The crab cakes, corn, cole slaw and lima beans went too fast to get a photo. But the windy evening was lovely, and also this morning at dawn as the watermen headed out for fresh catch.
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August 2013
08/31/2013
08/27/2013
Sports Night - Hockey at Baseball, Keith Olbermann Returns
THE CAPS JOHN CARLSON AT THE NATS GAME TUESDAY NIGHT
A good sports night. Took in the Nationals 2-1 win over Miami. The air was very warm and heavy and there was no breeze but still good cheer in the stands, with fans hoping, hoping, hoping the team can keep winning over these next weeks. Dare I say "wild card." Bryce Harper's walk-up song is "Don't Stop Believing."
I could post another series of photos of Harper and Jayson Werth, because I take a lot of pics of them, but instead here's John Carlson of the Capitals. John and other members of the Olympics-bound Team USA were at the President's Club to help salute members of the military during the 3rd inning ritual.
Got home in time to catch Keith Olbermann's new ESPN show. He returned to sports broadcasting this week and it's a welcomed return...at least by me. Loved that he had Tony Kornheiser on tonight and the line-up of guests looks strong for the week ahead. Keith and Tony had strong stuff on "Johnny Football," and the NCAA and the issue of no pay/pay for college players. Talk about two perfectly matched smart but cranky personalities. What a pleasure. There's a good chance the show will become my regular 11pm weeknight viewing.
08/24/2013
Lunch With Some Of The Best Journalists in Washington, (& the Redskins)
Usually I try to avoid "media" tables at events. It's better to sit with, meet and hear the real people, who are organizing, involved with or otherwise supportive of the event I'm covering. But yesterday, at the "Welcome Home" luncheon for the Washington Redskins -- owner, manager, players, coaches, fans -- I was thrilled when I learned who my tablemates would be: some of Washington's best journalists (and a couple from beyond the Beltway), a group of sports writers and broadcasters. They are very real & interesting & entertaining.
On my right was Grant Paulsen, the Redskins beat reporter for 106.7FM, on my left was John Keim, who has the same beat, formerly with the Washington Examiner, then briefly with The Washington Post, and now with ESPN.com. One over from Keim was Mike Jones, who has the Redskins beat with The Washington Post (and came there from The Fauquier Citizen and his native Warrenton, VA., where, btw, my family lived since 1968). Also at the table was Washington Post sports columnist Jason Reid. And others: Zac Boyer of The Free Lance-Star, Michael Phillips of The Richmond Times-Dispatch, Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSN, and Joseph White of the Associated Press. I link to their twitter feeds because if you follow sports you should follow them.
I enjoy reading sports reporting and listening to sports talk radio. I'm a sports journo fangirl. The writing usually is colorful, clever, smart, funny. The sports beat is a writer's field, more than any other beat with the exception maybe of TV and film criticism. It's "breaking" and "live" news, but not about the world falling apart. The men and women who cover DC sports don't appear to have consumed any of the town's Kool-Aid. Their skepticism is intact. It's also the last bastion of authentic American journalism that hasn't been compromised by wanting to be invited to parties. It's the story, the story, the story ... and a little bit of each other, too. They are competitive but also a bonded band.
From the moment we took our seats they were each on their devices, updating their twitter feeds with bits of new Redskins news. Interestingly, the only reason any of them attended the lunch -- or so they told me -- was because Robert Griffin III was scheduled to speak and when that happens they have to be there. He may not say anything, but generally even when he doesn't say much it is still news. And none wants to be the one who wasn't there. Also, the chance coach Mike Shanahan might drop something relevant. And it turns out he did with some variation of "anything short of a Super Bowl is a failure." Defining and intrepreting what he said has become a twitter debate among some of the writers.
Our table was right beside the aisle where each team member walked after being introduced. I stood to take some photos and was up close with each athlete. Impressions? So young. So fit. Some so tall and some not so tall. In the air was the fact that of the approximate 90 as many as 40 will be cut before the season opener on September 9. Still, the luncheon was a celebratory pause before the action begins. It was also essentially the same for the sports reporters. They will all be in the press box at FedEx Field and traveling with the Redskins to away games -- from now until, well, whenever our season may end and hopefully that will be in the play-offs and beyond.
