Washington is a city about secrets. Everyone has one. Well, we are letting one of them out of the bag – We are the District of Creativity

By Michael Clements

iStrategyLabs' Peter Corbett in Dupont Circle. (Photo by Anchyi Wei)

Washington secrets aren’t just hidden in the delete boxes of Hill staffers. They are right in front of you each day: the artist whose opening you passed while heading to dinner; the interior designer who selected the oh-so- hip light glowing above the table; the cast of the performance you have tickets for tonight; the writer of the review that got you to buy the tickets in the first place; and the event planner who is putting together the party after the show.

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The IMPACT Arts + Film Fund pushes art and Hollywood with “Me and Orson Welles” screening

Text and Video by Michael M. Clements

Zac Efron, Claire Danes, and Richard Linklater. (Photo by Tony Powell courtesy of IMPACT ARTS and FILM FUND)

It’s been a busy month for the IMPACT Arts + Film Fund. Fresh off its second annual Film Festival, the organization – a D.C.-based non-profit organization that was created as a platform for arts, documentary, and narrative film making to engage with the political and policy arena – organized an exclusive screening of Me and Orson Welles. The film, directed by Richard Linklater, features Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Caplin, and Zac Efron.

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Fight Night celebrates its 20th anniversary with plenty of boxing legends, donations, Marines, cigars, eye-candy, and the inspirational Joe E. Robert, Jr.

Mayor Adrian Fenty and Raul Fernandez. (Photo by Tony Powell)

By Michael Clements
Photos by Tony Powell
Video by Michael Clements

Forget for a moment the wafting clouds of cigar smoke, flowing Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon, juicy NY Strip steaks, curvaceous table hostesses and Redskins cheerleaders, live music by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, boxing legend after boxing legend and, well, the overall downright manliness of Fight Night. Forget it all and remember this: for 20 years Fight Night has been raising millions of dollars ($2.8 million last year and over $2.2 million this year) for Fight For Children and other organizations that provide education and healthcare services to low-income children in Washington, D.C.

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Hickok Cole is known for its architecture, but its annual Art Night is helping build the local arts community.

By Michael Clements

Art lover and artists mix in the offices of Hickok Cole. (Photo by Hoachlander Davis Photography)

Each year, awarding winning architectural firm Hickok Cole Architects opens its doors to allow local artists and art patrons to turn its office into one of the area’s best contemporary galleries (for one night at least). This year saw over 50 local artists showcasing their work. Judging by the amount of pink “sold” dots around, the quality of the art was high. “It’s probably one of their biggest fundraisers of the year for the Washington Project for the Arts,” (WPA) said enthusiastic Hickok Cole Architects senior marketing manager Jennifer Oh over the loud buzz of cocktail conversation. The night generated more than $60,000 in artwork sales, with post event sales expected to reach $90,000.

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A ‘Nautical Affair’ at the Corcoran had a crew of up and coming Washington socialites – so, did the event (and fashion) sink or swim?

By Michael Clements

Amir Afkhami, Hastie Kargar, Chris Boutlier. Photograph by Kyle Samperton

Stormy clouds didn’t deter the seafaring captains at this year’s 1869 Society Fall Fête, held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Indeed, the sheer buzz leading up to the event was like a beacon of light leading the area’s fashionable up and coming movers and shakers safely to the shores of Ernest Flagg’s classic Beaux-Arts style building. The event is one of the highlights of, what we at Washington Life like to refer to as The Young & The Guest List (YGL) scene (the area’s under-40 social set). It lived up to the hype.

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An legendary Hacienda tucked into the lush Santa Barbara foothills re-stakes its claim as a sunny haunt for Hollywood stars, political leaders and savvy traveler.

By Michael M. Clements

Originally part of land titled in 1769 by the Kind of Spain, San Ysidro Ranch served as a way station for Franciscan monks in the late 1700s and a working citrus ranch in the 1800s; in the 1930s Hollywood actor and former California Senator Ronald Colman transformed it into a secluded resort for world leaders and Hollywood’s A-list. John and Jackie Kennedy choose it for their honeymoon in 1953.

“It’s difficult for one used to our Eastern winter climate to imagine a more delightful situation.” – Winston Churchill

For three months during the winter of 1912-13, Winston Churchill, then 38 and having recently been named First Lord of the Admiralty, found himself – surprisingly – not involved greatly in affairs of State. Instead, the iconic British leader sank head first into the California lifestyle. Still forty years removed from his 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature, he waxed poetic about his stay at San Ysidro Ranch: “The mountains, scored by deep canyons,” he wrote, “rise up behind, for all the world like grand-opera scenery idealized, and far below, across the green plains of Montecito, one sees the white line of the beach and the Pacific stretching westward to blue islands shimmering in the haze.” He would return sixteen years later in the fall of 1929 after a visiting with publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst in San Francisco to engage, almost Hemingway-esque, in bill fishing off the coast of nearby Catalina Island.

