Social Scene

Mary Bird • March 16, 2015

On March 6, the Embassy Series, a non-profit which Jerome Barry founded with the mission to unite people through musical diplomacy, presented internationally acclaimed Austrian pianist Till Fellner at the Embassy of Austria. The program featured works by Mozart, Bach and Schumann as well as a specially commissioned work dedicated to Fellner by contemporary composer Aleksandar Stankovski. The evening concluded with a buffet of Austrian treats prepared by the embassy chef.
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Mary Bird •

The second annual Leadership Awards dinner by GB Group Global was held March 4 at the Willard Intercontinental with the theme, “Celebrating Global Women: Women leaders who lead through political participation, corporate leadership and entrepreneurship.” Awardees included Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi, Ambassador Amina Ali of the African Union Mission, Angolan entrepreneur Isabel dos Santos, Fumbi Chima, vice president of International Integration for Wal-Mart, and Joan Wages, president and CEO of National Women’s History Museum.
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Mary Bird • March 11, 2015

William Wegman is best known for the enchanting photos of his Weimaraner dogs. On Jan. 29, he was at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center where he read to patients, signed his latest book, “Flo & Wendell Explore,” and donated five of his works in honor of his colleague Emily Heick, a breast cancer survivor. The reception hailed Julia Langley, who launched the Arts and Humanities Program. [gallery ids="101997,135298" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

The Georgetown Capella held a preview party for its clients, friends and neighbors Feb. 11 and formally introduced chef Frank Ruta and pastry chef Aggie Chin. Along with general manager Marco Bustamante, on hand was the popular Angel Cervantes, offering rum drinks, champagne and other drinks, as guests sampled Ruta’s specials, such as his truffle burgers. [gallery ids="101996,135303,135306" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Les Clefs d’Or USA (the national professional association of hotel concierges . . . the Golden Keys Society) in conjunction with the Washington Area Concierge Association, celebrated Oscar Night Feb. 22 at Josh Levin’s West End Cinema with a special red carpet walk and viewing of the nine-Oscar nominated “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” [gallery ids="101998,135296,135294,135288" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

The Seventh Annual Heroes Curing Childhood Cancer Gala — raising a record-breaking $722,130 — was held at the Four Seasons Feb. 21 for the benefit of Children’s National Health System’s pediatric oncology. Childhood cancers are the number-one disease killer of children in the United States. [gallery ids="118172,118141,118149,118158,118179,118185,118166" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

Her annual Oscars excursion to the warm West Coast had Elizabeth Webster, Director of Business Outreach for At-large Councilman Vincent Orange, back in one of her favorite places with old friends in Los Angeles and the parties that accompany the Academy Awards weekend. Part of Webster’s reason to be in L.A. was to promote more production work in D.C., persuading film crews to shoot in the nation’s capital. Webster paid for the trip herself; no taxpayer money involved. She did get a chance to wear dresses by designer Sue Wong and check out the scene around the Feb. 22 awards ceremony in the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. [gallery ids="102001,135250,135236,135242,135230,135252,135245" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Fashion photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his time as a judge on America’s Next Top Model, visited DCanter on Saturday Feb. 28 for a book signing and wine tasting.

Nigel Barker is a fashion photographer whose images have been printed in many major magazines. The event was in honor of his newly released, Models of Influence. The book profiles 50 of the world’s most inspiring models from the 1940’s to today through 200 full-color photographs by esteemed photographers.

Barker celebrates icons such as 50’s pin-up Dorian Leigh, 60’s spirit Twiggy, the revolutionary Iman, supermodel Naomi Campbell and today’s leading ladies Cara Delevingne and Joan Smalls, among others.

After twenty years in the business, he says that working with many extraordinary models inspired him to write this book.

”Every one of this women helped change everyone’s opinion on what was possible of beauty,” Barker said,

He mentions how Alek Wek had a different appearance compared to what the fashion industry was used to. Now people who look like her can be showcased in a way that wasn’t possible before.

”The book is full of that, models who were trailblazers and pioneers. They were the first,” he continues.

Barker explains that during 1969 (when women were still heavily stereotyped by 1950s perceptions), a model like Twiggy changed the sophisticated look of the woman. People realized that the woman was an individual, which at the time was revolutionary.

