The Georgetowner: August 18, 2021 Issue

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VOLUME 67 NUMBER 11

AUGUST 18 - SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

D C’ S APPROVE D BU D G ET $17. 5 B I LLIO N D EAD BO DY PU LLE D FRO M C&O CANAL

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IN THIS ISSUE

IN THIS ISSUE

ABOUT THE COVER

A homeless woman, who identified herself as Sharon, arrived in D.C. for the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol — and never left. Originally from Minnesota, she currently has no fixed address. Sharon is a self-proclaimed Trump supporter and anti-vaxxer. Pictured on Virginia Avenue near the Kennedy Center, Watergate and Embassy of Saudi Arabia. The Georgetowner also visited a cluster of tents sitting near the on ramps to Rock Creek Parkway and the Whitehurst Freeway. Photo by Greg “Fritz” Blakey of Fritz PhotoGraphics.

NEWS · 5 - 7 Town Topics

EDITORIAL/OPINION · 8

Hope for the Homeless? Accountability by and for All? D.C.’s Approved 2022 Budget Fueled by Fed Funds

PUBLISHER Sonya Bernhardt

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert Devaney

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Peggy Sands

MANAGING EDITOR Christopher Jones

FEATURES EDITORS Ari Post FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Lauretta McCoy GRAPHIC DESIGN Troy Riemer PHOTOGRAPHERS Philip Bermingham Jeff Malet

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

THE VILLAGE · 9

ADVERTISING & MARKETING Kate Oczypok Kate Sprague

COVER · 10 - 11

1050 30th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Phone: (202) 338-4833 Fax: (202) 338-4834 www.georgetowner.com

How D.C.’s AG Racine Tackles Issues of Housing and Homelessness

We Spoke with D.C.’s Homeless Resident Councilmember Pinto and Georgetown BID Pursue Humane Tent Encampment Strategies

“The Newspaper Whose Influence Far Exceeds Its Size” — Pierre Cardin The Georgetowner is published in print monthly with an online newsletter supplement posted twice per week — On Mondays we highlight news and on Thursdays goings on about town. 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.

REAL ESTATE · 12 - 13

Creative License July 2021 Real Estate Sales

BUSINESS · 14 Ins & Outs

IN COUNTRY · 15

Please send submissions of opinions for consideration to: editorial@georgetowner.com

Annapolis: This Old Town Is Feeling Very New

FOOD & WINE · 16

CALL TYPE: FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

Latest Dish For Seafood Entrepreneur Greg Casten, the Point is ‘The Point’

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CLASSIFIEDS · 17

ENTRY DEADLINE: 9/7/21

Service Directory

BOOK CLUB · 18

Kitty Kelley Book Club

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THE GEORGETOWNER CALL FOR FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

We invite artists from around the world to capture the landscapes and distinct environments of our nation’s capital. Photographs of our vibrant shops, monuments, unique statues, waterways, parks, and residences all bathed in the spectacular light that fills our city. The winning photograph will be featured on the cover of The Georgetowner in October 2021. Judges: Philip Bermingham, Tony Powell, Jeff Malet with more details to come. Sign-up on June 20, 2021 via Georgetowner.com.

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Wrecked car on the 2800 block of M Street NW. Photo by Peggy Sands.

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TOWN TOPICS

NEWS

Georgetown Schools Open August 30 with Masks BY PEG GY SA NDS Public schools in Georgetown are opening Monday August 30. To all registered students. In-person. With full all-day programs including sports. Teachers will be required to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 19 or undergo weekly self-testing for Covid-19. And everyone is required to be masked. Georgetown’s Hyde-Addison school will have a “Sneak-peek” school day Saturday afternoon Aug. 29 and open for grades K-5 on Monday. Pre-K3-4 classes will start Thursday Sept. 2. Parents interviewed by The Georgetowner about the school openings seemed to be ecstatic about it. “My kids are just happy to be able to go back to school. There’s no problem wearing masks,” exclaimed Martin Walker, just past-president of the Ward 2 Education Council who has three teenagers just graduated from Hardy Middle School and going to Wilson High School. “I’ve not heard any parents complain about their kids having to wear a mask all day in school.”

“Kids are used to wearing masks now,” said Kishan Putta, Georgetown/Burleith Neighborhood Council commissioner whose son will be entering pre-school this year. “They adjust. In fact, I have teenage family members who don’t want to take them off.” In-person school is just so important, Putta and Walker agreed. Students need in-person learning. While they acknowledged there are some downsides to wearing masks, they believe those are temporary. Both parents dismissed the lack of studies to date about the effectiveness of mask-wearing by children and their seemingly natural immunity to Covid. “Children can still transmit the virus even if they don’t get it themselves,” Putta said. D.C. Mayor Bowser imposed the mask mandate and vaccination requirements at the end of July for all public employees, including teachers, police and sanitation workers until October 2020. Then it can be renewed or withdrawn. “The orders were made out of concern that since the beginning of July, there

Courtesy DCPS. had been a five-fold increase in the city’s daily Covid case rate, mainly from the highly contagious Delta variant. “The increase was attributable to an uptick in cases in two age groups –- 5-to-14 and 20-to-34” reported Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, head of D.C. Health Department. But hospitalization rates in the District are low and there have been close to zero deaths recorded for weeks due to Covid. Nationally, over 95 percent of those who are hospitalized by Covid variants have not been vaccinated. The vaccination order could not apply

to teachers and staff at public charter and private schools -- where nearly half of all school-aged children in D.C. attend. But most schools are expected to comply with the city ruling, according to education officials. “Most teachers want to go back to in-person teaching,” said Walters. “They just want the schools to be safe.” Asked in a press conference about enforcement, Mayor Bowser said that D.C. residents had “been supportive throughout this and have been willing to follow D.C. guidance. This is not a big lift for a lot of folks.”

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TOWN TOPICS

Body Removed From C&O Canal BY R OBE RT DEVA NEY A body was pulled out of the C&O Canal between 33rd and 34th Streets NW on July 23. Metropolitan Police Department investigators were on the scene with a tent on the towpath at the foot of the mule bridge that goes over the canal at 34th Street, which was blocked by police cruisers on M Street. The towpath was also closed. The body was moved over the bridge to a vehicle waiting on 34th Street,

next to Francis Scott Key Park, just east of Key Bridge. An observer said that the body appeared to be that of a white male, of an undetermined age. There are no details yet on cause of death or how long ago the death occurred or by which means. MPD told The Georgetowner that there was no evidence of foul play.

A body recovered from the C&O Canal is moved over the mule bridge to a vehicle on 34th Street. Georgetowner photo.

D.C. Water Project to Improve Health of the Potomac BY R OBE RT DEVA NEY Activity along K Street and Water Street on the Georgetown waterfront never seems to stop — whether people, bikes, cars or utility crews. This time, DC Water contractors are doing their part in the Clean Rivers Project, which is on the agenda for the Aug. 30 GeorgetownBurleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission Meeting. DC Water has begun a project in Georgetown to provide the area with separate pipes for stormwater and for sewage. “Called sewer separation, it keeps stormwater from entering the combined sewer system, which can overflow during rain events due to the larger volume,” according to the utility. Two weeks ago, DC Water sent out this notice: “This notice is to inform you that

construction is beginning at the 31st Street NW Project Site for the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Outfalls 025 and 026 Sewer Separation project. The work at this location includes installation of new sanitary sewers, storm water lines, manholes, sewer laterals, cleanouts, catch basins and relocation of existing watermain lines and is anticipated to be completed by Spring 2022. “The attached notice provides information regarding traffic, pedestrian, parking and bicycle impacts anticipated to begin on or after the week of July 19, 2021 for the first three phases of work along K Street NW and 31st Street NW. The detours and closures described in this notice are expected to remain in place from July to October 2021, weather permitting. The work is being phased to

minimize impacts to the community.” The following is more information, from DC Water. Sewer separation is just one component of the plan to mitigate combined sewer overflows to the Potomac River, and is part of the larger Clean Rivers Project that’s cleaning up all three waterways in the District. In the Potomac River sewershed, DC Water will use a multifaceted approach to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which contribute harmful bacteria, trash and other pollutants to the river. In addition to constructing a tunnel, DC Water is using sewer separation to reduce overflows from two CSO outfalls. Commenting on the project, DC Water CEO and General Manager David L. Gadis,

said, “DC Water’s sewer separation project in Georgetown is an important step in improving the health of the Potomac River. When the Potomac River Tunnel is completed by 2030, these two projects will reduce combined sewer overflows to the river by 92 percent.” The work includes installation of new sanitary sewers, storm water lines, manholes, sewer laterals, cleanouts and catch basins. DC Water will also relocate existing water mains at two sites along Wisconsin Avenue and 31st Street, NW. Additionally, the existing sewer regulator along the 48-inch Upper Potomac Interceptor will be modified. That work will take place on Water Street, NW, but all work is south of the C&O Canal. Construction begins this May and is slated for completion by September 2022.

