Brooks Brothers, Bravo!
• November 3, 2011

Georgetown has a stunning new retail addition with Brooks Brothers bringing sartorial elegance to the corner of 31st and M Streets. The store launched Oct. 5 with a portion of the evening’s sales earmarked for The Trust for the National Mall, a no-brainer given the elegantly clad supporters of restoring and improving the regrettably neglected National Mall. It is only fitting that Brooks Brothers, established in 1818 as the first to offer ready-to-wear tailored clothing, would land in historic Georgetown nearly two centuries later. Our street “fashions” will hopefully improve. [gallery ids="100327,108512,108521,108507,108525,108502,108529,108497,108533,108492,108517" nav="thumbs"]

Knock Out Abuse Hosted by Louis Vuitton
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On Oct. 6, store director of Louis Vuitton Chevy Chase Yasmine Abdo hosted Knock Out Abuse with 2011 event chair Jaci Reid and co-founders Cheryl Masri and Jill Sorensen. The well-attended cocktail reception benefited KOA’s support for organizations in the Washington metropolitan area that offer services, assistance and shelter to women and children who are victims of abuse as Louis Vuitton donated a portion of event sales to the KOA Foundation. [gallery ids="100332,108592" nav="thumbs"]

Light of Healing Hope Foundation Launches
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On Oct. 14, Susan and Michael Pillsbury welcomed friends to their stunning Georgetown home to celebrate the launch of Alexandra Villard de Borchgrave’s Light of Healing Hope Foundation. Her prayers on 9/11 led Alexandra to write three books of poetry that have been given as gifts to the 9//11 survivors’ families, military families and those experiencing personal tragedy. She has now founded The Light of Healing Hope Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to providing inspirational books as gifts in hospitals to bring hope to patients and their families. After Alexandra thanked everyone for their support, a patient spoke of the gift packages as “a reminder of what is good in the world.” Alexandra closed her remarks with a quote “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” [gallery ids="100334,108622,108638,108627,108635,108632" nav="thumbs"]

Audra McDonald Makes Magic at WPAS Season Opener
• October 26, 2011

Audra McDonald touched hearts at the Washington Performing Arts Society’s opening season event at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall Oct. 4. Her exquisite delivery, breezy comments—thank you for telling me where to find the nearest Chipotle—and grace captivated her listeners. She shared that her young daughter was a definite critic having daunted her at age three with “mommy your singing makes my ears cry.” No one else shares that sentiment as Audra has just finished a Boston run as the immortal Bess in Porgy and Bess, scheduled later this year for Broadway. Her rendition of Adam Gwon’s I’ll Be Here from Ordinary Days in tribute to the losses of 9/11 left few dry eyes. WPAS’s staunchest supporters segued for a lovely dinner at the Roof Terrace and tributes to the evening’s star. [gallery ids="100331,108577,108598,108582,108594,108587,108591" nav="thumbs"]

18th Annual Nyumbani Benefit & Auction
• October 19, 2011

Over 400 guests attended the 18th Annual Benefit and Auction for Nyumbani at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Sept. 30 to celebrate Nyumbani’s success in transforming the lives of thousands of Kenyan children and their families affected by the HIV virus. What began as a hospice for HIV+ orphans has evolved into a broad based support organization which has enabled HIV+ children to become educated, grow to adulthood, and lead productive lives. With Kathleen Matthews serving as Mistress of Ceremonies, the evening’s program honored Dr. Ryan Brunette, Dr. Gary Cohen, Krista Thompson and Conrad Person for their efforts in the recent completion of a state-of-the- art diagnostic laboratory on the grounds of the Nyumbani Children’s Home. Barbara Albert received the John and Patty Noel Humanitarian Award for spearheading fundraising efforts. Sister Mary Owens, Nyumbani’s Executive Director, spoke of recent accomplishments and of future challenges. Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen described his visit to Nyumbani this summer and his two son’s experiences serving as volunteers there. [gallery ids="100313,108017,108038,108022,108034,108027,108031" nav="thumbs"]

