Eric Motley, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, and MapHook president and CEO Dr. Paul Carter. Photograph by James R. Brantley.

In show business, the work ethic is simple: The show must go on. But what happens if a solo performer falls ill, and there’s a party planned for her after the show? Businesswoman and philanthropist Bonnie McElveen-Hunter answered that question Saturday as she welcomed guests to her Georgetown home. “On O Street, the show always goes on!” she said.

The party was to be in honor of mezzo-soprano Susan Graham after a midday performance at the Kennedy Center. But the evening before, soon after she arrived in Washington, the singer’s throat began to bother her, and by Saturday morning it was worse. The show was canceled, disappointing a few hundred fans holding tickets. Graham boarded a train home to New York to recuperate.

Her pianist, Malcolm Martineau, who did make it to the McElveen-Hunter party, said the performance would have been the last stop in a month-long tour that took them across the country and up to Canada. “In the evening, Susan felt something wasn’t right,” he said. “We went out in search of a humidifier and found one at CVS. But when she was warming up at rehearsal, it was not good. She’s the last person to cancel. It’s always a tough decision, but for the voice, when it’s not right, it’s not right.”

Personalized song hearts, $65. Available here.

Valentine’s Day may come around just once a year, but a dash of red or pink will give your home that loving feeling all year round. Head to Etsy for whimsical touches like personalized artwork and glitter-encrusted figurines. Or if you’re looking to embrace your sultry side, All Modern offers a wide selection of contemporary seating—including a heart-shaped cone chair and Heller Studio 65’s famous lip loveseat. Click through the slideshow for 18 V-Day-appropriate pieces to fall head over heels for.

"I wanted to put the spotlight on how egregious this legislation was," says Senator Janet Howell of bill SB 484. Photograph courtesy of Janet Howell.

In case you missed it last week, news of Virginia State Senator Janet Howell’s tongue-in-cheek amendment to Senate Bill 484 blew through the Internet, garnering quite a buzz. The bill, proposed by the GOP-led Virginia Senate, requires women to have an ultrasound before an abortion. Howell’s amendment? Require men to undergo a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test in order to receive a prescription to treat erectile dysfunction.

Her amendment was promptly vetoed, and SB 484 was passed with a 21–18 vote on Wednesday, but the Virginia rep’s actions weren’t totally in vain. We got in touch with Senator Howell, who represents the 32nd district, to ask her exactly what she was trying to achieve with the amendment.

When did you first become aware of SB 484?
We’ve known a bill like that was going to come for several weeks. Once the Democrats lost the Senate, we knew we’d have a whole series of bills and we probably wouldn’t be able to stop them any longer.

Rosa Mexicana's Disney-fied dessert.

This week you can sample Disney-inspired dishes at Graffiato, Fiola, Rosa Mexicana, Meatballs, and Ping Pong Dim Sum. The five Penn Quarter chefs behind these eateries are competing to concoct the “ultimate Disney Dish” in preparation for Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic, opening at the Verizon Center on February 15. Minnie, Mickey, and some human judges will ultimately decide the winner, but you can try all of the lunchtime-only selections through February 15 and choose for yourself. Part of the proceeds go to DC Central Kitchen.

If you indulged in last week’s DC Meat Week, repent with DC Meat-Free Week, today through February 13. The lineup of vegetable-y fun includes some serious deals H Street on Tuesday; a vegan cocktail demo and book signing from The Tipsy Vegan author John Schlimm on Thursday; and a raw-food tasting dinner at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw on Friday.

Everyone has a theory as to why the Skins can’t make the Super Bowl. Photograph by Brian Murphy.

The New York Giants are Super Bowl champions once more, and all we can do is lash out at the gleeful New Yorkers in our lives.

Why are you so happy? You lost to the Redskins twice. That should automatically preclude you from competing for the Super Bowl, let alone winning one. Stop smiling at me!

But they don’t care. They are the victors, and we are wallowing in a pool of misery that’s become all too familiar. Marion Barry knows what I’m talking about.

