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Boom, And We're Back!

A Monday night dinner celebrating a royal transition in the Netherlands. What I love about Washington is its diversity of social life. This is one venerable dimension - the elegant embassy dinner, carried out beautifully by the Netherlands ambassador and his wife. Here's the full story posted at washingtonian.com.  Did I peek at the Nats score all night? Yes, I did, and discreetly. You can dress me up, you can take me out, but you can't get me to give up on my teams! 

The Next to Last Word on Whatever It Was That Just Happened Here

Today was the day for reviews and recaps of the weekend that was. Here's my contribution at washingtonian.com.

Delightful End To A Dodgy Weekend

MIKE ISABELLA, SPIKE MENDELSOHN, BRYAN VOLTAGGIO AND BART VANDAELE

Here's what saved the weekend of the White House Correspondents Association dinner: food.  It started with Friday night's elegant seated dinner party at the home of David and Katherine Bradley and the delicious cog au vin whipped up by caterer Susan Gage. It concluded with a Thomson Reuters brunch on Sunday at the Hay-Adams Hotel, where a Top Chef quartet of Mike Isabella, Spike Mendelsohn, Bryan Voltagio and Bart Vandaele charmed with their personalities and their food, helping all the boats to rise. Perhaps what the world needs are fewer media people and more food people. 

More tomorrow at washingtonian.com.

Tony Kornheiser Goes To A Big Splashy Party

 TONY WITH WILLIE GEIST

No kidding. Tony Kornheiser was at the White House Correspondents Association dinner and the party after hosted by Vanity Fair and Bloomberg at the French ambassador's Kalorama mansion. N-O kidding. I couldn't believe my eyes.  His being there is notable not because he doesn't belong but because Tony is the most anti-social socially skeptical person around, at least in all of his quadrant of northwest Washington, and up and down Connecticut Avenue, and admirably so. He is a hero to other skeptics (me, included).  Tony being there gave the party a seal of worthiness the hosts hopefully recognized. Almost any splashy party can have Sofia Vergara and Jon Bon Jovi. But Kornheiser? Nah, not so easy. 

TONY KORNHEISER AND WILLIE GEIST

While I could have gone about snapping pics of movie and sitcom stars I was instead drawn to Korny. Like everyone else he was dressed up in a tuxedo and looked quite fetching. When he introduced a group of people to each other, a group that included Maureen Orth and her son Luke Russert, he completely forgot to include Mo in the round of intro's, and here's what happened. She looked at him and said, "F U Tony Kornheiser." Haha. You know, it was said with affection, but that made it a party, at least in the little corner of the French ambassador's terrace where we were hanging out.

Spending time with Tony made the party more fun, less tedious. He doesn't know this but I took these photos at the risk of being thrown out  (Vanity Fair sent an embassy staffer to warn me I would be booted and never invited back), but the risk was worth it, on behalf of Tony's fans, the notorious Littles. I could have listened all evening to his long and interesting conversation with Tony Romo, in which Romo was exclaiming everything will be different this year. Oh, really? 

MAUREEN ORTH AND TONY KORNHEISER 

Thank you Willie Geist for acting as my agent and recommending that Tony appear on my show. Willie was a guest a year ago. But good luck with bagging Tony. I've been asking for years, since back when we started The Q&A Cafe at Nathans, and I'm no closer than I ever was to getting a "yes." But he's always very friendly when he see's me. 

What did Tony and Willie discuss? Among other subjects, Matt Lauer, but that part was OFF THE RECORD. 

I got a ride home with Nnamdi Asomugha of the San Francisco 49ers. We had a good conversation in the back of his hired sedan. He proves, once again, that people involved in sports - like Tony - can be much smarter than people who are not.

The Place to be for Brunch On White House Correspondents Weekend was Cafe Milano

MC HAMMER, TODD BRADLEY, RAUL FERNANDEZ, RON DOZORETZ AND NNAMDI ASOMUGHA. 

