All posts in Around Town

Pacific Day An Escape to Island Time, Excuse to Pig Out (Literally!)

By Rebecca Ferguson in Around Town, Culture, Parties/Events · June 18, 2013 · No comments

Seashell necklaces and bottles of fresh Fiji water greeted all guests as they arrived to Pacific Day at the New Zealand Embassy on Monday.

Hosted by the Washington Pacific Committee, Pacific Day showcased ideas, food and culture from the Pacific Island Region… and capitalized on the importance of environmental preservation and enhanced engagement between the Pacific Islands and the United States.

The event started with speeches from the Honorable Henry Puna (Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum) as well as the Honorable Hersey Kyota (Dean of the Pacific Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Palau), followed by a reception featuring dancers from the Pacific Islands, and a tempting traditional buffet inviting guests to sample such dishes as Fa’alifu Fa’i (green bananas cooked in coconut milk), Lamingtons (mini sponge cakes covered in chocolate and coconut) and a whole roasted pig.

DC Explores the Magical Yangtze

By Rebecca Ferguson in Around Town, Culture, Travel · June 18, 2013 · No comments

Traditional Performer

Washingtonians explored the “Magical Yangtze” of China Monday night — and they didn’t even have to use a passport! Countless opportunities to the explore The Middle Kingdom and its Yangtze River were on display at the Embassy Suites.

The China National Tourist Office hosted a Travel Trade Exhibition, cocktail reception, tourism presentation and dinner to emphasize the importance of growing American tourism in Asia and promote healthy bilateral ties between the East and West.

A three course meal was accompanied by traditional Chinese performances and presentations on all that China has to offer. A native to the Yangtze River highlighted the country’s scenic wonders and new tourist policy that allows travelers to stay in central cities for 72 hours without a visa.

[Party Pix] Harvard Takes Over the Huxley

By K Street Kate in Around Town, Parties/Events, People · June 17, 2013 · No comments

The Harvard Business School Club of Washington held its Spring Networking Night at The Huxley late last week, inviting members to enjoy some lounge time while listening to the wisdom of Kristi Hedges, hbs1 author of The Power of Presence: Unlock Your Potential to Influence And Engage Others.

The exclusive networking event, purported to be the largest event of the year for all Ivy League Alumni on the East Coast, attracted some 150 attendees to jac_2404-65 schmooze with the likes of Tommy Wells, Carson Koyang, and Heather Young.

A partnership with SportsClub LA was also announced at the event.

See who was spotted and snapped here:

*All photos credit Jack Conroy

The District Dish: Voolla

By K Street Kate in Around Town, Charitable Involvement, News/Updates, People, The District Dish · June 17, 2013 · No comments

Want to make a difference, but don’t know how your skills can help the charity of your choice? Watch to learn more about Voolla - a literal volunteer marketplace. Find out about how this locally created company is turning volunteer skills into money for charities.

Fathers and Futures at the Crystal City Car Show

By Rebecca Ferguson in Around Town, Green, Tech · June 17, 2013 · No comments

As families enjoying Father’s Day looked on, alternative power car enthusiasts excitedly explained the beauty of electric cars… and why they are the vehicles of the future.

crystalcitycar1 Of course, they weren’t the only car fanatics in the vicinity. The Crystal City Car Show took place in Arlington this Sunday and featured a variety of automobiles including innovative electric vehicles, classic muscle cars, area sports car auto clubs and a beer garden hosted by the Washington Wine Academy.

Dennis (at left), the owner of a hybrid Chevy Volt, tried to entice passersby to switch to an American-owned, American-powered ride with arguments that electricity is cheaper… and that the ride and handling is similar to a BMW or Audi. The only problem? “… Once you own one you will never go back to gasoline!”

As a father holding his little girl strolled by, an onlooker mused that everyone will be driving electric cars by the time she turns sixteen.

Introducing The Sunshine District

By K Street Kate in Around Town, Arts/Theatre, Dish, Music, News/Updates · June 16, 2013 · No comments

Go and order an Ugly Purple Sweater. It’s a classic old-fashioned with a twist…which will be just like most things at The Sunshine District: Classically Twisted. This upcoming “normal venue” just refuses to do things normally.

Officially opening next weekend, The Sunshine District is a concert venue with a side of quirky mixed drinks and in-your-face local music. It’s stocked with 5 listening stations, each equipped with a record player and a CD player (Vinyl and CDs supplied by DC/DC-area musicians), and a menu of specialty cocktails all inspired by area artists. (That’s right. Tiger Gilliam sure is the sound behind the Sober Mormon.)

The June 21st opening party will be played by Tall Tall Trees. Check out the venue’s Facebook page for details on how to get invited, then grab an Aging Hipster (no, not really — this one’s named for Barrie Lee Howard) and listen it up local.

*The Sunshine District is located at 2010 9th Street NW

The World Pianist Invitational Brings Masterful and Mini to KenCen

By Rebecca Ferguson in Around Town, Arts/Theatre, Dish, News/Updates · June 16, 2013 · No comments

Twenty-five of the world’s best classical pianists were invited to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night. However, as masterful as they were, some of the performers could barley reach the foot pedals!

piano1 All between the ages of 6 and 29, these pianists were selected from over 2000 applicants to perform at the inaugural year of The World Pianist Invitational. Applications and online video performances were reviewed by a judicial committee, before five performers in each of the five age categories were invited to Washington.