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TOWN TOPICS

Wrecked car on the 2800 block of M Street NW. Photo by Peggy Sands.

Bizarre Crash on M St. Injures 3 BY PEG GY SA NDS At least three people were reported injured — one critically — on M and 29th Streets NW in Georgetown after being reportedly struck by a car July 22. “What could have been just a single car fender bender turned into a really bizarre series of collisions by a car that had turned sharp east onto M Street from 29th Street, crashed into a parked vehicle at the corner, and then made at least two 360-degree turns, smashing into parked vehicles and finally crossing the street and smashing into a tree in front of the CVS pharmacy,” said the owner of Say Cheese, Suzy Nabil at 1132 29th St. NW, who witnessed the entire incident. “I will never forget the screams that followed and then seeing a person tossed into

the air,” Nabil told the Georgetowner. “As people were running to help the pedestrians, I saw a woman get out of the first smashed car and frantically try to open the back door. When she got it open, she dragged out a baby from a car seat. The baby seemed O.K., but I was in total shock.” What seems so strange to Nabil was that the colliding vehicle seemed to be controlled by the driver making the 360-degree turns. It didn’t seem like an accident to her. But then again, she said, the driver didn’t seem to be aware enough to just stop the car. The Metropolitan Police Department closed the 2800 block of M Street NW for part of the day.

All Georgetown Bus Routes Saved, For Now BY PEG GY SA NDS The impacts of the Covid pandemic have been felt in almost every sector of the District’s economy and social life this past year, and none more so than public transportation. Since the District shutdown in March 2020, ridership on public transport fell more than fifty percent, and consequently so did service. In budget discussions this Spring, D.C. transit officials announced that due to lack of funds and ridership, they were proposing cutting back or ending Metro bus routes across the District including almost all of those that serve Georgetown and the popular D1, D2, D6 and G2 routes. Now it seems -- thanks almost entirely to federal COVID relief funds -- all of the Metro bus routes will not only be retained but also expanded with lower waiting times and more services. “I am thrilled that WMATA’s latest budget reflects the need to sustain bus routes and service levels through Georgetown including the D1, D6, and G2 routes,” Ward

2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto wrote The Georgetowner on Aug. 13. “The bus routes that service our city and connect residents, students, and workers through Georgetown are vitally important to ensuring affordable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable transit options. During the pandemic, ridership has been affected and we have made the case to WMATA that current demand should not drive decisions for service lines as we must continue to expand options for residents. We will continue to ask WMATA to ensure our bus and rail options are sustained and expanded.” The city budget that passed the City Council’s second vote on August 11 supported lower fares and more frequent service on the Metro underground system as well. Trains will operate every six minutes on the Red Line and every 12 minutes on other lines and service will expand to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays beginning in September. However, free service of the circulator bus’s six routes will continue only until Sept. 30. GMG, INC.

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EDITORIAL

POLITICS

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

Hope for the Homeless? The Amidah is one of the oldest prayers in the Jewish liturgy and in one of its most beautiful verses, it voices praise to the God who “keeps faith with those that sleep in the dust.” It is a stark and poignant reminder that the tragedy of homelessness has always been with us. Now it appears that this divine protection has been given a helping hand by the D.C. Council, whose 2022 budget underwrites “thousands of housing subsidies and program slots funded in part through federal coronavirus dollars and a tax increase on D.C.’s highest earners,” according to a recent analysis in Greater Greater Washington. “The Way Home,” as the program is called, will also make a significant investment in construction and rehabilitation of at least 3000 units of affordable housing, opening the door to a more secure future for 3500 households. It’s a start. Homelessness, as we don’t have to tell you, has exploded, not just in Washington but around the country. Covid-related job losses and evictions have added to the numbers of unhoused individuals and families, but other factors including untreated mental illness, addiction, systemic racism and

restrictive zoning laws have long contributed to a lack of affordable housing -- which is, by far, the primary cause of homelessness. Gentrification and changing demographics, primarily in cities, have made once-affordable neighborhoods stratospherically out of reach. In this month’s issue of The Georgetowner, we begin the first in a series of articles on homelessness in all its sorrowful dimensions. We tell the stories of men and women living on the streets and what brought them there. We explore what our representatives, BID and social service providers are doing to support them while protecting the equally important needs of neighborhood residents and businesses. And, in a conversation with Attorney General Karl Racine, we learn what actions are being taken to defend the rights of D.C.’s most vulnerable and stem the tide of homelessness. Budgets are moral documents and safe, affordable housing should be a right not a privilege. We are pleased by the Council’s actions and hope it marks the beginning of a more humane and effective policy. As Covid has shown, fate can change in an instant. Watch this space.

Accountability by and for All? As with past years, this is the summer of our discontent and our August of accountability. It is both down-the-street and half-a-worldaway. Like a new variant, neglected history or facts can whack you upside the head, whether the fall of Afghanistan, graveyard of empires, or a pandemic’s trickery to make us fight over masks and vaccines — or the specter of famine in remote parts of the world, or the challenge of homelessness right here in the nation’s capital. These are the summer days when vacations are called for — and call to us. The concerns of our times insist on our undivided attention and leave our heads spinning. If you thought you were taking a break, think again. We were prepared to opine on police brutality as well as the need to increase the number of officers in the Metropolitan Police Department. While acknowledging Black Lives Matter, we believe police need our full support. Yet it is sometimes the side issues that can tell the tale better. The D.C. budget puts money toward so-called violence interrupters and other community initiatives. A fine idea, but the nonpartisan and non-advocacy organization D.C. Witness in a July 30 Washington Post opinion piece argued that rather than 8 AUGUST 18, 2021

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being interrupted, violent crime was merely dispersed throughout the city. Publisher Amos Gelb — an associate of this newspaper — invited those involved to look at the numbers at dcwitness.org. “D.C. Witness is a six-year-old website that tracks every homicide in D.C. from initial act to judicial resolution, telling every story and gathering data about each case. The goal is to bring transparency and accountability to our city’s criminal-justice system and the policies implemented to reduce violent crime,” wrote Gelb, who insightfully added, “A recent report by the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform ... reviewed all D.C. violent crime reduction strategies and blasted the mayor and council’s approach as ineffective with more than 100 programs that often overlap and even compete with no evaluation. ‘D.C. is resource rich and coordination poor,’ it concluded.” We cite this particular debate as an example for those with the stated responsibility to accept full accountability, because it is not about doing more -- as in throwing money at a problem or putting boots on the ground without an accurate assessment of the threat landscape -- it’s about doing right with the relevant lessons and facts before us.

D.C. Approves $17.5 Billion Budget BY PEGGY SAN D S A slightly amended $17.5 billion, 2022 fiscal budget for the District of Columbia was approved unanimously by the D.C. Council in its second required vote on Aug. 10. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she would sign it even though several of her priorities – including funds to increase the number of police officers in the District – were not included. Also not included was a proposal by Georgetown’s Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto to fund and implement a 35-year, $140 million tax abatement for developers to convert vacant downtown office buildings into housing. The final budget, after months of negotiation, greatly expands spending on housing and homeless services and grants, increased payments and aid to low-income residents, while also funding incentive grants to businesses and some workers. It refocuses some law enforcement funding to violence interruption programs. A final change last week included an amendment that would significantly boost monthly tax credits for low-income families in the coming years. The historically high budget was fueled and made possible largely by an influx of federal funds particularly from pandemic emergency money – some of which was delayed in getting to the city because of its non-state status. Highlights of the new budget include about $5 million to hire new police officers – less than half of what the mayor requested for 170 new personnel. Much of the remainder of the $11 million public safety allocation would go toward violence interruption efforts. D.C. public and charter schools will receive a 3.6% increase in per-pupil funding as well as expanded school-based mental health programs. A last-minute repurposed $3.2 million also was approved to fund full time librarians in the 36 DCPS schools that do not have them. Job programs and training at the University of the District of Columbia will be funded. Salaries for early educators also will increase from the current $17 to $18 an hour. For small business relief, the new budget

includes $88 million, some to pay overdue rent. The often-criticized Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will be broken into two separate agencies to focus separately on consumer services and regulation enforcement. A tax increase on “wealthy” residents — those who make over $250,000 a year — will be used to expand the local tax credit to lowincome residents and families and pay out a “monthly refund” of up to $500 that many see as akin to a basic minimum income. A new “baby bonds” program will invest up to $600 a year into trust funds for residents under age 18, that can be used later to pay for college, start a business, or buy a house. That same tax on the wealthy will provide permanent housing for some 3,000 people in D.C. who are “currently experiencing homelessness.” A new $41 million fund would help residents who are currently living in the country without authorized immigration status and who did not receive any other federal assistance. Funding for building and preserving (i.e., repairing) affordable housing was dramatically increased to $400 million in the new budget. Some 2800 units of new housing are expected to be produced with the new funds. The council also approved help for the unemployed including to exempt unemployment benefits from D.C. income tax requirements. Some 10,000 residents who waited for more than two months to get their first unemployment benefits will get a onetime $500 payment. Analysts say much of the new budget focus – especially the increased city tax on the wealthy — was enabled by the 2020 election of two new progressive lawmakers to the City Council: Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) and Christina Henderson (I-At Large). The budget shows that the Council’s progressive wing can now wield some power, a Washington Post article concluded. The 2022 budget will take effect Oct. 21.


