SINCE 1954
VOLUME 66 NUMBER 17
GEORGETOWNER.COM
JUNE 3 - 16, 2020
WE SHALL E M O C R E V O
G E O RG E TOW N S H O P S LO OT E D WA R D 2 VOT E S R E S TAU R A N T S G O C U R B S I D E R E A L E S TAT E : H I S TO RY O N 3 0 T H S T.
IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE
ABOUT THE COVER
Dr. Martens shoe store at 3108 M St. NW on May 31. Photo by Robert Devaney.
NEWS · 4 - 6 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 · 7
PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet
Ins & Outs
DOWNTOWNER · 7
ADVERTISING & MARKETING Kate Sprague Richard Selden Kelly Sullivan
Downtown News
EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8 Editorials Peggy Sands Opinion CAG Update
THE VILLAGE · 9
A New Role: Chef de Quarantine Resort Travel: What to Expect
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney
VOTING DAY AT HARDY
CONTRIBUTORS Mary Bird Susan Bodiker Allyson Burkhardt Evan Caplan Didi Cutler Donna Evers Michelle Galler Stephanie Green Amos Gelb Wally Greeves Kitty Kelley Rebekah Kelley Jody Kurash Shelia Moses Kate Oczypok Linda Roth Alison Schafer Mary Ann Treger
BY PEGGY SAN D S
Board of Elections assistants tend to the crowd on 35th Street. Photo by Peggy Sands.
COVER · 10 - 11
1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com
We Shall Overcome
REAL ESTATE · 12 - 13
THE REV. GINI GERBASI GASSED AT LAFAYETTE SQUARE
May 2020 Real Estate Sales Splendor in the Grass
BY R OBERT D EVAN EY
The Rev. Gini Gerbasi, rector of St. John’s Georgetown. Photo by Robert Devaney.
CLASSIFIEDS · 14 Service Directory
BOOK CLUB · 15
Kitty Kelley Book Club
CHRISTO, CONCEIVER OF GRAND AND FLEETING ART BY R IC H AR D SEL D EN
“The Gates,” 2005. Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Photo by Wolfgang Volz.
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 2020.
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TOWN TOPICS
Georgetown Traumatized by Looting BY RO B E RT DEVA NEY The protests against unequal justice rocking the nation — triggered by the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed man forcibly subdued by a Minneapolis police officer — took an ugly turn over the weekend of May 30-31. Many demonstrations, from New York to Minneapolis and Los Angeles, turned violent. Washington, D.C., was no exception. On Monday, June 1, Mayor Muriel Bowser set a new time for a citywide curfew that night and the following night: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said 88 arrests were made overnight. The antagonists, as he called them, were charged with felony rioting or burglary. Protests near Lafayette Park and on 17th Street NW near the White House left a car in flames and significant property damage to downtown D.C., starting at the HayAdams and nearby businesses on the night of Saturday, May 30. Shops’ doors were smashed in and some stores were looted. On Sunday night, May 31, historic St. John’s Church was threatened by a minor fire and the lobby of the AFL-CIO building was set alight.
In Georgetown, protesters, some of whom, according to Newsham, were outside agitators and organized, vandalized targeted stores and looted some businesses, as the town seemed unprepared for the nighttime assault. On Monday morning, cleanup crews were again working on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue after a second night of looting in Georgetown. Sunday-night hits expanded to Major footwear, Pandora jewelry, the M Street CVS and Morgan Pharmacy on Q Street, to name a few. Sunday afternoon, May 31, was the first time that crime-scene police cordoned off some high-end shops in Georgetown, up and down M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, with tape. These included Kate Spade and Calvin Klein, broken into early that morning. Plywood boards were installed over the broken front windows of some custom and vintage clothing retailers, including EllaRue and Sam’s on the corner of P Street and Wisconsin Avenue, which had been robbed. A new exterior framing was being quickly constructed in front of the Apple Store.
Sunglass Hut in Georgetown GMG, INC.
the opportunity of an overtaxed police force to strike.” “Ella-Rue lost merchandise, especially jewelry and perfume and vintage, almost one-of-a-kind, purses,” said co-owner Krista Johnson on May 31. “They broke the front door frame to get in.” No identifications of the looters had been made public, but, according to police detectives at the scene, surveillance cameras nearby are being analyzed. Additional police patrols will cover the area as well. Sternlieb sent out an urgent message to all BID members on Sunday afternoon: “We have been told to anticipate more protests in the coming days but do not have any information on their timing or degree. So it is best to be prepared. If you have valuable, unsecured merchandise in your store, you should consider boarding up your storefront or removing valuable merchandise altogether and papering the windows.” The looting happened just after the Phase One partial reopening of nonessential businesses and the rescinding of the mayor’s stay-at-home order, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Kate Spade in Georgetown
Krista Johnson of Ella Rue All photos by Robert Devaney
4 JUNE 3, 2020
Piles of shattered glass in front of smashed windows or store entrances, including Michael Kors’, were being swept by the Clean Team of the Georgetown Business Improvement District. The vandalism and looting were done by organized groups bent on destruction, according to both Mayor Bowser and Chief Newsham, who said at a Sunday press conference that they seemed to be prepared with tools for breaking in and strategies for group coordination. By late evening on May 30, more than 1,000 protestors assembled in front of the White House; eventually the demonstrations resulted in injuries to several Secret Service police officers and in the arrest of 17 protesters. “The looting and vandalizing of Georgetown and other District businesses have been lumped together with the protests, but, in fact, most of the protesters were peaceful,” wrote Georgetown BID CEO Joe Sternlieb. “The worst looting seems to have been carried out by professional thieves targeting high-end stores and using
Calvin Klein in Georgetown
TOWN TOPICS
Ward 2 Race Contributions, Controversies Heat Up BY PEGGY SA NDS In the days leading up to the June 2 primary election, candidates for the Ward 2 seat on the District Council were in the final sprint for campaign contributions. The race to see who can get the most contributions from whom is hot, and controversy is rising along with D.C.’s summer temperatures. All but one of the eight Democratic candidates in the primary signed on to the District’s Fair Elections Program — a voluntary campaign-financing process that provides lump-sum base amounts to start a campaign and five-to-one public matching funds for candidates who pledge to only accept small donations ($50 or less). That translates into a $250 matching contribution from public funds for a maximum $50 donation from a “Qualified Small Donor Contributor.” The maximum amount a candidate for a Ward Council seat may receive in matching payments for the 2020 election cycle is $241,055. The money cannot be used for a candidate’s personal expenses, such as clothing and campaign compensation for relatives (although family members can give the campaign up to $2,500 each). Documentation and weekly reports of all campaign contributions are required; these are analyzed eagerly by supporters and rivals alike. Maps and graphs of all sorts have been produced charting the location and number of contributors, large and small,
“KENNEDY HAS RECEIVED OVER $170,000 IN TAXPAYER MONEY UNDER THE FAIR ELECTIONS ACT.” to each candidate. For instance, as of May 25, Keith C. Ivey of DC Geekery found that the nine candidates ranked as follows from the highest number of contributors to the lowest: Jordan Grossman, Kishan Putta, Patrick Kennedy, Brooke Pinto, John Fanning, Jack Evans, Yilin Zhang, Daniel Hernandez and Katherine Venice (the sole Republican candidate). Pinto, who was endorsed by the Washington Post, did not sign on to the FEP and can accept contributions up to $500 from individuals and from organizations. The latter includes corporations, LLCs, PACs, unions and so on, which may not contribute to candidates pledging to take only small contributions. As such, writes Ivey, she can use as much of her own money as she wishes. “Recent donor maps of Ward 2 show who has the most donor support in Georgetown,” candidate Putta, a member of ANC 2E, the Georgetown-Burleith advisory neighborhood commission, wrote The Georgetowner on May 26. “You may be surprised to see that it is me. Not just in Burleith … but I have more Georgetown
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support in both West Village and East Village and Waterfront. By far — much more.” Candidate Kennedy, however, wrote The Georgetowner on May 29 that he had more donors overall. “I am proud to have the most local Ward 2 individual donors than any candidate in the race,” he stated. But Kennedy has been accused by ANC 2B Commissioner Ed Hanlon of having benefited from some $100,000 in spending by a super PAC. “Kennedy has received over $170,000 in taxpayer money under the Fair Elections Act,” wrote Hanlon. According to Kennedy campaign officials, Hanlon is a provocateur who supports another candidate (Washington City Paper calls Hanlon “Dupont’s litigious advisory neighborhood commissioner”). “I am dedicated to the Fair Elections Program and I have refused to accept any PAC or corporate funding,” wrote Kennedy, whose campaign spokespeople asserted, “By law, Patrick Kennedy cannot and will not get involved with outside groups like this.”
