Capitol File Magazine

The US Botanic Garden's Unique Flora

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

An expanse of flora unfolds before me—emerald leaves, verdant moss, and twisted vines—becoming visible through a sheer mist. Inside the glass conservatory the air hangs pleasantly, warm and slightly humid, though the weather outside bounces between biting winds and early-spring sunshine. Here, tropical trees stretch overhead, climbing more than 90 feet skyward, and sheltering leafy plants clustered on the ground. Steps away, a stream of water moves languidly through the space, terminating in a still pool, and a few small blossoms peek out from the dense foliage. Pieces of this surreal scene seem pulled from classic novels—part Jungle Book exoticism with a twist of mystery à la The Secret Garden; yet this space, this experience, is entirely Washingtonian.

About 1.2 million visitors—locals and tourists—stroll through DC’s US Botanic Garden each year. The national plant museum was established by Congress in 1820 and has been administered by the Architect of the Capitol since 1934. A Washington institution, the USBG lays claim to a variety of well-tended spaces, and one of them is the sprawling Conservatory, on the National Mall, which is currently celebrating its 80th anniversary.

But the District’s most famous and historic garden offers more than stunning beauty to curious out-of-towners and local visitors. The institution also protects its treasured inhabitants through conservation and education programs.

“Plant biodiversity is being lost at a startling rate,” explains USBG Executive Director Holly Shimizu. “Caring for these plants in institutions such as botanical gardens is one way we can make sure these treasures are available to future generations.”

In addition to the institution’s three-acre outdoor National Garden, known for its fragrant rose collection and native mid-Atlantic plants, and the artsy, two-acre Bartholdi Park, which is home to a variety of species, the Botanic Garden operates an 85,000-square-foot production facility in Anacostia (usually not open to the public) that provides shelter and sustenance to thousands of plants—including those that are rare and endangered.

Unlike the displays at many of the city’s noted museums, the USBG’s exhibitions are, literally and figuratively, alive. The plants selected for public viewing are exceptionally beautiful—delicate, wispy ferns; showy white and purple orchids; even a cacao tree, solid and heavy with orange pods. “No where else feels like [the Conservatory],” says Bill McLaughlin, the USBG’s curator of plants. “You immediately exhale when you walk through the door.” The eye-catching glass and aluminum structure spans 28,944 square feet of growing space and holds two courtyard gardens and 10 distinct garden rooms, where the feeling of serenity is especially present. Here, the buoyant air is always just right for each species, and the noise level is typically low. Even when thunder clouds sweep the skies beyond the glass walls or when people descend on the Mall

Special Plants, Special Place
The doors of the Conservatory’s entrance lead to the Garden Court, blooming with bright pink Egyptian star clusters (Pentas lanceolata), but it’s also home to commercial plants such as corn and tea, as well as to leafy trees. The verdant Jungle room is just past the Court. And beyond that is the World Deserts room, a carefully climate-controlled space where the endangered golden barrel cactus thrives, and the Medicinal Plants room, which includes a quinine tree, typically cultivated for its malaria-treating bark.

Each area in the Conservatory represents different climates and collections, and “that’s why these plants all grow so well together,” McLaughlin says while meandering through the warm Jungle room. “It’s really a complete education in here,” he adds, “but if you wanted to walk by and just enjoy the beauty, you can do that. People really spend a lot of time in here because of the ambience.”

The institution traces its roots to George Washington, who, in a 1796 letter, asked city commissioners to add a “botanical garden” to the District’s plans. In 1816, a Washington society called the Columbian Institute for the Promotion of the Arts and Sciences also proposed its creation, and, four years later, Congress went on to establish the institution west of the Capitol grounds.

The United States Exploring Expedition (also known as the “Wilkes Expedition”) began in 1838, and returned in 1842 with a collection of living plants from around the world. These overseas gems were relocated from an existing greenhouse to the institution’s original conservatory in 1850, and then to the current conservatory, which was completed in 1933.

“There are many wonderful institutions throughout the country that steward wonderful collections of plants for public display. However, we are the only such botanical garden in the Washington, DC, region,” says Shimizu, noting that the American Association of Museums (now the American Alliance of Museums) accredited the institution in 2007. “[Today] we are both the oldest public botanical garden in the United States and the most visited.”

That means the institution has a great responsibility to educate guests and preserve its history. In addition to caring for new additions, the work includes watching over older plants, such as the three surviving original plants from the Wilkes Expedition, as well as their many descendants.