THE VILLAGE

How D.C.’s AG Racine Tackles Issues of Housing and Homelessness BY C HR IS TOP HER J O N E S What should be done about the crisis of housing and homelessness in the District? While many hold theories, the District’s Attorney General, Karl A. Racine wields powerful tools to address matters directly. With a team of nearly 700 lawyers and staff in 12 offices and divisions, Racine’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is charged statutorily with serving the “public interest” of the nation’s capital and Racine himself is committed to “applying the law creatively” on behalf of D.C. residents at risk of losing housing. The Georgetowner spoke with AG Racine recently to discuss his outlook, efforts and initiatives. In 2015, District voters elected Racine to become the city’s first elected Attorney General -- unlike most AGs around the country who are appointed. He’s now serving in his second 4-year term, having been reelected in 2018. Since his election, Racine has gained national prominence not only through the OAG’s multiple lawsuits against Trump organizations and his recent decision to require Covid vaccines for his workforce, but by his work as president of the bi-partisan National

Association of Attorneys General. Previously, he served as an Associate White House Counsel in the Clinton administration. He was also the first African-American managing partner of a top-100 American law firm, Venable LLP, and served for many years as an attorney for the D.C. Public Defender Service. Racine’s profile on the OAG’s website, outlines his public service roots. “Born in Haiti, Attorney General Racine came to the District at the age of three,” the bio reads. He “attended D.C. public schools, including Murch Elementary, Deal Junior High, and Wilson High, and graduated from St. John’s College High School. He earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was captain of the basketball team, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he volunteered in a legal clinic supporting the rights of migrant farm workers. His commitment to equal justice was inspired by his parents, who fled authoritarian rule in Haiti to start a better life in the United States, and by the lawyers of the Civil Rights Movement, who used the law to make positive social change.” Upon reelection in 2018, Racine posted on his profile his particular commitment to ensuring housing stability and economic

security for D.C. residents. He said he was “honored to serve again” and would “use the next four years to expand work on priorities, including preserving affordable housing, employing evidence-based juvenile justice reforms, cracking down on slumlords, holding unscrupulous employers accountable for wage-theft, and protecting consumers from scams and abusive business practices.” While the mandate of the OAG is to defend the District in lawsuits and provide legal advice to the Mayor, city agencies, and the D.C. council, the OAG’s “public interest” objective gives Racine leeway to address a range of complex issues that contribute to the problem of homelessness in the District -- from abusive landlords, to crime, to juvenile justice to fraudulent or illegal practices that put residents at risk of losing their homes. “We’re able to use the law in the public interest and that’s where we really focus our efforts when it comes to issues related to housing,” Racine told The Georgetowner. One of the principle pipelines into homelessness, Racine argues, involves abusive landlords finding ways to force tenants out so they can upscale their properties and demand

higher rents. “Unfortunately, there still remain slumlords in the District of Columbia,” Racine said, “and many of [them] have a business model where they literally purchase a building that has paying tenants or tenants who have paid via a [housing] subsidy and the longterm goal of these slumlords is to get those tenants out so that the properties can either be renovated or redeveloped and attract a whole new type of tenant that can pay higher rates.” So, AG Racine dispatches OAG lawyers to the scene. “Our lawyers go in and we hold those landlords, owners or management companies accountable for not providing a safe, inhabitable place to tenants who in some form or fashion are paying for that service,” he said. “Essential to that business model is not providing services for the existing tenants. So tenants are forced to live with leaky roofs, leaky basements, mold, all kinds of vermin, and other unsafe and uninhabitable conditions.” VISIT GEORGETOWNER.COM FOR THE FULL ARTICLE.

3010 CAMBRIDGE PLACE NW 3010 Cambridge is a meticulously maintained, four-level Victorian on sought after, tree-lined Cambridge Place in the heart of the East Village. The house is detached on three sides and offers hardwood floors, three fireplaces, high ceilings, and large rooms. You will find a large living room with a bay window overlooking Cambridge Place, a fireplace, and built-in bookshelves on the first floor. The large dining room has a second fireplace. The newly remodeled kitchen offers granite countertops and top of the line Bertazzoni stainless-steel appliances, and a view of the private rear garden. The top-level owner’s suite is beaming with light and has two walk-in closets, a primary bath with a double sink, a walk-in shower, a Jacuzzi bath, and heated floors. Top-level laundry. Two large bedrooms on the second floor with a shared hall bath. A family room on the lower level offers a fireplace and walk-out access to the back garden. A lower-level office or craft room completes the space—built-in bookshelves and cabinets throughout for storage and display. Elfa closets provide plenty of flexibility for clothing storage. Lovely back garden with flagstone patio and roof deck over the detached one-car parking garage. The garage is easily accessed by the side alley. Located close to M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, and only a block from Montrose and Dumbarton Oaks Parks. Within proximity to several historic house museums and Georgetown University for cultural events.

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We Spoke with D.C.’s Homeless Residents

Pg. 10: Encampment at the eastside entrance to Georgetown. Photo By Robert Devaney. Pg. 11: Encampment on Virginia Ave. by Kennedy Center Photo By Sonya Bernhardt; Lynn, a homeless woman at an encampment eats the food we brought and talks about her situation. She started to cry when she explained her husband had recently passed as did her best friend. Photo By Greg Blankenship.

BY KAT E OCZ Y P OK Most of us may not have noticed them — tent encampments popping up around the city. Family-size tents with furniture suggestive of more permanent stays. The unhoused people in the parks and in the fringes appear to be preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. They’re concerned about the upcoming winter, but know their stay in the area may be longer than they had expected. We visited a cluster of tents sitting above the on-ramps to the Rock Creek Parkway and Whitehurst Freeway. When we arrived, there was a middle-aged man sitting at a table, using a generator to power a fan to keep him cool and charge a phone that was sitting on a picnic table in front of him. The man was friendly, eager to share his story about being from Sweden. His accent was thick, and he told us he had been homeless for five months, which would put him living at the enclave since around March of this year when the pandemic took hold. As he concentrated on rolling a joint, the man explained he was educated and had a background in finance and stocks. He spoke fingering a gold cross necklace, telling us he had been an army veteran, serving 10 years and ending his service due to a disability. When he got up to throw away a piece of trash, he was slightly 10 AUGUST 18, 2021

