Weekend Roundup

Georgetowner • October 17, 2011

Oct. 14

Fall Tasting / Open House

J. Chocolatier will host a complimentary fall tasting at their shop on 33rd St. at 7 p.m. Taste samples of their seasonal fall truffles while drinking chocolate and freshly baked cookies. J. Chocolatier, 1039 33rd St. NW. 202-333-4111. Click Here for more info.

Oct. 15

Spooktacular Halloween Costume Tea

Traditional Halloween Treats will be served as children get to try on traditional outfits and bake their own treats this Saturday at Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW. The event will take place at 1 p.m.; children’s tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Tickets for accompanying adults are $10. Click Here for tickets.

FILMPROV Rewind, The 80s

Party like it’s 1985 with FILMPROV Rewind, The 80s in Alexandria, Va. This show will feature locally-produced independent short film Beta to the Max written and directed by Chris Sheridan, followed by an 80s music DJ Dance Party. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at Alley Cat Restaurant, 2 S. Whiting St., Alexandria, Va. 22304. Tickets range from $7.50 to $12.50. Click Here for tickets.

Oct.16

Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause 8k and 1-Mile Fun Run

The Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause is another example of our commitment to maximize the impact of our community initiatives. This year’s race will benefit 10 local non-profit organizations. Participants are encouraged to become more aware of each of these worthwhile organizations and their contributions to the community. Each racer gets to select the cause they wish to support. The race will begin and end on North Quincy Street, near the intersection of Wilson Boulevard in Arlington. It begins at 8 a.m. and costs $20 to $35 to participate. For more information, call 703-600-4032. For more information Click Here

Oct. 19

A Roast & Toast of Councilman Jack Evans

Roast & Toast of DC Council member Jack Evans featuring an Original Hexagon Performance
To Raise Money to Support Hexagon, A Roast & Toast of Councilman Jack Evans will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel located at 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. $50 Per Person (Hexagon/GBA Members) $60 Per Person (Non-Hexagon/GBA Members). Includes Open Bar Reception & One Reserved Show Seat. For more information:Email friendsofhexagon@aol.com or call 202-333-SHOW (7469) Ext.8.
For more information, Click Here

Oct. 20

2011 KEY TO THE CURE KICK-OFF EVENT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE CHEVY CHASE

Please join us at 06:00 PM for an evening of shopping, entertainment, cuisine from local restaurants and the Key To The Treasure Raffle to kick-off a fabulous shopping weekend benefitting Women’s Cancer Programs at Suburban Hospital (a Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine). $75/ticket; sponsorship levels available. Event Website

Event Co-Chairs Maura Fitzgerald Shannon and Nina Snow

Address

Saks Fifth Avenue Chevy Chase

5555 Wisconsin Avenue

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Georgetowner • October 4, 2011

Rebirth of the Cool

September 30th, 2011 at 06:00-9:00 PM| Event Website

Rebirth of the Cool represents a new incarnation of Kehinde Wiley’s popular annual fish fry from Art Basel Miami Beach. Both extravagant and casually hip, it offers guests the opportunity to experience the city and the artistic subculture in a way that Wiley describes as “a truer example of my lived life.” The event’s title refers to Birth of the Cool, an exhibition of works by Barkley Hendricks, an artist in 30 Americans, and is symbolic of the exciting programming coming up at the Corcoran.

If you haven’t already, buy tickets by clicking Here includes BBQ and two drinks.

The Initiative for Russian Culture-Film, Jazzmen

September 30th, 2011 at 06:00 PM | fedyashi@american.edu | Tel: (202) 885-6381 | Event Website

The founding of the Initiative for Russian Culture (IRC) invites you to come see the award winning and popular Russian film, Jazzmen (1983). The film is based on a music student, Konstantin, who gets expelled due to his love for jazz, which at the time was considered to be frowned upon in Soviet Union 1920’s. The student seeks two street musicians to form a band and together they attempt to make a mark on the Russian music scene. Director Karen Shaknazarov set this film during a time when, despite its widespread popularity, jazz was to be frowned upon as a debased form of capitalist art. The movie showcases great Russian jazz tunes as the band tries to prove that jazz music is a revolutionary and popular form of art.

To start the evening cocktails and a buffet will be served and the screening of the film will follow along with a discussion and Q and A. Afterward, Russian coffee and deserts will be served and Igor Bril will close the event with a live performance. Valet parking will be available and the attire will be business. There will be media availability starting at 5:45 PM and media credentials will be required.

Address

The Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building

10 First Street, SE Washington, DC

Art Code: Artworks by Edurne Esponda

September 30th, 2011 at 06:00 PM | gallery@callowayart.com | Tel: 202-965-4601 | Event Website

Susan Calloway Fine Arts is pleased to present ArtCode, a show by Edurne Esponda, which displays the artists’ colorful, playful, and thought provoking oeuvre. Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, Edurne Esponda has traveled the world as both an artist and fashion designer. Her latest work, ArtCode will be on view at Susan Calloway Fine Arts from September 30 through October 29, 2011. An opening reception will be held on September 30 from 6PM-8PM.