Careful Conservation
Mornings at the Garden require intense activity. Beginning early each day, expert gardeners prune specimens, water their charges, and swap out plants for display to prepare for opening at 10 am. Aside from the production facility, the institution is open to the public, free of charge, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

“We’re here to demonstrate a whole interesting range of things about plants, including their ecological and aesthetic properties,” explains Dr. Ari Novy, the institution’s public programs manager, during a recent walk through the various rooms of the Conservatory.

About three in 10 plant species are threatened in the United States alone. Recognizing the importance of plant conservation, the USBG operates its Plant Rescue Center in accordance with the US Plant Rescue Center Program, a national initiative that maintains plants confiscated by border authorities as part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) program. “We are a certified repository in the CITES system. Once we accept those plants, we have to care for them forever,” Novy says. “It’s very important to protect these species that, in many cases, are extinct in the wild.” In fact, the Garden has already accepted hundreds of protected and threatened plants, mostly orchids and cacti, as part of this agreement.

Many plants live on, but some do not. “Plants are organisms just like you and me. We know when a plant is diseased, when it becomes unstable,” Novy says. “Every plant has a life span.” Garden staff propagate dying plants when possible (using parts of the plants to create new ones), and they duplicate rare collections, engaging in plant exchanges with other botanic gardens. Round-the-clock computer monitoring in the Conservatory ensures appropriate environmental conditions for all of the plants, with 24-hour human monitoring added during the winter months. “It’s a very sophisticated system,” Novy adds.

Eco-minded activities also extend to the institution’s outdoor spaces, where chemical pesticides are avoided in favor of natural controls, such as beneficial insects, and regionally native species flourish. “You won’t find English ivy [an invasive plant] grown in many of our beds,” McLaughlin explains, adding that the outdoor rose garden, which is culled from dozens of the institution’s varieties, features roses that are typically naturally resistant to diseases. “It’s truly one of the most environmentally friendly rose gardens,” he says. “You can stick your nose in and be pretty confident. At most, you’ll see a ladybug.”

Such native planting practices and conservation steps are easy enough for visitors to adopt for their own personal spaces at home. “They can look at this garden and see [the best places] to put plants in their own gardens,” McLaughlin says, strolling around the grounds once again. “We hope that those people, even if they come to [the Garden for its] atmosphere, will leave with a lot more.”

7 Stunning Summer Shoes

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Top designers are now offering an incredible selection of summer shoes, and it’s time to take advantage of the opportunity to adorn our feet. Below, you’ll find offerings in multiple shades of the rainbow as well as kicks featuring florals, graphics, and multiple straps.

Longines Times Oxbow's Win at Preakness

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:02:00 -0400

Juan Carlos-Capelli, center, with his son Thomas, and Jennifer Judkins, left, both of Longines, award trainer D. Wayne Lukas, second left, jockey Gary Stevens and Erin Kelley, daughter of owner Brad Kelley, with their Longines St. Imier chronographs after their horse Oxbow won the 138th Preakness Stakes, May 18, 2013, in Baltimore, MD.

—ROBERTA NAAS, ATimelyPerspective.com

On May 18, 2013 in Baltimore, the prestigious 138th Preakness Stakes took place—the second leg in the 2013 Triple Crown. While Orb had won the Kentucky Derby earlier this month, yesterday, Oxbow took the win and upsetting the chance for a Triple Crown win in Belmont. Oxbow led the race from start to finish in Preakness, and it represented the sixth victory for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and 15th Triple Crown victory (the most in horse racing history). Orb finished fourth after starting on the rail position.

Longines, the Swiss watchmaker known for its famous timepieces, is timing all three races. As the official watch and timekeeper of the events, Longines has a visual presence at the tracks with clocks and a digital Longines countdown clock. The brand also presents watches to the owner, trainer, and jockey of the winning horse.

In fact, the Maryland Jockey Club announced a long-term partnership with Longines that includes naming Longines as the official timekeeper and watch of the Preakness Stakes, as well as the title partner in the Longines Dixie Stakes, and the presenting partner of the International Pavilion.

Longines president Walter von Känel said, “This new partnership reinforces our commitment to equestrian sports in the U.S. and reflects our devotion to and passion for these exciting sports, which match perfectly with our core values of elegance, tradition, and performance.”

Founder and editor-in-chief of ATimelyPerspective.com, Roberta Naas is a veteran award-winning journalist in the watch industry with more than 25 years of experience. She was the first woman watch editor in the US market—breaking in to an “all boys network” with a pioneering spirit that would be her signature to this day. Naas brings responsible, factual—yet always timely and insightful—reporting of the watch industry to the forefront.