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stooped and had a visible limp. Soon after we began speaking, another middle-aged blonde woman in aviator sunglasses wandered over. She sat at the opposite head of the picnic table, quietly listening to us speak with the Swedish Army vet nearer to us. The two shared their vaccination status (both fully protected) and seemed to understand the importance of the shot, especially given their living arrangements. Before we got to speak further to the blonde woman, a boisterous Jamaican woman wandered over. She was clad in purple slippers, a King’s Hawaiian Rolls bright orange apron and a pink headband with a bow on top. A lot of what the woman said was incoherent, but we were able to gather that she did hair and nails at one point in her life. She ran back to her tent to show us a square piece of wood she had written all her specialties on, including manicures and pedicures, “Janet Jackson braids,” cornrows and lots more. A creative soul, she also showed us bracelets she had made and shared with us her knitting abilities. However, due to whatever ailed the woman -- whether it was a mental illness or drug addiction -- she got angry quite easily. She became particularly upset when she recalled a story of a woman high on PCP who threw

away her baby. While the Jamaican woman spoke, two other younger men came up to see what was going on. The taller of the two, a Black man with a salt-and-pepper goatee, told me it was the first time he found himself homeless in 20 years. His roommate and he got kicked out of their housing accommodations after his roommate failed to pay rent. According to the man, his roommate had been a cocaine and meth addict as well as an alcoholic and used his rent money to pay for his habits. The man had recently gotten laid off from his construction job due to the ongoing pandemic, so now here he was. When asked if he was vaccinated, he adamantly said “no.” The Jamaican woman seemed to overhear this question and loudly proclaimed that “God will take me when it’s my time!” She too was unvaccinated. The second of the younger men spoke to me about how his mother was a doctor so he “had to get vaccinated.” It was unclear whether the man lived in one of the tents, as he shared with us that he had supplied around half the tents in the area. He was getting ready to go to work, in red Nikes and Apple AirPods in his ears. He stood close, sipping an open bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila before admitting he was heading into

work. He shared that he worked in the restaurant business, having experience in cooking. It was unclear where exactly he worked, but he did share that he “works for rich people” and he was sipping the tequila because “the job [is] stressful.” He admitted he never swore at work as much as he had the previous week. Despite all this, he was genuinely grateful he did have a job. The unhoused folks we spoke to are part of an ongoing homelessness problem in the D.C. area. According to the D.C. Department of Human Services, the number of chronically homeless people in the city rose from 1,337 in 2020 to 1,618 in 2021, an increase of about 21 percent. The number of unsheltered individuals not considered chronically homeless also rose, from 653 to 681 people. Particularly concerning is the number of homeless between the ages of 18 and 24 — that number rose about 34 percent in D.C. since 2020. TO READ MORE ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT OF HOMELESSNESS, VISIT GEORGETOWNER.COM FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. COLLEEN LANE OF THE WHITMAN WALKER CLINIC’S MAX ROBINSON CENTER.


Councilmember Pinto and Georgetown BID Pursue Humane Tent Encampment Strategies BY C HR IS TOP HER J O N E S In this pandemic summer, tent encampments of unhoused residents seem to be popping up everywhere across the District. What is to be done? For those suffering homelessness in the harsh urban landscape, how to provide proper care and housing? For the health of the community, how to prevent such encampments -- notable for their unsafe and unsanitary conditions -from arising in the first place? The Georgetowner spoke with Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto and Georgetown BID CEO Joe Sternlieb about their approaches to these issues. Councilmember Pinto, serving Georgetown, has made homelessness a top priority. She’s enthusiastic about one of the city’s new pilot programs aimed at alleviating the root causes. “I understand that the challenge of homelessness in D.C. is not new,” she said. “One of the ways I’m working on moving our neighbors experiencing homelessness out of encampments and into housing is through support of a new pilot program through the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS), which would provide targeted care and resources to those in encampments including shelter and housing options.”

By using an individual case management approach, the program seeks to place as many unhoused city residents into permanent housing as soon as possible. “DMHHS is working with the Department of Human Services, the Department of Behavioral Health, and the Department of Public Works to implement a pilot program to begin this summer that focuses on providing intensive housing-focused case management, behavioral health, and substance [abuse] support at some of the District’s largest encampments to get residents into housing quickly,” Pinto said. Many unhoused residents have trouble with the cumbersome paperwork required to apply for housing assistance. So, Pinto’s office is working to simplify the process. “I have also been working with my colleagues to fund resources to move neighbors into housing and streamline the application process,” Pinto said. The Council’s most recent budget will include “significant funding for housing vouchers to move hundreds of unsheltered neighbors into housing as well as provide sustainable housing options so people do not slip into homelessness,” Pinto said. “We’re also working to update the application process so it’s streamlined and housing placements can be made more quickly. My commitment

is unwavering and I feel confident that these efforts will make a difference this year.” At the Georgetown BID, Joe Sternlieb brings -- in addition to his business background -years of experience serving D.C.’s unhoused communities to his job as BID CEO. While he’s highly attuned to the variety of problems tent encampments pose to businesses, visitors and neighborhood communities, he’s also well-versed in the need to provide mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and comprehensive social services to lift unhoused residents into permanent housing. When Sternlieb worked at the Downtown BID twenty years ago, he helped set up the Downtown Day Services Center on New York Ave. NW. The center provides a one-stop, comprehensive social services program -- all under one roof -- for the unhoused community. “This is a subject and an issue I’ve been working on for a really long time in this city,” Sternlieb said. “For a day program, it’s a relatively successful model.” To stem the crisis of homelessness, Sternlieb came to understand, you also have to provide reasonable options for those out on the streets and you can’t just use law enforcement to

make the problem go away. “When I helped create the Downtown Services Center there was a lot of pressure,” Sternlieb recalled. “There were a lot of homeless people panhandling downtown and there were certain people in the business community that just wanted us to arrest everybody and I said ‘you can’t get in the way of people panhandling and doing stuff unless you give them an alternative.’ If they’re panhandling for food, let’s set up a feeding center. If they’re panhandling for bus fare, let’s work out how we’re going to get them bus fare so we can get them to a job. So, we brought 19 different agencies in as partners in the homelessness services center so that people could go to one place to get any service they needed and service providers could talk to each other about their cases.” Sternlieb believes establishing such a comprehensive services program in Ward 2 would be most effective in light of the current crisis. VISIT GEORGETOWNER.COM FOR THE FULL ARTICLE. GMG, INC.

AUGUST 18, 2021

11


REAL ESTATE

An unexpected pop of blue behind the glass doors brings attention to the curved molding. Courtesy HomeVisit. A silver-grey ceiling with a subtle metallic sheen plays up the medallion decoration and other Victorian flourishes. Courtesy HomeVisit.

Creative License A CLASSIC GEORGETOWN HOME GOES BOLD WITH COLOR, TEXTURE AND EYE-CATCHING DETAIL BY SUS A N BODIKE R On one of Georgetown’s prettiest streets sits a very pretty row home that shows a traditional Federalist face to the outside world, but inside, presents a world of multi-textured, multi-hued delights. Built in 1850, the cream stucco townhouse with white trim was recently renovated and refined with extensive period-faithful design elements (molding, medallions, materials, aesthetic sensibility) and now offers 3110 square feet of living space on three levels that includes four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and three wood-burning fireplaces. There is also a chevron-patterned brick wrap-around patio with access to a one-car garage and new landscaping front and back. It is on the market for $3,350,000. High-style half bath. Courtesy Susan Bodiker.

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The celadon green main door opens to the entry foyer laid with a custom Italian mosaic tile floor in a classic black/white/grey Greek key design. Straight ahead is the main staircase (there is also a second one toward the rear of the house). To the right is a formal living room with built-in bookcases and cabinets flanking the fireplace with a locally-sourced stone mantle and neoclassical pilasters. Newly installed pocket French doors open to the dining room, anchored by a fireplace and lit by a tall floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the side patio. A silver-grey ceiling with a subtle metallic sheen plays up the medallion decoration and lends drama to the room. For more drama, there’s the voluptuous ambience of the powder room enhanced by black balloon curtains, black tone-on-tone silk wallpaper, cherry cabinets and Victorianinspired floral vessel sink and mosaic tile floor. By contrast, the family room has a calmer vibe but is no less texturally rich, thanks to an accent wall covered in stitched wool felt and painted throughout with a sand-textured faux finish. The jewel-like kitchen features extensive white custom raised-panel cabinetry (some glass fronted with eclipse trim, which is echoed by the tile backsplash); chef’s-grade stainless appliances (Wolf, Sub-Zero and Bosch) and radiant heated floors. Nestled in the large bay window is a built-in banquette and eating area with a view of the bricked back patio. Straight ahead off the second-floor landing is a bright south-facing guest room with a glam en-suite bath dressed in black and gold. Next door is the back bedroom with a bay window, walk-in closet and full bath. At the other end of the hall is the primary bed- and sitting room set off by a custom

headboard and built-in nightstands with integrated reading lights. A mirrored barn door reveals an elegantly appointed bath with marble floors, black marble-topped dual sink vanity, frameless glass door shower and statement tub. There is also a spacious walk-in closet with a dressing room area and stacked LG washer and dryer. Downstairs on the lower level is an exceptionally bright guest suite with its own separate entrance. It includes a bedroom/ den with fireplace, built-in bookcases, a full

bath, walk-in closet and laundry room with Kenmore washer and dryer. Offered at $3,350,000, the newly restored four-bedroom, four-and-a half bath home at 1415 33 St. NW is listed with Washington Fine Properties. For details, contact Nancy Taylor Bubes, 202-386-7813 or nancy.taylorbubes@wfp.com. For a visual tour, visit http://spws.homevisit.com/ mls/332052.