The FEP matching donation program, part of the Fair Elections Amendment Act of 2018, is administered by the Office of Campaign Finance within the District Board of Elections. Mail-in ballots and pre-voting at some 22 centers around D.C., including Georgetown’s Hardy Middle School, began on May 22. All the candidates except Evans and Hernandez are running in the June 16 special election to fill the currently vacant Ward 2 seat until Jan. 20, 2021.
NEWS BYTES BY KATE O CZYPO K
Lawsuit Filed by GU Student Fails A class-action lawsuit filed against Georgetown University by a McDonough School of Business graduate student failed last week. The anonymous student sought repayment of expenses in light of the pandemic that shut down Georgetown’s campus, the Georgetown Voice reported. The lawsuit accused the university of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and conversion from an in-person to an online environment.
More GU Parents Plead Guilty Two Georgetown University parents added themselves to the long list of affluent individuals who have pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery intended to get their children admitted to prestigious colleges and universities. Peter Dameris and Robert Repella are, respectively, the 54th and 55th persons to be charged in the nationwide admissions scandal known as Varsity Blues.
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JUNE 3, 2020
5
TOWN TOPICS
Dining and Shopping Return with a (Masked) Smile, Delayed by Protesters BY C HR ISTOP HER J ON E S In a let ter an nou ncing the ret u r n of outdoor dining to Fiola Mare on t he Georgetow n water f ront, ow ner and chef Fabio Trabocchi — also of Fiola DC, Sfoglina and Del Mar — pen ned these reassu r ing words to his customers in preparation for the Phase One reopening of D.C.’s restau rants and retail establish ments on May 29: “For you r safet y, all team members will be wear ing facial cover ings and gloves, but k now that behind the mask is ou r most generous smile.” A s G e orge t ow n e s t a bl i sh me nt s scr a mble to reopen w it h a sm ile d u r i ng t he p a nd e m ic, bu si n e s s ow ne r s pe rceive w idely d if fe r i ng i mpact s stem m i ng f rom t he Phase One g uidelines recom mended by the mayor’s ReOpen DC Advisor y Group. T he g uideli nes allow rest au ra nt s t o of fe r out door d i n i ng, t houg h customers must be seated to place orders and dine. Tables must be at least six feet apar t, with no more than six g uests per table. Customers are still not allowed inside business deemed nonessential; h owe ve r, deliver y and cu rbside or f ront-door pick up of remotely ordered items are per mit ted. For Mar tin’s Taver n, a Georgetow n la nd ma rk , Mayor Mu r iel Bowser’s g uideli nes present sig n if ica nt challenges to im mediate reopening. T he 87-ye a r- old r e s t a u r a nt h a s weat hered t he st ay-at-home per iod than ks to its devoted clientele, popular menu items such as the famous crab cakes and exper ienced staff (15 have been employees for 10 years or more). Fou r t h -ge ne r at ion ow ne r Bi l ly Ma r t i n dou bt s whet he r op e n i ng r ig ht away ma ke s se n se w it hout clear g uidance f rom cit y author ities on i ndoor bat h room use a nd w it h st r i ngent si x-foot social dist anci ng requirements, per mit ting only one or t wo dining tables on the restau rant’s nar row outdoor patio space along the N St reet sidewal k. “ We’re k i nd of i n a pick le,” Ma r t i n said. He ha s a ske d cit y health author ities a host of pressing questions, such as whether he can mou nt plexiglass on the railings of h is pat io a rea to sh ield sidewal k pedest r ians and customers or move his outdoor seating to the f ront of Sid Mashbu r n’s (with ow ner Bob Elliot t’s pe r m ission). He also i nqu i re d if pedest r ian t raff ic along the adjacent sidewalk can be blocked off to allow f ull patio operations. So far, he hasn’t heard back. Chef Jen n Crovato of 1310 K itchen & Bar at the Georgetow n In n also f a c e s ch a l le nge s t o i m m e d i a t e reopening, especially as the slower
6 JUNE 3, 2020
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Cafe Milano on Instagram. s u m me r s e a s on a p p r oa che s a nd nearby G e o r g e t ow n Un i ve r s it y st udents a re away. With plent y of indoor seating, but no outdoor dining space, Crovato has no plans to reopen u nt i l Se pt e mbe r, p ossibly du r i ng Phase Two, when indoor dining might be per mit ted. “It’s tough enough to get th rough July and Aug ust in nor mal times,” she said, “I can’t imagine t r ying to reopen du r ing COV I D -19 when things are already challenging and slow.” Her k itchen, however, will cont i nue to offer “ takeout favor ites,” such as kale salad, fet t uccine with lamb rag u and chicken pot pie, as well as to provide room-ser vice meals at the in n. At Chaia Tacos on Grace St reet, co -fou nde r a nd co - ow ne r Bet t i na Ster n expects g reat benef its f rom the Phase One reopening. She is delighted the Georgetow n BID will put bist ro tables and chairs out for customers to enjoy, she said. “We are ver y happy about t h is sha dy, welcom i ng spot opening back up again.” T houg h Chaia expe ct s t o have to reduce i ndoor seat i ng space to accom modate social distancing, the eater y’s “elevated to -go” bu si ness mo del, pa re d- dow n on l i ne me nu offer ings and a 15-percent su rcharge on orde r s h ave prov ide d st e a dy revenues. Sh a h a b Fa r iva r, c o - ow ne r of Peacock Cafe, a neig hbor favor ite on Prospect St reet, has opened up outdoor dining once again, though he has reduced table numbers “f rom 14 to a rou nd 9 or 10.” W h ile he
n at u r al ly exp e ct s a much lowe r volu me of d i ne -i n cu stomer s t ha n before the pandemic, the restau rant’s popula r d ishes, successf ul t a keout a nd del ive r y op e r at ion s , s afet ycautious staff t raining and the “good com mu nit y suppor t base” give cause for optimism. “We’ve been ser ving the com mu nit y for almost 30 years,” he said, “and there’ll be many more. Rest assu red — about t he ca re t hat goes i nto this restau rant, the preparation of the food, the safet y, the sanitation and healthiness of the exper ience.” At t he Doug h Ja r, a Wisconsi n Avenue edible cookie-dough baker y w it h no out door se at i ng, ow ne r Li nd say G old i n is t h a n k f u l he r shipping, deliver y and takeout orders have allowed the store to remain open. However, she expressed concer n that “more people dining out in restau rants nearby with outdoor seating” might result in a decrease in her store’s takeout and deliver y revenues. G old i n i s pl a n n i ng t o of fe r i n-store order i ng soon, but she is wor r ied that having to compete for customer at tention with larger nearby rest au ra nts open i ng up m ig ht hu r t business. The smaller size of her shop also ma kes comply i ng w it h social distancing reg ulations more diff icult. Ch i ng Ch i ng Cha t ea hou se on Wisconsin Avenue has seen its overall sales of Ch i nese tea products and i n-st ore beve r age pu rcha se s d rop by more than 99 percent since the shutdow n, accord i ng to t he shop’s fou nde r, Hol l ie Wong. Si nce he r