Kevin Spacey Plays His Cards Right

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:03:00 -0400

Kevin Spacey can do ruthless like no one else. Faraway eyes. A crooked grin. A soft voice spewing cutting words—and a trove of diabolical actions. He has created these mannerisms for his scoundrels, antiheroes, and monsters of the silver screen, and he has won scores of fans with convincing portrayals—a crime boss, a comic-book villain, a serial killer—in blockbusters and award-winning films over a storied 30-year career. These days Spacey is digging into the depths of darkness once again to bring us another menacing character: an ambitious, conniving congressman in Netflix’s hot new miniseries House of Cards.

An adaptation from a British television drama of the same name, with executive producer and Se7en director David Fincher on board, the show casts Spacey as Rep. Francis “Frank” J. Underwood—a Democrat from South Carolina and the House Majority Whip—and Robin Wright as Claire Underwood, Frank’s wife. The timing of the project’s release, which premiered February 1, could not have been better according to Spacey, who also serves as executive producer of the series.

“It’s very interesting that this series started about a month after the last Congress ended its session, which was the least productive Congress in the history of the United States,” Spacey says. “It’s going to be interesting for audiences to look at a fictional congressional whip in a fictional administration who is, yes, ruthless and, yes, perhaps diabolical. But he’s effective.”

Spacey hopes House of Cards viewers will consider the current machinations in Congress as they watch the show’s political figures forsake their principles in exchange for power and influence in Washington. Are flexible ethics necessary for change? Are we indeed entrenched in an era in which both parties believe in political victory at any price? The show’s tagline—“Bad, for a greater good”—suggests that, at least in this fictionalized version of the Capitol, the answer is yes.

Yet, as Spacey points out, some former political leaders were effective not because of constant pivoting, but for laserlike focus and interminable tenacity. He cites former president Lyndon B. Johnson as a real-life example. “People are going, ‘Yeah, he was ruthless. Yeah, he was a bastard. Yeah, he was an unbelievably tough negotiator and in your face.’ But he… passed three civil rights bills in a very short presidency.”

Politics became a point of interest for Spacey decades ago. He’s been involved one way or another since the ’70s, stuffing envelopes for Jimmy Carter and campaigning for Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton when each ran for president. But playing Frank Underwood is about as close as Spacey would like to come to a run for office, or even a role in bureaucracy. “I’m a person who likes to set a goal and then achieve it. I like to get things done,” he says. “I would never walk into a profession where I’d [know] I was going to be frustrated for the rest of my life.”

How close to reality the show comes is up for debate, but it’s not hard to imagine there’s some truth to the dialogue and plot lines. “We were in the middle of filming House of Cards during a presidential election,” Spacey explains. “I’d often get back to the hotel and turn on the TV, and think to myself, ‘Our story lines aren’t that crazy.’”

A Player and a Dealer
In his role as Underwood, Spacey’s so persuasive that it’s hard to merge the image of his character killing a dog in the very first scene of Cards with the actor who, at the moment, is speaking from London, where he is knee-deep in the renovation of the Old Vic, a historic theater in the city’s Waterloo district.

And the same man who playfully impersonates Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Katharine Hepburn has been known to snip at audience members whose phones interrupt his theater performances. Says Fincher of Spacey, “He’s an incredibly gifted improviser. He’s very witty, very dry. Oftentimes you don’t realize you’re the butt of a joke by Kevin, and then you’re like, ‘Oh yeah. I get it.’” It all begs the question: Who is Kevin Spacey?

Born in South Orange, New Jersey, and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles, Spacey, the youngest of three children, took to the stage from an early age. He proved leading-man material in high school, where he acted alongside classmates Val Kilmer and Mare Whinningham, then headed to Juilliard for college, leaving after two years to pursue theater in New York City.

His big break came in 1986 when he was cast opposite Jack Lemmon in a production of Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night. The experience cemented a friendship between Spacey and Lemmon that lasted until Lemmon’s death in 2001. “He was the most important mentor in my life,” Spacey reflects. “He taught me a great deal about being a company member, a great deal about leadership, and a great deal about how to handle success. There isn’t a day that goes by when Jack Lemmon isn’t influencing me in some way.”

His career picked up steam as the ’90s got underway. He won a Tony for his featured role in Lost in Yonkers (he would earn another nomination, this time for Leading Actor, for his role in a 1999 production of O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh) and joined Lemmon in the acclaimed film Glengarry Glen Ross. But it wasn’t until 1995 that Spacey became a household name. His portrayal of Roger “Verbal” Kint in The Usual Suspects won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and his turn as John Doe in Se7en proved Spacey a master at crafting complex villains.

“I’m drawn to human beings that are as complicated as I think human beings are,” he says. Complicated like Jack Vincennes in L.A. Confidential, Jim Williams in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Lester Burnham in 1999’s American Beauty. His layered portrayal of Burnham won him an Oscar, this time for Best Actor.