Joshua Stanczak, 1st Play in 6 – 9 Category

“We found out there wasn’t an opportunity for young promising pianists to play at the Kennedy Center and it seemed like such a crime,” explained Patrick E. Saty, CEO and co-founder of the competition, “I am absolutely amazed at how talented the pianists are – these young people are just regular kids with extraordinary talent developed through some exceptional dedication.”

After coming off stage Gianna Sabatini (a member of the six to nine age category) explained, “I love playing piano! I practice four hours on the weekends and one to two hours on the weekdays.”

Over $10 000 in cash scholarships were awarded by an international panel of music judges at the completion of the performances.

Devil Wears Prada Author and Revenge on Rooftop of W Hotel

By K Street Kate in Around Town, Books, Celebs, Fashion/Style, Parties/Events, People · June 14, 2013 · No comments

Over a thousand well-dressed DC women flocked to the W Hotel’s POV rooftop to get their Revenge.

At the first W Happening of 2013 Thursday evening, author Lauren Weisberger made a personal appearance (her only in DC) to sign the sequel to her bestselling book, The Devil Wears Prada, the new Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns. Local ladies just can’t get enough of Weisberger’s fashion and power pageturners… and a chance to meet the author was just one of the party perks.

Speciality cocktails, a NARS lipstick bar, hair primping by IPSA for Hair by Nectar, a Bloomingdale’s fashion preview and a DressYourGuests.com photo booth rounded out the runway ready event surrounding the long-awaited sequel.

Irina, Diana and Michelle hold their signed copies

In it, the reader catches up with Andy Sachs nearly a decade after she ceremoniously (of sorts) left her job working as the Second Assistant to Miranda Priestly at Runway Magazine. She has a new life, a new love, and a new career. But Miranda doesn’t evaporate from her life so easily.

Hollis Pica with DressYourGuests.com Kate Brennan and Jane

“I think everyone gets a little revenge in this book,” Weisberger told KSM as she signed books for a small group of VIPs before the larger swarm signing that coincided with the Rooftop Revenge party. ”But I especially wanted it for Andrea. Not everything in life should turn out perfectly, but she strives to stay a good person.”

“At its core, Revenge Wears Prada is about the struggle for power – just while wearing great shoes. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate this story in Washington than overlooking the White House, which currently symbolizes both power and fashion better than anywhere else.”

Crave Kimpton 2013 Ups its Peek-A-Boo Appeal

By K Street Kate in Around Town, Parties/Events · June 14, 2013 · No comments

“I guess it’s appropriate that the pole dancers are in the dessert room,” K Street Magazine overheard a guest laugh at the annual Crave Kimpton event, held this year at the Hotel Monaco Thursday night.

Guests were greeted in showstopper style

Unexpectedly enticing experiences were popping up all over the historic downtown property.

Photojournalist Rodney Bailey, Event Planner Danielle Couick and The Dandelion Patch’s Heidi Kallet

4Bitten’s Mary Kong and Johnna Rowe

Crave Kimpton, a non-traditional open house showcase of local Kimpton properties now in its 12th year, featured aspects of each of the companies’ 13 hotel brands, offered endless food and specialty drink temptations (Jackson 20‘s deviled eggs and Firefly‘s chocolate and hazelnut homemade ice cream sandwiches were crowd pleasers this year!), and gave clients and hospitality insiders an intimate look at what makes the places so appealing.

And how much more intimate can it get than checking out what might happen in an “occupied” room?! Kimpton hired actors to invite you into their “Peek-A-Boo” rooms, showing what might happen behind closed doors — and even handing out some free nightly hotel stays so attendees could look forward to experiencing it for themselves.

National Geographic’s 125th Anniversary Gala: Excitement & Exploration

By Rebecca Ferguson in Around Town, Celebs, Dish, Parties/Events, People · June 14, 2013 · No comments

Base Jumper Felix Baumgartner

“I think Obama, he is the guy to jump with,” offered base jumper – and the first person to break the sound barrier – Felix Baumgartner at the National Geographic Society‘s 125 Anniversary Gala. ”He seems to know what he is doing and is very disciplined. But… I’m not sure if the secret service would be happy with him doing that!”

Trebek and Baumgartner, with John Fahey, NatGeo Chairman and CEO

Baumgartner joined Academy Award winning film maker James Cameron, ‘Jeopardy!’ host and National Geographic Bee moderator Alex Trebek, scientist Edward O. Wilson, oceanographer Sylvia Earle, and humanitarian Howard G. Buffet at the formal affair Thursday night which took place at the National Building Museum and included a cocktail party and reception, dinner, awards ceremony and an after party all in the theme of “A New Age of Exploration”.

Exploration included the eats — a locally sourced dinner menu took guests on a geographical journey. The first course centered around the ocean, the main had an earthly theme, and dessert saluted the Arctic.

Past recipients presented the above honored guests with awards celebrating their contributions to exploration, science and natural conservation. Upon acceptance, each urged guests stay the environmentally friendly course.

Said Trebek, “There are so many things conspiring against us, least of which is apathy. But that can be fixed.”