7-7-7 for the Cure
• September 12, 2013

The 7-7-7 Fashion Series came to the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. on June 29th as a part of the annual Fashion For the Cure event, which raises awareness and funds for DC-area breast cancer initiatives through fashion and art. It featured a fashion show that included lines from nine different designers as well as a rainbow of Lamborghini’s on display in recognition of Lamborghini’s 50th Anniversary. The star of the show was a $400,000 Lamborghini Aventador owned by New York divorce attorney Bryan Salamone, complete with license plate “WINNING”. [gallery ids="101393,154062,154058,154053,154048,154071,154075,154042,154079,154067" nav="thumbs"]

7th Annual Children’s Ball: Small World’s Big Benefits
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The Seventh Annual Children’s Ball was held at the National Building Museum May 11 with more than 800 guests, all to benefit Children’s National Medical Center, one of the best pediatric hospitals in the U.S. Emcees were Bret Baier of Fox News and Norah O’Donnell of CBS News. Baier and his wife Amy are especially committed to Children’s National Medical Center as their son Paul was born with five congenital heart defects and has had more than dozen surgeries as a result.

For the first time, two awards were presented at the program: first, the Children’s Innovation Award given to GE Healthcare and accepted by Richard Hausmann, M.D., president and CEO of GE’s Magnetic Resonance. The second honor was the Children’s Advocacy Award, received by House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer.

The event raised more than any other Children’s Ball and significantly surpassed last year’s total of $1.3 million to hit a whopping $2 million dollars. [gallery ids="119169,119174" nav="thumbs"]

Eva Longoria Stars at YWCA Gala
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The Second Annual YWCA U.S.A. Women of Distinction Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill June 7 honored five women who serve as role models for women and girls around the world: Sharon Love, mother of Yeardley Love, Patty Stonesifer, Commander Zoe Dunning, Victoria Dinges of Allstate and actress and activist Eva Longoria, who received the Dorothy Height Racial Justice Award. The event was emceed by Cynné Simpson of ABC7/WJLA-TV. The YWCA, also known as the Young Women’s Christian Association, is the largest provider of battered women’s shelters and domestic violence services in the country, serving more than 500,000 women and children annually. Allstate Insurance was also recognized for its domestic violence awareness programs and pledged to double the amount of YWCAs in the program. [gallery ids="101342,152128" nav="thumbs"]

Cookout Under the Stars
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The 19th annual U.S. National Arboretum’s “Cookout Under The Stars” celebrated the bountiful state in America’s Heartland — Iowa. More than 600 guests dined on Iowa-sourced cuisine among notables, such as the Iowa Congressional Delegation, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Iowa’s Senator Tom Harkin was honored with the gift of an apple tree cultivated from an ancestor of the Hawkeye, the original strain of the Red Delicious apple.
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Drive, Eat With Kia at Fiola
• August 8, 2013

Kia Motors teamed up with Open Table at Fiola restaurant on July 29 for the first-ever debut of its new luxury car, the Kia Cadenza. Select guests were able take the car for a test drive and enjoy a four-course meal, prepared by chef Fabio Trabocchi, the recent recipient of the coveted RAMMY Chef of the Year award. The Kia Cadenza team will head to Boston next for the second in a series of eight showcase events. [gallery ids="101417,154930,154934,154941,154938" nav="thumbs"]

P.J. Clarke’s Patio Opening
• April 16, 2013

P.J. Clarke’s, at the corner of 16th and K Streets, NW, welcomed the start of patio-perfect weather with an outdoor soiree April 9. While the celebration overflowed with the after-work crowd, the wait staff provided quick, consistent service that added to a breezy, relaxed atmosphere. After all, P.J. Clarke’s has been nominated for a RAMMY award as “Power Spot of the Year,” and it wants your vote.

The restaurant also introduced a new signature oyster variety and enlisted the help of guests to name it. The new oyster variety will be called “The Clarke’s Select.” Locally harvested from the Eastern Shore of Virginia and finished in the waters surrounding the Assateague Island, the oysters are a premium “cocktail size” with a robust brininess and a clean, mild and sweet finish. This new menu item comes from the War Shore Oyster Company, which recently partnered with P.J. Clarke’s to provide the freshest possible farm-to-table product. The high-quality taste did not go unnoticed as party-goers went through more than 2,500 oysters.

The oysters are available — while they last — for 50 cents each on Tuesdays, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., paired with a D.C. Brau on special for $3.50.

P.J. Clarke’s is also home to the exclusive basement restaurant and bar, Sidecar. The four locations in Washington, New York, Chicago and Sao Paulo, Brazil, provide members with a cozy, private experience, open only to those with the black embossed membership card. While member identities are mostly kept secret, notable card-holders include Johnny Depp, Keith Richards and Liza Minnelli.

Membership is obtained only by referral by an existing member. When entering by way of secret door to Sidecar, portraits of presidents and white tablecloths await you as well as a preferential menu.

The P.J.’s experience and ambiance caters to whichever is preferred by its customers — be it a lively patio, upstairs bar mixer or a low-key, speakeasy scene below.
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Pink Tie Party: It’s All About Cherries
• April 10, 2013

Cherries were on every menu at the fifth annual Pink Tie Party at the Mayflower Hotel, March 23. As part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the over-the-top tastings and drinks from more than 20 restaurants filled the promenade and ballroom and benefitted the Red Cross’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. [gallery ids="99632,105189,105196,105193" nav="thumbs"]

‘Luck of the Irish’ Takes on Kidney Disease
• March 16, 2013

The “Luck of the Irish” was the evening’s wish as 500 guests flooded the atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building March 2 for a casino night to benefit the National Kidney Foundation. Notables included Washington Redskins Pro Bowler and honorary chair Lorenzo Alexander with fellow teammates Reed Doughty, Kedric Golston and Chris Wilson as well as Dallas Cowboy Anthony Armstrong. The event was emceed by ABC7’s Jummy Olanbanji and ESPN 980 host Scott Jackson. Each of the speakers has been personally affected by kidney disease in some way and came out to raise awareness for the cause. There are approximately 700,000 in the D.C. area suffering from kidney disease, nearly 6,000 on dialysis and 1,500 waiting for a lifesaving kidney transplant.

Highlights included traditional casino games, a silent auction, a performance by the ladies of the O’Neil James School of Irish Dance and a dress-up photo booth where guests donned their favorite costumes and snapped silly pictures. The night was capped off by a version of the latest viral Internet dance craze, the Harlem Shake, where NFL players and guests alike joined in the fun.
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