Doebel tends bees on the roof of GW’s biology building.

Chimps have Jane Goodall, and honeybees have Hartmut Doebel. An assistant professor of biology at George Washington University, Doebel advocates passionately for the black and yellow busybodies. And like Goodall’s primates, these days bees are in desperate need of a human champion.

Doebel estimates that there were about 4.5 million hives in the United States just a decade ago. Now, he says, the number has declined to about 2.5 million. In just 10 short years, almost half of the bees in America have simply vanished.

“Bees that are in the hive one day may not be there the next day,” he explains. “Within weeks, all the bees disappear.” Dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), this mysterious phenomenon may be one of the greatest environmental crises to face the world over the next century. Bees are responsible for the pollination of many of our fruits and vegetables—from avocados and apples to squash and soybeans. Every year, the insects provide about $2 billion worth of free pollination services, according to Doebel. Without them, some pollination would have to be done by hand, a time-consuming and extremely expensive process.

In 2010, Doebel began studying bees up close after placing several hives on the roof of the biology building at the university. One line of his research seeks to discover how the highly collaborative creatures communicate; another examines the potentially apocalyptic effects of neonicotinoid pesticides, which could be one of the causes of CCD.

Shortly after beginning his pet project, the team at Founding Farmers contacted him to get involved. Owners of the Foggy Bottom farm-to-table restaurant (located just a few blocks from the hives) struck a bargain with Doebel: He would receive stipends for student researchers and money for equipment, hives, and bees; they would get the honey. “I considered it a sweet deal,” says Doebel, who suddenly found himself overseeing the largest restaurant-owned apiary in the country. When Washington’s spring blooms open in a few weeks, he’ll be spending more time on the roof examining the colonies at work.

“Honey truly is local eating,” says Valerie Zweig, Founding Farmers’s self-proclaimed director of honey, “since the bees go out of the hive and fly in a four-mile radius for pollen.” Last year, the environmentally conscious eatery scored about 130 pounds of the sweet stuff from 12 hives buzzing with Italian honeybees. Since the restaurant’s kitchen could go through 10 times that much in a single week, it values the honey like gold and gives away small jars of the locally sourced treat only on special occasions.

Doebel, who says he has been dubbed “the bee professor” by GW’s student body, appreciates the attention that such a partnership has brought to his work. “Scientists work so hard and so much behind closed doors,” he explains. “Then, by luck, you stumble on something that has a much wider application—and suddenly, people are interested.”

Gold vermeil brooch with topaz, onyx, and abalone, Dina Mackney ($500).

Dina Mackney

A native Texan, designer Dina Mackney spent time living in Florence, London, and Manhattan before settling down in the DC area to launch her eponymous jewelry line, Dina Mackney Designs. The collection of handmade pieces features semiprecious stones set in unadorned sterling silver, 18k gold vermeil, or solid 18k gold to highlight the naturally vibrant tones of the gems. “I draw inspiration from the stones themselves, but also from everyday treasures that I see around me, whether it’s from DC’s beautiful cherry blossoms, an interesting museum, architecture, or even a simple antique bottle I happen upon while out in the country,” explains the designer.

Standout pieces include a rich topaz teardrop pendant, a smoky quartz bracelet that feels at home amid winter’s color palette, and an avant-garde cocktail ring featuring metallic clustered pyrite coins in the center. “Every piece I design is signed and handmade so that each one is unique,” Mackney says. “I believe every woman should embrace and celebrate what makes her unique, and the jewelry a woman chooses to wear is a great form of self-expression.” Neiman Marcus, Mazza Gallerie, 202-966-9700

Between his part in the latest installment of the multimillion-dollar franchise Twilight and his guest-turned-recurring role on Showtime’s hit series Shameless, Noel Fisher has his hands full. “I love this job, I wouldn’t do anything else,” says the Vancouver-born 28-year-old, seemingly smiling on the other end of the phone.

Although Vladimir, the ancient Romanian vampire that he’ll portray alongside Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, is starkly different from Shameless’ Mickey Milkovich, a sexually confused and violent teen, Fisher plays each of his characters with a raw sensibility. This might be due to the passion he feels for his job, and the excitement he gets from taking on difficult roles. “The most interesting characters to play, as an actor, are the characters that have really difficult things to deal with,” says Fisher, “I guess that’s what acting is, trying to show the struggles in people’s lives and how they act and try to overcome those struggles.”

Here, he discusses Twilight, his passion for sci-fi, and the upcoming season of Shameless.

Congratulations on your role in Twilight! It’s a huge franchise, how does it feel to be part of it?
NOEL FISHER: I’m a big sci-fi junkie. Fantasy, action—I really love all that kind of stuff. Playing a 3,000-year-old vampire who is hell-bent on revenge is pretty perfect for me. I was really happy.

Twilight has catapulted the careers of many actors who are now major stars. How was working with them?
NF: It’s really lovely when you get to actually meet all these people, and they’re just regular people and they have a great sense of humor and they kind of just want to have a good time. They really do a wonderful job of creating a good atmosphere on set. You wake up every morning being [like], ‘awesome, I get to go to work today.’

