Weekend Roundup

Georgetowner • October 20, 2014

Tudor Nights: Smokies from the Smokehouse

October 16th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | Free or $20.00 | fherman@tudorplace.org | Tel: 202-965-0400 | Event Website

The newly restored Smokehouse is open, and the table is laid for a harvest-themed Tudor Nights. The evening’s featured “object” is the circa-1795 Smokehouse, one of the District’s oldest outbuildings. Treat yourself to Smokehouse-themed tastes as well as meatless hors d’oeuvres, along with a seasonal specialty cocktail and other beverages.

•Ages 21+

•Paying and non-paying guests are all requested to register.

Address

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden; 1644 31st Street, NW

Cottage Conversation with Harold Holzer and Major Garrett

October 16th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | $10-$20 | mmartz@savingplaces.org | Tel: 202-829-0436 | Event Website

Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer, author of Lincoln and the Power of the Press: The War for Public Opinion, speaks about the presidency and the press with CBS White House Chief Correspondent Major Garrett. The program begins with a food and drink reception at 6 pm ($10). The lecture is held at 6:30 pm in the Emancipation Room at President Lincoln’s Cottage ($10).

Address

President Lincoln’s Cottage; 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW

Opening Reception: Observations of Form

October 17th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | FREE | gallery@callowayart.com | Tel: 202-965-4601 | Event Website

The relationship between the work of Michael Hampton and Paul Jett is one of both harmony and contrast. Hampton’s watercolors highlight the symmetry and precision of neoclassical architecture, which emphasizes exacting classical line and proportion. Jett’s photographs capture flora he comes across while taking walks in the woods-like dangling tree limbs or Spanish moss. Yet both artists demonstrate the power of simplicity, the impact of a clean line, and the drama of using negative space.

Address

Susan Calloway Fine Arts, 1643 Wisconsin Ave NW

Shuck It! Beer & Oyster Festival

October 18th, 2014 at 02:00 PM | 75 | Event Website

Event highlights include 12 kinds of oysters from the local Chesapeake region, Northeast, West Coast and the Gulf (Louisiana); grilled and fried oysters with beer and wine pairings; classic oyster skipjacks with oyster stories and myths by Oystermen; and a best tasting oyster contest and silent auction.

All-You-Can-Handle Local Oysters

Whole Pig Roast

Steamship of Beef

Local Beer, Wine and Oyster Shooters

Live Music From Jumpin’ Jupiter

Fun Times

Address

Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place; 3000 K St NW

Dinner and Dancing: Malmaison Supper Club

October 18th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | $69 | info@malmaisondc.com | Tel: 202-817-3340 | Event Website

The inaugural Supper Club features a three course dinner and wine pairing designed by 2-star Michelin chef Gerard Pangaud and live music from the Sin Miedo Salsa Orchestra. Casablanca meets the District on this elegant and intimate night.

Tickets ($69 for dinner seating at 7 or 9 p.m., salsa music and three courses with wine pairing). Seating is limited and reservations are required. A limited number of band-only tickets are also available for $15.

Address

Malmaison; 3401 K St NW

Father Payne’s Memorial Services.

The outpouring of love, condolences and shared memories of Father Payne following his passing has been a great comfort to all those who knew, loved and respected him. Though the entire Ellington community remains affected by this sudden loss, your support is a testament to his great legacy of commitment to youth and arts education. We are proud to celebrate his life as a true servant-leader with his family, friends, community and the thousands of students who have walked the halls of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts during his twenty year tenure.

Below are details about the various services commemorating Father John F. Payne. All are open to the public and his family would welcome your presence and support.

Wake

Sunday, October 19, 2014

4:30 PM – 7:30 PM

St. Augustine Church

1419 V St NW, Washington, DC 20009

(202) 265-1470

Funeral

Monday, October 20, 2014, 10:00 AM

National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

400 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017

(202) 526-8300

At the request of Father Payne’s family, memorial gifts can be made to support his life’s work at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Tax-deductible donations can be made online at www.ellingtonschool.org

Meet the Makers: MakerPlaces in libraries and beyond

October 20th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | free | anne.ledford@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-2313 | Event Website

Join us at MLK library for a discussion about Makerspaces and what is happening locally and nationally in the maker movement.
Panelists:

Mark Hatch, CEO of TechShop & Author of The Maker Movement Manifesto

Phyllis Klein, Co-Founder of FabLab DC

Nick Kerelchuk, Manager of DCPL’s Digital Commons

Moderator: John Rennie, Editorial Dir. of Science for McGraw-Hill Education & winner of the Carl Sagan Award for Public Understanding of Science.

Address

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library 901 G St NW

Robert Devaney • October 10, 2014

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E will hold its October meeting, 6:30 p.m., tonight, Sept. 29, at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 35th Street and Volta Place, NW, Heritage Room, main building, second floor. This following is tonight’s meeting agenda, as provided by ANC 2E.

Approval of the Agenda

Approval of September 29, 2014, ANC Public Meeting Agenda

Administrative

Approval of September 2, 2014, Meeting Minutes Public Safety Report Financial Report and FY 2015 Budget Transportation Report — Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge Repairs DPW Report

Introduction of first-time candidates for ANC 2E.

Community Comment

New Business

DDOT– Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge Construction Plans

Georgetown BID proposal for pedestrian use during one weekend in October of a parking lane in one block of M Street.
Volta Park Day

A proposal to name the alley behind 3213-3227 Volta Place, NW.

Dumpsters on residential streets in Georgetown and Burleith

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of D.C. Home Rule

ABC

3401 K St. NW, Gypsy Sally’s Acoustic Tavern, LLC., ABRA license No. 090582

2622 P St. NW, After Peacock Room, Inc., ABRA license No. 095964

Bon Appetit Management Co. for the Georgetown University Healey Family Student Center Pub, ABRA license No. 096001

Zoning

3000 M Street, NW, Latham Hotel, BZA 18845, Application for variance relief from the rear yard, parking, and loading requirements and special exception approval to locate 20 parking spaces in an off-site parking facility to permit the conversion of an existing hotel with accessory retail into a mixed-use residential and retail building (Hearing Date 10/28/14).

Old Georgetown Board

PRIVATE PROJECTS

1. SMD 02,1826 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. OG 14-320 (HPA 14-601) Commercial 2-story rear addition, roof deck at 3rd floor, green wall Revised Concept

2. SMD 03, 3137 O Street, NW. OG 14-287 (HPA 14-564) Residence 2-story rear addition Revised Concept

3. SMD 03, 3127 Dumbarton Street, NW. OG 14-345 (HPA 14-678) Residence Roof deck – existing Permit

4. SMD 05, 3220 Prospect Street, NW. OG 14-353 (HPA 14-686) (Square 1207, Lots 104, 838-841, 843, 906) New construction Concept

No Review At This Time by ANC 2E: The following additional projects, which are on the upcoming October 2, 2014, agenda of the Old Georgetown Board, have not been added to the ANC meeting agenda for OGB-related design review and we do not propose to adopt a resolution on them at this time. If there are concerns about any of these projects, please contact the ANC office by Friday, September 26th, 2014.

