Weekend Roundup

Richard Selden • July 2, 2014

Andrew Wyeth’s “Wind from the Sea” – the centerpiece of the “Looking Out, Looking In” exhibition at the National Gallery of Art (reviewed in the May 7 issue of The Georgetowner) – was painted a year before and on the same Maine farm as his iconic “Christina’s World” of 1948.

Cushing, Maine, where Christina Olson lived, was the painter’s summer home. Andrew Wyeth’s roots were in Chadds Ford, Pa., where the Brandywine River Museum of Art offers scheduled tours of his studio and the Kuerner Farm, both portrayed in several works in “Looking Out, Looking In.”

“His art is all about sense of place – things that mean something to him, people that mean something to him,” says Virginia O’Hara, the Brandywine museum’s curator of collections.

Upon their marriage in 1940, Andrew and Betsy Wyeth made a 19th-century schoolhouse their home and Andrew’s studio. Restored to look as it did when they lived there, the modest building – white, inside and out – is filled with old furniture, artists’ materials (brushes, a carton of eggs for making tempera paints, large blocks of watercolor paper), books on art, ship models and armies of toy soldiers. The kitchen has “modern” appliances from the 1950s.

Part of the studio is set up as the studio of their son James, known as Jamie, as if he were working on his 1967 portrait of John F. Kennedy. A short distance away is the expansive, prop-filled studio of Andrew Wyeth’s father and teacher, famed illustrator N.C. Wyeth, who built it in 1911 with earnings from his work on Scribner’s edition of “Treasure Island.” (The museum also has scheduled tours of N.C. Wyeth’s studio.)

Even more evocative is the bleakly beautiful farm of German immigrant Karl Kuerner, designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011 along with the Olson House in Cushing. A square, stone trough in front of two windows in the ancient barn is clearly the motif of the painting “Spring Fed” in “Looking Out, Looking In.” Another work in the National Gallery show depicts the farmhouse attic, with iron hooks from which onions and potatoes were hung.

No portraits of Wyeth’s Chadds Ford muse, Helga Testorf, who was Karl Kuerner’s nurse, are part of “Looking Out, Looking In,” but the painter had a way of instilling a human presence in his still lifes (not just art-history talk: in some cases a figure in an initial version of a work was later removed).

Much of the credit for preserving the scenic and historic landscape that Wyeth painted goes to the Brandywine Conservancy, founded in 1967 to protect the watershed. Having created the museum in 1971, the organization – based in a former gristmill off U.S. 1 – recently renamed itself the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art.

A selection of Andrew Wyeth’s watercolors of Chadds Ford from the 1940s through the 2000s (he died in 2009) is on view at the museum through the end of September. “Exalted Nature: The Real and Fantastic World of Charles Burchfield,” an exhibition of more than 50 paintings by a very different American artist, opens Aug. 23.

The only name that looms larger than Wyeth in the Brandywine Valley is du Pont. DuPont, the chemical company, began in 1802 as Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours’s gunpowder mill on the Brandywine. His little family of Huguenot immigrants from Burgundy expanded in size and wealth in the 19th and 20th centuries to produce some of America’s greatest industrialists and philanthropists.

In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont bought the historic arboretum in Kennett Square, Pa., known as Peirce’s Park, making it his private estate and expanding it to more than 1,000 acres of gardens, fountains and greenhouses. We know it today as Longwood Gardens, welcoming roughly a million visitors annually. The latest addition to Longwood is an 86-acre Meadow Garden. Among the upcoming events are Summer Soirées on July 18 and Aug. 22 (free with admission) and Patti LuPone on July 10 ($45-75) and Savion Glover on Aug. 14 ($36-56).

Winterthur, the Wilmington mansion of one of Pierre’s cousins, Henry Francis du Pont, is furnished with his exceptional collection of American antiques and surrounded by gardens. It is a suitable setting for an audience-broadening Winterthur exhibition, “Costumes of Downton Abbey,” displaying 40 historically inspired costumes from the PBS series (through Jan. 4).

Other Wilmington cultural attractions include the Hagley Museum and Nemours Mansion, both connected to du Ponts, and the Delaware Art Museum, which features works by the Pre-Raphaelites, John Sloan and illustrators such as Howard Pyle.

