The Georgetowner: March 10, 2021 Issue

SINCE 1954

GEORGETOWNER.COM

VOLUME 67 NUMBER 6

MARCH 10 - APRIL 13, 2021

A Brighter Future V I B R A N T I D E AS F O R G E O R G E TOW N R E TA I L F R O M B U S I N E SS L E A D E R S

S T R E AT E R I E S S AV I O RS O F C OM M E RC E? H OT I S S U E S AT A N C M E E T I N G F OX T ROT S E T S U P S H O P R I P : H U G H JAC O B S E N , F R A N K S C H L E S I N G E R , W I L H E L M I N A H O L L A DAY LE DECOR: THE GREENING OF G E O RG E TOW N T H E P H I L L I P S AT 10 0

PALAZZO DELLA FELICITA 3301 Fessenden Street NW Washington, DC $13,750,000 Will Thomas +1 202 607 0364

McLEAN 1004 Dogue Hill Lane McLean, VA $7,950,000 Cynthia Steele Vance +1 703 408 1810

McLEAN 6822 Georgetown Pike Mclean, VA $6,250,000 Jonathan Taylor +1 202 276 3344

GEORGETOWN 3329 Prospect Street NW #1 Washington, DC CONTRACT PENDING $2,799,999 Daniel Heider +1 202 938 3685

KENT RIDGE Chain Bridge Road NW Washington, DC

WESLEY HEIGHTS 4400 Garfield Street NW Washington, DC $9,495,000 Russell Firestone +1 202 271 1701

GEORGETOWN 2915 O Street NW Washington, DC $6,995,000 Jim Bell +1 202 607 4000

GEORGETOWN 3255 K Street NW Washington, DC SOLD-REPRESENTED BUYER $5,250,000 Daniel Heider +1 202 938 3685

GEORGETOWN 2816 O Street NW Washington, DC $4,950,000 Christie-Anne Weiss +1 202 256 0105 Christopher Ritzert +1 202 256 9241

FOGGY BOTTOM 935 26th Street NW Washington, DC $2,595,000

Estate Parcels Available From $2,380,000 Jeffrey Tanck +1 202 494 2638

Matt McCormick +1 202 365 5883 Lou Cardenas +1 202 669 4083

GEORGETOWN 3235 P Street NW Washington, DC

GEORGETOWN 1333 30th Street NW Washington, DC

$1,690,000 Michael Rankin +1 202 271 3344

$1,595,000 Maxwell Rabin +1 202 669 7406

BROKERAGES: GEORGETOWN 1206 30TH STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC | +1 202 333 1212 DOWNTOWN, DC • CHEVY CHASE, DC • BETHESDA, MD • ANNAPOLIS, MD • EASTON, MD • MCLEAN, VA • ALEXANDRIA, VA • ARLINGTON, VA • THE PLAINS, VA TTRSIR.COM ©2021 TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change.

2 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

Sommarbeth of Huntly THE VIRGINIA COUNTRYSIDE H U N T L Y. V I R G I N I A 2 2 6 4 0

|

L I T T L E L O N G M O U N TA I N

Of the most beautiful land in the Fauquier and Rappahannock Countryside • Sommarbeth offers an elegant and impeccable family estate and exceptional 2011 Manor House • One of the finest homes in the region. Olde world finishes from reclaimed oak floors, poplar paneled library and Chef’s kitchen with custom cabinets and doors • Four wood burning fireplaces • This home breathes today’s best living and offers view vignettes from each window, terrace and the balcony.

Gloria Rose Ott

Light-filled at every turn.

Vice President • Broker Associate

The charming Upland Guest Cottage is 2 Beds and 2 Baths with oak floors and a fieldstone fireplace. 5 Stall Center Aisle Barn built by an equestrian craftsman • 4 fenced paddocks with run-in sheds and a 100’ x 200’ performance footing ring. Defined perennial and vegetable gardens • mature trees • 3 stocked ponds and gorgeous Rappahannock River frontage unfold over 204 acres with a mix of environmentally respected pastures and woodlands with abundant wildlife. Private and under 90 minutes to our nation’s capital.

Serving Fauquier. Rappahannock. Loudoun

Sommarbeth is Uncluttered

•

Rich

•

Classic

•

Award Winning Trusted Advisor Clarke. Warren and West +1 540 454 4394 gloriarose.ott@sir.com gloriaroseott.com

Offered at $3,695,000 Price and availability subject to change. Georgetown Brokerage 1206 30th Street NW, Washington, DC | o +1 202 333 1212 ©2021 Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a licensed trademark to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. SIR1

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

3

IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS · 6 - 8

ABOUT THE COVER

Chaia Tacos cofounders Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern at their Grace Street establishment.

Photo by Greg “Fritz” Blakey of Fritz Photographics.

Town Topics

PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt

FEATURES EDITORS COPY EDITOR Ari Post Richard Selden FASHION & BEAUTY SENIOR DIRECTOR CORRESPONDENT Lauretta McCoy Peggy Sands GRAPHIC DESIGN Troy Riemer

BUSINESS · 9

PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet

Ins & Outs

EDITORIAL/OPINION · 10

ADVERTISING & MARKETING Kate Sprague Richard Selden

Empowering Women Reviving Retail Madame Speaker, Tear Down This Wall

THE VILLAGE · 11

RIP: Hugh Jacobsen, Frank Schlesinger, Wilhelmina Holladay

COVER · 14 - 15 Georgetown Retail: Bringing Vibrancy Back

LE DECOR · 16 - 17

The Greening of Georgetown

REAL ESTATE · 16 February 2021 Real Estate Stats Sales

ARTS · 18

HERO

Edward Weidenfeld

EDITORIAL PARTNER Friends of Volta Park Grayson & Company Peter Higgins Lisa Paul Koches John & Kristen Lever

The Phillips Collection: 100 Years as a Home for Art

IN COUNTRY · 19

Middleburg Happenings

FOOD & WINE · 20 Cocktail of the Month Latest Dish

CLASSIFIEDS · 21 Service Directory

BOOK CLUB · 22

Kitty Kelley Book Club

4 MARCH 10, 2021

Happy New Year and a special thanks to our stakeholders listed below. We wouldn't be here without you. Thank you for all of your support!

GMG, INC.

Penny Farthing and Andrew Miller Richard Murphy

BYLINER Robyn and Leon Andris • Carp For Success, LLC • Gertraud Hechl • Coleman Jackson • Pamla Moore • Chris Putula • Ann Randolf • Lisa Rossi • Paige and Tim Shirk • Robert Alan Stowers • St. John’s Church, Georgetown

ADVOCATE Cathleen Clinton • Nelson Cunningham • Paul and Diana Dennett • Diane Eames • Howard & Ellen Eisenberg • Elizabeth Friedman • Georgetown Village • Peter Harkness • Peter Higgins • JAB Holding Company • Jerome Libin • Mapping Geogetown • Jerry McCoy • Skip Moosher • John Rentzepis • Toni Russin • Stephanie Bothwell Urban and Landscape Design • Christopher Wolf

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney

CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Susan Bodiker Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Didi Cutler Donna Evers Michelle Galler Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Christopher Jones Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Jody Kurash Shelia Moses Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer Mary Ann Treger

1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com The Georgetowner is published every other Wednesday. The opinions of our writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect the editorial and corporate opinions of The Georgetowner newspaper. The Georgetowner accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. The Georgetowner reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for errors or omissions. Copyright 2021.

Please send submissions of opinions for consideration to: editorial@georgetowner.com For advertising inquiries email advertising@georgetowner.com or call (202) 338-4833

“The Newspaper Whose Influence Far Exceeds Its Size” — Pierre Cardin

The Georgetowner is a Certified Business Enterprise

Please recycle.

Your number-one source for everything Georgetown subscribe to our newsletter georgetowner.com

LOCAL NEWS Visit Georgetowner.com and subscribe to the twice weekly online Georgetowner Newsletter — please place your email address in the box shown on the front page of the website to receive news in your inbox.

GEORGETOWN’S BLUES ALLEY: ANOTHER PANDEMIC CASUALTY?

OUR NEXT PRINT ISSUE IS APRIL 14.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH GEORGETOWN NEWS BY SIGNING UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER. MONDAY IS NEWS AND COMMUNITY UPDATES THURSDAY IS WEEKEND WRAP UP WITH FUN THINGS FOR THE WEEKEND

B Y C H R I S TO PH ER JON ES

Blues Alley in 2006. Photo by Aude.

FATAL SHOOTING ON THOMAS JEFFERSON ST. B Y R O B E RT D EVAN EY

D.C. police on Thomas Jefferson Street NW on Feb 18. Photio by Bill Starrels.

MARTIN’S TAVERN APOLOGIZES TO BLACK DINER B Y R O B E RT D EVAN EY

Martin’s Tavern. Georgetowner photo.

BIGGEST HIT ONLINE 2,087 VIEWS FATAL SHOOTING ON THOMAS JEFFERSON ST. B Y R O B E RT D EVAN EY

D.C. police on Thomas Jefferson Street NW on Feb 18. Photio by Bill Starrels.

VIEW LISTINGS

GEORGETOWNER.COM GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

5

TOWN TOPICS

NEWS

Three “Must Follow Issues” from Hot ANC Meeting

BY R OB E R DE VA NEY & P E G G Y S A N D S The monthly meetings of the GeorgetownBurleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission aren’t usually edge-of-the seaters, especially since the virtual meetings tend to last past 10 p.m. (perhaps because the at-home participants feel more comfortable and less time-conscious). But the March 1 meeting of ANC 2E was both long and newsworthy, tapping into hot issues that The Georgetowner intends to cover in the coming weeks and months. Below are recaps of three “must-follow” issues.

31ST STREET CLOSURES

ANC 2E members seemed surprised to learn that 31st Street NW south of Wisconsin Avenue will be partially to fully closed, off and on, for the next 18 months. Major, long-planned gas and water projects will be undertaken, necessitating the excavation of the just-repaired, just-reopened street.

