Chefs photographed by Gary Landsman at Meridian House.

Editor’s Notes Business Bests: The Washington Business Hall of Fame celebrates five new laureates.

Capital Comment People to watch in 2007 . . . Big “ifs” that might have changed Bush’s legacy . . . Redskins Study Group—a new way forward? . . .What Pelosi’s handwriting reveals . . . Pundits’ predictions—wrong! . . . Len Downie’s lap dance.

Where & When Shakespeare in theater, music, dance, and film . . . Sondheim’s Into the Woods in Signature’s new home . . .Joseph Cornell at American Art . . . Red Hot Chili Peppers at Verizon . . . Gospel at the KenCen . . .Comedy clubs.

House of Spirits What’s a log cabin doing in Chevy Chase? And why is it full of Alaskan art? By Sherri Dalphonse.

Great Finds Fashion and fitness tips that will put a spring in your step this winter. By Alycia Kilpatrick.

Good Books—and Bad Picking Washington’s best novelist, why negative reviews are fun, overrated authors, and more. Interview by Ken Adelman.

What Am I Doing Here? How do new members of Congress learn about life in Washington? The hard way. But first there’s freshman orientation. By Bill Thomas.

16 Local Heroes For 35 years, The Washingtonian has honored men and women who strive to make this a better place. This year’s winners prove that good things happen when good people work together. By Leslie Milk and Ellen Ryan.

Top House Sales VIPs who bought big homes for big money pumped up a slow real-estate market. By Mary Clare Fleury.

Reaching for the Stars Childhood visits to the Air and Space Museum launched Lisa Nowak’s celestial journey. By Drew Bratcher.

Beijing on the Potomac China is invading Washington—from think tanks to law firms to lobby shops. And it causes lots of battles: Is it friend or enemy? By Neil King Jr.

Honky-Tonk Heaven Things have changed in the 60 years since two brothers opened a place in the little town of Falls Church. But the music still plays, the beer still flows, and the good times still roll. By William Triplett.

Why DC’s Best Cops Aren’t Protecting You Three of DC’s finest were getting guns and drugs and bad guys off the streets. But when they fired at a suspect trying to run them down, they ran afoul of a bureaucratic system that cost them their badges. By Harry Jaffe.

100 Best Restaurants The finest dining in Virginia, Maryland, and the District—ranked from 1 to 100. Who’s in, who’s out,who’s number one—plus, the restaurateur of the year. By Todd Kliman, Cynthia Hacinli, and Ann Limpert.

The Other Jack When Jack Abramoff became the poster boy for crooked lobbying, it was hard to square that with the man I knew.By Kim Isaac Eisler.

Benefits Dessert and dancing and other good times for good causes. By Maggie Wimsatt.

Your Inner Clock Do the body’s day and night rhythms hold an answer to cancer? Researchers who think so don’t like a lot of light at night.By John Pekkanen.

Wedding Guide Planning the perfect day—Washington’s best wedding sites, florists, caterers, photographers, planners, musicians, and more. Plus kids and weddings, rehearsal dinners, and what it’s like being the sister of the bride.

Washingtonian Crossword Sleepy Little Town. By Matt Gaffney.

Unveiling a Past An radio producer makes peace with her Middle Eastern heritage. By Wendi Kaufman.

Ukulele Memories Teach a boy to play the uke, and he’ll have songs to sing for the rest of his life. By John Fogelgren.