Address

Susan Calloway Fine Arts

Book Hill, Georgetown

1643 Wisconsin Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20007

Wine in the Water Park

September 30th, 2011 at 07:00 PM | Free Admission | Event Website

Wine in the Water Park brings the mood-setting, ambient music of DJ Adrian Loving, wine and beer carefully selected by the Washington Wine Academy, and free snacks from Jaleo to the Crystal City Water Park (across from 1750 Crystal Drive). Taking place every Friday in September (September 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th) from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the event gives residents, office workers, and visitors a great place to unwind after the work week.

Address

Crystal City Water Park (across from 1750 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA)

Bowen McCauley Dance at Dance Place

October 1st, 2011 at 02:00 AM | $22 General Admission $17 Members, Seniors, Teachers and Artists

$10 College Students $8 Children (1 | ricki@bmdc.org | Tel: 703-910-5175 | Event Website

Lucy Bowen McCauley, named by Washingtonian as among those “who have helped transform Washington into one of the nation’s liveliest centers for the performing arts,” brings her eclectic musical taste, creative artistic partnerships, and her company of “rising stars” to Dance Place. Audience favorite, Lucy’s Playlist, brings ’80s pop and rock tunes to life with an amped up performance. The energy is infectious!

Address

Dance Place

3225 8th Street NE

Washington, DC 20017

DC Walk for the Animals benefiting the Washington Humane Society

October 15th, 2011 at 10:00 AM | $15-20 | events@washhumane.org | Tel: 202-683-1822 | Event Website

DC Walk for the Animals (Benefiting the Washington Humane Society)

WHEN: Saturday, October 15, 2011

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

WHERE: Marie Reed Learning Center

2200 Champlain St. NW

Washington, DC 20009

CONTACT INFO: events@washhumane.org

202-683-1822

ADMISSION: $20 for adults, $15 for children ages 3-12, Free for children under age 3

Address

2200 Champlain St. NW

Washington, DC 20009

11th Annual Norton Wine and Bluegrass Festival

October 1st, 2011 at 10:00 AM | Admission is $20 per person at the door, $15 in advance |

kkinne@chrysaliswine.com | Tel: (540) 687-8222 ext. 206 | Event Website

Home to the world’s single largest planting of Norton, the Chrysalis Vineyards is hosting the 11th Annual Norton Wine and Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Celebrate Norton, The Real American Grape!® with tastings of America’s authentic premium wine – indigenous to Virginia. Listen to live bluegrass music, hop on a hayride and shop the food and craft vendors. A variety of Norton blends will be available including Mariposa, Estate Bottled Norton, Chrysalis’ ultra premium Locksley Reserve Norton and more. For more information and details, visit www.ChrysalisWine.com.

Address

23876 Champe Ford Road

Middleburg, Virginia 20117

Gary Tischler • October 3, 2011

As the final days for the production of “Oklahoma” at Arena Stage run down, people are still talking about the show, in some ways as if it were a brand new phenomenon that wound its way through town like a tornado.

The production, directed and selected by Arena Artistic Director Molly Smith, played to packed houses in the Fichandler after it opened Arena’s 2010-2011 season in its new $100 million plus Mead Center for American Theater. Some critics were skeptical of the choice which seemed a little safe, but the show was in keeping with Smith’s exploration of American theater and musicals, proving to be a monster hit with audiences and critics alike. The resurrection hauled in all sorts of honors, at one point being considered for a Broadway production.

The show was so popular that Smith and Arena decided to bring it back for an end-of-summer, start-of-fall run that ends Oct. 2, starting something of a theater recycling trend in Washington.

The other night while attending “The Habit of Art” at Studio Theater, I chatted with a couple sitting next to me, and, after talking about dogs and theater in general, the couple said they had just seen “Oklahoma” for the first time.

“We’d seen the movie,” she said. “You know, Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones and all that stuff. But we were so surprised and it was so fresh. Having the salesman be a Middle Easterner was a surprise, it sure wasn’t Eddie Albert. And that Ado Annie, she was something. She was delightful.”

That would be June Schreiner, the 16-year-old (when the show opened) Madeira School senior who was bowled over with critical praise for her portrayal as the girl with two suitors who sings “I Can’t Say No,” an enduring highlight tune among many classics in “Oklahoma.” Not to mention she executes some nifty roping moves with Cody Williams, who plays one of her beaus, a cowpoke named Will Parker.

One of the unique things about the production was that even in the process of performance, the company seemed tightly knit, a community of sorts. I got a real sense of that several weeks ago when I sat down with Schreiner and Teresa Burrell, who had just taken over the part of Aunt Eller, the almost totemic matriarchal figure in the Oklahoma community. The part had formerly been played by F. Faye Butler, who moved on to star in Arena’s “Trouble in Mind.”

Schreiner, a thin, pretty blonde teenager, showed up pumped after taking additional roping lessons. Burrell, a veteran actress familiar with the Arena Stage scene, had just made her first appearance as Aunt Eller the previous night.

“You know, you’re replacing a key member of the company, and not just any company, but this one, which is like a family, you could tell that right away,” Burrell said. Burrell looks rangy and vivacious and hardly resembles a matriarch. She is still remembered for her dazzling starring role in Duke Ellington’s “Queenie Pie” at the Kennedy Center a number of years ago, and is also currently working on a show about Ethel Waters, the legendary African American singer and performer.

Schreiner said Burrell “fits right in.” She should. She’s something of an Arena veteran, having starred in their ground-floor musical version of “The Women of Brewster Place” among other productions, and has been seen at Signature in the iconic role of Julie in another American classic, “Showboat.”