1. SMD 02, 3413 R Street, NW. OG 14-318 (HPA 14-599) Residence 2-story rear addition plus basement Permit

2. SMD 02, 3336 Dent Place, NW. OG 14-350 (HPA 14-683) Residence Replacement windows Permit

3. SMD 02, 3339 Reservoir Road, NW. OG 14-337 (HPA 14-670) Residence Replacement railing on front stairs – existing Permit

4. SMD 03, 1233 33rd Street, NW. OG 14-336 (HPA 14-669) Residence Replace front door Permit

5. SMD 03, 1525 34th Street, NW. OG 14-278 (HPA 14-551) Residence Alterations – existing Permit

6. SMD 03, 1519 35th Street, NW. OG 14-351 (HPA 14-684) Residence Alterations to rear yard, retaining wall, fence Permit

7. SMD 03, 3245 N Street, NW. OG 14-343 (HPA 14-676) Residence Railing – revised design Permit

8. SMD 03,3265 N Street, NW. OG 14-330 (HPA 14-646) Residence Addition and alterations to garage Permit

9. SMD 03, 3238 P Street, NW. OG 14-103 (HPA 14-206) Residence Two-story rear addition Revised Concept

10. SMD 03, 3240 P Street, NW. OG 14-352 (HPA 14-685) Commercial 2-story rear addition with basement Permit

11. SMD 03, 3343 P Street, NW. OG 14-342 (HPA 14-675) Residence Alterations to front balcony, new window well at rear, replacement garage door Permit

12. SMD 05, 3050 K Street, NW. OG 14-270 (HPA 14-514) Commercial Alterations to storefront, signs – The Orange Anchor Permit

13. SMD 05, 3306 M Street, NW, rear. OG 14-356 (HPA 14-689) Commercial Illumination of banners – Janus et Cie and Design Within Reach Permit

14. SMD 05, 3315 M Street, NW (also known as 3315 Cady’s Alley, NW). OG 14-360 (HPA 14-693) Commercial Illumination of banner – Leopold’s Permit

15. SMD 05, 3318 M Street, NW. OG 14-359 (HPA 14-692) Commercial Illumination of stairs Permit

16. SMD 05, 3338 M Street, NW, Rear. OG 14-366 (HPA 14-699) Commercial Illuminated planting strips Permit

17. SMD 05, 3600 M Street, NW. OG 14-329 (HPA 14-612) Mixed-use Alterations to wood doors, replacement aluminum windows and storefront Permit

18. SMD 05, 3069 Canal Street, NW. OG 14-324 (HPA 14-605) Residence Rear addition, replacement doors Concept

19. SMD 05, 3207 Grace Street, NW. OG 14-315 (HPA 14-596) Commercial Roof top deck, sign Revised Concept

20. SMD 05, 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW . OG 14-328 (HPA 14-609) Hotel Rooftop antennas behind screen walls – AT&T Permit

21. SMD 05, 3246 Prospect Street, NW. OG 14-293 (HPA 14-572) Commercial Partial demolition, 2-story rear addition, basement Revised Concept

22. SMD 05, 3100 South Street, NW . OG 14-327 (HPA 14-608) Mixed-use Rooftop antennas behind screen wall, and alterations to penthouse – AT&T Concept

23. SMD 05, 1055 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (formerly known as 1045 Wisconsin Avenue, NW). OG 14-344 (HPA 14-677) Residential Signs Permit

24. SMD 06, 2929 M Street, NW. OG 14-335 (HPA 14-668) Commercial
Alterations to storefront Permit

25. SMD 06, 3025 M Street, NW. OG 14-341 (HPA 14-674) Commercial Sign – American Apparel

26. SMD 06, 2715 N Street NW. OG 14-143 (HPA 14-283) Alexander Memorial Baptist Church – Rectory Addition, alterations, site work Revised Concept

27. SMD 06, 2924 N Street, NW. OG 14-298 (HPA 14-579) Residence Replacement windows, siding, fence, alterations to rear, roof top HVAC Concept

28. SMD 06, 3014 O Street, NW. OG 14-313 (HPA 14-594) Residence Addition at 2nd floor, alterations to rear Revised Concept

29. SMD 06, 3044 O Street, NW. OG 14-333 (HPA 14-665) Residence Alterations to fences, stone and CMU walls Permit

30. SMD 06, 3023 P Street, NW. OG 14-266 (HPA 14-507) Residence Demolition, 2-story rear addition with basement Concept

31. SMD 06, 3025 P Street, NW. OG 14-348 (HPA 14-681) Residence Alterations to rear Permit

32. SMD 07,1633 31st Street, NW. OG 14-301 (HPA 14-582) Residence One-story rear addition with roof terrace, new garage Revised Concept

33. SMD 07,1645 31st Street, NW. OG 14-314 (HPA 14-595) Residence Site work: fence, gates, terraces, swimming pool, landscaping Permit – revised design

34. SMD 07, 1671 31st Street, NW. OG 14-236 (HPA 14-471) Residence Site work: front stairs Permit

35. SMD 07, 2528-2530-2532 Q Street, NW. OG 14-237 (HPA 14-472) Residence Replacement windows – existing Permit

36. SMD 07, 2920 R Street, NW. OG 14-246 (HPA 14-487) Residence Partial demolition, additions, alterations, underground garage Revised Concept

37. SMD 08, 3700 O Street, NW. OG 14-292 (HPA 14-571) Georgetown University Site work for bus stops at McDonough Gym Revised Concept

38. SMD 08, 3700 O Street, NW. OG 14-311 (HPA 14-592) Georgetown University – Ryan and Mulledy Halls Alterations and site work Revised Concept

39. SMD 08, 3700 O Street, NW. OG 14-332 (HPA 14-664) Georgetown University – Dahlgren Chapel Installation of Healy Hall crosses on berm, landscaping Permit

40. SMD 08, 3700 O Street, NW. OG 14-334 (HPA 14-666) Georgetown University – Reiss Science Center Antennas mounted to penthouse – Sprint Permit.

Gary Tischler •

Who knew that a couple of wayward steaks could be peppered with so much moral weight, spiced up with so much laughter, maybe even a dash of romantic wine and layers of nuance?