JULY 2021 REAL ESTATE SALES

REAL ESTATE ADDRESS

SUBDIVISION/NEIGHBORHOOD

PROVIDED BY WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES

See the full list at georgetowner.com. Listed from highest to lowest sold.

3120 Woodland Dr NW 1344 30th St NW 6 Kalorama Cir NW 3043 P St NW 4511 Cathedral Ave NW 1711 S St NW 1905 Foxview Cir NW 1615 35th St NW 3129 N St NW 1825 23rd St NW 6940 Oregon Ave NW 2814 R St NW 3102 P St NW 3115 Foxhall Rd NW 3510 Macomb St NW 1808 24th St NW 5020 Glenbrook Rd NW 3410 Volta Pl NW 2712 Cathedral Ave NW 4927 Eskridge Ter NW 4515 W St NW 4415 P St NW 5014 Glenbrook Rd NW 1616 34th St NW 1515 15th St NW #708 1515 33rd St NW 2731 31st Pl NW 5021 Macomb St NW 1111 23rd St NW #3F 2726 1/2 Chain Bridge Rd NW 2130 Leroy Pl NW 2215 49th St NW 2607 31st St NW 2314 20th St NW 1177 22nd St NW #5K INDEPENDENT LIVING 4922 LIVING Sedgwick//StASSISTED NW 4555 W St NW 1111 24th St NW #PH104 3563 Appleton St NW 2918 28th St NW 1155 23rd St NW #PH1A 1712 Allison St NW

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AROUND HERE, YOU CAN ALWAYS CHOOSE

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS GEORGETOWN KALORAMA GEORGETOWN WESLEY HEIGHTS DUPONT CIRCLE FOXHALL GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN KALORAMA HEIGHTS HAWTHORNE GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN WESLEY HEIGHTS CLEVELAND PARK KALORAMA KENT GEORGETOWN WOODLEY PARK KENT FOXHALL FOXHALL KENT GEORGETOWN LOGAN CIRCLE GEORGETOWN MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS KENT WEST END KENT KALORAMA BERKLEY MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE HEIGHTS KALORAMA TRIANGLE WEST END MEMORY SUPPORT SPRING VALLEY // LONG-TERM BERKLEY WEST END WAKEFIELD WOODLEY PARK WEST END CRESTWOOD

BEDS 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 4 4 6 4 4 7 7 4 7 4 6 4 4 7 4 3 2 3 3 6 2 4 4 5 5 4 2 CARE 5 4 2 4 5 3 6

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FULL BATH 7 9 6 4 5 6 6 3 3 4 6 3 3 4 4 3 5 3 3 4 4 8 4 3 2 4 3 3 2 4 3 4 4 3 3 SHORT-TERM 2 4 2 3 3 3 4

HALF BATH

LIST PRICE

2 $11,995,000 2 $9,995,000 2 $6,900,000 1 $5,495,000 2 $4,500,000 1 $5,250,000 1 $4,495,000 1 $4,095,000 1 $4,250,000 1 $2,975,000 $3,200,000 1 $3,199,000 1 $3,150,000 2 $2,999,900 1 $3,295,000 1 $2,775,000 1 $2,495,000 $2,595,000 1 $2,499,000 1 $2,495,000 1 $2,399,000 $2,475,000 1 $2,249,000 1 $2,370,000 $2,599,000 1 $2,495,000 1 $2,350,000 1 $2,125,000 1 $2,295,000 1 $2,199,900 2 $2,199,000 1 $1,750,000 1 $2,250,000 1 $2,150,000 $2,053,555 REHABILITATION 2 $1,800,000 1 $1,995,000 $2,099,999 1 $1,645,000 1 $1,795,000 1 $2,099,900 1 $1,725,000

CLOSE PRICE $10,900,000 $9,500,000 $6,700,000 $5,000,000 $4,900,000 $4,400,000 $4,325,000 $4,000,000 $3,788,000 $3,315,000 $3,200,000 $3,199,000 $3,150,000 $3,045,210 $3,000,000 $2,775,000 $2,600,000 $2,500,000 $2,499,000 $2,495,000 $2,400,000 $2,385,000 $2,375,000 $2,370,000 $2,350,000 $2,350,000 $2,300,000 $2,250,000 $2,200,000 $2,200,000 $2,199,000 $2,115,000 $2,113,000 $2,100,000 $2,053,555 $2,000,001 $2,000,000 $1,985,000 $1,950,000 $1,944,600 $1,900,000 $1,900,000

Your Own Path Every day is a new adventure at Ingleside at Rock Creek. Join one of our walking groups for a morning stroll through Rock Creek Park, and then stop by the Marketplace for a coffee and pastry. Feeling creative? Take a drawing class in our new art studio, and later, lift weights in our fitness center. Spend a leisurely afternoon with friends and neighbors, followed by a glass of wine on the patio. What will tomorrow bring? Call us to find out and schedule an in-person tour!

www.ircdc.org 202-933-5347

LIVING AT ITS BEST. MODERN. INSPIRED. ALWAYS ENGAGING.

A NOT-FOR-PROFIT LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

GMG, INC.

AUGUST 18, 2021

13


BUSINESS

INS & OUTS BY R OBE RT DEVA NEY

IN: GLOVER PARK WHOLE FOODS BY FALL

The Glover Park Whole Foods Market, closed since March 2017, is on track to open very soon. Neighbors routinely ask about it, and various media keep buzzing about the long-anticipated reopening. The Georgetowner asked a Whole Foods representative when the store will reopen and was told a date has not been set. Real estate agent Chris Jones of Long & Foster, who runs the GloverParkDC blog, enthusiastically chimed a few weeks ago with the schematics to the store plan. “Whole Foods has exciting things coming for shoppers when they open at 2323 Wisconsin Avenue NW in Glover Park in the near future,” Jones wrote. “GloverParkDC.com has obtained the DCRAapproved schematics to the store. Whole Foods officials have been tight-lipped about timing, but their plans reveal some great features for products and technology.” Jones continued: “The D.C. Regulatory Authority has given its stamp of approval on the attached plans, which include these product offerings: • A 34 seat eat-in bistro with a street-front bar seating area. • Bistro items for eat-in including a fresh pizza counter by the slice or whole pie direct from their oven, sushi, possibly sandwiches, salads and more. • Self-service coffee and espresso machines with pastries • Salad bar, hot bar, cold bar and soup bar • A cookie bar, mochi bar and macaron bar (which every grocery store needs) • A fresh bread slicer • A giant beer and wine section, of course (they have been sitting on their liquor license) • A self-serve juicer” “Even more exciting is the technology revealed in these plans,” Jones wrote in his blog. “The enrollment kiosks, digital exit screens and self-checkout areas suggest that Whole Foods is leveraging Amazon’s cashierless technology including touchless palm scanning for account ID, and walk-in walk-out technology (Amazon calls it ‘Just Walk Out’) to circumvent checkout similar 14 AUGUST 18, 2021

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Seth Goldman of Honest Tea and PLNT Burger’s Mike Colletti, Spike Mendelsohn and Ben Kaplan. Photo by Evangeline Pergantis/PLNT Burger. to the Amazon Go experience in a few stores nationwide already. …” We’re almost there. Whole Foods — owned by Amazon — has been advertising job openings for its Glover Park store, due to open “Fall 2021.”

IN: PLNT BURGER AT SANDLOT GEORGETOWN

Seth Godman of Honest Tea and PLNT Burger’s Mike Colletti, Spike Mendelsohn and Ben Kaplan. Photo by Evangeline Pergantis/ PLNT Burger. “World domination!” laughed co-founder Spike Mendelsohn, when asked about the goals of PLNT Burger, the plant-based burger, fries and ice cream fast casual restaurant, founded in 2019. D.C. restaurateur Mendelsohn and his partners were at Sandlot Georgetown at 28th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW July 16 for the grand opening of the PLNT Burger food truck, parked through September. They invited family, friends and a couple hundred people to sample the burgers they never call vegetarian. It is the company’s first spot outside its Whole Foods locations. Sandlot Georgetown at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave. NW is a pop-up by Ian Callender, who runs other Sandlots in the city. Open Monday through Saturday, PLNT Burger is a permanent food truck there, along with circulating Blackowned food trucks, supported by Uber Eats.

