Will Jane Roberts be a trendsetter? Dressed in a stylish two-piece suit, Jane, wife of the new chief justice, was not only in step with the tradition of wearing red, but fashion-forward in her red heels, colorfully coordinating her with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, the principal celebrant for the 52nd annual Red Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, smart photo snapper Carrie Devorah tells us. The Red Mass is a centuries-old Roman Catholic custom for members of the legal profession. In Washington, it’s traditionally held the Sunday before the first Monday in October, when the Supreme Court goes into a new session. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wore a single red carnation on the lapel of her two-piece suit. First lady Laura Bush, au naturel with her reddish coifed locks, stood in front of the Sunday morning crowd, which included members of the administration. This was the first time President Bush attended the Red Mass.
The event seemed to be a “boys’ day out” for the Supreme Court associate justices attending services – Anthony Kennedy, Stephen Breyer, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia. Harriet Miers, whom President Bush nominated to the high court Monday, was also part of the presidential entourage. Foreign dignitaries included Ambassador of Ireland Noel Fahy, Ambassador of Hungary Andras Simonyi, Ambassador of Bolivia Jaime Aparicio Otero, Ambassador of Malta John Lowell, Ambassador of Argentina Jose Octavio Bordon, Ambassador of the United Kingdom Sir David Manning and Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzogovina Bisera Turkovic.
Youthful enthusiasm
Jack Roberts was apparently so excited over his father’s swearing-in as the second-youngest chief justice in American history that in his exuberance, the 4-year-old knocked over one of the cameras in the White House East Room set up to record the historic moment.
Magnanimous mayor
The new DC Magazine, published by Modern Luxury, launched in a big way last week. But it was somewhat stressful up to the final hours until Mayor Anthony Williams stepped in to secure its permit for a tent in Cady’s Alley in Georgetown just in the nick of time. Hizzoner came to the rescue and made it happen the same day so that they could shut down the alley for the Ridgewells food stations and hundreds of guests – including mayoral candidate Adrian Fenty and his wife, Michelle, Cakelove’s Warren Brown and arts supporter Judith Terra – to party.
O’Connor stays a little longer
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and her husband, John, rented an apartment on the fifth floor in the upscale Colonnade when they realized she wasn’t leaving the court as soon as she had hoped. She’s not the first Supreme Court justice to live in the celebrity-studded Glover Park high-rise – Arthur Goldberg was an early tenant. The O’Connors were spotted nearby the other evening at Balducci’s picking up a roast chicken and veggies.
On another note, O’Connor has been named chancellor of the College of William and Mary Board of Visitors in Williamsburg, Va.
A mellow cafe and creperie
The 2-year-old Afghan-American-owned Cafe Bonaparte on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown has become quite the hot spot for those who want more intimacy than what nearby Cafe Milano offers. Sightings there within the past week include former FBI Director Bill Sessions with his wife Alice; House Speaker Dennis Hastert; and first twin Jenna Bush with her boyfriend, who was wearing a red Texas T-shirt. She lives down the street at the Cloisters.
Caputo a new mom
Hillary Clinton’s former top aide when she was first lady, Lisa Caputo, is a new mom. Caroline Rose was born on Sept. 26 in New York. Caputo is now with Women & Co., part of Citigroup Inc., and is married to financier Rick Morris.
Sightings
Lynda Robb, at the National Symphony Orchestra Cookbook launch at Palette, says she’s been spending a lot of time in Texas taking care of her mother, former first lady Lady Bird Johnson, now 92. … Sandy Vanocur, Frank Mankiewicz, Pat Buchanan, Bob Keefe, Sid and Lael Yudain, Mark Shields and Phil and Ellie Merrill at Congressional Quarterly’s 60th anniversary party at Decatur House.