Where to begin. Today the buzz was about a brunch up the hill in Georgetown at the mansion fomerly owned by Katharine Graham, when actually the place to be was Cafe Milano. When we first arrived at Milano we saw our friend Tina Brown, who had been at the brunch. "I realized I didn't want to eat standing and holding a plate," she said. TINA BROWN, KATHY O'HEARN AND HARRY EVANS AT LUNCH AT CAFE MILANO

Cafe Milano felt as buzzy as any party (as it often does). There was Tina and her husband, Harry Evans, and Tina's colleague Kathy O'Hearn, but also the foreign minister of Jordan; philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, having lunch with the mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa; Francesca Zambello, artistic director of the Washington National Opera; MC Hammer with Raul Fernandez and a group of friends, and, at the table adjacent to ours, Ron Dozoretz and Nnamdi Asomugha, who just signed with the San Francisco 49ers. The difference between here and elsewhere was quiet quality versus mosh pit. Charlie Rose found respite at Milano, too. 

ADRIENNE ARSHT, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM, HAVING LUNCH WITH MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA OF LOS ANGELES 

But Nnamdi was the man of the hour, with group after group of people stopping by his table to pay respects. No surprise, read about him. An incredible professional football career as well as a remarkable pattern of philanthropy and commitment to causes.

For a moment, but in broad daylight, Milano felt like Rao's.

MY LUNCH POSSE: JOHN FOX SULLIVAN, FRANCESCA CRAIG, KEVIN CHAFFEE

CAVE DWELLER DROP BY: TANDY AND WYATT DICKERSON WERE AT MILANO, TOO

(deleted. hahaha. sometimes i write crazy s**t)

THE MAN WHO IS CAFE MILANO, LAURENT MENOUD, ON THE LEFT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS COULD LEARN FROM HIM.

How CBS News Booked PSY for the White House Correspondents Dinner

I expect Charlie Rose to be dancing Gangnam Style tonight at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. That's because, at least as of late last night, his designated dinner partner is the pop music sensation PSY. Charlie was not concerned, except about one thing: "I'm happy to sit by him but I've told CBS I plan to leave the dinner early." Charlie will head over to the Vanity Fair party at the French Ambassador's Kalorama residence. I think he should just invite PSY along, (he's already on the VF list) and the two of them can gallop Gangnam Style up Connecticut Avenue. That might rob the President or Conan O'Brien of making a PSY joke, though.

Last night at the Bradley dinner, where news spread of PSY's 11th hour addition to the  CBS News dinner guest list, the questions were how did they get him and was he traveling to Washington from Korea? They got him courtesy of Jennifer Maguire, wife of CBS News Washington bureau chief Chris Isham. Maguire is an executive with the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. On Friday, the Festival honored Psy for his transcultural success by presenting him with the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award. 

It was at the awards event at New York University where Maguire suggested to PSY that he come to Washington for the big media dinner. Done and done. All he asked was for a hotel room where he could smoke cigarettes. Done and done. 

My prediction is he'll be the celebrity sensation of the weekend, as Ozzy Osbourne was a few years ago, and the Jonas Brothers a while back, and Lindsay Lohan last year. 

Last night at the Bradley dinner, upon hearing the news, otherwise gray-humored members of the DC elite exclaimed, "I want to get my picture taken with him."

Notably, CBS sent me this message that lists their other WHCA dinner guests: U.S. Marine General John Allen, former Commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan; Chef José Andrés, Gen. John F. Campbell, the Army's vice chief of staff; Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas); Jared Cohen, the director of Google Ideas and an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations;Actor Daniel Dae Kim from the CBS hit, “Hawaii Five-0;” Emmy and Golden Globe winner Claire Danes from the Showtime hit, “Homeland;” Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Reginald L. Love, former special assistant and personal aide to President Obama; Lisa Monaco, White House Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Advisor; Retired Admiral Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Samantha Power, Former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights at the National Security Council; Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals’ third baseman.  The line under Zimm is my doing. That's who I'd want for a dinner partner, with PSY on my other side. 