The matinee audience at Arena Stage’s world premiere production of “The Shoplifters” by playwright-director Morris Panych certainly seemed to get what was going on in this often riotously funny play, alternating between ripples and riffs of laughter with intense attention at the quiet, perilous moments, then breaking out in whoops of celebration like a seasoned sitcom audience, when two of the characters surprised them by locking lips.

Matinees—as opposed to the tenser, and perhaps more dramatic, atmosphere of an opening night—may be a truer test of audience appeal, at least with these various groups of seniors, many of whom seemed to take the plight of the characters to heart. Panych—while loading the play with verbal comedy of pain and tort and retort, as well as hapless physical comedy—has something on his mind in this play.

The setup seems simple—two female shoplifters, one of them a middle-aged veteran, the other a nerves-gone-to-hell, younger first timer—have been caught with the goods by two security guards at a supermarket, about to make off with the aforementioned steaks, plus the makings of breakfast and a birthday cake, discovered dropping from the ladies’ skirts.

What to do? What to do? With shoplifters like these—the wily, justice-minded Alma who has a reason and an answer for everything and the hyper-ventilating and twitchy Phyllis—and security guards like these—Dom with all the eagerness and vehemence of the really-holier-than-thou young Jesus born again, which he is, and Otto, the live-and-let-and-live, sanguine old pro who’s on his way out—the answer isn’t self-evident or easy.

Dom sees the women as criminals, and handcuffs one of them, while Otto, much more sympathetic to the women, finds a way to look at both sides now, less eager to call in the police for help and haul them off to jail.

“It’s just a pair of steaks,” Otto says. “You’re a security guard,” Dom says. “How can you think like that?”

Alma often gives away what she’s pilfered for months in the store. Phyllis wanted to celebrate her birthday. She didn’t have the ingredients for a cake, and out pop the sugar, the flour, familiar goods from familiar stores.

Let’s not forget to mention that Otto has more than a passing interest in Alma—he’s been watching her case the joint for months. “Why do you think you’ve never gotten caught before,” he said.

“The Shoplifters” is a gem in a minor key, as a work of literature and a play. Panych isn’t trying to get the characters to stand for the downtrodden, the picked-on, the unlucky, the poor, the 90 percent . Life, he recognizes, is unfair, which doesn’t mean we have to contribute to the unfairness.

In the end, what he’s done is make us see all four characters in full, beyond the issue of why Alma never says she’s stealing—or shoplifting for that matter—but always insists she’s taking things. Even Dom, who has more troubles than even he deserves, what with the twitchy eye, his desire to convert Phyllis to Jesus. He is, as Alma notes, two sizes too small for his job and is bathed if not immersed in compassion.

It’s easy for regular folks—as opposed to critics—to see themselves on that stage, there’s no unearthly beauties here, only quirks, and the skip-a-beat hearts of real people, quirky as they may be.

The set—by Kelly McDonald—is a marvel of modern mass consumption, a store room back lit in sections, a mountain of packages that are instantly familiar from weekend and daily shopping—the brand names immediately make you visualize Safeway, Giant and CVS aisles: Utz Potato Chips, Scott towels and Raisin Bran.

None of this, of course, would work were it not for the cast, a brilliant quartet perfect for the parts as written, doing honor to Dom, Alma, Otto and Phyllis. Broadway star Jayne Houdyshell is the play’s sturdy tree, nothing can shake her or embarrass her, including finding herself growing fond of Otto. She is the play’s hockey goalie—nothing gets by her, no insult or assertion goes unchallenged or unquestioned, including her own reasons for being. Television and screen veteran Delaney Williams (he had a recurring role on “The Wire” as well as “SVU”) is a man who knows himself well. He’s unwilling to strike matches around a gasoline puddle or make Grand Theft out of the loss of a couple of steaks “that will start rotting any time now.” He thwarts Dom in his law-and-order posturing, calms Phyllis and warms up to and sidles up to Alma. He’s sneaky-sly and as warm as bread fresh out of the oven.

Adi Stein makes Dom, if not likeable (that’s a too-tall order), understandable. It’s not about law and order, but about order, and doing something important, at all costs to decorum, kindness, logic and reality. And let’s not forget Jenna Sokolowski, a local favorite, who brings out the funnies in a gawky, physical way. This Phyllis wants to escape. She needs to go to the bathroom, and it’s as if no part of her body is immune from twitching and shaking, especially as she turns herself into a pretzel trying to reach a stun gun.

All the laughter aside—and there is a lot of laughter—“The Shoplifters” gives you plenty of food for thought. It’s not steak, mind you, stolen or not. It’s more like that special, unidentifiable ingredient in your mother’s homemade soup that you can’t quite get out of your mind or your taste buds.

You walk out. You see an Utz truck double-parked, and you smile all over again.

“The Shoplifters” runs at Arena’s Kreeger Theatre through October 19.

Georgetowner • September 29, 2014

Georgetown Community Fair and Tailgate: Registration Now Open

October 3rd, 2014 at 10:00 AM | Event Website

The annual Georgetown Community Fair and Tailgate is an opportunity for the Georgetown community to come together! This free event will include food, music and a variety of family-friendly activities. Additionally, for those who register online in advance, there are a limited number of free tickets to the football game, which will be at 12:00 pm against Harvard University.

Faculty, staff, students, neighbors, families, friends …
all are welcome!

Guests can register for the tailgate and free tickets to the football game.

Address

Georgetown University; Lawn of Wolfington Hall (directions below); 37th and O Streets, NW

Twentythirtysomething Book Club (T.T.B.C.)

September 25th, 2014 at 07:30 PM | julia.strusienski@dc.gov | Event Website

Are you a local reader between the ages of 21 and 35? Looking for a more casual book club experience? Then join us for Twentythirtysomething Book Club (T.T.B.C.), a new book group for younger adults.

Our September selection, Chang-rae Lee’s 2014 novel “On Such a Full Sea,” takes place in a future America in which cities have become labor colonies. Young heroine Fan works in the settlement that was once Baltimore, but she soon departs in search of the man she loves.

Address

Breadsoda; 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW

Capital Harvest on the Plaza

September 26th, 2014 at 11:00 AM | Free | JRoberts@ITCDC.com | Tel: (202) 312-1552 | Event Website

Visitors can gather new recipes and watch live cooking demonstrations while shopping among local vendors serving farm-fresh foods.

Address

Terence Blanchard Quintet

September 26th, 2014 at 08:00 PM | $40 | anne@burgessmgmt.com | Event Website

Five-time Grammy winning jazz musicians and film composer Terence Blanchard returns to Blues Alley! From Thursday, September 25 – Sunday, September 28, the Terence Blanchard Quintet will perform over four nights, with two sets each night: the first show at 8pm and the second show at 10pm.

