Social Scene

Mary Bird • January 16, 2015

The Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Care and Control Officers and Humane Education team members of the Washington Humane Society (WHS) were honored at this year’s Sugar & Champagne Affair hosted by Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray at the Ronald Reagan Building on Feb. 5. Canine guests enjoyed a Bark Bar as they accompanied their beaming humans to the general reception with sweets from DC’s top pastry chefs. The privileged ones came early to enjoy the exclusive VIP chef’s tasting room. Tommy McFly of 94.7 Fresh FM Radio emceed the festivities which directly benefit the animals and programs of the WHS. [gallery ids="101638,146004,145999,146019,146016,146013,146007" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, now in its 22nd anniversary season, presented Modern Dance Concert: Four By Burgess to an enthusiastic audience at Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater Feb. 7 – 8. The program included Homage, which Burgess created as choreographer-in-residence at the National Portrait Gallery in conjunction with the Dancing the Dream exhibition, and Relevant Elegy, commissioned by the National Gallery of Art as part of Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes. Following the opening performance, Ambassador of Gabon Michael Moussa-Adamo hosted a reception where he extolled his country as “the last Eden” and said he will work with the State Department to bring the troupe to Gabon. [gallery ids="101640,145990,145985,145981,145977,145971,145968,145963,145959,145992" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

The Washington Ballet’s fourth annual benefit party, Noche de Pasión 2014 Colombia Tropical, rocked the Dupont Circle residence of Colombian Ambassador Luis Carlos Villegas and Mrs. Carmela de Villegas on Feb. 8. The evening supported Latino ballet dancers, scholarship students and The Washington Ballet Latino Dance Fund. The VIP reception featured a special dance performance with excerpts from the company’s recent Jazz/Blues Project. After an exotic Latin buffet, guests enjoyed the live music of Colombia’s Gregorio Uribe Big Band and Latin Grammy award nominee Adriana Lucia as they danced into the wee hours. [gallery ids="117063,117016,117023,117031,117037,117045,117069,117052,117057" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

“Southern Celebrations Traditions Handed
Down” was the theme of this year’s Washington
Winter Show at the Katzen Arts Center at American
University which began with a welcome to sponsors,
benefactors and designers followed by a
gala patrons and young collector reception on
Jan. 9. The next day was highlighted by a lecture
“Exploring the Charleston Kitchen” with awardwinning
authors Matt and Ted Lee and a tasty
Southern picnic lunch. On Saturday, Julia Reed
spoke of “Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other
Southern Specialties.” This year’s loan exhibit
was “Celebrations at Stratford Hall Family, Food,
and Festivities.” Forty-five premier American and
European dealers participated in the show that benefited
the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys,
THEARC and the Founders Board of St. John’s
Community Services. [gallery ids="101600,147189,147195,147184,147178,147174,147155,147169,147165,147160,147192" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

The District Council’s Elizabeth Webster — staffer for at-large council member Vincent Orange,
who is an advocate of small businesses in D.C. and film and TV production — was in Los Angeles
Jan. 12 for the Golden Globes and the many parties around town that included the W Magazine party
at Chateau Marmount, the “12 Years a Slave” party at the Mondrian, the BAFTA party at the Four
Seasons and post-award parties at the Beverly Hilton. Webster’s and Joyce Chow’s dresses were by
Sue Wong; their friend and actor Vincent De Paul wore a tuxedo, designed by Judah Estreicher at
D.C. area’s JBD Clothiers. [gallery ids="101601,147154,147148,147145,147141,147137,147117,147133,147127,147123,147152" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

The Fours Seasons Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue was especially full of Christmas cheer Dec. 16, as the seventh annual Georgetown Jingle — a benefit for Medstar Georgetown University Hospital’s pediatric oncology programs — expanded its festivities for two parties in Seasons restaurant. The hotel lobby already held Christmas trees, created by a designer for a special patient at the hospital.

Hosted by Fours Seasons and Washington’s interior design community, Jingle rang out for the children first in the afternoon with “Winter Wonderland” and then for the adults with “Pamala Live!” after 7 p.m.

Children met the likes of Ironman and Captain America, enjoyed sweets from Georgetown Cupcake, Dolci Gelati and Paul Bakery. Of course, the star of the day was Santa Claus, who arrived courtesy of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.

With tasting from such restaurants as Bourbon Steak, Rouge 24, Proof, Bibiana Osteria Enoteca, Taco Bamba, Banolero, Katsuya Fukishima, the Source and the Blue Moon, the evening’s fun was highlighted by chanteuse Pamala Stanley with her versions of disco and current pop hits — along with a wide-ranging silent auction that included jewelry, a wine collection, artwork and autographed football helmets.

Washington-area Toyota dealers, courtesy of Darcars Automotive Group, donated a Toyota Prius c as the grand prize for the raffle drawing.

Georgetown Jingle benefits the pediatric programs at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. The funds raised by the 2011 Jingle have established a pediatric bone marrow transplant unit in collaboration with Duke University Hospital, funded unique patient rooms that inspire and support the healing process and funded the special initiatives for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program.

