The Village
Ray of Hope For D.C.?
May 25, 2010
As guest of my friend Janet Staihar, I had the pleasure Monday of attending a fund-raising evening for Clark Ray, candidate for DC City Council. Physician, businessman, new father of triplets, and oh so gracious host, Dr. James D’Orta (shown left below) welcomed 150 friends and supporters of Clark Ray to his elegant home, the former Georgetown residence of Ambassador Averell and Pamela Harriman. As Dr. D’Orta told us, “It’s a gathering place for great people.” A great gathering place!
“Who am I, and why am I here?” With that, very special guest of honor, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright opened with a recent travel story. On her way back from China, while emptying her carry-on bag onto the security conveyor belt in Chicago, a fellow traveler was impressed. “Where did you get all those screw-top bottles?” By now, security had recognized her, lavishing praise for work done during her tenure on behalf of the people of war-torn Bosnia. Crowds gathered and photos snapped before the Secretary had a chance to call out, “The Container Store.” The woman now wanted to know what all the fuss was about. “Well, I used to be Secretary of State.” “Of Bosnia?” the woman asked.
As the laughter subsided, she continued. “I normally don’t get involved in primaries,” she told the attentive crowd, but "DC desperately needs vision, and freshness of views.”
Earlier in the evening I asked Peter Rosenstein (shown above with Dr. James D'Orta), chief strategist and Ray friend how he was able to get the Secretary to come. “Dog parks”, he answered. Turns out, Kathy Silva, Secretary Albright’s sister, (pictured at right) in addition to being a Ray friend and supporter, is a grateful dog lover. As director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Clark Ray constructed the city’s first official dog park.
Former first lady of the District, Cora Masters Barry began her introduction with a quote from Maya Angelou. “The most important virtue is courage.” She went on, “This is a courageous man. We need someone on the city council who will care and represent the people.”
Clark Ray, Kathy Silva and Cora Masters Barry
After thanking his host, supporters and “rock, his partner Aubrey Dubra (shown below), candidate Clark Ray told his supporters, “We deserve transparency. The city council is not a place to recycle politicians. Sixteen years is too long.” He always carries a photo of incumbent Phil Mendelson with him on his door-to-door campaigning. “Is that your dad they often ask?” It’s Ray’s way of underscoring his own commitment while introducing himself.
Aubrey Dubra and Cora Masters Barry
“Come with me to Ward 8 where the streets are full of people looking for work.” Ray invited his supporters to walk with him around the city as he outlined his platform that starts with education reform and access to quality education.
First thing he would do is create a public ombudsman. “Math and science are important, but so are music and art. “It’s unacceptable that high school graduates in this world-class city haven't been to the Smithsonian.” He continued. “Crime is everybody’s business. Adrian Fenty agrees that all is not right with the juvenile justice system."
Kathy Silva, Clark Ray and Secretary Albright
Conceding the need for more than friends and votes, the candidate encouraged what he calls “the wince factor. “Give till you wince.” he asked the gathering.
Christine and Rokas Beresniovas
Clark Ray and Judith Terra
Judith Terra and Dorothy Ford
Mary Ann Williamson
Lars Etzkorn, Judith Terra, Terry Lynch and Gregory Hoss
Supporters Amanda Greenleaf, Courtney Daley, Alcira Groomes, Sonali Devarajan, Tessa McGee and Jesse Greenblatt
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Vinyasa Flow Here I Come
May 17, 2010
By the time you finish this article, I will have rolled up my new yoga mat (I always start with the accessories) and be headed to my first yoga class. I’d really like to count that Pilates class I took three years ago as my first one because as I expect yoga to be, it was a lot harder than it looked, required a mat, and was a painful reminder that I was once extremely limber.
No more excuses. It’s DC Yoga Week, the perfect time to explore the wide variety of types and classes right here in Georgetown.
Patty Ivey teaches a class. Photo courtesy of Down Dog Yoga
Down Dog Yoga studio was voted “Best of D.C.” in 2009. Started by Patty Ivey in 2003 (she now has three studios in the DC area), this former runner with injuries found that heated power yoga transformed her life. Why that particular style, I asked Patty? “I love the physicality … it offers the body an opportunity to gain a higher place of confidence … In the same way that building the muscles in your legs results in a sure-footedness of being.”