Good dining choices may be found on State Street in downtown Kennett Square, where there is a monthly First Friday Art Stroll. For a country inn ambiance, try Buckley’s Tavern in Centerville, Pa., on Kennett Pike between Kennett Square and Wilmington.

To make an overnight or a weekend of it, there are 11 B&Bs listed on the Brandywine Valley Bed and Breakfast Association website. The landmark 1913 Hotel du Pont in Wilmington displays works by N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth in its elegant public rooms. [gallery ids="116309,116312" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • June 30, 2014

2014 Georgetown Business Association Leadership Luncheon

June 18th, 2014 at 12:00 PM | $50-75 | info@gtownbusiness.com

2014 Georgetown Business Association Leadership Luncheon, Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Washington Harbour, honoring Ron Swarthout of Georgetown Floorcoverings, which is celebrating its 60th year of business in Georgetown

Address

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

Louisiana Swamp Romp with Big Sam’s Funky Nation BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet Stooges Brass Band

June 13th, 2014 at 08:00 PM | $30.00 – $150.00 | philipc@wolftrap.org | Tel: 703.255.1900 ext. 1729 | Event Website

The Big Easy party is back! Dance to Louisiana’s hottest Cajun, zydeco, and brass bands and jump in the second line parade

Address

1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia, 22182

Glam at the Graham A Summer Styling Fashion Show and White Party Benefiting Capitol Movement

June 14th, 2014 at 02:00 PM | $25 | Event Website

Mix up sensational beach stylings from Mars Vida paired with Wired and Inspired Jewels, sported by the ladies of Capitol Movement Dance Company and Redskins Cheerleaders, at one of the most spectacular rooftops in town.

Add some sizzle to your summer and get

Glam at the Graham, all in the name of a great cause!

Guests please wear white.

Address

The Graham Georgetown; 1075 Thomas Jefferson St, NW

Miss D.C. Pageant

June 15th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | $35 | Event Website

The Miss DC Pageant is a preliminary competition whose purpose is to select the young women (Miss DC & Miss DC’s Outstanding Teen) who will represent the District of Columbia in the upcoming Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competitions.

Address

Arena Stage – The Kreeger Theater; 1101 Sixth Street, SW

Father’s Day Barbecue

June 15th, 2014 at 11:00 AM | info@mountvernon.org | Tel: 7037800011 | Event Website

Treat Dad to a special Father’s Day barbecue at the Mount Vernon Inn on June 15! Your choice of an entrée, side, dessert, and beverage is $30 for adults, $15 for children (ages 6 – 11), and free for children 5 and under. Call 703.780.0011 to reserve your table. View the menu: MountVernon.org/Inn

Address

Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant; 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway; Mount Vernon, VA 22121

Volta Park: Zack Smith and The Dixie Power Trio

June 15th, 2014 at 05:00 PM

Calling all dad’s for a special Father’s Day celebration. Dads and their families will enjoy chilling out with the southern funk sounds of Dixie Power Trio. This concert will feature special chair messages for dads plus a father and child dance contest. In addition to cupcakes and ice cream, the Surf Side food truck will be serving up tacos and other mexi-cali morsels, and there will be many other fun activities for all ages. This event, hosted by the Citizen’s Association of Georgetown, will be held Sunday, June 15 at 5 p.m. at Volta Park at 34th and Q Streets.

Address

1555 34th St NW

Georgetowner •

DDOT Public Meeting for Canal Road

June 26th, 2014 at 06:30 PM

The District Department of Transportation will hold its second of three public meetings to review draft concepts of transportation safety improvements on Canal Road, NW, between Chain Bridge and M Street, NW. The DDOT meeting will include an overview presentation and discussion of the draft concepts, including safety, traffic operations, signage and more, as well as an opportunity for residents to provide their input regarding the improvements.

Address

Palisades Neighborhood Library, 4901 V St., NW.

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

June 26th, 2014 at 07:30 PM | Free | Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-0232 | 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.

In our June selection, Young Money, Kevin Roose explores post-2008 Wall Street through the lens of its newest arrivals.

We will be meeting at Breadsoda (2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW) in Glover Park.
For more information, check out our MeetUp page or email.

