On Thursday, April 23rd, diners across the Washington metro region will stand up against HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by sitting down at restaurants participating in this year’s Dining Out for Life® fundraiser (www.foodandfriends.org/dol).
Now in its 19th year in Washington, DC, Food & Friends enlists the benevolence of area eateries – from Hyattsville to Shirlington, from Dupont Circle to Georgetown – in support of children and adults facing life-challenging illnesses who benefit from the organization’s nutrition services. More than 90 area restaurants have pledged to contribute 25% to 100% of that day’s proceeds to directly benefit Food & Friends’ programs and clients in the National Capital Region.
“Diners can easily make a huge impact on the lives of so many in need in our community simply by going out to dinner on April 23rd,” says Food & Friends’ Executive Director Craig Shniderman. “Funds raised by big events during the year like Dining Out for Life® make it possible for us to serve thousands of meals each day to those living with the challenges of HIV/AIDS, cancer and other debilitating illnesses.”
Founded in 1988, Food & Friends is the only organization providing specialized meals, nutrition counseling and friendship to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illness within a 5,346 square mile service area. The nonprofit’s staff of professional chefs and registered dietitians designs meals that meet the special dietary needs of persons living with a broad range of illnesses. Since its inception, Food & Friends has provided more than 18 million meals to more 26,000 individuals, and has helped family members, friends, and loved ones provide care and support. Food & Friends fulfills its mission through a partnership with 10,000 volunteers and a dedicated staff of 52. Their confidential services are free of charge to individuals and families living throughout Washington, DC, and 14 counties of Maryland and Virginia.
Last year, Dining Out for Life®, raised more than $200,000. In 2015, Food & Friends is thrilled to have more than 90 restaurants on board, including those that are donating their entire evening’s proceeds to Food & Friends – Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant (100%), Annie’s Paramount Steak House (100%) and Ristorante Tosca (100%).
Please visitwww.foodandfriends.org/dol for a complete listing of participating restaurants.
DC wine institution Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar will transform into a wine-centric movie theater showing the critically acclaimed documentary Somm on Monday, May 4 at 6pm.Accompanied by a panel of DC wine experts, DC’s original wine bar will invite guests to its cozy Sonoma Avenue Lounge for a full movie theater experience, with a wine flight tasting and an unlimited popcorn bar featuring fun house made varieties, like Classic Butter, Ranch, Dill Pickle-Spiced and Truffle, for $30 a person.
As Somm follows four sommelier hopefuls on their journey to compete against the best in the business and pass the test to become Masters, Sonoma will be hosting its own local wine tasting competition. Sonoma Beverage Director and sommelier Woong Chang will be joined by sommeliers Elli Benchimol ofRange and Andrew Stover of Oya and Sei to conduct a guided wine tasting with guests-and then compete against one another in a blind wine tasting, just as is done in the film.
In addition to the fun popcorn bar, guests can also select from Chef de Cuisine James Marroquin’s a la carte menu house made movie snacks, like Popcorn-Marshmallow clusters, Old Bay-Spiced Candied Nuts, Soft Pretzel Twists with mustard or bacon peanut butter, and Crispy Chickpeaswith coriander & cumin.
Space is limited and tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite For more information, please visit www.sonomadc.com or call 202.544.8088.
Who: Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar
Sonoma Chef de Cuisine James Marroquin
Sonoma Beverage Director Woong Chang
Range Sommelier Elli Benchimol
Oya and Sei Sommelier Andrew Stover
The Shakespeare Theatre Company, recipient of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, presents its Annual Dinner and Mock Trial at Sidney Harman Hall(610 F Street NW) on Monday, May 11, 2015. This marks the 20th year that Shakespeare Theatre Company has put on the Mock Trial. The evening begins with dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Forum, followed by the Trial at 7:30 p.m. in the theatre. A special session of the Supreme Court of La Mancha will review the decisions of the Family Court to declare Don Quixote mentally incompetent and his subsequent placement under the guardianship of his niece, Antonia.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will preside and will be accompanied by Justice Stephen Breyer, as well as Chief Judge Merrick Garland and Judge Patricia Millett, both of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Tom Goldstein of Goldstein & Russell P.C. andCarter Phillips of Sidley Austin LLP will argue the case. The Trial will be moderated byAbbe D. Lowell of Chadbourne & Parke LLP, chair of the STC Bard Association and STC Board of Trustees member.
Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company says of Mock Trial, “As I’ve often said, Shakespeare doesn’t tell us what to think, he tells us what to think about. This is what Mock Trial does so stunningly, it uses these classic stories as lenses to look at seemingly old issues and bring them to our modern, and legal, world.”
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Mock Trial is sponsored by the Bard Association, STC’s affinity group for Washington’s legal community.
Since 1994, the Shakespeare Theatre Company has hosted a Mock Trial based on a play from STC’s mainstage season. The fictional court case poses a legal question, or questions, and the audience must act as the jury to decide the fate of the characters. The Trial aims to examine the links between classic works and contemporary legal theory in a way that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Past Mock Trials have explored whether Malvolio (Twelfth Night) was entitled to damages for wrongful imprisonment; Iago (Othello) was guilty of the murders of Desdemona and Othello; Hamlet (Hamlet) was insane when he murdered Polonius; and if Sir John Falstaff (Henry IV) should have been compensated for his services to Prince Hal and reinstated as a member of the royal court. Last year’s Mock Trial concentrated on the characters in William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure and argued whether the Duke of Vienna should be held responsible for abuses of power perpetuated by his appointed representative, and debated issues of illegal secret surveillance, false imprisonment, negligent appointment of an unfit deputy, and disrespect of commitment to religious vows.