IN: L. PRIORI JEWELRY SHINES

L. Priori Jewelry officially opened on July 22 at 1002 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Originally from Philadelphia, the team at L. Priori creates “one-of-a-kind experiences and products, responsibly sourcing only the highest quality materials and developing 3-D engineered wax renderings to ensure a timeless piece is created for the customer.” The new shop is accepting appointments. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. Appointments can be made online or by calling 202-758-0545.

IN: PETITE SOEUR, MORE CHOCOLATE IN SEPT.

Petite Soeur Chocolate and Confection Company will be coming to 1332 Wisconsin Ave. NW, the former space of the Dough Jar, in mid-September. “We will be keeping the popular staples from our Dupont Circle popup

The garage entrance of the Whole Foods at 2323 Wisconsin Ave. NW, on Aug. 9. Photo by Sonya Bernhardt. while expanding the product line to include more flavors of bonbons and making sure our offerings celebrate our new neighborhood,” owner and pastry chef Ashleigh Pearson told The Georgetowner. “Petite Soeur exists to marry my training in France and Michelin restaurant experience with my humble beginnings to create an approachable space with the highest quality fresh chocolates. This business is about in house-made chocolates made by a local chocolatier. We’re looking forward to celebrating our next step!” An alum of Robert Wiedmaier’s Marcel’s on Pennsylvania Avenue and Thomas Keller’s per se in New York, Pearson added: “Georgetown has such a special place in my heart as my family really got started here while my dad was at Georgetown for med school. Feels very full circle!” Not such a little sister anymore.

IN: FP MOVEMENT RUNS TO WISCONSIN AVE.

FP Movement is setting up shop at 1063 Wisconsin Ave. NW, next to the C&O Canal, in the former Onward Reserve men’s clothing store and before that the Pleasure Chest. FP Movement offers Free People’s “athletic and athleisure wear” collection for women, i.e., exercise and workout clothes. (Still thinking about the Olympics?) Headquartered in Philadelphia, Free People is a part of Urban Outfitters, Inc., along with Anthropologie, BHLDN, Terrain and the Vetri family restaurant group. Its line sells in 1,400 specialty stores worldwide.

Talbot Street. Owner Nadir Rehman has lived on 34th Street for 17 years.

EVERLANE COMING TO M ST.

The Everlane store will open in the fall at 3259 M St. NW, landlord EastBanc tells us, “and will feature an assortment of fall-ready men’s and women’s clothing including denim, footwear, and sweaters. … Everlane partners with the best ethical factories around the world, sources only the finest materials and works diligently to build a more sustainable supply chain.” The store is in the former Roots space.

2 NEW POP-UPS AT CONCEPT 31/M

At 3077 M St. NW: Fang Yan, founded by Georgetown University and Rhode Island School of Design grads, a collection of Chinese-inspired clothing and accessories; Modern Lusso, Greek-designed clothing, home goods and jewelry.

MOVING: ST. MICHAELS KITCHEN AND BATH (A FEW DOORS DOWN)

We’re talking more than counters here — and, seriously, it is just a few doors down on Potomac Street, near the canal and Blue Bottle Coffee. So, to be clear, St. Michaels Kitchen and Bath/St. Michaels Fine Woodworking and Cabinetry, LLC is now at 1048 Potomac St. NW. The high-quality woodworker and high-end provider, appropriately enough, has its main showroom in St. Michaels on North

Anchyi Wei with owner and founder Lauren Priori. Courtesy L. Priori Jewelry.


IN COUNTRY

Annapolis: This Old Town Is Feeling Very New BY M ARY ANN T RE GE R If you think “been there done that” at the thought of Annapolis for a getaway, think again. Perched on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland’s capital city may be 350 years old, but it has emerged from the pandemic invigorated, refreshed and renewed. Understated and laid back, Annapolis cannot compete with Baltimore or Washington’s big attractions – nor does it want to. Its allure is more subtle. In its own quiet way, Annapolis is love at first sight. Just like an unexpected soul mate. With a skyline pierced with spires and domes reminding us of its past, the town’s new sights, new shops, trendy dining experiences, a fab boutique hotel and an ice cream shop exclusively for dogs, are making this old town feel very, very new. Bring your walking shoes and wander through this “museum without walls.” Explore the new Guardians of the First Amendment Memorial honoring five slain journalists at The Capital newspaper. Stop by the new interactive exhibits at Annapolis Maritime Museum and join a virtual reality sailboat race. Accompany a waterman on an oyster boat and play a

A L L’ S W E L L FA R M

touch-screen game about oyster harvesting. Of course, Maryland’s Capitol (the nation’s oldest in continuous legislative use), the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial dedicated to African ancestors are always worth revisiting. Art is everywhere and everyone participates. Make a beeline to State Circle to see a twostory mural painted by seven artists and five youths from the Future History Now project. The program engages youths from underserved communities by creating murals throughout town. This one features the faces of Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. An ideal location opposite the Court House since Marshall argued here for equality in the educational system and Ginsburg was a Supreme Court Justice who fought to uphold those same principles.

SHOP

“Life is all about connecting at the dinner table, creating an environment and lifestyle you love to live in,” says Laura Cottrill, designer and owner of Vignette on Maryland Avenue. Nothing boring, here. Unique pillows, chandeliers, chairs, baskets, jewelry and all

sorts of innovative “stuff” is artistically arranged for creative entertaining. Practical can be pretty and fun, so says Welcome Home on State Circle. Check out a diverse collection of responsibly-produced cooking utensils, linens, serving plates and a decadent array of gourmet products -everything to help the novice or gourmet chef cook and serve in style. Whimsy is reflected in everyday objects (Oooh, lime green ice tongs!) Don’t be turned off by the odd name, Fat Face. Named after La Face -- a famous ski slope in the French Alps -- the British owners wanted to ski (not work) so they hatched a plan to sell quality clothing at night and ski during the day. Thirty years later, 200 stores worldwide are filled with creative sustainable clothing for men, women and children. Bring Fido to Salty Paws Doggie Ice Cream Shop and treat your best friend to lactose-free and goat milk-based ice creams. Topping bar includes dehydrated liver or chicken, sweet potato fries, and yogurt chips. Doggie ice cream cones, waffle bowls and a creative bakery selection of doggie cookies and donuts, treats and toys, too. Arf!! Arf!! From classic coastal to boho chic to preppy prints, Cottage on Main Street is fun, bright, and upbeat. Impossible to be in a bad mood

inside this imaginative boutique filled with clothes, jewelry, gifts and fun stuff from famous names and local artists. Pinch me, I must be in Nantucket or New York. That’s what you might think when you step inside Revival in West Annapolis. Here, the chic set shops for vintage rugs, unusual tabletop, accessories and children’s clothes that you won’t see coming and going.

JAVA BREAKS

Need a dose of caffeine? Bitty & Beau’s across Ego Alley, is more than just a place to grab a coffee -- it’s an experience. Run by people with developmental disabilities, they serve coffee and goodies along with a warm, inviting experience at no additional charge! Insider tip: For the best scones and pastries in town, head to Curate on West Street where each morning a former chef from a Michelin Star DC restaurant makes to-die-for scones, muffins and pastries. When the sun goes down, wine offerings plus small bites change the vibe. VISIT GEORGETOWNER.COM FOR THE FULL ARTICLE.

R U T L E D G E FA R M

R O U T E 5 0 W E S T V I N E YA R D S

Prime Fauquier County location on the Atoka Road |88.34 acres w/ bold Blue Ridge views | Neoclassical brick home w/ state roof completely updated & expanded | 5 BR, 5 full, 2 half baths, 5 fireplaces, gourmet kitchen |10 stall barn with attached indoor arena | Pool, pool house, tenant house |Beautiful gardens | Superb condition.

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

Existing farm winery | 38.47 acres | Hilltop setting with magnificent views | 2,500 sq ft wine tasting room, main level consists of tasting room, seating areas, kitchen, restrooms, 2nd story more seating areas and bathroom | Club House of 5,100 sq ft contemporary style, wine tasting bar, seating areas, bathrooms, large deck, terrace & pool | 40 x 60 Butler building, large parking area

Privacy and 107 acres between Middleburg and The Plains | Residential enclave of great character within a rich array of natural resources | Classic Virginia stone and stucco c. 1820 | 4 bedrooms, antique floors and rich pine paneling Two guest houses, stone cottage, farm managers house, 2 stables, machine shed and work shop| Extensive Little River frontage and 2 ponds | Tremendous views.