Address

2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Relish

June 27th, 2014 at 10:00 AM | relishdc@gmail.com | Tel: (202) 333-5343 | Event Website

It’s that time of the year again for Relish’s bi-annual sale as they discount spring and summer pieces to make way for fall looks. Pieces from designers like Balenciaga, Dries Van Noten, Marc Jacobs, Marni, Martin Margiela and Yohji Yamamoto at 30% to 50% off.

The clothing, shoes, and accessories sale starts Friday, June 27th at 10 a.m., and the store will be closed this Thursday for inventory prior to the sale.

Address

3312 Cady’s Alley NW

Maze Buildout Tour

June 27th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | $10 Member | $12 Non-member | Tel: 202-272-2448 | Event Website

Curious about this summer’s BIG Maze? Come get a sneak preview during construction to find out about the maze’s unique design concept and its production process. Visit go.nbm.org/MazeTours for more details.

Address

National Building Museum; 401 F Street NW`

The Bromley Dinner and Art Reception

June 27th, 2014 at 06:30 PM | $55.00 | brucemcbarnette@gmail.com | Tel: 800 777-7680. | Event Website

The Bromley Dinner and Art Reception will be held at the Embassy of Slovakia in Washington DC on Friday, June 27, 2014, 6:30pm to 9:30pm and will benefit a school girls in Africa. Produced by Bruce McBarnette, Esq. and Summit Connection LLC, this reception will display a variety of work from artists and feature Slovakian cuisine prepared by the Embassy’s chef.

30% of art sales will be donated to the Bromley Mission, which educates girls in Liberia, Africa.

Address

3523 International Court, NW, Washington, DC, 20008

Jack the Bulldog’s First Birthday Party on Healy Lawn, Georgetown University

Jack the Bulldog is celebrating his first birthday, noon to 2 p.m., Friday, June 27. Georgetown University invites neighbors and families to celebrate with him. Free ice cream, too; 37th & O Streets, NW.

Unlimited Beer & Wine at The Lot Saturday, June 28th

June 28th, 2014 at 01:00 PM | $40 online | ilovebeer@drinkthedistrict.com | Tel: 202.618.3663 | Event Website](http://drinkthedistrict.com/)

Get your daisy dukes and American flag patterned shirts ready… it’s time for Drink the District: Red, White, and Brew! For a limited time, presale tickets are just $40! Come to The Lot (50 M Street NE, DC) Saturday, June 28th to try over 100 all-American beers and wines.

The three hour sessions allow attendees to get out of the bars and into the sunshine to socialize with other young professionals, enjoy live music, play lawn games and eat from the best food trucks DC has to offer.
Address

The Lot; 50 M Street NE

Castleton Festival: Madama Butterfly

June 28th, 2014 at 07:00 PM | [Event Website](https://www.castletonfestival.org/)

Maestro Lorin Maazel will conduct a new production of Madama Butterfly at the 2014 Castleton Festival, held in the 650-seat Festival Theatre. Madama Butterfly, one of Giacomo Puccini’s most influential and famous works which tells the dramatic love story of an American naval officer and his young Japanese bride, directed by Tomer Zvulun.

Address

Castleton Farms; 7 Castleton Meadow Lane; Castleton, VA 22716

Beethoven’s 9th performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra

June 28th, 2014 at 08:15 PM | $25.00 – $65.00 | philipc@wolftrap.org | Tel: 703.255.1900 ext. 1729 | [Event Website](http://www.wolftrap.org/Find_Performances_and_Events/Performance/14Filene/0628show14.aspx)

The triumphant “Ode to Joy” in Beethoven’s 9th is one of the most uplifting musical moments of all time. Hear it performed by one of the world’s leading orchestras in its only 2014 D.C.-area appearance.

Address

1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia, 22182

Take an Om Break Yoga at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library

July 1st, 2014 at 12:30 PM | Free | Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-0232 | [Event Website](http://dclibrary.org/georgetown)

Yoga continues this July at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library. In addition to our continuing afternoon classes we now will have a few evening classes as well.

As of this month we also have 6 community yoga mats available on a first come first serve basis.

To RSVP to any or all classes please email Erika.Rydberg@dc.gov with your name and the class dates you are interested in. I will take the first 30 RSVPs for each class, the remainder will be put on a wait-list.