The Bradley Dinner and the Atlantic/National Journal/OurTime After Party

THE BRADLEY DINNER HAS ACHIEVED BEING WHAT THE WHCA DINNER WAS BEFORE IT EXPLODED INTO WHAT IT IS

What's in a name? A lot when it has to do with social life and status. The Bradley Dinner has achieved the status of being known as simply "The Bradley Dinner."  The only other event of the White House Correspondents Association  weekend with the same clout is the "Vanity Fair party." This is fitting because, at the moment, these two stand out as the principal parties everyone wants to attend during the three days of fêtes. There are others that are tag-alongs, also rans and wannabes, but the Bradley Dinner and the Vanity Fair, or simply the VFP, remain at the top of the hill. For now.

DURING COCKTAILS BEFORE DINNER. SUSAN GAGE DID THE DINNER, MICHEL RICHARD MADE THE CANAPES.

Gaining ground this year is the renegade "Buzz Feed Party," which is a counter-dinner to the goings on at the Washington Hilton. It has a lot going for it -- Jack Rose Dining Saloon (meaning cool location) and barbecue (meaning cool food) and a guest list that actually breaks from the Eisenhower era. I wish BuzzFeed a big success, and that they don't let it go to their heads, and that they do it again next year. They could own a significant piece of real estate if desired.

KATE BENNETT AND A FRIEND AT THE DINNER

There's also the "McLaughlin Brunch" but it's no longer that because this year John McLaughlin got booted from his own creation. It's now solely the Thomson Reuters brunch, which lacks some branding zing, but I'm hoping this brunch is a big turnaround from, frankly, the boring event it had become. It was the go-to for the has-beens -- never a great formula for a party. They've added celebrity chefs and, hopefully, spiced up the guest list. If it works, it could become known as the Hay-Adams Brunch, which is not a bad brand name. 

RON BROWNSTEIN OPINES ON WASHINGTON AFFAIRS

There is the the brunch at Katharine Graham's former home, now owned by Mark Ein, but it jumped the shark a couple of years ago. I don't say that because I got invited and then disinvited this year, indicating, I joked to friends, that the event planner used the Salahi Guide to Party Planning. These things happen when parties are in the hands of amateurs.

THE SCENE OUTSIDE POWERHOUSE AS GUESTS ARRIVE FOR AN AFTER-PARTY

After the Bradley dinner the high-flying party crowd headed to Georgetown and the Powerhouse for the National Journal/Atlantic/OurTime after party called the "Making News Party." A bold statement. I doubt any news was made, except for the grumbling among some guests that there was an "upstairs/downstairs" class structure to the affair. Those with the A-wristband got to hang out upstairs with lots of bars and food and The Bumbys on-hand (brought in from the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas) to provide millenial-generation "appearance appraisals." Anyone with a B-wristband had to stay down in the bowels of the building, unless they needed the potty, which was up in A terriroty. The A-guests could lean over the railings and look down upon the "B's," down below looking up. Crazy. All that was missing were water balloons.

LOOKING DOWN TO THE B-LEVEL AT THE POWERHOUSE

UP ON THE A-LEVEL IT WAS ALL CHAMPAGNE, COOL VIBES, ELITES RUBBING UP AGAINST ELITES

THE BUMBYS TAP OUT CARDS WITH INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY ANALYSIS

I stopped by to see the Bumbys and to get evaluated, based on nothing more than standing there looking at them as they briefly looked back at me. No words were exchanged. No information provided. It was a pitch perfect representation of an era when people have almost ceased verbal communication. Thus commenced their tap tap tap tap tap on what looked like IBM Selectric keyboards. "Gill" handed me a card that gave an "overall rating" of 9.4 (no scale given) and these words: "I feel like if you had a mutant superpower, it would have something to do with organizational skills. When your friends' lives are falling apart, you know how to turn on the mojo and blast some sense into them, whether that means recommending your tax guy or body-slamming them into some work-life balance." 