Anteing Up
Though Spacey has done more than two dozen films since American Beauty, his primary focus has been the theater realm—specifically, the Old Vic. A decade ago, Spacey committed to restoring the 195-year-old venue to its former glory, joining the Old Vic Theatre Company as artistic director, a full-time job he is planning to hold for another two years.

There, he transformed into Richard III, a performance he repeated around the world for nearly a year before touching down in Baltimore in 2012 to film the first two episodes of House of Cards. The play, Spacey says, was good practice for his portrayal of Underwood, a character loosely based on Shakespeare’s dark, tragic king.

“What I took from the experience of doing the play was an understanding of the relationship between the audience and the character,” Spacey explains. “I was breaking the fourth wall and looking into the eyes of audiences all over the world. That’s been very helpful to me in playing the direct address in House of Cards, because in that case, I’m just looking at the barrel of a lens.” Fincher recognizes Spacey’s successful technique. “He’s so specific about inflection. He’s so specific about what the words are indicating,” he says.

Underwood’s asides to viewers are part of the show’s charm. With a twitch of the mouth or a quick glance, Spacey skillfully turns viewers into coconspirators and softens Underwood’s hard edges. And that’s what Spacey does best: He creates empathy for a character that a lesser actor might have turned into a one-dimensional villain. “I’ve always found that it’s been in my interest to not judge the characters I play but just to play them,” he says. “It’s a better experience for an audience to come halfway, to be able to make up their own minds about how they feel about a character.” Fincher wanted Spacey for the role at the outset. “We had talked numerous times before [Spacey received the script], and we thought, ‘If we don’t get him, what will we do?’” he says. “Nobody had a good answer.”

So far it seems that audiences are eager to figure out just what Underwood is all about. At press time, House of Cards was the most-watched show on Netflix. Relying upon the series’ strength of story and anticipating an avid fan base, the company released Cards’s 13 commercial-free episodes all at once—at no extra charge—to subscribers. “I’ve been hearing a lot of people have been bingeing and watching the whole season [at one time],” Spacey says. “That’s just really exciting that people are responding to it. That’s what we set out to achieve.”

Netflix’s gutsy move was made possible by a solid six months of filming in Baltimore, during which time Spacey familiarized himself with the city and surrounding towns such as Annapolis. “Baltimore’s got incredible diners. Baltimore’s got great music, great parks, great tennis playing,” he says. “It’s sometimes gotten a bad rap, [but] people haven’t really discovered it.”

This spring, he’s headed back to Charm City to film the second season of House of Cards. He’ll be shooting another 13 episodes that Netflix will again release at one time—a tactic that Spacey believes adds to the show’s game changer status. “It’s a real opportunity for the film and television industry to learn the lesson the music industry didn’t learn,” he says. “Give the audience what they want, when they want it, in the form they want it in, at a reasonable price, and they’ll buy it.”

Art Basel in Hong Kong Impresses DC

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

“Participating in Art Basel in Hong Kong will open up American galleries to an entirely new collector sensibility,” says DC art dealer Craig Appelbaum, whose Industry Gallery exhibits an international group of artists exploring the intersection between interior design and fine art. Almost two years after buying a majority stake in Asian Art Fairs Ltd., which founded the Art HK contemporary art fair, the group behind Art Basel has renamed the event Art Basel in Hong Kong, and will open this year’s festivities to much fanfare on May 23. Boasting work presented by nearly 250 of the world’s leading galleries, the show promises to provide Western audiences with a foundation from which to explore the diverse histories, ideas, and aesthetics of Asia’s visual arts, a segment of the art market that has skyrocketed in recent years.

Magnus Renfrew, Art Basel’s Director Asia, has overseen the transformation and is confident that both attendees and participants will be impressed. “With an emphasis on the highest quality work and presentation,” Renfrew says, “the fair will showcase artworks by more than 3,000 artists—ranging from young stars to the modern masters of the early 20th to 21st centuries, hailing from both Asia and the West.” Renfrew believes that Hong Kong is the natural home for a major international art fair. “We are geographically positioned at the heart of Asia, and we are the region’s financial center,” he offers. “There is no tax on the import or export of art, and Hong Kong has an increasingly expanding cultural sector and a culturally interested population.”

Many eyes will be on the Insights section of the fair, which highlights projects specifically devised for the event by 47 galleries in Asia and the Asia-Pacific regions. The Discoveries segment will likely be the most experimental, presenting solo and two-person exhibitions by emerging artists and, in an exciting twist, featuring a $25,000 prize. But Renfrew notes that the fair is also attractive because of its outstanding ancillary activities. “In addition to the quality of art brought by our galleries, Art Basel is known worldwide for the parallel programming surrounding our shows,” he says. “That includes conversations and salon discussion panels, as well as ambitious collaborations with powerhouse local partners, including museums and other institutions.”

