Weekend Roundup

Gary Tischler • January 16, 2015

One  thing about living in Washington, or maybe even in the modern world, there’s always something going on. There is something to look forward like a birthday or a holiday, something to look back on like the 57th Inauguration, something to celebrate, like Groundhog Day.  For every month of the year, the calendar is pretty much full, if you choose to fill it.

February, for instance, is Potato Lovers Month and Umbrella Month. It is Black History Month or African American History Month. It is Creative Romance Month and Condom Month as well as Friendship Month, and that includes the celebration of Flirting Week and birthdays galore  and special days every day of the month, just about, from Morgan Fairchild’s birthday (Feb. 3), to Thank-a-Mailman Day (Feb. 4).

You get the drift.  In this issue, we celebrate February for our readers, by concentrating on love and history, if you will, specifically, we’re going to take a look at Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14),  the birthday of presidents, specifically, that of  Abraham Lincoln and the presence of history in our city and daily lives, and the celebration of February as Black History Month with its accompanying round of events, commemorations and celebrations.  It is a fact that in this city, especially, remembering the past allows us to anticipate the future more fully.

Our cover photo is of Barack and Michelle Obama in their inaugural night glam and glory by former White House photographer David Hume Kennerly.  In many and most ways, the Obamas embody the themes of our February story. As a couple and as parents, they are very much about the essence of Valentine’s Day which is love both romantic and familial.  As the first African American president and first lady, first and second terms, they are giant figures in the stream of American history as well as African American history, and their presence adds to the enrichment of our daily lives as citizens in a city embraced by history.

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY

It is probably fair to say that President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, as couple and parents, represent many of the qualities and virtues that sell Hallmark Cards, inspire a rush to the flower stands, give rise to a man going to Jared Diamond, make us think about couples and parents and the subject and celebration of love.

The inauguration revealed those aspects about the Obamas and not for the first time. Here were the daughters suddenly grown into adolescents and near-teens, acting like older and younger sisters under the beaming eyes of their parents, fooling around, texting, and look at that couple coming down the stairs there in the glare of a gala, Obama’s killer-watt smile at high, courtly beam, the tux, the red dress, the white bow tie, she serenely proud, billowing, what a rush of a date night.

They bring evidence of the love and romance in their lives to the public regularly.  It is speculation, of course, but you guess that they’ve had their rough patches because politics is not an arena for starry-eyed beginners, but you also guess that their relationship is one of deep and shared love and respect, and got-your-back loyalty and pride. While both are husband and wife with guy and gal things, they are total grown-ups as parents. 

In terms of glamour, the Obamas give Camelot a run for its residue of dazzle and razzle and youth and kids.  Their elevation to the White House seems to have strengthened them as a couple, it has been an addition as opposed to an imperilment. They appear to do honor to the idea of love.

The rest of us have to do what we often do at times like these—forget our workaholoic tendencies,  and appreciate the fact that someone other than the face in the mirror or our pets love us.  If you are loved, and share a love, how to show your appreciation of the person you so nonchalantly introduce as your better half?  Praise, wine and dine, kiss and give a shout out, buy roses, Godiva, cupcakes and a little shiny bauble from somewhere, if not Jared’s. 

Do something, besides dinner and champagne.  Here are some suggestions: go to a movie.

Specifically, go to the “Screen Valentines: Great Movie Romances” at the American Film Institute Theater, a series of some of Hollywood’s classic romantic movies which will move you, make you laugh and make you cry, running from Feb. 1 through March 14. 

Some of the films include “Ninotchka,” a 1930s movie billed as “Garbo Laughs,” in which the Great Greta, playing a dour Soviet commissar is wooed and led astray by American Melvyn Douglas; “A Man and a Woman,” the classic example of French sensuality starring Anouk Aimee and Jean Louis Tringinant; “The Way We Were,” in which passionately opinionated New York Jewish princess Barbra Streisand and rabble rouser meets blonde golden boy Robert Redford in his prime.  There are more—go to the AFI website for details.

It was always Hollywood to which we looked for guides to the joys, sadness and perils of love: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” was Oliver’s epigram for his lost love, but don’t try that one on your girlfriend or you’ll be sorry.  And my favorite love line from a western: Wyatt Earp, smitten with a school teacher, asks a bartender: “Hey, have you ever been in love?” to which  the reply is “Nope. I been a bartender all my life.”

You could check out the Washington Ballet, Feb. 13 to 17, at Sidney Harman Hall in the Harman Center, where the company’s “L’Amour (love, baby . . .) features three sensual, sexy, hot and love-stuff dances. That would be “Dangerous Liasons,” a world premiere choreographed by David Palmer; “Opposites Distract,” a company premiere choreographed by Elaine Kudo, and “Under Covers,” a world premiere choreographed by Amy  Stewart.  It all sounds like various reflections on the sexual and romantic and sometimes darker sides of love.

Or you could go where he goes: “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?”  That would be our good swain Romeo upon discovering Juliet. You will hear those lines again, but in a somewhat different context at the Signature Theater’s production of Joe Calarco’s play “Shakespeare R&J,” in which students at a repressive and all-male Catholic boarding school go against the rules and begin to “perform and act out” the forbidden Shakespeare play with dramatic results.  This “Romeo and Juliet” is modern, or as Calarco says, “wildly passionate and sexy.”   At Signature, Feb. 5 through March 3.

Don’t forget, in fact, to give your dog a Valentine’s Day treat. Their love for us is, after all, and unlike that of anyone else who might love you, unconditional.  (February is Responsible Pet Owner Month)

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Just by being who and what they are, Barack and Michelle Obama stand at the center of Black History Month, and the president, in his speech and looking back on the thousands-strong multitude understood the historic nature of where and how he stood,  knowing he would not be in that place again.  When he was elected and inaugurated for the first time, I suspect much of Washington’s overall, day-to-day citizenry re-discovered themselves as neighbors after all.   In Adams Morgan, my friend and neighbor Mickey Collins, who often regaled me with tales of U Street glory days of the black community, told me how sad he was that his aged mother had not lived to see the election. Then, I was sad also that Mickey did not live to see the results of the second election.

Black history is neither an overlay nor a background noise in Washington, D.C., the city which we inhabit. It belongs to everyone who lives here, not just in traditionally African American neighborhoods but the entire city, now changing in its makeup, but always rich in a permanent history.  We have a network of black churches and congregations, we have Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memorial, we have the Frederick Douglass Museum in Anacostia, we have slave and church cemeteries and the steps of the Lincoln Memorial which is as much a shrine to the memory of the 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech as it is to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. And we have all that jazz everywhere.

Some people have argued that with the election of Obama, we are living in what’s called a post-racial era, yet the subject of race is always on the mind like a prayer and an unanswered question.  At the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, there will be an exploration of the subject with “Race in America: Where Are We Now,” an arts and ideas weekend with panel discussions, films and performances of David Mamet’s play “Race,” Feb. 16-17.

Here are some events to watch out for, including the Feb. 2 Black History Month Family Day at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum.

On Feb. 14, THEARC at 1901 Mississippi Ave., SE, the DC THEARC Theater will present two free performances in honor of Black History Month, featuring “Harriet Tubman: The Chosen One,” a 45-minute play performed by Gwendolyn Briley-Strand, taking the audience on one of Tubman’s 19 journeys on the Underground Railroad.

