Get Out! - The Events Column

Photo by Thomas S Mann

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 15,900+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail.net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler

Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv

www.cleveland-park.com  

Thursday, March 31 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Evolution of the DC Food Scene. Interested to find out what is in store for Washington DC's restaurants and how far we've come? Top chefs, restaurateurs, and other deeply involved in the food scene of our city will explore this topic through diverse approaches and points of view. Free, but RSVP required: http://bit.ly/1WY88gs. Location: The Lohrfink Auditorium at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University 37th and O Streets, NW.

Thursday, March 31 at 7 PM, Screening of the CNN Original Series “Race for the White House: Kennedy v. Nixon,” followed by panel discussion, moderated by CNN’s Dana Bash, with panelists Kathleen Kennedy Townshend (President Kennedy’s niece), Amy Entelis, overseeing the CNN Original Series, and Matthew Dallek, an assistant professor at GWs Graduate School of Political Management. Free, but registration required at http://bit.ly/1VTUIn9. At the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, 805 21st Street NW, Jack Morton Auditorium.

Friday, April 1 from 11 AM - 3 PM, Giant White Elephant Sale at St. Eligius. Vast bargains at this spectacular white elephant sale! Unlike the typical white elephant sale full of cast-off clothing, ugly lamps, and sagging bookshelves, this one is actually selling white elephants - porcelain figurines, statuettes, and artworks in pachydermic form, from three inches high to massive life-size sculptures. Get rid of that garden gnome and replace it with a concrete elephant (must bring your own forklift to transport it). You’ll be talk of the neighborhood! Free and open to all. More details at http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent.

Friday, April 1 from 6 - 8 PM, Dupont Makers Event at Heurich House, featuring pop-ups by local designers Gaylia Wagner (jewelry) and Palo Borracho (handcrafted gifts). Guests are welcome to the explore the first floor of the house -- and be sure to visit Brewmaster Studios, located in the museum’s historic carriage house. This event is free and open to the public. At Heurich House Museum, 1307 Massachusetts Avenue NW. More info: http://www.heurichhouse.org/firstonfirst

Saturday, April 2 at 8 PM, Concert: Edvinas Minkstimas, pianist. Lithuanian pianist Edvinas Minkstimas is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top emerging young pianists. He has performed throughout Europe and North America in solo and chamber music recitals, and as a soloist with orchestras. Among his many awards, he has taken top honors at the First Tchaikovsky International Competition for Young Musicians (Moscow), the International Knezkova- Hussey Piano Competition (Canada) and European Piano Days (France), among other festivals and competitions. He is Chair of the Piano Faculty of the Washington Conservatory of Music. Free (donations welcome). At the Washington Conservatory of Music, One Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, MD. Full details at: http://www.washingtonconservatory.org/html/concerts1516_minkstimas.htm

Sunday, April 3 at 5 PM, Concert by Larry Weng, Pianist - performing works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, and other classical composers. No admission charge but a free-will offering will be gratefully accepted. At the Church of the Annunciation, 3810 Massachusetts Avenue NW.

Monday, April 4 at 12 noon, Lecture/Discussion: The Past and Future of the C&O Canal, presented by Maggie Downing, destination manager, the Georgetown Business Improvement District. The Georgetown BID and the National Park Service are working to restore and revitalize this National Historical Park. In this lecture and discussion, Downing will share their plans in the context of the history of this local favorite. Free - no reservations necessary. At the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, 701 21st Street, NW.

Tuesday, April 5 from 8:30 AM -  5 PM, “A Moment or a Movement? Why Black Lives Matter on the Path to Equitable Development in Washington DC,” a day-long series of events presented by the George Washington University and ONE DC. Bringing together residents from all parts of the DC area, organizers, students, developers, elected officials and all who are concerned with sustainable, equitable development, this conference will build on the ongoing efforts to create a more democratic and just community. Keynote discussion and interview with activist Bill Fletcher, Jr. begins at 9 AM, followed by a panel discussion with Gail Taylor, Three Part Harmony Farms, Dr. Lawrence Brown, Morgan State University, Zach Komes, Roosevelt Institute GWU, Omolara Williams McCallister, Black Lives Matter DMV, Rachelle Downs, Melanin Uprising, and moderated by Eugene Puryear. Walking DC Study Tours to Shaw, Anacostia, and Congress Heights leave from the GW campus at approximately 1:00 PM to explore issues and highlight effective organizing around resistance to displacement and gentrification, housing cooperatives and the Black Workers Center. Lunch will be provided prior to the tour, but cost of transportation through Metro to starting location will not be provided (approximate cost: $5-$7). Free - register by April 5: http://bit.ly/1ROZzGx. Location: The Cloyd Heck Marvin Center, Grand Ballroom, The George Washington University 800 21st Street NW.

Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30 PM, A Talk by Preservation Landscape Architect Glenn Stach, presented by the Cleveland Park Historical Society and the Tregaron Conservancy. Over 20 years ago, national preservation policies were restructured to address more holistically the future of historic sites and districts. Why then do we remain principally focused on the preservation of buildings, often overlooking the systems of the built and natural landscape? This talk reveals the value and necessity of addressing the broader cultural landscape in planning for the future of historic sites and districts. Refreshments will be served. The talk is free and open to everyone, but registration is required: http://bit.ly/1ZpTujA. At the Cleveland Park Congregational Church, 3400 Lowell Street NW.

Wednesday, April 6 at 6 PM, Palisades Library Renovation Project - Community Meeting. This is the second community meeting for the Palisades Library renovation project. Hear from library staff and the design team about how the project is beginning to take shape and share your ideas. Free. At the Palisades Library, 4901 V Street NW. More info: http://dclibrary.org/node/52350. For more about the process and to access a survey, visit: http://dclibrary.org/node/51964

Wednesday, April 6 at 7 PM, Sarah Kaufman, the Pulitzer-Prize winning dance critic for The Washington Post, will discuss her book “The Art of Grace: On Moving Well Through Life.” Her book studies people who have lived with grace – from Cary Grant to Barack Obama. It’s a joyful manual for easing anyone’s way through the world. With warmth, humor, and an ever-perceptive eye, Kaufman sifts the graceful from the graceless, celebrating heart-catching moments of physical elegance in sports, movies, dance, fashion, and music; rare sightings of celebrity grace; the secrets of gracious hosts; and grace found unexpectedly, in the kitchen of a high-end restaurant and among strippers in a basement bar. Kaufman’s thought-provoking reflections on these physical and social acts of grace offer hope for even the clumsiest, most awkward among us. Free. At the Tenley-Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW. http://dclibrary.org/node/52119  

Still Life with Robin: Take a Peep at This...

The Washington Post Peeps Contest 

by Peggy Robin

One of the little wonders of the year comes to Washington in the springtime with the unveiling of the winners of the annual Washington PostPeeps contest. The wild creativity, as well as design skills involved in using marshmallow bunnies and other kitchen-drawer materials to build a diorama of a familiar story, news event, or scene, astounds me every year. I never enter because I know I can’t compete with the fantastical, whimsical wonders that every year take home the prizes. This year especially, among much grim and scary news, it’s a relief to savor the sweetness (literally, because everyone has build with and around sugary Peeps) and frivolity of the creations.

And with that introduction, here are this year’s top five finalists:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/lifestyle/peeps-diorama-contest/2016/

The online views of each of these winning entries are greatly enhanced when you drag your mouse around the photo to change the view – it goes 360 degrees!

This year is the 10^th anniversary of the contest, which does keep getting better as it ages. You can see another 41 worthy also-rans here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/peeps-2016-the-10th-anniversary-edition/2016/03/16/30a86d56-e172-11e5-8d98-4b3d9215ade1_gallery.html

My own three favorites – always slightly different from the Post’s picks:

#21 “The Peeple’s Peep Visits Washington, DC” –  A triptych of three well-executed scenes, in which Pope Francis appears as a particularly distinguished marshmallow bunny.

#25 “A Confection of Ai WeiWei's MasterPeeps” – stunning recreations of the works of one of the most brilliant and provocative artists alive today – the art accurately rendered in marshmallow and other things you find around the house.

#26 “Peep Trek” – in honor of the 50^th anniversary of Star Trek – Spock has pointed bunny ears! Yeoman Rand’s hilariously accurate basket-weave hairdo completely covers her bunny ears. What great detail work!

Although the online 360 degree viewing of the top five online has a certain wow-factor, you still might prefer actual to virtual reality, and in that case, head down to the Peeps & Company store at National Harbor, where the winners are on display now through April 24. Details at: http://www.nationalharbor.com/stores/peeps-company/

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Still Life With Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Get Out! - The Events Column

Photo by Donar Reiskoffer via Wikimedia Commons

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 15,900+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail.net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler

Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv

www.cleveland-park.com  

Thursday, March 24 from 4 - 6 PM, Exhibition Program: “Preservation Takes Off.” GWU Professor of American Studies Richard Longstreth gives a talk on the nature of historic preservation in Washington, DC, and across the nation in the 1960s and 1970s. The one-hour talk provides context for the historic preservation paintings of Lily Spandorf, currently on view in the exhibition, “For the Record: The Art of Lily Spandorf.” Following the discussion will be an opportunity to walk through the gallery with Professor Longstreth and curator Jane Freundel Levey. Free, no reservations required. At the George Washington University Museum and Textile Museum, 701 21st St NW, https://museum.gwu.edu/preservation-takes-off

Thursday, March 24 at 7 PM, Saudade: A Play by Wit’s End Puppets. Join President Lincoln’s Cottage and the American Immigration Council for a shadow puppet performance by Wit’s End Puppets, illuminating the immigrant experience in Washington, DC. This thought-provoking show for all ages will be followed by a group discussion. Space is limited to 50 guests. Registrants are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Attendance for this event is free. Register at: http://conta.cc/1Lh3CbW.  Location: President Lincoln’s Cottage, 140 Rock Creek Church Road, NW  

Friday, March 25 from 2 - 5 PM, Easter Egg Hunt and Egg Coloring Event at Guy Mason Recreation Center 3600 Calvert Street NW. Please reserve by callingl Guy Mason Recreation Center at  202.727-7703 or by email to cornelia.bell @ dc.gov.    

Friday, March 25 from 5 - 8 PM, Friday Night Happy Hour and Reception for the last day of the “Exposed DC” exhibit at the Historical Society of Washington, DC. Free admission and soft drinks, $6 beer and wine, complimentary beverage for Historical Society Members. Registration required at ht.tp://www.dchistory.org/events/exposeddcclosing/.  At the Carnegie Library, 801 K Street, NW

Saturday, March 26 at 10 AM, Tregaron Conservancy's 5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt. We will be hunting for thousands of candy-filled eggs along the trails! The hunt will start by the Lily Pond near the Klingle Road entrance. RSVPs are appreciated but not required.  Email info @ tregaronconservancy dot org and let us know the number of adults and kids in your group. More info: http://www.tregaronconservancy.org/news/join-us-for-our-spring-events/

Saturday, March 26 at 10:30 AM, "Eggs-quisite Colors of Easter" - a B.Y.O.B.E. ("bring your own boiled eggs") event. Bring up to three plain boiled eggs for some Easter fun! Enjoy Easter-themed stories, dye and decorate eggs, make bunny baskets and take pictures of the visual eggs-quisiteness of it all! The library will supply the non-toxic dye or tempera paint, stickers, and markers for the egg decoration. Please come dressed for mess! This program is appropriate for children ages 3-7 years old. Signed parental consent is required for photos. Free. At the Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW, http://dclibrary.org/node/52341

Saturday, March 26 from 2 - 4 PM, Ariel Horowitz Violin Recital. Hailed by The Washington Post as “sweetly lyrical,” nineteen-year-old violinist and DC native Ariel Horowitz will visit the DCJCC with a program of work she will next play at the Menuhin competition this April in London. At the DC Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St NW. Free, but you must reserve at http://www.wjmf.org/events/ariel-horowitz/

Sunday, March 27 at 8:30 AM, The Rosedale Conservancy will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, March 27. Everyone is welcome, so please bring your little ones armed with baskets. The hunt begins at the stroke of 8:30 AM from the front porch of the Rosedale farmhouse. Please enter the park through the Newark Street gate (not the driveway), and make your way up to the farmhouse - no hunting along the way! There will be bagels and coffee after the hunt. And please leave your four-footed friends at home! More info: http://www.rosedaleconservancy.org/   

Monday, March 28 from 10 AM - 2 PM, Easter Monday at the National Zoo: A Washington Family Tradition, featuring special family-focused activities and live entertainment. There will be a traditional Easter Egg Hunt with prizes for participating kids. Older children will enjoy field games. Special animal demonstrations are planned as well as visits from the Easter Panda! See https://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Celebrations/Easter/ for the full schedule of animal demonstrations and activities. Some programs are weather dependent, but the event will be held rain or shine. Please be advised the Zoo enhances security during high visitation days and guests may experience bag checks at a minimum. Free. The National Zoo is at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW.