Your role on Shameless has been turned into a recurring one. What can you tell me about the upcoming season?
NF: I’m really excited for everybody to get to see season three of Shameless. Selfishly, just for myself, I’m really excited that fans get to know a little bit more about Mickey, because he’s kind of been this peripheral character up until now. He’s this strange, closeted, violent person who you don’t really know that much about, besides his reactionary way of dealing with life. And I think it’s going to be really interesting for fans to get more of a glimpse as to why he is the way he is.

I’m excited!
NF: You’re not going to be disappointed. There are some really, really crazy plot points that are going to throw you for a loop and spin the whole thing around. I don’t know anything else that has the ability to take you on such a roller coaster of emotions that you’re hysterically laughing in one scene and then in the very next scene you’re sobbing.

Billy Hurley III’s rise from naval officer to PGA hotshot happened fast. So fast that even Hurley himself has moments of disbelief. “Here I was—this guy no one had heard of—and now I’m one of the best golfers in the country,” says the 30-year-old rookie. “I don’t think it was entirely unexpected, but no one really knew it was coming.” Perhaps that’s because Hurley didn’t come from any of golf’s traditional breeding grounds. In fact, he’s the first-ever professional player to graduate from the Naval Academy, where he spent his senior year winning six intercollegiate tournaments in between a punishing schedule of coursework and military training.

When Hurley graduated in 2004, a career on the PGA Tour was within reach. He was one of the top-ranked amateur golfers in the country and the US Navy extended Hurley’s amateur status through 2005, when he was a member of the victorious Walker Cup team. Following that, he petitioned the Navy for an exemption to pursue professional golf, but failed to qualify for the PGA Tour. Instead, the newly minted naval officer committed to a higher calling: military service.

Hurley spent years serving as an electronic combat officer on a missile cruiser, an economics teacher at the Naval Academy, and an officer on a destroyer deployed to the Persian Gulf. During this time, Hurley was rarely able to pick up his clubs. After completing his commitment to the Navy in 2009, Hurley returned to the greens, making incredible strides from the moment he earned his PGA card in 2011.

Earlier this year, the former midshipman made sports headlines with two top-10 finishes at the AT&T National and the John Deere Classic. He is now fighting to finish his first season in the top 125, which would qualify him to play in the 2013 season. It’s an impressive comeback, not only considering Hurley’s long absence from the sport and his comparatively older age—the father of two is one of the oldest of the 25 rookies on tour—but also for the fact that Hurley didn’t grow up honing his golf skills like Tiger Woods and other greats. The Leesburg native played several sports during the first three years of high school, but confesses that he was not a fan of golf in those days.

If Hurley has put any of his skills from the decks of battleships to use in his golf game, it’s the razor-sharp focus on self-discipline. “Time can get away from you really quickly on the golf course, because it’s not a structured sport,” he says. “I practice very effectively in short spurts.”

When asked which player he admires most, Hurley responds like a true warrior: “I can’t really say because at the end of the day, I want to beat them all,” he says. If he continues performing well, Hurley could remain on the PGA Tour well into his 40s—so long as his drive to win remains, that is. (“The day I am no longer competing is the day I give up the sport,” he admits.) For now, Hurley’s plan is to just keep on playing.

Honky Tonk newsman: Bob Schieffer, onstage at The Hamilton.

Bob Schieffer had to rehearse for Flag Day. He was not making a speech, introducing a high-ranking official, or reading letters from combat soldiers—the 75-year-old host of Face the Nation was warming up to sing with retro-country band Honky Tonk Confidential, inside the National Museum of American History.

Schieffer, it turns out, doesn’t sing well. He was hoping to blend into the background when the group performed the Civil War-era songs commissioned by music royalty company BMI. Schieffer’s strength lies in words, you see. Words matter in newscasting and in his new love, songwriting.

The broadcast star admits that he needs a little courage for his new hobby. He took his first song, “TV Anchorman,” public as a gag at his Spina Bifida Foundation roast in 2006. Surrounded by colleagues like Alan Greenspan and Tom Daschle, he launched into a song about a TV scout who convinces a gas station employee to become an anchorman: “You don’t have to know all that much / Like names and dates and facts and such / Because you have a face that reeks sincerity.” Honky Tonk Confidential, whose members are longtime friends of Schieffer’s, played as his backup band, and the song became the first of four that he would write for the group’s album Roadkill Stew and Other News.

People got such a kick out of Schieffer’s hidden talent that they began booking the band for other benefits. The first time the act played at New York City restaurant Hill Country, Andy Rooney turned to Tom Brokaw and asked him if he encouraged Schieffer’s music career. “No,” said Brokaw. “We’re doing our best to discourage it.”

But it’s hard to discourage a boy from Forth Worth, Texas, who grew up “listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio—the 50,000-watt station—to hear Cousin Minnie Pearl, Hank Williams, and all those old guys,” says Schieffer, who performed on the same stage 55 years later with Honky Tonk Confidential. “I was just terrified, and Trisha Yearwood was there telling me to have fun. The only other time in my life I’ve been that nervous was when I was in the 12-and-under baseball league and came to bat with the bases loaded.” The group got a standing ovation, and Schieffer was invited back onstage to close the show with Brad Paisley. He says he’s never had so much fun in his life.