Special exhibitions and events at local galleries are poised to draw immense interest. The Hong Kong gallery scene has been invigorated over the past few years by the arrival of major international players like Gagosian Gallery and White Cube, joining local stalwarts like Hanart TZ Gallery (well-known for championing emerging Chinese artists). The multitude of special exhibitions and events at Hong Kong cultural institutions and not-for-profits is dizzying. One of the venues will be the Asia Art Archive, which has grown from a single bookshelf in 2000 to more than 35,000 records of both physical and digital pieces. This unique institution, which has worked diligently to record and save materials about art across Asia and to make them accessible to the public, will be hosting a series of panel discussions as well as a keynote lecture.

Comparisons are being drawn between today’s Hong Kong art market and that which existed 10 years ago in Miami Beach. “The market is in a relatively early stage of development here, much like the atmosphere in [South Florida] when we opened there,” says Renfrew. “We want to be part of the cultural surge in this dynamic city, and the show provides the perfect global platform for that.” Adds gallerist Appelbaum: “There is a sense of excitement and energy in the Asian market at the moment that is unparalleled, even in America or Europe. Having exhibited in Asia, what I find most exhilarating is seeing how the market there has embraced young, emerging contemporary talent instantly.”

Designer Spotlight: Rachelle Celine

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:00 -0400

Rachelle Celine, Stella necklace ($68) and Camille hoops in malachite ($148).

“I design for the woman who is smart, naturally chic, loves fashion, and celebrates her individuality,” explains Rachelle Celine Landry, a local jewelry designer who creates stunning 14k gold pieces embellished with jewel-tone stones from her Silver Spring, Maryland, studio. This spring, the Rachelle Celine collection showcases a bright, punchy palette, with oval hoop earrings, two-tone drop earrings, dainty pendants, and wire bangles boasting turquoise, green onyx, and tangerine stones.

“This season’s collection was inspired by the culture and colors of our beautiful city, from a vibrant blue or green door on a row house in Georgetown to a stunning sunset, or a stroll [to see the] cherry blossoms on a fabulous spring day,” she says. “The Camille Hoops in malachite are perfect for the DC woman. They are feminine… and a little preppy, with just the right amount of edge.” Wink, 3109 M St. NW, 202-338-9465

Tissot Celebrates 160 Years with the Powermatic 80

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:15:00 -0400

—ROBERTA NAAS, ATimelyPerspective.com

This year marks the 160th anniversary of Swiss watch brand, Tissot. To honor the milestone, the brand has been very busy, and this year unveils multiple new movements and a host of really cool new timepieces that move it to the next level of sophistication.

Among the new pieces is the Powermatic 80—an automatic watch with 80 hours of power reserve. The watch was made possible thanks to the revolutionary new caliber, the Powermatic 80 movement. To achieve this technical prowess, Tissot strongly reduces the consumption of energy of the watch. The oscillation frequency of the Powermatic 80 is therefore brought down from 4 to 3 Hz. A high-performance synthetic material is used in the construction of the escapement to reduce friction. Thanks to a reduction of the diameter of the barrel-arbor’s core, the mainspring is stretched, thereby increasing the power reserve even further. Finally, the precision is increased with a new and innovative balance.

Making the watch even better is the fact that it is a COSC-certified chronometer. It is available in two sizes appropriate for men and women—33mm and 41mm—and is crafted in steel, steel, and gold-plated, and in versions with diamond adornments. The watch, which looks great and offers superb craftsmanship and precision, retails for a wow price of $1,075 to $1,575 depending on the model.

Honor Flight Recognizes Veterans

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:20:00 -0400

“Every day is a bonus.”

This is the message from World War II veteran Joe Demler, one of several men featured in Honor Flight: One Last Mission. The poignant film centers on a Wisconsin community’s efforts to raise money so that World War II veterans could travel to see the DC monuments built in their honor. The film just won the Best Documentary Feature Award on May 12 at the GI Film Festival in Arlington, Virginia, and releases on video on demand platforms today, May 14, via SnagFilms.

The film follows four veterans: Demler, the 84-year-old who was once held in a Nazi prison camp and was famously pictured as the “human skeleton” on the front of LIFE magazine; Harvey Kurz, an 85-year-old with Alzheimer’s who witnessed the American flag being raised at Iwo Jima; Orville Lemke, a veteran fighting terminal cancer who is determined to make the trip; and 89-year-old poet Julian Plaster who once served as a gravedigger.

