Weekend Roundup June 21, 2012

June 27, 2012

The Castleton Festival

June 22nd, 2012 at 07:30 PM | info@castletonfestival.org | Tel: 866-974-0767 | Event Website

The Castleton Festival’s fourth season June 22-July 22 brings classical performances, musical theater, opera, bluegrass and fine dining to the rolling hills of Castleton, Virginia (65 miles from DC) with 21 performances featuring The Barber of Seville (June 23 and 29, July 1), Carmen (June 30, July 6 and 8), A Little Night Music (July 13-16), concerts of Beethoven, Mahler, Bach, Gershwin and more.

Address

The Castleton Festival Theatre, 7 Castleton Meadows Lane, Castleton, Virginia, nestled in the rolling hills of Rappahannock County, 60 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.

Fete de la Musique

June 22nd, 2012 at 06:00 PM | Free | marine.cornuet@francedc.org. | Tel: (202) 234-7911 | Event Website

For the past 30 years, June in France has been characterized by hundreds of amateur and professional musicians invading public spaces across the country to share their music. From jazz to electro, the Fête de la Musique has evolved past the point of local festival to become a nationwide tribute to all genres of music.

Address

3401 Water Street, NW

Coldwell Banker’s Art Exhibition & Sale

June 22nd, 2012 at 05:00 PM | mnute@cbmove.com | Tel: 202-333-6100 | Event Website

Established Artists Supporting Emerging Artists
Georgetown Coldwell Banker office is hosting an Art Exhibition and Sale to benefit Duke Ellington School of the Arts. June 22-23.
A group of local artists are contributing their work with a portion of sale proceeds to be donated to the school’s art programs through CBRB Cares, the charitable arm of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
Wine and cheese reception Friday June 22nd from 5–8:00 pm. Exhibition hours 12–7 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Address

3050 K Street, NW, Plaza Level, Boardwalk Entrace, Overlooking the Potomac River

Creative Opera Ensemble: Hansel and Gretel

June 23rd, 2012 at 09:30 AM | Free | information@nationaltheatre.org | Tel: (202) 783-3372 | Event Website

The classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale of two lost waifs who stumble upon a delicious gingerbread house deep in the woods, is brought to life in an imaginative musical production set to Engelbert Humperdinck’s enchanting score. Kids are invited to sing, dance and even act in this fun-filled performance that introduces opera in a friendly and engaging atmosphere guaranteed to entertain the entire family!

Address

The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

2nd Annual Thai Village in Georgetown

June 23rd, 2012 at 12:00 PM | Free | nipatsornk@thaiembdc.org | Tel: 202-298-4790 | Event Website

Ambassador Chaiyong Satjipanon, Thai Ambassador to the United States, is hosting the 2nd Annual Thai Village in Georgetown. The event will feature a broad range of popular dishes from all four regions of Thailand, along with Thai drinks, and soft beverages. Cultural performances will include a demonstration of Muay Thai (Thai boxing), music and dances.

Address

Grace Church (Across from Thai Embassy), 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW

Walking Tour – “Mr. Nourse’s Neighborhood: Georgetown c. 1800”

June 24th, 2012 at 01:00 PM | 10 | info@dumbartonhouse.org | Tel: 202-337-2288 | Event Website

Join Dwane Starlin for this stroll through Georgetown’s streets, circa 1800, the way Joseph Nourse would have viewed his neighborhood from Dumbarton House.

$10 per walker (ages 3 and under free) Meet at the corner of Q and 27th Streets, NW Tour starts at 1:00pm Rain or shine 1 hour tour 3 years and younger are free, must be in a stroller No pets allowed Wear comfortable shoes and clothing No reservation required (cash or check only at door), but pre-paid reservations welcome

Address

2715 Q Street, NW

Nordic Jazz Festival

June 26th, 2012 at 06:00 AM | $25-$50 | rsvp-hos@foreign.ministry.se | Tel: (202) 467-2645 | Event Website

This year’s Nordic Jazz 2012 presents seven outstanding jazz acts from the five Nordic countries-presenting some of the best performers the Nordic region has to offer.

On June 26, jazz bands from Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark will take the rooftop stage at House of Sweden.

Address

Twins Jazz, 1344 U Street Northwest

House of Sweden – Embassy of Sweden, 2900 K Street, NW

Embassy of Finland, 3301 Massachusetts Avenue, NW

Diamonds in the Real Estate: Weekend Homes

June 18, 2012

While it hasn’t been a brutal winter in the District this year, it doesn’t mean we don’t get the fair-weather itch. Our minds race prematurely toward raspberry picking and the bounty of spring, maybe even a boat ride down the Chesapeake. Some of us jump even further into the future, planning our seaside beach weekends, wondering which shore to explore next.

And if you found your ideal getaway spot, it might be worth trying to stay for more than just a long weekend. Renting a house or condo for the summer is a pleasure — and it’s a decent local economy booster wherever you wind up — but sometimes it’s just too painful to leave. If you’ve found a location that suits you, buying a summer and weekend home is a worthy investment. But the perfect getaway spot means many different things, depending on the person.

Perhaps you’re looking for that white sandy beach surrounded by palm trees, golf courses, and world-class retail. Maybe you live a quieter existence and the Chesapeake Bay communities offer the lush solitude you seek. Others may seek a marriage of the two: relaxing beaches that afford your privacy with an array of fine dining and shopping to keep you busy through August.

Of course, there are endless options when choosing where to build your getaway nest, and you could spend your life searching for that perfect place. Here are our favorite weekend and summer getaway spots: their solid economies have proven these areas to all be sound investments, and each has a unique culture and community that is hard to beat throughout the East Coast.

Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida. The city was founded by Henry Flagler and was intended for him to establish the Southern Florida Railroad. He aimed to establish a resort town and a “worker city” across from it.

Instead, this city developed into the luxury homes and prestigious neighborhoods that it is known for today.
Today, it is one of the world’s most desirable communities, acclaimed for its gracious lifestyle, luxury real estate and relaxed sophistication. Shopping and dining are enjoyed on internationally renowned Worth Avenue, while an active sporting life centers on world-class polo,golf, tennis, yachting and deep-sea fishing.
Hosting an active calendar of events, noted cultural organizations include the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Flagler Museum, Society of the Four Arts and Norton Museum of Art. Palm Beach as an island is approximately 14 miles long and only one to four blocks at its widest point. The Atlantic Ocean forms its eastern boundary, with the western boundary along the Intracoastal Waterway or Lake Worth. Its beautiful beaches, golf, shopping, fishing, fine dining and upscale restaurants can keep anyone satisfied year-round. Of course, there are an endless variety of homes available in Palm Beach’s many neighborhoods

Eastern Shore, Maryland

Maryland’s Eastern Shore is probably best defined by “serenity.” Filled with lush inland forests, unspoiled wetlands and small, historic towns steeped in charm, any one of its towns is a great place to build a second home. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are endless opportunities for fishing, sailing, canoeing or kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay. Eclectic boutiques and antique shops line the streets alongside contemporary restaurants that feature the bounty of the surrounding farmland. History buffs can explore the centuries-old churches and homes, along with the preserved historic districts of Easton, St. Michaels and Oxford. And, lest we forget the seafood!

There is a suprising diversity of real estate options in the Eastern Shore region, from waterfront to golf home communities, with single-family homes, condos or townhouses, new construction and living communities available.

