Capitol File Magazine

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.

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.

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.”

Art Basel in Hong Kong Impresses DC

Mon, 13 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.”

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.

Frank Fahrenkopf Sides with Bipartisanship

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The walls of Frank Fahrenkopf’s Washington office serve as a facebook of power in DC. Pictured there are photographs, both candid snapshots and official images from front-page news, of politicians and headliners from the past 40 years, including every president from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. And they all—Republicans and Democrats alike—have had warm words for Fahrenkopf. But wait. Didn’t Fahrenkopf chair the Republican National Committee for six years, from 1983 to 1989, the longest tenure for a RNC leader in the past century?

Yes, but that was then—well before Washington insiders’ main occupation became stabbing each other in the front. Fahrenkopf moved to the center stage of politics in DC at a time when, as the 73-year-old observed in a recent interview, Democratic House Speaker Tip O’Neill and President Ronald Reagan battled each other all week, but drank whiskey together and swapped Irish jokes over the weekend.

Today Fahrenkopf makes every effort he can to carry the torch of bipartisanship. He serves as founding cochairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonprofit organization set up jointly by the Democrats and the GOP to sponsor and produce the televised face-offs between White House aspirants. (The current Democratic cochairman with Fahrenkopf is former Clinton White House spokesman Mike McCurry; Caroline Kennedy is on the board of directors.) Fahrenkopf has been there from the commission’s start in 1987. To date, that’s 26 presidential and vice-presidential debates—and a parade of stories, such as when George H. W. Bush was famously caught on camera glancing at his watch during a question from an audience member. Washington commission member Pamela Harriman, a Democrat, “grabbed my arm and said in her very English accent, ‘Frank, it’s over, it’s over,’’’ he recalls. (It was: Bush lost.)

Over the years, Fahrenkopf says he has witnessed a turn away from conciliation in Washington. A rancor has soured the political atmosphere and, in part, the problem is that lawmakers don’t get to know each other these days. “The most dangerous place in Washington is Ronald Reagan National Airport on a Thursday night,” he jokes. “If you’re not careful, you’ll be trampled by all the [members of Congress] rushing to their planes to leave town. They don’t stay [in DC] anymore; their families don’t move here. What’s missing somehow in this town is people getting to know each other, and you can’t trust someone if you don’t know them.”

The other change has been the disappearance of the political center, the bridge builders who “used to… bring the parties together to work out solutions under difficult circumstances,” Fahrenkopf says. “There used to be moderate Republicans, most of them from the northeastern states, but they’re all gone. There used to be Blue Dog [conservative] Democrats, but they’re gone, too.”

With more than half of voters saying the debates influence their decisions at the polls, the stakes are high for the two mainstream political parties, now more than ever before. And with January’s inauguration in the rearview and candidates’ names already being tossed around for the next campaign cycle, Fahrenkopf is thinking strategically about how the candidates should spar in 2016. “The challenge for the commission going forward is that we have to get more [diversity and engagement],” he explains. For instance, he says the last campaign’s formula of dividing the debate into six 15-minute segments (to give the candidates more time to discuss each issue) worked well enough to use again, but the group will “take a look at whether to retain the town hall format,” which he thought seemed slow and had uneven questions. He would also like more variety among the moderators: “We’ve got to get some younger people in there.”

When he is not running the presidential debates, Fahrenkopf spends time on his other job, as president and CEO of the nation’s gaming lobby. The Brooklyn-born attorney sits atop the American Gaming Association, an organization representing the interests of the nation’s $35.7 billion commercial casino industry. On occasion, that means staying officially neutral, as he did with the recent controversy over Maryland’s Question 7 referendum on whether to expand commercial video lottery gaming. Though the issue had association members on both sides of the fence, Fahrenkopf will allow that “the pattern all over the country is that building a gambling facility creates a business boom of jobs and higher [tax revenues].”

Given his insider’s knowledge of local and national politics, Fahrenkopf seems to be a suitable candidate for public office. So why hasn’t he run? “I prefer to be the Wizard of Oz,” he says. “I would much rather be behind the scenes.” He says his next project is to try to “improve the political mood” in Washington to foster bipartisan progress. If he succeeds at that, he’s going to need more wall space.

