A Night Out: Bachelors and Spinsters

By: McLean Robbins

What: Bachelors and Spinsters Ball
Where: City Tavern Club, BCBG, Café Milano
When: Saturday, April 4, 8 PM to 1 AM.
Ticket Price: $75 for women, $100 for men.
Attire: Black tie.

Who: Several hundred “bachelors” and “spinsters” gathered at City Tavern Club on Saturday night for an annual Georgetown ball that benefits the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, which helps military families.

Scene: A mixed crowd of mostly single women and men mingled to the sounds of the Mustangs and Jill Stevenson, a soul singer, in the Grey Goose-sponsored vodka lounge. The party kicked off at BCBG next door, where guests shopped and sipped Champagne. The biggest perk of the pre-party? Sales associates held bags until the next day for guests who made early-evening purchases.

The party filled quickly between 10 and 11, when the Mustangs kicked it off with popular covers that drew many to the dance floor. Guests sampled small bites and cocktails on four levels. The third-floor lounge was especially popular, with an oversized ice sculpture and outdoor terrace on the warm evening.

Fashion: Most men donned traditional tuxedos, and about half of the women wore long dresses or ball gowns. A few men stood out with bright pocket squares or innovative studs and cufflinks. One woman in a strapless white dress looked fresh and boho-chic, as did another partygoer in a short navy dress with an exposed navy-and-white T-back. The best-dressed women sported elegant short or classic long dresses with simple additions such as a great bag or standout jewelry.

Food and drink: The event featured a lavish spread on the second floor with fruit-and-cheese platters, cookies, and miniature meatballs. The downstairs Heineken beer garden served traditional sausages and soft pretzels. Late in the evening, the event included a favorite tradition: a full breakfast with eggs, bacon, and sausage. Beverages included Heineken and Bacardi and Grey Goose cocktails, plus Red Bull-based cocktails such as the Chambulls, a mixture of Champagne and Red Bull.

Exclusivity: This event, nearly 20 years running, is touted as one of the Georgetown’s most exclusive benefits, and one of the few parties for which paper invitations are still printed. Members named to the Bachelors and Spinsters host committee are appointed for life—or until they cease to be a bachelor or spinster, anyway. The boldest-face name that we spotted was Bo Blair, owner of the Georgetown bar Smith Point.

Hilarious quote of the evening: An older gentleman attempting to chat up two twentysomethings as they left the ladies room: “You shouldn’t have walked away from me,” he said. “I was trying to offer you two passes to the very exclusive after party at Café Milano, with free Champagne.”

The after parties: A select number of partygoers headed to Café Milano for the Champagne, and an even smaller number continued at an after-after party at the members-only club L2.

Overall ranking:
Boldface names: 1.5 (out of five)
Swankiness: 3.5 (out of five)
Food/Drink: 3 (out of five)
Overall Exclusivity: 3 (out of five)
Total: 11 (out of 20)

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