Jennifer Schneider (at left) relaxes after a class at Down Dog Yoga.
Designed for every age and level of experience, Down Dog’s heated Vinyasa Flow uses a dynamic combination of strength, sweat and spirituality. “Twist, open, lunge, reach, balance, stretch, and gasp. When you finally rest you will savor the victory, knowing that today’s progress has taken you further down the road to good health by helping you change the way you live, work, play, and think.”
Spiral Flight Yoga, Georgetown’s oldest Yoga studio, founded in 1997, has been owned since last year by Michelle Keel, an Alabama native who had been teaching yoga in Vail, Colorado for 15 years, before coming to Georgetown.
In addition to an eclectic mix of classes including Anusara-Inspired (a relatively new form of hatha yoga pairing strict principles of alignment with “flowing with Grace”), Vinyasa Flow, and Gentle Yoga, Spiral Flight Yoga offers healing and wellness therapies, workshops, and teacher training to help reduce stress, gain strength and flexibility, increase vitality, and improve body alignment and mental clarity. Photo of Tara Lemerise by Sarah Canadine-Bayne.
Resident acupuncturist, Bronwyn D. Clark (pictured below) had a chance to demonstrate the power of a well-placed needle on Michelle’s ”third point on her liver pathway”(between her first and second toe) … to help relieve a persistent vortex headache, one of many effects of a recent car accident.
SomaFit is a modern day spa and fitness center that includes a "Resort Spa in the City" with nine treatment rooms, quiet lounges, showers, saunas and steam. On the fitness side, they offer personal training, Pilates and group yoga classes. Spa Director Brooke Adams explained the three types of yoga they offer: Kundalini (using breathwork, awakens the energy at the base of the spine and draws it upward), Ashtanga and Restorative Yoga (gentle, therapeutic form allowing muscles to relax), as well as several new introductory classes.
Lululemon, the wonderful Canadian athletic wear company with the reversible straight Groove Pant, my wardrobe mainstay, also holds free yoga classes upstairs and weather permitting, outside. Their stated mission of “creating components for people to live a longer, healthier, more fun life” includes, as Georgetown store manager, Mara Frisch told me, “supporting local studios by selecting a different one each month to teach classes.” When I visited, Josh Courage, who runs his own personal training company, was taking his class on a power walk to the C & O Canal for some high intensity stretching.
Breathe, stretch, balance, lunch.
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Into the Mouths of Babes
May 13, 2010
"When did food become age-appropriate?" Nancy Tringali Piho, author of "My Two-Year Old Eats Octopus"asked rhetorically as we savored Chef Michel Richard's pearl pasta risotto.
I looked around the room wishing there were more children like Alessandra Johnson here to enjoy this Citronelle experience celebrating Nancy's new book.
Darry and Alessandra Johnson
So why did a public relations expert with 15 years experience and a host of adult food clients decide to study the eating habits of toddlers? "When our two-and-a-half year old son Willie couldn't get enough of the octopus and ceviche at a Peruvian restaurant on the family's Miami vacation ..." Nancy knew she was onto something.
"The American children's diet is full of the big three: fat, sodium and salt." she continued. "Kids' taste buds are alot more developed than adults. Introduce flavour and texture and they will respond," Nancy explained. By now we were enjoying a luscious kid's sized lobster burger with a crisp Thomas Henry Chardonnay.
Chef Michel with Mel Davis, Citronelle's PR coordinater pictured above.
Mary Brett and Barbara Johnson
Georgetown residents Theresa and John Mongan
Judy Newman and Chef Michel Richard
Chef Michels' Chocolate Bar Dessert Sensation
When brother Daniel arrived three years later, Nancy was making her own baby food. And was there anything Willie won't eat? Nancy smiled, "No beef liver." But perhaps that's because his parents aren't too thrilled with it either. And Willie's favorite food? "Thai! Especially pad thai and spicy eggplant."
Chef Michel and friend Larry Shupnick enjoy a little wine on the terrace ...
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