Talbot County and other counties of the Eastern Shore offer quaint waterfront communities, including St. Michaels, Oxford, Cambridge and Kent Island, with a variety of real estate options for water lovers. Here you’ll find luxury estate golf homes, active living communities, condos and townhomes, all along the Chesapeake and its tributaries. Luxury waterfront homes range in price from $2 million to $16 million. Golf course and in-town homes on the water range from $600,000 to $2 million. Waterfront condos and townhouses start around $350,000 and can go up to $1 million.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Are you having visions of moonlit walks on the boardwalk? Do you dream at night of cresting sandy dunes and gazing down at the Atlantic’s undulating tide as it gently sweeps the shoreline? Have you wished upon a star for low property taxes and zero sales tax?

Okay, that last one is admittedly less romantic, but nevertheless, it’s still an integral part of Southern Delaware real estate’s growing appeal. Rehoboth Beach and its quieter neighboring communities of Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island, along with several other areas where you can find fantastic properties, collectively represent a Delaware real estate market that is drawing more savvy buyers every year. The word “Rehoboth” means “a place for all,” which makes the name apropos for this area, where people from all walks of life are equally welcome. The young, professional crowd from Washington comes for the beaches and the nightlife. Reader’s Digest has dubbed the famous Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, home to all manner of amusements, music, and spectacle, in its “Best in America” roundup.

A Locavore’s Cheese Tasting Weekends


Virginia and Maryland cheesemakers are a tight-knit bunch. They are largely artisanal, small-batch producers that got started with the most basic, homegrown means. Many are self-taught hobbyists that went pro. Others followed their passion for dairy together with a passion for the local landscape. These cheeses are diverse, unique and delicious, running the gamut, from cow milk to sheep and goat milk cheeses.

There has been enormous headway within the community since the local industry got off the ground in the 1990s. According to Adam Smith, manager of Cowgirl Creamery cheese market in Penn Quarter, there is a hugely impressive array of cheesemakers within a stone’s throw of the District.

“I love introducing people to cheeses from around the area,” says Smith, who spent years in the California cheese industry before relocating to oversee Cowgirl’s flagship East Coast shop. “It isn’t just because it’s local, but because of the quality of the product. The diversity and quality of cheeses in the region allows people to find what they want.”

Smith, who promotes local cheeses through his shop, is not alone in his opinion. Cheeses from the area have been taking home national and international awards. They are now on par with France, Vermont, Spain and Switzerland as world-class artisans and producers. For those who are interested, there are opportunities to get to know their local, cheese-producing community. Everona Dairy, Firefly Farms and Caromont Farm are three regional dairy farms that bring visitors into the process of cheesemaking.

Don’t be fooled: These are working dairy farms, not tourist attractions — but the cheesemakers here offer us a chance to see into their process and get a better understanding of what is being accomplished just beyond the Washington area. With locations in the historic Maryland and Virginia countryside, surrounded by vineyards and bed-and-breakfast inns, it’s well worth carving out a cheesy weekend in your travel schedule.

Everona Dairy

“There would be no cheese in Virginia if it weren’t for Pat Elliott,” says Gail Hobbs, owner of Caromont Farm. “She’s a pioneer.”

Pat Elliott is the owner of Everona Dairy in Rapidan, Va. — just an hour south of Washington by way of Charlottesville — one of the country’s most acclaimed producers of sheep’s milk cheese. Elliott’s frank, casual disposition belies her achievement in the industry. You probably won’t hear her waxing poetic about divine dairy inspiration or the rejuvenating aroma of a windswept countryside. She’s more likely you to tell you that you just stepped in sheep manure and show you the most effective way to clean your sneakers.

A doctor and family practitioner by day, Elliott got her start in the cheese industry rather unusually. “I bought a border collie in the early ’90s,” she says, “and eventually had to get something for her to do. So, I got sheep for her to wrangle! And then I decided the sheep needed to pull their weight. So, I started to milk them and realized we could make cheese.”

By 1996, Everona Dairy was up and running. Easy.

Many of us consider cows to be the dairy- and cheese-producing animal — and in America that’s largely true. But Elliot points out that sheep’s milk is the predominant milk for cheeses throughout the Mediterranean, Italy, Britain, France, Belgium and Denmark. “It’s a good trivia fact,” she says. “There is actually more sheep’s milk being made in the world than cow’s milk.”

Everona’s signature cheese is the Piedmont, which won the Farmhouse category for sheep’s milk cheese at the American Cheese Society’s annual competition in 2005. “It’s unique to its category,” says Smith over at Cowgirl Creamery. “We’re constantly selling out of it. It has an insane amount of depth — when people taste it, they’re awed by it.”

Its Shenandoah (the cheeses all have place names), created in 2008 by Elliott and cheesemaker Carolyn Wentz, is the only Swiss-style sheep’s milk cheese in the world. In 2009, it received a Bronze award in the United States Cheese Contest and placed tenth in the world at the 2010 World Cheese Championship.

Open Wednesday through Sunday in the afternoon hours, Elliott invites guests to come see how Everona Dairy works. Visitors are taken through the cheesemaking process, shown where the milk is made and the cheeses are ripened, and invited to a tasting afterward.

Guests should call ahead if they plan to visit. “There’s almost always someone here,” Elliott says. “But we want to be ready to host.”

With Charlottesville just down the road, as well as the Caromont Farm cheese folks, make it a wine and cheese weekend.

EveronaDairy.com

Caromont Farm

Continuing past Everona Dairy and passing south of Charlottesville, you will find Caromont Farm in Esmont, Va. Owner Gail Hobbs started out producing and distributing her fresh goat’s milk cheese through her community, but soon expanded and began experimenting with aging her product. “People tend to think of goat’s milk cheese as only fresh cheese around here,” says Hobbs. “But in Spain and France, goat’s milk cheeses are frequently and successfully well aged.”

Caromont’s raw, aged goat cheese is unique in its category, with wonderful flavors and textures. “It’s a very well crafted cheese,” says Smith at Cowgirl Creamery. “And there are not a lot of people making and aging mid-sized wheels of raw goat cheese for several months. It’s pretty cool.”??Another mission for Hobbs is to bring out the distinct flavor of the local land — or terroir — into the cheese. “That’s why we work so much with raw milk,” she says. “More terroir is expressed in the final product with less water and electricity used. We’re so new that it’s really uncharted territory. But I was encouraged by what our area has to offer: big farms, lots of grass, and it’s not industrial. It’s just very new for this area. But we’ve come quite far.”

Caromont recently decided to utilize the great resources of cow’s milk in the surrounding area and has since started sourcing milk and making cow’s milk cheese as well.

And while the cow’s milk cheese is very good, their goat cheese is ethereal. The Esmontian, Caromont’s premier raw goat’s milk cheese, is a dense cheese with a runny interior that tastes faintly acidic and slightly sour, with a delicate, sweet overtone.

The Alberene Ash is a small, aged pyramid of cheese with a thin layer of ash through its center and dusted on its outside, which is aged in a wild blue mold-filled cave for three weeks. When the pyramid is perfectly covered in wild blue, they’re ready. This one is as pretty as it is tasty.

Caromont doesn’t have the open door policy for visitors the way some larger dairy farms do. However, if you call them, they’re usually happy to take cheese enthusiasts around the farm. “We don’t really have an area for visitors,” says Hobbs. “But we try to accommodate people who are interested in seeing what we do. By appointment only, we say. If you’re interested, give us a call. We want to encourage people to see what we’re about.”

