David and Katherine Bradley's WHCAD party in 2012. Photograph by Jeff Martin.
In a little more than two weeks, expect high gear and high madness with the arrival of the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual fete, the party that began as a one-night-only dinner and became a four-day-weekend extravaganza. It’s been called a prom, a circus—even, by some, a monster. Detractors grumble about “what it has become”; still, the dinner at the Washington Hilton sells out, and wannabes clamor for invitations to the before- and after-parties. And, of course, an assortment of movie, TV, music, fashion, and media celebrities make it a must-stop on the spring celebrity social circuit.
While not quite the party smorgasbord of the relatively recent inauguration, and minus
the citywide security lockdown, it is a feast of see-and-be-seen events. Like the
inauguration, it demands a certain amount of social fortitude to get to everything,
starting on the evening of Thursday, April 25, and running through to brunch on Sunday,
April 28. Access to these parties is unlikely without an invitation. But we thought
you’d like to know how members of the media celebrate when they throw a party in honor
of themselves. For a person with the right connections, who wanted to run a party
marathon, this is what the calendar would look like. (We will update as more invites
come our way.)
Thursday, April 25
Foreign Affairs and Devex host It’s a Big World, After All at the 17th and F street offices of the Council on Foreign Relations. Whom/what to expect? Foreign policy wonks.
NeuProfile and FinePoint PR host the Spin Room With Rock the Vote
at Heist in downtown DC. Whom/what to expect? Deejays Rar Kelly and Adam to the Max,
who will spin. Also “exclusive VIP swag.”
Friday, April 26
The Hill and Coca-Cola host a cocktail reception at the 23rd Street residence of the Turkish ambassador. Whom/what to expect? According to the Hill, “members of Congress and other DC insiders.”
Atlantic Media’s David and Katherine Bradley host their annual Welcome dinner at their Embassy Row home. Whom/what to expect? “DC insiders, Hollywood, and media,” according Atlantic Media.
José Andrés with Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor. Photograph by Carol Ross Joynt.
It was barely possible for superstar chef José Andrés to eat, drink, or talk at his 20th anniversary party, because so many well-wishers crowded around to give him hugs and kisses. They included Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor, US senator Mark Warner, Spanish ambassador Ramón Gil-Casares, and DC mayor Vincent Gray. The party, held Tuesday night at Andrés’s flagship Penn Quarter tapas restaurant, Jaleo, was described as only the beginning of a yearlong series of celebrations.
Working the room along with Andrés was his business partner, Rob Wilder, and other members of Think Food Group, which owns Jaleo, Oyamel, Zaytinya, and Minibar in DC, in addition to several other restaurants in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, and Miami. But Jaleo came first, in 1993, setting a new standard for Spanish cuisine in the capital.
The party was virtually all Spanish—the food and the drinks. The evening’s cocktail was a gin and Aperol concoction, the red and white wines were from Spain, and the passed food included oysters in gin and tonic and cones with salmon roe. Midway through the party, the kitchen staff brought out a jumbo dish of paella.
Vice President Joe Biden and Italian ambassador Claudio Bisogniero onstage at the Opera Ball on Saturday night. Photograph by Carol Ross Joynt.
It turns out billionaires can be just like everyone else—they want to be up front when the big act hits the stage. This particular event was not a rock concert but the Opera Ball, and the big act in question none other than Vice President Joe Biden. A handful of Washington-area billionaires pressed to the front of a virtual black-tie mosh pit to be closest to the Vice President when he made a surprise appearance at the ball Saturday night. Standing just yards from Biden and listening closely as he praised Italy and the Italian ambassador, the ball’s hosts, were Kennedy Center chair David Rubenstein, Mars candy heiress Jacqueline Mars, ball chair Connie Milstein, and philanthropist Adrienne Arsht—who combined are worth approximately $20 billion.
Word spread quickly among the 550 guests that the Vice President and his wife were at the Villa Firenze in a holding room meeting privately with ambassador Claudio Bisogniero and his wife, Laura, and would be on the stage at any moment. It was the first time in recent memory that anyone could recall a Vice President attending the annual gala, which costs upward of $1,000 a ticket and raises money for the Washington National Opera. There was no clue in advance, because unlike most appearances by the Vice President—for example, last week at the Kennedy Center for the Vital Voices award ceremony—there were no security checks, no Secret Service agents operating walk-through magnetometers, looking inside handbags or asking for IDs.