A District Department of Transportation project to rebuild the 31st Street Bridge blocked off the street in 2019 and 2020.

F O R

T H E

“You do know there will be many unhappy residents, restaurant- and shopkeepers and guests about this,” the usually soft-spoken ANC Chair Rick Murphy told Amanda Zander, senior public outreach officer at DC Water. Zander announced the closure plan during her long report on pending projects. “I find it personally unacceptable that the project has already begun with early morning drilling without notifying residents,” said Commissioner Lisa Palmer, who lives in the area. “Oh, that’s probably the gas company that has begun to relocate gas lines to accommodate our project,” Zander explained. The project hotline number is 301-772-7358.

BUS SERVICE CUTS

Metrobus routes D6 and G2 are headed for the chopping block in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s new budget, with public comments scheduled for the middle of the month. The cuts, proposed in 2019, elicited the same outrage from the

V E R Y

F E W

W H O

A Metrobus on the threatened D2 route. Courtesy WMATA. advisory neighborhood commissioners on March 1 as they did two years ago. It was pointed out that the routes are widely used

by Georgetown residents to get downtown and to Sibley Hospital, Georgetown University and Capitol Hill, as well as by hundreds of employees and visitors to get to Georgetown.

In 2019, the entire proposal was dropped after extensive protests from Georgetown University, the hospitals, business owners and residents. “That campaign will happen again,” said ANC Chair Murphy, “but we need more time to put together our arguments.”

The commissioners unanimously adopted

E X P E C T

T H E

a resolution asking for at least a month to prepare their opposition statements.

SPEED LIMIT REDUCTIONS

Lowering the speed limit on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue to 20 mph, an idea that has been circulating over the past month, was met with a suggestion approved by the commissioners. Should the new limit go into effect, to prevent commercial traffic from the slower main streets from taking alternate routes through residential areas, it was recommended that the limit on residential streets be lowered even more, to 15 mph.

V E R Y

B E S T

D.C.’S POWER AND POLITICS BUILDING

FEATURED IN

A V A I L A B L E

B Y

A P P O I N T M E N T

O N L Y

Residences Priced from $1,400,000 \ 1111 24th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 \ thewestlight.com \ (202) 333-3313 6 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

TOWN TOPICS

28th St. Block Called a Disaster L’Annexe on 2917 M St.

Streateries, Saviors of Commerce?

BY PEGGY SA NDS There is good news and bad news about streateries — the physical extensions for restaurants, cafés and even shops that occupy sidewalks and parking lanes throughout Georgetown, many of them on safe mobile platforms of standard design.

The good news is that business and town leaders tend to agree that streateries could be the savior of Georgetown commerce — in particular, the neighborhood’s nightlife — with regard to appearance and street energy The bad news is that almost 200 street parking places will disappear.

“Negotiation are now going on with the various parking garage owners along

M Street and Wisconsin to direct cars to off-street parking with the help of discount partnerships with restaurants and stores,” reported Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Gwen Lohse. There is also some talk about a D.C. budget item to subsidize garage parking near streateries.

In the meantime, design and testing of platform models is fully underway, with over a dozen District agencies and organizations involved, according to the Georgetown Business Improvement District. The streateries project is scheduled to be fully operational by June, with ongoing monitoring and review to decide whether to maintain the installations for the long term.

BY PEGGY SAN D S At Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E’s virtual meeting on March 1, a halfdozen residents and commissioners reported that conditions on the block of 28th Street NW between M and Olive Streets, known for years as a traffic gridlock, had worsened, with disruptive activity sometimes lasting until 2 or 3 a.m.

Even pre-pandemic, traffic flow was a nightmare. Cars traveling south to get to M Street almost always had to stop or squeeze by a steady stream of cars traveling north after turning from M Street/Pennsylvania Avenue — amid the Four Seasons Hotel’s busy driveway — maneuvering on a narrow two-way street with parking on both sides.

For years, the ANC has passed resolutions requesting that the block be made a one-way street, to no avail.

For the past year, during the pandemic emergency, that traffic squeeze has been exacerbated by the constant presence of multiple cars parked illegally while their drivers and passengers pick up food from

two popular restaurants: George’s and Das. Increasingly, third-party deliverers double-park their vehicles in the middle of the street to run in and grab orders for at-home customers. In addition, both restaurants have set up streateries with landscaping, umbrellas and heaters in the parking spots in front of their establishments.

Several neighbors told the ANC that, due to the cold weather, more and more customers are eating in their cars, sometimes throwing bags of litter onto the sidewalk and street when they depart.

Though the police and the health and public works departments have been notified of the conditions, including public urination, there has been no response, they said.

“The area is becoming a disaster,” said Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Lisa Palmer. “Restrictions in that block need to be enhanced, monitored and enforced. It’s become a blight.” Her resolution passed unanimously.

And by the way, McEnearney Associates has been

Scouted

Regional Expert Dedicated To Your Real Estate Success KELLY BASHEER GARRETT

202.258.7362 | KGARRETT@MCENEARNEY.COM

3030 K ST NW #PH102 RENTED | $7,000

1510 12TH ST N #601

UNDER CONTRACT | $414,900

4422 WESTOVER PL NW SOLD | $1,000,000

1330 NEW HAMPSHIRE AVE NW #1010 SOLD | $462,000

Please reach out to me if you or anyone you know is in need of Real Estate services in DC, MD, or VA McEnearney Associates REALTORS® | 4910 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 119, Washington, DC 20016 | + 1 202 552 5600 | KellyGarrettHomes.com

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

7

TOWN TOPICS

$10-Million Gift for New Pavilion at MedStar Georgetown

BY KATE OCZ Y P OK Local philanthropists Allan and Shelley Holt have donated $10 million to support the construction of the new medical/surgical pavilion at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital on Reservoir Road NW — the largest single gift the hospital has ever received.

The donation will go toward stateof-the-art technology to assist surgeons with planning and performing complex procedures, resulting in improved quality of care and superior training for tomorrow’s surgeons.

Currently the biggest health care construction project in D.C. at nearly 500,000 square feet, the pavilion will provide 156 private patient rooms and feature a rooftop helipad. It is due to open in 2023.

“Allan and I have been impressed by [the hospital’s] perpetual drive to advance the future of medicine, scholarly achievement

8 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

and access to care for all,” said Shelley Holt.

“We hope our gift for the new pavilion will encourage others to support it as they can.”

The Holts, who reside in Georgetown, are devoted to many causes in the city, including the National Air and Space Museum and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Their gift will secure for the hospital one of the first intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) surgical suites in the region, allowing for realtime brain imaging while the patient is in the operating room. The iMRI technology enhances accuracy and shortens surgical time, according to Dr. Christopher Kalhorn, co-director of the movement disorders program and director of the epilepsy, pediatric and functional neurosurgery program at MedStar Georgetown.

Kenneth A. Samet, president and CEO of

An intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) suite. Courtesy MedStar Health.

MedStar Health, called the Holts’ gift “truly an investment in the future of medicine, one that will benefit patients across the Washington, D.C., region and beyond.”

Licensed for 609 beds, MedStar

Georgetown University Hospital is a nonprofit, acute-care teaching and research hospital founded on the Jesuit principle of “cura personalis” — “caring for the whole person.”

Down on Paper: The New Vision for Jelleff

BY PEGGY SAN D S After almost four years, the surveys are done. So are the preliminary community meetings, site visits and feasibility studies.

Now comes the fun part.

On the evening of March 3, the first down-on-paper vision of a modernized, expanded and completely renovated Jelleff Recreation Center was shared with Georgetown residents at a virtual meeting hosted by Peter Nohrden of the District Department of Parks and Recreation’s capital projects, planning and design office.

The center, at 3265 S St. NW, is run by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington.

Currently 19,000 square feet, the facility would be expanded to 26,200 square feet.

The youth club on the ground floor and the basketball court on the second floor would be renovated, with brand-new locker rooms, and a flexible second gym (for yoga classes), a practice basketball court, a pickleball court and exercise equipment would be added.

On a new upper floor would be several meeting rooms and offices for neighborhood organizations, as well as what was described as a “sizable teaching kitchen” and a patio area. In the plans, a spacious groundfloor lobby, hallways, a staircase and an elevator lead to the activity centers and to an expanded pool and lounge area at the eastern end of the building.

To make room for the expansion, the pool would be relocated by removing about half of the pool to the west, then building a slightly larger new pool area on the other side. The new pool would be surrounded by a 15-foot lounge area on all sides, the minimum required. Beyond it would be outdoor areas for family picnics and gatherings, with additional trees and parking. The current

soccer field would stay where it is.

Perkins Eastman DC consultants Christian Calleri and Tim Bertschinger said they tried to address as many of the desires expressed in the public survey as possible.

They noted that the project’s assumptions and limitations, including sticking to the existing footprint, more or less, were spelled out in the feasibility study.

But all that can change. “This plan is not the scheme,” said Calleri. “It is the art of the possible within certain constraints.”

The biggest constraint, of course, is budget. For three years, the city has budgeted some $7 million to make the building, built in 1953, compliant with 21st-century safety and access regulations.

The design presented on March 3 would cost more than double that amount; the best estimate is around $19 million. But, the consultants said, feedback from the community and leadership is expected.

The World Famous

48th Year

1819 35th St NW Washington DC between S & T Sts at Hardy Middle School (Across from the social Safeway)

manager@georgetownfleamarket.com

antiques, collectibles, furniture, jewelry, vintage furnishings & accessories

BUSINESS “We want to add to Georgetown in every way, not be competitors, but part of the neighborhood,” LaVitola said. “We love being across the street from Martin’s Tavern. We eat there every day.”

The Georgetown location is Foxtrot’s 11th market and its first in Washington, D.C. There are plans for an additional store to open at Mount Vernon Triangle on March 22.