Funded completely by donations, the Honor Flight program takes the men on a 20-hour once-in-a-lifetime-trip to the World War II Memorial, U.S. Air Force Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and to see the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery.

Veterans’ reactions upon seeing the monuments for the first time range from tears and grief to pride and awe to pure joy, says director Dan Hayes. Hayes recalls visiting the World War II memorial in 2009 and meeting a veteran on an Honor Trip named Theodore Gurzynski. “Gurzynski looked at me, blinked back tears, and said ‘I could die a happy man now that I’ve made this trip,’” Hayes says. “I knew at that moment that this memorial was a very special place for them. When they look at the wall of stars they don’t see 80- and 90-year-old men. They see the 20-year-olds who didn’t make it home.”

The film contains footage from Normandy Beach, Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, concentration camp liberations, and more. The next area screening is scheduled to be in Arlington, Virginia, at AMC Courthouse 8 on Thursday, May 23; admission is free but reservations are required by May 16 on honorflightthemovie.com. For information on the Honor Flight program, or to make a donation, visit honorflight.org.

Oliver Peoples' Limited-Edition Frames

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

O’Malley sunglasses, Oliver Peoples ($445).

Oliver Peoples eyewear founder and chief designer Larry Leight is giving us a compelling reason to look back this spring. As an homage to the label’s debut 1987 collection, Leight has released a retrospective line featuring limited-edition vintage frames made from his original models. The 505, one of the first optical frames to offer a clip-on sunglass attachment, is available in several colors, as well as the 1955, MP-2, and the O’Malley, which was inspired by former LA Dodgers president Peter O’Malley.

“The DC man appreciates subtle, yet distinctive details that, upon closer inspection, set him apart from the rest. Oliver Peoples’s Vintage collection is perfect because it is geared toward representing the wearer’s style, and not overtaking it,” says Georgetown Optician’s Pierce Voorthuis. “The O’Malley is my favorite pair. It’s clean and understated, but with a retro charm that won’t ever feel dated.” Georgetown Optician, 1307 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-337-8237

Glow in the Dark Watches by de Grisogono

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Tondo by Night, de Grisogono ($9,400–$17,500).

As glamour-loving women know, not every timepiece is serious and conservative. Some are downright whimsical, such as the hit Tondo by Night watches from de Grisogono. Unveiled last year, the collection has just begun to make its way into luxury jewelry stores in the last few months. In addition to being mechanical works of art, these timepieces possess an unusual quality in the luxury watch world that begs them to be worn.

Designed by Fawaz Gruosi, the founder and president of de Grisogono, the Tondo by Night is intended to be a capricious, playful timepiece that stores light during the day and then frees it after the sun goes down. The case is created from a pearly photoluminescent fiberglass composite—with pieces of mother-of-pearl blended into the fiberglass for extra shimmer—then further bedecked with color-coordinated gemstones.

“It has such wide appeal because it is fashionable, hefty, and different from everything else on the market,” Gruosi says. “Still, I never dreamed Tondo by Night would be such an amazing success. The demand is much higher than what I produced, which was extremely unexpected.”

Each Tondo by Night watch is equipped with an exclusive in-house mechanical movement, specially developed to display the gem-set oscillating weight on the front side. Built in collaboration with an outside lab, the Tondo by Night timepieces are offered in an array of colors, each with a row of 48 gemstones on the bezel, plus another 60 on the dial (and a black diamond on the crown). The colors include white with white diamonds, yellow with yellow sapphires, pink with pink sapphires, green with tsavorites, purple with amethysts, and orange with orange sapphires. And three new shades were unveiled at the Baselworld show in April: a vivid green case with a tourmaline bezel, a blue case with a blue sapphire bezel, and a coral case with a spinel bezel. The most expensive watch in the collection is currently the white (diamond) version, which retails for $17,500.

“I dedicate this watch to happy summer days and glamorous nightlife,” Gruosi says. “It’s not only a luxury timepiece but also can be worn as a magnificent jewelry piece, with a twist.”

Jim McDermott on Sumi-e Painting

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Zen palette: Jim McDermott unwinds with ink and jazz.

As a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Washington State Representative Jim McDermott focuses on the big-picture problems facing the nation. But when the congressman needs to escape the pressures of Capitol Hill, he turns his attention to mastering the details of smaller, more artistic tableaux.

Since the late ’60s, McDermott has been an avid practitioner of sumi-e (pronounced “soo-mee-EH”). This simple and elegant style of monochromatic ink-wash painting developed in China during the Tang and Song Dynasties, later becoming popularized in Japan and Korea. Black ink is diluted to create shades of gray—no colors are used—and oftentimes finished works showcase more blank space on a sheet of rice paper or silk than ink. In sumi-e the idea is not to present a subject literally, or even realistically, but rather to capture its essence. This can be difficult. “Sometimes I’m absolutely magic, but most of the time I miss it,” admits McDermott. “It’s all about becoming one with the brush.”