Address

BLUES ALLEY; 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Cady’s Alley Oktoberfest

September 27th, 2014 at 12:00 PM | FREE

On Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28 from 12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m., the Cady’s Alley corridor will transform itself into a bona fide German Oktoberfest funfair with Bavarian food provided by Kafe Leopold, a soft pretzel cart, a two-story Central Beer Hall featuring authentic seasonal German brews, Alpine music and a Fun Zone filled with games and attraction

Address

Cady’s Alley; Georgetown. 3330 Cady’s Alley, NW

12th Annual Turkish Festival

September 28th, 2014 at 11:00 AM | Event Website

The festival will include Turkish dance and stage performances, an authentic Turkish bazaar featuring 25 vendors showcasing everything from Turkish jewelry to clothing and home accessories, Turkish cuisine from local Washington DC restaurants, a Turkish coffee and tea tent with the ever-popular Turkish coffee fortune-tellers who will be reading fortunes from coffee grinds as well as a “Kid’s Tent” featuring hands-on activities for children of all ages.

Address

Pennsylvania Avenue NW; between 12th and 14th streets

12th Annual Michael Wilbon & James Brown Celebrity Roast & Golf Classic

September 29th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | $250 for roast; $500 to play golf; and $1,000 combo package includes 2 tickets to both events. | adrienne.laborwit@dccap.org | Tel: 202-783-7938 | Event Website](http://www.dccap.org/golf/)

Join Mike and JB for a celebrity “roast” of Washington Bullets legend and NBA Hall of Famer Wes Unseld. The evening, sponsored by the Washington Wizards, starts with a cocktail reception and silent auction featuring priceless sports memorabilia, travel and dining packages and more, all to benefit the DC College Access Program. The Roast is part of a two-day event that includes a golf classic at Lansdowne Resort. Attend the roast, play golf or both. See website for details. RSVP by September 12.

Address

The Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave., N.W.

Chefs Behind Bars: Part 3

September 29th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | $40 | blumenthal.jd@gmail.com | Tel: 610-999-2131 | [Event Website](http://ce.strength.org/events/chefs-behind-bars-enjoy-cocktails-created-your-favorite-chefs)

The Taste of the Nation DC committee will host a final cocktail competition at The Gryphon to benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America.

Guests will enjoy cocktails by eight of DC’s hottest chefs, including host chef Joseph Evans (The Gryphon), Jason Gehrig (Mason Dixie Biscuit Co.), Danny Lee (Mandu), Tiffany MacIsaac (Buttercream Bakeshop), Andrew Markert (Beuchert’s Saloon), Harper McClure (BRABO), Matt O’Herron (Sona Creamery) & George Rodriguez (Tico).

Address

The Gryphon; 1337 Connecticut Ave NW

Georgetowner •

Distilled Truth series – Through The Looking Glass

September 18th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | $50

Next Thursday RiRa will host part 3 of its Distilled Truth series – Through The Looking Glass. Two unique bottles of Scotch from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society will be used to educate on the effects different glassware has on the flavor of Whiskey. This is a very unique event because when those two whiskies are gone, they are gone.
Address

Whiskey Room at RiRa; 3125 M Street NW

Adopt Force One

September 19th, 2014 at 11:00 AM | Free | JRoberts@ITCDC.com | Tel: (202) 312-1552 | 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.

Address

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Woodrow Wilson Plaza; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

“Ink & Grain” Opening Reception

September 19th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | free | info@oldprintgallery.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818 | Event Website

The Old Print Gallery’s fall print show, Ink & Grain, will open on Friday, September 19, 2014 with a free nighttime opening reception from 5-8pm. One of the most ancient forms of printmaking, the woodcut saw an energized revival during the 20th century. American printmakers experimented heavily with technique, by manipulating the grain of the matrix and crafting new methods of ink application. Ink & Grain celebrates this renaissance and the skilled printmakers who worked in the medium.

Address

The Old Print Gallery; 1220 31st Street NW

UNCENSORED Preview Party

September 19th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | msalazar@scottcircle.com | Tel: 202 695-8226 | Event Website

A preview party for UNCENSORED on September 19 will give guests a sneak peek at the art installations and will feature signature cocktails representing local mixologists’ favorite banned books.

The preview party for Banned Books Week will include signature cocktails representing favorite banned books by:

Chantal Tseng, Mockingbird Hill

Duane Sylvestre, Bourbon Steak

Phil Greene, Museum of the American Cocktail

Address

Great Hall; Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library; 901 G Street, NW

The Seventh Annual Joan Hisaoka “Make A Difference” Gala

September 20th, 2014 at 05:30 PM | Event Website

The Joan Hisaoka “Make a Difference” Gala was created in an effort to continue to fulfill Joan’s desire to help others living with cancer and to raise money to support organizations that bring hope and healing to those faced with serious illness. The black tie event includes a reception, program, dinner, silent and live auctions and an after party. Omni Shoreham Hotel. Call 202-302-0053.

Address

The Omni Shoreham, 2500 Calvert Street NW

Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash

September 20th, 2014 at 01:00 PM | Free to attend, $20 per dog to race (all fees go to charity) | JRoberts@ITCDC.com | Tel: (202) 312-1552 | Event Website

Kick off Oktoberfest at the third annual Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash. Enjoy an afternoon of music, food, beer and beverages while watching the races. Dogs will race in heats of up to 8 dogs each, with a championship race for the winners of each of the heats.

First prize is $150, second place is $100 and third place is $50.

Address

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Woodrow Wilson Plaza; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Colonial Market & Fair

September 20th, 2014 at 09:00 AM | info@mountvernon.org | Tel: 7037802000 | Event Website](http://www.mountvernon.org/)

The annual Colonial Market & Fair at Mount Vernon features dozens of America’s finest craftspeople and plenty of family fun! Fifty colonial-attired artisans demonstrate 18th-century crafts and sell traditional wares such as baskets, woodcarvings, tin and ironwork, leatherworkings, weavings, furniture, and much more. New this year: Try your hand at 18th century cricket! Cricket games will be played throughout the weekend.

Address

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

Ralph Nader To Speak

September 21st, 2014 at 12:45 PM | Free | office@rruuc.org | Tel: 301-229-0400 | Event Website](http://www.rruuc.org/)

Ralph Nader will speak on his new book “Unstoppable: The Emerging Left Right Alliance to Dismantle the Corporate State” – a path for liberals and conservatives to work together to stop the growing power of “corporatism”.