Mother's Day Spa Specials

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:09:00 -0400

Indulge mom with one of two packages at the spa at The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown.

Mother’s Day is almost here, which means you have an excuse to pamper the leading lady in your life. So after you’re done lunching—or calling if you’re far away—consider giving your mother, sister, grandmother, or dear friend the gift of relaxation. Area spas have created special packages, and special pricing, just for her. And hey, if you decide to pick up a package for yourself, we won’t tell.

A visit to Karma by Erwin Gomez is sure to leave her feeling pampered. Headed by celebrity makeup artist Gomez, the warm yet industrial space is a welcoming respite, with its dark walls, tranquil treatment room, and friendly staff. Gift the mom in your life with an anti-aging facial ($89), which includes a deep cleansing and exfoliation and “collagen-boosting peptides,” as well as a complimentary lip polish. Or treat her to a complete haircut, style, and makeup session with Gomez’s team of artists ($139). All mothers are also given a complimentary amuse bouche sorbet and a glass of wine with their service. Offer valid Tuesdays to Fridays until May 31, 2013. 1104 24th St. NW, 202-293-3333

Another option is one of two Mother’s Day specials at The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown. First up, a package that includes a 50-minute massage, foot scrub, restorative or calming spinal rejuvenation (it includes a massage with an infused oil blend), and a 25-minute instant radiance facial ($180). Or, for $250, she’ll receive everything featured in the first package but a longer, tailored facial at 50 minutes (we love that). Special valid through the end of May; spa guests receive complimentary valet parking. 3100 South St., NW, 202-912-4175

If she’s hankering to see the harbor, book her a stay at Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. The elegant hotel is offering a package ($860) that includes one overnight visit, a 60-minute yoga class, flowers (so you can check that to-do off your list), and much more. Plus, she’ll experience the age-intervention facial, featuring a three-layer mask, and the spa signature warm wrap and massage ease treatment, which includes a full-body exfoliation and massage. She’ll definitely feel calmer when she checks out: the spa session lasts nearly six hours. Offer valid through May. 200 International Dr., 410-576-5800

Women Turn to Mechanical Watches

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Savvy women expect more than just a pretty face when it comes to what they wear on their wrists. Fresh off the heels of this year’s BaselWorld, the category of automatic and mechanical watches, once reserved for men, is undergoing its own women’s liberation movement.

Not reliant on battery power, mechanical watches come in two categories: hand-wound and automatic. With a wind watch, turning the crown transmits energy to the main spring, where it is stored. As the wound spring uncoils, it releases the energy necessary to activate movement in the gear train and causes the watch to tick. An automatic watch is fitted with a rotor that allows the timepiece to wind itself, when the wearer moves her wrist and the rotor or oscillating weight spins.

Typically, mechanical calibers are hand-assembled from hundreds of tiny parts to form a horological marvel that keeps time in perfect harmony. The movements are often elegantly finished with engraving and detailing that is visible via a transparent caseback.

These highly engineered timepieces feature such functions as calendars, moon phases, and chronographs. The Roger Dubuis Excalibur 36, for example, offers classic craftsmanship within a beautiful case that is popular here. “The combination of form and function offers an incredible keepsake with a style that transcends time and trends,” says Gianfranco D’Attis, president of Roger Dubuis North America.

“We have been improving the ladies’ line,” says Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe Worldwide, which has been creating women’s mechanical watches for more than a century and a half. “Even though we have a lot to offer women, our female clients have been requesting something more complicated. Now we can deliver that.” Stern’s wife, Sandrine, is head of the design division and is bringing a woman’s eye and touch to the newest ladies’ complex mechanical watches.

Similarly, Blancpain has been dedicated to building a key collection of women’s mechanical timepieces, focusing on alluring, modern designs and functions that run the gamut from complete calendars to the just-unveiled grande date chronographs. All of its calibers are built in-house.

Rochelle Behrens Reinvents The Shirt

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Plagued by “blouse gap” while working as a DC lobbyist, Rochelle Behrens had to avoid the awkward wardrobe malfunction. She found little luck with short-term solutions to closing gaps at the bust line—safety pins, double-sided tape, and metal hooks—and, before long, she sought a more permanent fix. After just one prototype, the Capitol Hill regular finally discovered the solution: Dual buttons placed on exterior and interior plackets. With that plan and her corresponding patent on the technology, she launched The Shirt, dedicated to confident, gap-free versatility, in 2008.

