Friday, November 20
New dog owners can take advantage of a free prep class at the Washington Animal Rescue League (71 Oglethorpe St., NW; 202-726-2556). Led by a certified trainer, the course covers house training, socialization, and enrichment for the newest member of your family. This class is for humans only and runs from 6 to 7:30.

Saturday, November 21
When it comes to pet food, is there really a difference between the fancy gluten-free/organic/vegan brand and the regular old Kibbles ’n Bits? Find out at the Big Bad Woof’s pet-food seminar, “Beef, Biscuits and . . . BHT?” at the Washington Humane Society Behavior & Learning Center (7315 Georgia Ave., NW). The class will offer tips on a pet’s healthy diet, budget-friendly tricks, how to read an ingredients list, and food allergies. $25; 10 to noon. To reserve your spot, e-mail askthetrainer@washhumane.org.

Adoption events will be held from noon to 3 at the Big Bad Woof (117 Carroll St., NW; 202-291-2404) with the Washington Animal Rescue League and from noon to 2 at Chateau-Animaux’s Capitol Hill location (524 Eighth St., SE; 800-354-8710) with K9 Lifesavers.

After more than two decades in New York, TV journalist Connie Chung and talk-show host Maury Povich are moving back to Washington. The pair bought a seven-bedroom, 11-bath Tudor-style home bordering Rock Creek Park in Northwest DC. Says Povich: “It’s like a new adventure in an old neighborhood.”

Chung and Povich, whose father was legendary Washington Post sportswriter Shirley Povich, both grew up in Washington and launched their journalism careers here. Chung went on to co-anchor The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, Povich to host the popular newsmagazine A Current Affair.

“Maury thinks I kidnapped him and held him hostage in New York for the last 25 years,” Chung says. “He’s been angling to move back to Washington for years.”

Wednesday, November 11
Ingrid King, a former veterinary-hospital manager turned author, will speak about animals as teachers at the Humane Society of Loudoun County (1 Harrison St., SE, Leesburg; 703-777-2912) at 7. The author will also sign and sell books. All proceeds go to the Humane Society. For another book signing with King, see Sunday’s events.

Saturday, November 14
Who says you’re the only one who had a long week? Chasing your tail gets exhausting, too. Wind down at Chateau-Animaux’s (524 Eighth St., SE) Yappy Hour with fresh-baked Zanadoo biscuits for Fido and complimentary wine and cheese for two-legged guests. The evening will feature a free seminar, “Dealing With Down Times: Coping Skills for Dealing With Health Challenges, Healing, and Loss,” at 7. There’ll also be a Washington Humane Society adoption van from 5:30 to 8.

For more pet-themed education, Seneca Hill Animal Hospital Resort & Spa (11415 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls; 703-450-6760) and PetTech will host a four-hour first-aid course that will include topics such as restraining and muzzling; canine and feline CPR; assessing the pet’s vitals, fractures, and limb injuries; and shock and bleeding management. The class is $85, and the program runs from noon to 4.

Wylie Wagg pet boutique will host three adoption events: There’ll be Great Pyrenees at its Middleburg location (5-B E. Washington St.; 540-687-8727) from noon to 4; Greyhounds at its Tysons store (7505 Leesburg Pike, Ste. 120-A, Falls Church; 703-748-0022) from 11 to 2; and an event with the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA at its Fairfax location (11889 Grand Commons Ave.; 703-830-5454) from noon to 4.

Adoption is the theme of this week’s pet-centric events. With winter around the corner, the timing might be just right for a new family member who’s happy to curl up at the foot of your bed and keep you warm.

Friday, November 6
Before you bring home your new friend, the Washington Animal Rescue League will host a free new-dog orientation Friday. The league’s certified trainer will talk about chewing, socialization, training, and more. 6 to 7:30; 71 Oglethorpe St., NW. E-mail training@warl.org to RSVP.

Saturday, November 7
Feline fans can find the perfect match at the Washington Animal Rescue League’s cat-adoption event at the Big Bad Woof (117 Carroll St., NW; 202-291-2404), a store for eco-conscious pet products. WARL staff will be on hand to steer new pet owners through the process. Noon to 3.

Adoption goes glam at Saturday night’s Fuzzy and Funky Fall Benefit at the City Tavern Club (3206 M St., NW), hosted by the Washington Humane Society. The party will feature music by Big Sam’s Funky Nation, hurricane cocktails, beer specials, and snacks. The $25 ticket price will go to WHS.

Halloween week comes naturally for pets—they’re used to begging for treats. Their enthusiasm at being dressed as a bumblebee is less certain (check out photos of our Halloween costume contest here). But either way, animal lovers and their furry ghosts and goblins have plenty of ways to celebrate the bewitching season this week:

Tuesday: Choosing a dearly departed celeb for a Halloween costume is all the rage this year as spook shops report Michael Jackson getups and high-waisted Patrick Swayze pants flying off the shelves. In light of that trend, we’re predicting that a lot of pups will be sporting sombreros in honor of Taco Bell’s former spokesChihuahua, Gidget, who passed away this summer at age 15. Find out for sure at Spooktacular Canine Happy Hour and Costume Contest on Tommy Joe’s Restaurant’s outdoor patio Tuesday. Prizes, a raffle, drink specials and dog treats will have tails wagging. Admission is $10 cash at the door, and 100 percent of proceeds go to the Washington Animal Rescue League. Event starts at 6:30, contest at 7:30.

The global meltdown has made its way to Embassy Row.

After the collapse of its financial sector, Iceland has put a residence in DC’s Kalorama Heights on the market for $5,650,000.

Home to the ambassador of Iceland since 1965, the Tudor-style mansion was built in 1928 and has ten bedrooms, five baths, a swimming pool, staff quarters, and three fireplaces.

Ólafur Sigurdsson, deputy chief of mission at the Icelandic Embassy, says that although the ambassador, Hjálmar Hannesson, plans to stay in Washington, Iceland won’t look for a new residence until after this house sells. Listing agent Cindi Williams of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage says that since hitting the market in January, the house has garnered interest from both individuals and foreign governments.

This article first appeared in the April 2009 issue of The Washingtonian. For more articles from that issue, click here.  

More>> Open House Blog | Homes | Real Estate  

>>> All Washingtonian.com Inauguration 2009 coverage

Between four million and five million people are expected to descend upon DC for inauguration week. With a limited amount of hotel space, renters’ attention has largely been focused on Craigslist. It’s time to make room for one more.

Last Friday, Andre Butters, a mortgage-company owner, launched the Web site Inauguralhomes.com. By yesterday afternoon, the site—designed to connect inauguration visitors to DC-area homes—already had 120 residences listed for rent.

Butters started the site with three friends, two from Wall Street and a fellow mortgage-company owner—all Barack Obama supporters. Butters, a Bethesda resident, helped enter data and make phone calls for the Democratic nominee during the presidential campaign.

“First and foremost,” he says, “we’re Obama supporters. We saw a need for housing, and what better way to get involved than to take a leadership position?”