When: Sunday, September 21, 2014, 12:45 PM

For more information contact: 301-229-0400

Address

River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Road, Bethesda, Maryland

From Farm to Fork Dinner

September 21st, 2014 at 05:30 PM | $200-$250 | debra@centralfarmmarkets.com | Tel: 703-922-0933 | Event Website](http://gypsysoul-va.com/2014/09/from-farm-to-fork/)

Join us on September 21 at a Farm to Fork Dinner hosted by Chef RJ Cooper at his newest restaurant, Gypsy Soul, located at Mosaic in Fairfax, VA. The evening will include a seven-course dinner featuring local bounty from CFM’s farmers and food artisans, farm-inspired cocktails, music from Jake and the Burtones and a live auction you won’t want to miss! This event supports Future Harvest CASA. Get tickets online with the link below, or call Stuart Carter at 703-922-0933.

Address

Gypsy Soul Restaurant; Mosaic District; 8296 Glass Alley; Fairfax, VA 22031

Playback The Tape: St. Elmo’s at The Tombs

September 22nd, 2014 at 08:00 PM | Free | info@playbackthetape.com | Tel: 4129510341 | Event Website](http://www.playbackthetape.com/)

free! all ages! 100% home-recorded vhs fun!

playbackthetape presents THE movie in THE bar on THE campus that inspired it… it’s a back-to-school, pre-30th anniversary, edited-for-television presentation of ST. ELMO’S for one night only at georgetown’s historic bar, the tombs. in addition to your favorite cast of brat packers on screen (and delicious 1980s commercial breaks in between), tonight’s event also features a personal videotaped intro by screenwriter Carl Kurlander!

Address

1226 36th street nw

Ethics in a Rapidly Changing World

September 23rd, 2014 at 05:30 PM | $10-$40 | khutt@council.bbb.org | Tel: 703-247-9345 | [Event Website](https://www.prsa-ncc.org/ethics-rapidly-changing-world)

Public Relations Society of America – National Capital Chapter and the Georgetown University Global Social Enterprise Initiative for an interactive discussion on how technology, news cycles and other changes are influencing our ethical judgments and behaviors. Notable panelists will focus on the ethical challenges during times of transition, particularly as elected and government officials, lobbyists, and public relations practitioners move through the “revolving door” of Washington.

Address

McDonough School of Business; Room 415, Hariri Building; Georgetown University; 390 37th and O Streets NW

Georgetowner • September 15, 2014

Salamander Resort & Spa Celebrates its First Year Anniversary with a Birthday Bash Weekend

AUGUST 29TH, 2014 AT 06:30 PM | $30 | TEL: 800.651.0721 | EVENT WEBSITE

Salamander Resort & Spa is celebrating its first anniversary with a fun-filled Birthday Bash over Labor Day Weekend featuring numerous activities, contests and packages. – the resort will host a Birthday Bubbles celebration from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Filled with bottomless sparkling wine, birthday sweets and live entertainment, the event will take place on the Grand Terrace and Lawn. Admission is $30 per person.

Address

500 North Pendleton Street; Middleburg, VA 20117

Fabulous 1940s Party

AUGUST 30TH, 2014 AT 07:30 AM | $95 | ALESSANDRA@BENDUREPR.COM | TEL: 703-777-3174 EXT. 113 | EVENT WEBSITE

Held in conjunction with the Epicurience Virginia Wine and Food Festival.Tickets include an evening of music and dancing, two drink tickets, and heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Address

Oatlands Historic House and Gardens; 20850 Oatlands Plantation Ln.; Leesburg, VA 20175

5th Annual Bake Bethesda a Pie Contest

AUGUST 31ST, 2014 AT 09:00 AM | $5 REGISTRATION FEE PER PIE | DEBRA@CENTRALFARMMARKETS.COM | TEL: 3017756402 | EVENT WEBSITE

Join us at the 5th annual “Bake Bethesda a Pie” contest, a fundraiser for Manna Food Center at Bethesda Central Farm Market on Sunday, August 31, 2014! There are 3 categories for entrants: kids (7-17), adults, and local culinary students. The contest is open to amateur bakers only. There is a $5 registration fee per pie and proceeds raised at the event will support Manna’s programs. Registration is open through August 27, 2014. – register below!

Address

Bethesda Central Farm Market; 7600 Arlington Rd.; Bethesda, MD 20814

Yoga at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library

SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2014 AT 12:30 PM | FREE | ERIKA.RYDBERG@DC.GOV | TEL: 202-727-0232 | EVENT WEBSITE

Take an Om Break at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library. Join the Georgetown Neighborhood Library for a variety of yoga classes taught by teachers from Yoga Activist. The Georgetown Neighborhood Library is registering RSVPs for all September classes.
To RSVP for any or all classes send Erika Rydberg an email with the class(es) you’re interested in registering for. The first 30 RSVPs will be registered and the remaining RSVPs will be placed on a waiting list. Please RSVP to Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov

Address

3260 R Street NW

HOW Interactive Design Conference

SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2014 AT 07:00 AM | HOWINTERACTIVECONFERENCE@FWMEDIA.COM | TEL: (800) 436-8700 | EVENT WEBSITE

Meet the interactive designers behind blockbuster web design projects for Google, Etsy, Fitbit and more. They’ll demystify complex concepts, share design processes you can apply to your own work, and clue you in to the web design trends and tools you need to know about. All with the trademark designer-friendly content, networking and inspiration you expect from the team that created HOW Design Live.

Address

GRAND HYATT WASHINGTON;1000 H ST NW

Georgetowner •

Gipsy Kings with special guest Ole’ Noys

September 4th, 2014 at 08:00 PM | $35.00 – $100.00 | philipc@wolftrap.org | Tel: 703.255.1900 ext. 1729 | Event Website

Get ready to rumba to the explosive guitar rhythms of flamenco’s reigning royal family!

Address

1551 Trap Road Vienna Virginia, 22182

Adopt Force One

September 5th, 2014 at 11:00 AM | Free | JRoberts@ITCDC.com | Tel: (202) 312-1552 | 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.

Address

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Woodrow Wilson Plaza; 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

YPFP’s Affairs of State Gala

September 6th, 2014 at 08:00 PM | $45-$75 | development@ypfp.org | Event Website

YPFP’s annual Affairs of State Gala is DC’s premier event for young professionals working in international relations and foreign affairs. We’ll be celebrating ten years of YPFP’s history with a two-hour open bar, whiskey tastings, music, and more!

Note: ticket prices will go up August 31, so get your tickets early!