Sumi on Sundays
For years, he would practice sumi-e at his Seattle home on Sunday mornings in a backyard studio he called the “Zen shack.” Today when he paints, either on the West Coast or in DC, McDermott plays jazz records—classic tracks by Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Ray Charles, and Miles Davis provide his meditative soundtrack.

For McDermott, there’s a philosophical connection between the freestyle improvisation of jazz and the art of sumi-e. “When you blow a note or make a stroke, you can’t change it,” he explains. “You’re in the moment.”

A Gentleman's Touch
Bamboo is his favorite motif, and is also one of the four core subjects of traditional sumi-e, along with orchids, plum blossoms, and chrysanthemums (together they are called the “Four Gentlemen”).“[Bamboo] is the perfect gentleman,” says the artist. “It bends in the wind, but never breaks.”

Art in Congress
For the most part McDermott doesn’t display his creative efforts publicly, though his paintings have been sold at numerous charity fundraisers and were a part of the Women’s National Democratic Club’s 2010 exhibit “Art in Congress.” Those who visit his DC office in the Longworth House Office Building can get to know his artistic side; one of his paintings hangs in his workspace. “At first I didn’t know if people only liked them because ‘Congressman Jim McDermott’ did them,” he says. “But I’ve been told that they’re good by people who didn’t know that I painted them and whose artistic opinion I trust, so I must be on to something.”

Spotlight: DC's Best Teas

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

An aura of calm remains ever-present inside the glass-walled Tea Cellar (1201 24th St. NW, 202-419-6755) at the Park Hyatt Washington. Conversations carry on in muted tones, while servers move silently across the space’s smooth limestone floor. Notables from various ports of call, including Hollywood stars like Kate Walsh and powerful politicos such as Rahm Emanuel, have frequented this temple of tea. They come to take important meetings, make deals, or simply enjoy the atmosphere. “It’s a place for them to lose themselves or find themselves,” says tea sommelier Robert Rex-Waller. “It’s a space [where one can] reflect.”

Steeped in Tradition
Floor-to-ceiling glass humidors display airtight jars, each filled with one of 85 loose-leaf varietals from Asia, Africa, and beyond. The choices make up one of the most expansive collections in the United States—the Cellar offers more than 50 rare and limited-production teas—and the selections are refreshed weekly, depending on what Rex-Waller is able to source.

Beyond exotic provenance and variety for the palette, tea has distinct advantages over alcohol for business and social gatherings. For one, minds stay clear. Discreet conversations or power meetings, which in days past might have happened over a few neat whiskeys or glasses of Cabernet, are now taking place over a brewing pot of Lapsang Souchong. Says Rex-Waller: “You can drink as much… as you want and not worry about how you’re going to get home.” That’s reason enough to seal your next deal with a toast of tea.

At Park Hyatt, patrons can choose from white, green, black, Pu-erh, oolong, herbal, or decaffeinated options. Each one possesses a distinctive flavor, and some are as complex as fine wine. Intoxicatingly fragrant Emperor’s Himalayan Lavender exudes deep floral flavoring and herbaceous undertones, which go well with Blue Duck Tavern’s classic-style sugar cookies. Emperor’s Chocolate Elixir combines black tea and cocoa nibs, creating a dark, punchy offering. Pair that with the restaurant’s milk chocolate banana s’mores for a completely decadent tea break. Like wine, “ultimately, teas are all about the terroir and how [they have] been processed,” explains Rex-Waller.

The most costly—an earthy 1985 Pu-erh from China’s Yunnan province— sells for $300 per pot. “It’s that expensive because of the very minimal quantity that was produced,” Rex-Waller says, “and the challenges we had getting it.” But other, more widely produced varieties also have captivating flavors. Rex-Waller recommends Dragonwell green tea, famously enjoyed in China for centuries. (“It’s very high in antioxidants,” he notes.) He also likes performance teas, which sport flashy names like Moonlight Jasmine Blossom and Extreme Display. Served in glass teapots or futuristic, foothigh glass tubes, these balls of hand-tied tea, available in several varieties, put on a show. After sinking to the bottom, the leaves slowly unfurl to expose a blossom that floats upward in the tawny liquid.