It’s interesting to watch and listen to Schreiner and Burrell talking. One moment, Schreiner is exactly the senior in high school that she is, daughter of show biz parents, a young American girl, still excitable, the next she sounds like a theater veteran (which she is) who got a tidal wave of media attention after “Oklahoma” opened. When the talk is about the show, she and Burrell dive in, dissecting, describing, figuring things out. “It never gets old,” said Schreiber, who’s now played the part too often to count. “Every night, there’s something different. It’s like you’re in the group of people the characters, you’re part of something that’s happening to them in the country a new world.”

“I’m so happy to be in this, to take this part,” Burrell said. “It’s such a fresh production. It’s a little darker, and then again not. It’s complicated, more grown-up in a way. Aunt Eller is the rock of the community, she has to have size, but she’s also very human, warm and funny.”

Burrell, next to Schreiber, is so energized she might as well be a teenager too. They talk about Ado Annie as a character. “With Schreiner playing her, and playing her with that kind of absolutely fresh way she has, she’s something different than say an older woman who’s been around a little,” Burrell says. “It’s a little more innocent—she wants things and likes both the young men who like her, but there’s something endearing about that and she gets them going that’s for sure.”

“Ado Annie is a young person in that time, she’s like me, age wise,” Schreiber said. “That makes it a lot more fun, for one thing.”

Schreiber wasn’t nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for her role. It was a major omission to many observers, but not to her. “The whole thing was just so amazing to me, the process, the time spent in a show like this, the people, all those talented people and Molly,” she said. “That didn’t bother me. I’ve gotten so much out of this.”

Gary Tischler • September 26, 2011

The children of American politicians — especially those politicians who loom large in the public imagination and history books — are always bathed in a kind of reflective light that lasts longer than perhaps it should and is more intense than it might be for the children of less famous parents.

When those children pass away unexpectedly and too soon, memories are recalled. When we lose two in the space of a weekend, the memories are larger and thicker. The deaths of Kara Kennedy, oldest child of Sen. Ted Kennedy, and Eleanor Mondale, daughter of former vice president and presidential aspirant Walter Mondale, both at the age of 51, come as a shock and invoke memories of their families, historical and political times, and most of all each of the women’s singular spirits.

Kara Kennedy, who had apparently beaten back the threat of lung cancer with tough, draining treatments, reportedly died after working out at a health club. Her brother, Patrick, acting as the family’s spokesman, was quoted as saying “her heart gave out.” She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2003.

Kara Kennedy was a filmmaker, a video and television producer, a board member of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, and a director and national trustee of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

She is survived by her brothers Patrick and Edward Kennedy, Jr., her mother Joan Kennedy, her husband Michael Allen and two teenage children, Grace and Max, and the rest of the extended Kennedy family.

There is no escaping that part of her story — she was born in 1960 when her father was campaigning for his brother John F. Kennedy in his heated race against Richard Nixon for the U.S. Presidency, and not too long thereafter her father won a tough Senate race. She was born to a life where politics and history were only a breath away. She and her brother Edward helped run her father’s senate campaign in 1988.

Her battle with illness and her deep interest in Very Special Arts, which was founded by her aunt Jean Kennedy Smith, speak to the Kennedy name and its triumphs, tragedies and compassionate efforts.

Ted Kennedy, who had a failed presidential run but was deemed the “Lion of the Senate,” was the last of the four great brothers – Joe, John, and Robert. Joe was killed in World War II, and John and Robert were assassinated while Ted died of a brain tumor. Kara Kennedy accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her father in 2009, shortly before he passed away.

Those facts don’t begin to tell the Kennedy saga: They’re like its sharpened, jagged outline. It seems every time we lose a Kennedy, we mourn them all again and reflect on their achievements and lives as individuals and as part of the family.

Eleanor Mondale was in her twenties, vivid and as sparkling as a glass of champagne when her father, a huge political figure in Minnesota and former vice president under Jimmy Carter, decided to challenge Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Mondale won the nomination and made Geraldine Ferraro his running mate, the first time a woman had been so picked. The choice was a ground breaking event, and enlivened what sometimes seemed like a doomed result, which was a crushing defeat for Mondale.

Eleanor Mondale, blonde, smart, charming and lively, gamely campaigned for her father and in the aftermath carved out her own career in the media as a radio show host and entertainment writer. She also did some acting including small parts in “Dynasty” and “Three’s Company” as well as being a constant focus for paparazzi. She was one of those people who seemed to attract the light without trying too hard — she was witty and photogenic, and more than one media type had dubbed her a “wild child.”

That may have had something to do with her personal life. She was married three times and tended to be attracted to athletes and rock stars, marrying Chicago Bears lineman Keith Van Horne, DJ Greg Thunder and Chan Poling of the rock group The Suburbs. She and Poling, whom she married in 2005, lived on a farm in Prior Lake, Minn.

Eleanor Mondale was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2005.

Georgetowner •

Toni Morrison at Hay-Adams Author Series

September 23rd, 2011 at 12:00 PM

$85 includes 3-course lunch, wine, tax and gratuity

rsvp@hayadams.com | Tel: 202-220-4844 | Event Website

Join the Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author for a three-course lunch, talk, and book signing in celebration of her receipt of the Library of Congress’ 2011 National Book Festival Award for Creative Achievement.

