“We are going to make sure that we reach the quality expectation of the company every single day,” Steiner said.

Steiner said she is excited that the specially-crafted breads and gourmet coffee that PAUL has served for many years, will be available at Georgetown’s location.

“At the end of training there are people that want to come in and we say, look we’re not open but let us give you some food and we have had amazing feedback,” Steiner said. “We are just so happy to finally open because it has been an ongoing story for more than three years,” she said.

There was another PAUL that opened May 2, 2011 in downtown D.C., but what makes this new location very different, according to Steiner, is the way it will staff its café with servers rather than providing a self-service café.
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Georgetowner •

Authors on Deck: Uncommon Valor By Dwight Zimmerman BY DWIGHT ZIMMERMAN and John Gresham: A SPECIAL VETERAN’S DAY EVENT

November 11th, 2011 at 12:00 PM | Free and open to the public | mweber@navymemorial.org | Tel: 202-737-2300 | Event Website

In honor of Veteran’s Day and as part of the U.S. Navy Memorial’s “Authors on Deck” book lecture series, authors Dwight Zimmerman and John Gresham will present Uncommon Valor: The Medal of Honor and The Six Warriors Who Earned it in Afghanistan and Iraq. Uncommon Valor identifies six young warriors, the dramatic details of their life-or-death situations and why they responded to those situations as they did. The book also explores the history of the Medal of Honor.

Address

United States Navy Memorial

Navy Heritage Center

701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20004

New Prints by Jake Muirhead Opening Reception

November 11th, 2011 at 05:00 PM | Free | info@oldprintgallery.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818 | Event Website

Jake Muirhead’s solo show New Prints by Jake Muirhead will open at The Old Print Gallery on November 11, 2011 with a nighttime reception, from 5-8pm. Muihead will at teh gallery to discuss his art. The show presents over 20 etchings and aquatints, featuring still lifes and figurative work. Muirhead’s prints exude a rare intensity and liveliness, which can be attributed to his working and reworking of his intaglio plates.

Address

The Old Print Gallery

1220 31st Street NW

Washington, DC 20007

National Philharmonic Performance Celebrates Women Pioneers in Law and Music

November 12th, 2011 at 08:00 PM | $32-$79 Kids under 17 are free | deborah@nationalphilharmonic.org | Tel: (301) 581-5100 | Event Website

Thee National Philharmonic, under Music Director and Conductor Piotr Gajewski, presents Women Pioneers, dedicated to women pioneers in law and music. The program is centered around Amy Beach’s Grand Mass in E-flat Major.

The Honorable Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, is hosting this event. All proceeds will go toward the Maryland Women’s Bar Association Foundation’s (MWBAF) scholarships and the Finding Justice Project, which makes record of the history of women lawyers in Maryland.

Address

National Philharmonic

The Music Center at Strathmore

5301 Tuckerman Lane

North Bethesda, MD 20852

Homage to Modern Classics

November 13th, 2011 at 04:00 PM | $15-$65 | choralarts@choralarts.org | Tel: 202.785.9727 | Event Website

The Choral Arts Society of Washington presents its season opener, “Homage to Modern Classics.” The first concert in the final season of retiring Founder Norman Scribner, the performance features celebrated works from some of the greatest composers of the 20th Century: Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna and excerpts from Sergei Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky.

Address

Kennedy Center Concert Hall

2700 F Street, NW

Washington DC

The Annual Georgetowner Holiday Benefit and Bazaar

November 17th, 2011 at 06:00 PM | $75.00 | rsvp@georgetowner.com | Tel: (202) 338-4833 | Event Website

Join us to kick off the holiday season with an evening of shopping and merriment as we honor and give back to three shining stars of our community: the Citizen’s Association of Georgetown, Hope for the Warriors and Hyde-Addison Elementary School. EagleBank and Georgetown Media Group present the 2nd Annual Georgetowner Holiday Benefit and Bazaar to at the historic George Town Club Nov. 17 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Come browse for holiday gifts for your friends, family and for yourself at our unique vendors’ booths, featuring local Georgetown businesses. Highlights for attendees this year include Holiday Portraits by Philip Birmingham, an array of cocktails by Beam Global Spirits, a marvelous menu compliments of The George Town Club and a fabulous gift bag.

Address

The Georgetown Club

1530 Wisconsin Avenue NW

Washington DC 20007

Jeff Malet •

Thousands of protesters opposed to a controversial pipeline project surrounded the White House on Sunday, November 6, 2011. Canadian company TransCanada is seeking permission to build the 1,600-mile Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to the Gulf coast in Texas. Environmental groups say that extracting oil from the sands would generate huge greenhouse gas emissions, and that any accident on the route could be disastrous. View our photos by clicking on the icons below. (All photos by Jeff Malet) [gallery ids="110677,110617,110612,110607,110602,110597,110592,110587,110582,110577,110622,110627,110672,110667,110662,110657,110652,110647,110642,110637,110632,110572,110567,110562,110502,110681,110497,110685,110492,110689,110487,110693,110482,110507,110512,110557,110552,110547,110542,110537,110532,110527,110522,110517,100371" nav="thumbs"]

Kristin Sørumshagen •

On Nov. 13, the 3rd Annual Hilly Awards were presented at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, and the National Capital Bank was honored with a top Hilly Award for Professional Service.

The Annual Hilly Awards is produced by Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce. The organization works to “connect Hill businesses with the greater community,” according to their website, ChampsDC.Org.

The Hilly Award for Professional Service was one of 12 categories of awards presented. With over 2,100 initial nominations for the awards, the winners were popularly voted on by Capitol Hill residents.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition,” said Richard A. Didden, chairman and CEO of the bank, in a press release. “A Hilly Award epitomizes our corporate philosophy because it is based on votes from the individuals we serve on Capitol Hill.”

According to the release, this is the second consecutive year that NCB has been recognized as a leader in the community. In 2010 the Bank was voted best Community Services organization, also a Hilly Award. The bank has been recognized over the last decade with numerous accolades for its safety and soundness, confirmed by a long list of awards and distinctions on NationalCapitalBanc.Com.

In July 2011, the CHAMPS Hilly Awards received the D.C. Economic Partnership’s citywide award for Small Business Initiative of the Year, according to the event invitation on AtlasArts.Org. This year’s event was kicked of with a Red Carpet Reception before the winners were announced, followed by a celebration in Atlas’ Sprenger Theatre.

NCB’s headquarters are located on Capitol Hill with and a second branch in Friendship Heights. They’re Washington’s oldest bank, founded in 1889, and have been managed by the Didden family for 122 years. It has been recognized for its “exceptional performance, and for being the best bank in DC for small business loans,” according to the press release.

Jeff Malet •

The Georgetown Hoyas Football team won its 5th straight game by defeating the Fordham Rams 30-10 for its 8th win against only 2 losses for the season. If the Hoyas win next week at Lehigh they will win the school’s first league title and a spot in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. It is a major accomplishment for a team that did not win a single game in 2009. View our photos of the game by clicking on the icons below. (All photos by Jeff Malet) [gallery ids="100372,110722,110727,110732,110737,110742,110747,110752,110757,110762,110767,110717,110712,110682,110788,110687,110784,110692,110780,110697,110776,110702,110707,110772" nav="thumbs"]