Address

3260 R Street NW Washington, DC 20007

Georgetowner • June 27, 2014

Total Art: Contemporary Video

June 6th, 2014 at 12:00 PM | $8-10 | reservations@nmwa.org | Tel: 202-783-7373 | Event Website

Early videos were often single-channel shorts, made with experimental techniques and political content that critiqued mainstream media. A half-century later, video artists are attuned to popular media formats rather than critical of them. To create immersive, experiential works, today’s artists design elaborate stage sets, film at remote locations, incorporate digital technology and animation, and meticulously plan viewing spaces.

Address

National Museum of Women in the Arts; 1250 New York Ave NW

Volta Park Annual Fundraiser

June 6th, 2014 at 07:00 PM

Auction, live band and food and drink from 1789 Restaurant.

Address

Georgetown Visitation Prep, 35th Street and Volta Place.

Unlimited Wine at The Block

June 7th, 2014 at 01:00 PM | $30.00 | ilovebeer@drinkthedistrict.com | Tel: (202) 618-3663 | Event Website

It’s time for Drink the District and this time, it’s wine edition! For a limited time, tickets are just $30, so buy them while you can! Get out of the bars and into the sunshine to mingle with other young professionals, enjoy live music and try over 100 varietals of local, national and international wines. Buy now on LivingSocial, limited quantities available!

For more information check out our website, like us on Facebook at Drink the District and follow us on Twitter at @Drink_District

Address

The Block; 500 New York Ave NW

Les Papillons de Nuit

June 7th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | 125 per person, 200 per couple | cbaerveldt@iefusa.org | Tel: 1-240-290-0263 ext 118 | Event Website

An evening of tasting, music, and entertainment to save sight for a lifetime. Step back in time for a fun, festive one-woman Cabaret Theatre show written, produced and starring Robin Phillips. Evoking the bygone spirits of the Paris Music Hall scene from 1900s to the 1960s, you will be delighted and entertained. Wine and hors d’oeuvres prior to the show. Limited to first 75, reservations required.

Address

Carderock Falls Manor; 1323 Calder Road; McLean, Va. 22101

Sunday Supper

June 8th, 2014 at 05:30 AM | $250 | cpropsting@edens.com | Tel: 301-347-3492 | Event Website

D.C.’s acclaimed Union Market will be the setting for the third annual Sunday Supper to benefit the James Beard Foundation, specifically the Sunday Supper Union Market Scholarship, which helps fund a grant for up-and-coming women restaurateurs. Diners will share a communal table and enjoy the cooking of the chefs and food producers who make the evening possible. This year’s meal will feature three sit-down courses and dessert and will showcase Good Food Award ingredients.

Address

1309 5th St NW

A Rhapsodic Duo

June 8th, 2014 at 04:00 PM | $25 | musicinmclean@gmail.com | Tel: 703-356-0670 | Event Website

Pianist Thomas Pandolfi, known for his intensity and technical brilliance, along with cellist Doug Wolters, principal cellist of the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra, present a variety of works for cello and piano. The program will include works by Schumann, Debussy, Bartok, and Chopin.

Address

Saint Luke Catholic Church; 7001 Georgetown Pike; McLean, VA 22101

The Reverend Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. Institute on Sacred Scripture at Georgetown University

June 10th, 2014 at 04:30 PM

The 51st annual meeting of lectures on books of the Bible and Biblical themes.

Address

Reiss Science Building, 103, 37th and O St., N.W.

Georgetowner • June 23, 2014

“Form, Light, Line: Architecture in Print” Opening Reception

June 20th, 2014 at 05:00 PM | free | info@oldprintgallery.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818 | Event Website

The Old Print Gallery’s summer exhibit Form, Light, Line: Architecture in Print will open on Friday, June 20, 2014, with a free nighttime reception from 5-8pm, open to the public. This group show of 18 printmakers spans over 90 years of creative expression, with prints by 20th century American artists John Taylor Arms, Martin Lewis, and Armin Landeck coupled with works by cutting-edge, contemporary printmakers. Artists have long found beauty in the strength, durability, and utility of buildings.

Address

The Old Print Gallery; 1220 31st Street, NW

Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa

June 20th, 2014 at 05:30 PM | FREE | andrew@afj.org | Tel: 202-464-7361 | Event Website

Join us for a reception with award-winning filmmaker Abby Ginzberg and clips of the new film, Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa.