Tuesday, March 29 at 6 PM, Book lecture: Capital Houses: Historic Residences of Washington D.C. and Its Environs, 1735-1965. Author and architectural historian James M. Goode discusses and signs copies of his book, Capital Houses, which examines the history of Washington’s domestic architecture over a period of nearly 250 years through an outstanding collection of 56 historic houses (including Anderson House) in the District of Columbia and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Dr. Goode traces their stylistic development, from the first Georgian example, Mount Vernon (1735) in Fairfax County, VA, to one of the city’s best midcentury Moderns, the Kreeger House (1966) on Foxhall Road in Washington. Free. At the Society of the Cincinnati, Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Avenue NW. More info: http://bit.ly/1NbM1Ak

Tuesday, March 29 at 7 PM, Washington Hebrew Congregation’s Amram Scholar Series Presents Roberta Kaplan, addressing the subject of gay marriage. Supreme Court litigator Roberta Kaplan discusses her successful challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act in the landmark case, United States v. Windsor. Ms. Kaplan will also speak about her own difficult coming-out journey as well as her history-making victory in court — one she places within the context of her Jewish identity. Free. At Washington Hebrew Congregation, 3935 Macomb Street NW, http://www.whctemple.org/calendar/all/display/2717/index.php   

Wednesday, March 30 from 2 - 4 PM, The No-Show Flower Show for Disappointed Gardeners. Did you plant daffodils and tulips in the fall, only to have them all dug up by squirrels or eaten by deer? Or maybe the result was tons of green shoots but no blooms? Maybe you just have a “brown thumb.” Then this is the garden show for you! The National Arboretum hosts this unique tour of sparse but elegant bloom-less flower beds, each one tastefully decorated with concrete garden figurines (frogs and cherubs), colorful garden gnomes, plastic pink flamingos, wind twirlers, and more. Everything but the buds! If you can’t take the tour in person, you can view the flower-free show online at http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent.

Still Life with Robin: A Little Snow + a High & a Low

by Peggy Robin

Since receiving the City’s notice Snow Alert, which was posted on the listserv on Friday (see http://1.usa.gov/1LxMH57), I’m prepared for a few spring flurries. I would call them last-gasp-of-winter flurries, but if the snow accumulates any time after midnight, then it’s here on March 20, when it’s officially spring. That got me wondering whether it’s ever snowed appreciably in DC in the springtime. I was pretty sure I remembered a few dustings as late as mid-April, but I couldn’t trust my memory on this….and in the Age of Google, I never need to.

Here’s what I found:

April 1, 1924: This April Fool’s Day Storm produced the latest recorded major snowfall (4 or more inches). Baltimore recorded over 9 inches of snow and Washington received 5 inches. The latest snow ever recorded at Baltimore was a trace on May 9, 1923. In Washington, the latest snow was seen on May 10, 1906, when a trace fell. (http://www.weather.gov/lwx/winter_DC-Winters)  (And no, I wasn’t around for any of these events.)

What about the flip-side of the snowfall? The earliest recorded snow on record was just as easy to look up:

The earliest measurable snow on record was a small event on October 9-10, 1979 (0.3”). October also claims the earliest inch, with one event in 1940.

(http://wapo.st/1JQZBtM)

It’s going down to 35 degrees tonight, and if we’re lucky, it may warm up to a high of 44°F during the day on Sunday….but while we’re looking up weather records, take a look at the all-time highs and lows for March 20 in DC:

Temperature History - Mar 20  Historical Weather Data (http://bit.ly/22pXo0Z)

                3/20/16                Normal                 Record

High       44°                          57°                     83° (1945)           

Low        35°                          39°                     12° (1885)

Fortunately, our snow dusting won’t hurt the cherry blossoms, still on track to hit peak bloom next weekend. And if you just wait a few days, the Capital Weather Gang assures us it will be 73°F.

Happy Spring!

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Get Out! - The Events Column

Photo by Hongreddotbrewhouse (Creative Commons)

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 15,900+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail.net. 

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler

Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv

www.cleveland-park.com  

Thursday, March 17 from 3 - 6 PM, St. Patrick’s Day Party at Guy Mason Rec Center. You don't have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the Guy Mason Recreation Center! For the corned beef and cabbage meal, reservations were required by March 14. For more information please contact Ms. Bell at Guy Mason Recreation Center at 202-727-7703. Guy Mason Rec Center is at 3600 Calvert Street NW.  

Thursday, March 17 from 6 PM - 3 AM, Yad Skcirtapts - Backwards St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Yug Nasom Rec Center! Everything you expect in a St. Patrick’s Day party, but done the other way ‘round: Backwards Step Dancing; Upside-down Pipers; The Wearin’ of the Red (the opposite of green); and a lots more surprises in store! To prepare yourself for all the turned-around traditions, go to http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent.  

Thursday, March 17 at 7 PM, A Conversation with Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Lonnie Bunch is regarded as one of the nation's leading history and museum professionals. AU President Neil Kerwin will share the stage with Bunch; they will discuss the challenges of building a national museum and what steps need to take place before President Obama cuts the ribbon at the museum opening ceremony on September 24, 2016. In the Katzen Art Center's Abramson Family Recital Hall at American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Free, but please register at http://bit.ly/1U8XBRR. 