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The President makes a historic keynote address and the crowd goes Gaga for the First Lady of pop at the Human Rights Campaign Gala

By Michael M. Clements

Lady Gaga before performing at the HRC gala. (Photo by Tony Powell)

There are certain moments in time that can come to define a movement and generation. In the years to follow, the LGBT community will look back at President Barack Obama’s speech at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 13th Annual Gala – his first as a Nobel Laureate – as a watershed moment for equality. Mainstream America will too.

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The W Hotel Washington and John Legend put on a grand opening performance, Pollywood style

By Michael M. Clements

Operatic performers set a classical mood. Photo by Tony Powell

Purple lights flooded the historic Beaux Arts exterior of the officially opened W Hotel Washington on a perfect fall evening. There was a formidable red carpet with a large logo-emboldened step-and-repeat with a special “VIP-only” entrance – for those worthy of being photographed in front of said corporate logos; photographers who waited patiently outside the velvet rope for the star power to roll in; and black-clad PR mavens with clipboards and headsets greeting guests with “Are you on the list?” Indeed, it was an event game-planned straight out of film screening/celebrity restaurant openings of Los Angeles and New York. But, this isn’t Los Angeles or New York. It’s Washington. Not to say Washington can’t be chic. It can be. But we don’t have to be Los Angeles or New York, or Miami for that matter. In fact, we revel in not being any of these cities because of how hard they try sometimes. If the opening of the W Hotel Washington proves anything, it’s that Washington is continuing to develop its unique Pollywood style – and that, is a good thing.

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The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental new Signature Treatment incorporates Traditional Chinese Medicine, but sometimes you just want a massage.

By Michael Clements

50-foot lap pool

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental has always been one of the top tranquil spa escapes in the DC metro area. Now, they’ve tried to up the ante by including a new Mandarin Oriental Signature Spa Therapy Treatment, which incorporates elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The treatment is being launched at Mandarin Oriental properties worldwide.

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During a Hay Adams Rooftop Luncheon Honoring John Grisham, the best-selling author talks to WL about his D.C. roots and how Kindle is changing the book industry

By Michael Clements

A view of the White House from the Hay Adams rooftop terrace.

The Hay Adams has a long history of book salons. Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, notable authors, including Mark Twain and Edith Wharton, congregated at the home of John Hay and Henry Adams (now the site of The Hay-Adams) to discuss politics, art and literature. The Hay-Adams Select Author Series was launched to recapture that tradition. The latest author to participate is lawyer/best-selling scribe John Grisham. Grisham was in Washington recently to receive the Library of Congress’s first National Book Festival Award for Creative Achievement, presented at the National Book Festival on September 27, 2009. He latest book The Associate – a legal thriller – is now out and garnishing rave reviews.

On the new book, Janet Maslin of the The New York Times says, “GRISHAM HAS A FIELD DAY…The Associate grabs the reader quickly and becomes impossible to put down.”

Patrick Anderson of The Washington Post, states “Grisham makes it easy for us to keep flipping the pages…A DEVASTATING PORTRAIT OF THE BIG-TIME, BIG-BUCKS LEGAL WORLD.”

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Bailamos! The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts (NHFA) hosted their annual gala celebrating Noche Musicál Tuesday night at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

By Michael Clements
Photos by Tony Powell

Click here to view the full gallery of images from this event

Supreme Court Justice Sonio Sotomayor and Esai Morales, Photo by Tony Powell

The spicy Pollywood blend of Washington political power players included Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and Reps. Xavier Becerra, Loretta Sanchez, and Charlie A. Gonzalez mingled with Hollywood’s top Latino entertainers like Jimmy Smits and Esai Morales. Morales, heartthrob of the classic 80’s film Labamba might have had his most important dance to date when he stepped out to do the Mambó with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (http://www.washingtonlife.com/video/) who, sources tell us, had been practicing her mambo for the past month in preparation for the night. It was Sotomayor’s first foray into the Washington social scene since being appointed the Court’s 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice. “Justice Sotomayor reinforces the notion that you can be successful and still retain your cultural identity. We all know she is a great judge, but, I think she just proved she has some swift moves on the dance floor as well as in the courtroom,” remarked the effervescent Morales. Music for the evening was supplied by Afro-Cuan jazz drummer Bobby Sanabria as well as La India. Sanabria played a rousing rendition of the “Sotomayor Mambó.”