The event will co-hosted by Hay-Adams President Kay Enokido and Marie Arana, Writer at Large for The Washington Post and a member of the Scholars’ Council at the Library of Congress.

Morrison’s books BELOVED and A MERCY will be available for purchase.

Address

The Hay-Adams

Sixteenth & H Streets, NW

Washington, DC

New Student Showcase: Almost Me and Outta Here

September 23rd, 2011 at 08:00 PM | $10 regular admission, $5 AU community and seniors |

auarts@american.edu | Tel: 202-885-2787 | Event Website

American University’s Department of Performing Arts showcases the talents of new students.

Follow the lives of incoming freshman students as the face the trials and tribulations of their first year in a higher education institution. Experience the “drama” that happens on and off stage as a group of freshman theatre and music theatre majors not only get acclimated to their new surroundings but prepare for the season’s big musical.

Book by Caleen Sinnette Jennings and Javier Rivera

Featuring music by Rob Rokicki

Lyrics by Rob Rokicki and Michael Ruby

Cara Gabriel and Carl Menninger, co-directors

Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, music director

Address

Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre

4200 Wisconsin Ave. NW

18th Annual Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival

September 24th, 2011 at 11:00 AM | lisa@tuckerpr.com | Tel: (214) 252-0900 | Event Website

This month-long festival begins Saturday, September 24 and will be open until Monday, October 31. After you pick your pumpkin off the vine, cheer on the swine at the Oinkintucky Derby Pig Races. Check out P-Rex – the pumpkin crunching dinosaur – and take in the panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains as you zip down the 60-foot Saddlehorn slide. Other family-friendly activities include a farm animal barnyard, shopping at the ‘Roosteraunté’, hay mazes, and new giant rope swings. For times and more information visit www.greatcountryfarms.com.

Address

Great Country Farms

18780 Foggy Bottom Road

Bluemont, VA 20135

Andy Warhol: Shadows

September 25th, 2011 at 12:00 PM | Event Website

This fall, the Hirshhorn will present Shadows (1978–79), the monumental painting installation by Andy Warhol (American, b. Pittsburgh, 1928; d. New York, 1987), marking the first time all 102 canvases have been shown at once. Installed edge-to-edge as the artist intended, Shadows will extend nearly 450 linear feet around the outer perimeter of the museum’s curved second-level galleries, offering the public a unique opportunity to view the work in its entirety. Associate curator Evelyn Hankins is coordinating the Hirshhorn’s presentation of Andy Warhol: Shadows, which is organized by Dia Art Foundation. The foundation acquired the work in 1979. Through Jan. 15, 2012.

Address

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

Show Up and Count for the Georgetown Ministry Center

September 25th, 2011 at 12:00 PM | $20 to $30 | info@gmcgt.org | Tel: (202) 338-8301 | Event Website

SHOW UP AND COUNT on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at Grace Church from 12:00-3:30 p.m. for Georgetown Ministries Community Mini-walk in conjunction with Fannie Mae’s Help the Homeless. Georgetown Ministries hopes to reach a goal of 350 participants so Fannie Mae will donate more money to help the homeless of Georgetown. To register for this event, go to www.helpthehomelessdc.org or call (202) 338-8301. To learn more about the Help the Homeless Program, please visit www.helpthehomelessdc.org.

Address

1041 Wisconsin Avenue

NW Washington, DC 20007

Ironman triathlete Brendan Brazier Speaks

September 26th, 2011 at 07:30 PM | rachel@trentandcompany.com | Tel: 212-966-0124

Join Ironman triathlete Brendan Brazier, author author of diet and fitness books Thrive, Thrive Fitness and Thrive Foods, for a discussion about his unique approach to nutrition and exercise, including a lecture on Vega, his own line of plant-based foods.

Address

Georgetown University Law Center, Hart Auditorium

Georgetowner • September 22, 2011

War of 1812 Commemoration: Self-Guided Themed Tours

August 27, 2011 | 11-3PM |

Washington in flames could be seen as far away as Baltimore on August 24, 1814. Honor the anniversary of Dolley Madison’s flight, first to “Belle Vue” (today known as Dumbarton House), as the British advanced on Washington. Learn about the capital city during the War of 1812. After touring the museum, enjoy a sampling of “Dolley Cake,” Mrs. Madison’s favorite, a delicious caramel confection – while supplies last! Regular admission fee applies.

Address

The Dumbarton House

2715 Q St NW

Telephone: 202-337-2288

Sunday Community Yoga Class

August 28, 2011

Leanne Davis, our quarterly instructor and local yoga guru, leads a Vinyasa flow class, this and every Sunday in our in-store studio. Everyone is welcome; class is suitable for beginners and those more experienced in their practice. Bring a mat. Bring some water. And join us!

Address

Lululemon Athletica

3265 M St NW

Heidi Martin Sings George Gershwin!

September 1, 2011

Join us for a seated concert in the contemporary Belle Vue Room ballroom at Dumbarton House for our first-ever Gershwin concert. Chanteuse Heidi Martin will delight with classic Gershwin standards such as “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” and many more! Two sets of different music, and you are welcome to attend one or stay for both! Fee,concessions cash sales only.