Maybe there were special security screening devices in the flower-festooned golf carts that shuttled guests from valet parking on Albermarle Street, four to six to a cart, up and around the long, curving driveway to the impressive Italian residence, which, while bathed in bright colored lights, was still somewhat upstaged by the two luxury Italian roadsters parked out front, a Ferrari and a Maserati. They were there to be admired and to remind us the Italians know how to make hot cars. Indoors, and under a massive marquee out back, the WNO re-created an Italian town square, adorned with lemons—in cachepots large and small and even hanging from the ceiling intertwined with votive candles—plus enough pasta, risotto, cheeses, meats, olives, cakes, cookies, chocolates, and other desserts to easily feed everyone. As with last year, when the ball was at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, Susan Gage provided the catering. There were bars in every direction and a special table dedicated to sampling notable Italian wines, plus a self-serve limoncello bar with three brands of the liqueur available on tap. The evening’s specialty cocktail was a creation of limoncello and Champagne served in a flute.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden. Photographs by Carol Ross Joynt.
If the look and the sound of a presidential campaign—large crowded auditorium, screaming fans—can have a soft rollout, it would possibly look something like the scene at the Kennedy Center Tuesday evening for the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards, where the headliners were the two most talked-about contenders for the 2016 Democratic presidential ticket. The double bill was Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who gave her first speech since leaving President Obama’s cabinet. In their remarks the two veteran politicians did not veer away from the message of the evening: women—their rights, protections, and potential worldwide. On this subject they sounded less like future opponents and more like running mates.
Clinton, just back from a vacation in the Dominican Republic, looked happy and rested. She no longer wore the thick eyeglasses ordered by a doctor due to medication prescribed after she fainted, fell, got a concussion, and was hospitalized. A close friend said that the episode is behind her and she’s off the meds and “all better.” Clinton also seemed to be delightedly in her natural habitat, among hundreds of like-minded individuals, mostly women, who support Vital Voices, an organization she formed as an initiative 15 years ago as First Lady. She also presented an award to her longtime friend and lieutenant, Melanne Verveer, who is currently perched at Georgetown University while Clinton figures out what’s next.
“When women participate in peace-keeping and peace-making, we are all safer and more secure,” Clinton said. She added that when women participate in the economy, “everyone benefits.”
Clinton was introduced by designer Diane von Furstenberg, who had her arm in a sling, which she referred to as a “skiing misadventure.” Clinton walked out from the wings in a white jacket and dark pants to a standing ovation. She seemed to take special satisfaction in recalling her long association with Verveer, remembering in particular when Verveer was her White House chief of staff; their focus then, too, was global women’s issues. “We often had meetings in a place called the Map Room, where FDR used to track the progress of our armies in World War II,” Clinton said. “We thought it was an appropriate place for women of the White House to meet.”
Continuing with the map theme, she said, “Maps can tell us as much about ourselves as [about] the world around us. You can look at a map of the world and see nothing but problems as far as the eye can perceive. That is especially true for those of us committed to the struggle for women and girls. We see too many countries where women still face violence and abuse, too many political systems that treat women as second-class or even worse. Too many economies that deny women the chance to participate and prosper.”
Clinton said she sees progress, however, “because we know people who are making that progress against the most extraordinary odds.” She said for the women struggling for an opportunity, a piece of land, an education, or to start a business or run for office, “all it takes is for them to have a fighting chance.” She said that as Secretary of State she was determined to “weave this perspective into the fabric of American foreign policy.”
Once introduced, and after a warm embrace, Verveer went to the podium to say her thanks while Clinton stood behind her, displaying an expression that was nothing less than pride.
Zach Peters, Avery Ayan, and mother Alyson Ayan talk about their experiences at the Children’s Inn. Photographs by Dori Zweig.
