27th Annual Lombardi Gala
• February 27, 2014

On Nov. 2, the annual Lombardi Gala, focused on raising funding and awareness for cancer research, education and treatment benefitting Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, drew nearly 1,000 elegantly attired guests to the Washington Hilton. While the cause is sobering, the gala delivered a festive night of dinner and dancing peppered with a competitive silent auction of hundreds of items, the annual raffle of a Lexus and awards bestowed on remarkable individuals for their contributions in the fight against cancer. [gallery ids="101565,148645,148643" nav="thumbs"]

Opera Camerata of Washington Presents La Bohème
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Ambassador Matthysen acknowledged that turning the embassy residence, “a house built for a family,” into an opera house for 120 guests had been “quite challenging for the musicians and for the house.” The transformation proved a great success on Nov. 16 as Opera Camerata of Washington presented Giacomo Puccini’s beloved La Bohème. Following a cocktail reception and seated dinner, narrator Robin Phillips elegantly set the scene as Russian born soprano Olga Orlovskaya and Mexican tenor Jesús Daniel Hernández pledged their love. Now in its 23rd year, Opera Camerata’s In-School Programs bring opera and classical music into the school systems without charge. [gallery ids="118605,118642,118635,118628,118666,118660,118655,118620,118612,118649" nav="thumbs"]

Local Favorite Benetton Celebrates Winter
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Hometown favorite Benetton showed off its Autumn-Winter 2013 collection at its Georgetown flagship at Wisconsin and M. Some of Washington’s most fashionable and their families — many wearing Benetton products — met Benetton USA President and CEO Ari Hoffman, who flew in from New York for the Oct. 30 event.
[gallery ids="101564,148647,148652,148654" nav="thumbs"]

News Women for Helen Thomas
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The American News Women’s Club celebrated one of its own — Helen Thomas — with a celebratory hanging of artwork by Patty Raine, depicting the White House correspondent playing the piano and singing with 10 U.S. presidents. With family and friends on hand Nov. 7, toasts at the club on 22nd Street included priceless and loving remarks about the feisty news legend. [gallery ids="101562,148661,148666,148670,148674,148679,148681" nav="thumbs"]

3 Murders at Evermay Estate?
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Night Nouveau was presented by the S&R Foundation at historic Evermay Estate Nov. 2. Guests
could solve a three-murder mystery or just enjoy the house and gardens and sample whiskey and
specialty cocktails and along with great food. The evening ended with a silent disco in the ballroom
to music provided by Heist deejay, Chuck Koch. The mystery was planned by Joshua Morgan of No
Rules Theater. [gallery ids="101529,150194,150189,150198,150213,150211,150203,150206" nav="thumbs"]

Innocents at Risk Reception
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Suellen and Melvyn Estrin hosted a cocktail reception at their home Oct. 24 to support and join
the fight Innocents at Risk is waging against child trafficking. The hostess spoke of the “magnitude
and inhumanity of child trafficking.” Deborah Sigmund founded the not-for-profit in 2005 to protect
women and children by raising public awareness of the issue which goes under reported and is a
$32-billion industry worldwide. [gallery ids="101530,150177,150164,150187,150181,150168,150172,150184" nav="thumbs"]

Craft2Wear
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The special show and sale of jewelry and wearable art Craft2Wear opened with an invitational Advance Chance Party on Oct. 22 prior to the two-day public exhibit at the National Building Museum. Exhibitors had been previously juried into the Smithsonian Craft Show. The proceeds benefit The Smithsonian Women’s Committee, which through its grant process, supports education, outreach and research programs at the Smithsonian Institution. – Mary Bird [gallery ids="99456,99457,99458,99459,99460,99461,99462,99463,99464" nav="thumbs"]

Farewell Reception for the Ambassador of Monaco
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Ambassador of Monaco Gilles Noghès and Ellen Noghès will “migrate” to “Clair de Loon” in her native
Michigan in December. On Nov. 1, Bonnie McElveen Hunter hosted a cocktail buffet to bid them a fond farewell.
Guests were treated to a special performance by Soloman Howard, a young bass accompanied by Kevin
Miller. Howard was a Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist and made his Carnegie Hall debut earlier in the week. [gallery ids="101531,150152,150161,150159,150142,150147" nav="thumbs"]

De Pizan Honors
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The National Women’s History Museum presented the de Pizan Honors in a gala celebration at the Ronald Reagan Building Nov. 16. Catherine de Pizan was born in Venice and the first Western woman to write about women’s history in 1405. The evening celebrated the legend of pioneering women by showcasing their achievements alongside the contributions of their modern inheritors. Marissa Mayer, Cathy Hughes and Helen Greiner were the honorees. Actress Meryl Streep, the museum’s spokesperson, served as host of the gala before departing directly for China. Retired Sen. John Warner, recipient of the Henry Blackwell Award, advised women to “always sleep with one eye open.” [gallery ids="100406,113277,113328,113319,113287,113311,113304,113297" nav="thumbs"]

LUNGevity Foundation Musical Celebration of Hope Gala
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The LUNGevity Foundation Arabian Nights-themed gala at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium on Oct. 26 celebrated the great progress that has been made in lung cancer research. WUSA9’s Andrea Roane emceed the event, where LUNGevity President and Chairman Andrea Ferris presented the Hope Award for Corporate Leadership to The Dow Chemical Company and the Face of Hope Award to Representative John D. Dingell, who urged the over 300 attendees to continue to work to erase lung cancer for all. [gallery ids="101532,150138,150120,150125,150141,150135,150130" nav="thumbs"]