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Kate Andersen Brower at The Q&A Cafe w/ "First Women" - Now on YouTube

So timely for the campaign season, Kate Andersen Brower visited The Q&A Cafe to talk about her book, "First Women." For those inside our outside the Beltway, it is fascinating to hear what she learned about behind the scenes at the White House and the lives of modern First Ladies. Please give it a watch. 

 

Let's All Get Down Dog Together On The (formerly forbidden) Rosewood Rooftop

It's not so long ago that the Rosewood (then Capella) hotel rooftop was off limits to all but an elite few. Now, with the new ownership, it's come one, come all. Apparently. I received this inclusive invitation from Rosewood, and it appears to be open to you and you and you and you:

Hi Carol,
Hope all is well! I’m writing to share the news that Rosewood Washington, D.C., in partnership with Lululemon and Georgetown Yoga, is hosting Yoga on the Roof, a complimentary, community sunrise yoga event on Saturday, July 2nd at 8:00 AM.

Guests and locals alike are invited to the hotel’s newly opened Rooftop Bar & Lounge to relax and recharge during an hour-long, revitalizing vinyasa-based flow session led by Jessica Sandhu, a seasoned Georgetown yoga instructor.

I would say bring the snorkel and flippers on the off chance you can slide into the lovely pool after some hot yoga. 

 

What Nathans Looks Like Now -- Brace Yourselves!

You may remember Nathans this way, the bar: Brace yourselves for what it looks like today, as a construction crew transforms it from its 40 years as Nathans into a new life as an Under Armour store on the main floor, a cigar bar in the basement, and two condo apartments upstairs.

Here's how it looked this morning. The first photo is the bar, looking front to back. The old bar would have been to the left, in front of the windows (yes windows, because way back in the last century it was a stand alone building. The dining room occupied a separate building, constructed later than the  bar building, and the kitchen was yet a 3rd building. (In fact, we paid property tax to three separate addresses!) In this photo below, the windows facing the street would be to the right, and the faux mantel in the back, and the kitchen, too.

And the new stairs headed down to the basement and future cigar bar, which is being dug down twice as deep as it was before. 

Looking from the bar into the back room. The cut glass divider would have been to the right.  I offer a now and then, with the famous David Kennerly photo of Hillary Clinton. 

And, lastly, the back room. As it was, and as it is, at least until the retail store transition is complete.

 

The Last Party: Friends Say Farewell to Yolande Fox

Friends and family of Yolande Betbeze Fox sat in her garden, nibbled on canapés from a buffet in her dining room, gathered round her piano in the drawing room and remembered her with affection and song on Saturday night at her home on N Street. The party was hosted by her daughter, a last party, really, as the house officially goes on the market this week with a price tag of just a breath under $10 million. The mansion is a one of a kind for Georgetown, and Washington, and comes with historic provenance: it is the house Jackie Kennedy called home for a short while after moving out of the White House after the assassination of JFK. 

There will be a "yard sale" of sorts -- an elegant yard sale -- of many of the possessions in the house, which may or may not include the Fragonard-inspired dining room panels that were made for Billy Rose, depicting some of his Hollywood friends. There's a Diego Rivera, and a Chagall, also. Thus, not an every day yard sale. 

But as for the party, Tom Vogt played standards, bringing the room back for an evening to as it so often was when Yolande entertained. Guests sat round the piano or out on the terrace by the bar, sipping champagne or cocktails, enjoying deviled eggs, finger sandwiches of smoked salmon, cucumber, chicken salad, egg salad, shrimp cocktail, crudite, and desserts that included coconut cake and pralines. Yolande was from Alabama, thus the pralines, and family members came up from Alabama for the occasion.

So much good conversation. I had the pleasure of sitting with a group who knew their Georgetown grande dames and who told affectionate and fascinating stories about the group that included Susan Mary Alsop, Pamela Harriman, Katharine Graham, Evangeline Bruce, and of course, Yolande. Its interesting. They all lived within blocks of each other. Now all of them gone. 

The realtors for house will host an opening party on Wednesday and then we will wait to hear the name of the new owner (and hope for no dumpsters!).

Talking Food, Drinks, Heat & the South w/ Julia Reed - now on YouTube

 

Buy Julia Reed's"South," prepare a canapé or two from a recipe in the book, make up a pitcher "Pink Perfection" or Sangria w/ an added shot of Vodka ... and then watch. Or watch first and then do the rest, but...watch. It was a fun time when Julia made her encore appearance at The Q&A Cafe, this time at our annual road trip to Tudor Place Museum, on the lawn, under a very toasty transparent tent. 

Julia was just one of the seven interesting guests who filled our winter/spring calendar. More to come this summer, and the 15th anniversary in October. 

Jackie Kennedy's Georgetown Mansion Now Can Be Yours -- for $10 Million

Word on the street is that the Georgetown mansion that was former First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s post-White House home is on the market for a cool $10 million. Not a crazy amount in these times of outlandish prices for notable real estate. This one brings real history with it, too, as it is the home Jackie bought for herself and her children after the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy.The handsome house easily is Georgetown’s (and perhaps Washington’s) most notable trophy house, with bragging rights that best the next three, each the home of a famous Washington grand dame: Katharine Graham’s 2920 R Street home, the 3038 N Street home of Pamela Harriman, and the 34th Street mansion (with ballroom) that belonged to Evangeline Bruce. Their sale prices were in the millions, but none for a price as high as $10 million. The sellers are the heirs of Yolande Betbeze Fox, who lived in the house for decades, until her death earlier this year.

The realtors who have the listing are Nancy Taylor Bubes and Jamie Peva of Washington Fine Properties. At the moment it is a private sale, but will go public next month.

And why do you want to jump on this? There aren’t many pieces of real estate left with this kind of solid Kennedy provenance. Also, it is a fine house with good bone structure. Classic. Will it need a makeover, and the ordeal of approvals with the Old Georgetown Board? Yes. But when buying history, what’s $20 million (half for the house, half for the redo) and some red tape? For more about Yolande, Jackie and the colorful story of the house, please read this.

For more about Jackie, and other modern First Ladies, please join us at The Q&A Cafe tomorrow, when the guest is Kate Andersen Brower, author of the bestseller "First Women," an informed and alarming behind the scenes look at life in the East Wing of the White House. Noon. The George Town Club. Everyone is welcomed. $35 for full lunch. Reservations: 202-333-9330.