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Six days, two historic properties, and countless ways to experience the best of Ireland from idyllic County Mayo to bustling Dublin

By Michael M. Clements

Ireland is green, but not in the cliché lucky four leaf clover way. Literally, it’s green – everywhere: the trees, the rolling hills, the countryside. The scene is particularly emerald driving northwest from Ireland’s Atlantic Coast gateway, Shannon International Airport, through Galway into County Mayo. Known for its wide-open spaces and dramatic cliffs that extend finger like into the brooding Irish Sea, County Mayo is the ideal location to experience country luxury at its finest, starting with the magnificent Ashford Castle on the shores of Lough Corrib, which cuts like a jigsaw through the heart of the pastoral landscape.

On the northeast shore of Ireland’s second largestlake, Lough Corrib, stands Ashford Castle, the ultimate in Irish country opulence. Presiding formidably at the peninsula where the lazy River Cong meets Lough Corrib, and hidden deep within over 350 acres of wooded parkland, this 13th century castle hotel is a monument to a fascinating history of a bygone age. Once the estate of the Guinness brewing clan, the property opened its doors as an exclusive hotel in 1939 and is currently a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Read the full story

In a region know for service and attention to detail, these properties stand as the best of the best.

By Michael M. Clements

The Park Hyatt’s New York Grill serves up sweeping views of Shinjuku and a delicious array of prime quality Japanese and imported beef

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Entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner wanted his 1998 address to the UN Association (UNA) to have a major impact. It certainly did when he announced in his matter-of-fact “Ted way” that he was donating $1 billion to support UN causes and activities. The result was the establishment of the UN Foundation. Michael M. Clements interviews the visionary philanthropist to find out what he thinks about the results thus far… 

Ted Turner.

Washington Life: You’ve mentioned that the impetus for your one billion dollar donation was that you wanted something important to say when addressing the UNA. Is that true?

Ted Turner: It was just a thought. I was trying to come up with an idea that would make an impact and help the United Nations. At the time the United States was millions of dollars in arrears – a couple years dues and assessments – and that’s where the original billion-dollar idea came from. I was just so embarrassed by the United States not paying its dues that I thought, well, if I could, I would just make it up myself. Have you ever picked up a tab for someone? 

WL: Sure, but, that’s a pretty big tab.

TT: I know, but it’s only money. And you can’t take it with you. 

WL: So, it was a spur of the moment decision?

TT:  Yes, it was. I talk about it in depth in my book.

WL: Are you happy with the progress of the UN Foundation?

TT: Absolutely. I’m very happy about it.

WL: What would you like to see the foundation do, moving forward? 

TT: Continue to make sure that the proceeds help make life easier and better for people on the earth who are in trouble – and there are lots of them.

WL: What are the biggest challenges facing the UN Foundation?

TT: The same challenges that face humanity. The biggest threat that we have to our existence is nuclear weapons. They are right back in the forefront now with the North Korea explosion. Second to that, the greatest threat to the survival of humanity is global climate change. I’m working really hard, and so is the UN Foundation, to try and get an effective agreement passed in Copenhagen. Then all the countries of the world can work together to eliminate fossil fuels.

WL: How do you balance all your work? 

TT: With difficulty.

WL: Thoughts on the current state of media? 

TT: There’s some of the best journalism being done today. I watch CNN mostly. I watch Fox some, and I watch CNBC, Bloomberg, and MSNBC, but I watch CNN probably more than all the rest of them put together. They are doing some terrific work with long-form news programs, but they are doing quite a bit of tabloid journalism too. It’s hard to make a blanket statement, because some of the journalism being done is as good as it’s ever been, or maybe better, and some is a little on the light side.

WL: Do you think social media is affecting news?

TT: They are having a lot of effect and they are taking a surprisingly, well, maybe not surprisingly, considerable share of the audience, and it seems to be growing. But it’s not something that I watch. I’m 70, a little old for Twittering. I have enough trouble even turning on my television. I have to hit five different buttons before I can turn it on.

WL: Technology makes things “easier,” right?

TT: It’s hard just to drive my new Prius. It doesn’t even have a key. It has a little box that sticks in a hole. Where are my car keys, you know?

WL: Right. Sometimes you just need a set of keys.