Address

The Dumbarton House

2715 Q St NW

Telephone: 202-337-2288

Wine in the Water Park

September 2nd, 2011 at 07:00 PM | Free Admission |

Wine in the Water Park brings the mood-setting, ambient music of DJ Adrian Loving, wine and beer carefully selected by the Washington Wine Academy, and free snacks from Jaleo to the Crystal City Water Park (across from 1750 Crystal Drive). Taking place every Friday in September (September 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th) from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the event gives residents, office workers, and visitors a great place to unwind after the work week.

Address

Crystal City Water Park (across from 1750 Crystal Drive)

Georgetowner • September 19, 2011

Living In Pink’s 8th Annual Luncheon & Boutique

September 23 at 10:30-2:30 p.m. | Event Website

Living in Pink was founded by Michele Conley to raise funds for Breast Cancer research. Having participated in the Peeke Performer’s, led by Dr. Pamela Peeke, MD, Michele found she had a lot in common with other mothers and businesswomen who were breast cancer survivors. Conley found that the fight against breast cancer is a journey that can be a surprisingly positive life-changing experience for the patients, their family and friends.

The goal for Living in Pink is to help find a cure so that the next generation of women will not have to endure the emotional and physical pain of breast cancer surgery and treatment.

Address

FAIRMONT WASHINGTON HOTEL

2401 M Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20037

John Legend to Salute D.C. Public Schools

September 16 at 6:30 p.m. | Event Website

D.C. Public Education Fund (‘the Education Fund’) today announced the addition of Grammy award-winning recording artist and philanthropist John Legend to the program for the second annual A Standing Ovation for D.C. Teachers event.

“Great teachers can make all the difference in a child’s education,” John Legend said. “But too often those teachers are not celebrated for their hard work and commitment to student achievement. They deserve to be recognized for their efforts in the classroom.”

Address

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2700 F Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20566

The Wanamaker Wet Electronic Music and Water Festival

September 18 at noon | $25-$149 | jessica@neuprofile.com | Tel: 646-842-0438 | Event Website

The Wanamaker Wet Party, in partnership with Rock the Vote and Metromix DC, presents an end-of-summer electronic music and water festival from 12: held outdoors at the Yards on the Park near Nationals Stadium from 12:00 PM to 10 PM. Attending guests will enjoy access to the Yards fountain, water games, a giant foam pit and ten straight hours of live international and local DJ talent including Sultan + Ned Shepard, Serge Devant and Tatiana Fontes. Additionally, the day will include an opportunity for attendees to win gift certificate and cash prizes by participating in a swimsuit model competition with designer swimwear provided by east coast fashion retailer South Moon Under and judged by the festival’s Master of Ceremonies Bianca Chardei of America’s Next Top Model fame and South Moon Under. The festival will also celebrate the launch of presenter Rach Events’ new software application providing free online table and bottle reservations at nightclub venues throughout the city. Guests will get a sneak peak of their new software application and will have access to specific table reservation locations throughout the venue via a smartphone phone or computer at www.RachEvents.com

Address

Yards on the Park, Washington, D.C.

Vintage Crystal: A Taste of Wine and Jazz

September 18 at 2 p.m. | $20.00 | Event Website

Vintage Crystal: A Taste of Wine and Jazz highlights the wines of Spain, Argentina and Chile. Patrons have the opportunity to taste 30 different wines from the cellar of the Jaleo Wine Store, as well as enjoy samples from more than 20 different local restaurants. Latin jazz music from Trio Caliente, salsa dancing from the Salsa Room, and wine classes from the Washington Wine Academy will round out the day. Tickets can be purchased at the event.

Address

220 South 20th Street, Arlington, Va.

An Afternoon of the Arts Fundraiser

September 18 at 4 p.m. | $35 | aginsberg@sjcs.org | Tel: 202-274-3460 | Event Website

Please join the board of directors of St. John’s Community Services-D.C. in an afternoon of musical talent by violinist Holly Hamilton of the National Symphony Orchestra and pianist Carol Barth, board of directors and Founders Board member.

A silent art auction will feature paintings by artists from the former ARTiculate program.

Donations to fund the advancement of community support and opportunities for people living with disabilities in Washington, D.C.

www.sjcs.org

Address

HEARST AUDITORIUM

National Cathedral School

3612 Woodley Road, NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Jaleo Celebrates Summer’s End With The Eighth Annual La Tomatina Festival

September 19 at 11:30 a.m. | Dishes range from $8-$12 | Tel: 202-628-7949 | Event Website

From Sept. 19 through Oct. 2, José Andrés and the culinary team at Jaleo will be hosting the two-week event that celebrates the bounty of delicious tomatoes with a taste of Spain. Paying tribute to the famous tomato battle that takes place in Buñol, Spain, Jaleo will feature a variety of tomato specials using the ripest and juiciest tomatoes plus tasty tomato-based cocktails. Additionally, Jaleo will conduct tomato demonstrations at local farmers markets.

Guests of La Tomatina will experience tomatoes via tempting tapas specials. The dishes, ranging in price from $8 – $12, will be available during the two-week long celebration including: Tartar de tomate con huevas de salmón, Tomato “tartar” with trout roe; Tomates rellenos de cangrejo, Campari tomatoes stuffed with crab, and Pinchitos de sandia con caviar de tomate, Watermelon and tomato “caviar” skewer.

Address

Jaleo Locations:

480 7th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

7271 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, Md.

2250-A Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va.