Refreshments will be served

Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa is a film about Albie Sachs, a lawyer, writer, art lover and freedom fighter, set against the dramatic events leading to the overthrow of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Address

Alliance for Justice; 11 Dupont Circle NW; 2nd Floor

Pixar in Concert

June 20th, 2014 at 08:30 PM | $30.00 – $58.00 | philipc@wolftrap.org | Tel: 703.255.1900 ext. 1729 | Event Website

All your favorite animated Pixar films on the big screen including Finding Nemo, Up, Toy Story, and Monsters, Inc., paired with memorable scores played by the National Symphony Orchestra

Address

1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia, 22182

Das- “Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

June 21st, 2014 at 10:30 AM | contact@dasethiopian.com | Tel: (202) 333-4710 | Event Website

Experience an authentic tradition from the birthplace of coffee. Brought to you by Cervantes Coffee.

Address

Das Ethiopian; 1201 28th St NW

A Midsummer Day’s Reading

June 21st, 2014 at 2:00 PM | Free | julia.strusienski@dc.gov | Tel: 202-727-0232 | Event Website

Join the Georgetown Neighborhood Library as we celebrate D.C. Public Library’s Adult Summer Reading program by reading aloud the first three acts of the classic romantic comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on the summer solstice—the day on which the action within the play begins.

All are invited to participate as readers, and no prior experience performing or reading publicly is necessary.

Questions? Interested in participating? E-mail julia.strusienski@dc.gov

Address

3260 R St. NW

Cathedral Sings!

June 22nd, 2014 at 07:30 PM | $10 | myoung@cathedral.org | Tel: 877-537-2228 | Event Website

Experience Washington National Cathedral in a whole new way. Join a community sing-along and read through the Brahms Requiem with Music Director, J. Reilly Lewis. Scores provided. You choose your part.

Address

Washington National Cathedral; 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Ice Cream Sunday

June 22nd, 2014 at 01:00 PM | $8 per child and adult | info@dumbartonhouse.org | Event Website

Bring the family and join us in the Dumbarton House gardens to make your own cool ice cream treat, as well as sample an ice cream flavor popular during the Federal period. End your visit with a tour of Dumbarton House to learn about the history of early Georgetown and First Lady Dolley Madison, a visitor to our historic home, who first popularized ice cream in America when she served it at the White House.

Address

Dumbarton House; 2715 Q ST, NW

Greenhouse Birthday Party

June 22nd, 2014 at 01:00 PM | free admission | Tel: 703-777-3174 | Event Website

Have you sung to a building lately?

If not, come on out to Oatlands between 1pm and 4pm on June 22 for this free and fun event.

Balloons and cake while supplies last. Check back for cake cutting and “Happy Birthday” singing time as the event gets closer.
Address

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

Brunch for a Cause

June 22nd, 2014 at 12:30 PM | $45.00 | adivastateofmind@gmail.com | Tel: 301-520-4036 | Event Website

After a successful inaugural event in February, Brunch for a Cause returns this summer! Guests will enjoy an enriching afternoon discussing ways to serve the homeless community in DC, while delighting in a 3-course brunch menu (including unlimited mimosas) and networking with peers. Proceeds will benefit Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization dedicated to combating homelessness in DC.

Address

M Street Bar & Grill; 2033 M Street NW

Georgetowner • June 11, 2014

This summer’s style turns back the clock and lands somewhere in the 70s. The quiet vibes and relaxed greenery of Sherwood Forest in Anne Arundel County make for a laid back weekend escape. Dig out your vintage suit or shop around for retro cuts and colors mixing old and new this season.

Photography Angie Myers

Styling Corrie Dyke

Hair & Makeup Jessica Ariane for T H E Artist Agency

Models Katie Andersen & Michael Ryann for T H E Artist Agency [gallery ids="101739,141974,141980,141978,141962,141967,141970" nav="thumbs"]

Gary Tischler • June 9, 2014

When you hear a couple of guys, great actors both, talk about William Shakespeare, you immediately start thinking about: Shakespeare.

In the case of listening to the conversation that swirled around actors Ed Gero and Stacey Keach and moderator John Andrews, the president of the Shakespeare Guild at the Woman’s National Democratic Club recently, you particularly started thinking about the great “Seven Ages of Man” speech in the Bard’s “As You Like It,” which begins thusly:

“All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages . . .”