customers are seeking a meditative sit- dow n ex p e r ie nce, she is not su r pr ised her online and to-go sales have d ropped. Never theless, Wong is optimistic about ret u r ning to nor mal operations in due cou rse. “I’m ver y g ratef ul,” she said, for “all of the suppor t f rom ou r loyal customers, ou r f r iends, family, my staff and my landlord. Because of them, I have not been alone to f ight this pandemic.” At Evera rd’s Clot h i ng, a f i xt u re on Wisconsin Avenue for 21 years, fou nder and co-ow ner Louis Everard has seen buoyant online sales and has no im mediate plans to provide cu rbside ser v ice. “If you look at ou r website, it’s been per for m i ng ver y, ver y well. So, I’m ver y, ver y optimistic for the f ut u re,” he said. In fact, he has appreciated being home, enjoying his “staycation” over the last t wo months. Evera rd look s for wa rd to seei ng more restau rants open in Georgetow n, since the well-d ressed clientele adds to his customer base. A nd he loves t he com mu n it y. “ T h is is a g reat neighborhood,” he said. “We all get along on this block. We all k now each other and we all share clients.” For Bacchus Wine Cellar, the stayat-home order has been a boon to prof its and reopening ought to provide even more of a boost. Ow ner Bassam Al-Kahouagi expects loyal customers who have appreciated the store’s f ree deliver y ser vice to continue calling, wh ile more neig hborhood shoppers i n a lif ti ng economy should mean i nc r e a si ng nu mb e r s of c u r b side customers. Phone orders have sust ai ned the business as hou rs of operation have been cut back. But Al-Kahouagi looks for ward to possibly keeping reduced store hou rs. “Maybe i n the f ut u re I m ig ht cha nge t he model of my business where most of my clients keep order ing over the phone,” he said lighthear tedly. “Then, we can take it easy.” Al-Kahouagi has a “good feeling about t he f ut u re.” “Ever y t h i ng is changing,” he said, “and that change w ill af fect ever y si ngle bu si ness, f rom hair salons to retail stores like me, to clothing stores, to restau rants, bars, even to off ices. I mean, that’s going to be the f ut u re — to work f rom home and to order out.” Please check your local stores and re staurants to see when the y are reopening.
BUSINESS
INS & OUTS BY RO B E RT DEVA NEY
Due to the coronavirus crisis, most retailers have temporarily closed or limited their services. For details, check with individual stores directly or visit georgetowner.com.
NYC’S LEVAIN BAKERY COMING TO M ST.
Still, when all is said and done, they come to Georgetown first. Manhattan’s Levain Bakery with its big, textured cookies will be setting up shop at 3131 M St. NW, former site of the Johnny Rockets hamburger joint, in late summer or fall, according to Eater DC. Known for its chocolate chip walnut cookies and other varieties, Levain — a top spot on the Upper West Side — also offers breads, pastries and sticky buns. Founded in 1995 by Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald, the bakery is expanding nationally with a strategic investment by Stripes, a private equity firm. The M Street shop will be its first outside New York.
the category and we’re excited to provide a home for Framebridge to grow,” said Timothy J. O’Shaughnessy, CEO of Graham Holdings, which previously disclosed a minority investment interest in Framebridge. O’Shaughnessy served as chairman of Framebridge’s board.
OUT: CAMPONO, NEAR KENNEDY CENTER
GRAHAM HOLDINGS BUYS FRAMEBRIDGE
Last month, Graham Holdings Company acquired Framebridge, Inc., a custom framing service founded in Georgetown. The purchase price was not disclosed. “We are thrilled to have the confidence of Graham Holdings Company to take our business to the next level,” said Susan Tynan, Framebridge founder and CEO. “We believe Framebridge can become the industry leader in custom framing, as its model of lower prices, faster service and great quality is a trifecta that is hard to beat. Susan and the team have reinvented
into the landmark building have pivoted to focus on giving back. Wiggle & Scoot has transitioned to selling masks made with designer fabrics, with the proceeds going to the National Center for Children and Families. Chouquette Chocolates is crafting Fauci Fan Club chocolates, tasty tributes to the leadership of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Doctors Without Borders will receive a $2 donation for each purchase. The owner of Sweet As Sugarcane has hand-sewn hundreds of masks, both for sale and for donation to nursing homes. Ruth Nathan’s, a maker of fine bow ties, pocket squares and lapel flowers, is also making masks. When you purchase one of Ruth Nathan’s sleek and fashionable masks, the shop will donate one to a local health care worker, post office staffer or delivery person.
Campono — the pizza, panini and gelati restaurant at 600 New Hampshire Ave. NW, across from the Kennedy Center, has closed
due to the pandemic and a rent increase. The owners wrote: “We have truly enjoyed serving this wonderful community these last four and a half years … In addition to the mandatory shut down for the Covid-19 outbreak and slower times at both the Kennedy Center and our building, the landlord has exercised their legal right and directed us to vacate the building by the end of April. “We have had our current lease/ agreement in place with the landlord since 2017. They requested additional monetary contributions in order for us to maintain occupancy and extend our lease. Given our current business model, we are unable to commit to the financial burden of this request. After months of discussions and negotiations they have decided to terminate the month-to-month lease we have been operating under since January of 2019. “If we had been able to continue to operate under our current agreement, it still would have been a difficult road to re-opening (as many, many restaurants are going to soon be struggling with themselves).”