The Great Gatsby Prohibition Party
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The Women’s Committee of the Washington Ballet took to the dance floor to music by DJ Pitch One at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 30. Mandy Delk and Elizabeth Wrege were event chairs for the Annual Ballet Soirée which included a suite from The Great Gatsby danced by Washington Ballet company members. Women’s Committee member Charo Abrams and her husband Larry provided a scrumptious buffet through their RSVP catering. Mont Blanc was a lead sponsor. Howard Parzow was the live auctioneer for items that included holidays in Greece, Paris and Turkey and dining opportunities with Artistic Director Septime Webre and Michel Richard at Citronelle as well as “kitchen theater” with Septime and Patrick O’Connell and The Inn at Little Washington. [gallery ids="100314,108057,108052,108047,108066,108042,108070,108037,108074,108078,108032,108062" nav="thumbs"]

The Phillips Collection Pairs with Sofitel to Honor Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party
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The centerpiece of Duncan Phillip’s collection has been returned to its original location in the Main Gallery to celebrate the 90th anniversary of America’s first museum of modern art. The Sofitel Washington, D.C. Lafayette celebrated the occasion with Renoir-inspired cuisine prepared by Chef Olivier Perret and other enticements. Phillips Director Dorothy Kosinski expressed her delight that the painting is displayed close to its original placement amid works by Braque, Cézanne, Monet and Picasso. Duncan Phillips’s 1923 purchase set a record price for the time. [gallery ids="102423,121822,121815,121828,121832" nav="thumbs"]

St. John’s Blessing of the Animals
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The Blessing of the Animals at St. John’s Georgetown Parish on O Street is always a joyous occasion. This year’s event took place on the unusually chilly afternoon of Oct. 2 on the church lawn. Treasured pets happily greeted their friends from various parks and neighborhood jaunts and seemed to recognize that this was a special occasion to honor St. Francis and his protection. Charles DeSantis’s basset Bella bayed on key throughout the gathering hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful. The event is canine dominant but at least two cats joined in and an unusual addition was Ben Sutherland’s leopard gecko Screech. Pets were individually blessed and received St. Francis medals. Treats for all followed in Blake Hall. [gallery ids="99242,104124,104119,104133,104114,104137,104109,104141,104104,104145,104099,104129" nav="thumbs"]

Olney Ballet Theatre Gala Honors Mary Day
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The Olney Ballet Theatre 20011 Gala celebrated 50 years of Mary Day’s Classic The Nutcracker, Sept. 17 OBT’s Artistic Director Pat Berrend was long associated with Mary Day, founder of The Washington Ballet. She recalled that Miss Day’s Nutcracker opened at Constitution Hall with the National Symphony Orchestra. The vibrant gala included choreography by Aaron Jackson and performances by many of Miss Day’s dancers now with leading dance companies. OBT is a non-profit performing arts, educational organization providing training to young dancers, who perform in the theater before live audiences. [gallery ids="100315,108067,108079,108072,108076" nav="thumbs"]

Embassy Series Presents Music of the Vilna Ghetto Experience
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On Sept. 15, The Embassy Series opened its new season with a series of moving tributes in conjunction with the Lithuanian government’s declaration of 2011 as The Year of Remembrance for Victims of the Holocaust, with performances in Washington, New York City and Vilnius, Lithuania. The evening featured acclaimed baritone Jerome Barry with award-winners pianist Edvinas Minkstimas and violinist Peter Sirotin. “It is truly amazing that despite the great calamity befalling the Jewish people in Vilnius, they still did lead an inspired life replete with theater and musical presentations,” Barry said, who founded the Embassy Series in 1994 as a way to promote cultural exchange through “musical diplomacy.” [gallery ids="100316,108077,108080" nav="thumbs"]