He said he chose the 50 models highlighted in his book based on the way the women helped changed people’s opinions about definitions of beauty.

The three wines at the event came from Milan, Paris and New York—places considered by many to be the fashion capitals of the world.

Owners of DCanter Michael and Michelle Warner launched the boutique in 2013 with a goal of providing a wine and beer experience unlike any other.

”Opening this boutique is something we’ve always wanted,” said Michael Warner. ”Now we are offering many wines, for some of them we are the only outlet retailers.”

Although DCanter has only been open a year and a half year, the wine boutique has many returning customers in the neighborhood.

The wines featured at the event came from wineries that have some sort of commitment to art and fashion, like Brooklyn Oenology, which has different local artist create a unique piece of art for each bottle’s label.

The Capitol Hill boutique offers products and services that encourage customers to experience and discover unique artisanal wines and craft beers in a chic, inviting environment.

”We want to help our customers remember the moments,” he said. ”In most cases you don’t remember a specific wine — you remember the experience.

DCanter is located at 545 8th St. SE Washington, DC 20003. Phone: 202.817.3803. Website: www.DCanterWines.com.
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Robert Devaney • March 9, 2015

“I’ve been living for this since January,” said Lorraine Burns of Arlington, who had requested tickets for “Antiques Roadshow,” which set up camp for the first time ever in D.C. at the Walter Washington Convention Center Aug. 21. The show, approaching its 15th year on PBS, has attained cult-like status with TV viewers and owners of family heirlooms which they believe might be worth big bucks. Its D.C. inauguration fetched 23,000 requests for 5,000 tickets, a record for this year. The show, which took to the road in San Diego, ended its taping here. (Its new season begins January.)

“Antiques Roadshow” prompted Patricia Erickson of Charlotte, N.C., to visit the nation’s capital for the first time ever, too, making a family vacation of it. Citing the show’s broadcast time, Erickson said, “Don’t call me between 8 and 9 on Monday nights.”

Then, Burns and Erickson met appraiser J. Michael Flanigan, and you’d think they had seen Bono or Sting or President Obama. The Keno brothers were nearby, walking out of the taping circle to visit those waiting in the long lines. Again, rock stars. These guys appraise old wooden furniture — with passion, admittedly.

We finally got a chance to show two old family pieces — one in the metalworks line and the other in the paintings line. (Generalist appraisers at the end of the long, initial line hand out tickets which categorize the piece, whether it be furniture, a toy or a sword, and send their patient cult followers to another line.) The longest line was for Asian arts. We were told about the guy with a bearskin rug, supposedly belonging to Bette Davis’s daughter. Which line is that one?

Kerry Shrives of Boston’s Skinner, Inc., looked over a bronze statuette, called “the freed slave” by our family, and smiled, “About $300, maybe a little more.” Then, David Weiss of Philadelphia’s Freeman’s Auctioneers pondered an oil painting of the English Lake District, struggling to see the signature on the lower right just under the frame. An inner frame blocked his complete view. Nevertheless, Weiss declared,”It’s a wonderful 19th-century painting, perhaps worth $1,500.” (O.K., that’s cool. Now, do you realize the appeal of this TV show?)

We also saw Sally Davidson of Clyde’s Restaurants being interviewed on camera about her Japanese filigree bowl. Ask her, or wait until next year to learn its value.

Upon our exit, we saw an abandoned cracked figurine on the sidewalk. A couple wheeled past with a Victorian-style baby buggy. “50 bucks? You’re kidding me, right?” Many are called, but few are chosen. [gallery ids="99296,99297,99298,99299" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • February 26, 2015

The Women’s Board of the American Heart Association Greater Washington Region logged 1,000 hours in planning this year’s always anticipated event which drew 1,200 attendees to the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel on Feb. 9 to raise awareness of cardiovascular health issues, the number-one killer among women. Autria Godfrey of ABC7/WJLA-TV emceed and Barbara McConaghy Johnson produced the stunning fashion show of spring 2015 styles from Bloomingdale’s, Chevy Chase. In a special video greeting, news anchor Bret Baier hailed Richard Jonas, M.D., who has overseen their young son’s struggle with congenital heart disease.
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