- Nightlife

Your guide to the region's top events, mixed with some commentary about life, media, gossip and politics in Washington, DC.

Photos: Best of Washington Party

Wednesday night, we celebrated Washingtonian's July Best Of issue by bringing together over 50 of Washington's best restaurants, bars, and more. Check out our photos of the event, which took place at the National Building Museum and drew a crowd of Washington's hottest movers and shakers.

Click on each photo to see the next.

Photos by Kevin Allen and Chris Leaman, and Elan Artists

Check back later today and tomorrow for even more photos!

A Night Out: Opera Ball Photos

The Washington National Opera hosted its annual ball on Friday, June 5, which in recent years has grown into one of Washington's most elite social events and this year attracted more than 500 opera fans, including Supreme Court justices, congressmen, senators, and government officials. Tickets, which started at $1,000 a person, included dinner at one of several embassies around the city—from Finland to Italy—and then an elaborate ball at the German Ambassador's residence. Click below for our photo slideshow.

All photos by Chris Leaman.

Hollywood Hits Washington at the Night at the Museum Premiere

By Emily Leaman

Robin Williams! Owen Wilson! Ben Stiller! Amy Adams! We got photos and video of all the stars from last week's Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian premiere.

The Night at the Museum premiere was a mob scene. Here, actor Owen Wilson poses for a gaggle of photographers. Photograph by Chris Leaman

There was no shortage of Hollywood glamour in Washington last night. The stars of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian came out in droves for the world premiere at the Air and Space Museum. We were perched behind the velvet ropes to catch all the red-carpet action.

A large crowd of gawkers gathered outside the museum around 6:30 to catch the stars as they arrived. Hank Azaria, who plays Egyptian emperor Kahmunrah, was the first to walk the press line. He schmoozed with almost all of the reporters and even broke out his Chief Wiggum voice—he does the voices for several Simpsons characters—for Channel 7’s Arch Campbell. Robin Williams took his time with the media, too, pausing to chat with the heavy hitters, such as People and Access Hollywood as well as local reporters.

Amy Adams, who plays Amelia Earhart, breezed by most of the press line. But we were able to hear the red-headed actress—who looked stunning in lavender, by the way—tell a few reporters that she worked hard to study up on her character. “I watched every documentary I could find,” she said.

Owen Wilson lingered the longest on the red carpet. He didn’t talk to many reporters, but we caught him taking in some of the nearby exhibits. “Does anybody know what this plane is?” he asked reporters, pointing at a NASA aircraft. We were stumped, but Channel 5’s Maureen Umeh was able to entice Wilson to answer a few questions. How? She complimented him on his blond locks, of all things.

Check out our video and photo slide show after the jump!

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Actress Mariska Hargitay Awarded for Cancer Philanthropy

By Emily Leaman

At least 500 people in Washington last night didn’t watch the Caps game: the attendees of the Rays of Hope Gala at the Mellon Auditorium. The annual event, hosted by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, was a gathering for survivors and advocacy organizations. It showcased the work of individuals who are making a difference in the fight against cancer.

The evening’s two honorees were Doug Ulman, a cancer survivor and founder of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, and actress Mariska Hargitay, who was awarded for her cancer philanthropy. Ulman was absent from the event—he’s traveling the globe with the Lance Armstrong Foundation—but Hargitay, who plays detective Olivia Benson on NBC’s Law and Order: Special Victim’s Unit, accepted her award in person. Face the Nation’s Bob Schieffer, a cancer survivor, was the emcee.

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WHCA Photos: The Bloomberg Party Red Carpet

Ashton Kutcher! Eva Longoria! Natalie Portman! And so many more. The list of celebrities for this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner was especially long. Check out our photo slideshow.

All photos by Kyle Gustafson

See photos from Tammy Haddad's brunch

A Night Out: NFL Players Gala

By Elizabeth McNamara

What: NFL Players Gala featuring the JB Awards

Where: Washington Hilton, International Ballroom

When: April 16

The day started with a morning football clinic at Catholic University’s Cardinal Stadium, where more than 75 local Special Olympic athletes got tips from NFL Player-honorees. The actual gala began with a cocktail hour and silent auction at 5 PM, and a dinner at 6 PM.

Cost: Tables of 10 were $5,000 each.

Beneficiary: Special Olympics District of Columbia. Celebrating its 40th year of service, SODC provides sports and fitness training, health screenings, and competitive outlets to local athletes with intellectual disabilities.

SODC Executive Director Steve Hocker says SODC’s partnership with the NFL Players  Association “gives professional athletes the chance to relate with the intellectually disabled that have the desire and the passion to be the best they can be.” There are roughly 17,000 citizens with intellectual disabilities in DC and the gala raises about $400,000 for SODC athletes from 54 public schools, group homes, and affiliated agencies and associations.

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Photos: The Best of Washington Voting Kick-Off Party

We celebrated the kick-off of the Best Of Washington voting with a party at downtown nightclub Josephine. Check out the photos of the evening.

All photos by Kevin Allen

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Can DC’s New Digital News Operations Replace the Once-Great Newspaper Bureaus?

Gone are the robust bureaus for the Los Angeles Times, Newhouse News, and other once-healthy news organizations. Digital media bureaus now are taking their places with as many reporters and plenty of swagger. more

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