Thursday, March 17 at 7:30 PM, Hamlet, presented by Wilson Theater and the Wilson Shakespeare Society. Shakespeare’s exploration of the nature of the human condition that tells the tale of the enigmatic Prince of Denmark. Hamlet returns home for his father’s funeral to find his mother married to his uncle, who is now the king - and his world turned upside down. Tickets: Students $5; Adults $ 15 ($10 for the Saturday matinee) - cash or check only. Seating Is Limited! Wilson High School is at 3950 Chesapeake St NW. Additional performances: Friday, March 18 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, March 19 at 2:30 and 7:30 PM..  

Friday, March 18 at 7 PM, The 2016 Dick Wolf Memorial Lecture – the Loss of Affordable Housing: How to retain affordable housing and its contribution to maintaining character of place. Brook Hill, a student at Georgetown Law School and winner of the 2016 Dick Wolf Memorial Lecture prize, will explain how expiring rent control laws will affect the supply of affordable housing. Following Mr. Hill’s lecture there will be a panel discussion with panelists who represent the views of a DC developer, an affordable housing activist, and the DC Government. A brief membership meeting will precede the lecture, which will be followed by a champagne reception. The event is free and handicapped-accessible. The public is encouraged to attend. Location: The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave SE. More info: http://chrs.org/2016-dick-wolf-memorial-lecture/   

Saturday, March 19 from 10 AM - 2:30 PM, Youth Law Fair 2016 - Blunt Talk: Clearing the Haze Around D.C.’s Marijuana Laws. The 17th Annual Youth Law Fair will focus on the new marijuana laws and will bring high school students, judges, lawyers, and educators together to explore issues facing students in the DC area, while promoting an understanding between youth and local law enforcement through increased dialogue.The event will also include exhibitors, tours of the courthouse and holding cells, and a catered lunch. This free educational event for high school students is sponsored by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and the DC Bar Litigation Section.Registration required -- go to http://bit.ly/1UhaJE3. Location: H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse, 500 Indiana Avenue NW.      

Saturday, March 19 from 10 AM - 5 PM, The Faberge Egg Family Festival. Celebrate spring's arrival in Russian style! Admire the exquisite imperial eggs and other fanciful Fabergé creations collected by Marjorie Post.Experience festive folk music performed by Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble and spirited dancing by Kalinka Dance Ensemble. Enjoy stories of Russian Easter traditions in a fun family play, produced by Happenstance Theater. Take part in a traditional Russian egg-rolling game.Step into Fabergé's Workshop to decorate your own Fabergé-inspired egg. Tickets: $18, $15 Senior, $12 Member, $10 College Student, $5 Child (ages 6-18), free for children under 6 - available at http://bit.ly/1QYzC59.  At Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue NW.  

Saturday, March 19 from 12 noon - 2 PM, Calling All Gardeners: Rose Pruning Demonstration. The Arlington Rose Foundation presents a Rose Pruning Demonstration in the Bishop's Garden at Washington National Cathedral. Learn how to make your rosebushes healthy and vigorous for the coming season. Bring your pruners and gloves. Begin with tool sharpening, watch a demonstration and then practice.  Free, but please call Sandy 202 537-5773 to RSVP. The Cathedral is at the corner of Wisconsin & Massachusetts Avenues NW. 

Sunday, March 20 at 1:30 PM, Makers-in-Residence - Your City in 3D! Digital Flaneur Workshop. This workshop will introduce the concept of 3D scanning and imaging, using tools such as handheld IR scanners, attachments for cellphones, holograms and downloadable cellphone apps that allow users to create 3D models of objects.Following this demonstration, participants will capture 3D images in our library's neighborhood, then reconvene to share and edit them. Many of them will be later 3D-printed by our Makers-in-Residence Billy Fribele and Mike Iacovone for use in interactive kinetic sculptures. Light refreshments will be offered. Hosted by the Friends of the Tenley Library, 4450 Wisconsin Avenue NW, https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofTenleyLibrary/   

Sunday, March 20 at 2 PM, Legends & Lore of DC: Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker. Do you enjoy reading about hometown Washington, DC? Cleveland Park Library hosts a local history book discussion series. For March, we will be reading Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini. During the Civil War, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley dressed the society women of Washington. First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln was among her clients, and the two women were friends for many years. Free. In the first floor meeting room of the Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue NW, https://dclibrary.org/node/52158    