Shakespeare being a man of the stage often referenced the stage—the play within a play in “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s instructions to the players, Prospero’s farewell speech in “The Tempest.” The “Seven Ages of Man” speech is direct and precise, and it’s about theater as well as life its own self.

This resonated when you heard Gero and Keach — who could and probably have given master classes on acting — started talking about the roles they were playing at Harman Hall in the two parts of “Henry IV.” Gero played the king of the title role, and Keach took on Falstaff, the boisterous boon companion to Prince Hal, the future Henry V.

The professional lives and trajectories of Gero and Keach have been different. Keach, although he is one of our finest Shakespearean actors, has taken a few detours into movies and television, not always choosing wisely, as he has acknowledged, Nevertheless, he has played his characters memorably. Gero has spent a lot of time on the stage in Washington (and elsewhere), assaying 60 Shakespearean parts along the way. Whatever stage of man they may be in now, rich in family life, children and so on, the roles they have played brought them together on stage—notably in a Chicago-Goodman-Theatre-based production of “King Lear,” in which Gero was Gloucester to Keach’s Lear—but the roles themselves have criss-crossed and bumped into each other.

“I played Falstaff once when I was in my twenties,” Keach said. “I had to gain some weight and wisdom I think to play him then. I didn’t have to do that this time around. I need to lose some weight now.”

Gero’s experience with the history plays and the paths of the Henry’s in particular seems like an alternative life lived inside the theatre. He played the lead in “Henry V” at the Folger, when he too was much younger. Then, he performed in “Richard II” as the rebellious Bolingbroke who usurps the crown of Richard II, not once but twice, opposite Philip Goodwin and Richard Thomas. Bolingbroke would become a troubled and often guilt-ridden Henry IV, fending off rebellions and uprising, trying to separate his son Henry from Falstaff.

“Things can get circular, but I think all of that helps you bring the virtue of experience to the parts,” Gero said. “I’m the father, I was the son, I was the usurper and now the king. Henry IV has become a master politician. He knows how to manipulate people, hold and exercise power, like a modern politician. He’s a modern man and that resonates today.”

“I’ve tried not to play Falstaff like a buffoon, which is often done,” Keach said. “There is a huge amount of comedy in the part, but he sees himself as a serious man. You not only have to get the laughs, you have to get the audience not just to like Falstaff but to respect him. His biggest audience is Prince Hal, and when he becomes king in the second play, the comedy stops. Things become more like an elegy. You should take into account that now Hal has to be Henry. He has to act like a king, and he can’t embrace Falstaff, who has some hopes. You can see that again in “Henry V”, when he has to approve of the execution of one of his old companions for desertion.”

Keach is associated with many screen roles, big and little, and is therefore better known. For anybody who goes to the theater a lot in Washington, he has performed brilliantly here as “Richard III.” For this writer’s money, he played the best Richard III ever: dangerous, mocking, self-aware and funny. He also played Lear and Macbeth. But then, there’s a woman who comes up to him after the talk and says ,“You’re my favorite Jesse James.” It was a reference that means a lot to Keach obviously but very little to anyone who hasn’t seen Walter Hill’s “The Long Riders,” a wondrous, stylized, banjo and guitar-driven Western about the outlaws Jesse and Frank James and the Younger boys, robbing banks, one step ahead of a fatal bullet. If you watched television and the “Mike Hammer” private eye series, where Keach was tough and slick with a mustache and a cocked hat, well, there you are. You remember.

Gero, too, has had his share of parts—on the stage—where he’s delivered memorable performance and been rewarded with Helen Hayes Awards. He’s been Scrooge at Ford’s Theater and the artist Mark Rothko. Now, he’s taking on the part of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia for Arena Stage next season.

“Interesting, fascinating,” Gero said of his preparation for the man and the role.

The world remains the same: a stage for a man to play many parts.

— “Henry IV” parts one and two will be playing at the Harman Theatre through this weekend. Check the Washington Shakespeare Company for tickets, dates and times.

Robert Devaney •

Great Falls on the Potomac River was at flood stage May 17 and looked wilder than usual. Streams on both side of the river broke their banks, and there were fatalities during the flood.