WAITING FOR WHATEVER

Then it was time to head out -- midnight or so -- wait for the car, watch the autograph hounds collected in a gaggle across the street. For what celeb, though? Maybe there's a market for the signatures of wonks. 

"At Large w/ Carol Joynt" on @WUSA9: A Quick Hit on the WHCA Dinner

 

I really like doing this gig, but want to remind all watchers that this is broadcast live at 6:15 am, which necessitates waking up at 4:45 am to get to the studio on time and transformed into something nearly human. The streets are empty as I drive up Wisconsin Avenue and they are still empty when I drive back down to go home. Refreshing in a way, but only the birds are waking up. 

An Update on The Q&A Cafe: Taping Today and May 9

We're actually taping an episode of The Q&A Cafe today, but it's in studio and without an audience. It's a spring/summer preview of fashion, food and the arts for DC. I'll let you know the air date asap, but it's likely to be this Friday, April 26. The guests are colleagues from Washingtonian, discussing their beats: Kate Bennett on fashion, Sophie Gilbert on the arts, and Jessica Voelker on food and restaurants. 

Our next Q&A Cafe taping at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown is on Thursday, May 9, when the guest will be Christopher Kennedy Lawford, grandson nephew of JFK, as well as an actor, author, activist, drug addict and alcoholic, who has been in recovery for more than two decades. He has quite a story to tell. 

Seating begins at noon, the fee is $38 covering all costs of lunch, soft beverages, tax, tip and dessert from Georgetown Cupcake. For reservations please call the hotel directly at 202.912.4100 and speak with Esmaralda Prifold or email her directly. 

Farmers Market Huevos Rancheros

I almost never indulge in Huevos Rancheros because after having the dish at my beloved Cora's Coffee Shoppe in Santa Monica I knew it was impossible to find anything comparable. Cora's makes the best. But this morning, at my usual stop at the city's best farmer's market, Palisades, I was inspired by the fresh eggs, the fresh salsa and the tortilla chips from Salsa Las Glorias. Not Cora's but not bad. A bed of crushed chips, fried eggs that have been lightly doused with Woodberry Kitchen's  hot and spicy "Snake Oil," and a couple spoonsful of salsa. Snap. Light and tasty.

PS, a new vendor, with a hydroponic farm, has bags of beautiful lettuces. I got a "large," enough for a week, for $6. 

Breaking News Matters, Even At A Beautiful Ball

WHY WE LOVE OUR IPHONE; WATCHING BOSTON AT THE CORCORAN BALL

Possibly a little rude but who could resist checking out the breaking news tonight as the Boston Marathon manhunt came to a close? I couldn't, that's for sure, even at a crowded social event. On my behalf, I pulled out my phone only while alone at the table, waiting for the others who were seated there to show up. By the time they arrived the drama was all over. There will be more about the Corcoran Ball at washingtonian.com on Monday. For now, here are some pics from the evening. 

THE BAR AT THE VIP RECEPTION BEFORE DINNER

MYRA MOFFETT AND AUBREY SARVIS

A SIGNATURE OF THE CORCORAN BALL IS BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS

...AND BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED ROOMS

AND PEOPLE AT DINNER WHO KNOW EACH OTHER

AND A BIG BAND

AND AFTER-DINNER DANCING TO THE BIG BAND

AND SOMETIMES A RIDE HOME IN THE RAIN

Another Tasty Day at the Office, Fried Chicken Edition

Here's how it goes down sometimes at the Washingtonian offices: the food people organize tastings and photo sessions for the food they will be featuring in the magazine. Today it is fried chicken - from the major carry-outs in the DC area. No kidding. Swoon, right? I couldn't think of better Friday photos to post here than these golden images. Apologies that this site doesn't have a scent feature. 