Address

National Press Club, 529 14th St NW

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

September 6th, 2014 at 10:30 AM | 8.00-15.00 | press@tudorplace.org | Tel: 202-965-0400 | Event Website

For almost 200 years, onsite 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 food and agriculture theme extends into the mansion, where garden tools, cookbooks, and domestic utensils complement an afternoon tour.
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

Kelley Proxmire Sample Sale

September 6th, 2014 at 10:00 AM | Varies on item | Event Website

3,000-Square-Foot Warehouse Filled with Designer Furnishings & Accessories from Hickory Chair, Lee Jofa, Schumacher and many more

OPEN HOUSE SALE

Saturday, September 6, 2014

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Address

DNS Warehouse; 4229b Howard Avenue; Kensington, MD 20895; (behind Hollis & Knight)

Plank & Rose

September 6th, 2014 at 08:30 AM | Free | shelby@brandlinkdc.com | Event Website

Pike & Rose invites the community to a morning of rest and relaxation at Plank & Rose, an outdoor yoga event on Grand Park Avenue. The free class will overlook the Pike & Rose development and will be taught by an instructor Sport & Health, the future health club facility of the new community. The first 100 attendees will receive a complimentary Pike & Rose yoga mat. All attendees can enter to win a one month and three month gym memberships courtesy of Sport & Health.

Address

Pike & Rose – 11580 Old Georgetown Rd, North Bethesda, Maryland

Donna Clark – Mindscapes

September 7th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | Free | art@liveanartfullife.com | Tel: 540-253-9797 | Event Website

A unique solo exhibit by acclaimed regional artist Donna Clark. “I paint in series – images that are not place specific. I consider them personal dreamlike mindscapes of imagined locations in my natural world.” The public is invited to an opening reception on Sunday, September 7, 5:00 – 7:00PM. In addition, Clark will demonstrate her distinctive painting technique on September 14 at 2:00PM. This is a great opportunity to watch her paint and ask questions of this very talented artist.

Address

Live An Artful Life Gallery; 6474 Main Street; The Plains, VA 20198

Yoga at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library

September 7th, 2014 at 01:30 PM | Free | Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-0232 | Event Website](http://dclibrary.org/georgetown)

Take an Om Break at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library. Join the Georgetown Neighborhood Library for a variety of yoga classes taught by teachers from Yoga Activist. The Georgetown Neighborhood Library is registering RSVPs for all September classes.
To RSVP for any or all classes send Erika Rydberg an email with the class(es) you’re interested in registering for. The first 30 RSVPs will be registered and the remaining RSVPs will be placed on a waiting list. Please RSVP to Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov

Address

3260 R Street NW

Wedding Salon

September 8th, 2014 at 04:00 PM | $75.00 | jesse@weddingsalon.com | Tel: 212.631.7777 | [Event Website](http://www.weddingsalon.com/)

Don’t miss out on the bridal event of the season! Join the Wedding Salon on September 8th at the Loews Madison Hotel in Washington DC to discover the best resources for your wedding. Indulge in cake tastings by Charm City Cakes, cocktails, beauty makeovers, honeymoon giveaways and fabulous goody bags featuring Essie.

Address

Loews Madison Hotel; 1177 15th Street, NW

FedScoop Hosts Top Government and Academia Leaders in Tech Town Hall

September 9th, 2014 at 07:30 AM | Event Website](http://fedscoop.com/)

from 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Join FedScoop for its Tech Town Hall, held at the Newseum. Confirmed keynote speakers include Dr. Russell Shilling, Tom Kalil and Teresa Carlson.

Tickets for the high profile conference are complimentary before September 5th by using registration code: FSTECHTOWN

After September 5th, Tickets for industry members will be $195 and free for government attendees with valid government email addresses.

Address

The Newseum; 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Georgetowner •

Turbokick Kickboxing at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library

September 11th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | Free | Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-0232 | Event Website](http://dclibrary.org/georgetown)

Want to kick-start your fall with a great workout? Join Stanli Montgomery, a professional fitness instructor, as she teaches Turbokick, a high-energy cardio kickboxing class, at the library in this one time class. We will take the first 30 people that register for this fitness class, but we will also have a waitlist. To register please email Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov at least 48 hours prior to the class.
Address

3260 R Street NW Washington, DC 20007

Brighter Futures Breakfast

September 12th, 2014 at 08:00 AM | kdugan@DoorwaysVA.org | Tel: 703-504-9289 | [Event Website](http://www.doorwaysva.org/)

Doorways has been serving the Arlington community for over 36 years, and creates pathways out of domestic violence and homelessness, leading to safe and stable lives. The Breakfast will highlight Doorways’ empowering programs and services that have helped thousands of men, women and children build safer, more independent and fulfilling lives. During this one-hour event, a continental breakfast will be provided, followed by clients sharing their incredible journeys out of crisis.

Address

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; 4301 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203

Galleries on Book Hill – Fall Art Walk

September 12th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | Free | neptunebrowngalleries@gmail.com | Tel: 2023380353 | [Event Website](http://georgetowngalleries.com/)

The Georgetown Galleries on Book Hill invite you to our FALL ART WALK: Friday, September 12 from 6 – 8 pm. Nine galleries will host an evening stroll and launch their fine art exhibitions in the most beautiful part of Washington, DC. Add to your collection and please join us for a night of art, fun, and refreshments.

Address

1662 33rd St. NW

Opening Reception: The Light that She Loves, Literary Paintings and Drawings by Maud Taber-Thomas

September 12th, 2014 at 06:00 PM | FREE | gallery@callowayart.com | Tel: 202-965-4601 | [Event Website](http://www.callowayart.com/)

Maud Taber-Thomas creates luminous drawings and paintings that embody a loving conversation between several different art forms. Her paintings tell the stories that she discovers in Victorian and Medieval literature, capture the vibrant light and color of far-off places and distant time periods, and weave together symbols in compositions reminiscent of polyphonic music.

Address

Susan Calloway Fine Arts; 1643 Wisconsin Ave NW

Taste Of Georgetown

September 13th, 2014 at 12:00 PM | Tel: 202-298-9222 | Event Website](http://www.tasteofgeorgetown.com/)

The annual Taste of Georgetown, celebrates its 21st year on Saturday, September 13, 2014 from 12 noon-5pm with creative tastes from more than 35 of the neighborhood’s best restaurants, as well as an expansive Craft Beer and Wine Pavilion and live entertainment. For the first time in the event’s history, the Taste will move from Wisconsin Avenue to K Street.

The Taste of Georgetown has become the premier food and wine festival of D.C. and benefits Georgetown Ministry Center’s.

Address

K Street NW adjacent Georgetown Waterfront Park between Wisconsin Avenue and Thomas Jefferson Street.

12th Annual Alexandria King Street Art Festival.