Paul MacMahon

Paul MacMahon

Paul MacMahon

Helen MacMahon

Marshall, Virginia • $7,800,000

(703) 609-1905

DEERFIELD

Upperville, Virginia • $3,900,000

Stately brick manor house c.1844 | 4 bedrooms, lovely kitchen, multiple porches, pine floors, 7 fireplaces, original mantels, large windows and detailed millwork throughout | c. 1810 log cabin used as the pool house & a converted barn now serves as a guest house | 2 ponds, miles of trails, 178 acres | Separate workshop and 5 car garage

Helen MacMahon

(540) 454-1930

info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com

Middleburg, Virginia • $7,000,000

(703) 609-1905

M A S O N FA R M L I G H T R I D G E FA R M R D Aldie, Virginia • $3,462,000

20+/- acres in fast growing Loudoun location | Currently zoned TR3UBF | Willowsford, South Riding, Stone Ridge, minutes away | New county high school under construction next to property | Currently improved by 2 residences, 2 ponds | Northstar Blvd around corner

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

(540) 687-5588

Middleburg, Virginia • $4,500,000

(703) 609-1905

H A L F W AY FA R M

Plains, Virginia • $3,975,000

(540) 454-1930

LO N G B R A N C H

1 0 9 T H E P L A I N S R OA D

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

Very private office building in Middleburg | Located on The Plains Road directly across from the Sporting Library | Charming office - 3 levels with lower level used for over flow and break room/kitchen | Surprisingly large parking lot behind the building offers what many other buildings are lacking in town | Building has many potential uses with C-3 Zoning

Helen MacMahon

Helen MacMahon

The Plains, Virginia • $1,950,000

(540) 454-1930

Middleburg, Virginia • $589,000

(540) 454-1930

110 East Washington Street Middleburg, Virginia 20117

GMG, INC.

AUGUST 18, 2021

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FOOD & WINE

THE LATEST DISH BY LINDA ROT H Once ChiKo, the Chinese-Korean fastcasual D.C. favorite opens in Bethesda in January 2022, it will cross the bridge to open a 30-seat place in Northern Virginia at 4040 Campbell Ave., in Shirlington where Dak Chicken used to be. ChiKo is owned & operated by Danny Lee, Scott Drewno, and Drew Kim of the Fried Rice Collective, who operate two other D.C. ChiKos as well as Anju, near Adams Morgan and I Egg You, a breakfast pop-up within the Capitol Hill ChiKo. A fall 2022 opening is targeted. Shake Shack plans to open where Arby’s was at 11710 Rockville Pike, south of Pike & Rose development. Plans call for 54 seats inside and 24 seats on a remodeled outdoor patio. Most important – it will have a drivethru. Shake Shack has one store in Cabin John, and one opening soon at Westfield Montgomery Mall and another in Gaithersburg at 195 Kentlands Blvd. They currently have stores at MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, three in Northern Virginia and seven in D.C. Danny and Johnny Dubbaneh of Z&Z, specializing in manoushe Arab flatbreads, plan to open Z&Z Manoushe Bakery and market in Q3 2021 at 1111 Nelson St. in Rockville, featuring other signature dishes they are known for at their family farmers market stand. Being restaurateurs is in their DNA as their parents ran Chicken Basket in Gaithersburg for years. They will seat 25 people indoors, and 25 outdoors. The plan is to feature an Arab breakfast platter on weekends. Co-owners Bettina Stern and Suzanne Simon of Chaia plan to open a pop-up at 7237 Woodmont Ave., where a Häagen-Dazs shop was in Bethesda, next to the still-closed Bethesda Row Cinema. It will be their third location. They have locations in Georgetown and in Penn Quarter. The 20-seat space plus patio seating, slated to open in early Q4, will also debut a new kids’ meal program. Ch-Ch-Changes: Grand Duchess at 2337 18th Street NW in Adams Morgan has morphed from a cocktail bar into a full-service restaurant, with Chef Enoc Lopez, formerly of Martin’s Tavern at the helm, serving pastas and seafood dishes. Partners Vinnie Rotondaro and Rory Adair leveraged a winterization grant with a new 14-seat patio out front. Food hall update: Common Plate Hospitality (CPH) plans to open The Heights Food Hall at Wisconsin Place, by Chevy Chase, in Q2 2022. It is the former site of a P.F. Chang’s and Anthropologie. The plan is for CPH to operate three stalls, leasing five to other chefs, as incubators. Confirmed concepts: This Deli of Ours, serving artisan sandwiches, and Spoons & Sticks, serving international variety of soups (ramen, pho), dumplings and bao. Included in the concept is a communal bar, a speakeasy with its own hidden entrance, as well as a full16 AUGUST 18, 2021

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service location of Urbano, as CPH owns and operates Urbano 116, Mason Social, and Augie’s Mussel House and Beer Garden in Alexandria, Virginia. New Delhi natives and owners Sachin Mahajan and Ricky Singh of Karma Modern Indian, will open Kismet Modern Indian, a more casual concept, in Old Town, Alexandria at 111 N. Pitt Street (where a BurgerFi used to be) in early Q4 2021. It includes a 30-seat courtyard patio in the rear. Executive chef Ajay Kumar will oversee the menus for both places. Christian Richardson, formerly of Doyle at Dupont Circle Hotel, is the bar manager. Slice & Pie, serving takeout pizza pies and pizzas by the slice, and full-service 60-seat restaurant Lucy, is slated to open at 2221 14th Street NW where Pizzeria Vetri used to be. A Q4 2021 opening is targeted. Brought to you by Peter Bayne and Geoff Dawson of Tin Shop, who also own and operate the nearby Franklin Hall, Church Hall in Georgetown, TallBoy in Shaw, Penn Social in Penn Quarter, and Highline RxR in Crystal City. Master pizzaiolo Giulio Adriani, of Forcella in New York is working with them. Quick Hits: Matt Baker of Gravitas is moving into the Eaton Hotel’s lobby space, where Tim Ma’s American Son used to be, to open Michele’s, a French/American place, in early Q4 2021, featuring seafood-centric tasting menus. There will also be a third location of Baker’s Daughter café at the hotel… A new brewpub called The Brass Rabbit Pub will open where sports bar Bracket Room used to be…. Mike Cordero will open his third Taco Rock at 1116 W. Broad Street in Falls Church in Q4 2021. It will be larger than his Taco Rock taqueria-and-tequila bars in Rosslyn and Alexandria… TOKU Japanese & Asian Cuisine has relocated to 2439 18th Street NW in Adams Morgan, joining Hilo Poke & Sushi. Just Opened: Lahlou Restaurant Group opened Lupo Pizzeria at 1908 14th Street, NW where a Taylor Gourmet used to be. Corporate chef, Juan Olivera, is part owner of the 160-seat restaurant. They also own the nearby Lupo Verde, The Wharf’s Lupo Marino, and Lupo Verde Osteria in the Palisades…. Knead Hospitality + Design opened Mi Casa in Dupont Circle at 1647 20th Street NW. It seats 130 with an outdoor covered patio…. Denver-based Smashburger is back, this time opening in Penn Quarter at 804 Seventh Street NW…. Texas-based The Boiling Crab, opened at 400 H Street NE, where Driftwood used to be, serving a wide variety of crabs: blue or Dungeness crabs (seasonal), king crab legs or snow crab legs. Linda Roth is Founder & CEO of Linda Roth Associates (LRA), a DC-based public relations & marketing firm that specializes in the foodservice and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR #LindaRothPR or www.lindarothpr.com

The Point in Southwest D.C.

For Seafood Entrepreneur Greg Casten, the Point is ‘The Point’ BY OL GA BOIKESS Dynamic entrepreneur Greg Casten helms the sustainable seafood company Profish and a bevy of establishments featuring its produce, including Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place and Nick’s Riverside Grill in Washington Harbour on the Georgetown waterfront. Yet what he’s eager to talk about is his latest success, The Point. This massive restaurant on Buzzard Point’s newly developed waterfront “is a really special spot,” he exults, with its unique nautical “vibe.” A soaring interior and huge outdoor patios with panoramic vistas are backed by a state-of-the-art kitchen with a wood grill and “all the toys” his talented executive chef Benjamin Lambert (an alumna of 2941 and Nora’s, as well as top NYC restaurants) could want. Chef Lambert makes good use of Profish bounty, but the kitchen also turns out interesting plates focused on duck, steak and locally sourced produce as well as burgers and wings. Casten’s 40 years in the fish and food industry began as a teenager, working parttime on a lobster boat. He flipped burgers and set up food operations at concerts, resorts and fairs in New England during his college years. Accounting school provided the grounding for an entrepreneurial style that blends business systems and creativity. Years of work in family seafood restaurant businesses in Boston and Washington, D.C., taught him a lot about how to source and serve fresh fish. “It’s all about relationships,” he explains. When he and a partner started Profish in 1988, he would “meet sea captains” at the dock and drive to airports to pick up freshly caught lobsters. Among the lessons he teaches: When in doubt about the freshness of a product, “make the phone call.” Nowadays, he says, the “first receiver [of fish or seafood] must have all the information about the catch. One can tell the boat that a wild catch comes in.”