In Georgetown, the flood gates were up at Washington Harbour over the weekend.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Potomac River at K Street in Georgetown crested around midnight, May 18. On Sunday morning, the river was at 8.8 feet, which is 2.8 feet above flood levels.

In April 2011, flood gates at Washington Harbour during springtime flooding. Water from the Potomac flowed into the riverside complex, shutting down businesses for months. The complex was renovated and upgraded and is more popular than ever.

Sarah Bryen • June 4, 2014

Summer’s coming up quickly here in the Virginia countryside. The last of the fox hunters have gone to ground and it’s time for the rest of the sporting season: from the steeplechase races to polo, to the horse show season taking off, to fresh country fare at our local restaurants and farmers markets (yep, we’ll truck some of that in for y’all).

The Upperville Colt & Horse Show, the country’s oldest, began on Monday. Now in its 161st year, the show runs through Sunday, June 8, and features more than 2,000 horse-and-rider competitions. Set on the beautiful grounds of the historic Salem and Grafton Farms, “under the oaks,” Upperville combines everything from the finest show hunters in the country to Olympic-level jumper riders.

For me, personally, some of the best events are the Ladies Sidesaddle Hunters, where attire, or “turn out,” must be perfect down to the sandwich in the sandwich case (judges have been known to take a bite); the famous Upperville Grand Prix; and the leadline division, where tots on ponies are led by their parents.

A little bit more about that. Leadline is held on Saturday following the sidesaddle. Children ages 1-6 will be dressed in their own twee finery, in full-on adorable mode. The Grand Prix, featuring some of the best horses and riders in the world, is held on Sunday.

My suggestion: make a day of it. Pack up your coolers with some tailgate-style foods and beverages (preferably adult, but don’t overdo it), grab some chairs and sit on the hill to watch the jumpers go. There will also be an antique auto show, a petting zoo, a moon bounce and – the most fun – Jack Russell Terrier Races!

One note about Grand Prix day. While it’s not specified in the program, many people will be in “afternoon attire.” Fancy dresses and large hats are not out of place. So if you’ve got it, wear it.

If you discover that you enjoy watching the horses jump around while you sip a cold one, Great Meadow is bringing back its Twilight Jumper Series this year. Held June 27, July 18 and August 29, all Fridays, this event in The Plains brings out both local and professional talent for a Friday evening with dancing and wine tasting. Great Meadow encourages you to pack a tailgate, but note that nearly every event at Great Meadow is to be free of glass bottles, lest one injure a horse.

Great Meadow’s Twilight Polo Series has also begun, continuing on Saturday nights through September. There is dancing as well as polo, and – with the Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn on hand – everyone will have a great time. Check the Great Meadow website for this year’s themes: from Military Appreciation Night to Pirate Night.

Make sure you pop back to Great Meadow for the rest of their events on the card for the summer, including a Fourth of July celebration and, later that month, the WEG selection trials. (Ever want to see someone play high jump on a horse without a saddle? Now’s your chance.) The Virginia Scottish Games are at the end of August, the Wine Festival is in September and the International Gold Cup Steeplechase in October.

I know I’ve encouraged tailgating, but you don’t always want to do the prep before the weekend. So, my other best suggestion is to enjoy some local food. (And wine. Always wine. Especially Virginia wine.) Breaux Vineyards in Purcellville will hold its 17th annual Cajun Festival and Crawfish Boil on June 14, with live music and lots of treats. Then Morven Park in Leesburg will host a NOVA Summer Brewfest on June 21-22, so you can do one weekend of wine and another of beer, both with live music and vendors.

There are other notable wine tours in the area – a quick Google search will bring up plenty. If you go to (www.virginiawine.org), there is a list by date of events for the entire summer. With at least one, and often many, every weekend, you can cherry-pick (grape-pick?) your own tour.

Upperville’s classic eating stops include Hunter’s Head Tavern – where your dog can dine on the patio, incidentally – and the Blackthorne Inn, with its beautiful bar. Another of my personal favorites is The French Hound in Middleburg, where the menu changes in accordance with the “whims of the chef.”
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Gary Tischler • June 2, 2014

If you watched the news or read it in the slim holiday editions of the dailies, you might think the world was moving on with its usual mixture of tragedy, farce, shock and awe.

