Tag Archives: Woodrow Wilson House

Fashionable DC, Get Out & About, People, The Features
By

Fashionable DC: Garden Party at the President’s House!

SAM_3506 decophile2

America’s 28th president made at least one fortuitous decision for the Washington, D.C. social scene–he retired locally, to a stately 1915 Georgian Revival residence in posh Kalorama, now what we think of as Embassy Row. Though Woodrow Wilson himself only lived there for three years (1921-1924) before he passed away, his well-preserved home is nowadays a museum owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It’s also a go-to place for fun and sophisticated events.

Fresh off a successful Mother’s Day Centennial brunch, the Woodrow Wilson House hosted its 26th annual garden party on May 14, where springtime hats were in full bloom.  (See: photos on flickr) The event was part of an effort to build a community of people who are interested in the neglected era of Woodrow Wilson, said the museum’s Executive Director, Robert Enholm, sporting a seersucker jacket, bow tie and straw hat.

SAM_3481

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Special Events, The Features
By

Speakeasy Costume Ball

Partygoers at the 2010 Speakeasy Costume Ball at the Woodrow Wilson House. Photo courtesy of the Woodrow Wilson House.

Costume parties are fun, but costume parties in authentic mansions filled with Prohibiton-era history? Positively scandalous fun. Join the bootleggers and flappers at DC’s only presidential museum on Thursday, October 25 for a special evening benefitting the Woodrow Wilson House. Sponsored in part by DC’s first legal distillery in over a century, New Columbia Distillers, this party will definitely swing. Dance to the authentic tunes of jazz quartet Laissez Foure in your best 1920’s attire. If you’re gussied up enough you might just win the costume contest, judged by Alexandra Bookless and Alexandra Nichols of DC’s own cocktail society, LUPEC; Anastasia R. Simes, artist and costume designer for Synetic Theater; and myself.

Also on hand will be DC historian Garrett Peck, author of Prohibition in DC: How Dry We Weren’t and leader of the popular Temperance Tour, and Fred Cassiday, son of legendary Congressional bootlegger George Cassiday. Cassiday was known as “the man in the green hat,” inspiring New Columbia Distillers to name their signature liquor, Green Hat Gin.

We Love DC is proud to help sponsor this party dedicated to raising awareness of Wilson’s years in Washington, where he retired post-presidency to the elegant Georgian Revival mansion in Kalorama. Wilson lived at 2340 S Street NW from 1921 until his death in 1924 – the only president to be buried in DC proper, at the Washington National Cathedral. Who knows, since it’s so close to Halloween perhaps you’ll meet the man himself in his wine cellar that night after a few too many Green Hat Gin cocktails!

Prizes for best costume include:
– A bottling party for 8 at New Columbia Distillers
– A bicycle tour of DC’s craft brewers and New Columbia Distillers through BicycleSPACE
– A private tour of Woodrow Wilson House
– And more!

The party runs from 7-9pm, with a special cocktail class hosted by New Columbia Distillers at 6:30pm. Tickets are $45 for the main event, and $75 to add the class. Members of the National Trust and Woodrow Wilson House friends get a $5 discount.

Come kick up your heels and kick back a few cocktails with us!

Tickets for the Speakeasy Costume Ball at the Woodrow Wilson House are available from EventBrite. Join the Facebook event page. The Woodrow Wilson House is located at 2340 S Street NW, Washington, DC. For more information call 202-387-4062 ext. 41222.