“I had tossed the idea around for a while, and discussed it with friends, but The Shirt’s official launch was certainly a defining moment for the business,” the DC-based designer recalls. “I decided to send a sample to The Oprah Winfrey Show, and within 24 hours, the show’s producers called me back saying they loved it.” Her big break was on the horizon: The producers said they’d have The Shirt on set in three days for filming, in time to be featured as one of the show’s fashion “must-haves” for 2011.

The trend-spotting media queen was onto something, as were the thousands of women who bought Behrens’s creation that year. The Shirt’s original button-down design features a tailored shoulder, slim-fitting arms, a versatile hemline (long enough to be tucked in but short enough to be left out), and that placket of precisely placed buttons. Shirts are sold according to bust measurement (in inches), which is key. “One of the beauties of the product is how straightforward the sizing is. There is no complicated algorithm of bust to waist to height,” Behrens explains. “Because the shirt fits across the bust, it will fit you everywhere else without needing a size up, which enables our customer to wear her real size—something she rarely gets to do.”

Ranging from fine stretch cotton sourced from Italy to sumptuous silks, The Shirt now offers three seasonal collections a year. More than 40 styles are produced almost entirely in New York City’s Garment District. “I split my time between NYC and DC, and though I do all the design, sample work, inspiration, photography, and production out of the NYC studio and factory, The Shirt was really born out of my experience working in DC. Who here doesn’t wear button-downs?” Behrens says with a laugh.

She aims to please Washington’s powerful, put-together women. “Our customer is young, urbane, professional, and modern. She cares about fashion, but also about simplifying her life and not overthinking getting dressed for work in the mornings,” Behrens muses. “To go from day to night looking polished the entire time is important, so we choose [to make our shirts in] fabrics that don’t wrinkle very much and that can withstand an entire day.”

Inspired by a recent trip to Southern Italy, her spring collection features blouses in shades of jade and dusty rose. A new bicycle-print silk shirt also lends a casual, carefree spirit. “Our customer wanted loose, languid silks and prints that could replace all the other shirts in [her] wardrobe that were fun, but never fit,” the designer explains.

And since women cannot survive on tops alone, her collection now includes fitted shirt dresses. “Women are not one-dimensional, and they love dresses for work and weekend. The Shirt Dress was a natural extension,” she says.

The newest offerings make a statement, but Behrens still has a soft spot for her original design. “I really love the new silk bicycle shirt. But if I had to choose one must-have piece this season, it’d be the perfect white shirt,” she reveals. “It’s an enigmatic, impressive piece that every woman needs in her wardrobe. And I love that it’s menswear reinterpreted, because it empowers women and shows that all are equal.”

A Luxe Retreat in Virginia Hunt Country

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

After Canterbury was built some 80 years ago in Virginia, it was hailed by the American and French Society of Architects as one of the most beautiful homes in America. Constructed between 1932 and 1936 at the request of Col. Albert E. Pierce, a commander of United States troops in France during World War I, the residence was designed by noted Chicago architects Walcott & Work, who built elegance into every room.

Canterbury’s current owners are Haifleigh Pritchard, a fashion consultant, and her husband, Tommy Pritchard, an investment banker, who bought the 373-acre, 30-plus-room estate in 2006 and, shortly after, embarked on its most recent renovation. Their former home, in New Orleans, which had been undergoing renovation, was damaged during Hurricane Katrina. “We’d been thinking about moving to Virginia because my wife and I had attended college here, and our son was in boarding school here. So being Katrina refugees, it just seemed like the right time to do it,” says Tommy.

Among the more breathtaking interior design elements on the main level are the marble foyer floor, the two-story windows in the Canterbury Room facing the river and the Blue Ridge mountains, and the stunning, three-story Carrara marble “floating” staircase—one of the few like it in the world. Inlaid wood floors, detailed millwork, and carved French limestone fireplaces attest to the consideration of every feature.