But weather, and time off, can be beguiling and almost make you forget that in Ukraine, there was a winner in the election, followed by an attack on an airport, and so the crisis remained. You could almost—almost—forget the terrible words of the young killer in his bitter lack-of-a-valentine to the world, before he began knifing and shooting people in the normally bucolic, essence-of-California-dreaming Santa Barbara area.

In a long weekend suffused with the joy of everyday things like sunshine, the really red readiness of tomatoes at a market stall, finding the perfect rhubarb pie, you could even almost forget the wretched excess of a let-them-eat-cake wedding of a Kardashian progeny to a rapper named West, who had named their child North and spent a couple of million on their nuptials.

In a weekend like that, you almost forgot the scandal that had reached its tipping point in the Veterans Administration and its care and the availability of care for our wounded veterans of wars going on for more than a decade now in the terrible, blasted landscapes of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Except, of course, this being Memorial Day Weekend in Washington, D.C, you couldn’t forget that—not when there was the annual presidential wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, nor when there are so many men in old uniforms in town. These men with often fragile, thin bodies of what is left of the Greatest Generation made their way to the World War II Memorial—ten years old now—their ranks thinning, accompanied by family and accepting salutes. The tanned, often tattooed men of Viet Nam were there, roaring in with Rolling Thunder, or touching the names on the wall. None of them could quite ignore the lack of care, the careless caregiving that emerged like a reproach in the media. The president noticed, and so did we all.

In this town, on Memorial Day, we noticed them—from the wars of the last century and this one. Honors bestowed on the passed and fallen soldiers, the survivors, their families, made the weather-perfect day, not only ideal but somber and big with feeling. On the wall, at the memorial wreaths, at the white-crossed cemetery, and at the parade, it was about them—and about us, too.

The parade was quiet in some ways, not loaded with thousands of spectators, but enough to fill the hot-cement sidewalks from 7th Street to 17th Street, as high school marching bands came along, the twirlers, the trombones, the drum majors, bright in their uniforms and energy, from all over the country, playing America and patriotic themes, followed by facsimiles or the real ones from all of our wars—those fife and drum corps from the Revolutionary War, ladies in crinolines and old men in long white bears, the flags of the United States and the Confederacy marching oddly side by side. One time, everyone stopped and someone played “Taps.”

Down at the National World War II Memorial, there was a group gathered around a thin man in a brown uniform, family it was, and he was in a wheelchair and his name was Philip Adinolfi. He was there with family and his wife of 60 years, Grace. He wore corporal stripes and had served in distant Egypt in the Army Air Corps, when America’s newly minted army took on the armies of Field Marshall Erwin Rommel in North Africa. A young captain with his son walked up to him and saluted him, and the boy shook his hand, and a tanned Viet Nam vet shook his hand in respect. He had been there the year before, talking with a D-Day veteran of the Omaha Beach landing in Normandy 70 years ago.

On this day, the school bands came on in rolling notes of music, signaled by the brass. They had come from Adamsville, Tenn.; Bryan, Texas; Rayland, Ohio; Cape Coral Fla; a place called Kahoka, Mo.; Coventry, Conn.; Tarpon Springs, Fla; Gaffney, S.C.; Hazelton, Pa; China Grove, N.C.; Pomeroy, Ohio; North Platte, Neb.; Franklin Lakes, N.J.

There were all sorts of people along the way, the family of man, and their children, and grandchildren and pets. In the parade, was a band of the Hero Dogs, honoring the canines who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and had made it home, too—mostly labs and goldens who loved the attention and marched in little soft boots to protect their paws from the hot cement.

On this day, there were Miss America Nina Davuluri, other beauty and prom queens and astronauts and a veteran of the Doolittle Raid over Tokyo. Lt. Colonel Richard Cole, Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot in April 1942, served as the parade’s grand marshall. There were Lion Clubs and large photographs of the long-ago youthful soldiers. There was a mother and her three daughters, whose father had been killed in Afghanistan.

There we were on May 24, 2014, in the bright sun, cheering, saluting, shaking hands, giving respect, united in our awe and love for them, their respect painfully earned and deserving of the best. We stood and sat under trees or on curbs. We watched and whistled and remembered neither Kanye nor Kim nor somewhere in Ukraine nor a demented killer in California. We remembered, instead, history marching by.