"At Large w/ Carol Joynt" on @WUSA9: Corcoran Chaos, Thatcher Snub, Morrison Encore

 

America in the Post 9/11 Era

 STRENGTH AND RESOLVE 

At the Boston hockey game last night, the anthem singer realized quickly that the fans owned the stage and the moment. In post-9/11 America we run toward the crisis to help, we fight back if we can and we sing loudly together as a chorus.

Happy Birthday to Vijay Kumar

In the top middle of this photo in the dark shirt is Vijay Kumar, my brother-in-law, at his birthday party Saturday night, celebrating with his nearest and dearest, including his sons, Cameron Kumar and Zal Kumar, daughter-in-law, Sonia Kumar, niece Rakhi Kumar, and his wife, Martha Joynt Kumar. He turned 80, which is difficult for me to believe because whatever 80 means, and I believe in our culture it means "ancient," there's nothing ancient about Vijay -- unless ancient is another word for wise. Also, he's still a fierce tennis player. Happy Birthday, Vijay.

Glee's Matthew Morrison Sings & Dances in DC on Saturday Night

Matthew Morrison, star of "Glee," was in town tonight as the main event at the Washington Performing Arts Society's spring gala. He put on a show that ended up as a dance party for 600+ guests at the Ritz Carlton West End. More about it on Monday at washingtonian.com, but for now here are some photos of Matthew, starting with the VIP reception, then the show, and at a small private after-party where he sipped the Jameson's he first asked for on stage. btw, he's s sweetheart. Zero attitude, loves DC, and takes the time to talk to everyone and pose for pics.

A Parisian Ball For The Ballet At The Library of Congress

THE "CAN-CAN" PERFORMED BY MEMBERS OF THE WASHINGTON BALLET

The Washington Ballet held it's annual ball Friday night at the Library of Congress. It was a good choice. A refreshing break from the usual venues -- National Building Museum, Reagan Building, Mellon Auditorium, hotels -- and the elegance of the building suited the evenings theme: "Hemingway in Paris." I'll have more about the party on Monday at washingtonian.com, but for now here are some photos.

YOUNG BALLET DANCERS GREETING GUESTS UPON ARRIVAL

BALLET BEFORE DINNER

WATCHING, AND WATCHING THE DANCERS

"A LOT OF MONEY FROM NEW YORK," ANOTHER GUEST SAID OF THIS TABLE

VIEW OF THE CAPITOL DOME FROM ONE OF THE TABLES FOR 400

BRUCE LIPNICK AND CHRIS DODD

THE MEXICAN AMBASSADOR, ARTURO SARUKHÁN AND HIS WIFE, VERONICA (IN RED),WITH JANE HARMAN AND TONY PODESTA

CHRIS DODD, JANE HARMAN, JACKIE CLEGG DODD

BILL AND ALISON PALEY

SEPTIME WEBRE, ON THE LEFT, THE BALLET'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

GOURI MIRPURI OF SINGAPORE AND CHOREOGRAPHER ASTAD DEBOO OF INDIA

SUNHEE KIM OF SOUTH KOREA

MORE "CAN-CAN"

"At Large w/ Carol Joynt" on @WUSA9: Jason Wu, McLaughlin Brunch, Bill Marriott

 

More Photos From Jason Wu Runway Show at Saks Fifth Avenue

The luncheon Thursday was on behalf of the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation but the star of the event was designer Jason Wu, whose clients include First Lady Michelle Obama. I have a full story at washingtonian.com, but shot many more photos than we used. So, here are some of those photos. I was seated at the end of the runway with Saks Fifth Avenue president Ron Frasch, other Saks execs, luncheon sponsor Elise Lefkowitz and her husband, Marc, and ... Jason Wu. All I had to do was lift up my camera and snap.

Me In My DC Happy Place, Warm Weather Edition

Nothing not to like about a night at Nats Park, and a win, including a Bryce Harper homer. This is the CNN box. Thank you, CNN, my old home (but we didn't have this perk back then).