With all the attention that is given to the book "This Town," which is about DC's media "elite" -- the people who report on politics, the establishment and each other -- someone should write a book about the city's sports reporters. They're cool. It's a lively story, a variation of "the boys on the bus." (If you're a literary agent, I volunteer!)
The luncheon, an annual event, was held at the National Harbor convention center and was hosted by the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and the Redskins Alumni Association, which meant the crowd included a lot of team legends, such as Charley Taylor, Mark Moseley and Rick "Doc" Walker.
You can caption this photo on washingtonian.com, where I have a brief story about the luncheon.
Do I need to add that no mention was made from the dais about the team name controversy? This was not that crowd.
08/20/2013
Back from The Beach
SUNRISE AT CORAL BEACH CLUB, BERMUDA
Just back from a brief but relaxing family holiday on Bermuda. Didn't do much else but swim, sun, read, swim, eat, swim, sleep and swim, with a couple of forays into Hamilton, once for pizza and another time for dinner at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. I'll post photos here over the next couple of days.
THE VIEW FROM OUR TERRACE: THE BIG BLUE SEA
TYPICAL GORGEOUS SUNSET. THIS VIEW TO THE SOUTH.
SAME SUNSET, THIS VIEW TO THE NORTH
BREAKFAST OUTSIDE THE BEDROOM DOOR, WITH ADORABLE VISITORS
LUNCHEON
DINNER
CHEERS TO ANOTHER SH**TY DAY IN PARADISE
Hamilton has changed since I first took a holiday on Bermuda in 1977. Back then the cruise ships still tied up on front street, bringing some commercial vitality to the "urban" hub -- good shopping (Trimingham's!), sophisticated restaurants (The Penthouse!) They are gone. Still, it's a charming town, with a mix of handsome colonial architecture and stunning contempoary offices (almost all banks).
RUM PUNCH: ORANGE JUICE, PINEAPPLE JUICE, MOUNT GAY RUM, BITTERS, SPLASH OF GRENADINE.
Bluck's is still in business, as is The Bermuda Bookstore (packed with British titles, especially murder mysteries). I got one that might best be described as Downton Abbey with Zombies. I also got a book about the three months John Lennon spent on Bermuda in the summer of 1980 -- the summer before he was murdered -- renting a 4 acre estate called Undercliff in the lux Fairylands neighborhood. He said the time on Bermuda inspired him to write or finish songs for "Double Fantasy," his last album. At the other end of the island, Tucker's Town, Michael Bloomberg, Ross Perot and Silvio Berlusconi have estates. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones made the island their primary home for a several years before he was diagnosed with cancer. I'm not sure whether they still own the home.
THE VIEW OF HAMILTON FROM TERRACE DINNER AT THE YACHT CLUB
LOOKING INTO THE INDOOR/OUTDOOR DINING TERRACE OF THE RBYC. IT WAS CURRY NIGHT. THE BRITS LOVE THEIR CURRY.
The cruise ships have been relocated out of Hamilton, to their own special commercial development, The Royal Naval Dockyard, on the island's West End. I haven't been, because I get to Bermuda and stay put - swimming, reading, eating, sleeping and swimming. The Dockyard development sucked a lot of the shopping verve out of Hamilton. In fact, apart from the book store, there's not much except for some tourist trinkets ... the exception, and lone remaining luxury brand, is Louis Vuitton.
BUT AS I SAID, WHERE I REALLY LIKED TO BE WAS HERE ON THE BEACH, READING-SWIMMING-READING...AND GAZING OUT AT THIS VIEW:
OR THIS:
08/10/2013
Guess The (Obvious) Caption For This Photo
BAREFOOT AND PUTTING
Love this photo, cause I'm a fantasy golfer. Never had a bit of interest in it until this phase of life, and Tiger Woods, and now it's too late to learn ... but I can alway putt.
08/09/2013
Arlene Weisskopf and John Palmer: The Untimely Deaths of Two Friends & Former Colleagues
THE NIGHTWATCH FAMILY, IN A HAPPY PHASE, CIRCA 1987. ARLENE WEISKOPF IS TO THE RIGHT OF CHARLIE ROSE, IN BLACK AND WHITE STRIPED TOP
It's been a week of terribly sad news about friends and former colleagues who met untimely deaths - John Palmer of NBC News and Arlene Weiskopf of CBS News.