TT: The technology has left me, but I have an assistant who helps me so I can make a phone call occasionally …

WL: What’s been the boldest move of your life?

TT: Probably CNN.

WL: Why?

TT: I risked the most. I risked it all with CNN. And it had never been done before. So, you know, it was probably the hardest thing. 

WL: Where in the world have you been the most affected by the plight of human beings?

TT: I was just in Rwanda and I went to the memorial museum there to see and study what has happened. That was probably the saddest thing that I’ve ever seen. I haven’t been to Auschwitz. 

WL: Has the billion-dollar donation changed you?

TT: Well, it made me poorer. Poorer financially, but richer in experience. 

WL: The Nationals are having pretty rough start to the season, any advice?

TT: Stick to losing baseball games – if that’s the biggest problem you have, you’re in pretty good shape.

WL: What got you into environmental causes?

TT: I’ve been attracted to the natural world from the time I was a boy old enough to become conscious. I’m fascinated by the natural world. I guess it just caught my attention. But then, I’m fascinated by what humans do too. 

WL: Where do you find peace?

TT: Outdoors looking at the birds, the trees, the flowers, and the butterflies… 

Clean, green, and pristine: exploring one of the Caribbean’s hidden gems

By Michael M. Clements

Traveling to Tobago means forgoing all-inclusive over-the-top Caribbean mega-resorts for something more natural and less damaging to the environment. Still, it’s hard to trade luxury for sustainability every night, so my first stop after Delta’s convenient direct flight from Atlanta are the posh Villas at Stonehaven (www.stonehavenvillas.com).

Built into a steep incline overlooking scenic Stonehaven Bay on the leeward side of the island, the property consists of 14 spacious 3,700-square-foot luxury villas built in an 18th-century French Colonial style. All have large living areas, 50-foot covered verandahs, private pools, fully-equipped kitchens (a chef comes each morning to prepare breakfast), and three large air-conditioned bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. When celebrities like Stevie Wonder visit, they stay here. Tip: Book Stevie’s favorite villa, the Eagle’s Nest, located at the property’s highest point. Read the full story

The National Museum of African Art fetes its new director Johnnetta Cole

By Michael M. Clements

Timothy Bork, Vice Co-Chairs, African Art Advisory Board; The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Director, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution; Dr. Wayne Clough, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution

“Africa is beautiful,” could be the calling card for this night that saw the board of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) assemble at the home of gracious hosts Tim and Shigeko Bork to honor newly named director, Johnnetta Cole. Cole, whose speaking prowess and sheer dynamism was on full display during the intimate gathering of key friends and supporters of the NMAfA, is set to take over the museum with lofty goals.

“We want the [Museum of African Art] to be the best of the Smithsonian’s nineteen museums. And I’m not even counting the zoo,” Cole coolly commented as she stood and personally thanked each board member as well as those in attendance who have been so instrumental in the growth of the museum.

Washington D.C. representative Ellen Holmes Norton along with Ambassador HE Roble Olhaye, from the Republic of Djibouti, lead the list of esteemed attendees.

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Politics might be our calling card, but Washingtonians have a strong art community, and it showed this year in Miami

By Michael M. Clements

Olafur Eliasson, ‘One-way colour tunnel,’ 2007

It’s apropos that Washington D.C.’s hot art scene is being showcased in balmy Miami around the spectacle of Art Basel. Here, in this internationally-renowned art fair, I’m off to uncover the multi-layers of local artists, collectors, curators, gallery owners, and creative types that are driving local visual arts communities from Georgetown to H Street NE.

Where better to begin then poolside at the Raleigh? Joining me for see-and-be-seen salads and afternoon mojitos is local art connector and collector advocate, Philippa Hughes. “Oh, there’s David Lynch,” Hughes says excitedly. He is in town promoting a short film he directed for Cartier (more on that later). Benicio Del Toro strolls by followed by Thelma Golden, chief curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem. Golden is sporting a stylish long sleeve black tee with a silver sequence Obama face woven in it. “What are you hoping to find here?” I ask her naively. “Something that speaks to me,” she answers before heading through flowing white curtains into the lobby.

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The city of Zen and Geisha co-exists tenuously with the modern: vending machines blink outside temples while funky-haired teens pass shiny-headed priests. Michael M. Clements discovers two worlds during three days in Kyoto.

By Michael M. Clements

The Hanatouro Masturi (Flower Lantern Lane Festival) is held each winter.