A USER'S GUIDE TO PARTIES BEFORE AND AFTER THE WHCA DINNER

SOPHIA VERGARA AND WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY JEREMY BERNARD, LAST YEAR, AT VANITY FAIR WHCA AFTER PARTY

It's almost here, the annual social ritual known as the White House Correspondents' Association weekend, which is a four-day wraparound to a Saturday night dinner. So many parties are compressed into these four days that we've come up with a handy guide, useful to those who are invited, hope to be invited, or will pretend they are invited: An A Lister's List of  WHCA Parties

Everybody Asks, "Which House Did Conrad Cafritz Buy?" This One.

THE ROTH HOUSE AT 3044 O STREET NW

We're a relatively small village here in Georgetown and when we buzz it's about a few different topics, but chiefly real estate. The buzz the past few weeks has been that Conrad Cafritz bought the Roth house at the corner of 30th and O Streets. I've heard it several times. I do know the house sold and the price was $8.7  million. (The asking price was $9.2 mml)  I also know that Conrad was "looking."

The other day I saw Mr. Roth on  the street, as he was packing up some furniture, and asked if he had sold the house and was moving. "Yes," he said. "At the end of the month."  The Roths are moving across the river, leaving behind for the new owner a home with 9 bedrooms, 7 full baths, 12 fireplaces, swimming pool and a three-car garage, and almost $50K in annual property taxes.

Conrad, who is a developer, and who uses email quite a lot, did not respond when I wrote to ask him about the purchase, which probably means I was on to something.

Conrad's brother, Calvin Cafritz, also lives in Georgetown, in an art-filled house near the mansion that formerly belonged to Katharine Graham but is now owned by Mark Ein.

Just down the street, Rick Rickertsten reportedly sold his really sweet house for $7.6 million. 

In recent history, the Roth house is best known as the home of Hugh and Janet Auchincloss, during the time when her daughter, Jackie Kennedy, lived at the White House. Later, Mrs. Auchincloss moved to Volta, to a house bought for her by her by Jackie and her other daugher, Lee Radziwill, or so it goes according to Georgetown real estate legend.

The Roth house also later belonged to Jennifer Phillips, an ex-wife of Conrad Cafritz. 

So, again, if the rumors are true, and the question is asked, that's the house. As a landmark, it is directly across the street from Christ Episcopal Church. That particular interesection has a remarkable structure on each corner. George and Dina Perry on one corner, Steve Rales on another corner, the church on the other. It's why that intersection, or any real estate nearby, is considered the most prized in Georgetown. 

Joe Biden Woo's The Opera Vote; Jill Biden Wins The Spotlight

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND ITALIAN AMBASSADOR CLAUDIO BISONIERO

LAURA BISOGNIERO AND JILL BIDEN

At the Opera Ball tonight, Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife, Jill Biden, made a surprise visit. It was her second visit the Italian ambassador's home in a month and, as before, she stole the spotlight in a red drop-shoulder evening gown. More about the evening on Monday at washingtonian.com. 

"At Large w/ Carol Joynt" on @WUSA9: Nats, Walk Ups, Hillary, Caroline

 

One of the Perks of Waking at 5 AM

Sunrise at the Tidal Basin. You can practically hear the cherry blossoms screaming, "Help, help, I'm trapped inside this bud and want to get out!"

Does Georgetown Need Two 7-Elevens?

WISCONSIN & O, WHERE 7/11 HOPES TO OPEN IN AUGUST

Now that the date draws nearer for a second 7-Eleven to open in Georgetown, residents are beginning to pay more attention to its proposed location: the corner of Wisconsin and O Streets. The plans went before the ANC, according to The Georgetown Current, and the result was not happy for 7-Eleven. Some residents and business owners frankly question whether it is appropriate for that corner, which already faces the challenges of nearby Wisconsin Avenue "blight." The businesses on O Street, for example, are trying very hard to preserve some integrity on their block. 