Susan Tynan.
ARTISTS & FLEAS VENDORS PIVOT TO MASKS, FAUCI CHOCOLATES
While the pandemic has delayed the opening of market Artists & Fleas at 3276 M St. NW, several of the vendors set to move
Levain Bakery. BY KATE OCZ Y P OK
MAYOR LIFTS STAY-AT-HOME ORDER
Washington, D.C., has managed a twoweek decline in new COVID-19 cases, resulting in Mayor Muriel Bowser lifting the stay-at-home order that was in effect for the past two months. Last Friday, D.C. began the first phase of its reopening. Phase One will still require responsible social distancing, face coverings and, as always, plenty of handwashing.
NATIONALS UNVEIL WORLD SERIES RINGS
The Washington Nationals World Series championship rings have been unveiled — and they’re quite the sparklers, boasting 170 diamonds and over 23 carats. With the curly W at the center, the design — in the red, white and blue team colors — features rubies, sapphires and diamonds.
METRO HEADQUARTERS CATCHES FIRE
A fire was reported in the 600 block of 5th Street NW in the early morning hours of May 27. The building houses the headquarters of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Ironically, WMATA has been trying to leave the building for years due to insufficient fire protection. D.C.’s Fire and EMS Department was alerted to the twoalarm fire around 6:30 a.m.
CORONAVIRUS DEATHS, UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS
The Washington Nationals World Series championship ring. - Courtesy Jostens.
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Restaurants around the Yards, on the Anacostia waterfront in Southeast D.C., have come together to create a virtual cookbook, dubbed “Reservations at Home.” The cookbook features over 20 recipes from popular bars and restaurants in the area. “Reservations at Home” can be downloaded for $10 at eventbrite.com, with proceeds benefitting the Yards’ virtual tip jar for restaurant employees affected by the pandemic.
COP PULLS MAN FROM FIERY CRASH
As of May 28, the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region hit a combined total of more than 2,500 new cases of COVID-19 and 101 more deaths. The Virginia death toll that day of 57 was the state’s highest single-day total. Also, almost 100,000 unemployment claims were filed in the D.C. metropolitan area over the prior two weeks. More than one million claims have been filed since mid-March.
7 JUNE 3, 2020
THE YARDS TOUTS VIRTUAL COOKBOOK
An off-duty D.C. police officer saved an injured man from a fiery auto accident just before 11:30 p.m. on May 27. On his way home from a shift, the officer became an unexpected hero when he spotted a pickup truck on the shoulder of the I-270 spur in Bethesda, Maryland. As the officer arrived at the vehicle, it caught on fire. He immediately pulled the driver from the truck. Firefighters later put out the fire.
EDITORIAL/OPINION
Send Your Feedback, Questions or Concerns, Tips and Suggestions to editorial@georgetowner.com or call 202-338-4833
Trauma Times 3 Encountering last month’s clickbait story about NASA discovering a parallel universe where time runs in reverse — loosely based on a long-shot hypothesis in a research paper — many of us said: “Sounds good to me!” As we approach its halfway point, 2020 is shaping up as the most hold-my-beer year in decades. What with the coronavirus pandemic, an induced economic crisis and, now, nationwide unrest, it has felt like 1918, 1929 and 1968 all at once, a tragic trifecta, trauma times three. What’s more, given our heightened reliance on social media during week after week of semi-quarantine, the granular detail of this triple threat, not to mention a swirling ocean of emotional reactions, has seemed inescapable. Prior to the wave of Black Lives Matter protests triggered by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, we had hope that the state of lockdown was ending; Phase One of D.C.’s reopening was initiated on May 29. But fate — many would say, systemic
racism — decided otherwise. Instead of a steady, if masked and distanced, rise in social and economic activity, Americans faced an ugly reality in the mirror. The streets were repopulated not by strollers, shoppers and diners but by protesters, looters and police. In D.C. and elsewhere, the sirens have multiplied and on recent nights there has been a constant, warlike drone of helicopters overhead. This is being written on the day of a primary election, complete with a curfew in effect. Five months from now, in this year to remember, there will be a presidential election. As appealing as it may sound, we can’t go back in time or flee to a parallel universe. After struggling to endure three bad things, will three good things follow? Thankfully, here is a trio we each have the power to summon: a sense of rootedness, the mutual support of family and friends and a commitment to building a better future.
Georgetown University
Famous Last Words: Our Message to Graduates 2020, it is safe to say, has been the year from hell. But looked at in a different way, “2020” is a symbol of perfection. The marker of perfect vision — like the clear-eyed gaze you, dear graduates, bring to the world around you, uncompromised by second-guessing or hidden agendas. The acute intelligence and energy that drives your passions. And your broad-minded view that teaches us all something new every day about diversity, inclusivity and love. For those of us who grew up and graduated in the late ’60s and ’70s (OK Boomer!), the events of this year seem like a dystopian sequel to our youth. We can only imagine how disheartening it is for you. “Is this what I have to look forward to?” (we can hear you ask). “All those papers and exams and angst over internships and job hunting and now everything’s on hold? Where’s that glorious future you promised me?”
Where indeed? After all these decades, it seems like we’ve made little to no progress in solving, much less managing, the big issues of our time. From climate change to systemic racism, we have mostly come up short. We seem to have run out of imagination and are perhaps too stuck in old-think to be the change we want in the world. In their graduation speeches, Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey have called you “the chosen ones.” Malala Yousafzai believes: “When we go through some tough challenges we learn about who we are and what we value in our life.” And as President Obama declared in his inimitable way: “If the world is going to get better, it’s going to be up to you ... this is your time to seize the initiative. More than ever this is your moment, your generation’s world to shape.” And so it is. Ave atque vale (hail and farewell)! Be great. Spark joy. Make your life matter. And stay in touch.
Little If Any June 1 Looting in Georgetown BY PEGGY SAN D S “There was no apparent looting or destr uction in Georgetown on Monday n ig ht,” accord i ng to Georgetow n Bu si ne s s I m p r ove me nt D i s t r ic t CEO Joe Ster nlieb, who toured the neighborhood’s commercial blocks at 6:30 a.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. on June 1. “It seems that a group of about 150 protesters were stopped from coming in at around 26th and M Streets by police after 7 p.m., when the mayor’s emergency curfew took place. There may have been some intended looters in the crowd, but they did n’t get through.” Shop owners had been preparing for possible looting all day on Monday. From Q Street and the Georgetown Club south on Wisconsin Avenue, and west and east along M Street, the majority of shops — several with shat tered glass fronts — were being f itted for heavy boards to cover windows and sometimes the entire storefront. By evening, almost all Georgetown shops and businesses were boarded up, as if ready for a hur ricane. Some store ow ners went f u r ther, hiring private security (or in some cases buff f r iends) to stand g uard over night. “But that may not be enough,” owners and managers of the Major boutique and Salon Pejman, who did not want to be fully identif ied, told The Georgetowner. “We were there last night. We watched as a dozen cars, mostly with non-D.C. licenses … full of looters drove up to the shops. There was nothing we could do, as they worked in teams of up to 40 men and women dressed in black with masks, f irst tearing down plywood bar riers, smashing windows with heavy tools they had brought with them from the cars and r unning into the stores en masse, grabbing ever ything they could f ind. Then they piled back into cars and left. Took maybe 10 minutes. A lone police off icer came and caught one of the looters, but that was all. We caught it all on video sur veillance.”