Monday, March 21 at 1 PM, FCC chair Tom Wheeler gives the keynote address at a conference on “Governing the Net: The Final Frontier of Freedom?” Should we accept the FCC’s conclusion that the Internet should be governed as a public utility? How can this be operationalized in the context of the many global players, including both nations and organizations, that have a stake in its use and in citizens’ access to it? Following the keynote, a panel of nationally recognized experts, representing different disciplines with a stake in the future of net neutrality, will discuss how the government, businesses, policymakers, and citizens have been affected over the past year by the decision, as well as what is at stake for our collective future. In the Lohrfink Auditorium, Georgetown Hariri Business School, 37th & O St. NW. Free, but you must register at http://bit.ly/1R4pp3u  

Tuesday, March 22 at 3 PM, Books That Shaped America Series: Gone with the Wind. Despina Kakoudaki, Associate Professor and Director, Humanities Lab, will discuss Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. The most popular romance novel of all time was the basis for the most popular movie of all time (in today's dollars). Set in the South during the Civil War, the book won both the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. Free and open to the whole community. At American University, in the Bender Library, Training & Events Room 115, Nebraska & Massachusetts Avenues NW.  

Tuesday March 22 from 6 - 8 PM, Thoroughly Modern Agnes: Having it All? A Landmark Society Lecture at Tudor Place. To celebrate Women’s History Month, Tudor Place Curator Grant Quertermous will showcase the life and travels of Agnes, youngest child and only daughter of Dr. Armistead Peter and Martha Kennon Peter. In the 1920s, Agnes left behind a life in Washington society to work in Europe with children displaced by World War I; she went on to research stained glass iconography of the National Cathedral and (worth waiting for) find love late in life with a recipient of the Nobel Prize. Through letters, photographs, and objects with stories to tell, all from the Tudor Place collection, Grant will introduce this little known Tudor Place resident and Peter family member who blazed gallantly forward into the Modern Century. Tickets: Free for Landmark Society Members; $15 for Tudor Place members; $20 for non-members - reserve at http://bit.ly/1M9AiEu. At Tudor Place Historic House & Garden, 1644 31st Street NW. 

Wednesday, March 23 at 7 PM, Book Hill Talks - The Hands of Peace. Local author Marione Ingram will discuss her widely acclaimed book, The Hands of Peace, the story of her eyewitness accounts of Holocaust Germany and Jim Crow United States. Free. At Georgetown Library, 3260 R Street NW, http://dclibrary.org/node/52061  

Thursday, March 24 at 7 PM, Saudade: A Play by Wit’s End Puppets. Join President Lincoln’s Cottage and the American Immigration Council for a shadow puppet performance by Wit’s End Puppets, illuminating the immigrant experience in Washington, DC. This thought-provoking show for all ages will be followed by a group discussion. Space is limited to 50 guests. Registrants are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Attendance for this event is free. Register at: http://conta.cc/1Lh3CbW.  Location: President Lincoln’s Cottage, 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW.

Still Life with Robin: An (Almost) Top Chef Springs Forth From Cleveland Park (Correction to the Previous Column)

Olive oil, fennel, cinnamon, and other spices
Photo by cyclonebill via Wikimedia Commons

by Peggy Robin

My bad. I got ahead of myself with my “Still Life with Robin” column this morning about the results of the Bravo show "Top Chef." Yesterday a friend of mine, knowing that I’m a huge booster of Cleveland Park restaurants, and also a fan of Top Chef, sent me a note saying how proud I must be that the chef of Cleveland Park’s own Ripple, Marjorie Meek Bradley, was the winner on Top Chef. Well, I knew she was competing, and I had been recording the shows, but I hadn’t yet watched my recordings. Still, I figured my friend knew what was up, and so I dashed off a column on that basis, and congratulated her for the win. It was a nano-second later that I got the first of many messages in response, telling me I’d got it wrong. Marjorie had advanced to the not-quite-final round, and then been knocked out at the end of the semi-final. Two other competitors made it to the final, still to be held in Las Vegas. And neither one of them is from Cleveland Park.

Next time, I won’t jump the gun (or the tape). But for all that, one thing remains true – it was an exciting competition – and MMB still deserve kudos for her culinary chops, even though she did not, in fact, make it to the top. The consolation is that she’s back in town, cooking up her magic right here in DC.

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays (and sometimes on Sundays).

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Still Life with Robin: A Top Chef Springs Forth from Cleveland Park

by Peggy Robin

If you’re a fan of the Bravo Network’s cooking competition Top Chef, and you watch it religiously, then you already know what I’m going to tell you. If you’re a fan but you save up recorded episodes and still haven’t watched the Grande Finale, then you don’t know what I’m about to say – so stop reading right now! If you’re not a fan of the show but you love good food, or you don’t know a thing about the show but you do care very much about our Cleveland Park restaurants, then this news is for you: Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley, of Cleveland Park’s Ripple – and later, of Adams Morgan’s Roofers Union -- has beaten out all the competition to take home the title of Top Chef of 2016.