The news of John's death came first, at the beginning of the week. We worked together in the 70s, at the NBC News Washington bureau, where I also worked with Nancy Doyle. Nancy and John fell in love and married and lived a great love story. I'd see them here and there, on and off, we shared many mutual friends and often kept up that way, and most recently we were together at the Hillwood gala, where John was on the board. In fact, Hillwood loved him. He was "the perfect board member," according to another good friend, Ellen Charles, who is the president of the board and Marjorie Merriweather Post's heir. Hillwood will host the reception for family and friends after John's memorial service at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church on Saturday.
JOHN PALMER AT THE RECENT HILLWOOD GALA
John died of pulmonary fibrosis at GW Hospital. Nancy comforted friends when she sent out notice of his passing. "These last few weeks have actually been an amazing and beautiful time for our family and I can happily report that he truly did not suffer and we had lots of visiting, reminiscing and laughter and he remained his funny, kind, generous and heroic self throughout. Truly inspiring."
Many memories of John and Nancy, but one that remains very clear is how we once crossed paths in Bermuda. Howard and I were embarking on our honeymoon and John and Nancy were finishing up a second honeymoon. A few laughs at the airport as we went our romantic ways. We also intersected here in Washington with mutual friends Amy Bondurant and David Dunn, and their mutual friend Jim Bitterman.
A day after John's death I learned of Arlene's sudden death. We met at CBS News in 1984, where we were both producers and, for a little while, office mates at Nightwatch, the fun, spectacular, crazy and fascinating overnight talk show -- a first of its kind -- hosted by Charlie Rose. (Seriously, someone should write the book or make the movie). Anyone who worked with us during that time, and with a particular executive producer, will nod knowingly when I say we did great work but we also went through A LOT of hell together and are bonded for life on that basis.
The E.P. felt he was superior to the staff. With the exception of a very few favorites, none of us measured up to him; we (adults) were either yelled at or ignored, told often and in personal ways that we were failures, were handed down arbitrary "punishments," mocked behind our backs, and, in the case of some of the younger women staff, sexually harassed. There's more that was worse but doesn't need to be relived here. The morale was in the sub-basement, but we as a group kept our focus on the work, did well and relied on each other for support (lunches together, gallows humor and white wine helped). We wondered why the heirarchy in NY let the abuse go on. Arlene was sometimes at her desk in tears after an irrational dressing down in his offce. She was not alone.
In time, when the staff bravely unified against him, and made the higher ups aware of the professional and emotional trauma in our office, and with the help of the deputy chief of the Washington bureau, the reign of hell ended. The E.P. didn't get outright fired but was "allowed to resign," as those things are sometimes handled in the corporate world. Several staff filed a lawsuit against CBS News for the way they were treated by this man, particularly in regard to sexual harassment, and won. A woman was named Executve Producer. Nightwatch rolled on and with the new E.P. it became a happy work environment. Eventually, everyone moved on with thriving careers -- Arlene, for sure, to the role of producer of Face The Nation.
We may not see each other as often as we should, but with what we went through together all of us are solid. So, the news spread fast among us that Arlene had died after a fall.
From one of our CBS News colleagues: "Over the years, as good friends, we laughed many times about how crazy it all was. For better or worse, Arlene and all of us put so much of our lives second to the show. But that was Nightwatch in a nutshell...we went flat out...gave it our all. And after any of these frantic, frenzied booking sessions (often daily) we'd sit back, enjoy that euphoric high of getting it done, and then do it all over again. Ah those were the days!"
Lasting memory: Arlene had tried to do something with her hair color and and it didn't work out quite right. Her stylist said that to reconcile the problem she would have to go purple for a while. So, in an era before punk or goth or hipsters, Arlene spent about a month with purple hair, coming and going, doing her work, sitting at her desk. It was very funny. She laughed, too.
For Arlene, whose obituary lists her as Arlene Carey Lissit, there will be a funeral Saturday at 1 pm at Pumphrey's Funeral Home in Rockville, followed by a private reception at her home, hosted by her husband, Bob Lissit. If you know Arlene and want more details, please contact Susan B. Fitzgerald or me: Carol.