Down to its basic structure, the estate is unique. For safety’s sake, Col. Pierce had demanded that it be as fireproof as possible, so base flooring is poured concrete, walls are thick masonry, and the roof is copper. The entire façade is imported, handmade Flemish-bond brick.

From 2007 to 2008 the current owners gave the home a Georgian Revival update, including a Clive Christian kitchen featuring a marble- surface island, marble counters in “Calcutta Gold,” and stunning gray custom cabinetry. They also replaced all electric and plumbing, added energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning, and created a one-bedroom apartment on the second floor.

Guests who settle into the six suites on the second and third floors will find full baths and fireplaces, while the lower level is home to the medieval-inspired Hunt Room (complete with spiral fluted columns and a generous fireplace) and a 2,000-bottle wine cellar. Outdoor activities are centered around the tennis court and adjacent swimming pool with cabanas at the base of the terraced lawn, but it is the Canterbury Room inside that is the Pritchards’ favorite. With its richly paneled walls, handsome fireplace, and breathtaking views, they say it is the ideal spot to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Though the estate is not the oldest nor the largest of the Warrenton Hunt properties, its setting makes it the most desirable. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Rappahannock River, it boasts 3,500 feet of riverfront and views of the mountains. The hardscape style of Ferruccio Vitale, famous for designing the plantings of Washington’s Meridian Hill Park in the early 20th century, is still evident amid the lawns and stone walls. Access to the estate is via a mile-long road that winds its way over bridges and along the edges of Fauquier Springs Country Club and an 18-hole golf course.

Although Canterbury has hosted its share of elegant social events, the owners have most enjoyed its warmth and cozy charm during family gatherings. “I love to cook,” says Haifleigh, “so sometimes the kitchen is where we all gather, and it’s a wonderful place in the summertime.”

Since two of their four children are now away from home, the couple has decided—with mixed emotions—that it’s time to downsize. “But we most likely will stay in this lovely area,” Haifleigh notes, adding that it has become a peaceful refuge.

April Yvonne: Resident Capella Hotel Stylist

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Stylist April Yvonne helps clients with wardrobe makeovers and dressing for events.

Situated along the historic C&O Canal, Georgetown’s newly opened Capella hotel is elevating the standard for high-end hospitality. In addition to its gourmet cuisine, rooftop lounge, and luxe spa, the location offers personal styling services courtesy of image maker and DC denizen April Yvonne. Here, Yvonne reveals a few of her favorite local boutiques and divulges styling tips for the spring season.

What services do you offer to clients at the Capella hotel?
APRIL YVONNE: My styling advice is catered to the specific needs of an individual guest, so it could be anything from personal shopping excursions to finding a brand-new wardrobe to after-hours shopping sessions at Tysons Galleria or the Collection at Chevy Chase. [Or I can bring] a selection of pre-planned looks to [a guest’s] hotel room for specific galas, dinners, and events.

You are particularly well versed on which local boutiques stock certain labels. Do you have an absolute must-stop shop?
AY: I love Hu’s [Shoes and Hu’s Wear] in Georgetown! The owner, Marlene, has curated a collection of some of my favorite lines like Chloé, Céline, The Row, Lanvin, and Bottega Veneta, and she carries many pieces you won’t find in local high-end department stores. For my male clients, it’s Lost Boys. The shop carries a small but unique collection specifically meant for the guy who doesn’t want to blend into the crowd.

What about hidden gems? Tell us about lesser-known shops that you consider local treasures.
AY: Nana in Adams Morgan. Jackie creates her handmade clothing in her home, only blocks away, and the pieces are perfect for the busy DC career gal. Also, Relish in Cady’s Alley is a spot not many people know, and it carries very nicely tailored pieces like textured, fitted blazers, and pendant necklaces. As for jewelry, I’m always on top of what’s coming in at Ella-Rue. The shop’s amazing pieces go just as quickly as they come in!

What “staple” garments are worth investing in this season?
AY: For women, a great black and white contrast sheath dress. It accentuates your figure, yet is appropriate for in and out of the office, which is a [key component] for DC ladies’ [wardrobes]. For the men, I would love to see them embrace bold colors [when it comes to] accessories…. I love to see men take risks since they can sometimes fall into a wardrobe rut. My advice is to go bold. 1050 31st St. NW, 202-617-2400