DAY 1

The Modern Ancient

It’s a crisp and clear winter afternoon outside the bustling Teramachi-dori covered shopping arcade. It’s a long way from the crowded streets near Tokyo Station where the sleek Nozomi Super Express Shinkansen train departs as the first leg of JR Central and the Japan Tourism Bureau (JTB)’s 3-Day Kyoto Shinkansen Tour. One would assume that as you speed south you would trade Tokyo’s cutting edge for something more traditional, yet every inch of this narrow alley shopping corridor is crammed with fashionably-dressed Japanese teens sporting the de rigueur looks of Harajuku and Shibuya. If Japan is experiencing a graying of society, you wouldn’t know it.

It’s not the fashion-forward urbanite scene that is my first impression of Kyoto – in between the slender boutiques pushing faux vintage t-shirts, retro Nikes, action figurines, and eclectic accessories – like metallic Star Wars lunch boxes transformed into handbags – I spot ancient temples and shrines dating back to as early as the 13th century. Like Ledo Pizza’s on Massachusetts Avenue, vestiges of the Kyoto’s past survive as ancient islands in a sea of modern commercialism.

The amount of history in Kyoto is staggering. This former imperial capital with a population of roughly 1.5 million boasts 103 temples and shrines, 17 of which have been deemed World Heritage Sites. Its 1,200-year history is a window into the forces that have forged Japanese society. In winter, without the crush of the cherry blossom season or hustle of summer, travelers get a purer glimpse into the soul of this ancient town built into the hills and valleys of the Eastern, Northern, and Southern mountain ranges.

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By Michael M. Clements

WL Insider Michael M Clements

I felt the summer of ’08 melt away along with the spirit of the ’60s as I stood in the crowd at the VIRGIN MOBILE FESTIVAL. Watching a surprisingly coherent Bob Dylan, I felt privileged to see the aging Tambourine man, but conflicted knowing his anti-establishment edge had been replaced by corporate branding and kids who scream “we want Kayne!” The times have a-changed. Still, the line-up of Jack Johnson, Moby, Foo Fighters, and Wilco proved there is still some summer love to go round.

There was love, and tears, during SIGNATURE THEATER’s East Coast premiere of ACE. The musical follows the transformation of a troubled young boy (Dalton Harrod) as he discovers the heroic history of the father he never knew. Harrod is commendable but Jill Paice, who played his mother, was outstanding. Artistic director Eric Schaeffer deserves major accolades for his ability to bring to life writer Richard Oberacker’s complex characters. Watch out for child actor Angelina Kelly, a beacon of light, who deserves a Helen Hayes Award nod for her turn as Emily.

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Columbus sailed here in 1493 and mistook the clouds shrouding Nevis Peak as snow. He renamed the island “nuestra señora de las nieves,” our lady of the snows. There is no snow here … just sunshine, history, and lots of low-key luxury.

By Michael M. Clements

It’s neither the chicest nor most buzzed about Caribbean island destination; it’s not the most expensive … nor the cheapest either; it’s simply Nevis – a sombrero-shaped single peak volcanic isle near the top of the Lesser Antilles archipelago whose charm creeps into your soul like the rum in beachside restaurant Sunshine’s (www.sunshinenevis.com) famous Killer Bee cocktails.

With its yellow, red and green reggae colors, and relaxed open-air space, Sunshine’s is as Caribbean cliché as it gets on here. It’s a local favorite – the Wahoo fish filet is almost double the size and half the price of the island’s more posh eateries, notably those belonging to the Four Seasons Resort Nevis (www.fourseasons.com/nevis) located north on Pinney’s Beach about 10-minutes away.
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Taking inspiration from the current “everything vampire craze,” we sink our teeth into fall fashion in Middleburg.

Photography Tim Coburn
Style Lana Orloff
Hair and makeup  direction James Cornwell for PR at Partners Salons and Spa
Produced by Michael M. Clements

Model courtesy of T.H.E. Agency

Vince dark brown leather jacket ($725) and Repeat cashmere green scarf ($195); Tully Rector, 13 E. Washington St., Middleburg, Va., 540-687-5858. Adeler 18 kt. double disk large dangle earrings ($3,200) and 14 kt. yellow gold ring featuring 47.25 ct. lemon Citrine ($7,988); Adeler Jewelers, 772-E Walker Road, Great Falls, Va., 703-759-4076.

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In the current real estate market, affluent homeowners find themselves searching for other options to full ownership of a vacation home – including equity clubs, fractional ownership and destination clubs. Which one is right for you?

by Michael M. Clements

Tucker's Point, Bermuda

The Beatles went to India; I’m trying to do it in the District – and so can you. From art exhibits to film competitions, DJ classes to fashion shows, unleash your inner artist.