O t her store ow ner s told T he Georgetowner they had seen people they believed to be scouters on the cor ner of P St reet and Wisconsin Avenue, as the CVS across the street was being covered by boarding and the Ella-Rue and Sam’s shops were assessing their losses from the looting the night before. Similar descr iptions of masses of organized looters were shared on Facebook by witnesses on P Street — near Morgan Phar macy, which was broken into on Sunday night — and on Dumbar ton Street, around the cor ner from Wisconsin Avenue, where much of the looting took place. “From my obser vations, this had nothing to do with legitimate protest or even protest that spontaneously er upted, or was incited, into a mob or random looting,” wrote longtime Georgetown resident David Abrams. “With businesses hit and no police in sight on Sunday night, now residents a re f r ig htened or at least ver y concer ned.” “You would be stunned to lear n the low number of police patrols over night in nor mal times,” Democratic State Committee member and Georgetown resident Monica Roaché w rote The Georgetowner. “I apologize that it got to this point,” said District 2 Commander Duncan Bedlion of the Met ropolitan Police Depar t ment at the Ju ne 1 meeting (via Zoom) of Advisor y Neighborhood Com m ission 2E. “Ton ig ht, ever y police off icer in our district, including ad mi nist rators, have been ordered on patrol. That amounts to about 35 additional off icers in the Georgetown area, added to the four or f ive that nor mally patrol at night. We may be stopping cars tr ying to come in after the 7 p.m. curfew to conf ir m if the drivers and passengers are essential workers or have legitimate business.” Police made a number of ar rests, especially around the Dupont Circle area, for curfew violations, Bedlion said.
What signs of hope have you seen lately?
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THE VILLAGE
A New Role: Chef de Quarantine BY C AR RINGTON C. TA R R As the mayor’s stay-at-home order is gradually lifted and we begin to reengage in everyday activities, I find myself reflecting back on these last few weeks and months under quarantine. We’ve spent our days cooped up in our respective caves and cages, seeking ways to escape. We’ve donned masks and gone for walks, worked puzzles, mainlined Netf lix, called college pals, clinked cocktail glasses over Zoom, done yoga in our living rooms. Despite all these attempts, there has been no denying that we have been escaping. Much of our lives has been stuck on pause, as if trapped in a freeze-frame. And yet, throughout it all, to quote Robert Frost, “life — it goes on.” We have existed insularly, our days and moments distilled down to quotidian activities. Mine have included frequent texting with our three teenagers — those nocturnal creatures residing deep in their rooms — with chores for the day or questions about lost and found objects: “Who took my phone cord?” “Whose glass is this?” “Someone, please walk the dog!” (No wonder they’ve been in hiding.) Despite my family’s tendency to retreat to our respective personal spaces during the day, we’ve spent more time together, largely because of dinner. Before the quarantine, I mostly viewed this event, put on and presented by me, as drudgery, as a duty that has been known to engender resentment by yours truly. To quote a friend, my attitude was, only half-joking, “You need to eat, again?” But, suddenly, it was as if I’d been
given a chance for a do-over. I’ve metamorphosed into “Provider Mom,” that maternal presence who comforts like an oversized cardigan, who actually thinks about dinner before 5 p.m., who cooks from a recipe and scours the food section for delectable-sounding dishes. I’ve even printed out recipes, for goodness’ sake. And saved them in a box! What has been happening? Why haven’t I resented all the grocery shopping, the cooking, the general taking-care-of? I mean, it’s not like I’m a completely different person — I’m still more Bridget Jones than Julia Child — but amid slinging pots and splattering sauces, I have managed to get dinner on the table most nights, and even enjoy it. What’s up with that? Well, for one thing, I’ve had more time on my hands. No longer what I call a “stayin-the-car mom,” I’ve become, literally, a stay-at-home mom. My “workday” of driving to and fro (one teen still doesn’t have a license) no longer starts early, ramps up in the afternoon and continues into the evening, which also happens to be dinnertime. Instead, the husband and kids have been home all day, wandering into the kitchen intermittently, nosing about in the fridge with the same refrain: “Is there anything to eat?” All of a sudden, I’ve been forced to focus on the reality that five humans under one roof need to eat multiple times a day. More than that, though, I’ve been savoring this found time with offspring I would normally have seen only fleetingly. Before the quarantine, our son, taking a year off before starting college, was studying and working in Spain, and our
Courtesy Pexels twin daughters were typical high-schoolers with myriad activities and homework. We held family dinners as their schedules allowed. But in this “new normal,” we’ve been gathering for a meal most evenings and running into each other randomly during the day. (I can’t imagine having to test my homeschooling skills, and empathize with parents of younger kids.) We’ve played a few rowdy rounds of poker and watched some favorite shows. But mostly, we’ve been together at the table. The meal has never been what I would call relaxing. Often, the decibel level has reached a pitch that induces indigestion, and I’ve found myself constantly admonishing certain people about not talking with their mouths open, putting
napkins in their laps (still!) and sitting with both feet on the floor. We’ve endured a lot of talking over each other, interrupting, laughing and occasional arguing. But when I’ve caught my husband’s eye during these cacophonous times, I know that we have been and still are silently, together, grateful for all of it. Overall, I’ve been thankful that, so far, we have remained healthy and that my husband still has a job — and I’ve ached for those who are not and who do not. I have resisted the urge to avoid all bad news; we need to know the bad news, the suffering of others. And we must celebrate the heroes, those front-line workers risking their lives. I have tried to contribute in various ways and feel fortunate that I can afford to buy groceries. I know that the tiny inconveniences we’ve experienced, compared to what many others face, are just that: miniscule. But in the shuttered space where I reside, I have strived to do my part by offering comfort in cooking, hopefully brightening my family’s days a bit. Usually, one of the kids has been saying a blessing before dinner, and often that has included a “thank you to Mom” for the meal. I can’t deny that hasn’t been gratifying to hear. Yet I realize it’s not the reason for my role as Chef de Quarantine. Maybe for me this hasn’t been a do-over, exactly. But in these uncertain and troubling times, it has been the one thing I’ve known for sure I can do in the present moment — and hopefully, as the outside world slowly unfurls before us, in future moments, too.
