La Vie en Rose
• January 30, 2014

The In Series had another successful collaboration
with the Washington Ballet Studio
Company in performances of La Vie en Rose
at the GALA Theatre Jan. 17 – 19. In Series
Artistic Director and Founder Carla Hu?bner
and Frank Conlon provided piano accompaniment
for the singers and dancers in pieces
choreographed by Septime Webre and David
Palmer. The program interpreted works ranging
from Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune to the
haunting lyrics of Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf.
Soprano Fleta Hylton brought the sold-out audience
to its feet with her rendition of Piaf’s Je ne
regrette rien. [gallery ids="101614,146764,146766" nav="thumbs"]

2013 Points of Light Tribute Awards
• January 17, 2014

Mr. and Mrs. Neil Bush and the Ambassador of Italy and Mrs. Bisogniero hosted this year’s Point of Lights Tribute Awards at the Embassy of Italy on Oct. 11 recognizing individuals and organizations whose contributions have bettered their communities. In honoring New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Neil Bush said “Governor Christie showed that when the chips are down, we are all family.” The Governor said that he accepted the award on behalf of the volunteers, “those people who helped rebuild my state.” American Idol star Pia Toscano sang “I’ll Stand by You” and legendary broadcaster Paul Berry auctioned off an American flag flown on 9/11, signed by and donated from the personal collection of Pres. George H. W. Bush, for a breathtaking $57,500. [gallery ids="101517,150854,150839,150844,150847,150852" nav="thumbs"]

‘Doing the Lord’s Work,’ Biden Says of Ministry Center
•

When the vice president stops by your party, you know you’re taken it to a new level. Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden were at the historic home of Brooke and Stephane Carnot on Oct. 17 for the 2013 Spirit of Georgetown to honor Page Evans for her years of unyielding support for the GMC and the homeless people it serves. As a close family friend, the vice president acknowledged Page as “doing the Lord’s work” and said the “Evanses think about what they can do for someone else.” GMC board president Jocelyn Dyer thanked Washington Fine Properties and the many other donors who raised $92,000 for services for the homeless in Georgetown. Page spoke modestly of “helping others and having fun.” [gallery ids="101510,151118,151115,151091,151096,151099,151103,151108,151111" nav="thumbs"]

American-Russian Cultural Foundation 2013 Annual Gala
•

This year’s gala “Friends in Time of War” chaired by Susan Carmel Lehrman, which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Russian Navy’s goodwill visits to New York and San Francisco, took place at the Embassy of the Russian Federation on Oct. 7. Ambassador Kislyak paid tribute to The Hon. James Symington by awarding him “The Order of Friendship” for supporting American-Russian relations. The evening was highlighted by the musical mastery of Igor Butman and Wynton Marsalis, “Russia’s and America’s finest cultural ambassadors,” who jammed to a rapt audience far past the normal Monday night Washington bedtime. [gallery ids="101516,150857,150876,150861,150865,150870,150874" nav="thumbs"]

2013 DC Vote Champions of Democracy Awards Gala
•

On Oct. 9, Mayor Vincent Gray and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton attended the annual gala hosted at the Mayflower Hotel by DC Vote, a national educational and advocacy organization. ?Honorees Mary Ann Stein, DC Veterans and Representative Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) were recognized for their dedication to fulfilling the promise of democracy. Mayor Gray noted that the federal shutdown only served to magnify the ramifications of District disenfranchisement. “The District of Columbia is not a federal agency,” Mayor Gray declared to applause “and we’re not asking anybody for federal money, we’re simply asking for the authority to spend our own dollars.” [gallery ids="101518,150830,150838,150835" nav="thumbs"]

Capricia Marshall Honored by Cultural Tourism DC
•

On Oct. 15, Shahin Mafi, Chair, 2013 Embassy Chef Challenge, and Tim Cox, Chair, and the Board of Cultural Tourism DC held at cocktail buffet in honor of Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall. Jan Du Plain, Embassy Liaison, Reagan Building and International Trade Center, and the evening’s emcee, said President Obama had “hit a home run in selecting Marshall for Chief of Protocol.” Ambassadors of Lichtenstein, Botswana, Mexico and Mauritius said “thank you for all you do for all of us,” “you made us feel welcome” and “each of the 192 ambassadors thought Capricia liked them the most.” Ambassador Marshall thanked Shahin for “opening up her heart” and her home. [gallery ids="101519,150829,150826,150822" nav="thumbs"]

Hope & Progress Gala
•

The Oct. 19 Hope & Progress 13th Annual Gala at the Four Seasons raised funds for the New Sibley and Cancer Programs at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Michael Farr, Chairman of the
Sibley Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees, emceed the program with Niloofar Razi Howe and David Howe as Gala Chairs. Council Members Mary Cheh and David Catania attended the event. Executives of Wilmot Sanz Architecture Planning, which is “transforming Sibley,” were among the guests who enjoyed a cocktail reception, dinner and dancing to Odyssey. [gallery ids="101520,150820,150818,150813,150797,150801,150806,150810" nav="thumbs"]

Washington Women and Wine’s Fifteenth Anniversary Celebration
•

Washington Women and Wine (WWW) co-founder Karen McMullen gathered “a lot of women and a few good men” at Brian Voltaggio’s Range on Oct. 21 to recall 15 years of dinners, networking socials, wine excursions and international trips. NBC News 4 Anchor Wendy Rieger, an active WWW member, emceed the evening as she had the group’s first event. The gourmet canapés and several courses were paired with wines selected by Advisory Board Member Suzanne McGrath, proprietor of the Curious Grape in Shirlington. The group has visited France twice and will travel to Northern Italy next March. [gallery ids="118724,118728,118735,118702,118709,118717,118741" nav="thumbs"]

Washington Women and Wine
•

Karen McMullen, a co-founder of Washington Women and Wine (WWW), chose Nick’s Riverside Grill in the Georgetown Harbour to host a “Farewell to Summer Waterfront Networking Social” on Aug. 27. WWW brings a cross section of the business community together monthly to network and enjoy fine food and wine. The group’s 15th anniversary will be held Oct. 21 at Bryan Voltaggio’s Range. In addition, WWW will enjoy its third international trip, journeying to Northern Italy, next March. [gallery ids="101445,153681,153674,153678,153669,153687,153686" nav="thumbs"]

A Tribute to Albert
•

On Sept. 7, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain Houda Nonoo hosted a dinner buffet and program honoring the late legendary photographer Albert Francis Mogzec. For over 50 years “Albert,” as he was known to all, covered the international and diplomatic community. Jan Du Plain emceed a program of speakers including Ambassador of Bulgaria Elena Poptodorova; Patricia Elwood, who presented a special message from Mayor Vincent Gray, and Albert’s musician grandson Jeremy Carlstedt, who said Albert considered the diplomatic corps his “other family.” This would have been Albert’s 85th birthday. It was Ambassador Nonoo’s as well and Jerome Barry led the guests in “For She’s A Jolly Good Fellow.” [gallery ids="101446,153656,153668,153661,153664" nav="thumbs"]