In addition, such institutions as the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the D.C. Public Library, the Anacostia Community Museum, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, and others will hold special events throughout the month of February.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE CIVIL WAR

February is the month we celebrate the birthdays of both President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln, but it is Lincoln, the Civil War president and the Great Emancipator who resonates most strongly during the years of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.  While we look to the past and hear echoes of Lincoln’s words as spoken by Daniel Day Lewis in the hugely popular film “Lincoln,” President Obama will address a joint session of Congress with his annual and much-anticipated State of the Union address on Lincoln’s birthday, Feb. 12.

We are by now almost reflexively calling Washington a divided city in terms of the governing classes, but when the Civil War began in 1861, those divisions were searing, real and often bloody. Washington, itself, became at times a city under potential siege as well as the seat of power. 

Our museums especially have focused on the Civil War.  You can go to the Smithsonian  Museum of American Art for “The Civil War and American Art” to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture Gallery (inside the National Museum of American History) for “Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March on Washington, 1963” and “Torn in Two,” a geographic and cartographic approach to exploring the causes and memories of the Civil War with political cartoons, photographs, prints and maps at the Ford’s Theatre through Feb. 24.

Ari Post •

A two hours’ drive from the Washington area, Charlottesville, Va., is a city that was founded 250 years ago along a trade route that led from the Great Appalachian Valley to Richmond. Today, it still stands as a middle ground between natural bounty and urban vivacity, making it the ideal location to indulge in the apple-spiced luxury of the autumn and winter months.
Charlottesville is a city that stands out because it indulges visitors in the surrounding area, reminding them of the beauty and richness of Virginia’s history, from the Jeffersonian erudition to the rugged, rolling hillsides and farmland. And now is the perfect time of year to settle in for a cozy Charlottesville weekend, sitting fireside at a rural inn, dining at one of their classic or contemporary restaurants, or warming up from a wintry vineyard tour in a rustic tasting room.

WINE & SPIRITS
As we stand on the precipice of winter, vineyards and cideries may seem low on the list of worthy discussion topics. Now, of course, is the time where vines go dormant and production comes to a standstill until the spring. But while everyone else with the winter wonderland bug is waiting in line at the ski slopes, Charlottesville’s many wineries, cideries and breweries offer intimate afternoon getaways off the beaten path. In the seventh edition of “The World Atlas of Wine” that was recently published, authors Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson even devoted an entire section to Virginia wines, heavily focused on the Monticello and Charlottesville region.

Early Mountain Vineyards is a great place to begin a Charlottesville wine tour. It is not only producing impressive wines but maintaining their historic property with a commitment to biodiversity and sustainable farming. In its lovely tasting room, ranked second place out of 220 wineries by “Virginia Wine Lover” online, visitors can warm by the fire and enjoy the views after lunch with fare from the winery’s “eat local” marketplace, featuring cheeses, charcuterie and products from local area purveyors. It also keeps a selection of the best Virginia wines from other vineyards in house along with rotating featured selections.
www.EarlyMountain.com

Meanwhile, if you crave something slightly sweeter than wine, Virginia Cider Week (Nov. 15 to 24) is an upcoming event that should not be missed. In colonial America, fermented cider was the drink of choice. John Adams attributed his health and long life to a tankard of cider before breakfast, and Thomas Jefferson’s estate-grown cider, made with Hewe’s Crabapples, was his “table drink.” Throughout the 19th century, growing apples and crafting cider from cider apples was an integral part of every community, and Virginia cidermakers are working hard to revive this American tradition. It is the fastest growing segment of the alcohol industry, with more than 60-percent category growth in 2012. And nowhere is the cider revival more evident than in Virginia wine country.

Throughout the week of events throughout Virginia, there are cheese and cider workshops, opportunities to learn about what pairs well with what, and cider flights at local vineyards. And the week culminates in Charlottesville on Saturday, Nov. 23, with the second annual CiderFest at Castle Hill Cider. The all-day event includes cider tastings from a wealth of Virginia cidermakers, food from lauded local chefs, and music from Love Canon, one of Charlottesville’s most popular bands.
www.CiderWeekVa.com

DINING
As hinted at by the wineries, local and regional produce plays a large part in Charlottesville’s culinary scene. A handful of restaurants are spearheading this movement, delivering innovative but comforting American fare, inspired with international flavors and rooted in the surrounding farmland.

Judging by its name alone, you can probably guess where The Local cultivates its culinary inspiration and resources. Since it opened in March 2008, The Local has provided a venue to showcase the abundant supply of small farmers, artisan cheese makers, breweries, distilleries and award wining vineyards in the Charlottesville area. They even support local craftsman and artisans, and much of what you see in the restaurant is fabricated locally. Try the roast Squash stuffed with Caromont goat cheese, quinoa, dried cherries and almonds over braised greens with a fresh tomato sauce, or their crispy duck breast with port wine and blackberry glaze, with a parsnip and cauliflower puree.
www.TheLocal-Cville.com

Mas is another champion of organic, artisanal food and wine, conceived by chef Tomas Rahal as an opportunity to emphasize simple, well-handled ingredients served in a casual neighborhood setting. Featuring a contemporary tapas-style menu, their menu options this season include tender leeks slow-roasted in duck fat and saffron over housemade brioche, as well as smoked beef tongue sliced thinly, grilled on the plancha, heaped on hearth-baked bread with spicy mustard, slaw and pickles. They also have an outstanding selection of Spanish wines for unforgettable pairings.
www.MasTapas.com

There is a gentle, serene beauty about the Virginia countryside that is perfectly tailored for those looking for an intimate but lively experience. Charlottesville is a quiet pinnacle of romance, culinary indulgence and relaxation, and now is the perfect time of year to fall into its warm and generous arms

CIDERWEEKVA
Nov. 15 to 24
Cider Week features multiple complimentary tastings and events featuring local Virginia ciders. For a complete schedule, visit CiderWeekVa.com.

Nov. 17
Hill & Holler Cider Dinner
Enjoy regional dishes prepared by top local chef Amalia Scatena from Pippin Hill Vineyard. Dishes will be served dim sum style and served with Virginia cider. Live music will also be featured. Tickets at $65 and can be reserved by emailing hill.holler@gmail.com. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Meriwether Vineyards, 1040 Owensville Road, Charlottesville, Va.

Nov. 19
Cider Y’all
Chef Jason Alley will cook Southern small plates paired with Foggy Ridge Cider at Pasture restaurant in Charlottesville. No entry cost. The Shops at Stonefield; 434-973-2270

Nov. 20
Home Cidermaking Workshop
Learn cidermaking basics from Tim Edmond of Potter’s Craft Cider and Chuck Shelton of Albemarle Ciderworks. Free workshop. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fifth Season Gardening, 900 Preston Ave., Charlottesville, Va. 434-293-2332

Nov. 23
CiderFest with Love Cannon
Music from Love Cannon wraps up the week with the all-day event at Castle Hill Cider. Tastings and food from area chefs will also be featured. Tickets $20; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 6065 Turkey Sag Road, Keswick, Va. 434-296-0047

CARTER’S MOUNTAIN ORCHARD
It’s apple season at Carter’s where you can spend a family-filled day “Picking Your Own,” buying apples from the Apple Barn or indulging at Aunt Sarah’s Bakery featuring home-made apple cider donuts, fresh-baked apple pies, apple caramel cookies and hand-dipped ice cream. The orchard also offers pumpkins and lunch foods in the Mountain Grill. Open through Dec. 1, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 6 to Dec. 22: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weather permitting. 575 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville, Va. 434-977-1833

Ari Post •

With the first snow in what seems like well over a year, it is safe to say that we have a real winter on our hands. We tend to worry about the dog days of summer, but this is the time of year where cabin fever can really set in. If you want to defy the cold, now is the perfect time for those of us itching to take off on a relaxing weekend getaway. Pastoral bed & breakfasts and luxury hotels surround the D.C. area.