That performance lit a fire. He has set aside his longtime love of poetry and started writing songs—a dozen at last count, most of them parodies. One day, he says, he would like to take them beyond the band. “That’s my dream, to get somebody to record one of them,” says Schieffer. “I’ve made some connections down in Nashville, and I came this close to getting a really big name to do it. I’m like any other struggling, young songwriter.”

Tell us about this season's home and design trends.
TY PENNINGTON: This season you’re going to see a lot more subtle neutrals and pops of color—bright oranges, greens and reds. Home design tends to follow fashion. You’re going to see a lot of detailing in stitching, bedding.

What inspires your design style?
TP: I travel so much and read lots of magazines. It’s really about what captures my eye. I design a lot for other people and I think [that], in the process, I dive into areas that really open my eyes to different things. I’m drawn to organics and wood tones. I’m inspired by architecture. I spent some time living in Japan and I learned a lot about subtlety from my travels there.

Any insider tips for our readers?
TP: People are frightened to death of bold color. Use color as a volume nob. Try throwing in some color in your throw pillows, or the edge of a picture frame. You don’t have to marry it.

Ty Pennington will headline the Washington Home & Garden Show this weekend, March 9-11th. Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW; washingtonhomeandgardenshow.com

"Above all else, I like to be comfortable and feel at ease in my clothes. I really believe that when you know something looks and feels good on you, it can enhance your personality and your mood, and make you radiate confidence.”

MEN’S SWEATER: H&M. “I stole this from my boyfriend, who has an amazing closet. When you’re tall and lanky, men’s clothes just fit better.”

CHAMBRAY SHIRT: Eddie Bauer. “I looked for the perfect chambray shirt for months and finally found it at Eddie Bauer, of all places. Now I wear it at least once a week.”

SEQUIN SKIRT: Zara. “I went on a bit of a binge buying sequined options to wear for my 30th birthday. The matte sequins and soft blush hue make it appropriate for daytime.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAKOTA FINE/DAKOTAFINE.COM (THOMAS)

	Miles Fisher, federally faddish in J. Edgar

From perusing the latest designs at Ralph Lauren to playing a handsomely dressed FBI agent in the upcoming film J. Edgar, actor Miles Fisher understands the importance of great American sportswear. The District native clues us in on his formula for elected style.

How did growing up in DC influence your fashion?
MILES FISHER: The biggest influence on my sense of style in DC was attending St. Albans School, where coat-and-tie was uniform. I became very comfortable in a sports coat—all those pockets were very useful—and I still find myself more comfortable wearing a jacket than not, especially when traveling.

Describe your character’s style in the film—were you fond of the wardrobe?
MF: J. Edgar Hoover was a complicated man. He focused his attention on the smallest of details, including the wardrobe and appearance of each and every FBI agent under his command [one of whom Fisher portrays in the movie]. Each day of shooting, I’d wear a vintage American sack suit and skinny tie; it’s a handsome look.

What sartorial advice would you give to DC residents?
MF: Better haircuts! Gentlemen, when your constituency sends you off to the nation’s capital to represent their interests, don’t feel like you’ve sold out when you return home with a slightly updated cut.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JSQUARED PHOTOGRAPHY. FISHER'S SHIRT: THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT. FISHER'S SWEATER: BURKMAN BROS.

My favorite place in DC is... Circa at Dupont. Good food, and a good scene all around

I hate it when... people touch other people’s feet. I just hate feet in general.

My proudest moment was... either winning a collegiate National Championship or scoring in my first-ever MLS game for DC United.

I’m honestly afraid of... scary movies—all of them. Any kind of horror movie scares me: Saw, The Hills Have Eyes, all of them.

If I weren’t a player for DC United, I’d... probably try to play another professional sport, like golf. I’m terrible at golf, but it seems like a very relaxing sport.

Someday I hope to... live in another country.

The best advice I’ve ever been given is... surround yourself with good people at all times.

My biggest pet peeve is... when someone says, “I have to tell you something,” and then they come back and say, “Actually, I can’t tell you that.” I can’t stand that.

To me, DC is... a very diverse city with a lot of history.

If I could have dinner with anyone in the world, it would be... Mila Kunis. She’s recently single, and she seems awesome. She’s got it all.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DREW HALLOWELL/GETTY IMAGES

When things are going well for Maria Menounos, her only concern is how to make them go even better. That’s because the Access Hollywood correspondent, who has the distinction of being the only journalist to interview the entire Obama family at once, practices the Japanese philosophy of kaizen. It focuses on continuous improvement in all aspects of life—coincidentally, the theme of Menounos’ latest venture, The Everygirl’s Guide to Life (It Books; $19.99; in bookstores April 12). Inspired by her experiences growing up in a working-class family as well as her experiences on the red carpet in Hollywood, Menounos offers tips on everything from organizing your closet to managing your love life, all while looking fabulous and staying fiscally fit. Seem impossible? Not to Menounos, who writes: “I’ve lived better and had the most success when my mind, and the minds of those around me, was in the state of possibility.” Hmmm. We’ll keep that in mind.