Resort Travel: What to Expect BY STE PHANIE GREE N As my home state of Florida is steadily reopening all of its counties, I f led our locked-down swamp to see what life is like on the other side of Phase One. Gov. Ron DeSantis has been among the most bullish — and criticized — leaders on COVID recover y, greenlighting salons and gyms and allowing restaurants and shops to operate nearly at full capacity. So what does this new world look like? What can you expect when you head to the Sunshine State, or on a weekend jaunt to states in our region that are also reopening? The Greenbrier in West Virginia, for example, has welcomed back guests, and the Historic Cavalier Hotel & Beach Club in Virginia Beach is now back in business. On May 8, I depar ted Reagan National Airport, which was as desolate as Georgetown in August. Air por t operations seemed to be humming along until I boarded my connecting f light in Dallas and was sandwiched between two passengers without masks, which most airlines have unfortunately made optional.
I was fortunate to stay at the seaside Embassy Suites by Hilton at St. Augustine Beach, which never closed, but has instituted COVID-era protocols you can expect at most resorts going forward. Housekeeping has been modified to door exchanges of trash, towels and amenities. You can request these at any time. Staff does not enter your room. If
Courtesy Stephanie Green
you require assistance, you are asked to step outside while they do their work, to allow for social distancing. My hotel check-in representative, waitstaff and valet wore masks, without exception. This does dampen the hospitality and personal attention of a resort experience, but is a necessary adjustment. The morning buffet will likely be a relic of the past, as hotel managers have moved to serve breakfast in large ballrooms, either with to-go boxes or in-house dining six feet away from other tables. Plastic menus in Florida, and I imagine in other places, have been replaced by disposable sheets. Another mitigation you can look forward to: reduced entrée offerings, since the numbers of staffers and customers are only a fraction of what they once were. Al f resco dining, even in the sweltering heat, will be prefer red. T here’s something less awk ward about eating outdoors than being sequestered inside from your fellow diners. Although we can’t be sure being outside keeps us safer, there is something comforting about it.
With all the new restrictions, the beach is the perfect metaphor for happier days ahead. Pets are frolicking, frisbees are f lying, fishing lines are casting and sandcastles are assembling. Poolside, the scene is equally sanguine. Most sun worshipers keep a respectful distance from one another in the pool and the hot tub, which will be open when you travel. If this idea makes you squeamish, remember that most hotels are only one-third occupied or less; crowding won’t be a problem any time soon. Down at the St. Augustine Marina, surrounding the city’s signature Bridge of Lions, boats are sailing. Tours, like the one I took with St. Augustine Scenic Cr uise on the Victory, are cr uising along, albeit with ewer mates. This experience, I have lear ned, teaches you the essence of a good traveler: f lowing with the vicissitudes of your journey, but finding contentment in your ultimate destination. As we navigate travel in a postCOVID world, we can learn from the Florida beaches. The tide ebbs and f lows, we adjust and adapt, but we always even out. GMG, INC.
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“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
We Shall Overcome BY RO BE RT DEVA NEY
Last year, we marked the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans arriving in the English settlement that would become Virginia. Abolished piecemeal in the North in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and made illegal nationwide with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865, slavery lingered as a stain on the American fabric. Its legacy persists to this day in the form of racism, whether intentional, subtle or — equally regrettably — habitual. Is America capable of moving beyond this original sin? Many institutions, including Georgetown University, are uncovering histories of past injustice, uprooting unacceptable behavior and looking for ways to make right so many wrongs. But even those who point to signs of progress are frustrated by the seemingly endless setbacks in the country’s long and drawnout struggle. Among the most painful facets of racism is police officers’ unconscionable treatment of African Americans, men in particular. Since the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014 and Freddie Gray in Baltimore in 2015, we have seen a literally outrageous number of police-involved fatalities. A very incomplete list: Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Dean, George Floyd, Eric Garner, William Green, Atatiana Jefferson, David McAtee, Ariane McCree, Sean Reed, 10 JUNE 3, 2020
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Breonna Taylor, Steven Demarco Taylor, Breonna Taylor. And who knows what we don’t see because it wasn’t caught on video? George Floyd’s unjustifiable and horrific death on May 25 has brought America to what may be a breaking point. People of all colors, seeing more clearly than ever how racism has been the foundation for many inequities, are marching together for change, chanting: “Black Lives Matter,” “I Can’t Breathe” and “No Justice, No Peace.” Other timely words: “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” Incorrectly credited to Benjamin Franklin, the quote yet contains truth. Greek author Plutarch, in his “Parallel Lives,” written at the start of the second century, attributed a similar sentiment to Solon, a poet and statesman of seven centuries earlier: “Being asked, namely, what city was best to live in, ‘That city,’ he replied, ‘in which those who are not wronged, no less than those who are wronged, exert themselves to punish the wrongdoers.’” In the words of a wise and just American, Abraham Lincoln: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And another such American, Martin Luther King Jr., in “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?,” wrote the following: “The ultimate weakness of violence is
that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy, instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” On the night of King’s assassination, Robert Kennedy said: “What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.” Kennedy, too, was assassinated in that fateful, awful year, 1968, more than 50 years ago. Last week, former President Barack Obama advised: “We should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about
it. But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels ... The bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.” And just days ago, Terrence Floyd pleaded, “Do this peacefully, please,” at the spot in Minneapolis where his brother George died at the hands of police officers. “If I’m not over here blowing up stuff, messing up my community, what are you all doing?” We have arrived at this point entirely of our own doing. There will always be opportunists who take advantage of a crisis — from the looters of stores to the abusers of Paycheck Protection Program loans. We do not need professional revolutionaries or agitators. Still, the fact remains that it’s time for racism to go away. And it is the job of every American to help make it happen. We are all facing multiple pandemics — medical, social, economic, environmental — and it will take all of us, our hearts and our intellects, to solve these problems. Only we can save ourselves and our nation, and, if not now, when?
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BE A HERO
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
How to Fund Racial Justice George Floyd Memorial Fund
Official GoFundMe to support the Floyd family: gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
Black visions collective
A black, trans, and queer-led organization that is committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence, and shifting the public narrative to create transformative, long-term change. blackvisionsmn.org
Campaign zero
Online platform and organization that utilizes research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America. joincampaignzero.org
Reclaim the block
Coalition that advocates for and invests in community-led safety initiatives in Minneapolis neighborhoods.
If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that newspapers and news gathering matter. More than we could even imagine. Yet, even before the pandemic, local newspapers were suffering. The old revenue model – advertising – had shifted, which meant producing the paper you hold in your hands was harder than ever. So let’s not go there. Let’s support local papers like The Georgetowner so they – and we – can continue to bring you the news you need and look for. Be a hero. Keep the presses rolling and the pixels going. Become a Georgetowner stakeholder today.