The landscapes of these mountain and riverside resorts are in a rare, hushed state of wintry serenity, and the weather, while perhaps brutally cold, can be a good excuse to cuddle up in front of a fire with the one you love.

The Ashby Inn and Restaurant

In the town of Paris, Va. sits The Ashby Inn and Restaurant. Just an hour outside the city, this popular travel destination offers a respite for those jaded city dwellers seeking nature’s tranquility. A small inn with ten double rooms, it has a restaurant with 70 seats that tends to fill up every Saturday.

For the adventurous couples, nearby Sky Meadow State Park, which can be seen from the porch of the Inn, offers great winter hiking. There’s nothing quite like stomping through the woods and hearing nothing but the rustling of bare branches and the crunch of snow under your feet.

If you are looking for less strenuous quality time, the nearby town of Middleburg is well known for its antique shops, equestrian culture and, of course, the National Sporting Library and Museum, where you can take in the beauty of the wilderness through paintings without shivering in the cold. If it’s warm enough, stop by Middleburg Common Grounds, just across the street. They have great coffee, a cozy atmosphere, and a great chicken salad sandwich. Another great activity for those who want to relax but explore is a trip to any number of the over twenty local wineries located within 30 minutes of the Inn—the tasting rooms at Chrysalis Vineyards and Barrel Oak Winery are open year round, and their wine is worth stopping in to try.

This resort is quite popular—they are often fully booked—so call to see what’s available. www.AshbyInn.com

The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier has the hallowed distinction as “America’s Resort”. Way out in West Virginia, The Greenbrier has entertained guests for generations. Under the ownership of Jim Justice, the hotel has built new amenities offers more entertainment opportunities for visitors, including a casino, live music, and its own PGA Tour event, the Greenbrier Classic, July 2-8, an event that will also feature a concert series with Toby Keith, Rod Stewart featuring Lionel Richie, Bon Jovi.
All this may seem far away, but The Greenbrier now has its own place in Washington. The Greenbrier Upper Lobby, at 1427 H Street NW, is a space where travelers can book vacations at the Greenbrier. Decorated by Carleton Varney in his signature, colorful style, the Upper Lobby transports individuals to the halls of the hotel. The Greenbrier is offering a special getaway package that includes transportation to the hotel. Read more about it at www.greenbrier.com.

The Homestead

Resting on 3,000 acres of Allegheny Mountain terrain, The Homestead is a luxury mountain resort that has been spoiling their guests since before the American Revolution. This National Historic Landmark of a retreat is ranked among the world’s finest spa destinations, and has enough activities to keep you busy through the entire winter.

There are a variety of suite accommodations from which to choose, including pet friendly rooms. Their world-class spa alone would nearly be worth the trip—even more so in the winter months, when the brittle cold leaves skin is particularly sensitive.

After you revitalize the body and spirit with a hydrotherapy treatment, you can go see a movie at the in-house theater, or swim in the naturally heated indoor pool, play tennis on the indoor courts. Go ice skating, bowling, or even snow tubing. You can pretend it’s any season you want! The Homestead understands how to make the most out of every time of year.

With nine restaurants to choose from, guests can dine in almost any manner they please. Put on your evening’s best to enjoy French American cuisine at 1766 Grille, or enjoy a poolside lunch wrapped in a beach towel with a view of the snowcapped mountains just outside the window. www.TheHomestead.com

Goodstone Inn and Estate

Close to The Ashby Inn and Restaurant, you can find The Goodstone Inn in Middleburg, Virginia. It is a luxurious, romantic country inn and gourmet restaurant set on 265 acres of rolling pastures and woodlands in the heart of wine and hunt country. Breathtaking vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains and surrounding countryside appear from every vantage point. At Goodstone, the finest hospitality, dining, personalized service and attention to detail ensure that every visit is a special and memorable occasion. With 18 rooms spread about the rustic estate, it is a choice romantic destination—and it is at its most intimate during the winter months.

There are many different activities available at The Goodstone. The estate grounds hold possibilities for hiking, biking and canoeing, all of which are included in the rates. For explorers, The Goodstone Inn can arrange activities such as hot air ballooning, horseback riding and history tours, while the many wineries in the area are a good choice for those seeking a more gastronomic experience.

The Restaurant at Goodstone features a farm-to-table menu and uses only the finest, fresh ingredients available — mostly sourced from Goodstone’s own organic herb and vegetable gardens and the finest purveyors in the country. They Inn and Restaurant are currently offering winter getaway packages, so indulge in a special winter retreat while it still counts. www.Goodstone.com

The Inn at Willow Grove

Moving south, The Inn at Willow Grove is located close to the town of Orange, Virginia. Just under two hours’ drive from Washington, this eclectic country inn presents itself as an upscale, luxury retreat. Recently renovated, the Inn has eleven rooms and a gourmet restaurant. The surrounding scenery combined with the beauty of the Inn attracts guests throughout the year.

With heated floor tiles, soaking tubs and fireplaces, the accommodations are worth the trip alone. You might find yourself not wanting to leave the room—which is exactly the point of wintering away. But should you want to explore, there are plenty of things to do. Guest favorites include wine tours to the various wineries in the area. www.TheInnAtWillowGrove.com

Keswick Hall at Monticello

Just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, with the Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop, lies Keswick Hall at Monticello. A little more than two hours away from Washington, this Hotel is a great combination of a romantic Inn and a large resort. Guests travel here from all over the world to stay at this intimate haven, rated the number-one small resort in the country by Conde Nast. Located in the heart of Virginia, it is the perfect spot for a long weekend getaway.

The Keswick Hall at Monticello offers a range of activities designed for couples. From couples massages and private cooking classes, to fireside billiards and couples tennis matches, there are countless activities to suit any mood. For wine enthusiasts, Keswick Hall has its own private vineyard, and offers tours of the other renowned Charlottesville vineyards nearby. Having all the amenities of a large resort with the intimacy of home, you can spend an entire weekend exploring the wondrous fall terrain of Keswick Hall. www.Keswick.com

The Inn at Monticello

Just a stone’s throw from Monticello proper, The Inn at Monticello is a five-acre bed & breakfast, and a convenient base of operations while exploring all that nearby Charlottesville has to offer. Just far enough outside the city to enjoy the rolling landscapes from your private porch or cottage, and down the street from a handful of vineyards, the Inn is still only a ten-minute drive from the center of town.

Once in Charlottesville, across the street from the UVA campus, visit the Corner. A stretch of coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores and nightspots frequented by the local academic community, the Corner is a cultural watering hole, and a perfect place to enjoy a simple cup of coffee with a good book, grab dinner, or have a few drinks. Among the scenery, UVA’s historic chapel and the “Academical Village” are noteworthy sites.