“A lot of these places are very small,” says Hobbs about her fellow cheesemakers and their facilities. “And it can be a very sensitive area — hair nets, boot covers. It’s not like going to a petting zoo or a chocolate factory. That’s why our goal is to have something in town where people could learn about cheese and experience it there. It’s in the works.”

CaromontFarm.com

FireFly Farms

Cheesemakers Michael Koch and Pablo Solanet started to make goat cheese in their home as a hobby in the late ’90s, taking the milk from their neighbor’s goat. When they went to submit their two varieties of homemade cheese in the annual American Cheese Society’s amateur competition, they accidentally entered them in the commercial category. The cheeses received gold and silver ribbons.

Needless to say, Koch and Solanet decided to give cheesemaking a go. By 2003, FireFly Farms was off the ground.

FireFly Farms offers nationally and internationally award-winning goat cheese that features the distinct regional flavors of Maryland’s Allegheny Plateau. “Our cheese is flying off the shelf,” says Andrea Cedro, director of marketing for FireFly Farms. “We just moved into a new creamery in July of last year after we outgrew our last barn.”

This summer, FireFly plans to do more tours of the back of the house. Meanwhile, its market in the front has windows that look into the “make room” (where the cheeses are made) and the aging room. Cheesemakers are always around to answer any questions. “The store has really given us an outlet in the country for people to stop by and visit,” Cedro says. “But soon we will be able to bring you in to see the back of the house if you’re interested.”

Besides selling Firefly Farms cheeses, its new storefront offers cheese from around the country, selected by Firefly’s cheesemakers. Also available are regional boutique wines and beers. Wine and cheese pairings are offered on weekends. “We want a place where people can visit us and get a taste of cheesemaking,” says Cedro. “A place to experience the artisan cheese world.”

FireFlyFarms.com

Cheese around the District

If you can’t make it out to the country in pursuit of the perfect cheese, these locations across the Washington area have great selections, including a variety of local cheeses (including the ones mentioned above). If you’re looking for something specific, we recommend calling ahead and asking about it:

Cowgirl Creamery
919 F St. NW

La Fromagerie
1222 King Street
Alexandria, Va.

Arrowine and Cheese
4508 Lee Hwy
Arlington, Va.

Whole Foods
Various locations in DC, Virginia, and Maryland

Wegman’s
Various locations in Virginia and Maryland [gallery ids="100497,118110,118088,118104,118097" nav="thumbs"]

Gracious Weddings in the Virginia Countryside


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Tucked away between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the nation’s capital, along dirt roads and country curving streets, lies a secret garden of green pastures growing local produce, freshly painted farms with white picket fences and acres of vineyards with large succulent grapes and tasting rooms filling visitors’ glasses with the latest and greatest new wines.

Hidden in these foothills are also lists of wedding venues, vendors and anxious brides hoping to secure their spot in peak season at the pavilions located here. Say goodbye to the destination weddings on sugar white sandy beaches in the Caribbean and hello to the horses and historical lands in the country side of Virginia.

There is something to be said when a small town stubborn girl from the rocky coast of southern Maine who doesn’t think anything is more pristine and precious than her local beach town in New England begins to have second thoughts when driving along Loudoun County. This area may lack the sound of crashing waves, but it is smothered with kindness, tranquility and nature that could de-stress any city slicker.

This area is truly the spot where fairy tale weddings come alive and bride’s dreams come true. Allow yourself to explore the opportunities each season will bring to your special day in a handful of options ranging from bed and breakfasts and farms to vineyards and mansions.

The Goodstone Inn & Estate
——
Location: Middleburg, Va.
Cost: $23,935- $30,174
Contact: Emily Tabachka
540 687 3092
Emily@Goodstone.com
Goodstone.com

This bed and breakfast is more than a place to rest your head, but an inn where you will be swept away. With 265 acres of open fields and cottages with rooms filled with original antique furniture and four post beds, a bride can live like a princess for a weekend with up to 150 friends and family members. Elegant weddings over the meadows on this estate are hosted poolside by the façade of an old mansion with overgrown ivy and gardens. Rehearsal dinners and receptions can be held outdoors or inside at the Carriage House, where guests can enjoy local food and wine designed by executive chef William Walden. Wherever you choose to say your vows, a picturesque view of the country side is sure to be in sight.

Why we love it here: The Goodstone Inn & Estate offers in-house catering and planners to help make your event exclusive and as easy to plan as possible.

The Fox Den at Briar Patch
——
Location: Middleburg, Va.
Cost: $10,000 + tax
Contact: Charlotte John
703 327 5911
Info@BriarPatchBandB.com
BriarPatchBandB.com

This historical bed and breakfast has unlimited possibilities for today’s bride. On 47 acres of property dating back to 1805, the guests stay the weekend to enjoy family, friends, Virginia wines and mountain views. Rehearsal dinners, receptions and ceremonies can all be accommodated for groups up to 200 people (and your pets are welcome, too). Whether you choose to say “I do” outside or in, Briar Patch has several options to choose from. Dance the night away in the Fox Den, a spacious hall filled with white linen tables, floor to ceiling windows and plenty of room to mingle. Have your first kiss by the shaded trees along the property or choose to have your event poolside in the warmer season.

Why we love it here: When you book your wedding here, you’re given access to it all and have the option of getting married at just about any spot on the property.

The Pavilion at The Farm at Broad Run
——
Location: Broad Run, Va.
Cost: $1,750
Contact: Michelle DeWitt
703 753 3548
ShellyD96@aol.com
TheFarmAtBroadRun.com

Greenhouses, vegetable patches, fresh fruits and animals graze this 72-acre family-owned farm located just a short trip down a classic gravel driveway. At first glance, this may look like an unexpected place for a grandiose affair, but look again. The family recently opened “The Pavilion” to host events including weddings, which owner Michelle DeWitt said have often been over the top. The contrast between the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere of the farm mixed with an elegant white gown has been simply majestic here and word is spreading. Events are booking frequently and we’re not surprised. The Farm at Broad Run offers a solely outdoor wedding with a covered pavilion protecting a large, outdoor, artisan stonework kitchen with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a grill to allow your chosen caterers to complete a fantastic meal for your guests (and the option of eating produce right from the farm).

Why we love it here: A newly built two-bed, two-bath farmhouse with a wrap-around porch and exquisite decor has been placed on the property for the convenience of the wedding party to relax and prepare before the main event.

Whitehall Manor
——
Location: Bluemont, Va.
Cost: $4,500 – $8,000
Contact: Douglas Armstrong
(703) 948- 2999
HistoricWhitehall.com

Stepping in to Whitehall Manor is like stepping back in time. This mansion, built in 1790, was once occupied by our first president’s brother, John Augustine Washington, and survived the Civil War’s Battle of Snickersville. A catering company later purchased the property from dairy farmers in the 1990s and has since turned the home in to the ultimate wedding venue (and offering, of course, a gourmet meal for your guests). Brides are given access to the entire first floor of the mansion to prepare prior to the ceremony and to unwind during and after the reception, which takes place in the newly added pavilion built in 2005. This space holds 225 guests comfortably and boasts a large dance floor for those who choose to kick off their shoes and let their hair down after a bit of bubbly.

Why we love it here: Your wedding photos will never fail with the mix of historical and modern architecture, green grassy pastures, large trees and views of nearby farms and mountains.