Avery Ayan from Florida is an energetic, fun-loving eight-year-old girl. But as a baby, she was always getting sick. Her mother, Alyson, didn’t think too much of it at first, but it happened so frequently that she became concerned. When Avery was two, her doctors mistakenly diagnosed her with leukemia, and she received an emergency bone marrow transplant. But they soon discovered it wasn’t leukemia making Avery sick, and the doctors didn’t know what else it could be.
Last July, after six years of not getting any answers, Alyson and Avery traveled to the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. During their very first visit, doctors at the NIH figured it out. Avery had a rare blood disease called RAS-Associated Autoimmune Leukoproliferative Disorder (RALD). Throughout Avery’s diagnosis and treatment, Avery and her mother stayed together at the Children’s Inn at NIH.
The Children’s Inn provides a place for seriously ill children and their families to stay while the children are receiving treatments at the NIH. Through various activities, such as arts and crafts and family dinners, the Children’s Inn works to keep families together “to reduce their stress and facilitate healing through mutual support.” The inn has kid-friendly features such as a treehouse, a pool table, and an air hockey table.
“When you’re at the Children’s Inn, you forget why you’re even there because you’re having so much fun,” Avery said. “I just want to stay at the Children’s Inn for 6,000 years.”
On Saturday night, Avery told her story in front of 1,200 people at the 15th annual gala benefiting the Children’s Inn. The event, held at the Marriott Wardman Park in DC, began at 6 with an intimate VIP reception in the Maryland Room of the hotel. The mingling hour included an open bar and appetizers such as mini mushroom tarts and tuna tartar, while a live classical trio played in the background. Meanwhile, the mezzanine level featured an ongoing silent auction with items such as luxurious furs and diamond jewelry, along with artwork made by children who stayed at the inn. This year’s art contest theme was “what makes me thankful.” The winning painting was featured on the cover of the evening’s program.
Performer Jim Belushi with executive director of the National Capital Area Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Gabrielle Urquhart. Photographs by Jeesoo Park.
Flashing lights. Floor-length gowns. A total of $2.75 million raised in one night.
The Leukemia Ball, the largest non-political black-tie event in all of Washington, DC, happened this past Saturday evening at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. With its mission to ultimately find and fund a cure for blood cancers, it has thus far raised $45 million for the National Capital Area Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since 1988.
With the theme of Saturday Night Blues, the 26th annual ball hosted approximately 2,000 attendees this year, in addition to comedian Dana Carvey and musical guests Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts band. Past acts have included Diana Ross and Jerry Seinfeld.
The night began with a VIP reception at 6. As photographers trailed Belushi, guests ordered cocktails and wine at the scattered open bars, and awaited Leukemia Ball co-chairs Jim Davis and Candace Duncan to take the podium. Other VIP members present included Loo Katz, host of 97.1 WASH-FM, executive director of LLS’s National Capital Area Chapter Gabrielle Urquhart, and Kathy Planthaber, this year’s Mission Moment honoree who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2010. There were also friends, supporters, and volunteers such as Matthew Forke, a survivor of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
After the reception, guests could peruse more than 400 silent auction items—including a basketball autographed by Wizards player John Wall, exotic getaway trips, and an entire section dedicated to children’s bikes—while listening to jazz music played by a saxophone, keyboard, and guitar band. Crowds gathered around the on-display Mercedes 2013 GL450 SUV and the C250 Sport Sedan, which were to be raffled off later that night for $100 a ticket.
Gary Sinise Foundation committee member John Underwood with development director Stacy Taylor and Sinise. Photograph by Dori Zweig.
It was an ordinary day in southern Baghdad for Michael Schlitz. His platoon was instructed to complete a simple road-clearing mission, so they headed out to survey the area and identify Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Because of their extensive military training, Schlitz and his platoon knew better than to drive down any road more than once—a second drive through would give the enemy a chance to predict their route and strike. But when they reached a dead end, they had no choice but to turn around.
That was when two artillery shells attached to a propane tank exploded. Schlitz was thrown from the truck and landed face down on the ground, his body on fire. The surviving members of his platoon called for help, and Schlitz was saved—but his driver, gunner, and medic were not so lucky.
That day in February 2007 cost Schlitz both of his hands and the vision in his left eye, and 85 percent of his body was burned. He has since undergone 82 surgeries.