September 13th, 2014 at 10:00 AM | free | info@artfestival.com | Tel: 561-746-6615 | [Event Website](http://www.artfestival.com/)

Art lovers and collectors converge on King Street in beautiful Alexandria to meet local and national artists from 30 different states who will showcase their works including glass, mixed media, paintings, jewelry, and pottery. A unique blend of contemporary, original works at affordable prices. Saturday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm & Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. www.ArtFestival.com – 561-746-6615. All ages welcome. Free.

Address

480 King St.; Alexandria, VA 22314

Family Day

September 13th, 2014 at 10:00 AM | Free | LincolnsCottage@savingplaces.org | Tel: 202-829-0436 | Event Website](http://lincolncottage.org/familyday2014/)

Celebrate Family Day at President Lincoln’s Cottage and enjoy the Soldiers’ Home grounds as the Lincoln family once did. Family members of all ages will enjoy the live entertainment and activities inspired by the Lincoln family and their life at the Soldiers’ Home. Activities include: pony rides, petting zoo, Civil War military encampment, US Army Brass Quintet, DIY top hats, picnicking grounds, Civil War-era games.

Address

140 Rock Creek Church Road, NW

Civil War Georgetown Tours

September 13th, 2014 at 10:30 AM | 8.00-15.00 | info@tudorplace.org | Tel: 202-965-0400 | [Event Website](http://www.tudorplace.org/event/house-walking-tours-tudor-place-and-the-civil-war-home-front/2014-09-13/)

Civil War meant uncertain times for Tudor Place and surrounding Georgetown. Learn in a unique house tour how owner Britannia Kennon saved her family home by boarding Union officers. After breaking for lunch on your own, return for an expert guided tour of historic Georgetown. See in person relics of the war’s turmoil including a Union hospital, grave sites of Confederate spies, and a mansion at the heart of the tragic slave escape ship, The Pearl.

Address

1644 31st street NW

Star-Spangled Spectacular: the 200th Anniversary of our National Anthem Celebration

September 13th, 2014 at 06:00 PM

Observe the bicentennial of the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the spot that endured the British bombardment, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write what became our National Anthem. This evening program commemorates that historic event through patriotic music by the United States Marine Band “The President’s Own,” the Morgan State University Choir and others.

Address

Fort McHenry; 2400 E Fort Ave, Baltimore, MD 21230

Contemplation & communion, 5pm Sundays, Grace Church

September 14th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | Free | assistant@gracedc.org | Tel: 202-333-7100 | [Event Website](http://www.gracedc.org/)

Grace Episcopal Church (www.gracedc.org) invites you to join them on Sundays at 5pm for a meditative service, an hour of contemplation and communion. Serene, historic Grace Church is located at 1041 Wisconsin Avenue NW in Georgetown. Come join us! Refreshments afterwards.

Address

1041 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Burl-eoke! Loves the Troops!

September 14th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | $10-$15 | 1viciousbunny@gmail.com | Tel: 4433158289 | [Event Website](https://www.facebook.com/events/557849404318965/)

The audience decides who wins in this game show that teams up karaoke singers and burlesque performers to compete for prizes!
We have finally made the move down I95 and we’re celebrating by honoring our nations service members!
Join Bunny Vicious and Lunchbox Lauren for the Capitol premier of the most fun burlesque show in the world!

Address

The Bier Baron Tavern; 1523 22nd St NW

RiRa Georgetown Charity Golf Tournament

September 17th, 2014 at 12:00 PM | [Event Website]http://rira.5.golfreg.com/ng/index.cfm/a62673/regPages/pages/?p=38880

Next Wednesday the 17th, RiRa Georgetown will host its first Charity Golf Tournament. All proceeds will be donated to the Salute Military Golf Association.

You can enter a team or enter as a single and join a team on the day. Event starts at 12pm.

Address

Westfield Golf Club; 13940 Balmoral Greens Ave, Clifton, VA 20124

Support a Cause on The Rooftop at The Embassy Row

September 17th, 2014 at 05:00 PM

The Rooftop at The Embassy Row Hotel is excited announce the launch of our “Support a Cause” series. $1 from every draft beer and glass of wine ordered will be donated to the chosen non-profit. The first event in the series, organized by Travel Channel’s Kathleen Rellihan will support The Runaway Bridesmaids Race to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking. Enjoy drinks for a great cause, raffled goodies, and a beautiful view of the DC skyline.

Address

The Rooftop at The Embassy Row Hotel; 2015 Massachusetts Ave NW

Gary Tischler • September 10, 2014

If you watch the news in this town and our towns across the country, you’re bound to have been saddened, bewildered and not a little agitated over the furor and fury that has erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, where an unarmed young black man was shot by a white police officer. This horrible, tragic event was followed by demonstrations, clashes between the police and demonstrators as well as looters, fire and tear gas in the night almost every night, in ways that we have seen before throughout our troubled and often violent racial history.

Nothing has really been settled yet. Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis with a predominantly black population and an overwhelmingly white police force, remains a cauldron of outrage, uncertainty, seething and explosive emotions, and conflicting and confusing accounts of what actually happened. The local police—heavily armed with high tech, military-style weapons—along side the county police and the highway patrol, and soon to be joined by the National Guard—have repeatedly clashed with demonstrators, many of whom have protested with their arms held high in the traditional “don’t-shoot” stance. The FBI is investigating the shooting and everything surrounding it. A video showing of the shooting victim, Michael Brown, and a friend allegedly stealing boxes of cigars from a convenience star was released several days later by the Ferguson sheriff’s department to outrage in the community. There have been at least two autopsies done on Brown’s body. The officer who shot Brown has been identified. The parents of Brown are demanding the arrest of the officer.

Ferguson has become a flash point for anger, another reminder that the racial divide in America appears in this case as wide and deep as ever. The situation was not new. The volatility of relations between the police force and the residents of Ferguson bubbled over with the shooting, but it’s also a part of a process which we have seen locally when Prince Georges County became a majority black county, even as the police force remained predominantly white. The same was true for Washington, D.C., in the wake of the coming of home rule until Marion Barry became mayor.

The echo of some of the imagery we’ve seen—the protesters in the streets, the heavily armed police force, acting very much like a military force, and the presence of familiar civil rights leaders like the Rev. Al Sharpton, who said, “Ferguson is the defining moment today in America”—reminded people of other times and other places—the shooting of Trevon Martin and Selma, to some.

Ferguson was a news story that became something way beyond itself. It was a reference story to the ongoing, often violent saga of race relations in this country and delivered its quota of tragedy, metaphors and memories.

Other things happened, of course. Ukraine remained a tinderbox, deaths from Ebola remained on the rise in West Africa, the truce in Gaza appeared to be holding amid the ruins and great tension. The United States — in a limited, but effective, way — helped slow the momentum of ISIS in Iraq with fighter and drone attacks.