Restaurants to check out around Charlottesville include The Ivy Inn Restaurant and Hamilton’s at First and Main. Producing cuisine inspired by seasonal and locally grown ingredients, The Ivy Inn offers classic American fare with modern twists, such as pumpkin ravioli or veal osso buco with sautéed bok choy. At Hamilton’s at First and Main, inventive pairings such as roasted halibut stuffed with chèvre, or crab cakes with lemon-basil aioli are the highlights of the menu. www.InnAtMonticello.com

The Inn at Little Washington

When discussing luxury dining and accommodations in Virginia, The Inn at Little Washington garners the same reactions that one gets if mentioning Disney World to a four-year-old. The lovechild of renowned restaurateur Patrick O’Connell, a self-taught chef often accused of having “perfect taste” and a pioneer of the local-organic movement, The Inn at Little Washington is one of the most highly decorated restaurants and hotels in the country—and just about the only nationally lauded two-for-one.

This time of year, O’Connell’s celebrated kitchen is hunkering down and making some of the most innovative and delicious comfort food you could ever imagine, using the hearty ingredients and earthy flavors of winter. www.TheInnAtLittleWashington.com. [gallery ids="101146,140744,140727,140739,140734" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

Come rain or come shine, Easton, Md.’s annual Waterfowl Festival is on the horizon, Nov. 8 to 10. A regional tradition that dates back more than 40 years, the Waterfowl Festival is an ode to the natural history, untamed beauty and landmark conservation efforts of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, featuring our favorite animals in its surrounding ecosystem.

Sportsmen and art connoisseurs alike will find something to admire at this festival, founded by an ambitious local community who envisioned an event that would share with visitors the unique heritage of the Eastern Shore they so treasure. The festival also helps to preserve the ecosystem, raising funds to protect the wildlife and habitats that are integral to the area’s way of life. The nonprofit organization, which initially raised just a few thousand dollars a year, now totals more than $5 million in conservation grants to hundreds of projects by more then fifty organizations. The festival’s new conservation arm, Waterfowl Chesapeake, was founded in 2011 to further enhance the organization’s ability to support waterfowl and the environment.

This event captures the true romance and excitement of the area’s wild birds, while tipping a hat to the sport they create that has so long intoxicated hunters and birdwatchers. From decoy exchanges to art exhibits, and from a children’s fishing derby to wildlife photography classes, Easton’s Waterfowl Festival truly has something for everyone.

SPORTING, HUNTING, CALLING AND TASTING

Each November, proud duck and goose callers from across the country and Canada journey to Easton to vie for the coveted title of “master caller.” At the Festival’s annual Calling Contest, men and women perform their best calls in front of more than 600 spectators.
One of the most popular festival events is the Retriever Demonstrations. The Retriever Demonstrations are entertaining and impressive, as these skilled canines show off by leaping into the pond to fetch a thrown or hidden dummy. You don’t have to be a hunter to appreciate the intelligence demonstrated by the retrievers and the training skills of their handlers. Another canine-crazed event is the Dock Dogs Competition, where the stands fill quickly to watch dog after dog race down a dock to splash into a pool of water. The competition measures which dog remains airborne the farthest or highest.

The Wine, Beer and Tasting Pavilion will host an array of local food and beverage vendors, offering a true taste of the region. From locally brewed craft beer to famous Maryland crabs, it is the perfect pit stop amidst the veritable flurry of Festival activity. Tastings are free after a $10 entry fee, and drinks may be purchased separately by the glass or bottle to take home.

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

During the festival, a series of galleries and exhibits will be open throughout the day, featuring art and artists devoted to the local waterfowl culture. One of the original Waterfowl Festival galleries, the Art at the Armory Painting Gallery presents an array of exceptional artists offering a variety of work encompassing a wide range of subject matter, style and price. In addition to waterfowl, wildlife and sporting art, the artists present landscape, floral and maritime scenes, both as original paintings and prints.

The Artists Gallery and Workshop, hosted by Easton Elementary School, allows visitors the rare opportunity to see artists at work, demonstrating the techniques and skill required to create the artwork so admired in its finished form. Working artisans are willing and eager to discuss their work and tricks of the trade, from carving to painting and photography techniques. Demonstrations throughout the day make this exhibit a delight for many and an educational must for all aspiring young artists.
There is also a myriad of special programming throughout the weekend, from classes and demonstrations to competitions and performances. For children and families, the art activities at Easton Elementary School feature carving and miniature painting classes. There are also beginning and advanced digital photography workshops with photographer Will Hershberger, as well as a pastel painting workshop hosted by renowned wildlife and landscape artist Clive Tyler.

The Buy, Sell, Swap event at Easton High School is a popular festival staple, getting collectors together to haggle and bargain with their wares. This traders’ bazaar focuses on decoys, hunting and sporting memorabilia, sporting books and much more, with prices ranging from pocket change to the thousands of dollars. Whether a dedicated collector, first time buyer, or browser, any visitor will find something of interest.

There is all this and more at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Md. So, brush up your duck calls, shape up your pups and get on out there.

For more information, visit www.WaterFowlFestival.org.

Wally Greeves •

The colors of fall made their debut in the trees of southern Virginia this past weekend. Nature’s annually renewable color wheel turned out rustic-red, campfire-orange, and squash-yellow leaf swirls for our viewing pleasure, as my wife and I meandered through the Allegheny Mountains to arrive at the Homestead in Hot Springs, Va. This was my first visit to this resort, and the timelessness that met me here in Bath County ensured that it will not be my last.

While the picturesque drive there, hassle-free check-in and plushy sleeping situation slowed things down, the breakfast buffet delivered the final pulse-lowering blow. The pre-hibernation feast available quashed all ideas I had of walking the Cascades Course.

Always in the “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” list, the Cascades is the textbook mountain course, ensconced by natural surroundings that showcase it well. Man, I love playing a golf course with room. When you have a fairway lined with 150-foot hemlock trees and a backdrop of a mountain five miles away, who cares where your ball lands? Well, me, but I shouldn’t.

Highlights of the round for me included the approach shot to the slightly inclined, elevated shelf-like green on #4, and the tee shot into the deep left side of the soup-bowl valley on #7. No matter if it was your second or third stroke (or fourth, fifth or sixth), the approach shot over the pond on the par 5 #16 hole was spectacular, and the uphill tee shot over water to the 18th green ended the round on a high note. I also appreciated the mountain-inspired acoustical smack of the flag being dropped to the green by far away fellow golfers being audible from a great distance away. At this time, I would not recommend using orange or yellow balls.

The Canyon Ranch Spa services that my wife availed herself of were reportedly luxurious, and she almost overslept for dinner. The post-treatment outdoor lounge with natural springs and wood-burning fire pit, surrounded by satisfied “spadets” in white robes, could have passed for a Roman marshmallow roast. In less opulent surroundings, the men-only natural springs five miles away that Thomas Jefferson once soaked in provided me warmth and humor, as I listened to a fellow bather lament upon the color choices of the “noodle” flotation devices that were available to us grown men.