In the saddest way, so many friends from my many years in network news have come back into my life this week -- many emails back and forth -- and it's warming, but I so wish the circumstances were different. Many of the messages rest on the thought of how fleeting life is and how we don't see each other often enough and the need to embrace the ones we love as much as we can. So, a gentle reminder: Hug well, hug often.
08/08/2013
Secretly Want To Be A Magazine Art Director? Here's Your Chance.
YOU'VE HEARD OF A BLANK PAGE? THIS IS A BLANK MAGAZINE COVER, UNTIL YOU VOTE
Washingtonian magazine is at a crossroads in deciding the cover for the September issue. It's down to two choices. In an unusual step, the bosses have decided to put the choice out there for the public to decide. So vote, dammit! I know which one I prefer and it had me at first glance - clever and fresh. But I don't want to influence your choice. Vote here.
As of Saturday, one is out in front by a margin of 3 to 1.
08/06/2013
My New Drink
A Vodka Mint Julep. One could ask, "that's all?" but wait until you give it a taste.
Tastes great with crispy sea salt potato chips from, where else? Brittany, France.
The Washington Post - An Interview with Katharine Weymouth
KATHARINE WEYMOUTH
My world became online back in 2005. That's when I started my first website and blog. It's also when I learned I could create my own newspaper -- online -- at any hour of the day or night. I was an early adapter to the world we're in today. I'm all for anything that advances my ability to consume and distribute information. I'm a social media pioneer.
Which is why I loved the news: the sale of The Washington Post to Jeff Bezos of Amanzon. I have very little to add except that this morning I asked my friend and former neighbor Katharine Weymouth if she would do a phone interview and, graciously, she did. It's here: washingtonian.com.
I have friends who still read newspapers (occasionally I do, too), and I respect that, but the Grahams were smart and timely. Get out. Jump ashore. Leave it to the billionaires. If I were a billionaire I'd buy a newspaper and I'd pump in the moolah to keep it going (while I also re-invented digital news). Which is why I like the PERSPECTIVE of this piece at New York Magazine.
I like tht Bezos is skeptical about paywalls and believes the consumer has been trained to expect free content. I also believe Bezos now has an obligation to be in the vanguard of figuring out how to make consumers adapt to paywalls. (It could gain him a lot of early points if he revived Book World.) For journalists such as myself, who live digital lives, we need that threshold crossed in order to get paid what we're worth.
PS- People like me, whatever age, are worth a lot: we're driving the market.
08/04/2013
Urban Joy!
SPLISH SPLASH AT THE GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT PARK
So many fun games to play in the fountain. One of my favorites -- popular with children and adults -- is to run the length of the arch without getting soaked. Children are the most fun to watch. Such joy, especially the occasions when parents relent and let go of a little hand so the child can run into the water fully clothed. Others come prepared in bathing suits. I notice a lot of little ones love to stand directly in the spray. Why not?
NOTHING WRONG WITH A FACEFUL OF COLD WATER ON A WARM DAY
Carol Joynt has "a perfect eye, an infallible ear and the unequaled gift of rearranging the alphabet into words which both entertain and mean f**cking something."
-- "Hollywood Bob"
THE Q&A CAFE
The Q&A Cafe is now in its 21st year. We launched in October 2001 at Nathans in Georgetown as a response to the September 11 terror attacks, and from that initial purpose grew into a weekly community interview lunch, the first "talk show in a bar." When Nathans closed in 2009 we moved to the Ritz Carlton Hotel and since 2015 our home has been The George Town Club. Some 500 notable individuals, from all fields, have appeared for interviews, which are taped and air Fridays on DC Cable. All are welcomed to attend. For reservations: 202-333-9330.
Watch the Q&A Cafe
Visit this link to view our archive of broadcasts: The Q&A Cafe on YouTube
About Carol Joynt
Emmy-winning CBS News producer, talk show guest wrangler, published author, host of The Q&A Cafe, print & digital journalist, filmmaker, photog, and former saloon owner. Read more...
"Innocent Spouse"
Here is information for my popular memoir Innocent Spouse...
MEDIA: For book-related inquiries, please contact my agent, Laney Becker, at 212-243-8480