The "look" is a big issue. There's a relatively new 7-Eleven on P Street at 27th and while definitely convenient it is also an architectural eyesore. What's troubling in particular is the window trim that blocks any view into the store. That's unpleasant, but I would think it's also a crime waiting to happen. Bad guys could be in there holding up the clerks and no one on the outside could tell. While that 7-Eleven look may blend in on a highway or in a strip mall it doesn't blend in among 18th century buildings. It stands out, which means it is not blending in.

Some say they want a grocery at Wisconsin and O and that's a proposal with merit. 7-Eleven says it is a grocery. It's not. That's like CVS calling itself a grocery. Selling freshly-cooked hot dogs does not make a convenience store a grocery. Maybe on Mars, but we're not Mars. A 7/11 is a convenience store. Georgetown Dinette and Wingo's do a better job with food made to order - better than any 7/11 could accomplish. Neam's, now gone, was a grocery. Dean & Deluca is a grocery (high end, but still a grocery). With CVS so close to the 7-Eleven location it is tough to see what 7/11 can offer than we don't already have in the vincinity -- other than lottery tickets. Well, Georgetown Dinette has lottery tickets. And, as already stated, there's a double-wide 7/11 only a few blocks over on P Street. Isn't that enough 7-Eleven for Georgetown? When there was a second one before, at Wisconsin and Q, the second one failed.

The real issue is what it always comes back to in Georgetown: landlords. How involved are the landlords in looking for the best possible tenant for that corner? Is there pressure on them from the ANC to spread the net wide, to factor in the community, to consider the whole?  The principal landlord of 1344 Wisconsin Avenue is deceased, and the building is in the hands of his heirs. Do they live in Georgetown? Have they visited the businesses adjacent to the corner, to listen to what those business owners have to say? Are they involved or just leaving it to their commercial realtor? Is it only about the rent, as it so often is with Georgetown landlords? These are questions that need to be answered, now and in the long-term with other commercial buildings. 

History matters less and less in Georgetown, but it still matters. To that end, notably, that corner was once home to the venerable "Doc" Dalinsky's pharmacy. Not a grocery, but still a vital part of the community. Neighbors gathered there to hang out, to talk with the owner -- who they knew well -- making it an anchor for the community. Around the corner his wife owned a quirky store that was both a beauty and smoke shop. Why not use Dalinksky's as the inspiration for this property? A unique concept, something that suits the community, something visually in harmony with its neighbors, and not redundant. Think Stachowkis, Baked & Wired, Pie Sisters, Scheele's.

Whenever I write these kinds of thoughts about Georgetown I become dispirited after, because unless the ANC changes the culture of Georgetown landlords -- and by that I mean become badass toward them -- decisions about tenants will continue to be made based on only one factor: money. Do all Georgetown landlords deserve to be painted with this brush? No. But yes to most.

 

What Opening Day Looked Like at Nats Park (Lotsa #Natitude)

A wonderful day at Nats Park for the season opener. I'll be frank, to be there in the park watching Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper it's not a leap to feel in the company of greatness. Strasburg is the cool one, Harper the hot one. In the same game, what a show.

The crowds pouring into the Nationals main gate at 11:30 a.m.

Well, it was a work day. I like this photo because the man and woman in the middle didn't mind being photographed. The people who belong to the other hands didn't want to be seen at the game. 

Total curly W cool. 

Truly, just married, at 10 AM at the DC courthouse. Then to Nats stadium to watch their team win. 

The Nats line-up after individual introductions.

This could be the depths of summer, but its Lombardozzi and Tracy simply waiting for the season opener to begin.

The staple of a Nats diet: hot dogs.

Screech was in rare form.

For real, the requisite red sequins suit. Don't know the guy. Seemed happy.

Strasburg in action.

Harper in action. Result: home run.

Bryce Harper, after just scoring a homer, slaps five with Ryan Zimmerman. In the foreground is some ding dong who holds up a rubber chicken after a score. Impossible to explain. Fans come in all forms.

Home run #2.

#Natitude