Kennedy Center Honors Glitzes Up Weekend

The 45th Kennedy Center Honors, held Dec. 4, lit up parts of the town Sunday night and days leading up to the glitzy event. Georgetown was humming from its top hotels, such as Four Seasons and the Rosewood, to restaurants like Fiola Mare, Cafe Milano and Peacock Cafe. It seemed as if the signal towers of art, celebrity and commerce were illuminated anew to convey the message, “All is normal again.” So, it was — more or less. One could sense it walking the streets of Georgetown this weekend.

While the Bidens hosted the Macrons at Fiola Mare on Nov. 30, the day before the White House state dinner, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff dined with George Clooney and his wife Amal as well as with Bono of U2 and others at Cafe Milano on Friday, Dec. 2. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul, recovering from a home invasion in October, went to Sunday brunch at Peacock Cafe on Dec. 4. She told co-owner Shahab Farivar, “This is the first restaurant Mr. Pelosi has been to since the attack.” The Pelosis later attended the Kennedy Center Honors, seated three chairs from the president.

It was a busy week with events — beside the White House state dinner on Dec. 1 — culminating with the Honors, which saluted actor George Clooney, singer Amy Grant, singer Gladys Knight, composer-conductor Tania Leon and rock band U2 (Bono, Adam Clayton, the Edge and Larry Mullen Jr.) in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Each honoree was given a segment that praised their work and life — whether with some kind of monologue, sing-and-dance or video highlights. The friends and talent on stage included Sheryl Crow and the Highwomen, Julia Roberts,  Richard Kind, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Nick Clooney, Big Bird, Herbie Hancock, Sacha Baron Cohen, Dianne Reeves, the Pips, Katie Couric, Garth Brooks, Mickey Guyton, Ariana DeBose, Patti LaBelle, Carmen de Lavallade, Alicia Hall Moran, Anna Deavere Smith, Eddie Vedder, Sean Penn and the Howard University Gospel Choir.

tagsAmy GrantBonoGeorge ClooneyGladys KnightHouse Speaker Nancy PelosiKennedy Center HonorsPresident Joe BidenTania LeonU2