The Capital City Ball
• August 9, 2013

The 2012 Capital City Ball took place on Nov. 17 at the historic Washington Club in Dupont Circle. Proceeds from the evening benefited the important and innovative work of Courtney’s House, Global Centurion and Urban Light in the fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. The elegant and fun black-tie gala included a cocktail buffet, open bar and silent auction. Guests took to the dance floor past midnight to the sounds of Bittersweet, an 11-piece, high energy dance band. [gallery ids="101072,137179,137156,137174,137169,137164" nav="thumbs"]

Capital City BallAugust 7, 2013
• August 8, 2013

Capital City Ball held a cocktail happy hour on the roof of the Graham Hotel in Georgetown on July 16. Proceeds from the evening benefited Courtney?s House, which provides a safe haven in a loving home environment for domestic sex trafficked girls between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age. Courtney?s House launched in 2008 and was founded by Tina Frundt, a domestic child trafficking survivor who has received several awards for dedicating her life in freedom to help others.

Drive, Eat With Kia at Fiola
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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"]

Chamber Dance Project
• July 23, 2013

On July 11, Jill and Fred Schwartz invited their Watergate neighbors and other friends and arts supporters for cocktails and to hear Diane Coburn Bruning, Artistic Director of Chamber Dance Project, discuss her upcoming plans for her troupe that is moving from New York to Washington. Central to her art is the fact that musicians are on stage and choreographed in the same fashion as the dancers. Calling New York perhaps facetiously “so yesterday,” she said “DC is where it is” and spoke of her open rehearsal as a keystone of her artistic vision. She showed two brief videos showcasing her “fresh and modern approach to classical ballet” and promised “to shake things up.” [gallery ids="101391,154039,154009,154034,154015,154031,154021,154025" nav="thumbs"]

Monaco Celebrates Accession of Prince Albert
• July 17, 2013

Ambassador of Monaco and Mrs. Gilles Noghès celebrated the anniversary of Prince Albert of Monaco’s accession to the throne at a cocktail reception at the Metropolitan Club on July 9. The prince has focused his attention on the environment, marine science, foreign aid and sport, being the only head of state to visit both the North and South Pole in his conservation effort. Chief of Protocol Capricia Marshall hailed the Noghès as “two great diplomats and two great friends.” In Sept., Prince Albert will visit Cody, Wyoming, to mark the centennial of his grandfather’s tour of the American West with Buffalo Bill. California Congressman Ed Royce toasted the hosts’ 25th wedding anniversary. [gallery ids="101390,153994,153989,153984,153979,154004,154008,153972,154012,153999" nav="thumbs"]

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra Garden Party
• July 2, 2013

The weather was glorious on June 20 as Isin and George Ludlow entertained supporters of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) at the Tenth Annual Garden Party. Guests enjoyed a buffet provided by La Bergerie Restaurant and Del Ray Café in their newly built poolside gazebo. ASO Music Director Kim Kluge said “I am not here to thank you but to honor you.” Craig Dyson conducted a live auction benefitting the ASO’s performance and outreach programs. Lest anyone doubt commitment, a battery operated fish swimming (too fast for my camera) in the Ludlow’s pool, fetched a whopping $500. [gallery ids="101369,153184,153156,153181,153161,153177,153166,153172" nav="thumbs"]

Eleventh Annual “For the Love of Sight” Visionary Awards Dinner
• May 22, 2013

The Foundation Fighting Blindness, a nonprofit founded in 1971 to fund sight-saving retinal research held its annual dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC, on Apr. 16. Alison Starling of ABC7/WJPLA-TV emceed the event which honored former Ambassador Tom Korologos, former Secretary of Labor Ann Korologos and Dr. Hendrik Scholl a clinician-scientist at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Guests viewed a poignant video of young children dealing with impending vision loss. The Foundation has raised more than 500 million as the leading non-governmental funder of retinal research.
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U.S.News & World Report Celebrates 80th Birthday
• May 10, 2013

Who knew that U.S.News & World Report (where the editor of this newspaper once worked) is as old as Martin’s Tavern? It was an 80th anniversary and a homecoming as staffers, current and former, met at U.S. News headquarters on Thomas Jefferson Street May 2 to remember the past and affirm the future. The magazine, founded by David Lawrence in 1933, evolved to become one of the three big newsweeklies of America beside Time and Newsweek during the heyday of print journalism. For decades, U.S. News was headquartered on N Street in the West End. While its last print issue was in December 2010, U.S.News & World Report continues in the digital world of news along with its printed and popular best-of directories which rank universities, hospitals and other institutions. [gallery ids="101289,149595,149589,149577,149583" nav="thumbs"]

Loews Madison 50th Anniversary
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Andrew, James and Jonathan Tisch were in Washington May 1 to celebrate the golden anniversary of the Loews Madison Hotel and Washington Life Magazine’s A-List. The landmark property established by Marshall Coyne was opened in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy and has hosted presidents, celebrities, tastemakers and diplomats. [gallery ids="101293,149763,149756,149777,149749,149782,149787,149742,149793,149771" nav="thumbs"]

Trust for the National Mall Annual Luncheon
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Philanthropists, business leaders, government officials, diplomats and some of the best dressed and behatted guests converged May 2 to admire the ongoing restoration of what Trust for the National Mall Chairman Chip Akridge called “the crown jewel of America” that had fallen into disrepair. To great applause, keynote speaker Jonathan Browning, president and CEO of Volkswagen USA, announced that VW was donating $10 million to ensure that the grass will be green for the 25 million visitors to the National Mall each year. [gallery ids="101290,149631,149585,149626,149592,149620,149599,149614,149605" nav="thumbs"]