The Stable at Bluemont Vineyard
——
Location: Bluemont, Va.
Cost: $3,000 – $6,000
Contact: Debbie Zurschmeide Schoeb
540 554 2073
Debbie@BluemontVineyard.com
BluemontVineyard.com

Off the beaten path and beyond the hustle and bustle you’ll find a vineyard hidden on top a hill with breathtaking panoramic views spanning as far as the Washington Monument. Event planners and coordinators specialize in making your day special and allow you to work with other vendors to perfect your dream wedding. The Stable is one of the largest event facilities in the county holding more than 200 people in a climate-controlled space with stamped cement floors, natural light and original wooden beams from when it was first built decades ago. Step outside the country doors to say your vows and step back in for cocktails on the patio and back in to The Stable for dinner and dancing wherever you choose.

Why we love it here: Since I can’t mention the view again (or can I?), I must say the next best thing is that having a wedding on a vineyard means having a wedding with fresh and locally produced wines as well as farm fresh ingredients in all menu items.
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Weekend Roundup June 7, 2012

June 11, 2012

Puerto Rico…¡fuá!

June 7th, 2012 at 08:00 PM | $20-$38 | info@galatheatre.org | Tel: (202) 234-7174 | Event Website

A hilarious and satirical take on the island’s most notorious times in history and the development of today’s “Boricua.” Ferrari, an established and frequently produced playwright in Puerto Rico and co-founder of the distinguished Nuevo Teatro Group, spins tales of the Taíno natives, the many invaders from the Conquistadores to the USA, and the ups and downs of contemporary life in the enchanted island. In Spanish with English surtitles.

Address

GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St., NW

Join us on the Patio!

June 8th, 2012 at 06:30 PM | mguerrin@ldry.com | Tel: 202-342-1430 | Event Website

Let’s celebrate a summer evening on Morton’s patio in Georgetown! Enjoy complimentary filet mignon sandwiches, specially priced beverages and good company!

6:30pm – 7:30pm

Beer $5.50

Wine $7.50

Cocktails $8

Address

Morton’s The Steakhouse – Washington D.C. (Georgetown), 3251 Prospect St. NW

Brightest Young Things & Capital Pride Present: Wild Life

June 8th, 2012 at 09:00 PM | $20 Pre-sale, $25 day-of | Event Website

Join Brightest Young Things in celebrating the WildLife for this year’s Official Capital Pride party at the newly restored historic Howard Theatre! The first LGBTA event at Howard will feature international superstar Amanda Lepore, queer legend JD Samson (Le Tigre/MEN), Big/Bright, Natty Boom, DJ MAJR, Summer Camp, AutoRock, Heidi Glüm, Pu$$y Noir, and more. Follow @BYGays on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Address

The Howard Theatre, 620 T Street, NW

Lawyers Have Heart 10K & Fun Run

June 9th, 2012 at 07:30 AM | $40 until May 30; $45 May 31-June 9; $10 for 12 & under | lawyershaveheartdc@heart.org | Tel: 301.928.8570 | Event Website

Race along the Potomac River and through Georgetown to raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association. Presented by Baker Tilly, this annual tradition is open to everyone and brings together top law firms and their vendors, elite athletes, runners, and walkers of all experience levels. The run begins in two waves at 7:30 am., and the 3K Fun Walk begins immediately following. Post-race party on the plaza with refreshments, music, giveaways and prizes. Registration required.

Address

The Washington Harbour, 3050 K Street, NW

Pointless Theatre Company: The Solar System Show

June 9th, 2012 at 09:30 AM | Free | information@nationaltheatre.org | Tel: (202) 783-3372 | Event Website

Kids take a fun-filled trip through our solar system with self-acclaimed scientist, Dr. Canterbury Osmand and his robot assistant Sparko as they visit planets, make scientific observations and try to find the planet that best suits their adopted “pet rock.”

Address

The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Potomac River Festival

June 9th, 2012 at 10:00 AM | Free | info@colonialbeach.org | Tel: 804-224-8145 | Event Website

Small town fun just 60 miles south along the banks of the Potomac River in Colonial Beach, Virginia the weekend of June 8th – 10th, 2012. Join the festivities of the 61st annual Potomac River Festival and experience parades, crafts, carnival rides and Fireworks. When not enjoying the festivities, don’t miss out on our sandy beaches, historical attractions, galleries, wineries, and waterfront dining and entertainment.

Address

This weekend festival; is located throughout the Town of Colonial Beach. Center of Activities are in town on Washington Street, Colonial Beach, VA 22443

Civil War Georgetown: House and Walking Tours

June 9th, 2012 at 10:30 AM | $8-15 | mkatz@tudorplace.org | Tel: (202) 965-0400 | Event Website

Experience life in Georgetown during this American ordeal. On the house tour, learn how masters and enslaved workers managed on the estate during wartime. Hear family stories and see where Union officers boarded in their midst. After a lunch break, join or rejoin the group for an early afternoon walking tour of Georgetown burial sites, a Union hospital, officers’ residences, and a neighborhood that housed enslaved and free African Americans.

Address

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, 1644 31 Street NW

DC Capital Pride Parade

June 9th, 2012 at 04:30 PM | Event Website

The annual Capital Pride parade steps off on Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 4:30 pm. It will travel through Dupont Circle and 17th Street and end in the Logan Circle neighborhood of northwest Washington, DC.

We’ll have some great entertainment on the 15th & P Streets stage next to Tortilla Coast. They are:

DJ Steve Henderson – 2:30 pm

MC/Host Lena Lett – 3:15 pm

Joe Zangie – 3:30 pm

Fahrahri – 3:45 pm

Billy Winn – 4:00 pm

Sophia May – 4:15 pm

Entertainment for the stage is provided by ElectricFM.com.

Address

It will travel through Dupont Circle and 17th Street and end in the Logan Circle neighborhood of northwest Washington, DC.

Cocktails and Confections

June 12th, 2012 at 07:30 PM | $125 | ebyram@strength.org | Tel: 202-478-6527 | Event Website

Fresh off being named the James Beard Foundation’s 2012 Rising Star Chef of the Year, Christina Tosi will be joined by Baltimore’s Chris Ford, recently named Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Pastry Chef, and five of their peers at the first ever Cocktails and Confections DC.

Enjoy sweet delights and cocktail concoctions with stunning views of the U.S. Capitol and National Mall.

All proceeds support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign to end childhood hunger in America.

Address

101 Constitution Ave NW Rooftop, Washington, DC

Weekend Roundup May 31, 2012

June 4, 2012

Saturday Morning at the National

June 2nd, 2012 at 09:30 AM | Free | information@nationaltheatre.org | Tel: (202) 783-3372 | Event Website

Michael Rosman: Amazing Feats of Comedy. Picture a jaw-dropping juggler tossing a dozen cigar boxes, a bowling ball, a chain-saw, or a bunch of bananas while balancing atop a unicycle. Add audience participation, magic and non-stop chaotic klutziness. Michael is a whirlwind of mystery and madness: outrageous, zany, off-beat and totally irresistible. Performances 9:30 and 11 a.m.

The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Electric Car Rally at Woodrow Wilson House

June 2nd, 2012 at 10:00 AM | Free | Tel: (202) 387-4062 | Event Website

Woodrow Wilson House, in partnership with the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, DC, will host an electric car rally on Sat, June 2 from 10 AM to 4 PM in honor of Dupont-Kalorama Museum Walk Weekend. The event will include a parade of electric vehicles down Massachusetts Avenue to Dupont Circle at 11 AM followed by a display of historic and modern electric cars in Wilson House’s driveway and garage. Visitors will also enjoy free access to the museum and the exhibition.

