Navy Weighs Anchor for War of 1812 Bicentennial
• April 13, 2012

The Library of Congress hosted “the Department of the Navy’s Commemoration Honoring the Bicentennial of the War of 1812” March 13 at its Thomas Jefferson Building. With Jay DeLoach, director of Naval History and Heritage Command, as master of ceremonies, Librarian of Congress James Billington welcomed the crowd and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. Billington noted the library’s link to the war and the Burning of Washington in 1814 with its first replacement volumes from Thomas Jefferson. Mabus said that the War of 1812 is “overlooked and least remembered” of America’s war but has “an outsized impact” on its history. As the 75th Secretary of the Navy, Mabus recalled that the first Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert — who built and lived in Halcyon House on Prospect Street in Georgetown — had no ships to begin with. The war “confirmed our independence,” Mabus said, and was “fought over the idea of the freedom of the seas . . . not just for ourselves but for all.” Navy events for the War of 1812 begin in New Orleans in April and continue on the East Coast through the year. For details, visit www.OurFlagWasStillThere.org. [gallery ids="100638,100639" nav="thumbs"]

Music for the Mind
• April 12, 2012

The Georgetown University Medical Center held its first annual event to support new cures and treatments for neurological diseases on May 13 at the Kennedy Center. Proceeds will support a Young Investigators Fund. Guests enjoyed a cocktail buffet reception followed by the NSO Pops performance highlighting Jon Secada and Tito Puente, Jr. with Marvin Hamlisch at the podium. Francine and Mel Levinson co-chaired the event. Mark and Jeanne Shriver were honorary co-chairs and Mark spoke movingly of his famed parents’ later years. He recalled his father’s words “I’m doing the best I can with what God’s given me.” Dr. Howard J. Federoff spoke of “the silver tsunami of aging and neurological disease.” At the concert, conductor Hamlisch quipped “just conducting this brings out the passion in me.” Major supporters returned to the roof terrace for a post-performance reception with the stars. [gallery ids="99713,99714,99715,99716,99717,99718,99719,99720" nav="thumbs"]

Music for the MindApril 5, 2012
• April 5, 2012

On Mar. 31, supporters of the Georgetown University Medical Center gathered at the Kennedy Center for a cocktail reception buffet, performance by Wayne Brady with the NSO Pops and post-performance reception. The entertainer sang the ?Sammys? featuring the music of Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke. The evening?s proceeds benefit GUMC neuroscientists seeking treatments and cures for Alzheimer?s and other neurological diseases. Citing their work, Mark Shriver quoted Winston Churchill ?never, never, never, never give up.?

For the Love of Sight Visionary Awards Dinner
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The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), a national nonprofit dedicated to sight-saving research, honored Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and author Tom Clancy at the D.C. For the Love of Sight Visionary Awards Dinner on March 28 at the downtown Ritz-Carlton. Alison Starling, news anchor at WJLA-TV, emceed. The tenth annual event raised more than $375,000 toward research for vision-robbing retinal degenerative diseases including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome and related conditions. [gallery ids="100726,120803,120795,120790" nav="thumbs"]

Wines from Provence Tasting
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On March 27, representatives of the Provence Wine Council stopped in Washington on their promotional tour of several U.S. cities. They held a lunchtime tasting at Againn restaurant. Guests could sample wines from the recognized rosé center of the world. Provence rosé is by definition not sweet. Rosé outsells white wine in France today, and dry rosé sales in this country are skyrocketing. [gallery ids="100724,120780,120773" nav="thumbs"]

Washington Concert Opera Celebrates 25 Years
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The Washington Concert Opera celebrated its 25th anniversary at a black-tie gala under the auspices of Ambassador of the Russian Federation and Mrs. Sergey Kislyak at the embassy on March 28. Guests enjoyed a musicale and seated dinner with WCO alums, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and Aleksey Bogdanov. The evening honored WCO benefactors Dorothy and Kenneth Woodcock, WCO Founder Stephen Crout and Former Artistic Advisor Peter Russell. “Weather Conductor” Bob Ryan emceed the evening noting that “music and art enrich our lives and I think that’s why we’re here. [gallery ids="100723,120784,120738,120777,120747,120771,120756,120765" nav="thumbs"]

RAMMYS Nominations Party
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The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced the 2012 RAMMY award nominees at a reception at the downtown Ritz-Carlton on March 26. This year’s theme for the June 14 RAMMY Gala is Hats Off to Restaurants. The nominations party featured hors d’oeuvres by the nominees for Best New restaurant and cocktails by the nominees for the Beverage/Mixology Program as well as a video tribute to Rich Massabny as he marks his 25th anniversary as theatre and restaurant critic and cable TV host. [gallery ids="100722,120716,120731,120708,120736,120701,120743,120693,120750,120724" nav="thumbs"]

Mayor Vincent Gray Addresses the Institute for Education
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Mayor Vincent Gray recently spoke at a breakfast program of the INFO Public Policy Roundtable series hosted by IFE Diplomatic Steward Jan Matthysen, Ambassador of Belgium. The mayor outlined his plan to bring vitality back to the city and its budget.  Along with full democracy, including voting rights in Congress, housing and education remain central to the mayor’s agenda. Many ambassadors, Judge William Webster and a diverse group of IFE interns and fellows attended. [gallery ids="100725,120786,120781" nav="thumbs"]

‘Lady and the Tramp’ and Meatballs, Too, at Carmine’s
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Katy Nelson, Jill Collins and 94.7 Fresh FM’s Tommy McFly hosted a screening of Lady and the Tramp on the afternoon of Mar. 24 at Carmine’s in the Penn Quarter to benefit Washington Humane Society’s Fashion for Paws. Guests enjoyed a spaghetti and meatball buffet as they watched the film on several big screens. Katy and Tommy recreated the iconic romantic moment when the pair share their pasta. Tommy said “take lots of picture, eat lots of food” as he spoke of WHS’s rehabilitating work at Walter Reed in the realization that “animals are a conduit to change.” [gallery ids="102440,121378,121389,121372,121383" nav="thumbs"]

An Evening in Wonderland at the Washington Club
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The Washington Club was transformed into Wonderland on March 23 as guests enjoyed a preview performance from the Washington Ballet’s upcoming Alice in Wonderland. Company dancers Emily Ellis and Corey Landolt enchanted as Alice and the Mad Hatter as did members of the Studio Company and School of Ballet. In his remarks at the four-course dinner with cards urging “eat me” and “drink me,” Artistic Director Septime Webre spoke of Alice’s “outsize sense of imagination,” as he created a ballet about “girl power.” Guests departed with White Rabbit cookies, auguring a happy adventure down the rabbit hole. [gallery ids="100720,120670,120649,120663,120658" nav="thumbs"]