After meeting Schlitz and hearing his story, actor and philanthropist Gary Sinise wanted to help. So Sinise asked Schlitz to be a part of the Building for America’s Bravest program. Through the program, Schlitz received a customized smart home, complete with automated lighting, heating, air conditioning, and window treatments controlled by an iPad, as well as wide doorways for easier accessibility.
The Building for America’s Bravest program, which was created by the Gary Sinise Foundation with help from the Stephen Siller Tunnel Tours Foundation, has pledged to complete or break ground on 25 smart homes for injured veterans like Schlitz by the end of 2013. Each smart home even comes with a Lieutenant Dan Band concert at the opening. To raise money for programs like Building for America’s Bravest that help defenders, veterans, first responders, and their families, the Gary Sinise Foundation held a benefit dinner called Inspiration to Action on March 20 at the Westin Georgetown Hotel.
Guests and honorees of the foundation filtered into the Caucus Room restaurant as the evening commenced at 6:30 with a pre-dinner cocktail hour. Supporters, friends, and wounded veterans mingled in the bar area, sipping Prosecco and enjoying appetizers of tuna tartar and potato confit topped with prosciutto. Committee members, including former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour, Jay Hoffman, and Gary Knell, were spread around the room. Connections were made as one guest discovered he and another attendee had mutual friends; two men, Steve Emerson and Steve Amerson, realized they have similar names. Something everyone had in common: their admiration of Sinise’s commitment and generosity.
Elle editor in chief Robbie Myers and Jill Biden. Photographs by Carol Ross Joynt.
Italy, powerful women, and the first day of spring came together Wednesday evening for a dinner at the Italian ambassador’s residence, Villa Firenze. The theme was “luminaries,” and the hosts were Elle magazine and Gucci. The guest list featured the Vice President’s wife, Jill Biden, in the fashion spotlight in a nearly backless dress, which some called “daring” but seemed to us mostly an elegant and almost demure choice. After all, one does not wear just any old schmatte to a party hosted by a fashion magazine and one of the world’s best-known fashion houses. To the extent that Washington pulls out fashion for an occasion, there was some fine fashion on display. Lobbyist Heather Podesta, for example, was dressed by Gucci from head to toe in flowy mauve and yellow silk. She hoisted up a leg to show off her strappy yellow Gucci stiletto sandals.
We had a minor mission, though. Given the amount of recent play in the media about the mysterious hacker who goes by the name “Guccifer,” we wanted to see whether Gucci could help figure out the correct pronunciation. After all, they share half a name. We broached the subject to a pod of Gucci executives. Did they know about “Guccifer?” No. A brief explanation was provided. Their eyes widened, not sure where the inquiry was headed. “Do you think the name is pronounced ‘goochee-fer’ or ‘goose-i-fer’?” we asked. Wider eyes. No one wanted to jump in until one Gucci rep said, “Well, the two Cs together would make it ‘chee . . .’ but no comment.” Mission accomplished, sort of.
The Italian ambassador, Claudio Bisogniero, and his wife, Laura, were in good spirits. Given that it’s the year of Italian culture, their home is seeing a lot of action, which they seem to enjoy. This was the second year in a row they played host to the Elle dinner. Last year’s sponsor was Armani. Like at the last dinner, this year had beautiful spring light streaming in through the huge windows of the mansion, and catering by Cafe Milano, including most of the Georgetown restaurant’s waitstaff. Waiters decked out in Gucci slip-ons passed trays of delicious bite-size canapes that included toast squares holding seared tuna or mozzarella di bufala, a round of fig and cheese, and fluffy breaded cheese balls. They also passed trays of Prosecco and white and red wine to complement the full bar.
When dinner was called at close to dusk, the guests filed into the soaring great room, which held three long tables, each decorated with rows of pink roses in vases that were separated by votive candles. The vibe was entirely Italian, especially with the colorful Murano glass chandeliers and sconces. We wondered why they were not lit. One Italian offered this explanation: “Murano is Venetian, and the Guccis are Florentine.” Hmmm. Could that be? We asked the ambassador. He said someone had merely forgotten to turn on the lights.