It was a killer finale, and you can watch the whole thing here:

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-13/ep-14-magic-hour?autoPlay=1

(Note: You need to be a subscriber to a cable package that includes Bravo, so that you can log in to watch online.)

Whether or not you watch the show, you can enjoy the winner’s wildly innovative culinary creations at Ripple (http://rippledc.com/)  – or if you are up for a leisurely half-hour’s evening stroll in our fine spring weather, take a mile and a half walk down to Adam’s Morgan and visit Roofer’s Union. The view from the rooftop bar will be your reward after the exercise it took to get there on foot – but you might want to cab it home.

Whether or not you watch the show, visit the Cleveland Park restaurant, or the Adams Morgan gastropub, you might enjoy reading a bit more about the winner and latest celebrity chef, as written up in the journal of her original hometown of Ukiah, California: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/article/NP/20160226/NEWS/160229905.

Congratulations to MMB from CP!

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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland ParkListserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.

Get Out! - The Events Column

Photo by Thomas S Mann

We wanted to share some events and activities that list members might be interested in. Have a great weekend -- and week beyond, too. If you know of an event that the 15,800+ members of the Cleveland Park Listserv should know about, email us at events @ fastmail.net.

Peggy Robin and Bill Adler

Publishers, Cleveland Park Listserv

www.cleveland-park.com  

Friday, March 11 at 6:00 pm, The Guy Mendilow Ensemble at Washington Hebrew Congregation. Embark on a musical trek to kingdoms long forgotten and bustling towns now vanished, following Washington Hebrew's Shabbat service. "Tales from the Forgotten Kingdom" is a sonic adventure masterfully brought to life by the Guy Mendilow Ensemble, an award-winning group of world-class musicians from Israel, Palestine, Argentina, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Free. More info at http://whctemple.org/Pollin. The Washington Hebrew Congregation is at 3935 Macomb Street NW.  

Friday, March 11 from 6:45 - 8 PM, The Al Fresco Jazz Trio, playing music from the Great American Songbook, including jazz standards, Latin, swing, and soulful ballads, featuring the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Duke Ellington and others. The Trio’s performers are: Ron Oshima – Saxes; Mark Saltman – Bass; Paul Schnur – Piano. Free. At the Guy Mason Recreation Center, 3600 Calvert Street, NW. For more info, call 202.727-7703 or email cornelia.bell @ dc dpt gov.  

Saturday, March 12 from 10 AM - 12:30 PM, Global Warming Walking Tour of DC, hosted by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. On foot, we’ll tour several critical forests and key neighborhoods in Northwest DC, joined by local climate activists, naturalists, and scientists. You’ll learn about how climate change is impacting DC, and what you can do about it. Meet at the front entrance of the National Zoo and for a walk-and-talk our way along Connecticut Avenue and into the lovely forested landscape of Rock Creek Park. You’ll love the people you meet and the scenery you see as we make the easy walk to the Rock Creek Nature Center, with return transportation provided. Free, but please RSVP now -  http://bit.ly/1SA1dKZ - as participation is limited. We encourage you to bike or take Metro to reach the zoo entrance (3001 Connecticut Avenue NW).  

Saturday, March 12 from 11 AM - 3:30 PM, Heurich House - Museum Day Live! This is a special opportunity to the public, especially women and girls, to enjoy and share in our nation’s dynamic heritage and cultural life. The museum will offer self-guided tours, featuring correspondence among the women of the Heurich family, part of a recent gift to the museum. This is the first time this correspondence will be on view to the public. The recommended touring time is 30-45 minutes. No reservations or tickets required. The Heurich House Museum is at 1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW, http://www.heurichhouse.org/museumdaylive

Saturday, March 12 at 1 PM, Peabody Room History Talk: Rachel Carson: Bringer of Silent Spring. Jamie Stiehm, a Creators Syndicate columnist to usnews.com, discusses how Rachel Carson authored a brilliant polemic in 1962 that launched a major social movement, but she knew her time was short. Free. At Georgetown Library (3rd floor), 3260 R St NW, http://dclibrary.org/node/52099  
 
Saturday, March 12 at 2 PM, Coffee & Conversation at the Tenley-Friendship Library.You are invited to come for a cup of coffee, a snack, arts & crafts, and friendly conversation. Meet members of the community and talk about life with others. This hour-long program is free and open to the public. The Tenley Friendship Library is at 4450 Wisconsin Avenue NW, https://dclibrary.org/node/51774  