Woodrow Wilson House, 2340 S Street NW

Taste of Georgetown

June 2nd, 2012 at 11:00 AM- 4:00 PM | $5(One Tasting Ticket ) | dyoung@georgetowndc.com | Tel: (202) 298-9222 | Event Website

The 19th Annual Taste of Georgetown will showcase the spectacular cuisine of thirty of Washington, D.C.’s finest restaurants, highlighting Georgetown’s culinary personalities and feature nearly sixty delectable dishes to sample, as well as wine pairings and the jazz talents of Blues Alley.

Intersection of Wisconsin Ave and M ST NW, heart of Georgetown

Glover Park Day

June 2nd, 2012 at 11:00 AM | Free | clmeyer202@yahoo.com | Tel: 202-550-7878 | Event Website

Glover Park Day, now in its 23rd year, is an annual outdoor festival that celebrates the Glover Park neighborhood of Washington, DC. It is co-sponsored by the Glover Park Citizens Association and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. Glover Park Day 2012 will feature the best of Glover Park: good friends, great food from local restaurants, live music, crafters, a flea market, community organizations, local businesses, kids’ activities and much more.

Guy Mason Recreation Center, 3600 Calvert Street NW

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Presents Heart Throbs

June 2nd, 2012 at 08:00 PM | $25 – $55 | MarketingDirector@gmcw.org | Tel: 202-293-1548 | Event Website

Find yourself star struck by 175 singers and dancers in HEART THROBS, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington tribute to men in music, boy bands and teen idols. Featuring songs including “Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake, “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5, along with songs from Boyz II Men, N Sync, Backstreet Boys, Ricky Martin, Elvis, The Beatles and many more, HEART THROBS presents a high energy montage of men in music that will appeal to a range of ages and musical tastes.

Lisner Auditorium, 730 21St Street NW, Washington, DC.

Steel Drum Sundays

June 3rd, 2012 at 12:00 PM | Free | info@thewashingtonharbour.com | Tel: 202-295-5007 | Event Website

Relax outdoors and enjoy live steel drum music at the waterfront, performed by Roger Greenidge from noon until 3 pm on Sundays, June 3 until October 16, at The Washington Harbour.

The Washington Harbour, 3050 K Street, NW

ANC 2E Public Meeting

June 4th, 2012 at 06:30 PM | Free | anc2e@dc.gov | Tel: (202) 724-7098 | Event Website

ANC2E’s Agenda for this meeting: ANC2E and the Georgetown University Campus Plan; ANC 2E redistricting material.

Georgetown Visitation, 35th and Volta Streets, Heritage Room, first building on left by gatehouse, 2nd floor

EuroAsia 2012 Film Festival

June 4th, 2012 at 07:00 PM | Free with reservation | Tel: (202) 234-7911 | Event Website

Short film festival comparing how Asian, European and U.S. cultures approach multiculturalism and diversity in their respective regions. Each evening features screening and panel discussion. June 4-8.

Leselier Theater, 3251 Prospect St., NW, Upper Courtyard

Archdiocese of Washington, Catholic University, Others Sue Obama Administration

May 29, 2012

Protests echo after graduation weekend at Georgetown University, and charges that religious freedom is under attack have entered a wider arena. These new protests may have an effect on the 2012 presidential campaign.

The criticism of Georgetown University’s invitation of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at its Public Policy Institute drew media attention and a small crowd of protesters at 37th and O Streets as well as a heckler during Sebelius’s speech May 18. The Archdiocese of Washington’s argument that the HHS secretary posed a threat to religious freedom was followed by a report that William Peter Blatty, author of “The Exorcist” and a 1950 Georgetown graduate, planned to sue the university in Catholic court for not adhering to Catholic dogma. The university had cited academic freedom in defending the selection of Sebelius as a commencement speaker.

Blatty, according to Religion News Service, “says that Georgetown has violated church teaching for decades by inviting speakers who support abortion rights and refusing to obey instructions the late Pope John Paul II issued in 1990 to church-affiliated colleges and universities. Georgetown should amend its ways or stop calling itself a Catholic or Jesuit institution, Blatty said.”

On Monday, it was announced that the Obama administration is being sued by the Archdioceses of New York and Washington, D.C., Catholic University, the University of Notre Dame and other Catholic dioceses and groups that are “filing 12 different lawsuits filed in federal courts around the country,” according to CNSNews.com.

A special website of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. — PreserveReligiousFreedom.org — explained the decision: “This lawsuit is about an unprecedented attack by the federal government on one of America’s most cherished freedoms: the freedom to practice one’s religion without government interference. It is not about whether people have access to certain services; it is about whether the government may force religious institutions and individuals to facilitate and fund services which violate their religious beliefs.”

The lawsuits, according to CNSNews.com, “focus on the regulation that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced last August and finalized in January that requires virtually all health-care plans in the United States to cover sterilizations and all Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptives, including those that can cause abortions.” [gallery ids="100817,125074" nav="thumbs"]

Weekend Roundup May 24, 2012


Unbuilt Washington

May 27th, 2012 at 11:00 AM | $8 | Tel: 401-258-3081 | 202-272-2448 Event Website

Unbuilt Washington reveals the Washington that could have been by presenting architectural and urban design projects that were proposed but, for widely varied reasons, never executed. Such projects often exercised a profound influence on what was built and may offer lessons that inform ongoing debates about the design and development of Washington and other cities.

Address

401 F St. NW

Washington, DC

Free Boot Camp Sundays

May 27th, 2012 at 08:00 AM | FREE | Event Website

Professional trainers lead boot camp sessions for free every Sunday at 33rd and Water Street on the Georgetown Waterfront. The exercises are adjusted to every fitness level and each workout is usually 60 minutes long. No work out is quite the same, each week the boot camp consists of many different types of exercises.

Address

Georgetown Waterfront Park,

3100 K St NW, Washington, DC

The National Memorial Day Parade

May 28th, 2012 at 09:00 AM | FREE | Tel: 401-258-3081 | Event Website

The 2012 National Memorial Day Parade will feature a tribute to the generation that served and sacrificed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, following the formal end of the war last December. ALL veterans of Iraq are invited to participate. The parade is partnering with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to organize any and all veterans who can be a part of this very special tribute. To register, please click here.

Address

Constitution Avenue between Seventh and 17th streets NW
Washington, DC

Ride 2 Recovery Memorial Day Challenge Presented By UnitedHealthcare

May 28th, 2012 at 09:00 AM | FREE | dspano@spanopr.com | Tel: 401-258-3081 | Event Website

The public is invited to cheer on more than 200 injured veterans as they take off for the five-day, 325-mile Ride 2 Recovery Memorial Challenge on Monday, May 28 from the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington to Virginia Beach.

Veterans, troops and supporters will ride hand cycles, recumbents, tandems and traditional road bikes through Virginia. The bicycle ride will begin Monday, May 28, at 9 a.m. at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington and end on Friday, June 1 in Virginia Beach.

Address

900 S. Orme Street

Arlington, Va. 22204

Join KC Café to Honor JFK

May 29th, 2012 at 11:30 AM | $16.50 | elyse@lindarothpr.com | Tel: 703-417-2709

The KC Café at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is offering a very special lunch-time dish on Tuesday, May 29 to celebrate the beloved John F. Kennedy on his 95th birthday.

