D.C. Gossip Girl 10/26

Jimmy Kimmel in Town
Elizabeth Webster of the District Council met Jimmy Kimmel, who was in town for the Mark Twain Prize, honoring Bill Murray.Kimmel and other comedians were staying at the Four Seasons, and he went to Martin’s Tavern Oct. 22. Speaking of Martin’s: An email dumped by Wikileaks mentions the classic Georgetown restaurant. Obama adviser John Podesta was asked two years ago to get President Barack Obama to visit there, as every president since Harry Truman has stopped by, but Obama has not yet. (Can’t break the Martin’s streak, you know.) Podesta’s forwarded the email and labeled it “For scheduling.” Obama still has time — and will have some more as he will remain in D.C. after his term is up. While Kennedy, Nixon and others have dined at Martin’s, none dined there as a sitting president. So, we got about 86 days for that.

Zoo Welcomes Adele
One of Adele’s sweetest devotions seems to be to zoos, or at least to animals. Earlier this month, the English soul singer got a private tour of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo led by Associate Director for Animal Care Sciences Brandie Smith, the Washington Post reported. Adele has also visited the Toronto Zoo and Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo while on her “Adele Live 2016” tour.

Cobie Reports to Fort Belvoir
Robin in “How I Met Your Mother” — actress Cobie Smulders, that is — stopped by Fort Belvoir in Virginia recently for a special screening of “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.” Wondering about the military connection? In the film, Smulders plays Army Major Susan Turner, who leads Reacher’s old investigative unit. Tom Cruise plays Reacher, a character created by novelist Lee Child.
Italian State Dinner Tasted ‘Bittersweet’
President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama held their last state dinner Oct. 18, honoring Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini. Chef Mario Batali served an “America Meets Italy” menu to guests including Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton of “The Voice,” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth (one of those who called the occasion “bittersweet”), NBC’s Tamron Hall and Savannah Guthrie, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld and Chance the Rapper. Among the top Italian Americans on hand were Mario Andretti, Andrew Cuomo and Nancy Pelosi.

We Take Trains and So Do Famous Actors,
Part One
Coen brothers film star John Turturro, currently appearing in HBO’s “The Night Of,” was seen leaving town after the Italian state dinner at the White House last week (see above). Turturro didn’t fly first class or leave in his own chauffeured car; he was observed taking Amtrak, just like the rest of us.
W.T.T.A.S.D.F.A.,
Part Two
Though it should come as no surprise to anyone, actress Lena Dunham was spotted at New York’s Penn Station wearing a “Hillary 2016” T-shirt. She was apparently en route to D.C. to tape “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” This summer, Dunham spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Clinton.
‘Love Trumps Hate’ Concerts Announced
Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is pulling out all the stops leading up to the Nov. 8 election. A series of concerts dubbed “Love Trumps Hate” will be taking place in the coming weeks, The Hill reported. The concerts, presented in battleground states, will feature Jon Bon Jovi (Oct. 27 in Pittsburgh and Nov. 5 in Tampa), Jennifer Lopez (Oct. 29 in Miami) and Katy Perry (Nov. 5 in Philadelphia).

D.C.’s Favorite Halloween Candy Is . . .
The website Influenster has come out with the top Halloween candy in all 50 states and that other Washington place. D.C.’s number-one sweet treat isn’t Snickers or Kit Kat. It turns out we twuly love Twix. Marylanders go for nuts; the state’s favorite candy is Almond Joy. As for that other world, Virginia, the prize there went to Reese’s Pieces (cue “E.T.” — for those of you over 30 who get that joke).