A jacketed affair, complete with late-era live band music, dinner in the main dining room lasted about as long as a good movie. Starring roles were pheasant and strip steak, with cameos by crab Louis and oysters Rockefeller. The menu at Jefferson’s, the other upscale restaurant at the Homestead, looked equally appealing and will have to wait for our next visit.

The Old Course at the Homestead, built in 1892, is home to the nation’s oldest first tee in continuous use. Last Sunday morning it was home to 30-something degree weather, as the first cold snap appeared out of nowhere. The cold burned off to become a crisp, beautiful, sunny mountain day with spectacular views making an appearance once again. The Old Course, while not in the same league as the Cascades, is the best kept example of resort golf I have ever seen. This is a perfect course for a couple or a family to play. The back tees might keep a seasoned golfer happy with yardage and difficulty, but a seasoned golfer would never think to complain about either because of the available views. Memorable golf moments for me were the tee shot at the par three #5 against the “double-mountain” looking backdrop and the five minutes my wife and I marveled at the views down the #13 fairway from the tee box. I really enjoyed playing the Old Course with my wife and will file this in the “Special Round” category.

Whichever activities I chose to participate in on my visit to the Homestead, I was still going to be left with a list for future visits. Falconry is not something you see every day, and learning how to fly fish in the mountain streams surrounding the Homestead are two things on my list. The hiking trails and horses may see more of my wife in some future trip. When we first pulled into Hot Springs and I saw the Jeffersonian brick and white grounds of the Homestead, and when we later exited onto Sam Snead Highway to leave, I found myself thinking roughly the same thing: How cool is it that something like that exists in Virginia? [gallery ids="101514,150884,150886" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • December 22, 2014

CityVision Final Presentation

December 18th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | Free

Learn more about local middle school students’ exploration of Washington, D.C., as CityVision participants share their view for their city. After studying the basics of urban design and architecture, students from Takoma Education Campus and Raymond Education Campus present their innovative plans for Buzzard Point, the proposed area for a new soccer stadium.

Address

401 F Street NW

Candlelight Tours at Oatlands

December 19th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | $12 adults, $10 seniors & active duty military, $8 kids 6-16, Free to Friends of Oatlands and childr | jstiner@oatlands.org | Tel: 703-777-3174 | Event Website

December 13, 19, 20, & 21 5-8 pm. Join us after hours to see the mansion sparkling with Christmas lights and old-fashioned decorations. Candlelight tours are open-house style so you may enjoy at your own pace. Reservations not required. Final admission is at 8pm. $12 adults, $10 seniors & active duty military, $8 kids 6-16, FREE to Friends of Oatlands and children under age 6.

Address

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane; Leesburg, Va. 20176

Christmas by the Letter

December 19th, 2014 at 08:00 PM | Tickets at the door are $25. Advance tickets at $20 | Tel: 202-271-6680 | Event Website

The National Broadway Chorus will present “Christmas By the Letter,” an original comedy featuring popular seasonal songs such as:

“We Need a Little Christmas,”

“Merry Christmas, Darling,”

“Last Christmas,”

“Chestnuts Roasting (on an Open Fire),”

and much more!

The show focuses on a family of five (mother, father, adult son, adult daughter, grandmother) as they prepare to host their Christmas party.

Luke Frazier directs the chorus.

Address

Georgetown Lutheran Church; 1556 Wisconsin Ave. NW

The Gingerbread Chase — Christmas Theater at Oatlands

December 19th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | Adults $12, Children 2-12 $10 | jstiner@oatlands.org | Tel: 7037773174 | Event Website

At a bakery known for its beautifully decorated Christmas cookies, the newly baked Ginger cookie feels plain and simple. Ginger runs away, leading to a chase of family and friends in an effort to return the cookie to the bakery. Will fancy decorations bring happiness, or will Santa help everyone see that being special is about what is on the inside, not the outside? See http://stagecoachtc.com/ for tickets and more information.

Address

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane; Leesburg, VA 20175

Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon

December 20th, 2014 at 05:30 PM | $30/adult, $20/youth | info@mountvernon.org | Tel: 7037802000 | Event Website

Ring in the holiday season with sparkling fireworks overlooking the Potomac River at George Washington’s Mount Vernon on Saturday, December 20! For the first time ever, Mount Vernon will open its doors for an evening of holiday-themed fireworks and special programs.

Address

3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway; Mount Vernon, VA 22121

Christmas in Fairfax With the City of Fairfax Band

December 20th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | Free (secure tickets online) | Tel: 703.642.3277 | Event Website

Make our tradition your tradition. Join the Fairfax Choral Society and the City of Fairfax Band in a glorious selection of seasonal favorites in this free, annual concert.

Address

Fairfax High School; 3501 Rebel Run, Fairfax, VA 22030

Chanukah Celebration

December 21st, 2014 at 03:00 PM | FREE | rabbi@amhatorah.org | Tel: 301-229-2751 | Event Website

Live Music: Featuring The Sinai Mountain Boys- A talented foursome of Jewish musicians combining Bluegrass and Jewish melodies!

Kid’s activities- Arts & crafts, games and a juggling and magic show at 3:30 and at 4:15.

Chanukah raffle and refreshments

This activity is not sponsored by, associated with, or endorsed by Montgomery County Public Schools or Montgomery County Government.

Address

Bethesda Elementary School 7600 Arlington Drive Bethesda MD

Robert Devaney • November 19, 2014

As the Georgetown Gala makes the scene this Friday at the Italian Embassy, it joins other big-time soirees around the city at the height of Washington, D.C.’s social calendar.

The gala’s theme, “Fly Me to the Moon” evokes an optimistic 1960s feeling with Frank Sinatra, the Rat Pack, “Mad Men” and man’s first landing on the moon. Expect to see some Franks and Sammys walking around, some Don Drapers and Jane Harrises, too — maybe even Buzz Aldrin, or one Georgetowner, who is, in fact, a retired space shuttle commander.

Started in 2003 as the 125th anniversary celebration of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, the party has become the hot ticket in town, attracting about 400 partygoers to the association’s biggest annual fundraiser.

Georgetown’s advocate for residents and homeowners descends from D.C.’s first civic group, the Georgetown Citizens Association, formed in 1878, which merged in 1963 with the Progressive Citizens Association of Georgetown to form CAG. Past victories include the passage of the Old Georgetown Act in 1950 and saving the Old Stone House.

Today, the group works with neighbors, businesses, Georgetown University, the Metropolitan Police Department and other groups. The association sees “Georgetown as a residential community, a historic treasure, an educational center and a vital component of the District of Columbia’s retail and tourism economy. The association seeks to maintain a unique mix of missions for the community . . .”

Together, the list of what CAG does is impressive: tree plantings, concerts in the parks, an oral history project, a public safety program, historic preservation, town-gown relations, monthly meetings and an online bulletin board and efforts on trash and rodents. It is all the more impressive that much of the work is done by volunteers from the community – and with an annual operating budget of $545,000.

This year, the annual black-tie blowout will honor former mayoral candidate and Ward 2 Councilmember (since 1991) Jack Evans and his wife Michele Seiver Evans and their six children, who live on P Street (a modern-day Brady Bunch). Chair of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, Jack Evans is closely involved with decisions on D.C. taxes and budgets. He was in the forefront in pushing for approval of the Verizon Center and Nationals Park. Michele is very active in CAG, its Trees for Georgetown as well as Volta Park and the Georgetown House Tour – and, now, Dog Tag Bakery (more on this later).