Foxtrot co-founder and CEO Mike LaVitola at the newest Foxtrot, now open in Georgetown, on March 1. Photo by Robert Devaney.

INS & OUTS

BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY AND KAT E OZ CY P OK

IN: FOXTROT OPENS IN GEORGETOWN

On March 1, Foxtrot — the first-ofits-kind corner store/café/delivery retail market — made its East Coast debut at 1267 Wisconsin Ave. NW, at the corner of N Street. An enthusiastic crowd of Georgetown residents, business owners and visitors lined up to check out the newest neighborhood spot.

“We were thrilled when this building and location opened up,” co-founder and CEO Mike LaVitola told The Georgetowner, as he welcomed new customers of all ages to the gleaming market. “We want to be part of the neighborhood in every way. That means hiring local staff — about 20 permanent

and temporary — and offering the best local products.”

As a result, the market offers a selection of locally brewed beers, steaks and other butcher cuts from Stachowski’s Market, daily fresh flowers, its own crafted cheeses and locally produced gifts from candles to scents. “We see ourselves as a high-end market that is a café with fresh locally roasted coffee during the day, with storecrafted toasts, sandwiches, salads and tacos and a neighborhood wine bar in the evening,” said LaVitola.

In the eight-year-old company’s own words: “As a digitally native, direct-toconsumer brand, Foxtrot marries the in-store experience of its neighborhood shops with swift, under-an-hour delivery via its proprietary app and website. Foxtrot hires and deploys its own couriers for a truly seamless on-demand experience.”

IN: ROLL BY GOODYEAR DRIVES INTO TOWN

New tire-change concept Roll by Goodyear opened in February at 1336 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The premise of the business — with the slogan “Tires, on Your Terms” — is to let the customer pick the time and place to have tires installed at no additional cost. Expect lots of great tire puns on the website, like “This is how you Roll,” to explain how to get your tires.

IN: FRESHBEE’S REPLACES BIBIBOP

Freshbee’s American Grill & Cafe took over the former Bibibop space at 2805 M St. NW. The refreshed spot, which held a ShopHouse by Chipotle earlier, offers all-American burgers, all-day breakfast, smoothies and other sandwiches (looks tasty). Welcome to the neighborhood, too.

IN: TASTING ROOM IN FLAVIO

Occupying a second-floor speakeasy perch inside Flavio restaurant at 1073 31st St. NW, Tasting Room Georgetown is

slightly hidden. The brainchild of Daoud Harris, chef-owner of catering company Six Street Eats, and Hyatt alum Ashley Blake, T/R opened last month. More than seven different small plates, ranging from vegan ceviche to lamb, are offered during twohour time slots for $99 to $125 — plus allyou-can-eat tacos for $25 on Taco Tuesdays.

COMING TO CADY’S: AVOCADO MATTRESS

Dubbing itself “the antithesis of the traditional mattress store,” Avocado Green Mattress is planning to open its doors at 3336 M St. NW this summer. Aiming to cater to the health- and environmentally conscious, the Cady’s Alley shop, with a light, airy vibe, will include a space for yoga classes and speakers and a wellness café with kombucha on tap.

MORE CADY’S NEWS: RELISH GETS VOGUE KUDOS

If you haven’t skimmed through the latest issue of Vogue, you may want to do so sooner rather than later. The publication released a guide to the best small businesses in the country and Relish, a boutique at 3312 M St. NW in Cady’s Alley, made the cut.

Just a dozen and a half stores were featured in the piece, designed to shine a light on businesses faring well during the pandemic.

Founded nearly 30 years ago by Nancy Pearlstein, Relish is a great place to visit for one-of-a-kind pieces.

Additional reporting by Peggy Sands.

HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY TO YA! Get five double pass Face IPL's for $300, or 3 Complex Face IPl's for $325. That's a $50 savings on each of those! First come first serve.

Must be used in March.

WWW.HELIOSLASERCENTER.COM | 202.450.2230 4900 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 320 | Washington, DC 20016

A highly trained and experienced Nurse Practitioner.

Suzy French, MS, CRNP

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

9

EDITORIAL

Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833

Empowering Women March is National Women’s Month, but that’s small comfort to the several million women who left the workforce since the pandemic was declared a year ago.

On top of the pay gap (yes, a woman still earns 82 cents for every dollar a man is paid), the motherhood penalty (moms earn less than dads and are penalized for caretaking responsibilities) and the preponderance of women, primarily of color, working essential, hourly wage or shift-work jobs, women’s economic, physical and emotional security has never been more precarious.

But there is some good news … at least for women in Washington. According to a recent WalletHub study ranking the best and worst states for women, we — those of us in the District — enjoy the third-highest ranking in economic and social wellbeing, the number-one position in median

earnings, the highest number of voters (in 2016) and the second-lowest uninsured rates. D.C. was ranked the fifth-best state overall for women.

No surprise that blue states are more woman-friendly than red states, or that states with the lowest rates of life expectancy, graduation from high school and, sadly, highest levels of poverty are concentrated in the South and Southwest.

D.C. may not be an official state — yet.

But we are fortunate to have women in leadership positions from the top levels of city government to grassroots neighborhood organizations, where women of all ages, ethnicities and educational backgrounds leverage their passions and lived experience to empower, inspire and work for the wellbeing of us all.

Long may they reign.

Reviving Retail COVID-19 has not been kind to retail.

We’ve all seen the pictures of shuttered shops and heard the stories of those whose jobs, dreams and security disappeared overnight.

Even before the Great Pandemic of 2020, Georgetown’s retail sector was contracting.

Empty storefronts along Wisconsin and M were not only an eyesore but a drag on our spirit and economic well-being. Without our characteristic ambiance, who’d want to come here?

Don’t count us out yet. In this month’s cover story, Christopher Jones leads a tour d’horizon of the new retail landscape, highlighting the creative minds — business owners, developers, landlords and architects — working to bring about Georgetown’s commercial revival.

He interviewed the owners of Chaia Tacos, where whole foods are served with a side order of social justice, and the founders of Grace Street Collective, an incubator of unique, high-quality businesses — the kind for which Georgetown has always been known.

Our roving reporter also spoke with commercial developers to learn how they’re responding to the economics of the pandemic and how they hope to revive

Georgetown’s storied vibe.

EastBanc’s Anthony and Philippe Lanier shared their “retail laboratory” approach of recruiting and supporting multiple startups in one vibrant marketplace (31M, where Brooks Brothers used to be, is one such venue).

Two more examples: Bob Elliott is experimenting with pop-up restaurants and John Asadoorian is eager to seed M Street with more family-owned stores, offering both cool merch and a memorable shopping experience.

We hear from Joe Sternlieb that the Georgetown Business Improvement District is looking to create a regional attraction to lure foot traffic to our streets and shops. Other plans are being drawn up for streateries, art installations and festivals.

Will all this activity meet Georgetown’s aesthetic standards? Architect Ankie Barnes tells Jones that a successful revitalization must balance the desire for modern solutions with the need to protect our historic streetscapes.

It’s exciting, yes. And it will be occasionally messy and inconvenient. But we can’t wait. A revitalized Georgetown benefits everyone.

What businesses would you like to see open in Georgetown?

YOUR OPINION MATTERS. Post your response.

Facebook.com/TheGeorgetowner

10 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

The U.S. Capitol, surrounded by fencing and razor wire, on March 3. These protective measures have been in place since the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. Photo by Jeff Malet.

Madame Speaker, Tear Down This Wall

BY EL EAN OR H OL M ES N ORTON The following is D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s statement on the introduction of the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act on Feb. 11.

Today, I introduce the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act, which would prohibit the construction of new permanent fencing on the grounds of the United States Capitol complex. Since the insurrectionist attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, the Capitol complex has become an untraversable fortress surrounded by frightening fences capped with barbed wire, typical of authoritarian regimes.

In recent days, some officials, including the Acting Capitol Police Chief, have suggested that fencing become a permanent security feature of the Capitol complex. Although I agree that more needs to be done to protect the Capitol complex, the failure of Capitol security leaders to plan for the predictable and openly announced attack on the Capitol does not justify closing the complex from the public, to whom it belongs. We can and must maintain our commitment to security without sacrificing public access by using the least restrictive means necessary to address security.

The attack on the Capitol, which had little to do with the lack of permanent fencing, was the greatest intelligence and security failure in the history of our nation’s capital.

There were countless security failures on January 6 that we can and must address, including: taking threats of extremist violence seriously at an earlier stage; blocking off the Capitol during high-profile and high-threat events, as is typically done, but was not done on January 6; manpower; and training.

Permanent fencing, which is incredibly imprecise, would not address these very real security lapses. It is more likely to keep out children, joggers and tourists than a coordinated attack on the Capitol. In fact, it is another form of security theater — it would make the Capitol “look” safe but mask the lack of state-of-the-art security measures that could actually prevent attacks in the future. Just in the past few days, security experts have already begun putting

forward innovative ways to protect the Capitol while also protecting the values of openness and transparency, which are central to our democracy. We must foster that dialogue and welcome fresh ideas, not default to an archaic security strategy that humans invented over 10,000 years ago.

Permanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world, by transforming our democracy from one that is accessible and of the people to one that is exclusive and fearful of its own citizens. It would tell the world that the most powerful nation must rely on crude barriers for safety instead of state-of-theart intelligence and security protocols. The Capitol has welcomed First Amendment protests and demonstrations for centuries without becoming a fortress. The openness of the Capitol and our democracy is our strength, not a security weakness that needs to be rooted out. Any further consideration of permanent fencing is desperate, distasteful and disrespectful of our history and institutions.

Furthermore, we cannot forget that the Capitol complex does not exist in a vacuum.

It is immediately surrounded by residential neighborhoods and local businesses, which form the heart of the District of Columbia. Permanent fencing would cause serious damage to the fabric of these communities.

