Summer Wrap-Up

We always say that getting involved with The Ithacan is more like becoming part of a family than being a member of an organization, and few things provide better evidence of that than the continuing connections among our alumni. This year's summer gathering of Washington, D.C., Ithacan alumni was held at our usual venue, the Old Ebbitt Grill on June 23. There were about 20 of us this year, and the food and company were great, as always. Among the usual crowd were Rob Bluey ’01, Ann Walters Custer ’05, Roger Custer ’04, Caitlin Connelly Ellsworth ’05, Charlie Ellsworth ’04, Brenda Ludwig Geraghty ’03, Joe Geraghty ’04, Erica Hendry ’09, Rachel Berlin Moir ’00 along with her husband Michael, Elizabeth Quill ’06, Max Steinmetz ’08 and Nate Weixel ’08. 
Joining us this year for the first time were recently married Kate Sheppard ’06 and her husband Deen Freelon; recent grad Alexandra Palombo ’11, who was interning at American Bridge PAC; assistant New York Times national editor Jill Agostino ’86, who was in D.C. at the Times' Washington bureau for a couple of weeks; and Kacey Deamer ’13, who was interning with Kate Sheppard at Mother Jones for the summer.

With Benjamin Bluey

Unfortunately, Melissa Bloomrose Bluey ’00 couldn't make it to the dinner — after all, someone has to take care of the kids, and it was apparently her turn. Note wanting to miss her or young Ben, to say nothing of meeting young Luke for the first time, I drove down to Alexandria the next day. Luke was adorable and Ben was full of energy. 

From left, Max Steinmetz, Erica
Hendry, Andy Swift, Erin Geismar and Byard Duncan.

A week later the 2009 Fight Club crew met in New York to reunite with Byard Duncan ’09 on one his visits from the West Coast. Erin Geismar ’09, Erica Hendry ’09, Max Steinmetz ’08 (honorary member) and Andy Swift ’09 made it in for a fun evening of food and libation. Jen Nevins ’09 and Edon Ophir ’09 couldn't make it, and were very much missed.

Vanessa Schneider

Six weeks later I was passing through the city again, on my way home from two weeks in the Baltic, and was able to meet up with Vanessa Schneider ’07, who was in New York from San Francisco on Google Business. She's doing media outreach for Google Maps and Google Earth.

From left, Kelsey O'Connor, Erica Hendry, Lara Bonner and
Erin Geismar.

Finally, summer unofficially ended on Labor Day weekend, when a group of Ithacan alumni and friends, frustrated by the cancellation of the annual Ithaca Brew Fest this year while Ithaca Brewery worked on building its new facility, decided to come to town and stage an Ithacan Brew Fest of their own. Among the former Ithacan personnel were Kara Cusolito ’08, Lydia Dimitriadis ’08, Erin Geismar ’09, Erica Hendry ’09, Andrew Lovell ’08, Aaron Munzer ’08, Max Steinmetz ’08. Current Editor in Chief Kelsey O'Connor ’13 and Managing Editor Lara Bonner ’12 joined the party as well, connecting with past generations of Ithacan leadership. The weather was beautiful. It was a perfect end to the summer.