“CAG, for me as a newcomer, was such an inviting place,” said Michele Evans. “When I married Jack, I’d forgotten which side was east or west. Georgetown is a village: everybody takes care of everybody.”

She echoed her husband’s refrain: “This is the golden age of Georgetown.” (How many years has Jack said this?)

“The minute I got involved with CAG, they invited me on committees,” Evans said. “It was my pleasure to help.” Mentioning bicycling or jumping on the Circulator bus, she said that she liked that the town is so walkable.

As for CAG’s annual gala, it is a great time for “neighbors to catch up with neighbors,” Michele said.

The high-energy event — with lots of hellos, hugs and dancing — gathers residents, organizations, businesses and local politicos to celebrate Georgetown and CAG’s mission of historic preservation and improving the life of the community. The list of attendees and sponsors reads like a who’s who of the town. The food will be provided, appropriately enough, by Cafe Milano, the Italian restaurant on Prospect Street that is a center of its own social scene in Washington.

Honorary chairs are Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero and his wife Laura Denise, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Selwa “Lucky” Roosevelt, former Sen. Joseph Lieberman and his wife Hadassah, and John DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, and Kitty Kelley, who provides another gala tie-in. She wrote “His Way: An Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra.” The famous crooner, bon vivant and businessman was not pleased. Kelley was sued by Sinatra even before she began to write the book. The lawsuit was dismissed. Three hundred signed copies of her Sinatra book will be given away at Friday’s big party.

It was gala co-chairs Jennifer Altemus, Colleen Girouard and Robin Jones who came up with the evening theme of “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Written in 1954 as “In Other Words,” the song was recorded by many artists and was made forever famous by Sinatra, who sang “Fly Me to the Moon” as a tribute to America’s Apollo astronauts. The singer would have astronauts in his Las Vegas audience as they took a break from training at nearby Nellis Air Force Base. The song itself became the first music heard on the moon, played by Aldrin — second man on the moon — who told song arranger Quincy Jones about it later.

With such music as a background, the gala’s entertainment, Danny Meyers and his DC Love band, will step up. For the after party, disc jockeys Trophy Brothers will keep it moving.

Gala co-chair Jones said, “Colleen and I have been a great team chairing the gala for the past two years — and with Jennifer this year. We just want to create a memorable experience for party guests that keeps them coming back. This year is our best effort yet.” She added, “Being involved with CAG is like having your finger on the pulse of Georgetown.”

After moving back to town, co-chair Girouard joined the association six years ago and found that “it was very best way to meet my neighbors.”

Altemus, the group’s president from 2009 to 2013, said, “I am impressed with all that CAG is able to do with its mostly volunteer staffing. It really adds to the feeling that we live in a small town with all of the big city conveniences and benefits.”

CAG President Pamla Moore sees a safe neighborhood and historic preservation among top concerns and said, “If it wasn’t for community members who actively give their time and talents, Georgetown would not be the wonderful place it is.” Betsy Cooley, the group’s executive director for the last 10 years, said she has a great job, “because all I have to do is keep up with the volunteers.”

Those involved with the group stay with it, such as past presidents Victoria Rixey, Barbara Downs, Ray Kukulski and Denise Cummingham, who began the annual gala, as well as Don Shannon and Kathleen Graff. Other names from years gone by include Ev Shorey, Louis Alexander Traxel, Grosvenor Chapman, Charles Poor, Olcott Deming, Peter Belin, Juan Cameron and Eva Hinton.

The live auction at the gala will be called by Griff Jenkins of Fox News. Items include a Washington Nationals game package, a party for 25 persons at Evermay, a five-night stay in a Sicilian villa, a three-night stay at the Vail Four Seasons, a three-night getaway to the Landings on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Ga., and a weekend at the Georgetown Four Seasons with spa treatments, dinner and rooftop cocktails at the Capella. Silent auction items include dinners at Kafé Leopold, Unum and Peacock Café, plus glassware by A Mano, a wine package and more.

So, raise a glass at the Georgetown Gala Oct. 24 to our kind of town. There are few strangers in the night here. And while CAG wants to “Fly [Us] to the Moon,” we will always come home to Georgetown.
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Georgetowner • November 17, 2014

Pardi Party Wine Tasting

November 14th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | 0 | Event Website

Join Via Umbia as they host a special wine tasting with Augusta Pardi (of Pardi wine and linens fame) when you will be able to speak with Augusta and sample her family’s signature wines, including Trebbiano Spoletino, Montefalco Rosso and Sagrantino. Please remember to RSVP to this complimentary event.

Address

1525 Wisconsin Ave NW

Speakeasy Shorts: Stories

November 14th, 2014 at 07:30 PM | $20-30 | info@dcshorts.com | Tel: 202-681-1151 | Event Website

DC Shorts and SpeakeasyDC have combined forces for the Speakeasy Shorts competition. Ten teams of filmmakers will be assigned to ten storytellers to create short films based on original stories, all shot and produced in the District.

On Nov. 14, local storytellers will narrate their personal stories to an audience that includes eight filmmaking teams. At the end of the storytelling, the performers will be matched with their crews to begin a 5-day production.

Address

U.S. Navy Memorial’s Burke Theater; 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

ScriptDC: Words to “Action!”

November 14th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | $300 for WIFV/Actors’ Center/DCFM Members and $350 for Non-Members | membership@wifv.org | Tel: (202) 429-9438 | Event Website

ScriptDC is the premier conference for Mid-Atlantic writers, producers and talent to achieve their creative dreams by connecting them with accomplished teachers, consultants and industry professionals.

Registration includes

Opening night screening on 11/14, workshops on 11/15, and opportunities for script and pitch critiques on 11/16.

Special Opportunities

-Meet the Best

-Master Classes

-Practice Your Pitch

-Have Your First 5 Pages Critiqued

Find more info on the event page!

Address

GWU School of Media and Public Affairs; 805 21st Street, NW

CAG’s Community Public Safety Meeting

November 15th, 2014 at 09:00 AM | Event Website

Hosted by CAG and members of MPD, officers will talk about recent crimes, their response strategy, and safety advice for the holidays. Recent concerns have included car break-ins, attempted home burglaries, a sexual assault on Prospect Street, a dog-napping, and UPS package thefts. MPD Lieutenant John Knutsen, Officer Antonial Atkins and other officers will be at the meeting to answer your questions

Address

Safeway Cafe; Georgetown; 1855 Wisconsin Ave. NW

MM. LaFleur Hosts DC Pop-up Shop

November 15th, 2014 at 10:00 AM | Event Website

MM. LaFleur, the New York City-based design house that has reinvented the way professional women dress, announces its first-ever DC pop-up shop, November 15 to 23 at the District Architecture Center. MM. LaFleur’s designs encompass a full wardrobe for the professional woman: dresses, separates and accessories, all at an unprecedented price point. The pop-up will be open 7 days a week and will be host to public and private shopping events throughout the 9-day period.

Address

District Architecture Center; 421 7th Street NW

Heritage Beneath Our Feet

November 15th, 2014 at 10:00 AM | $5 per individual, $10 per family | jstiner@oatlands.org | Tel: 7037773174 | Event Website

Join Dr. David Clark of the Loudoun Archaeological Foundation for an archaeology walking tour of the Oatlands property.