Two of the newest gowns from Monique Lhuillier. All photographs courtesy of Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier is known for creating gowns that feature both classic and trendsetting elements. Her feminine lace sheaths are perennial favorites; this season, she showed new versions of this silhouette (above, right). And her princess-worthy ballgowns are always grand and romantic. The designer also presented wedding dresses that featured some of the top trends of the season—sleeves, asymmetrical hemlines, new textural elements, and leg-baring slits—as well as some fun and flirty short dresses.

Check out all of the new Monique Lhuillier wedding dresses after the jump. If you fall in love with one of them, head to Carine’s Bridal Atelier in Georgetown this weekend for a Monique Lhuillier trunk show.

Photograph courtesy of Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/badosa/2825157506/" target="blank">badosa</a>.

Bob Dylan’s leather jacket will be making a permanent home in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, according to a source familiar with the transaction. The jacket is significant because he wore it the night of what Wikipedia calls the “Electric Dylan controversy.” It was the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, and Dylan shocked the folk music community by switching from acoustic to electric on three numbers, including “Maggie May” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” The performance reportedly received boos as well as applause from the audience.

At the time, Dylan was the king of American folk music, and the popular performers of the genre (Peter, Paul, and Mary; Joan Baez; Judy Collins) were steadfastly acoustic. Folk music topped the charts in the early ’60s, and bridged the gap between the rock tidal waves brought by Elvis Presley in the ’50s and the Beatles in 1963. The Beatles revolution eventually prompted other folk stars to go electric. Dylan, though, caused a stir, because he was Dylan.

Another reason the gift is significant, according to the source, is that “Bob Dylan didn’t save anything” from the early years. Apparently he’s not a pack rat.

Among the Smithsonian’s most beloved and talked-about collections is the museum’s assortment of entertainment artifacts. They include Irving Berlin’s upright piano, Minne Pearl’s hat, a yellow guitar that belonged to Prince, a signpost from the hit TV series M*A*S*H, Archie Bunker’s chair from All In The Family, the “puffy shirt” from a memorable episode of Seinfeld, and Carrie Bradshaw’s laptop from Sex and the City. These pieces of American pop culture are a reason the Smithsonian is often called “America’s attic.”

Our source did not know when the jacket will be presented nor whether Dylan himself will make the presentation.

Mark Kuller. Photograph courtesy of Proof.

Via a series of tweets this Saturday, Washingtonian restaurant critic Todd Kliman revealed some exciting news: Mark Kuller owner of Proof and perpetually packed tapas spot Estadio, has a new place in the works.

Here’s what Kuller told Kliman:

Located at 14th and S streets, Northwest, in the JBG building, the yet-to-be-named restaurant is inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine. Chef Haidar Karoum of Proof and Estadio “will bring modern techniques and execution to these traditional dishes,” Kuller said.

The menu at the 140-seat spot will be “an assortment of noodle dishes, soups, and grilled ‘sticks’”—skewers—of meats, seafood, and vegetables. There will be an open kitchen and a “curated cocktail bar . . . along the lines of Little Branch in NYC.” The latter will be helmed by Adam Bernbach, who is the bar manager at Kuller’s other two restaurants. An outdoor patio will accommodate 40 additional diners.

After a long journey filled with stops and starts, the DC Fashion Incubator has taken a promising step forward: It has named its first four residents.

Conceived by Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce (GWFCC) president Christine Brooks-Cropper, the Project Runway–like incubator will offer studio and office space, sewing equipment, and business and technical mentorship to the four budding designers. It’s located in the DC Convention Center complex in Northwest, and the new residents will be able to access it for the well below market rate of $250 per month.

“These inaugural DCFI designers were chosen by their potential to develop their brand and designs to ultimately become a successful business in various markets,” Brooks-Cropper said in a press release. “Our goal is to prepare them, as much as possible, to create a new and successful business that will add to job and economic development in the District.”

The four designers named in a GWFCC press release last week are Azadeh Tajdivand, Isaiah Butler, Gennet Purcell, and Tatiana Kolina. Read on to find out a bit more about each designer.