All aboard!

A NIGHT AT SEA
Despite the rain, Washington Life magazine and Jack Davies set sail on the Potomac River with a crew of Washingtonians aboard the former presidential yacht U.S.S Sequoia on September 26 for what could be one of its last privately commandeered cruises. It is rumored that owner Gary Silversmith may be selling it to a museum soon. Passengers enjoyed what turned out to be a beautiful night against the dramatic backdrop of Washington’s skyline, dining on a bounty of grilled shrimp on sweet potato cakes and crisp wonton spoons fi lled with lobster, corn, and avocado, a lá Ridgewells.

A RICH HISTORY
The presidential yacht has had its fair share of notable guests. It was the site of President John F. Kennedy’s last birthday party before his assassination, the night Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday.” President Harry Truman gave the order to drop the bomb on Hiroshima from the Sequoia. Approximately 30 years later, Japanese Emperor Hirhito and his wife came to Washington to meet with President Gerald Ford and to cruise the Potomac River on the same yacht. President Ford also conducted cabinet meetings on board and President Herbert Hoover loved the boat so much he even put it on the cover of his 1932 White House Christmas card. The boat’s original memorabilia, including the bed that both Presidents Nixon and Bush slept in and the piano that President Truman played on, are still on board today, each with a story or two behind it that the captain eagerly shared with the guests.

Olvia Demetriou and Dino Pampillonia

Kay Kendall and Blase Mills Judy and Mark Lerner	Jack Davies

Judy and Mark Lerner	Pamela Aparicio

Sharon Shakarji and Carlos Urrutia

The Ship’s Original Piano	Theo Adamstein and Mark McFadden

Grace Bender, Lisa Gordon Hagerty and Jodie Ugaz

Peter Marx	Farah Pampillonia

Keith Lipert	View of the Cabin

Presidential Memorabelia Including WL	Theo Adamstein and Mark McFadden

The USS Sequoia Presidential Yacht

PHOTO S BY JOHAH KOCH