THANK YOU TO OUR HEROES SO FAR
EDITORIAL PARTNER Friends of Volta Park Grayson & Company John & Kristen Lever Richard Murphy
BYLINER Robyn and Leon Andris Carp For Success, LLC Gertraud Hechl Coleman Jackson Pamla Moore Lisa Rossi St. John’s Church, Georgetown
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ADVOCATE
Minnesota Freedom Fund
Community based nonprofit that pays criminal bail and immigration bonds for individuals who have been arrested while protesting police brutality. minnesotafreedomfund.org
Nelson Cunningham Diane Eames Elizabeth Friedman Georgetown Village Peter Higgins JAB Holding Company Mapping Geogetown Skip Moosher
Unicorn riot
Stephanie Bothwell Urban and Landscape Design
Nonprofit organization that is dedicated to exposing root causes of dynamic social and environmental issues. unicornriot.ninja
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MAY 2020 SALES
PROVIDED BY WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES
REAL ESTATE ADDRESS
SUBDIVISION/NEIGHBORHOOD
3303 Water St NW #3A 4845 Hutchins Pl NW 2519 Massachusetts Ave NW 2660 Connecticut Ave NW #4C 5305 Dorsett Pl NW 4891 Macarthur Blvd NW 4005 Highwood Ct NW 3333 35th St NW 1803 Phelps Pl NW 2101 Connecticut Ave NW #75 7076 Oregon NW 3732 Chesapeake St NW 5118 Lowell Ln NW 5140 Tilden St NW 3228 Woodley Rd NW 2230 Decatur Pl NW 419 U St NW 2800 O St NW 2811 Foxhall Rd NW 1333 T St NW 2318 44th St NW 3718 Garfield St NW 940 T St NW 4802 Foxhall Cres NW 5119 Cathedral Ave NW 1508 P St NW 1005 P St NW 3745 Winfield Ln NW 3916 McKinley St NW 2104 Vermont Ave NW 2947 Tilden St NW 1536 44th St NW 4010 Warren St NW 3814 Jenifer St NW 2242 Hall Pl NW 3217 Reservoir Rd NW 5901 Nebraska Ave NW 2019 13th St NW 1405 NW 5th St NW 2900 K St NW #605 1927 15th St NW 1308 Farragut St NW
GEORGETOWN PALISADES KALORAMA WOODLEY PARK PALISADES KENT HILLANDALE CLEVELAND PARK KALORAMA KALORAMA HAWTHORNE WAKEFIELD KENT SPRING VALLEY CLEVELAND PARK KALORAMA LEDROIT PARK GEORGETOWN WESLEY HEIGHTS LOGAN / U STREET WESLEY HEIGHTS OBSERVATORY CIRCLE SHAW FOXHALL CRESCENT KENT LOGAN CIRCLE LOGAN CIRCLE GEORGETOWN CHEVY CHASE OLD CITY #2 FOREST HILLS FOXHALL VILLAGE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK CHEVY CHASE GLOVER PARK GEORGETOWN CHEVY CHASE U STREET CORRIDOR SHAW NONE AVAILABLE U STREET CORRIDOR 16TH STREET HEIGHTS
BEDS
FULL BATH
HALF BATH
LIST PRICE
CLOSE P
2 6 4 3 5 7 5 5 5 3 6 5 5 5 7 3 4 3 6 5 5 5 4 10 4 4 3 4 4 3 5 5 4 3 4 3 6 4 3 2 5 6
2 5 3 3 4 7 4 3 5 2 6 6 4 4 4 5 4 3 6 4 3 3 4 6 4 3 2 4 3 1 4 3 3 2 3 3 4 3 3 2 3 5
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
$3,295,000 $3,100,000 $3,250,000 $3,050,000 $2,795,000 $2,295,000 $2,700,000 $2,300,000 $2,300,000 $2,595,000 $2,450,000 $2,150,000 $2,250,000 $2,100,000 $1,900,000 $1,975,000 $1,950,000 $1,950,000 $2,100,000 $1,949,000 $1,835,000 $1,824,900 $1,800,000 $1,800,000 $1,775,000 $1,475,000 $1,650,000 $1,674,900 $1,669,000 $1,600,000 $1,500,000 $1,495,000 $1,489,900 $1,495,000 $1,495,000 $1,495,000 $1,475,000 $999,000 $1,299,000 $1,395,000 $1,280,000 $1,320,000
$3,150, $3,025, $2,950, $2,900, $2,795, $2,410, $2,400, $2,310, $2,300, $2,287, $2,275, $2,272, $2,150, $2,020, $1,970, $1,925, $1,900, $1,900, $1,875, $1,830, $1,820, $1,800, $1,771, $1,740, $1,695, $1,653, $1,650, $1,640, $1,620, $1,600, $1,535, $1,525, $1,500, $1,495, $1,495, $1,455, $1,395, $1,308, $1,300, $1,300, $1,280, $1,275,
IT’S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO SEE THE
Beauty of Life at Ingleside
These days, it’s more important than ever to be connected. Ingleside at Rock Creek is now offering flexible options to stay in touch and learn about the community. Speak with an Ingleside marketing team professional, and view photos and videos of the new Creekside residences. Discover an engaging life at Ingleside at Rock Creek. SCHEDULE YOUR VIRTUAL APPOINTMENT TODAY!
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INGLESIDE AT ROCK CREEK
202-407-9676 // www.ircdc.org
Ingleside at Rock Creek is a not-for-profit, CARF-accredited, SAGECare-certified, life plan community.
REAL ESTATE
Splendor in the Grass A GRAND GEORGETOWN MANOR WITH LUSH GROUNDS ARE SUCH THINGS AS DREAMS ARE MADE OF BY SU S A N BODIKE R It was, after all, a garden where Eve first met temptation. And it is the gardens — extensive, varied and winningly landscaped — that create such a captivating setting for the distinctive brick and clapboard Federal at 1224 30 St. NW in Georgetown. The home has a long and distinguished history. The original house was built in 1840. Almost a century later, the current configuration was assembled by Illinois congresswoman Ruth McCormick, whose own CV was equally impressive. McCormick served on the executive committee of the Republican National Committee, was featured on Time magazine’s cover in 1928 and ran for Senate in 1930. Ownership then passed from Scottie Fitzgerald (F. Scott and Zelda’s daughter) to Nancy and Gordon Gray, who served as secretary of the Army under President Truman, national security adviser to President Eisenhower, president of the University of North Carolina and chairman of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Grays — both widowed with three children apiece — no doubt appreciated
the spaciousness of the home, which lent itself to entertaining on a grand scale while embracing more intimate family life. Today, the compound sits on a 30,000-square-foot lot and offers 11,100 interior square feet of living space. The main house includes 10 bedrooms, six and a half baths, 12 working wood-burning fireplaces with unique decorative surrounds, a living room, a library and dining and breakfast rooms. Also on the property: a separate guesthouse with four bedrooms and three baths, a “playhouse” for children and for adult events and activities, two greenhouses, a garden pavilion/reading room, a heated pool beside a pool house with his-and-her changing areas, two two-car garages and a large motor court. All this is set within a half-acre of terraced, ivy-walled, boxwood, herb and floral gardens designed by well-known landscape architects of their day: Rose Greely, one of the first American women to be licensed as an architect, and Perry Wheeler, whose commissions include plantings for the National Cathedral and for
The clapboard house on the right is the original dwelling. The brick homes to the left were combined in 1930. Courtesy HomeVisit. President Kennedy’s gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery. The estate is on the market for $12,800,000. Only inside the home does one become aware just how deep and wide it is. The entrance foyer opens to the right into a small alcove (once quaintly called the “telephone room”) with a fireplace and a powder room. To the left is the living room — boasting two fireplaces with carved marble surrounds — which flows into a library with built-in cabinetry and bookshelves. A concealed doorway straight out of Agatha Christie reveals a private stone spiral staircase, leading up to the bedrooms on the second level and to staff quarters next door. Original wide-planked oak flooring, crown and decorative millwork and ceiling medallions run throughout. There is also a kitchen — now gutted for future renovation — the formal dining room and a breakfast room with a domed ceiling and access to the
conservatory and gardens. Off the library is the conservatory, with terra-cotta floor tiles, lattice walls, a fountain and three sets of French doors that open into the gardens, still blooming with azaleas and irises and scented with lavender and rosemary. Each of the five green spaces has a special element — a fountain, statuary or paths laid with bricks or flagstones — connecting interior and exterior (main house, greenhouse, playhouse, pool) in an organic way. Large bedrooms, mostly with en-suite baths and all with fireplaces, take up the second and third levels. This unique historic home, with exceptional potential for redesign and reconfiguration, is offered at $12.8 million and is listed with Washington Fine Properties. For details, contact Chuck Holzwarth at 202-285-2616 or chuck. holzwarth@wfp.com. For a visual tour, visit tour.homevisit.com/view/286856.