By Michael M. Clements

WL Insider Michael M. Clements

My first stop on the journey to artistic bliss takes me to Phillipa Hughes and Mike Weber’s SALON CONTRA. These invite-only are-you-in-the-know get-togethers attract a cross section of the city’s creative set. After glasses of wine and small talk, the “Contrarians” circle up and tell each other about their creative paths so participants know whom to synergize with later. It was there where I met interior designer Rouzita Vahhabaghai, who, along with sister, and business partner, Bita Vahhabaghai and Yiselle Santos, organize the equally collaborative and arty PECHA KUCHA NIGHT (PKN) series.

The lovely “ita” sisters invited me to present during PKN Vol. 3 at the Czech Embassy. The series began in Japan (Pecha Kucha is Japanese slang for small talk) and involves getting six to ten creative types to discuss their craft as 20 images of their work flash by in 20-second increments on a large screen behind them. I happily indulged in speaking about my painting. So can you – find out more at www.pechakucha.org.

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From Sundance to New York Fashion Week, surviving the Y&GL, and talking Love Letters with Patti Smith.

By Michael M. Clements

Junko Koshino fashion lands at the Kennedy Center (photo by Tony Powell).

“You know you are at fashion week when the bathrooms have skinny mirrors.” This pearl of wisdom came straight from the stylish lips of WL Trend Reporter Yona Park as she and I took in the Sass & Bide Fall Collection during the Super Bowl of fashion: Mercedes-Benz’s Fall Fashion Week in New York, which, incidentally, happened to coincide this year with the real Super Bowl. It doesn’t get any more “metro” than catching a full day of runway shows at Bryant Park and then watching the Giants humble the Patriots from a dive bar in the Lower East Side.

Franco Nuschese was in New York trend spotting as well. The Café Milano and Manfacto men’s clothing line owner was seated behind fellow Italian Ermenegildo Zegna at Zegna’s Fall Collection preview. Men looking to modernize their tuxedo collection should get fitted for Zegna’s latest styles; but be pre-warned – people will notice.

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Ambassador Ryozo Kato has served for six years overseeing strengthening bi-lateral ties while enjoying the splendor of Japan’s traditional-meets-modern Ambassador’s residence.

By Michael M. Clements
Photography Gary Landsman

A long hallway in classic Japanese style, which connects the main house with the tea house.

It’s a snowy December evening and a black-tie crowd of Japanese businessmen, embassy staff, U.S. Foreign Service alumni, and influential Japanese-Americans are congenially milling about the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom. They have gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Japan America Society of Washington, D.C.

After several rounds of loud woodblock clops (in lieu of Washington’s de rigueur bell chime) and some brisk tableside business card exchanges, guests settle into their seats. Former Vice President Walter Mondale, who served as ambassador to Japan during the Clinton era, speaks first. He begins with a joke and finishes with fond recollections of his time in Japan. Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta follows with an equally polished and respectful speech. The evening stays true to form, format, and formality … until Ambassador Ryozo Kato, Japan’s longest serving post-World War II ambassador to the U.S., takes the podium.

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Missed events, French women who change their mind, and the art of making covers.

By Michael M. Clements

Executive Editor Michael M. Clements takes to the catwalk in Burberry at the MenzFit celebrity fashion show fundraiser.

I’m blocked. I want to write witty things about events I’ve attended, but I can’t. It all started when I read the WL social calendar and realized how many events I’d missed. How do socialites do this? It’s like a full-time job going to all these parties. Okay … block’s over. I’ve decided to talk about all the events I missed. I missed Fight Night. It’s okay, I didn’t have a seat anyway – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s not exactly an ego boost to sit next to someone you know paid $10,000 for a chair. Plus, I still have the taste of whiskey and cigars in my mouth from last year. I also missed a reception to meet French President Sarkozy at the French residence – wanted to go, but lost the lottery for our one invite; the Washington Performing Arts Society’s fall celebration at the Kennedy Center – Monday nights are hard; the Meridian Ball – Gail Scott had me covered; the Lombardi Gala – had another event; and pretty much the entire C’est Chic! film festival, except for our sponsored opening night party at L2.

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From African hip-hop to the National Opera’s contemporary concoction, new rhythms of the season have us dancing to a different beat.

By Michael M. Clements

WL Insider Michael M. Clements.