As JFK was a Massachusetts native, the KC Café will be serving a New England favorite in his honor: the Lobster Roll. Chilled to perfection, the lobster is served in a traditional dressing on a warm New England roll, topped with Watercress.

Address

KC Café

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2700 F Street

CAG Meeting

May 30th, 2012 at 07:00 PM | Free | Tel: (202) 337-7313 | Event Website

Mayor Gray and Councilman Jack Evans Speaks; CAG Awards and Election of Officers; reception 7pm, program at 7:30pm.

Address

Dumbarton House, 2715 Q Street NW

Commencement Schedules and Speakers for Georgetown and George Washington University

May 21, 2012

This weekend sees the commencement weekend for both Georgetown University and George Washington University. There is controversy for Georgetown, which invited HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at its Public Policy Institute. The Archdiocese of Washington as well as the Cardinal Newman Society has criticized the university for allowing Sebelius to speak at a Catholic institution, viewing the Obama Administration’s healthcare directives as hostile to religious liberty. Georgetown University has defended its selection of Sebelius as a speaker in terms of academic freedom. Meanwhile, George Washington University will enjoy its main graduation speech at the National Mall with Brian Williams of NBC News, who studied at GWU.

The following information is from the website of the two neighborhood universities

From Georgetown University:

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS AND HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS

Helen Neville

Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Friday, May 18, Healy Lawn, 9 a.m.

Neville’s contributions to neuroscience have made her a leading figure in understanding the brain. She holds the Robert and Beverly Lewis Endowed Chair at the University of Oregon and is a professor of psychology and neuroscience as well as director of both the Brain Development Laboratory and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. Her major research interests involve the biological constraints and the role of experience on development in humans. She is particularly interested in the way that the human brain develops and its capacity to change in reaction to experience.

Barry Salzberg

Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

McDonough School of Business, MBA Program

Friday, May 18, Healy Lawn, 12:30 p.m.

Salzberg is the global chief executive officer of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL). As CEO, he leads and manages the law firm and sets the strategic direction of the Deloitte global network. The network comprises 48 member firms operating in 150 countries, with approximately 182,000 people worldwide. Prior to his current position, Salzberg served as CEO of Deloitte LLP (United States) and as the U.S. managing partner. Salzberg has served in a variety of leadership roles since joining Deloitte in 1977.

Scott Case

School of Continuing Studies

Friday, May 18, Healy Lawn, 3:30 p.m.

Case is an entrepreneur and inventor who has put his talents to work pushing progress and innovation in both the private and nonprofit sectors. As the founding chief technology officer of Priceline, the “Name Your Own Price” company, he was responsible for building the technology that enabled Priceline’s rapid growth. Case is a named inventor on dozens of U.S. patents, including the underlying portfolio for Priceline. Case also co-founded Precision Training Software, a software company that developed the world’s first PC-based simulated flight instructor and photo-realistic flight simulator. Most recently, Case was named CEO of the Startup America Partnership, where he works to drive American entrepreneurship to create jobs and sustain our nation’s global leadership. Before joining the Startup America Partnership, Case was CEO of Malaria No More, where he worked to inspire individuals and institutions in the private sector to end deaths caused by malaria. Case also serves as chair of Network for Good, a national nonprofit that has distributed more than $475 million to 60,000 nonprofits and provides online fundraising and communications services to more than 5,000 nonprofit organizations.

David Simon

Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

Georgetown College

Saturday, May 19, Healy Lawn, 9 a.m.

A former crime reporter at The Baltimore Sun, Simon is best known for his creation of the critically acclaimed television dramas “The Wire” and “Treme,” which explore the societal repercussions of the drug trade upon inner city Baltimore and a post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. At The Baltimore Sun, Simon reported and wrote two works of narrative nonfiction, Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets and The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood. The former is an account of a year spent with the city’s homicide squad and the latter represents a year he spent on a West Baltimore drug corner. Homicide became the basis for an NBC drama that aired from 1993 to 1999 and for which Simon became a writer and producer after leaving the newspaper in 1995. The Corner became an HBO miniseries and won three Emmy Awards in 2000. Simon also served as a writer and executive producer of HBO’s “Generation Kill,” a miniseries depicting U.S. Marines in the early days of the Iraq conflict. He is currently at work on the third season of “Treme.” Simon also writes for The New Yorker, Esquire and The Washington Post, among other publications.

Mark Green
Doctor of Science, honoris causa

School of Nursing & Health Studies

Saturday, May 19, Healy Lawn, 12 p.m.

Senior director of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Green is also a former ambassador to Tanzania and a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin. While in Congress, Green helped craft a variety of foreign policy initiatives focused on issues of health, including the Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness and Treatment Act of 2001 and the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act. Since March, Green has been a member of the Executive Council on Development at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. At the Center, he is exploring ways in which the federal government and the private sector can both independently and in partnership help alleviate poverty by fostering economic growth. The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition is a broad-based network of 400 businesses and NGOs, national security and foreign policy experts, and business, faith-based, academic and community leaders in all 50 states.

Ela R. Bhatt

Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

Walsh School of Foreign Service

Saturday, May 19, Healy Lawn, 3 p.m.

Bhatt has defended the rights of poor and marginal women for more than 60 years. Through her early work with the Women’s Wing of the Textile Labor Association, Bhatt encountered firsthand the dire condition in her native India of self-employed women, who comprised 90 percent of the total labor force. These women had none of the legal protections extended to workers in the organized sector. To combat this injustice, Bhatt, in 1972, established the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), the largest union in India. SEWA formed a women’s cooperative bank, created a highly successful literacy program, offers child care centers and promotes low-cost housing and microfinance. Bhatt has also been a long-time consultant to UNICEF, and has served as a trustee of the Rockefeller Foundation and received numerous awards.

Tim O’Shaughnessy (B’04)

McDonough School of Business

Saturday, May 19, Healy Lawn, 6 p.m.

O’Shaughnessy is the CEO and co-founder of LivingSocial, an online retailer of discounts to local businesses. He sets and communicates LivingSocial’s core strategy and oversees growth of the online business. Before LivingSocial, he led the consumer products team at Revolution Health and managed product launches at AOL. In 2010, O’Shaughnessy was named to Washington Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and Inc.com’s 30 Under 30 list. LivingSocial earned the Hottest Venture Capital Deal award at the 2010 Northern Virginia Technology Council’s NVTC Hot Tickets Awards.

Dr. Michael Zasloff

Doctor of Science, honoris causa

Dr. Ross Fletcher

Doctor of Science, honoris causa (degree only)

School of Medicine

Sunday, May 20, Warner Theater, 11 a.m.

Zasloff is an internationally recognized immunologist and member of the editorial board of several scientific journals. Since 2004, he has been actively engaged in studies of innate immunity within the Surgical Immunology Transplant Institute at Georgetown’s department of surgery. He was named dean of Research and Translational Science at Georgetown in 2002, tasked with integrating basic science with the clinical environment of the Medical Center. Zasloff was chief of the human genetics branch at the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development in the 1980s. In 1988, he founded Magainin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a publicly traded biotechnology company. In July 1992, he joined Magainin on a full-time basis, serving as executive vice president and president of the Magainin Research Institute, a basic research division of the company. From July 1996 through November 2000, Zasloff was vice chairman of the board of Magainin Pharmaceuticals.