Saturday, March 12 at 7:30 PM, Recital: National Chamber Ensemble. NCE proudly celebrates International Women's Day all week long and salutes great American music by putting the spotlight on the music of great American composer Amy Beach (1867-1944), a legendary music composer and pianist and the best woman composer of the time in the United States who also achieved great popularity in Europe. NCE's musical tribute to the USA will also include several works of great American composers of the past and present: Aaron Copland, Lowell Liebermann, Andreas Makris. At the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre,  1611 N. Kent Street Arlington, VA. Advance tickets: http://nationalchamberensemble.org/tickets.php. Free in-building parking is available in the price of our $33 ($17 youth) ticket.  

-- Don’t forget to “spring ahead” to daylight saving time before you go out on Sunday! --  

Sunday, March 13 at 10:30 AM, Bruce Hoffman, an expert in terrorism and insurgency and Director of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University, will explore the controversial question of the efficacy of political violence in an Amram Scholar Series lecture. Focusing on Israel's struggle for independence between 1917 and 1947, he will examine the role of the Irgun, the Zionist paramilitary organization, in ending British rule over Palestine. Professor Hoffman's new book on the subject, Anonymous Soldiers, won the 2015 Everett Family Foundation Jewish Book of the Year Award and has been praised by The New York Times as "skillfully" written and "thought-provoking." Learn more at http://whctemple.org/Amram. Free and open to the public. At Washington Hebrew Congregation, 3935 Macomb Street NW.  

Sunday, March 13 from 12 noon - 2 PM, The 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, with over 100 marching bands, floats, pipers, Irish dancers, and lots and lots of green! Free. Along Constitution Avenue from 7th - 17th Streets NW. Complete details at http://dcstpatsparade.com/  

Sunday, March 13 from 12 noon - 5 PM, Middle C Music celebrates its 14th anniversary, with live music, refreshments, and birthday cake. Free. At 4530 Wisconsin Avenue NW. Play the video at http://www.middlecmusic.com/ to learn more.  

Sunday, March 13 from 2 - 7 PM, 39th Annual Bach Marathon. The annual Bach Marathon at Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church is a Washington institution. In this, its 39th year, ten different organists from the Washington area and beyond will present the music of J.S. Bach in half-hour programs on the church's three-manual, 50-rank, 2500-pipe Rieger tracker pipe organ. A video screen allows audience members to see the performer and the keyboard. Free (donations are gratefully accepted). A catered German dinner will follow the last performance. The cost is $20 per person; the first 75 people will be served. No reservations are required. "Come when you can; leave when you must." Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church sanctuary, One Chevy Chase Circle, NW, http://chevychasepc.org/concert-series/.    

Monday, March 14 at 12 noon, Anti-Pi Day Lunchtime Protest. 3.14 is Pi Day, and it is commonly celebrated with promotional deals at restaurants selling pizza pie or dessert pie -- see http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pi-day-march-14/. This year, the Society Opposed to Overly Obvious Puns (SOOOP) is calling for a protest of the tiresomely overworked Pi/Pie homophone, by rallying all who care about wit in language to show up to protest any restaurant putting forth such an offer on this day. For a list of the nearest protest site to your zip code, go to: http://bit.ly/cpfakeevent.  

Wednesday, March 16 from 9 AM - 1 PM, Nutrition Fair at UDC. The fair will include cooking demonstrations on healthy eating, using herbs and spices to reduce salt intake, and a variety of other stations and workshops centered on healthy nutrition and ageing. The Fair will be hosted by the CAUSES Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health, in collaboration with the Institute of Gerontology, in celebration of National Nutrition Month. Free. In  Heritage Hall of the new UDC Student Center, 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW, http://bit.ly/1nx4GNs  

Wednesday, March 16 at 6:30 PM, Author talk: Markus Zusak, author of the critically acclaimed novel, The Book Thief, will speak at Alice Deal Middle School, at an event hosted by the DC Public Library in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the international bestseller. Free. Alice Deal Middle School is at 3815 Fort Drive NW -- closest Metro stop is Tenleytown. Doors open at 6 PM. More info: http://dclibrary.org/node/51979    

Wednesday, March 16 at 7 PM, Book Hill Talks: Clinical Bioethics Education. David Miller, Associate Director for Academic Programs, Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics, Georgetown University, will discuss bioethics training for health professionals. Free. At Georgetown Library, 3260 R Street NW, http://dclibrary.org/node/50852