It was two – supposedly similar – worlds colliding; but literally and figuratively, two worlds apart. On one side, P Diddy’s entourage, decked out head-to-toe in matching white outfits, accessorized in enough gold jewelry to make a Pharaoh blush, attitudes hidden behind smoky reflective lens. On the other side, Emmanuel Jal, Sudanese child soldier turned international hip-hop star, dressed in a causal tee-shirt, pumas and relaxed jeans; no sunglasses – it was nighttime after all. The soft-spoken Jal had just finished a sound check for his 18th Street Films/WL-sponsored Sept. 20th concert at Ibiza Night Club. As P Diddy, et al rolled up for the Sean John fall fashion show they ignored Jal with cell phones coolly pressed to their ears. They had no idea they had just passed the future of hip-hop. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not crowning Jal “king of hip-hop.” It’s more about the direction the message of the art form is taking. Much like Bob Marley, Jal’s songs are conscious social and political commentaries – minus the gangsta self-aggrandizing. It reminds me of a Chinese proverb: Take a glass jar and filled it half-way with marbles, shake it, and it makes a lot of noise. Take the same jar, fill it to the top with marbles, shake it, and it makes no sound. Get it grasshopper?

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Besides a convertible and industry contacts, the most important thing you need to navigate an L.A. weekend is a room with Hollywood mystique. Boutique, Deco or classic, there’s a home for you in the land of sunshine, stars, and stop-and-go traffic.

by Michael M. Clements

Private poolside cabana at Blue on Blue restaurant at the Avalon hotel in Beverly Hills.

AVALON

Classic California ’50s Cool

The Buzz: A hidden oasis for those “in the know.” By day, stroll from this quiet residential nook to Rodeo Drive; by night, chill Vegas-style with cocktails by the pool.

History: Formerly the Beverly Carlton, built in 1949; redesigned in 1999.

Design: Mix of contemporary and classic-vintage that celebrates mid-20th century Cali patio life.

Rooms: 86 guest rooms and suites in three separate buildings

Amenities: Hourglass pool is property focal point. Penthouse garden terrace is a party spot guaranteed to raise any host’s social status.

Restaurant: Blue on Blue pool-side restaurant and bar serves modern American cuisine with California flair (ask for the semi-private cabanas). Coming for after-dinner cocktails? Be prepared to prove you are on the guest list.

Get there: 9400 West Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-277-5221, www.avalonbeverlyhills.com.

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Shanghai has changed immensely over the past 10 years … actually, it’s probably changed immensely over the past 10 days. Here’s our insider guide so you can stay up caught up.

By Michael Clements

Shanghai's "Bund" as viewed from the Pudong side of the Huang Po atop the 88th floor of China's tallest building, Jin Mao Tower. Pudong,a former sleep yplot of farm land, is a fast-developoing modern city-within-a-city.

1. SPA by day
Recharge at Banyan Tree Spa (The Westin Shanghai, www.banyantreespa.com) considered one of the best in the city. Try the “Feng” 2-hour session tailored to the season you travel (US$145). The Evian Spa (No.5 The Bund. 2/F, www.threeonthebund.com) is a ladies-only contemporary spa with French beauty treatments, Eastern holistic therapies and advanced color and water therapies. The signature Evian Royal Synchronized therapy involves three therapists (60min. US$210). With its spectacular roof top pool, the Four Seasons Spa (500 Weihai Rd., www.fourseasons.com/shanghai) provides an urban oasis (60min. massage US$130.) Dragon Fly Massage (12 different locations, www.dragonfly.net.cn) is a local luxury spa chain preferred by Shanghai’s burgeoning nuevo rich, who tend to shy away from higher-priced hotel spas (1-hour head and shoulder massage, US$7; full-body lavender oil massage, US$25.)
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Author, Professor and Architect Travis Price is on a mission to bring the spirit back to our built environment.

By Michael Clements

Price's designs helped Rock Creek residents realize the value of a clever addition to an existing structure with limited space. This four-level addition celebrates vertically and creates harmony between nature and familial life.

Talking to Travis Price borders on the existential. I can’t help but think, as we converse over salad at Anthony Lanier’s venerable Leopold’s Kafe & Konditorei, that this must be how a young student at Plato’s Athenian Academy must have felt. You catch the general gist of his meaning – but just enough to leave your head spinning with deeper questions borne from heightened awareness. There’s no doubt Travis’ students in the Experiences in Architecture program at The Catholic University know how I feel.