Fletcher created for the Veterans’ Administration the first successful, system-wide, paper free medical record, serving American service members across the nation and around the world. This electronic system now generates data available to both patient and physician in an integrated platform that has improved care with a rate of success unmatched in any other system. The Wall Street Journal credits Fletcher with leading the development of the most advanced medical record system in the nation. Since 2000, Fletcher has served as chief of staff at Washington DC VA Medical Center. He completed his M.D., medical house staff training and first-year fellowship at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He served two years with the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., and received his cardiology fellowship training at Georgetown. Since 1972, he has been chief of cardiology at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. He has served on the faculty at Georgetown’s medical school since 1969 and is now a professor of medicine. Fletcher also directs the nationwide Veterans Affairs registry for the Pacemaker and Defibrillator Surveillance Center and the Core Holter Lab for cooperative studies in antiarrhythmic therapy in congestive heart failure and sudden death.

Arthur J. Gajarsa (L’67)

Doctor of Law, honoris causa (degree only)

Gay J. McDougall

Speaking and accepting Doctor of Law, honoris causa for her late husband, John A. Payton

Law Center

Sunday, May 20, Healy Lawn, 2 p.m.

Gajarsa has served as a judge at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since 1997. During law school at Georgetown, he worked as a patent advisor and later clerked for Judge Joseph McGarraghy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. After that position, he served as special counsel and assistant to the commissioner at the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Department of Interior. Prior to private practice, Gajarsa worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Defense. Gajarsa’s work in private practice spanned three decades with firms specializing in litigation of water rights, intellectual property, securities and international corporate matters. He received his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s degree in economics from Catholic University.

Payton, who died this past March, served as president and director-counsel of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund. While attending Harvard Law School, he served on its Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review and assisted with high-profile civil rights cases. These cases included the defense of a 1960s NAACP-led boycott of segregationist merchants in Mississippi. After graduating from law school, Payton served as a law clerk to Judge Cecil F. Poole of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco before joining the Washington, D.C., firm Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale). He chose the firm in order to continue working on NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware, the Mississippi boycott case that Wilmer lawyers argued successfully before the Supreme Court. He went on to lead the firm’s litigation department, simultaneously handling commercial matters and some of the most important civil rights cases of our time.

McDougall, formerly a United Nations Independent Expert on minorities, will accept an honorary degree on behalf of her late husband, John A. Payton. She is serving as the Robert Drinan Visiting Professor in Human Rights at the Law Center this academic year. McDougall was executive director of the international NGO Global Rights from 1994 through 2006. She has also served as an Independent Expert on the U.N. entity that oversees compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. During her time in that position, she negotiated the adoption of General Recommendation XXV on the Gender Dimensions of Racial Discrimination.

SPEAKERS AT OTHER EVENTS

James J. O’Donnell, provost

School of Foreign Service in Qatar Commencement

Saturday, May 12, Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha, Qatar

O’Donnell has served as Georgetown’s provost since 2002. A distinguished scholar and recognized educational innovator, he has been recognized by his peers with election to the presidency of the American Philological Association and has been a fellow of the Medieval Academy of America since 2003. His scholarly work ranges widely in the cultural history of Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the later Roman and early medieval periods. He is the author of seven books, including a three-volume edition of Augustine: Confessions, and a 2005 biography of Augustine. HarperCollins published his latest book, The Ruin of the Roman Empire, in 2008. In 1990, O’Donnell co-founded the Bryn Mawr Classical Review, the second online scholarly journal ever created in the humanities. He is secretary of the board of directors of the American Council of Learned Societies and chairs the board of directors of ResearchChannel. He also served two terms on the Board of Trustees of the National Humanities Center.

Helen O’Reilly (F’03)

Senior Convocation

Thursday, May 17, McDonough Arena, 2 p.m.

After graduating magna cum laude from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in 2003, O’Reilly spent three years at Advocates for Children of New York as an education advocate for detained and incarcerated youth with learning disabilities. In 2006, she was selected as a Luce Scholar and spent the next two years in the Philippines and Hong Kong working with local NGOs to advocate for fair working conditions for migrant domestic workers. She returned from Asia to start law school in 2008 and simultaneously served as a member of the Immigration and Legal Services Clinic and the Workers Rights Advocacy Clinic. She graduated from Yale Law School in 2011 and is currently working as a judicial clerk for Judge Barrington D. Parker on the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Next year, she will be working for Judge John Gleeson in the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.

Louis J. Freeh

ROTC Commissioning Ceremony

Friday, May 18, Gaston Hall, 7:30 a.m.

Before serving as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1993-2001, Freeh was the lead prosecutor in the so-called “Pizza Connection” case, the largest and most complex investigation undertaken at the time by the federal government. The case involved a drug-trafficking operation by organized crime members who used pizza joints as fronts. Freeh served as the federal government’s principal courtroom attorney in the 14-month trial of the criminals and won the conviction of 16 of 17 co-defendants in the case. He subsequently held positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as chief of the Organized Crime Unit, and as deputy and later associate U.S. attorney. He went on to serve as a U.S. District Court judge for the Southern District of New York before being nominated as FBI director by President Clinton. Following his many years of public service, Freeh accepted a position with MBNA America Bank, N.A., as vice chair, general counsel and ethics officer. In 2007, he founded the Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC, an independent global risk management firm.

Kathleen Sebelius

Georgetown Public Policy Institute Tropaia

Friday, May 18, Leavey Center Ballroom, 11 a.m.

Sebelius was sworn in as the 21st secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2009. Since taking office, she has led efforts to improve America’s health and enhance the delivery of human services to some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including young children, those with disabilities and the elderly. As part of the historic Affordable Care Act, she is implementing reforms she says have ended many of the insurance industry’s most discriminatory practices and will help 34 million uninsured Americans get health coverage. She is also working with doctors, nurses, hospital leaders, employers and patients to implement policies aimed at slowing the growth of health care costs. Sebelius served as governor of Kansas from 2003 until her cabinet appointment and was named one of America’s Top Five Governors by Time magazine.

Sri Mulyani Indrawat

Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (G’93)

Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) Tropaia

Friday, May 18, Gaston Hall, 7:45 p.m.

Indrawat, an Indonesian economist, served as the country’s finance minister from 2005 to 2010 and is credited with strengthening Indonesia’s economy and directing it through crises between 2007 and 2010. Indrawat also is said to have increased Indonesian investments, addressed issues of tax corruption by implementing financial reforms and decreased the country’s overall public debt. During her term as finance minister Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves reached an all-time high of $50 billion.

Lambsdorff (G’93) is a German politician and member of the European Parliament with the Free Democratic Party of Germany, part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. This transnational alliance includes two European political parties, the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. Lambsdorff sits on the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, which manages the promotion and protection of consumer economic interests. He is also a member of the delegation for relations with the United States.

From George Washington University:

‘NBC Nightly News’ Anchor Brian Williams to Headline Weekend Celebration

“NBC Nightly News” anchor, members of Congress and the District’s deputy mayor of education will be among the speakers addressing graduates at George Washington University Commencement ceremonies May 18-20.

Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” and host of “Rock Center,” will deliver the keynote address to nearly 25,000 George Washington University graduates and guests and will receive an honorary doctorate degree, Sunday, May 20, on the National Mall. International businessman and philanthropic leader Carlos Slim, and internationally renowned artist Clarice Smith also will receive honorary degrees from the university.

