Residents of The Fountains at Washington House last month celebrated 31 years since it was founded. The former Washington House in Alexandria, more often referred to as "The Fountains," not only celebrated a birthday of the building, but a birthday gift to all its residents, orchestrated by Bill Kaufeld, director of dining services, and Bruce Adams, service manager.
Residents, dressed in party attire, enjoyed a cocktail hour in the lobby with dinner following in a dining room transformed for the occasion. Round tables were draped in black tablecloths, settings of gleaming silver Revere bowls holding floating candles and white napkins rising from the goblets.
Master Chef Kevin Devine served a gourmet dinner of mesclun salad with champagne vinaigrette, a mixed grill of rack of lamb, petite filet mignon and scallops bearnaise, lemon asparagus and potatoes carved to look like giant mushrooms. This was topped off with an array of Viennese pastries and Bananas Foster.
Live music, provided by The Fountains favorite big band, the Nighthawks, entertained the diners throughout the meal.
Among the dancing couples were Ruth Osborn, Bill Haverstock, Vadus Hanna, Mary Iacovangelo, and Paul and Simone Guité. At the close of the meal, Guité, President of the Residents Council, thanked the staff for their event, bringing a round of applause.
Next year it is expected that such festivities would come as a celebration of the new look of The Fountains, when the renovation of the building, scheduled to begin in the spring, will be complete.