The reopened Belle View Safeway, all dressed up for a party. Photograph by Carol Ross Joynt.
We know we live in challenging economic times (with wisps of improvement), but are the times so challenging that even a supermarket needs an opening party—or, in the case of the Belle View Safeway, a reopening party?
Apparently so. Since the market crashed in 2008, Safeway has opened or reopened six stores in the Washington area, and two are slated to open next year. On Thursday evening, company executives welcomed 500 guests to the opening of the more than 40,000-square-foot Belle View store, which had been closed for six months during the renovation. The so-called “spring social” featured classical music, wine pours, buffets of food samples, lots of Easter candy for guests to self serve, and a hefty swag bag.
The customers, at least those we overheard, were impressed. “I wish my mom was still alive to see this,” a woman said to her friends as they entered through red drapes. A man tasting shrimp wrapped in bacon said, “I can’t wait to return to do lots of shopping.” At the crowded cheese buffet, a woman said, “This has been a long time coming.”
Supermarket openings are not new to our social calendar. We were curious to check out the Virginia party because in the spring of 2010 we attended the reopening of the Georgetown Safeway. That party was amazing. Guests were offered flutes of Dom Perignon and Louis Roederer Cristal Champagnes—with refills—as well as glasses of other famous French, Italian, and California wines. It was a very splashy and special party. Would it be the same in Belle View?
Not exactly, but not bad, either. On Thursday evening there were Virginia wines and local craft beers, but the high-priced Champagnes were behind glass cases. The evening’s signature blood orange and tangerine cocktail, a Cherry Blossom, was pretty and sweet—and nonalcoholic.
On the way out we stopped at the check out to ask a clerk about customer reactions she had heard. Lesly D, as her nametag read, said the customers seemed most of all pleased to have the neighborhood store back open. “They had to go to other stores, and we had to work at other stores, too. Everybody’s enthusiastic,” she said.
Robert Liberatore started the Patty Liberatore Fund to honor his late wife. Photographs by Dori Zweig.
Throughout her six-year struggle with breast cancer, local philanthropist Patricia Liberatore never had to worry about how she would afford her costly treatments. But she knew other patients who were struggling to keep up with their payments and wanted to find a way to give back to Sibley Memorial Hospital, where she was receiving care. So her husband, Robert Liberatore, suggested they start a fund to help cancer patients in need pay for treatments at Sibley. “She gave me one of those electric smiles and said, ‘Oh, please do that. I would love that,’” he said.
Soon after that conversation, on July 15, 2012, Patricia passed away at age 67.
But Robert was determined to carry out his wife’s request. So he launched the Patty Liberatore Fund with a personal donation of $100,000. The fund will help patients who wouldn’t otherwise have the means to pay for cancer treatment at Sibley, childcare during treatment, and transportation to and from the hospital.
On March 14, Liberatore opened up his home in Spring Valley to friends and family for an evening of appetizers, wine, and sharing memories of his wife. The benefit, planned by the Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation, also gave Liberatore a chance to introduce the fund to the community.
When guests arrived at the white, two-story house situated in the middle of a cul de sac, they were greeted by friendly valets and Sibley event organizers. Walking through the house offered a chance to see photographs of Patricia displayed throughout the study, hallway, dining room, kitchen, and living room. Susan Gage Caterers served sparkling glasses of wine and platters of shrimp on a bed of grits, chicken skewers with an aïoli dipping sauce, and mushroom quesadillas. More than 130 guests attended, including congressman John Dingell, American University’s Anita McBride, high-profile attorney George Vradenburg, and Michael Berman of the Durbenstein Group.
Midway through the evening, attendees gathered in the living room to hear a few words from Liberatore, as well as from Sibley Hospital president Chip Davis; Patricia’s doctor, Fred Smith; and Patricia’s longtime friend, Courtney Pastrick, who is also a breast cancer survivor.* The speakers each contributed short stories about Patricia and explained her desire to help others. Liberatore opened with a description of his wife from a note he once received. “Patty had a smile that could light a small city,” he said.
So far, the Patty Liberatore Fund has raised $210,000. For more information about the cause, visit the Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation website.