?Learn how archaeologists read the above-ground “clues” that often guide them to locations for field work. The tour starts at 10 AM and is approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours long. Wear comfortable walking shoes as most of the tour will be over uneven terrain. $5 per individual. $10 per family. Tickets can be purchased in the gift shop the day of the tour.

Address

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane; Leesburg, VA 20175

Jackson Art Center Preview & Workshop Day

November 15th, 2014 at 11:00 AM | Free | jacksonartcenter@gmail.com | Tel: 240-601-7185 | [Event Website](http://jacksonartcenter.com/The_Jackson_Art_Center/Welcome.html

Join Jackson artists for their semi-annual Open Studios weekend.

Saturday, November 15, 11-3: FREE art workshops for adults, teenagers, and children, in watercolor, botanical drawing, and more.

Sunday, November 16, noon – 5: The main event. Meet the artists in their studios, explore the historic Jackson School and enjoy refreshments and live music.

30+studios open Sunday, fewer Saturday. Both free and open to the public.

Address

The Jackson Art Center, 3050 R Street, NW

Moment Magazine’s 90th Birthday Celebration Dinner for Theodore Bikel

November 16th, 2014 at 05:30 PM | jraskin@momentmag.com | Tel: 202-363-6422 | [Event Website](http://www.momentmag.com/theo-bikel-daniel-pearl-benefit-nov-16-2014/)

Moment Magazine’s 90th birthday celebration dinner for the legendary singer and actor Theodore Bikel will feature a performance from Bikel of a selection of his favorite songs, accompanied by Folksbiene Artistic Director Zalman Mlotek. The emcee is NPR’s All Things Considered senior host Robert Siegel. The event benefits Moment Magazine & its Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative.

Address

Washington Hebrew Congregation; 3935 Macomb St. NW

Lego Build

November 16th, 2014 at 01:00 PM | $25 [Event Website](http://go.nbm.org/site/Calendar/159542624?view=Detail&id=117981)

Work with other Lego Engineers and Playwell Teknologies to design buildings that can withstand even the toughest challenges. From earthquakes to hurricanes, architects and engineers must plan for all kinds of disasters. Learn how real buildings are designed to stand up to nature, and apply those methods to a Lego-scale building of your own creation!

Address

401 F Street. NW

Czech Philharmonic 2014-15 National Tour

November 17th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | emoskowitz@kirshdem.com

Philharmonic will be performing an almost all Czech program including Dvorak’s ‘New World’ Symphony.

Address

National Cathedral; 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW

Georgetowner • November 3, 2014

Adopt Force One

October 31st, 2014 at 11:00 AM | Event Website

Downtown visitors are invited to spend part of their afternoon visiting the Washington Humane Society’s mobile adoption van. Cats and dogs greet passersby in search of a play date. And for those who want to give an animal a permanent home, the van is equipped with Wi-Fi and a printer for a speedy adoption application process.
11:00am-3:00pm; Woodrow Wilson Plaza

Address

The Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon

October 31st, 2014 at 03:30 PM | The cost is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and close at 6 p.m. Tickets are | info@mountvernon.org | Tel: 7037802000 | Event Website

A historic treat! Mount Vernon opens its doors for the first time to trick-or-treaters! Join the costumed cast of interpreters for a special opportunity to trick-or-treat in the historic area.

Address

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

Trick or Treat Walk on Book Hill

October 31st, 2014 at 04:00 PM | Event Website

From 4 to 6 PM on Friday, October 31st bring your little ghosts and goblins trick-or-treating to the Book Hill merchants. Stores located along Wisconsin Ave between P St and the Georgetown Library will distribute treats to neighborhood children. Look for the CAG sign in the window to confirm participation. And be sure to have your photos taken by the professional photographer at the base of Book Hill Park, compliments of Long and Foster. Participating Stores include:

All We Art, Appalachian Spring, Britt Ryan, David Bell Antiques, Bacchus Wine, Susan Calloway Fine Art, Sherman Pickey, Patisserie Poupon, Salon Ilo, Urban Chic, Duo, Comer and Co., Little birdies – P St off of Wisconsin, The Phoenix, Sabun Home, Egg by Susan Lazar,

Address

Book Hill; Book Hill Merchants – Wisconsin Ave between P Street and the Georgetown Library

Fiber Art Show & Sale

November 1st, 2014 at 09:30 AM | free | president@potomacfiberartsguild.org | Tel: 703.548.0935 | Event Website

Our 25th annual sale of wearable art and fiber art supplies by twenty-five members of the Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery. Handcrafted, one-of-a-kind scarves, hats, garments, handbags, jewelry, yarn, fabrics, notions and gift items will be sold. Bargain tables include gallery-quality items and artists’ overstock of equipment, materials and supplies, books, and more. Customers may enter a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to our gallery at the Torpedo Factory!

Address

St. Mark Presbyterian Church; 10701 Old Georgetown Road; Rockville, MD 20852

Eating Local: Feeding the Urban Estate — Monthly Garden & House Tours

November 1st, 2014 at 10:30 AM | 8.00-15.00 | press@tudorplace.org | Tel: 202-965-0400 | Event Website

For almost 200 years, on-site food production was a central part of life at Tudor Place. From the smokehouse to the gardens, the estate helped sustain its owners and servants. This garden tour highlights the essential functions of the garden. The homesteading theme extends into the mansion where garden tools, cookbooks and domestic utensils complement an afternoon tour of the estate.
Choose a tour of Garden, House or both with a leisurely cafe lunch between
Garden Tour: 10:30| House Tour: 12:30

Address

1644 31st Street NW Washington, D.C. 20007

Capital Maritime Music Festival

November 1st, 2014 at 01:00 PM | Free; donations accepted | mweber@navymemorial.org | Tel: 202-737-2300 | Event Website

The U.S. Navy Memorial presents the second annual Capital Maritime Music Fest, an all-day family-friendly festival featuring songs of the sea, workshops, a star-spangled concert, a kid’s corner, and sing-a-longs. At 1 p.m., the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters will perform,followed by performances featuring the music and folklore of maritime culture. At 7 p.m., guests will enjoy performances by John Roberts, Janie Meneely and Calico Jenny, Alan Redi and Rob van Sante and the Washington Revels Maritime Voices.

Address

United States Navy Memorial; Naval Heritage Center; 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

GraveYards

November 1st, 2014 at 06:00 PM | Free | Event Website

The Yards will host its first-ever Day of the Dead festival, GraveYards. This free to attend event will transform the park into a graveyard complete with traditional day of the dead elements, street performers and a beer garden. Magicians, escape artists, balloon artists, stilt walkers, contortionists, fire artists and fortune-tellers will be wandering throughout the Yards entertaining attendees. Additionally, popular hard-rock folk band Kingsley Flood will perform.

Address

355 Water St., SE

Eddie Money

November 1st, 2014 at 07:30 PM | $45.00 – $50.00 | heatherh@wolftrap.org | Tel: 877.965.3872 | Event Website

Enjoy the best of classic rock with catchy, upbeat tunes from the star who gave us ’80s hits including “Take Me Home Tonight” and “Two Tickets to Paradise”

Address

1551 Trap Road Vienna VA, 22182

Breathe Deep DC

November 2nd, 2014 at 09:00 AM | $30 | breathedeepdc@lungevity.org | Event Website

Breathe Deep DC is a 5K untimed walk raising funds for critical lung cancer research, education, and support. The course is friendly to strollers, wheelchairs and pets (must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet and cleaned up after). Participants will enjoy a festive atmosphere with music, free refreshments and kids’ activities. Awards will be given to the largest team, the top fundraising team and the most creative team name.