Robert Devaney • September 13, 2011

It is a walk that is also a hit. While the Washington Nationals took care of the Philadelphia Phillies this past weekend, their ball park was taking care of hungry and thirsty baseball fans. And while around the stadium there are food spots aplenty, one space stands out: the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk with its Miller Lite Party Nights.

The Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk, located on the mezzanine level of the stadium with its own escalator to the left of the centerfield gates behind the main scoreboard, is fast becoming a meeting hot spot as its walking area and restaurant space gives baseball fans an elevated view of the field – and a place to see and be seen.

During the Miller Lite Party Nights – Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – fans can buy a Scoreboard Pavilion seat for $20 ($22 for prime games) and get a drink voucher for the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk Bar. Live entertainment starts two-and-a-half hours before the start of each game. Five-dollar happy-hour beer specials are available two-and-a-half hours before the first pitch at the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk Bar for all remaining home games this season.

In fact, one of a group of fans enjoyed the food and space so much last week, they stayed put and sat in the lounge chairs and at the high tables for most of the game.

With approximately 15,000 square feet of open space, it is easy to lounge in the new chairs, listen to pregame music and partake of burgers and shakes from Shake Shack, Union Square Hospitality Group’s most popular joint, along with Danny Meyer’s other offerings, Blue Smoke, El Verano Taquería and Box Frites. You can hang at the Walk and watch the new HDTV screen behind the scoreboard and never a moment of the action on the field. Baseball, hot dogs, burgers, real pit barbeque, tacos, Belgian fries and beer and wine – and shakes and custards. No strikeout here.

Nationals Park is the third sports venue with the Union Square eateries; the other two are the New York Mets’ Citi Field and the Saratoga Racing Course.

Here are some fun green facts about Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk that the Nationals are proud of. Building on the ballpark’s environmentally-friendly design, the enhanced Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk incorporates sustainable elements which include the following: indigenous plants and trees, which require less water and maintenance while also improving air quality; all the under plantings are herbs, which attract butterflies and will give off an herbal scent when in bloom from May to November; all plantings were installed with composted materials, while the trees were grown from intercropping.

Unique to the refreshed area are the 14 shade sails suspended by turnbuckles covering the space. The sails were designed and provided by Tenshon specifically for the Nationals. They will reduce ambient
temperature up to 20 degrees and provide protection of up to 93.7 percent of UV rays, protecting fans from excessive heat and sun exposure. Each sail measures 16 feet by 10 feet and is made of fully recyclable HDPE architectural shade fabric.

Georgetowner • September 6, 2011

Free For All: Julius Caesar

September 2, 2011

Shakespeare Theatre Company’s annual free play revisits the Bard’s tragedy, which it staged during the 2007-2008 season.Tickets for each performance of Julius Caesar will be made available to the public on the day of the show by visiting Sidney Harman Hall as well as through an online lottery system. for more information visit Shakespeare Theatre Company’s website.

Shakespeare Theatre Company – Harman Hall

610 F St. NW

Washington, DC

Uptown Deli Announces First Annual Matzo Ball Eating Contest

September 5, 2011 at 03:00 PM | $50 Tel: (301) 961-5787

The First Annual Uptown Deli Matzo Ball Eating Contest to be held on Labor Day, September 5th. While matzo ball eating contests are not new, Howard Wasserman (Bethesda’s source for all things delicatessen) says that his contest will be the first in the DC area and will feature his own special matzo ball recipe that has been in his family for generations. Wasserman is a bit secretive about his recipe but he says, “There’s no question that my matzo ball is by far the best around. I make my version light and fluffy, they’re called “floaters”…and they’re not heavy like so many of them. Our contestants will have no problems eating my matzo balls.” Contestants will have 8 minutes to see who can eat the most matzo balls. Proceeds will benefit The Children’s Inn at NIH.

Address

Uptown Deli

7905 Norfolk Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

Author Susan McCorkindale at Barnes & Noble

Wednesday September 07, 2011 7:00 PM

Meet Susan McCorkindale and get your signed copy of her new book, 500 Acres and No Place to Hide. Critics are calling it “Self-deprecating and funny.” (Publisher’s Weekly), “Serious girl-crush material; McCorkindale’s humor and wit are brilliantly funny.” (Blog Critics), and “500 Acres will just as easily make readers laugh as wipe tears from their eyes.” (Kirkus) It’s the perfect read for a fall weekend get-away!

Address

3040 M Street NW,

Washington, DC 20007

202-965-9880

Fashion’s Night Out is Coming Back to Georgetown

September 8, 2011

GET READY! FNO Georgetown DC is coming back – bigger and better than ever! On September 8, 2011, Fashion’s Night Out Transforms Georgetown into a Fashion Playground with Over 90 Epic Style Celebrations! check out the FNO Georgetown DC 2010 video with highlights from last year’s exciting evening! for more information Visit Fashion Night Out](http://www.fashionsnightoutgeorgetowndc.com/)

Address

All of Georgetown DC

Georgetowner • August 25, 2011

ANC Votes for Co-Chairs’ Redistricting Plan; 8th District Added
In response to population growth, the Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commission’s working group to redraw ANC 2E, which represents Georgetown, Burleith and Hillandale, voted in favor of a plan advanced by working group’s co-chairs – commissioner Ron Lewis of ANC2E and his co-chairs, Jennifer Altemus of the Citizen’s Association of Georgetown and Lenore Rubino of the Burleith Citizen’s Association. The proposal adds a new single-member district (SMD) by increasing the number of Georgetown University student districts from one to two, bringing Georgetown’s ANC districts to a total of eight (each accounting for roughly more than 2,000 individuals).