We caught up with an old movie, “Dead Poet’s Society,” Peter Weir’s elegiac, lovely piece about the price of non-conformity at a 1950s prep school, where actor Robin Williams presided over and inspired a group of young students with “Carpe Diem.” It was a quiet, touching movie, every bit as memorable as Williams’s more manic efforts or the creepy “One Hour Photo.” It was also emblematic of the gifts of Weir, who gave us “Witness” and “The Year of Living Dangerously.” Williams’s suicide Aug. 11 and its manner touched cinematic tribal memories for anyone who watched television, laughed out loud often or went to the movies. It became a loss, like that of some never-forgotten friend from a distant land.

We also saw the new movie, based on a classic old tome of a novel: Lois Lowry’s 1993 novel for young people, “The Giver,” a book that found its way into many middle-school and high school curriculums as a thought-provoking work that let youngsters think about the kind of world which was best to live in.

Many years in the making—which, for what it was, did a respectable $12.8 million at the box office this weekend—it was an approximation of the book (which I gulped down over the weekend). It seemed almost hip and trendy in the sense that it caught the tail wind of two other movie version of teen books about heroes and heroines in a dystopian world, “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent,” helping to make the word “dystopian” very cool itself.

“The Giver”—which was helped into existence by the persistence of actor Jeff Bridges who has the title role—is about a world and a society, which has survived an unexplained catastrophe, called the ruins. In this brave new world, there are no emotions. There is nothing called death except the euphemistic “release” of the elderly and rule breakers. There is no music, no colors and no books. There is no conflict, racial or otherwise. There’s no unemployment, no war, no starvation, no unnecessary excitement, no love or hate. It’s all controlled by a ruling class, called the elders, and every one in it knows their place.

There is also the giver, the one person who holds all the memories of events, feelings, feelings, creativity and such that existed. He is there as a kind of wise man in waiting, who has the answers for any questions that might come up. In this society, everyone is given an assignment—and young Jonas, age 16 (he’s 12 in the book), is about to get his. He will become the new giver, a process by which the Giver himself fills him with all the memories that he has inside him.

Jonas soon s finds himself in conflict with the “community,” his family and his friends, not to mention a watchful head elder, played by Meryl Streep in the film.

This is, of course, a movie and it must have its heroics and action, but it is also a highly affecting work. I’m not sure why but the daily lives of Jonas, his family and friends and his adventures are a potent emotional brew.

We left the theater in Georgetown and wandered by the water fountain at Percy Plaza in Georgetown Waterfront Park, past the new restaurants at Washington Harbour. We saw the birds of the river and the family of man, chaotic, warm, energetic, enjoy the day and seizing it for its quality of gentleness and sunshine, the citizens of this town and our town, enjoying the fruits of whatever labor there is. I would not have been surprised to see a spry Walt Whitman singing the multitudes.

There were as yet no signs of ruins, only a pirate ship and two impressively sized yachts and dogs at play—these everyday things, far from Ferguson for now.

Wally Greeves •

One way a truly exceptional golf course distinguishes itself from its rivals is through the quality of excuses it makes available to golfers for poorly executed shots. Post-shot outbursts last weekend at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club in South Carolina of “Both alligators surfaced closer at the same time” and “That heron stabbed a fish in my backswing” once again confirmed this course to be one of my all-time favorite layouts.

Caledonia and its sister course, True Blue Plantation, have been Myrtle Beach itinerary favorites for years, and every year on the way home someone says, “Man, we should just play those courses every day!” Last weekend, we played the same 36 holes of golf at Caledonia and True Blue at the same times for four days in a row to put it to the test. Is too much of a good thing wonderful?

These two courses, both designed by Mike Strantz, differ from each other so greatly that they make a great pairing.

Caledonia is a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of flowers, wildlife and Spanish moss draped from massive century-old oak trees. This golf course has more energy than any other golf course I have ever played. Wing-drying cormorants line the banks, where alligators sun and white snowy egrets fly over southern fox squirrels at play. Fish jump when you are actually looking. The course feels like a Disney-animated, closed-circuit ecosystem. Caledonia showcases landscaping in a way that even the wildlife seems to appreciate.

The rolling, expansive and immaculate fairways of True Blue stand out amid what feels like 60 percent of the course that is made up of waste bunkers and has the opposite feel of being landscaped. It has a natural feel to it like Kiawah or Pinehurst. It also has a natural feel to it like a beach. The sheer amount of sand on some holes leaves open the possibility of getting so lost that your fellow golfers forget who you are by the time you get to the green. The trees and wildlife seem totally different at True Blue, and, once again, this makes for a great pairing with its big brother course. If Caledonia is the Who, then True Blue is Dire Straits.
Staying at True Blue in Pawleys Island, right next to both courses, was key to enjoying this many rounds at them. While Myrtle Beach has more than 100 courses, staying in the middle of it and running around to play golf all over has a cafeteria feel to it that I don’t like. I really liked getting to know the two courses well. I looked forward to improving on my play from prior rounds. There is a reason sports franchises compete with each other in a series. Look at the pros: they play the same course every day for five days, week in and week out. The downside to being afforded the ability to improve upon prior play is that you have no place to go but down after playing well, which can be tough. Repetitive play has a way of sucker punching the eternal optimist in every golfer.

Having the same golf schedule every day also makes it easier to plan meals, which — along with water, suntan lotion, and anti-inflammatories — become important factors in finishing rounds every day. Both courses have grill rooms with solid options and finishing hole views. Nosh and Bistro 217 are two excellent restaurants nearby for anyone left standing at the end of the day.

Golf magazine just came out with its 2014 list of “Top 100 U.S. Courses You Can Play,” and Caledonia was #27 and True Blue made the list for the first time at #77.

Architect Mike Strantz unfortunately died young in 2006 at the age of 50, or I am sure we would see a lot more of his courses in the spotlight. He worked under Tom Fazio before breaking out on his own with Caledonia in 1993. Virginia favorites Stonehouse and Royal New Kent are Strantz designs also. Tobacco Road in North Carolina is also one of the nine courses he designed.

Riding to the eighteenth green for the last time, around what is left of the former rice plantation at Caledonia, I was feeling dismayed at not having a breakthrough round on the trip. At that moment, a giant seabird spread its wings and took flight across our path, while a rabbit darted the opposite direction. While an alligator circling the green was leaving a quiet wake, a fish jumped three times in a row so close that I could see the spots on its side. Exiting the course for the last time, the starter appeared out of nowhere at our window and said, “You fellows make sure to come back and visit us again, ya hear.” In my last backward glance, I swear I thought I saw a bluebird on his shoulder.
[gallery ids="101837,139040,139049,139046" nav="thumbs"]