These residents and businesses have been more than understanding as their neighborhoods have turned into militarized zones. They have waited patiently as officers check their identification on their walk home and taken alternative routes when they have found blocked streets. Permanent fencing would infringe on their ability, as well as the general public’s ability, to enjoy the public spaces that define our nation’s capital.

Already, the distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at historic lows. We should not entrench that distance further by placing intimidating barriers between ourselves as public servants and the people we serve, especially when such barriers are neither effective nor necessary.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

THE VILLAGE

RIP: Hugh Jacobsen, Frank Schlesinger, and Wilhelmina Holladay Architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen Dies at 91

BY KATE OCZ Y P OK Hugh Jacobsen practiced architecture for decades, with a career spanning several high-profile commissions from around the world. He passed away on March 4 in Front Royal, Virginia, at the age of 91. The cause was something we’re all too familiar with these days: complications from COVID-19.

Jacobsen made his mark on Georgetown, that’s for sure. Over 120 homes in the neighborhood were refurbished or built by him. He is best known for residential designs that meshed Early American architecture with modern architecture’s interest in clean lines and a simple air.

Jacobsen fit in well with his upper-crust clients, including actors Meryl Streep and James Garner and Washington royalty Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and Jackie O. All of us have seen Jacobsen’s handiwork around the city, too: he created the addition under the West Terrace of the Capitol and restored the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery and Arts and Industries Building.

The Georgetowner featured one of Jacobsen’s renovations back in 2019. Writer Susan Bodiker reported: “On a winding, bricklined street in Georgetown’s East Village sits a pale gray row house with an unusual pedigree. Once an 1880s-era Victorian, it was gutted, updated and thoroughly renovated in 1965 by Hugh Newell Jacobsen. The new owners had found the original floor plan too dark and confining.”

According to Architectural Digest, Jacobsen’s design started a movement

Hugh Newell Jacobsen. Courtesy Simon Jacobsen.

called “The Washington School.” Its purpose was to preserve the charms of D.C.’s historic homes while bringing them up to more modern lifestyle standards. The home we wrote about got what was back then considered innovative: a central spiral staircase, larger windows, a flagstone patio.

Jacobsen’s wife, Ruth “Robin” Kearney died in 2010. He is survived by his sons — John of Bellevue, Washington; Matthew of West Hollywood, California; and Simon of Delaplane, Virginia — and by seven grandchildren.

Women’s Art Museum Founder Wilhelmina Cole Holladay, 1922-2021

BY KATE OC ZYPOK Georgetown resident and arts visionary Wilhelmina Cole Holladay died on March 6 at the age of 98.

Holladay helped female artists in museums and galleries worldwide. For four decades, she served as what National Museum of Women in the Arts director Susan Fisher Sterling called “the guiding light” of the museum. NMWA was the vision Holladay founded, knowing the importance of women in art and in the world as a whole.

She was affectionately known as “Billie” in her friends’ circle, according to daughterin-law Winton Smoot Holladay.

Holladay’s interest in art by women began in the 1970s. She and her husband Wallace were drawn to a painting they saw in Vienna by Flemish artist Clara Peeters.

Holladay was frustrated trying to find more information on Peeters and other female artists in an art history textbook.

Ten years later, the Holladay collection of art by women had grown to 500 works by 150 artists, from the Renaissance through the modern day. Nancy Hanks, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, encouraged the Holladays to establish a museum. Thus, the idea for the National Museum of Women in the Arts was born.

After incorporating the museum in 1981, Holladay opened her residence to the public for tours during the six years that followed, gathering support for her idea and raising millions. In April of 1987, Barbara Bush, wife of the vice president (and soon to be first lady), cut the ribbon to open the museum at 1250 New York Ave. NW.

Wilhelmina Cole Holladay.

Photo by Philip Bermingham.

Born in 1922 in Elmira, New York, Holladay earned a bachelor of arts degree from Elmira College in 1944, studied art history at Cornell University and did postgraduate work at the University of Paris in the 1950s. From 1945 to 1948, she served as social secretary to Madame Chiang Kaishek, but, after her son Wallace Jr. was born, Holladay only took on volunteer projects.

Her son Scott Cole Holladay and her husband passed away previously. She is survived by son and daughter-in-law Wallace Jr. and Winton Holladay, four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting contributions to NMWA.

Architect Frank Schlesinger, 1925-2021 B Y C H R I S T Y SC H L ESIN GER

Frank Schlesinger. Courtesy Christy Schlesinger.

Heaven must have needed some worldrenowned architects. Washington architect Frank Schlesinger died on March 4 at the age of 95. Hours earlier, Hugh Newell Jacobsen, a highly regarded colleague, passed away at age 91.

Schlesinger led an award-winning practice in Georgetown for more than 60 years, the last 18 of which included his daughter Christy Schlesinger, who followed in her father’s footsteps. An alumnus of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, where he was a Wheelwright Fellow, Schlesinger was influenced by leading postwar modernists Marcel Breuer and Louis Kahn.

In the forward to “The Architecture of Frank Schlesinger,” architect Charles Gwathmey — best known for the 1992

renovation and expansion of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum — described him as “an architect’s architect.”

In tandem with Schlesinger’s work was his well-respected career, nearly as long, as a professor of architecture. Many of his students at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland appear on lists of the top architects practicing today.

He also made an indelible mark on the architecture of Georgetown, which received some of his best work, including commissions from visionary developer Anthony Lanier. Schlesinger’s designs — such as 3336 Cady’s Alley and 3303 Water Street — were part of the transformation of the western fabric of Georgetown.

Schlesinger lived in the Flour Mill condos for over 20 years with his wife Draga — who, with her eye for interior design, was a frequent collaborator — and their Labrador retriever, Charlie. Before taking the short walk to his office each day, he would often sit out on his balcony, enjoying his breakfast and watching his designs come to life.

Schlesinger was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a visiting scholar at the American Academy in Rome. He also received the Centennial Award, the highest honor presented by the AIA’s Washington chapter. Most important, those lucky enough to work with him remember Schlesinger for his commitment to the highest levels of practice and teaching.

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

11

­­ ­­­

12 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

­

­

DWELL I N

T H E

UNCOMMON Where memories aren’t just made, they’re inspired.

This spectacular property presented by Long & Foster | Christie’s International Real Estate Korneila Stuphan 202.669.5555 Georgetown Office 202.944.8400 Cornelia C. Heckenbach 410.310.1229 St. Michaels Office 410.745.0283

Discover your next home at longandfoster.com/luxury

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

13

GEORGETOWN RETAIL:

BRINGING VIBRANCY BACK

Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern of Chaia Tacos on Grace Street. Photo by Greg Blakey.

BY CH RISTOP HER J ON E S As we begin to imagine the post-pandemic world, creative entrepreneurial minds in Georgetown are exploring strategies for revitalizing commercial market spaces.

They are envisioning a return of pedestrian shoppers and new store owners, despite the rise of online consumption in a globalized world. When unique experiences are offered in socially vibrant settings, they believe, people will be hungry to return to in-person shopping.

Attuning to consumer preferences, new technologies, global trends and Georgetown’s unique assets, however, will be essential.

MICROCOSM ON GRACE STREET

In a stone-lined, shaded park overlooking the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Bettina Stern, co-founder of Chaia Tacos at 3207 Grace St. NW, emphasized the importance of joining together with customers with a sense of purpose: to help the world shift to more plant-based foods.

Stern described the mission of Chaia Tacos as offering “something new and homegrown and healthy and affordable and that has a social justice mission to feed people delicious vegetables. Saving yourself and saving the planet is integral to who we are as a company and what we’re trying to teach people.”

14 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

Just seven years ago, Stern and co-founder Suzanne Simon launched their veggie taco business from D.C.’s Freshfarm Markets.

They were one of the first restaurants to stimulate the revitalization of Grace Street, a previously indistinct alleyway just off Wisconsin Avenue, a block south of the canal.

Stern stressed Georgetown’s unique advantages for providing shoppers with vibrant settings. “Georgetown is an incredibly beautiful neighborhood. We’re sitting in this wonderful little parklet adjacent to our stand-alone Georgetown historic building — an authentic, tarnished, gambrel-roofed, perfect-for-our-brand spot — and we’re very fortunate,” she said. “This is a cobblestoned alley in front of us, on a one-way street with all these historic buildings.”

Merging the arts with the shopping experience is an especially compelling idea, Stern said. In the fall of last year, for example, Washington Performing Arts helped sponsor “Dance in DC,” pairing local dancers with small businesses. At Chaia Tacos, “young and beautiful dancer” Ashanté Green performed, she noted, and the event was posted on YouTube.

Across Grace Street, Jessica and Ezra Glass, co-owners of Grace Street Collective, have recruited and helped develop a host of new businesses on the street, including Reverie, Grace Street Coffee Roasters, South Block, Georgetown Butcher and Rapha.

“We created a cool little microcosm of people who go between the Soul Cycle and Sweetgreen, where there’s this little loop where people say ‘I can get a healthy workout in this enjoyable little hangout area,’” said Jessica.

Besides managing significant investment portfolios, the Glasses bring key skills to their commercial real estate work. Ezra has a background in computer programming, data analytics and coding to crunch business data, as well as a Georgetown Law degree.

Jessica worked in online journalism and served as Microsoft’s director of marketing for six years before coming to Georgetown.

Together, their savvy, data-driven cultivation of and support for Grace Street Collective’s businesses has created a vibrant hub of commercial activity in just a few years. In 2017, they were recognized by the Georgetown Business Improvement District for helping to put Grace Street on the map.

For Jessica, it’s as much about creating a community market space in a place she and Ezra have come to love as it’s about the numbers. “We love living here and felt there were some things that could be done on the commercial side that could make it more appealing,” she said. When considering a tenant, she first asks “Does this enhance Georgetown?” As a discerning shopper in the area, she wanted to improve the retail offerings available.