The approved plan splits SMD04 into two, creating a totally new SMD08. (The student districts would account for about 2,500 individuals.) Burleith remains SMD01, and a few blocks are added north on Wisconsin Avenue to SMD05. Voting in favor of the co-chairs’ plan, commissioner Bill Starrels said, “I think it was thought-through, well laid-out and addressed the concerns and all aspects of the community.”

An opposing view, advocated by John Flanagan, a student on the ANC 16-member working group, called for three student-dominated zones, folding parts of the west side of Georgetown into the university districts. Flanagan had cited the principle of “one man, one vote,” arguing that increased student population warranted three districts. The co-chairs’ proposal answered back, in part, with a call for continued “community cohesiveness,” where traditional borders between several blocks had naturally developed.

The plan will be discussed at the next week ANC meeting with any changes requested by Sept. 7, then passed to the Ward 2 re-districting team and onto Council member Jack Evans. The re-districting changes must be voted on by the D.C. Council by the end of 2011 and will become effective November 2012.
Next ANC 2E meeting: Monday, Aug. 29, 6:30p.m. at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 35th Street and Volta Place.

Evans’s Use of $135K of Service Funds over a Decade to Buy Sports Tickets Questioned
Taking money from a D.C. Council member’s citizen service fund to purchase tickets to local baseball, basketball, hockey or tennis games – while perfectly legal – was been called into question because of an investigation by the Washington Post.

According to the Washington Post, “D.C. Council member Jack Evans has paid $135,897 for professional sports tickets over the past decade using money from his constituent services fund, renewing calls for tighter restrictions on the accounts, which are meant to help city residents. A Washington Post review of Office of Campaign Finance records shows that Evans (D-Ward 2) has spent $437,720 since January 2002 under the program, which allows District politicians to raise money to help constituents and spend the funds largely unfettered.”

“I think it’s appropriate to support those teams and give [tickets] to constituents who otherwise may not be able to get to a game,” Evans told the Post. The newspaper added, “When the fund is examined back to 1991, when Evans was elected to the council, he notes that only 13 percent of the $1 million he has spent has gone toward sporting tickets. He said that 20-year period provided a more accurate picture of his spending.”

Under D.C. law, constituent services funds may be set up to offer “charitable, scientific, educational, medical, recreational and other services” and improve residents’ “general welfare.” Any other restrictions – save for political campaigning – are not outlined.

Nevertheless, the money can add up quickly over the years for tickets to sporting events. The Post went on further: “On March 1, for example, Evans wrote a check for $4,681 for a season ticket to the Capitals. Two days later, he paid the Wizards $7,644. His two 2011 season tickets at Nationals Park, which he said are behind first base, cost him $10,945 last fall, the records show.”
At least one council member – Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) – told the Post, “I think it’s inappropriate.” A few community leaders did not really wish to comment, and a few others wondered where their tickets were. For the kids, of course.

Georgetown Waterfront Park’s Grand Opening Set for Sept. 13
Yet another win for Georgetown. After years of fundraising, designing and construction, the transformation from old parking lots on the Potomac to an urban park, inviting the public to play along the waterfront, is complete. On Sept. 13, Georgetown Waterfront Park becomes the largest national park created in the Nation’s Capital in 35 years since Constitution Gardens was finished on the National Mall in 1976.

Thanks to the National Park Service, the Georgetown Waterfront Park Commission, architects Wallace Roberts & Todd as well as donations by MRP Realty (the owners of Washington Harbour), Pepco, the Georgetown BID, and the District of Columbia, a 10-acre park stretches out at the foot of Wisconsin Avenue on the Potomac River.

Once the land of old Georgetown’s wharves and then factories, the riverside deteriorated into parking lots and empty land. In 1985, the District of Columbia transferred the waterfront land to the National Park Service. In the late 1990s, the Georgetown Waterfront Commission made the final, long push for completion, bringing together volunteers, residents, the rowing community, local leaders and the National Park Service as it highlighted the Potomac’s signature sport: rowing.

The Georgetown Waterfront Park provides a green space for visitor recreation and contemplation, the commission is proud to point out. Cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians have their own car-free pathways with views of individual boaters, kayakers and competitive crews as well as of Roosevelt Island and Key Bridge. The park curves along 10 acres from the Washington Harbour complex at 31st Street to Key Bridge, a vital last link in 225 miles of parkland from Mount Vernon, Va., to Cumberland, Md. The park will have Wi-Fi, the commission reports, and it adds:
“The Wisconsin Avenue part of the park will greet the visitor with a low arcing fountain lined with benches, while the riverfront will have steps laddering down to the river at the site of the finish line for the regattas. A wide walkway will be continued along the river with an area with benches and a pergola for river viewing. In this section of the park, crowds can gather to watch rowing regattas or just look at the river from the sheltered pergola. The interactive fountain will add a playful aquatic feature to attract visitors to the river from Wisconsin Avenue. An arbor above the benches will invite visitors to relax by the water. The arbor will support flowering vines, filtering the sunlight over seating areas. Below the arbor, river stairs will descend to the water, forming an amphitheater where people can view activities in the park and watch the finish line of the boat races.”