From Russia, With Love
Traditional Russian tea service at the newly opened Moscow import Mari Vanna (1141 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-783-7777) in Dupont Circle is equally eye-catching, although the restaurant tends to attract a younger, more social crowd. Hockey hotshot, Russian expat, and Caps captain Alexander Ovechkin was spied partying there soon after it opened, while Paula Abdul, David Arquette, and John Leguizamo were there for an Inauguration Eve event. This is the second US location of the storied restaurant, which is modeled after an archetypal Russian home. The lavish three-floor space is decorated with gleaming chandeliers, comfy armchairs, displays of vintage dinnerware, and antique rugs.

Here, teas steep in classic Soviet-style glasses that rest in ornate metal cup holders and are accompanied by towers of desserts—multilayer cakes, blinis, and fresh fruit. Mari Vanna exclusively brews teas sourced from Kusmi Tea, founded in 1867 in St. Petersburg, Russia. (The company is now based in Paris.) There’s the Anastasia spiced with bergamot, lemon, and orange blossom; a licorice-peppered Imperial Label; and marzipan-evoking Petrushka with almond and vanilla notes.

To liven up these teas like they do in the motherland, you don’t reach for the sugar bowl—you add a spoonful of preserves. Alternately, you might put a small spoonful of jam on your tongue, then slowly sip tea to integrate the two flavors. At Mari Vanna, the culinary team crafts jam in-house for tea service, creating familiar flavors (think cherry, raspberry, and blueberry) as well as unexpected varieties such as tart, tangy sea buckthorn and luscious black currant.

No matter how you sweeten your sipper (or don’t), mid-afternoon tea is a sacred ritual for Russians. “You have tea if you have to discuss something outside of the office with a colleague, or if you have to have a conversation during the workday with your family,” explains Tatiana Brunetti, a founding partner of the Ginza Project, which owns the restaurant. Even in busy Washington, most guests spend at least an hour at the teahouse. “You don’t just grab a tea and walk away,” explains Brunetti. “You must sit down and drink it.”

6 Hot Watches from BaselWorld 2013

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:26:00 -0400

—ROBERTA NAAS, ATimelyPerspective.com

Stay tuned on ATimelyPerspective for more BaselWord coverage>>

Q&A: Tadashi Shoji's Design Secrets

Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Known for his elegant eveningwear and red carpet dresses, Tadashi Shoji is now celebrating his third decade in the industry. With women of all body types able to look amazing in his designs—his draping is spectacular and sizes range from 0 to 24 Queen—the Japanese-born designer is internationally recognized. So we were glad to get his thoughts on style when he recently visited the Washington area to receive Marymount University’s Designer of the Year award, and to visit Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria, where many of his flattering frocks are sold.

Shoji explains that his travels and art inspire him and hopes that “women exude confidence and feel beautiful in my designs.” Mission accomplished. Now read on as he reveals why his designs fit so well, and which anniversary collection piece is his favorite.

Congratulations on your anniversary! How has your brand changed over the years and how has it remained the same?
TADASHI SHOJI: Thank you! We have changed in size—increased both in the amount of employees as well as workspace—[and] the collections as a whole get bigger each season. …We recently launched an e-commerce site , and we have two retail stores in the states and have recently opened two retail stores in China…[but] we have stayed the same over the past 30 years because of our product and staying true to my design vision. I have always made my dresses accessible to everyone and put comfort and fit first when designing. The secret is in jersey fabric, Lycra, or soft chiffon. Everything I design is meant to stretch and move with the body and women almost have a “t-shirt feeling” when they wear my dresses.

Your new site lets women shop by body shape, such as “apple” or “pear.” Why?
TS: I design for all sizes and all shapes. My customer knows that she can come to our e-commerce site and find something perfect for her body and for any occasion. I like giving my customer a customized fit experience so that it makes them feel like it was made just for them.

Your spring collection includes beautiful lace dresses, and your 30th anniversary collection features six iconic frocks in shades of blue, ivory, black, and red. What’s your favorite anniversary piece?
TS: The blue lagoon V-neck gown because it has all the elements of a signature Tadashi Shoji look: the tiers, which I became known for; the flattering deep V-neck bodice; and comfortable, yet glamorous, stretch satin fabric. This piece is beautiful on its own yet can take on new looks with accessories. Our 30th anniversary brand ambassador, Chriselle Lim, paired hers with emerald and diamond jewelry and an emerald faux fur stole which looked fabulous and unexpected.

How did you become involved with Marymount University? What does this new award mean to you?
TS: I am an advocate of education and young talent so when the opportunity was presented, I was thrilled to participate. This award is a true honor, and I am privileged to be in such great company with the past honorees.

And, since we’re talking about the DC area, what’s your recommended evening look for Washington’s well-dressed women?
TS: I prefer the classic sheath dress because it looks good on all ages and sizes. It is sophisticated and easy to wear, and our stretch lining helps keep you comfortable from day to evening.