In an age of ubiquitous GPS technology, the Glasses realized, consumers could easily find their way to historic back alleyways like Grace Street. With large numbers of shoppers on the main streets, small retail businesses could now draw consumers into new areas of Georgetown. You could create things that weren’t on the primary streets but still gain access to that audience.

For Grace Street Collective, the objective was to find and cultivate unique, highquality retailers and restaurants, unlike the national brands that could be found in every mall — or even on Georgetown’s main thoroughfares — then put them together to create a symbiotic marketplace community.

“We would try to find tenants we thought were really exceptional operators at their specific businesses and help bring them to Georgetown,” she said. The key was to locate tenants who could help make Grace Street a shopping destination. The spot “wasn’t really trafficked at that time, so the idea was that if we could find some ‘destination tenants’ that people would really go to, we could have a group of them together to create a cross-pollination effect.” She added: “If you’re with a group of tenants of similar caliber and it’s high quality, it gives you a sense of empowerment” to work together to help draw customers.

A key to success has been their investment in analyzing the financial data from the

At the corner of 31st and M Streets NW, EastBanc is opening a “retail laboratory” in the former Brooks Brothers space. firms they’ve cultivated. Some have thrived as startups and “graduated” to other, larger retail spaces owned by the Glasses’ real estate wing, Thyme Holdings, while others have had to reduce their footprints due to the pandemic.

“We really try to understand their businesses before bringing them in,” she said. “We think it’s really good for Georgetown to put the time in to ask ‘Who would really thrive here?’”

Since the Glasses also own and operate Grace Street Coffee Roasters, they have their own experience-based and “tenantcentric” perspective. They understand what small retailers are going through in the marketplace. With an eye on quality products as well as performance, however, she believes Grace Street Collective can’t go wrong.

EASTBANC’S RETAIL LABORATORIES

Major commercial real estate interests in Georgetown and the District have also

modified their strategies in the wake of the pandemic and the nationwide shift from bigbox retail to online sales. Anthony Lanier, CEO of EastBanc — which leases a majority of commercial real estate space in Georgetown — has experimented with innovative practices to meet his firm’s goal of “filling all [their] Georgetown storefronts in 2021.”

Instead of waiting for businesses to approach EastBanc, Lanier’s team actively searches online for potentially successful businesses to recruit. And instead of offering traditional leasing terms, they seek to develop vibrant marketplace environments where startups can be incubated together in former big-box spaces. Shoppers will be attracted to the diversity of local offerings from multiple small vendors in roomy, well-designed spaces, as opposed to the more predictable fare from national-brand retailers.

Key to creating such vibrant marketplaces is to make it as easy as possible for startups to launch — what Lanier calls a “no adversity” environment for entrepreneurs. Highly

Georgetown BID CEO Joe Sternlieb and Anthony Lanier of EastBanc. Georgetowner photo.

flexible leasing based on percentage-ofsales terms or even payment waivers, as well as maximal logistical support and assistance in hiring staff, is provided.

Simplified contracts of only two pages have become the norm.

“Our first goal is to fill these empty storefronts and make it as easy as possible for the people who are willing to take that courageous step and open up a store of any kind. So we’re trying to encourage them by saying rent is not the most important thing at the moment. What’s important is that you succeed.”

Lanier refers to these vibrant marketplaces as “retail laboratories,” where shoppers can enjoy a variety of new offerings and entrepreneurs can test their business models.

At the site of the former Brooks Brothers at 3077 M St. NW, EastBanc will be launching one such project, known as 31M, later this month. At 31M, Lanier’s goal is to cultivate “20 to 25 retailers of different sizes … and to generate a flexible environment that can be very attractive to produce high sales per square foot, which will enable the tenants to pay rent.”

According to Lanier, the site lends itself to the project because it has three stories, several entrances and little patios, as well as an elevator for ADA compliance. “So it’s a great store. I look forward to what its opening will bring,” he said. “It will certainly fulfill our goals to have zero adversity to opening a store.”

Global trends have also influenced Lanier’s approach. EastBanc’s Embaixada property in Lisbon, Portugal, serves as a blueprint for the vibrant marketplace approach. Inside a stunning Moorish palace, shoppers not only encounter a diversity of Portuguese brands, but the world-famous Gin Lovers bar, restaurants and evening concerts. As a marketplace, Embaixada has become a noted European brand itself. It’s a “great success and one of the hottest stores in Lisbon,” he said, “a precursor to what I would like to do”

at the Brooks Brothers site.

EastBanc Principal Philippe Lanier described how, once the unique branding of Embaixada took off, world-class vendors sought a space in their marketplace. “Once you get the word out, all of a sudden there are certain very established brands that say ‘I want to be at the heart of that Bohemia,’” he said.

According to Anthony, 31M will be something new, “and the people in Georgetown I suspect will love it and it will make them come out of their house and go to M Street.” Citing the factors of innovation, architecture and “the fantastic support of the neighborhoods,” he said, “this could be a moment where people could rediscover Georgetown.”

For Philippe, the successful rejuvenation of Georgetown’s commercial areas will require the development of innovative mixes of experience-based entertainment (think axe-throwing bars), along with enticing restaurants and retail. The more foot traffic to exciting destinations, the more vibrancy.

“You really need a reason for people to come and just walk the streets. You have to have the energy, right? And that’s where your cupcakes come in, your escape rooms, your restaurants,” he said. “You want to create diversity.” As for axe-throwing: “As crazy as I think throwing axes next to a bar sounds, people like it and they show up.”

To help increase such foot traffic and vibrancy, Philippe is particularly enthusiastic about EastBanc’s current project at 1238 Wisconsin Ave. NW, across from the Apple Store, to be completed by the middle of next year. EastBanc will be “delivering six retail spaces that are all under 2,000 square feet, which is what every small retailer wants. So bam! All of a sudden you’ll have one retailer after another — six stores that everyone wants and that will help revitalize Wisconsin Avenue.”

This story continues at georgetowner.com.

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

15

LE DECOR

The Greening of Georgetown

BY SU S A N BODIKE R If you look carefully, you can see just the faintest green mist in the trees. Daffodils are sprouting through the dirt and the birds are warming up their courtship songs. The calendar — and temperature — may say otherwise, but it might as well be spring.

Inspired, we recently took a walk on Georgetown’s main streets and luxuriated in the colors of the season.

Photos by Susan Bodiker.

For fresh-faced beauty, jade and quartz facial massage tools at Take Care.

Decorative myrtle topiary and hyacinth at Moss & Co.

A new line of botanical skin care at the Phoenix.

Lime scooters parked, appropriately, in front of Sweetgreen.

Sheep may safely graze.

Garden statuary at A Mano.

Stairway to heaven, Carine’s Bridal.

Blooms, glorious blooms, at Trader Joe’s.

REAL ESTATE

FEB 2021 REAL ESTATE SALES

ADDRESS

PROVIDED BY WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES

2520 30th St NW 3147 P St NW 1315 31st St NW 2728 32nd St NW 4 Thompson Cir NW 2804 N St NW 1513 28th St NW 3307 Macomb St NW 1601 35th St NW 1818 Kalorama Sq NW #24 3734 R St NW 3226 Volta Pl NW 3616 Legation St NW 4925 Lowell St NW 3210 Volta Pl NW 4929 Sherier Pl NW 1512 P St NW 2829 27th St NW 3616 T St NW 1531 8th St NW 1698 31st St NW 5417 31st St NW 3728 R St NW 2965 38th St NW 3613 T St NW 5812 Chevy Chase Pkwy NW 2723 Woodley Pl NW 3755 Northampton St NW 3038 Cambridge Pl NW 3566 Albemarle St NW 3011 34th St NW 902 French St NW 6318 33rd St NW 4122 Chesapeake St NW 6200 Broad Branch Rd NW 2622 Garfield St NW 3126 N St NW 4301 Military Rd NW #701 16 MARCH 10, 2021 1721 WillardGMG, St NW INC. 4616 Albemarle St NW 1235 Potomac St NW

SUBDIVISION/NEIGHBORHOOD MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN CLEVELAND PARK GEORGETOWN KALORAMA BURLEITH GEORGETOWN CHEVY CHASE KENT GEORGETOWN PALISADES LOGAN/DUPONT GARFIELD BURLEITH SHAW GEORGETOWN CHEVY CHASE BURLEITH OBSERVATORY CIRCLE BURLEITH CHEVY CHASE WOODLEY PARK CHEVY CHASE GEORGETOWN NORTH CLEVELAND PARK CLEVELAND PARK SHAW CHEVY CHASE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK CHEVY CHASE WOODLEY PARK GEORGETOWN CHEVY CHASE DUPONT CIRCLE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK GEORGETOWN

BEDS

FULL BATH

HALF BATH

LIST PRICE

CLOSE PRICE

6 4 6 6 6 4 7 6 4 5 5 4 5 6 3 5 4 5 4 3 6 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 4 6 4 5 5 3 2 4 4 4

5 5 6 6 7 3 4 4 4 5 5 4 4 5 3 4 3 5 5 3 3 4 4 3 4 3 3 2 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3

2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

$8,375,000 $7,495,000 $6,750,000 $5,650,000 $5,195,000 $3,595,000 $3,700,000 $3,295,000 $3,195,000 $3,295,000 $2,925,000 $2,995,000 $2,795,000 $2,750,000 $2,599,000 $2,675,000 $2,650,000 $2,200,000 $2,145,000 $1,995,500 $1,990,000 $1,695,000 $1,950,000 $1,950,000 $1,945,000 $1,795,000 $1,895,000 $1,675,000 $1,750,000 $1,595,000 $1,850,000 $1,689,000 $1,475,000 $1,585,000 $1,525,000 $1,700,000 $1,550,000 $1,595,000 $1,660,000 $1,395,000 $1,575,000

$8,375,000 $7,000,000 $6,650,000 $5,540,000 $4,650,000 $3,500,000 $3,425,000 $3,295,000 $3,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,925,000 $2,800,000 $2,795,000 $2,750,000 $2,599,000 $2,578,013 $2,508,000 $2,200,000 $2,135,000 $1,995,500 $1,995,000 $1,960,000 $1,950,000 $1,900,000 $1,900,000 $1,895,000 $1,860,000 $1,835,000 $1,800,000 $1,775,000 $1,750,000 $1,739,000 $1,725,000 $1,700,000 $1,675,100 $1,650,000 $1,600,000 $1,595,000 $1,575,000 $1,570,100 $1,564,250

LE DECOR

You start with an idea.