A view of the formal boxwood gardens and the bowling green. Courtesy HomeVisit.
Historic Home in Georgetown 3 Bedrooms • 3 Baths • Two-Car Parking • Roof Deck Double-Sized, Landscaped Yard • 2,490 Square Feet
$2,150,000 MLS# DCDC460056
Michelle Galler (703) 217-9405 mgaller@chatel.us
CHATEL R E A L E S TAT E
The “playhouse” with rustic beams and fanciful tiled fireplace. Courtesy HomeVisit. GMG, INC.
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CLASSIFIEDS / SERVICE DIRECTORY
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Private duty Registered Nurse and Team with over 25 years experience and exceptional record. Available for 24 hours in home care. We specialize in companionship care, medication management, wound care, ostomy care, incontinence care, G-tube, diabetic care and general home management. Please contact Dawn or Gillian at 301467-3448 or 240-413-6748.
GEORGETOWN APARTMENTS
One bedroom apartment, renting for $2,085/mo. has garden, fireplace, laundry, dishwasher, numerous closets and northsouth exposures. Another one bedroom apartment, with excellent natural light, renting for $1,770, is also available. One year leases required. (202) 333-5943.
HANDYMAN SERVICES Carpentry Plaster & Drywall Doors/Windows Cabinets/Shelves Counter Tops Painting/Finishing And much more
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KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB
‘The Story I Am: Mad About the Writing Life’ ACCLAIMED AUTHOR AND ESSAYIST ROGER ROSENBLATT MINES HIS PERSONAL OEUVRE R EVIEWE D BY KIT T Y K E LLE Y If the definition of wunderkind is to teach writing at Harvard at the age of 25, meet Roger Rosenblatt. He decided when he was “almost three years old” that he wanted to be a writer, and promptly ascended into the literary stratosphere, earning a Ph.D. in literature and writing short stories, essays, articles, speeches, plays, books and poetry. He was a columnist for the Washington Post, editor of U.S. News, literary editor of the New Republic and director of education for the National Endowment for the Humanities. For three decades, he wrote essays for Time magazine, including a cover essay, “A Letter to the Year 2086,” chosen for the time capsule placed inside the Statue of Liberty at its centennial. His essays for the “PBS NewsHour” won two George Polk Awards, a Peabody and an Emmy. Now, at 80, Rosenblatt has written his 20th book, from his lofty perch as distinguished professor of English and writing at Stony Brook University on Long Island. As one can see from the cover, the title confuses. Big red letters blare “THE STORY I AM,” while smaller black ones murmur, “Mad About the Writing Life.” Be assured that both are appropriate. Rosenblatt has culled from his previously published oeuvre to write this book, proving that he’s indeed “mad about the writing life,” particularly his own, which more than validates the big red “I.” Not a man stooped by modesty, Rosenblatt writes of his trip to Dublin to study with Frank O’Connor, the great Irish short-story writer who idolized William Butler Yeats. O’Connor, also unencumbered by insecurity, spoke often of his relationship with Yeats, always putting himself on the same high rung. Rosenblatt writes: “I shall never forget the day he told me, ‘Roger, you are the best writer since me and Yeats.’ Such a wise man, O’Connor.” In addition to O’Connor, Rosenblatt name-drops E. L. Doctorow, Alex Haley and James Salter, all once blessed to be in his circle, while he archly dismisses William Strunk and E. B. White, calling their “Elements of Style” a “mere grammar guide,” hardly worth reading. Just when you’re tempted to throw Rosenblatt’s book into the bin marked Egoistic Excess, you land on words that expand your heart. “Until my daughter, Amy, died, I had always believed that good things would simply befall me … I’d led a charmed life but then …,” he writes. Ten years ago, the wunderkind and his wife were walloped by the worst that can befall parents, forced to bury their 38-yearold daughter, a pediatrician, whose sudden death left behind a husband and three young children. Without hesitation, the 70-year-
old grandparents moved in to help their surviving family. Rosenblatt does not believe in God, so he could not derive comfort from religious faith. In fact, he declares, “My anger at God remains unabated.” Instead, he writes to keep his daughter alive, to keep death at bay, to make life endurable. “As a young writer, I was the dandiest cleverest wit and wise guy — a cinch if one possesses the meager gifts,” he writes. “But … after witnessing enough pain and plain courage in the world, I simply reversed course and started writing about the life before my eyes.” He’s borrowed well from a lifetime of learning, sprinkling his prose with the poetry of Roethke, Stevens and Wordsworth. Occasionally, he waves his own wand to hyphenate words most effectively, as in: “The Spaldeen-moon hangs low,” “turrets that look like witch-hat tops” and “day hook-slides into night.” He believes that all writing is essay writing, “an endless attempt at finding beauty in horror, nobility in want — an effort to punish, reward and love all things human that naturally resist punishments, rewards and love.” As a writer, Rosenblatt feels he’s improved because of his daughter’s death, stating: “My work is sharper now, and more careful. Happily would I trade all the books I’ve written … for one moment with my daughter Amy alive, but since that bargain is impossible, I write to fill the void her death created.” And he shares his creativity with his graduate students, once giving each a flower and instructing them to write a one-page essay about what it smelled like. “Follow your nose,” he told them. “You will plunder the past to explain the present and make the present more intense.” This book of writing fragments — some chapters are a page, others a paragraph — is not to be read for instruction. Rather, it’s a hymn of praise for the craft of weaving words in order to survive, which Roger Rosenblatt sings to himself with style and grace. 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.”
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