This view of the proposed Eisenhower Memorial shows the metal tapestries and the LBJ Department of Education in the background. Photograph courtesy of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.

When it comes to presidential families, the Eisenhower family is among the quietest. Rarely do they speak up about anything, but that has changed dramatically as plans are finalized for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial adjacent to the Mall. Last week the family members joined forces to protest the design by architect Frank Gehry and the speed with which the Eisenhower Memorial Commission is moving the project forward.

A letter sent to the National Capital Planning Commission read, “We are calling for an indefinite delay in the approval process and an indefinite postponement for the groundbreaking for the memorial until there is a thorough review of the design.” It was signed by Anne Eisenhower with the note: “representing all members of the Eisenhower family.”

Anne’s brother is David Eisenhower, who resigned from the Eisenhower Memorial Commission in December. Susan Eisenhower, who is an author and an expert on international security and US-Russian relations, is another vocal opponent of the design. We talked with Susan about the memorial, the controversy, and what the family hopes to achieve.

Mark Spitzer, a former commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, has landed at Steptoe & Johnson. Photograph courtesy of Steptoe & Johnson.

The revolving door has been busy this month. Several federal agency attorneys have entered private practice:

Steptoe & Johnson has added former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Commissioner Marc Spitzer to its energy practice. Spitzer, who joined Steptoe as a partner, served for five years as a commissioner.

Robert Stoll, who was commissioner for patents at the US Patent and Trademark Office until his retirement late last year, is now a partner in Drinker Biddle & Reath’s intellectual property practice.

The intellectual property firm Novak Druce + Quigg has also welcomed a new partner from the Patent and Trademark Office: Michael O’Neill, who most recently served in the Patent and Trademark Office as an administrative patent judge for the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences.

Hogan Lovells added Adam Kushner as a partner in its environment practice. Kushner joins the firm from the Environmental Protection Agency, where he served as director of the Office of Civil Enforcement.

Photograph courtesy of Atlas Van Lines.

Yet more proof that Washington is an “it” place to move: Atlas, a moving and storage company, published a report based on its customer moves in 2011 showing that for the sixth year in a row, Washington had the highest percentage of inbound moves. Overall, the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions of the United States gained residents based on the moving company’s data. It also reported that Ohio earned the honor of most outbound moves, with the Midwest overall seeing more departures than inbound moves.

Looking at the map above, blue means more inbound than outbound moves, orange signifies more departures, and red indicates the state is roughly split on those moving in and out.

Of course, as often happens with rankings, DC is an outlier because it is counted as a state, even though it’s not. And cities are generally a popular place for inbound moves. Still, with the Mid-Atlantic ranking high on inbound moves and low unemployment for educated workers in the Washington area, it’s no wonder the District came in at the top of the list. Now we just have to ponder what will happen to the region’s traffic with all these shiny new residents.

Sally Bedell Smith at a party for her new book, Elizabeth the Queen. Photograph by Jeff Martin.

Washington-based biographer Sally Bedell Smith has written books about William S. Paley, Pamela Harriman, Princess Diana, and the Clinton and Kennedy White House years. With her new book, she circles back to the royal family and goes right to the top. Elizabeth the Queen is being published now, timed to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year. The official Jubilee weekend is in June, and it’s already possible to buy every kind of commemorative knickknack, but this book may be all any Anglophile needs to discover—or rediscover—the woman the American press once called “the little monarch.” It is not an authorized biography, because there will be no authorized biography until after the Queen’s death. But at 663 pages, it covers the landscape of the world’s best-known royal. We caught up with Smith in the midst of a big book launch week to ask about the book, the Queen’s relationship with Washington, and what surprised her during her research.

Chris Matthews with author Sally Bedell Smith. Photograph by Jeff Martin.

There are book parties—and then there are va-va-voom book parties fit for a queen. That’s what Sally Bedell Smith got this past weekend with the Washington celebration of her new biography, Elizabeth the Queen. I daresay even the Queen herself would have been gobsmacked.

Hosts Bernard and Joan Carl—he seriously rich with private equity money, together the owners of the French luxury linen company D. Porthault, and with homes in the Loire Valley, London, and Southampton—filled the rooms of their Kalorama mansion with the prettiest spring flowers, candles, and framed photos of the royal family at work and at play, and served a comforting Anglo menu. There was even a receiving line at the front door, as Joan Carl welcomed Washington’s version of aristocracy, high and low.

Smith, for her part, never budged from the library, where she sat near a fire signing copies of the book. Her husband, Washington Examiner executive editor Stephen Smith, worked the other rooms on her behalf. There were many rooms—even a carpeted tent—and many friends.

Kalanick responds to the impounding and ticketing of an Uber car this morning. Photograph courtesy of Uber.

The drama is heightening between the upstart luxury livery service Uber, which is trying to make inroads in Washington, and the DC Taxicab Commission. The San Francisco–based Uber began service here last month. This week, the District’s taxi commission accused the service of “being illegal.” One of Uber’s cars was impounded and the driver ticketed this morning for not having insurance, according to CEO Travis Kalanick, who says the driver “did have insurance. We don’t know why he got ticketed.”

Kalanick says he’s made attempts via e-mail to reach Taxicab Commission chairman Ron Linton or a member of his staff, but has received no response. He admits he has not tried phoning. He asks The Washingtonian to post his e-mail address—travis@uber.com—hoping that Linton will see it and contact him. “I am happy to have him send me an e-mail directly.”

Kalanick says the driver, who had his car impounded and ticketed, “doesn’t know what he’s done wrong,” and adds that he himself has received no ticket or citation.

“We have a lawyer we’re working with on this,” he says, “but it’s hard for a laywer to do anything with no official complaint and no statute. So far, Linton has only talked to the media, but not to us.”

For more on Uber, read our earlier interview with Kalanick.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 16. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user krossbow.

The first long weekend of the year is upon us, and with it comes a great opportunity to be a better you in 2012. Instead of sleeping in or splurging on a quick getaway this Monday, check out our list of nearby service initiatives that could use your help in furthering the greater good. If you know of any we missed, feel free to leave them in the comments.