We mold it into something special.

19th-century French rooster weathervane at Marston Luce.

Sumptuous silk and velvet pillow at Oliver Dunn.

Websites + Design redclaycreative.com Sweet French lavender sachets at Moss & Co.

R U T L E D G E FA R M

Middleburg, Virginia • $8,000,000

circa 1740 w/addition in 1820 | 6 BR, 5 fireplaces | 113 lush acres, 5 barns | Derby field | 218 x 80 indoor arena | 250 x 150 all-weather outdoor arena | 80’ lunging arena | Polo field (or 2 grand prix fields) | 4 board, double fencing | Guest house | Farm office /3 BR house | Machine shed | Carriage house w/apartment | Stone spring house/office | 3 BR apartment | Pond

Paul MacMahon Sandra Bravo Greenberg

(703) 609-1905 (202) 308-3813

D I XO N S M I L L R O A D Marshall, Virginia • $2,375,000

Seafoam turquoise necklaces at Kendra Scott.

FIDELIO

The Plains, Virginia • $6,490,000

DEERFIELD

Upperville, Virginia • $4,500,000

M AYA P P L E FA R M

Middleburg, Virginia • $3,200,000

Prime Fauquier County location minutes from Middleburg | Unbelievable finishes throughout Antique floors and mantels, vaulted ceilings | 6 BR, 5 full BA, 2 half BA | 6 FP, gourmet kitchen | Improvements include office/studio, stone cottage with office, spa, guest house, pool and lighted tennis court | Landscaped grounds with stream, waterfalls, boxwood and special plantings | 61 acres

181 acres | Brick manor house c. 1844 | 4 bedrooms, lovely kitchen, multiple porches, pine floors, 7 fireplaces, original mantels, large windows, detailed millwork | c. 1810 log cabin/pool house, guest house with theater, 2 tenant houses, 5-bay garage and workshop | Sizable pond

Original portion of house built in 1790 in Preston City, CT | House was dismantled and rebuilt at current site | Detail of work is museum quality | Log wing moved to site from Western Virginia circa 1830 | 4 BR, 4 full BA, 2 half BA, 9 FP & detached 2-car garage | Historic stone bank barn and log shed moved from Leesburg, VA | Private, minutes from town | Frontage on Goose Creek | 37.65 acres

Paul MacMahon

Helen MacMahon

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

LO N G B R A N C H

The Plains, Virginia • $1,950,000

(540) 454-1930

B U ST H E A D R OA D

The Plains, Virginia • $1,100,000

(703) 609-1905

H A L F W AY R O A D

The Plains, Virginia • $925,000

6 BR, 5 1/2 BA, 5 FP, sweeping stair case | Basement level w/ media room, office, gym, billiard room, full bar w/ kitchenette, full bath & outside entrance leading to pool and spa | 3-car garage, heated 4-car garage w/ car lift | Potting shed/studio w/ heated green house | 20 car barn for serious collector | Swimming pool w/ spa | 5-stall barn | Property fenced and cross fenced | 68.23 acres

Gorgeous 71 acre parcel in a wonderful location between Middleburg and The Plains | Rolling and with stone walls and 2 ponds | Enchanting property | Property is in conservation easement and may not be divided further

82.69 acres | Mostly wooded, mountain views, bold stream in very protected area | Conservation easement | Can not be subdivided | Prime Orange County Hunt location | Halfway between Middleburg and The Plains

Hard to find parcel | 13.37 acres between Middleburg and The Plains | 1/2 open, 1/2 wooded with a spring fed pond - easily expandable | Wonderful elevated building site just inside the wood line with a level building area among large old growth trees and substantial rock out cropping |Impressive mountain views to the southwest.

Paul MacMahon

Helen MacMahon

Paul MacMahon

Helen MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com

(540) 454-1930

(540) 687-5588

(703) 609-1905

(540) 454-1930

110 East Washington Street Middleburg, Virginia 20117

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

17

ART

The Phillips Collection: 100 Years as a Home for Art

BY AR I P OS T The Phillips Collection’s centennial anniversary exhibition should be serious news. Not just “Arts & Culture” news, but a mainstream feature story. America’s first museum of modern art, which houses an astonishing number of iconic masterworks, celebrates its 100th anniversary with a sprawling exhibition of the collection’s greatest hits and major recent acquisitions.

It is a testament to the modern era, to a growing international community of artists, to the local Washington arts scene and to the enduring relevance of traditional media in art. This milestone should be in every national newspaper and major magazine, with segments on television and radio programs like NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” And in any other time, I’d like to think it would be.

But instead, we’ve all been locked in our houses for the past year watching epidemics of disease, sedition and Zoom fatigue sweep the country. In times of crisis, the arts are among the first industries to be sacrificed and the last to recover — and museums, galleries and theaters are obvious no-gos during an airborne pandemic.

Now would be bad timing for any centennial celebration, but for an art museum it’s flat-out depressing — like celebrating the invention of bread during

a wheat famine. However, in honor of the Phillips Collection and this momentous occasion, let’s end all that talk here. Not one more word will be written in this column about anything other than art.

The Phillips is now open for visitors with timed ticketed entry and, if you’re comfortable with it, I could not recommend with greater enthusiasm an excursion to the museum’s centennial exhibition, “Seeing Differently: The Phillips Collects for a New Century,” on view through Sept. 12.

A century ago, the Phillips Collection opened its doors in the Dupont Circle home of Duncan and Marjorie Phillips.

It was unconventional at the time — and unprecedented in America — to create a museum within an intimate domestic space, as well as to form an art collection in full view of the public. However, Duncan Phillips (1886-1966) felt compelled to share his art, which guided him through the darkest hours of his young life, after the loss of his father in 1917 and his brother a year later (from the Spanish flu, no less).

“Seeing Differently” brings together more than 200 works — nearly the entire size of the original collection — by artists from the 19th century to the present. The exhibition cuts a circuitous path through the building, which revives and enhances the intimate

“Trail of Tears,” 2005. Benny Andrews. Courtesy Phillips Collection. scale and deft collecting strategy that I and so many others love about this museum.

A visit to the Phillips is a decidedly more personal experience than going to the National Gallery of Art or the Barnes Foundation (more on that in a moment). The Phillips is not a palace of art; it is a home for it. Even today, the museum feels a bit like how I imagine it felt to visit Duncan and Marjorie at home, or Gertrude Stein or Peggy Guggenheim for that matter (well, maybe not Peggy). It’s part gallery, part salon, part home, built by someone whose life was art and whose art was his life.

There is a well-known anecdote that exemplifies the economy of the collection.

Duncan Phillips had Albert Barnes down from Philadelphia to see Renoir’s masterpiece “Luncheon of the Boating Party.” “That’s the only Renoir you have?” asked Dr. Barnes, who owned at least 100 paintings by the artist (he would later use them to form the basis of the Barnes Foundation). Phillips replied, “It’s the only one I need.”

This story cuts to the core of what the Phillips Collection does best: it encapsulates entire epochs with concise selections of powerful, carefully curated masterworks that effortlessly bridge deep connections through our shared histories.

That isn’t to say the museum has not amassed important bodies of work by individual artists. The Phillips has some of the greatest-ever collections of works by Mark Rothko, Arthur Dove, Sam Gilliam, Forrest Bess and Pierre Bonnard, as well as Larrakitjs (contemporary iterations of traditional painted burial poles by aboriginal Australian artists).

But where the museum shines most brightly is in the many singularly collected pieces that impart an individual artist’s impact — grounding the artist in history while expanding our understanding of the canon as a whole. Works like this include El Greco’s “The Repentant St. Peter,” Willem de Kooning’s “Asheville,” Kara Walker’s “Crest of Pine Mountain, Where General Polk Fell,” Wolfgang Laib’s “Wax Room,” Anselm Kiefer’s “Jacob’s Heavenly Blood Blessed by Axes,” Benny Andrews’s “Trail of Tears” and Janet Tayor Pickett’s “And She Was Born.”

In my decade or so within the Washington arts community, I’ve fallen into more conversations at the Phillips Collection than anywhere else. I’ve made lasting friendships and seen some of my favorite exhibitions.

I’ve had many impromptu coffee dates with writers, artists, curators and, on more than one occasion, with Director Dorothy Kosinski. That doesn’t happen anywhere else in Washington.

“Seeing Differently” seems to affirm that the current leadership is sticking closely to the Phillips family’s original vision. I don’t know if this is a result of some mandate in the Phillips Trust or a matter of vision and taste, but I’m not sure it matters. The result is muted, intimate and beautiful. This exhibition is a joy to experience.

The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW phillipscollection.org Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Advance timed tickets released online on Monday

“Luncheon of the Boating Party,” 1880-81. Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Courtesy Phillips Collection.

18 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

IN COUNTRY

In Middleburg: A One-Stop Shop for Pizza and Wine

BY KAT E OCZ Y P OK Middleburg, Virginia, the escape just outside of D.C., is a great place to venture for a change of scenery or perhaps to stay awhile — or even forever, as many former Washingtonians have.

If you’re looking for the perfect in-town takeout, Jarad Slipp’s Knead Wine is a new, one-stop pizza-and-wine shop in downtown Middleburg. Slipp, who left D.C. after 25 years, most recently worked as master sommelier at the now permanently closed CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental hotel.

Before settling in Middleburg, he ran RdV Vineyards in Delaplane, Virginia. Though he left intending to open a restaurant, the coronavirus pandemic changed his plans.

