Social Scene

Mary Bird • 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"]

Mary Bird •

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"]

Mary Bird •

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"]

Mary Bird •

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"]

Mary Bird •

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"]

Mary Bird •

Dr. James D’Orta, the current owner of the legendary N Street residence formerly home to Averell and Pamela Harriman, welcomed The Friends of Rose Park on Oct. 6 to raise funds to support the beloved Georgetown oasis. The host paid tribute to Georgetown doyenne Frida Burling, who served as the evening’s honorary host, a radiant 96 years old and going strong. Rose Park enhances Georgetown as it provides families and their pets with space to romp and thrive. [gallery ids="100328,108522,108543,108527,108539,108532,108536" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney • October 17, 2011

With smart, strong women in the Fairmont Washington Hotel ballroom, the fight against breast cancer was on during Living in Pink’s eighth annual luncheon and boutique, Sept. 23. ABC7/WJLA-TV anchorman Greta Kreuz introduced the awardees and speakers. Presentation of the Living in Pink Award was awarded posthumously to Thomas J. Sanzaro, M.D., and accepted by Mrs. Kathy Sanzaro with remarks by Colette Magnant, M.D. The Noel Soderberg-Evans Award was presented to Christine Teal, M.D., by Jack Evans, Ward 2 councilman. Guest speaker was Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H. Founded in 2004 by two-time breast cancer survivor and mother of four, Michele Conley, Living in Pink is set to help find a cure for breast cancer so that the next generation of women will not have to endure the emotional and physical pain of breast cancer surgery and treatment. [gallery ids="100322,108099,108097" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • October 13, 2011

The Meridian International Center, celebrating its 50th anniversary, did it up right Oct. 1 with its 42nd Meridian Ball that kept old and young dancing past 1 a.m. The evening began for us at a dinner
with the gracious Claudia Fritsche, Ambassador of Liechtenstein, on the Georgetown waterfront. Meridian House was decked out and packed with gala-goers from the foyer to the gardens and onto the party tent. Drinks flowed, desserts were top-drawer, and the music moved from ‘70s rock to the latest hip-hop. — Robert Devaney [gallery ids="99271,104380,104349,104376,104372,104354,104368,104359,104364" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney • October 6, 2011

Bob Schieffer’s 20 years as anchor of CBS News’s “Face the Nation” — which premiered November 1954 — was applauded Sept. 21 at the St. Regis with politicians, journalists and other Washington types enjoying the warmth (or humidity), food and bipartisanship. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) was in the room along with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Old and new media moved freely — from familiar Posties, ThomsonReuters editors to Media Bistro. [gallery ids="100321,108092,108095" nav="thumbs"]

Jeff Malet •

The United States Navy Memorial’s Lone Sailor Award is given to Sea Service veterans who have excelled with distinction in their respective civilian careers while exemplifying the Navy core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.The 2011 award recipients will join an impressive list of men and women who have distinguished themselves by drawing upon their military experience to become successful in their subsequent careers and lives, while exemplifying the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.

This year’s recipients of the Lone Sailor Award
Beau Bridges—Actor, Director, Producer, United States Coast Guard Veteran
Jeff Bridges—Actor, Producer, United States Coast Guard Veteran
Lloyd Bridges (in-memoriam)—Actor, Producer, United States Coast Guard Veteran
Brian Lamb—Founder and Chief Executive Officer, C-SPAN, United States Navy Veteran
Jerry Coleman—Famed Major League Baseball Second Baseman and Broadcast Announcer, United States Marine Corps WWII and Korean War Combat Veteran
Bob Feller (in-memoriam)—Famed Major League Baseball Pitcher, United States Navy WWII Combat Veteran
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