Greg Casten. Casten’s concern about quality and value translate to his restaurant operations. At The Point, Chef Lambert has developed a menu that features dishes people “want to eat every day.” His wood-grilled crab cakes, fried fish and burgers are the best sellers. And some 700 pounds of potatoes are peeled, cut and fried each week. There are house-baked bagel chips and cornbread. Dishes involving meat, seafood and vegetables have a “balance of flavor” — such as grilled oysters with blue crab miso butter and anchovy breadcrumbs, and duck with charred cabbage, mushrooms and local jam. Feedback from Casten often comes via a marked-up menu, Lambert says. “He wants to be sure we offer good value.” He “looks at the size of portions.” He also looks at the dishes themselves. He took particular pains with the chowder, according to Lambert. He wanted it to be “thicker” and to have a remembered New England flavor. The crab donuts, a house specialty, underwent a recent collaborative upgrade to keep them hot and to be sure that every bite had a bit of crab in it. What’s next at The Point? Possibly a boat traveling back and forth from Washington Harbour so diners can enjoy several Casten venues in one night. There’s always a new challenge on his horizon.


SERVICE DIRECTORY

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

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.

AUTO DETAILING & POWER WASHING Car Wash • Waxing • Full Detailing • Ceramic Coating • Deck/Fence • Cleaning • Staining & Sealing • Driveway/Steps/Patio/Siding And much more! B.B.G. LLC Call: 703-731-2799 Appointment Online: bbusinessgroup.com

HUGE CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE

on Saturday, August 28 from 8 am to 2 pm at 4701 Whitehaven Parkway NW, Washington DC 20007 in the gymnasium. Clothing for all ages, jewelry, housewares, huge selection of books, toys, games and sports equipment. Masks and social distancing will be required. Please check stpatrickschurchdc.org for last minute details.

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

CONTINENTAL MOVERS

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

ST. MICHAELS KITCHEN & BATH

Cabinets that bring joy! 1048 Potomac Street NW Locally owned by a Georgetowner, St. Michael’s Kitchen & Bath has everything your kitchen and bath needs or desires. Come see cabinetry, vanities, countertops, hardware, appliances, outdoor kitchens and grills. We’re the best place to find ultimate comfort for your place! Come see us at our new larger showroom at 1048 Potomac Street NW today! Full design Service www.stmkab.com Email: sales@stmkab.com Call: 202-455-4645 Georgetown: 1048 Potomac Street NW St. Michaels: 100 N. Talbot Street. St. Michaels, MD

ST. MICHAELS FINE WOODWORKING AND CABINETRY CUSTOM CABINETMAKER

1052 Potomac Street NW Kitchen, Bath, Closet and More Kitchen cabinetry to live-edge river tables to bench-crafted furniture. We can provide cabinetry for the kitchen, bath, closet, hutch, dry and wet bar, home office, bookcase/library, entertainment console, laundry center, window seat, entryway and more. Elegance – Innovation - Craftsmanship www.stmichaelswoodworking.com Email: sales@stmichaelswoodworking.com Call: 202-455-4645 Georgetown: 1048 Potomac Street NW

GORGEOUS 2 BD/1BA IN GEORGETOWN!

$2,750/mo, 3213 Cherry Hill Lane NW, DC 20007. Lovely townhome in quiet street in downtown Georgetown. Walk to M St. & the harbour in less than 5 minutes!!! For photos, go to www. leaseindc.com and type in address. (202) 670-4111, (202) 957-2649 or contact@leaseindc.com. Must see! Available NOW!!!

You start with an idea. We mold it into something special.

1 BD/1BA IN PALISADES!

One BR Apt. in private home, in the Palisades. Separate entrance, W/D, AC, Internet. Near AU/GT. Available September 1. One year lease only. E-mail: jf5330@verizon.net

Websites + Design redclaycreative.com GMG, INC.

AUGUST 18, 2021

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KITTY KELLEY BOOK CLUB

‘Blind Man’s Bluff: A Memoir’ A YOUNG MAN LOSES HIS SIGHT, BUT NOT HIS VISION, IN THIS EXCELLENT NEW WORK. REVIEW ED BY KIT T Y K E LLE Y Some memoirs flicker like fireflies on a summer night. Others pierce your psyche with their subjects’ tortured experiences, consequent miseries and — finally — their oh-so-glorious survival. “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller, “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt, “The Liars’ Club” by Mary Karr, Joan Didion’s “The Year of Magical Thinking” and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou are among the memoirs that leave you breathless; they’re books you keep and don’t pawn off on your neighbor’s yard sale. Now comes another keeper: “Blind Man’s Bluff,” by James Tate Hill. With his pluperfect title, Hill winningly recounts his life after he was declared legally blind. “I was ready for a change, ready to be changed, but the loss of my sight that month before turning sixteen wasn’t what I had in mind,” he writes.

After being diagnosed with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, a genetic condition that causes gradual blindness mostly in men, Hill burrows into denial and bluffs his way through blindness until his mid-30s. Armed with a basketful of euphemisms for his affliction — “sightlessness,” “print disabled,” “limited seeing,” “bad eyes,” “blurred vision” — he forges ahead, psychologically unable to accept a world of white canes and seeing-eye dogs. He refuses to admit to himself, his teachers, his friends, and even his first wife that he is blind. “Not speaking of it, not reminding others of it, not letting it hang like a banner above my head let me almost forget, and to almost forget was to make it almost untrue.” Some days in school, he lets himself be docked for absence rather than risk signing his name over another student’s on the attendance sheet. In classes, he pretends to take notes,

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scrawling pages of gibberish that he later throws away. Poignantly, he lines the shelves in his apartment with books he can’t read while hiding his Talking Books under the bed: “I was aware of the stigma associated with books on tape. Jokes on sitcoms implied audiobooks were to physical books what flag football is to the NFL.” Reading this memoir makes you realize how much you take sight for granted. Just being passed a plate of food can be fraught for a blind person. “So many things can go wrong,” Hill explains, “not limited to my thumb and forefinger landing in the wrong section of the plate; touching, defacing or possibly knocking onto the floor a brownie or precariously arranged cheese on a cracker, or, the Grand Guignol of canapes, a chip that must be sent on a recon mission into a dip of unknown depth or viscosity.” Crossing the street becomes a potential dance with death: “In daylight, you can’t rely on headlights and traffic lights to know when it’s safe… Sometimes other pedestrians are waiting on the curb, and you can cross behind them… At night when there are no pedestrians to whom you can pin your safety and no traffic lights or stop signs to part traffic, you can listen for cars.” One day, Hill nearly loses his life when he changes his route and crosses on what he thinks is a green light, and then “a car horn punches a hole in the morning,” as he stumbles to a concrete island, escaping “almost death.” Hill’s story is funny and sad at the same time, and raw in its honesty as he recounts the rejection by his first wife, who initiates divorce proceedings after six years of marriage. Both had cultivated facades: His was having vision;

hers was having an outgoing personality. Alone with him, she clams up and resents his dependence as much as he hates being dependent. Despite having earned three master’s degrees, he cannot earn a living as a writer, and only barely as a teacher, forcing her to become the primary breadwinner. “I wished I were a man capable of leaving a bad relationship,” he recalls, “but I barely found the courage to leave the apartment.” After his second novel is rejected, Hill identifies with Paul Giamatti’s character — a divorced, unpublished novelist — in the film “Sideways.” But then Hill rallies, reactivates his online-dating account, and somersaults into a relationship that finally makes him feel secure enough to stop bluffing. Once he drops his pretense and admits his disability, he finds happily-ever-after endings as a person, a teacher, and a husband. In the book’s last chapter, entitled “Basketball,” Hill and his new wife are in a gym playing hoops. They chase down rebounds and launch wild jumpers and crooked free throws, laughing as they miss nearly every shot. “Every once in a while, a three-pointer rattles in, and we scream our heads off,” Hill writes, “champions after a last-second shot.” Champions, indeed. Georgetown resident Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times best-sellers, including “The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.” kittykelleywriter.com


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AUGUST 18, 2021

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