“I pivoted, then ended up doing a takeout pizza-and-wine combo shop,” he said.

Slipp stumbled into a space on Main Street in Middleburg. He got the keys for it last year on April Fools’ Day and did 85 percent of the construction himself.

Four months later, on Aug. 1, Knead Wine opened its doors.

“People ask me what it’s like to be open during the pandemic and I say: ‘It’s all we know,’” Slipp said. “I’d love to pat myself on the back and say I’m a genius, but the only thing that’s been ahead of the game is

takeout pizza. And the worse the world gets, the more people drink.”

Slipp joked that he willingly packs a onetwo punch with his shop. After assuming he would sell more pizza, he is pleased and pleasantly surprised that he has sold equal amounts of pizza and wine.

“Part of being a master sommelier is to demystify wine,” Slipp said. “I try to make things super-streamlined.” That he does — the entire left side of his shop houses $20 wines and the entire right side $45 wines.

For the fancier celebrations, there are sparkling wine options ranging in price from $20 to $300, as well as some dessert wines. At one point, the shop had a wall with favorite wines from the travels of Slipp and his staff, but with COVID the wall remained stagnant; they ended up changing it to pinot noirs from around the world. Later this spring, the plan is for local Virginia wines to be shelved there.

Middleburg Happenings ARTS

This month, the Byrne Gallery is hosting “Spring Bouquet 2021,” an exhibition of floral works in a variety of media by local artists, each of whom shows off color in a unique way. The show runs through March 28.

Artists in Middleburg’s latest exhibition,

running through April 11, is “Birds, Birds, Birds!” If you decide to visit, expect the utmost safety, with four individuals allowed in the gallery at one time. Masks are required, social distancing is in effect, hand sanitizer is provided and visitors’ names and contact information is taken for contact-tracing purposes.

If you’re new to Middleburg, you’ll soon find out how steeplechase and other equestrian sports have been a vital part of the town’s background. The National Sporting Library and Museum will offer a free program via Zoom and Facebook Live on March 25 at 6 p.m. To sign up, email vpeacock@nationalsporting.org.

SALAMANDER RESORT & SPA

If you’re looking to get some health and wellness in, March 20 and 21 is March Wellness Weekend at Salamander Resort & Spa. An all-around wellness experience, the weekend will be full of exercise classes, weight training, yoga and meditation.

Advance registration is required.

To top off all that wellness, Salamander is offering an Easter cake class with Executive Pastry Chef Jason Reaves. Recipes covered in the class: lemon pound cake, whipped white chocolate cheesecake and French macarons.

Again, advance registration is required.

YOUR NEW LIFE STARTS HERE

Fieldstone Farm | Acres: 94 | Price: $4,300,000 Extraordinary historic stone residence, 4 bedrooms, 6 baths, completely updated, on 94 beautiful acres located just north of the villages of Upperville and Middleburg. Features original 1825 wood floors, expansive family room with 12 foot fireplace & wet bar, and incredible views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The main residence includes a paneled library/ home office, an open plan gourmet kitchen with professional appliances, a large primary suite

with walk in closets, handsome moldings and high end fixtures throughout. The farm includes: a 3 bedroom barn apartment, a one bedroom cottage, 60’ X 20’ pool, two ponds, two barns with 15+ stalls, great ride out and ample paddocks. Convenient to Route 7 on a paved road, Dulles International Airport is just 35 minutes away. Fieldstone Farm offers privacy and seclusion with spectacular mountain views. Additional acreage available.

Jim McGowan | 703-927-0233

Mary Ann McGowan | 540-687-5523

Brian McGowan | 703-927-4070

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia

2 South Madison Street | PO Box 500 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | Office: 540-687-6500 | thomasandtalbot.com Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

Georgetowner_McGowans-HalfPg.indd 1

GMG, INC.

2/26/21 2:47 PM

MARCH 10, 2021

19

FOOD & WINE

LATEST DISH

Pogiboy Sandwiches.

BY L IN D A R OTH

Cocktail of the Month THE WILMINGTON

BY J ODY KURA S H To many in the USA, Delaware is a small parcel tucked in somewhere on the Eastern seaboard. The nation’s second-smallest state by area is often overshadowed by nearby states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia — or lumped in with its peninsular neighbor Maryland. Its largest city, Wilmington, the capital of U.S. credit card banking, was mostly known for being the address where we mailed our MasterCard and Visa bills in the days before online bill pay.

Unknown to many, the Small Wonder state is a truly hidden gem. However, with the ascension of longtime senator and former Vice President Joe Biden to U.S. president, Delaware is piquing the curiosity of people from around the nation.

Nicknamed the First State — because it was the first of the 13 original states to ratify the Constitution — Delaware is set for a new dawn. And Wilmington, a short hop from D.C., is being promoted as HOTUS (Hometown of the United States).

So what’s to know about the Diamond State? According to Delaware’s official government website, its motto is,” Liberty and Independence,” its official colors are colonial blue and buff, the state bug is the ladybug and the state beverage is milk.

Milk? What about a state cocktail?

While there isn’t an official state cocktail, Biden’s resident city of Wilmington got its own signature cocktail in January, thanks to a competition sponsored by Aviation American Gin and promotional campaign “It’s Time, Wilmington!”

Simply called “The Wilmington,” this concoction is forged from Aviation gin, a tasteful spirit with elements of cardamom, coriander, French lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, juniper and two kinds of orange peel. The gin is enhanced with the addition of peach-infused simple syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon. It was created

by Kate Gantner and Fazal Vandal, both University of Delaware alumni.

The winning tipple gives a nod to Delaware’s history as home to the nation’s first commercial peach farm, as well as to 20 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

THE WILMINGTON 1.5 oz. Aviation gin 0.75 oz. peach-infused simple syrup (you can order this premade) 1 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice Ground cinnamon garnish Combine gin, syrup and lemon juice in a shaker tin. Shake. Strain into a martini glass and serve up, no ice.

Garnish with ground cinnamon.

the peach blossom, the official state flower.

It beat out more than 25 submissions, many of which also showcased ingredients with a Delaware connection, for example: strawberries (the official state fruit), Delaware-produced Halo spiced honey liqueur, Wilmington-harvested honey and Wawa lemonade.

The results were announced during a virtual event from Le Cavalier at the venerable Hotel du Pont. The dedication was made by Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride, the highest-ranking transgender official in United States.

“The flavor profile of The Wilmington is sweet, subtle and a testament to our city and state,” according to Lauren Van Hise of #WilmToday. “The ingredients of peach simple syrup, lemon juice, Aviation gin and cinnamon blend together and collaborate like our city does — each unique and distinct on their own, but more powerful and bigger together. It showcases our city’s creativity and resilience, all in that first sip. It goes down easy and, trust me, you’ll want another.”

Since President Biden is a teetotaler, he won’t be imbibing his hometown cocktail in the White House. However, if you’d like a taste, it’s available at several Wilmington spots, including Le Cavalier, Bardea, Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen and Chelsea Tavern. With many folks in the District still celebrating 46’s victory, hopefully this delectable beverage will fly south soon. In the meantime, with only four ingredients, it’s easily made at home.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware — considered the “Summer White House” since Joe Biden’s election — now has another direct line to D.C.: Federal Fritter.

Owners Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff are better known for the couple’s Equinox restaurant, a block from the (Pennsylvania Avenue) White House. This new fastcasual concept will open later in the first quarter at 62A Rehoboth Avenue, on the first block off the boardwalk, where Nuevo Taco used to be.

Washingtonians still love to play and eat. New York-based Five Iron Golf is slated to open a D.C. location — its eighth nationwide — early in the second quarter at Terrell Place, 575 7th St. NW, in Penn Quarter. Although the Full Swing simulator (yes, you can play Pebble Beach) reigns supreme at this 12,000-squarefoot facility, it will also offer Ping-Pong, pool and shuffleboard, as well as a fullservice food and bar program complete

Favaevent Pot serves authentic Egyptian cuisine.for with space.

Leagues will open signup shortly.

More play and eat: New York-based Bowlero plans to open its fifth location in the D.C. metro area in Virginia’s Tysons Galleria, where Macy’s used to be, occupying nearly 40,000 square feet. With more than 300 locations in North America, Bowlero features bowling lanes, arcade games and a sports bar.

In the second quarter, Matt Baker of Gravitas plans to open a second location of Baker’s Daughter in Penn Quarter, offering to-go pastries, sandwiches, soups and salads — and coffee, of course. Expect more sweet, single-serving baked goods from pastry chef Aisha Momaney.

Fast-casual concept Fava Pot will open in Dupont Circle at 1817 M St. NW, where Oki Bowl used to be, early in the second quarter, serving kofta sandwiches, kebab bowls, falafel and its signature koshary.

Owner Dina Daniel’s Egyptian restaurant group, which launched as a food truck, now includes a full-service restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, and a Union Market stall.

Just Opened: Chefs Tom Cunanan and Paolo Dungca, formerly of Bad Saint, reunited to open Pogiboy, serving Filipino American fast food in the Block DC food hall at 1101 Vermont Ave. NW. Pogi translates to “handsome” in Tagalog.

Rick Allison and Jorge Esguerra will open a King Street Oyster Bar this month at Park Potomac in Maryland, where Addie’s used to be. This is the fourth location; others are in Northeast D.C. and in Leesburg and Middleburg, Virginia. The 300-seat restaurant (including abundant outdoor seating) will serve fresh oysters from both coasts.

Chef Sammy Davis and his partners in soul-food brunch chain Milk & Honey will open three more businesses around suburban Maryland. Milk & Cheese will open at 18050 Georgia Ave. NW, where Thai Cuisine used to be, early in the second quarter. Catch 22, a seafood market and restaurant, is also slated to open early in the second quarter at 7623 S. Osborne Road in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where Pizza Hut used to be. It will showcase Gullah Geechee food, a South Carolina cuisine rooted in West African cooking.

