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February 2012 Contents: High Society

This page describes the contents of an issue of Washingtonian magazine. Subscribers get exclusive early access through our print and digital editions. Most of our feature stories are later published online and linked below.

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In This Issue


February 2012 Cover
Volume 47, Number 5

Cover Story

High Society

Medical marijuana is coming to DC. But the drug is already a much bigger part of life for people here than you might think—soccer moms and power players included. By Alexandra Robbins.

Cover photo-illustration by Jesse Lenz for The Washingtonian

Features

Dining Out—With Kids!

My wife and I had it all figured out. We wouldn’t build our life around our child’s world; he would enter ours. But being a restaurant critic and a father brought challenges—and adventures—I never could have foreseen. By Todd Kliman.

The Memory Keeper

Last year, 108 people were murdered in DC. Laura Amico wants you to know their stories—all of them. By Harry Jaffe.

The Geeks vs. the Terrorists

Palantir Technologies, a little-known software company that started in Silicon Valley, has quietly become one of the most important companies in Washing­ton. Why? Its founders may have figured out how to stop the next terrorist attack. By Shane Harris.

Love Your Pets

Here are tales of four-legged heroes and stories about Washingtonians who are crazy for cats or who met the loves of their lives in dog parks. Plus—the latest training tips and the pros and cons of buying pet health insurance. By Marisa M. Kashino, Gwendolyn Purdom, Ali Eaves, and Carrie Schedler.

Departments

Capital Comment

Would you use these stamps of living people? . . . Scholars as presidents . . . Curating the DC sound . . . Top ten campaign movies . . . Local giving to presidential candidates . . . Hottest new Post blog.

Where & When

The BSO with French pianist Lise de la Salle at Strathmore . . . Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations” at the KenCen . . . Bonnard, Vuillard, and more at the Phillips . . . A world-premiere play at Signature
. . . Peter Frampton at the Warner.

Showing the Way

On the divisive issue of same-sex marriage, a popular Maryland politician may prove that the best politics is personal. By Susan Baer.

Sex—and Other Secrets

The author of bestselling books on relationships talks about what makes love last.

Making Hospitals Safer

Thousands die in hospitals because of mistakes—often simple oversights—made by doctors and nurses. Here’s how hospitals can improve patient safety. By Bara Vaida with Kaiser Health News.

Best Bites

Our favorite hot chocolates . . . Valentine’s dinner disasters . . . Tasty sherry cocktails . . . What’s new and on the horizon . . . Dining in Gaithersburg and beyond . . . A perplexed critic asks pastry chefs, “Why’d you ruin my pie?”

Dining Out

Johnny Monis wows again with a Thai place next to his celebrated Komi. Plus—upscale fried fare in Bethesda, Korean with a side of karaoke in Annandale, and a seafood gem in DC.

Sweet Bargains

Exclusive savings on spa treatments, jewelry, cupcakes, cocktails, dinner for two, and other romantic treats. By McLean Robbins.

Best of Silver Spring

It’s gone from an aging suburb to a lively hub of nightlife, dining, and entertainment—with great ethnic spots, a new concert venue, and a terrific seafood joint that hasn’t changed in 50 years.

Neon Lights

Liven up your winter wardrobe with a pop of color. By Kim Forrest and Sarah Zlotnick.

Benefits

Good times for good causes in February.

Passport to Beauty

Five women, with roots in a different cultures, share beauty secrets passed down from their mothers and grandmothers. By Karina Giglio.

Learning From the Pros

At these camps, kids can meet their sports heroes, get help from top coaches, and step onto the big-
league field, court, or rink. By Laura Wainman.

Living a Dream

Thanks to low interest rates and good prices, they took the plunge and bought the vacation homes they’d always wanted. By Kathleen Bridges.

Luxury Homes

Channel 7’s Gordon Peterson sells for nearly $2 million; ex–DC schools chief Michelle Rhee and Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank make deals.

Goodbye, Neighbors

A longtime New Yorker on the highs and lows
of living in Washington, why he’s moving on, and what might bring him back. By Carey Winfrey.