This founder of the Georgetown-based eponymous Travis Price Architects and author of The Archeology of Tomorrow: Architecture & the Spirit of Place, is also the designer of the largest “green” building on the planet (the TVA headquarters complex); National Geographic has dubbed him a “visionary” and is flying him around the planet this month to lecture on the coat-tails of the release of his book; and he has brought the spirit of design to both commercial and home architecture from his “tree-house” home in Rock Creek Park to “modern idioms” such as a stargazing temple in Machu Picchu.

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Kick-start or rekindle love within a 3-hour drive.

By Michael Clements

The il Duomo room at Swann House

About 30 minutes into our drive from Adams Morgan to the Eastern Shore town of Chestertown, Md., my girlfriend turned to me and inquired, “What do you think defines romance?” Although in the midst of a romantic “getaway weekend,” I grasped for a rousing retort. When nothing came to mind, I fell haplessly back to the ole’ male stand by, “You know, flowers and things…?” Later that night, as I slept on a sofa, I realized roses were simply by-products of love. True romance is about moments and gestures that transcend the ordinary and move our relationships out of the ordinary. My answer should have been, romance is about surprise and finding the unexpected, be it minuet or grandiose.

One way to accomplish this is to simply escape. It doesn’t have to be a weekend in Paris or Marrakech, or some remote 5-star luxury cottage on stilts somewhere on an abandoned Fijian island (although, that would be nice.) Romance, being the fickle cohort that it is, can be rekindled or ignited just as easily close to home – heart-felt intent and quality time trump expensive timeshares any day. Whether you have been married for 33 years or dating just for three months, here are three regional inns that will help you define romance close to home.
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With hints of romance reminiscent of Paris’ grand cafes, the newly-opened Napoleon Bistro and Lounge in Adams Morgan was the perfect place for Washington Life to meld spring’s hottest looks with some of The Young and the Guest List’s hottest invitees. The result? … The Classic Modern

Photography Yvonne Taylor
Styled Lana Orloff
Make-up and hair Carola Myers and Crystal Maria Whitehead
Produced by Michael Clements

Dabney Langhorne Doswell (Left): Rozae Nichols navy dress with copper strap, $284 (Blush, Potomac, Md); 14k hand made pin/pendant featuring 24.41ct amethyst with checker board faceting and .30ct diamonds, $5,980; 14k ring with an 8.77ct amethyst and over .50ct of diamonds, $3,890; custom designed dangle amethyst earrings with hand applied hammer finish and diamonds, $2,998 (All jewelry, Adeler Jewelers, Great Falls, Va). Marco Minuto in Ralph Lauren Black Label and Megyn Kelly in Dolce & Gabbana, full credits inside.

“For spring 2007, look for modern short and floaty dresses. Forget skintight numbers except for formal – the loose style can be slimming as long as you keep the sleeves and length short. Add pretty girly colors and floral patterns for adornment, and try tulip skirts, bell sleeves and little bolero jackets. Keep the slim pants and don’t forget cork or wood heels!” – WL Stylist Lana Orloff.

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Indulge yourself at The Peninsula Hong Kong.

by Michael Clements

Exterior of The Peninsula Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

Into The Pen…
 The Peninsula Hong Kong has been the gold standard for luxury hotels in this bustling Harbour city since it first opened its oh, so neo-classical British doors in October 1928. It remains an icon of Hong Kong’s mercantile past as well as the standard for which luxury hotels in Asia are measured today.

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Pull yourself from your five-star luxury accommodations during your long weekend in Hong Kong and experience one of Asia’s most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities.

by Michael Clements

The Hong Kong Island view as seen from from Kowloon.

1. Re-member Me
For the trendy-minded, ask your concierge to book a table at member clubs KEE Club or Cipriani. KEE’s Italian master chef Gianluigi Bonelli trained at El Bulli on Spain’s Catalan coast and London’s Fat Duck. The nightlife is an elegant and eclectic mix of DJs, strong colors, African masks and Picassos. The private emerald-green room is a must. Cipriani Hong Kong is the sister club of its famous namesake in London. Kee Club: 61F 32 Wellington St, Central +852-28100-9000; Cipriani Hong Kong: 12/F Old Bank of China Building Bank Street, Central +852- 2501 0222.

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Rediscovering New Orleans…while New Orleans rediscovers itself

By: Michael Clements

Night descends on Bourbon Street.

Is it back? It’s a question travelers to New Orleans will be asking for some time. For most, memories of floodwaters and scenes of survival linger like the high-water marks, which stain the region’s some 276,000 abandoned homes. Yes, the devastation is real; yes, it is tragic; but, through its music, its food, and its rich cultural heritage, the Crescent City is bouncing back and regaining its mojo.

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