Chain Bridge Weekend Closures Begin
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced it will be closing the Chain Bridge on weekends to conduct structural repair work activities under the bridge deck. The majority of the repairs on Chain Bridge completed last spring were conducted on the bridge deck. Now through Dec. 23, weather permitting, DDOT will be conducting an additional series of repair related activities that will be concentrated under the bridge. Weekend closures will be necessary to perform this work.
During the following weekends, Chain Bridge will close starting at 8 p.m. on Friday and will reopen at 5 a.m. the following Monday: Aug. 19 to 21; Sept. 9 to 11; Sept. 16 to 18; Sept. 30 to Oct. 2; Oct. 7 to 9; Oct. 21 to 23; Oct. 28 to 30; November 18 to 20; Dec. 2 to 4; Dec. 16 to 18.

There will be no access to the bridge from either the District or Arlington. That includes cyclists and pedestrians because the sidewalk will also be closed. Through traffic on Canal Road will not be obstructed, but motorists will not be able to turn onto Chain Bridge. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes and river crossings including the American Legion, Key, Roosevelt, Memorial and 14th Street Bridges. For additional traffic advisories, visit DDOT’s Traffic Alerts page or visit goDCgo.com for more information on transportation options in the District.

Happy 90th Birthday, Ben
Best known for the Washington Post’s Watergate investigations, former Post executive editor Ben Bradlee turns 90 on Aug. 26. But don’t look around town for Bradlee and his wife Sally Quinn. They are in France – on the Ile de Ré, an island in the Atlantic off its west coast, as well regarded as Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket here. Dozens of guests at the birthday party, planned by Quinn, include family members along with friends, such as Christiane Amanpour and her husband, James Rubin, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.

National Jewel Center at Old Georgetown Theater Site to Empty by Aug. 31
The classic neon “Georgetown” sign is what everyone cares about, but the stalls in the National Jewel Center are leaving the old site of the Georgetown Theater on Wisconsin Avenue at O Street. The property – owned by the Heon family, which also owns the Serendipity 3 building (Nathans) at Wisconsin and M and the Philly Cheese Steak place (Cellar Door) at 34th and M – is renewing its sales pitch, as reported in the Prince of Petworth blog. The building went on the market two years ago for almost $5 million; most figure it will go for half that amount. Here is what one real estate entry discloses: 1351 Wisconsin Ave. consists of 6,086 square feet, including street and mezzanine; the lot is 6,569 square feet. It has the famous landmark “Georgetown” sign marking the entrance of the building. The retail space can be increased by up to 3,767 square feet at the rear of the building which now has seven parking spaces and an out building. Zoned C-2-A, it is currently the largest lot in Georgetown for sale.

Foggy Bottom Whole Foods Opens Sept. 6
The Foggy Bottom Whole Foods Market holds its grand opening on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 10 a.m. With an entrance at the corner of 22th and Eye Streets and near the Foggy Bottom Metro stop, the food company’s newest store in D.C. is part of the building complex, known as “The Avenue,” at 2200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., with offices, banks and a Sweetgreen eatery. Just east of Georgetown at Washington Circle, the store is set to serve Foggy Bottom and George Washington University, but you can go, too. Hours: Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Phone: 202-296-1660.

Chris Furin: ‘Making Your Memories Sweeter’
While Furin’s the place may be gone, its beautiful cakes live on with Chris Furin, “a self-taught cake designer who has perfected his skills over the past decade working at his family owned and operated gourmet bakery and cafe, Furin’s of Georgetown,” he writes. The owners’ son created Cakes by Chris Furin, he added, “In response to the growing requests from his customers seeking extraordinary quality and detail in their special event custom cakes, cupcakes and cookies at an affordable price.” Visit CakesbyChrisFurin.com for the delicious details – or call 301-775-0799.

HMX Group to Open ‘The Streets of Georgetown’
The boys are trying to catch up with the girls in terms of fashionable clothing stores. New York-based HMX Group, which features men’s brands such as Hickey Freeman, Hart Schaffner Marx and Bobby Jones, will premiere a store at 1254 Wisconsin Ave. next month, called “The Streets of Georgetown,” reports the business section of the Washington Post. The other town, outside New York City, for HMX’s new “Streets” stores is Beverly Hills. “There is definitely more pronounced interest from men’s fashion retailers for the first time that I can remember in my 25 years in business in D.C.,” retail space expert and Georgetown Business Improvement District board member John Asadoorian told the Post. HMX’s mix of clothing labels sell at different price points and the company hopes to serve a variety of men’s fashion customers.

Where to Park? They’re Back: Freshmen Arrive Aug. 27; Classes Begin Aug. 31
Will we see a parking snafu next week? Already Georgetown University students are setting up for new student orientation, and some students are moving in. Freshmen officially arrive on Saturday, Aug. 27, with other undergraduates to follow, as registration begins and then classes start on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Residents who park their cars on 35th Street and adjacent streets, near the university, should expect double the effort to find spaces. As work at Nevils dormitory continues on N Street and road construction expands along O and P Streets, entire blocks have lost their parking spaces. The streets are alive with dump trucks throughout the day. How difficult it gets to find a space remains to be seen. We will know soon enough.