Milk & Honey Market & Pancake Factory, part of a new Restaurant Row near the Branch Avenue Metro station, is set to open in the third quarter in Camp Springs.

Linda Roth (@lindarothpr) is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the food service and hospitality industries. Visit her on the web at lindarothpr.com.

CLASSIFIEDS / SERVICE DIRECTORY

HANDYMAN SERVICES

Carpentry • Plaster & Drywall Doors/Windows • Cabinets/Shelves Counter Tops • Painting/Finishing And much more Over 30 years our craftsmen do quality work: remodeling building or restoring Joel Truitt Builders, Inc. 734 7th St. S.E. (202) 547-2707 QUALITY SINCE 1972

PRIVATE TENNIS LESSONS

$25 for one hour private lesson in Georgetown and NW DC 202-333-3484 -Mark Harmonjacqueline47@yahoo.com

CHEVY CHASE FLOOR WAXING SERVICE

Polishing, buffing, and waxing to preserve and protect your fine wood floors, using old-fashioned paste wax. Family owned and operated for 30 years. Licensed Bonded Insured (301) 656-1810, Chevy Chase, MD

CONTINENTAL MOVERS Moving & Hauling deliveries 25 Years In Business 202-438-1489 301-340-0602 Cmora52607@msn.com www.continentalmovees.net

SEALED BID SALE

Close Proximity to Washington DC – Rare Offering of Elegant Hotel – Senior Living – Apt. Complex – Now Accepting Bids – Email jconnelly@ summitcre.com or Text 202-491-5300

CERTIFIED CAREGIVER

I’m a Certified caregiver seeking private duty position caring for the Elderly in their homes & all daily needs. Own Transportation, Personal care, run errands, excellent references, lighth housekeeping, good cook. LiveIn/Hourly. Covid prepared Call Naana – 630-200-9592.

ACE WINDOW CLEANING, CO.

Residential specialists inside and outside. Family owned and operated for over 30 years. (202) 363-2897 Chevy Chase, MD • We also offer glass, screen, and sash cord repair service • Ask about our no damage, low pressure Powerwashing.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS THRIVE

Georgetown Village VACCINATION HELP

Call or email - We can help members sign up. The Village tracks your vaccination and keeps you informed.

Volunteers will take you get shots.

Join • Volunteer • Donate

Join now - $50 a month for a one-year

(202) 999-8988 • www.georgetown-village.org GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

21

KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB

‘Widowish: A Memoir’ R EVIEWE D BY KIT T Y K E LLE Y Death began stalking Joel Gould shortly after he arrived at the emergency room with flu-like symptoms. He and his wife, Melissa, had been dealing with his multiple sclerosis for a few years, as the autoimmune disease gradually affected his balance and muscular control.

They’d told their young daughter he had MS — withholding the frightening specifics — but kept the diagnosis secret from the rest of their family and friends in order to avoid questions with morose answers.

Three days after Joel entered that hospital, he was put in the intensive care unit and placed on life support while doctors told Melissa that he was “gravely ill.” She screamed at them: “We’re in a hospital. You’re all doctors. If Joel is sick, make him better ... We have a thirteen year old daughter.”

Upon the recommendation of their family doctor, Melissa moved her husband to a teaching hospital where specialists tried to determine his worsening condition. “He had another MRI. A brain angiogram. A spinal tap. Several EEGs to monitor brain activity. More blood work. More cultures.”

Finally, they diagnosed West Nile virus, which had decimated Joel’s compromised immune system, leaving him paralyzed and brain dead.

Death had just rammed open the door of Melissa Gould’s life, leaving her bereft and

crazed with grief. Knowing her husband would never recover, she allowed him to be taken off life support, but, at the age of 46, refused to be defined as a widow. The word revolted her.

Even now, years after her husband’s death, she called fellow widows and widowers “wisters” — widow sisters and widow misters. Hence, she titled her memoir “Widowish,” as if a little suffix can soften the whiplash.

Perhaps this is understandable for a popculture princess from Southern California like Melissa, who writes about regular hikes on a hill she calls “the Clooney,” because it’s near an L.A. house owned by George Clooney.

Her devotion to her spouse is undeniable as she weaves the story of their marriage into surviving without it. She writes that, when they met, she felt like she’d hit the trifecta: “He was cool. He was funny. He was Jewish.”

He was also in a committed relationship, but they bonded over their shared passion for music. When she told him she was leaving for Seattle to write for a television show, he summoned his best impersonation of Daniel Day-Lewis in “The Last of the Mohicans”: “Stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you!”

She became enthralled with Seattle as “the epicenter of the biggest shift the music

business had seen in decades — grunge — Kurt Cobain was still alive … I was in heaven.” A few months later, Joel, also in the music business and recently separated, showed up. “We didn’t stop kissing the entire few days he was in Seattle.”

They married, moved back to California and had one child, although they’d hoped to have many. Melissa writes seamlessly about caring for their daughter after Joel’s death, keeping to the youngster’s schedule, getting her to school on time, making her meals, helping with homework and curling up in bed with her every night “to talk about Daddy.”

Few people forge through the miasma of grief without help, which is why believers light candles and liquor stores open early.

Melissa found her way by watching “Real Housewives” religiously, listening to TV evangelist Joel Osteen preach his “attitude of gratitude” gospel and embracing New Thought guru Iyanla Vanzant as her life coach.

“Grief is personal and private,” Melissa writes, but hers never was. She shared it with her friends, her family, a man at the car wash, her hairdresser and all the cashiers at the supermarket. “I was in midlife, barefoot in shiva clothes and a blowout. I felt compelled to tell people I was a widow because I didn’t look like one.”

She wrote about her grief in the New York Times and the Huffington Post, which led finally to this book.

Searching for guidance, she went to a “highly recommended” psychic named Candy. Melissa presented Joel’s watch and photograph because “it helps channel or receive information.” Within minutes,

Candy claimed she was connecting with Melissa’s dead husband. She said there would be a new man in her life soon with a son, and that Joel approved of the relationship.

Melissa writes that she laughed off the prediction until she met Marcos — and then his son — a few weeks later. Six months after kissing her husband goodbye, Melissa begins “to live again” by dating Marcos. At this point, some “wisters” might be envious, while others may tsk-tsk, but Melissa Gould is a Hollywood writer who has read Cinderella. She knows the value of a happily-ever-after ending.

She and Marcos and their children now live together near Simi Valley, where Melissa runs a writing workshop at Camp Widow, part of a nonprofit called Soaring Spirits International, where she guides people in healing by exploring the unexpected realities of being a widow. Yes, she can finally face that word — without the “ish.”

Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.”

Her most recent books include “Capturing Camelot: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys” and “Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the March on Washington.” She serves on the board of Reading Is Fundamental, the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES Ingleside at Rock Creek embodies all the joys of modern senior living with spacious residences, inviting community spaces, and unparalleled services and amenities. DC’s premier Life Plan Community combines a prime location and countless opportunities, creating the perfect backdrop for this engaging community.

Ingleside at Rock Creek provides security with the very best in Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Services, and specialized health care.

INGLESIDE AT ROCK CREEK

More Opportunities, More Living

NOT-FOR-PROFIT LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

22 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

W W W.IRCDC.ORG // 202-933-5347

GMG, INC.

MARCH 10, 2021

23

202.944.5000

WFP.COM

T FALLS $4,395,000 igh Mill Rd, Great Falls, Virginia Yerks 703-760-0744

WESLEY HEIGHTS $3,67 1904 Foxview Circle, Washington, Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762 UNDER CONTRACT GEORGETOWN $12,800,000 1224 30th Street NW, Washington, DC Chuck Holzwarth 202-285-2616 Carrie Carter 202-421-3938

GEORGETOWN $5,495,000 3043 P Street NW, Washington, DC Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-386-7813

POTOMAC FALLS $3,950,000 11013 Cripplegate Road, Potomac, MD Kari Wilner 301-908-9111

KALORAMA $3,595,000 1812 24th Street NW, Washington, DC Nancy Taylor Bubes 202-386-7813

SOMERSET HOUSE $3,550,000 5600 Wisconsin Avenue #PH18-B, Chevy Chase, Maryland Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762

WESLEY HEIGHTS $3,299,000 4521 Garfield St NW, Washington, DC Nate Guggenheim 202-333-9505

LOGAN CIRCLE $2,849,000 1310 Q Street NW #6, Washington, DC Kay McGrath 202-276-1235

GEORGETOWN $2,745,000 3020 O Street NW, Washington, DC Liz Danigo 202-427-7890

WATERFRONT $2,599,000 1304 St. Paul’s Way. Crownsville, MD Marc Bertinelli 202-657-9000 Doc Keane 202-441-2343

CAPITOL HILL $2,495,000 25 D Street SE Unit B, Washington, DC Lee Murphy 202-277-7477

CAPITOL HILL $1,850,000 524 8th Street NE, Washington, DC Lenore Rubino 202-262-1261 Karen Nicholson 202-256-0474

BURLEITH $1,495,000 3603 T Street NW, Washington, DC Lenore Rubino 202-262-1261

UNDER CONTRACT

AT FALLS $4,395,000 eigh Mill Rd, Great Falls, Virginia y Yerks 703-760-0744 RITZ RESIDENCES $1,395,000 1111 23rd Street NW #2D, Washington, DC Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762

LOGAN CIRCLE $1,075,000 1515 15th ST #429 , Washington, DC Lee Murphy 202-277-7477

WESLEY HEIGHTS $3,675 1904 Foxview Circle, Washington, D Nancy Itteilag 202-905-7762 GLOVER PARK $939,999 2308 39th Street NW, Washington, DC Nelson Marban 202-870-6899

BRINGING YOU THE FINEST AGENTS • PROPERTIES • EXPERIENCE

24 MARCH 10, 2021

GMG, INC.

PALISADES $750,000 4620 Q Street NW, Washington, DC Nelson Marban 202-870-6899