The funds raised by the 2012 Georgetown Jingle will continue to support the operational and training facilities for the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. This year, the event expands its support to include the growth of social worker and educator support in the pediatric palliative care program to provide the highest quality of life for children and families throughout the course of illness. The programs are directed by Aziza Shad, M.D., one of the region’s most respected oncologists.

Over the past six years, Georgetown Jingle has raised $1.5 million for these pediatric programs. The charitable event helps spotlight childhood cancer, the leading cause of death among American children between infancy and age 15. The 2012 event chair was Donna Shank, the mother of Daniel Shank-Rowe, a Medstar Georgetown University Hospital patient ambassador and cancer survivor.

Each year, Washington’s interior designers festoon a total of 17 holiday-themed trees and vignettes in the lobby of the Four Seasons. Arlington-based designer Michael Roberson was the 2012 design chair. Sandi Hoffman of Sandi R. Hoffman Special Events created the majestic centre tree in the Hotel lobby. The theme for her centre tree is “The Shaker Abecedarious” based on the 1880s children’s alphabet book, “A Peaceable Kingdom,” by Alice Provensen.

Walk through the Four Seasons’s lobby and delight to the work of the other 2012 participating designers with these themes:

1. Barry Dixon Interiors (Barry Dixon) — Holiday Punch, a Taste of the Holidays

2. Sandra Meyers Interior Design (Sandra Meyers) — Bells Will Be Ringing

3. Darlene Solutions (Diane Darling) — Martini Tree

4. JDS Designs (David Herchik and Richard Looman) — Santa’s Candy Land

5. Samantha Friedman Interior Design (Samantha Friedman) — Lego Tree

6. Chistopher Patric Interiors (Christopher Patrick & Kaitlyn Andrews-Rice) — Season’s First Snow

7. Alter Urban, LLC (John Coplen) — Winter Wonderland Dollhouse

8. Case Design (Allie Mann) — Suess-tacular

9. Patrick J. Baglino Jr. Interior Design (Patrick J. Baglino, Jr.) — Journey to Oz and Back

10. The Velvet Frog (Debbie Henry) — Believe

11. Dolci Gelati & JDS Designs, Inc. (Nick Beck Anastasia Kessler) — La Dolce Vida

12. Corcoran College of Art & Design ASID ( Kate Roberson and Whitney Osterhout) — Deconstructed Textile Tree

13. Barnes Vanze Architects (Miriam Dillon and Evelyn Smith) — Festival of Italian Torches

14. Darlene Molnar LLC & ETSK Design (Darlene Molnar and Sara Knowles) — Storybook Tree

15. The Queen Bee (Allison Priebe Brooks, Paul Baldwin and Don Patron) — 12 Days of Christmas

16. Housework Interiors (Dee Thornton) — Paint the Holidays
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Mary Bird • January 7, 2015

Karen McMullen co-founded Washington Women & Wine 15 years ago to bring active women and more than “a few good men” together monthly to network and enjoy fine food and wine. The group has traveled twice to France and to Northern Italy this past March. On June 23, Robin McKenzie-Smith of Best of Europe Tours and Cruises told guests at a dinner at I Ricchi of his plans for a fourth tour next April to Rome and Tuscany. He said the pace would be “leisurely” with four nights in Montecatini as a base for day trips to explore Tuscany’s treasures. The tempting menu featured a choice of several of I Ricchi’s signature pastas, pared with Italian wines. [gallery ids="101811,139890,139885,139895,139900,139902" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • December 23, 2014

The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary of Washington, D.C., held its annual Christmas luncheon at Columbia Country Club Dec. 3. The festive occasion was capped by the presentation of a check for $224,440 to Associate Area Commander Major Jacqulyn Reckline, who said, “The light of your friendship is shining brightly in this place.” Reckline brought her mother’s Salvation Army bonnet as a symbol of service and steady hope and presented a miniature 14-carat gold Army bonnet to Auxiliary President Debra Push and Vice President Susan Hayes-Long. Beauty consultant Emily Katz spoke on aging with grace.
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Mary Bird •

Men’s Camerata president and founder Brad Spencer hosted the Camerata’s 30th anniversary season at his home Dec. 1. The group seeks to perform, promote and preserve the rich legacy of men’s choral music through a variety of initiatives. The past season was highlighted by three performances with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall of the rare Piano Concerto by Ferrucio Busoni, one of the largest works ever written in this genre in which a men’s chorus sings in the final movement.
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Mary Bird •

The Choral Arts Society of Washington’s 34th Annual Holiday Concert & Gala at the Kennedy Center Dec. 15 was, to quote artistic director Scott Tucker, “a rich and varied treat.” This year’s embassy sponsor was Argentina and Ambassador Cecilia Nahón’s country’s music was presented by the Pan American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sergio Alessando Bušje. A special highlight was the appearance of Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, whose guitar renditions of traditional carols were stunning. He capped the concert with a rousing encore of “Jingle Bell Rock,” before the elegant crowd headed to the Roof Terrace for a silent auction, dinner and dancing.
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