At the Commencement ceremony, the Class of 2012 will be represented by graduating senior Noreen Kassam. Ms. Kassam was chosen to deliver a short speech during the ceremony by a panel of judges at the student speaker competition held Friday, April 18. She competed against 11 other students for the honor of addressing her fellow graduates. Ms. Kassam is expected to graduate from the Elliott School of International Affairs with a major in international affairs and political science.

Mr. Williams, one of the nation’s foremost television journalists, began his broadcasting career in 1981 at KOAM-TV in Pittsburg, Kan. He worked at several local stations in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City before joining NBC News in 1993. Mr. Williams served as NBC’s chief White House correspondent and later assumed the role of anchor and managing editor of “The News With Brian Williams” on MSNBC and CNBC. Since taking over as anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” in 2004, he has strengthened the broadcast’s position as the most-watched television newscast and has become the most highly decorated evening news anchor of the modern era. In 2007, “TIME” named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2011, NBC News launched “Rock Center with Brian Williams,” the network’s first new primetime newsmagazine in nearly two decades.

Mr. Williams attended GW for the fall semester of 1980.

Business leader and humanitarian Carlos Slim has made significant contributions to business and community development in Mexico and Latin America, and his extensive philanthropic work through his foundations has led to improvements and investments in education, health and the fine arts. Mr. Slim also was awarded the George Washington University President’s Medal in 2009.

Clarice Smith is a native of Washington, D.C., and a two-time George Washington alumna. Ms. Smith was also a member of GW’s art department faculty from 1980-1987. She has been painting professionally for 35 years and has had numerous solo exhibitions in museums and galleries in the United States and abroad. Ms. Smith presently serves on the Board of Commissioners at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
George Washington University’s Commencement activities will take place Sunday, May 8 – Sunday, May 15. The university-wide Commencement will be held the morning of Sunday, May 15, on the National Mall. A schedule of school and college celebrations, including keynote speakers, is below.

Friday, May 18

Edward “Skip” Gnehm, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan and GW alumnus, will speak to graduates at the Elliott School of International Affairs’ celebration at 11:30 a.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center.

Linda Rabbitt, founder, CEO and chairman of Rand Construction, and GW Board of Trustees member, will address graduates at the School of Business celebration at 3:30 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center.

Ron Ross, a fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will address graduates at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at 7:30 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center.

Saturday, May 19

De’Shawn Wright, D.C. Deputy Mayor for Education, will address graduates at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development celebration at 8 a.m. in the Charles E. Smith Center.

Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will address graduates at the university’s Interfaith Baccalaureate service at 9:30 a.m. at Western Presbyterian Church.

David Rain, GW professor of geography, will address graduates at the noon Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Celebration at the Charles E. Smith Center

Diane Rehm, host of National Public Radio’s “The Diane Rehm Show,” will speak to graduates of the School of Public Health and Health Services at noon in Lisner Auditorium.

Heidi Bardot, GW professor of art therapy, will address graduates at the 3:30 p.m. Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Celebration at the Charles E. Smith Center.

GW students Maggie Richards and Mong Tuyen Tran will address health sciences graduates of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at 4 p.m. in Lisner Auditorium.

Congressman Rush Holt (D-N.J.) will address graduates of the College of Professional Studies at 7:30 p.m. in Lisner Auditorium.

Sunday, May 20

“NBC Nightly News” Anchor Brian Williams and GW student Noreen Kassam will deliver remarks during the university-wide Commencement ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on the National Mall.

Carmen M. Ortiz, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, J.D. ’81, will speak at the Law School Celebration at 2:30 p.m. in the Charles E. Smith Center.

Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, M.D. ’70, will address M.D. graduates of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at 2:30 p.m. in Lisner Auditorium.

Weekend Roundup May 17, 2012


Celebration of Art Donations at Georgetown Library

May 17th, 2012 at 05:00 PM | jbshorey@comcast.net | Event Website

The Friends of the Georgetown Public Library are having a special thank you to three Georgetown residents for their generous contributions to the newly renovated historic Georgetown Library. Please join us on May 17th at 5 p.m. for a celebration and “thank you” to our very talented and generous neighbors.

Address

Georgetown Library, 3260 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

ShirLaLa Family Shabbat Service and Dinner

May 18th, 2012 at 06:30 PM | $15 Adults; $12 Children (Advance Registration req.) | Event Website

Enjoy a family Friday night with ShirLaLa! Dynamic performer and music educator Shira Klein travels across the globe sharing her love of Jewish life and prayer with children and families of all ages. Shira’s creative songs delight children, parents and grandparents alike. After services, enjoy a Kosher, traditional Friday night dinner with kid-friendly food to satisfy even the pickiest eaters!

Address

Washington DCJCC, 1529 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Capturing the Verve: Prints and Bronzes by Robert Cook

May 18th, 2012 at 05:00 PM | Free | info@oldprintgallery.com | Tel: (202) 965-1818 | Event Website

Capturing the Verve opens on May 18th. Works in this one-man show span over 30 years of the artist’s drive to interpret motion. With a secure grasp of the human form, Cook, using the lost-wax process, transforms his subjects into potent representations of their own energy. His bronzes divulge a remarkable sense of tension and strength, revealed between layers of stretched bronze and open spaces. His prints are rhythmic abstractions- chaotic expressions of the figure and the space around it.

Address

The Old Print Gallery, 1220 31st Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

Concert for Life

May 18th, 2012 at 08:00 PM | $25.00 | carderdp@aol.com | Tel: 703-915-1889 | Event Website

Joie de Vivre {Joy of Living}!, the 19th Concert for Life AIDS benefit, is a celebration in song of friendship, beauty, love, and life’s joys.
From this all-volunteer, non-sectarian concert, 100% of proceeds go to beneficiary organizations that help people living with HIV/AIDS.

Address

1500 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Georgetown Garden Treasures

May 19th, 2012 at 10:30 AM | $15; $10 Members | mkatz@tudorplace.org | Tel: (202) 965-0400 | Event Website

Tour two of Washington’s most celebrated landscapes with the people who know them best: Gail Griffin, Director of Gardens & Grounds at Dumbarton Oaks, and Suzanne Bouchard, Director of Gardens & Grounds at Tudor Place. From roses to hay bales to tea houses, learn how these storied landscapes have evolved aesthetically and functionally since the 1800s and understand the challenges surrounding their preservation today.

Address

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, 1644 31 Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

What’s Out There Weekend

May 19th, 2012 at 11:30 AM | Suggested donation | Tel: (202) 483-0553 | Event Website

Brian Barr, director of horticulture, leads a garden tour as part of The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s What’s Out There Weekend Washington DC. Reservations are required through the Cultural Landscape Foundation at tclg.org.

Address

The Cultural Landscape Foundation, 1909 Q Street NW, Second Floor, Washington DC, 20009

CAG Concert in the Park

May 20th, 2012 at 05:00 PM | Free | Tel: (202) 337-7313 | Event Website

Citizens Association of Georgetown’s first concert has a jam-packed line-up of activities for the entire family. Back by popular demand — Georgetown’s own amazing singer and song writer Rebecca McCabe will be performing at the May concert. Rebecca will wow the crowd with her acoustic, country, pop rhythms and have the whole family up singing and swaying in the May breeze. Remember the kids on the stage with her last year?

Address

Volta Park at 34th and Q Street