Address

Washington Monument (at the Sylvan Theater); The National Mall; 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW

Washington Bach Consort presents “The Little Organ Book – Part 1”

November 2nd, 2014 at 03:00 PM | Tickets $23-$65, Students 18 and younger $10, Pay Your Age 18-38 | contact@bachconsort.org | Tel: 2024292121 | Event Website

For the first time J. Reilly Lewis and the Washington Bach Consort Chorus present, in two annual cycles, all forty-five chorale preludes from the Little Organ Book (Das Orgelbüchlein), the first of three major organ collections Bach assembled over the course of his lifetime. Rounding out the program will be a selection of J.S. Bach’s brilliant organ preludes.

Address

National Presbyterian Church; 4101 Nebraska Avenue, NW

Fall Award Dinner National Aeronautic Association

November 5th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | $95/seat | events@naa.aero | Event Website

The Fall Awards Dinner will be held on Wednesday, November 5 at the Crystal Gateway Marriot in Arlington. The presentation of the Brewer, Mackay, and Katharine Wright Trophies as well as the Distinguished Statesman of Aviation and Public Benefit Flying Awards will take place.

Address

Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Jeff Davis Hwy (corner of Eads & 15th) Arlington, VA

Gary Tischler • October 28, 2014

Weeks and days, and seasons and news can be blue or incessant—we get floods and a street in Baltimore collapses onto a train track, and the buzz of war lingers over the Ukraine like lightning, and all people can talk about and write about is Donald Sterling, a rank racist and the contents of his conversation with his non-girlfriend, which spread like rancid mints over the internet and there are horrible mud slides and forest fires, and the plane is still missing and people are still shooting each other, it’s enough to make a body weep but out of sight of any iPhone lest we ourselves go viral.

Then comes along a weekend, and it’s not that it makes you forget everything—the net never sleeps—but that it makes you think of other things for a while, that there are stories out there with no speculative qualities, days and nights that run into each other with nothing but serendipity, full of the spirit of photographer Walker Evans, who told us to go out into the world with hungry eyes—and, we might add, ears and a spring in the step.

That’s why, even as we notice that the city is changing at a hard-to-believe pace, we also notice the rites of spring, the end of April, the improbable rise of a horse who made his own birthright, Washington residents and visitors bursting into the streets to visit embassies all over the city, and other Washingtonian pouring toward the Washington Hilton and sundry other party sites for the city’s annual rite of awkward fame and glitz. Others did other things and did not feel left out of the scheming of things, the rhythm of season and song. We blended our own daily comings and goings into the buzz around us, partook of the things we could, and read stories about the world and paid our bills, and picked up the dry cleaning and groceries and watched the beginning-last of the blossoms fall from our neighborhood trees, creating hundreds of white—but not red-carpets.

This is what happened on a month of Saturdays and Sundays—every bike rack in the city appeared empty, and everyone went out and about. En route from dry cleaning and laundry, and across Massachusetts Avenue to Whole Foods in Glover Park, we saw crowds stand in line for a very long time, mess up traffic patterns, and generally act like the inquisitive family of man, woman and child to visit the opening salvo of some 50 embassies in the city which had opened their doors for the annual rite of Passport D.C. This yearly event, which has grown from its small beginnings as an impromptu even by European Union embassies several years ago, now stretches across the whole merry month of May, and it has become a major attraction because: it is free, it has exhibitions, music, bags, and the opportunity to travel the whole world over or at least a good portion of it by way of visiting the embassies of countries not our own, and hear languages we do not speak, but wish sometimes we did.

As we drove up Mass. Ave., we the crowds around the embassies of Japan, Ghana, South Africa, where Nelson Mandela is still freshly ensconced, and lines form in our neighborhood for Mexico, and the Spanish Cultural Center, and in Dupont they formed up for Argentina and a host of others. Crowds were everywhere, the sun delivering the weather goods.

That night, the who’s whos, but not the Who, of This Town, which is Our Town, but not our town, gathered at the Washington Hilton for the annual rite called the Washington Correspondents’ Dinner, in which the media by now almost helplessly rounds up the usual celebrities and some new ones, to sit at tables and preen—who’s hot, who’s not, the best and worst dresses and addresses and so which cover four pages of the style section with roughly 36 photographs. The president and a comedian make jokes, Oscar winners and news folks dressed as movie stars arrive while movie stars do the same. The Style teaser headlines pretty much tell it all: Richard Marx and Rick Springfield? Whatcha got in that goodie bag? Um, I’m with the band, who was the biggest diva? Three-day blowout, and handing out the superlatives, the latter ranking the best lines, the awkward moments and more. Oh, look, the most interesting man in the world. You kid you not.

It is impossible, of course, not to feel a little envy for not being there, because this mash-mish-mash of celebrities, Hollywood, Hollywood on the Potomac, swag, parties, pre-and-post-and during just sort of comes through town like Moby Dick, swallowing everything, including a lot of champagne. If you’re not in there, you’re out there, like so many people we saw gawking as guests arrived. Two country music stars were there—Brad Paisley and Bob Schieffer. But, then again, if Willie Robertson of the “Duck Dynasty” is there, how exclusive can it be?

As it was, we were 20 minutes late getting to the Kennedy Center for the opening night of the Washington National Opera’s “The Magic Flute,” us and many children dressed to the nines, along with Newt Gingrich, and opera buff and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and not one single member of the Ducky Dynasty. This seems to happen yearly now: the WCAD and the WNO opening night. Do not know whether to laugh or to cry, but we were in awe of set and costume designer Jun Kaneko, on display on stage and in an exhibition. It was a magic “Magic Flute.”

Other things happened: the Adams Morgan BID kicked off its summer season of concerts at Columbia Road where bikers stopped to listen, and the new kids on the block—the babies and the pre-schoolers and the dogs and the parents stopped to listen. I talked about the way-down-the-road election in November, and stopped by Joseph’s House, the hospice for the homeless, where they were holding a yard sale, and I saw signs asking for news of Romeo, their house cat, which had disappeared months ago, but had apparently recently been sighted. In Georgetown, the Chanticleers were at St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Sights and sounds, and music and musings.

And the best story of the week popped out of the Kentucky Derby, where California Chrome, an odds-on favorite, oddly enough, rode to a smooth victory. Here’s the thing: this West Coast horse, head-held-high beautiful stallion, was brought to hallowed Churchill Downs from California, by way of parents who were bought with a grand total of around 5,000 bucks, by a couple of regular guys, had a trainer at age 74 in his first Kentucky Derby , leaving doubtful experts in the dust.

This is class triumphing over Class and breeding and big money, always a good story in these our times.

Here’s an idea: Whether he wins the triple crown or not, somebody who with a little class and imagination ought to invite California Chrome to next year’s White House Correspondents Dinner instead of Kim and Taylor, and Katie and the rest of faddists.

I might just kiss a Duck to get in there, just to sit next to California Chrome.