This season’s Mock Trial focuses on the characters in Dale Wasserman’s Man of La Mancha and asks the question: Did the Family Court commit reversible errors of law and fact in determining that Don Quixote was mentally incompetent, and should the Family Court have appointed Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s loyal friend, as his guardian, rather than his niece Antonia?
SCENARIO
As word spread of Alonso Quixana’s (self-named and known to the world as Don Quixote) exhibited signs of mental illness or incompetence, his niece Antonia petitioned the Family Court to appoint her to be his guardian to protect his financial interests and to make medical decisions for him. In support of her petition, Antonia described Don Quixote’s hallucinations, his instigation of ill-conceived and ill-fated battles, his unwitting contribution to the brutal treatment of Aldonza, and his persistent inability to separate reality from illusion. Antonia stated that Don Quixote was unable to manage his assets, pay his medical expenses, or make financial decisions in his own best interests, and that he had been the victim of financial exploitation without even realizing others were taking advantage of him. Antonia’s fiancé, Dr. Carrasco, provided a petition of incompetency claiming to be Don Quixote’s treating physician and asserting that Don Quixote’s mental disability was permanent and that he had no ability to understand the nature of the proceedings or reasons for appointment of a guardian.
The Family Court heard extensive testimony about Don Quixote’s ill-fated escapades during his career as a knight errant, about his discussion of his “dreams,” his tendency to burst into song, and his claims of being a knight. His friends testified about Don Quixote’s idealism, courtesy, generosity, gallantry, and nobility. Sancho Panza said Don Quixote knew he was not really a knight, but simply liked to conceive of a nobler world inspired by courtesy and bravery. Don Quixote’s attorney argued that he did not need a guardian, but that if the Court disagreed, it should appoint Sancho Panza, not Antonia.
The Family Court appointed Antonia as Don Quixote’s guardian. On petition for review by the Supreme Court of La Mancha, Don Quixote has asked the Court to decide two questions:
1. Did the Family Court commit reversible errors of law and fact in determining that Don Quixote was mentally incompetent within the meaning of the laws governing appointment of guardians of property and persons?
2. Assuming Don Quixote was not fully competent to manage his affairs or make decisions about his medical treatment, should the Family Court have rejected Antonia’s petition as motivated by fraud and self-interest, and instead have appointed Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s loyal friend, as his guardian?
TICKET INFORMATION
Interested in Premium Seating and Dining with the Participants before the Trial?Tickets to the Dinner and Trial ($350) are available now. To purchase tickets please call 202.547.3230 ext. 2330 or contact MockTrial@ShakespeareTheatre.
Trial-only Ticket Prices
A Price: $75
B Price: $50 (limited availability)
Student: $20 (valid student ID required when picking up tickets)
Tickets on sale for STC donors and season subscribers on March 18 at noon.
Tickets for the general public on sale March 23 at noon.
For more information please contact MockTrial@ShakespeareTheatre.
Gourmet Symphony Presents The Saloon Concert Series: Woodworking 101
Wednesday, May 20, 2015 | 6-8 pm
Beuchert’s Saloon (623 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Join Gourmet Symphony al fresco at Beuchert’s Saloon‘s garden patio to explore the mastercraft of woodworking and its influence on music, whiskey production, and open-flame culinary arts. Hear how woods from specific forests can shape the tonalities of instruments – from the bass to the marimba; learn from Jeff Wells, veteran of DC’s craft beverage scene, how American whiskey producer Michter’s chooses its barrels when aging its bourbons; and taste the best fare of the season grilled up by Chef Andrew Markert.
Your ticket includes tastings of 3 exclusive spirits paired with 4-5 custom small plates and live chamber music performances.Tickets are $35 per person and available for purchase via Eventbrite: bit.ly/1EQdF0A.
On Monday, June 15, 2015, Will on the Hill, a favorite bipartisan event of theatre and political fans alike, returns to the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Now in its thirteenth year, this year’s event features a performance of Midsummer Madness,an original play by Peter Byrne, and directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul.The cast will include special guest performer, STC Affiliated Artist Edward Gero andSamira Wiley, known for her role in Orange is the New Black.
The annual Will on the Hill event welcomes Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and distinguished Washington insiders onto the Shakespeare Theatre Company stage to perform a political satire infused with Shakespearean language and references. The event pays tribute to the unique dynamic of our city and provides a wonderful way to engage new audiences. Proceeds from this event support STC’s many education, artistic, and community engagement programs including in-school workshops and online learning resources that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages. Will on the Hill will take place in Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW), and begins with a VIP cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m., and a buffet dinner immediately after the performance.
This year’s cast for Will on the Hill will include guest actors Samira Wiley and Edward Gero. Wiley is a TV and film star and a graduate of the Julliard School, best known for her starring role as inmate Poussey Washington on the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black. Gero has been a prominent figure in the Washington theatre community and STC Affiliated Artist has appeared in more than 70 roles on the STC stage, most recently as King Henry IV in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2. He recently created the role of Justice Antonin Scalia in the world premiere of John Strand’s The Originalist.
In addition to Midsummer Madness, the evening includes a performance from students inText Alive!, a free arts integration program offered by STC to D.C. area schools, which teaches Shakespeare’s plays through performance and adaptation. This year, students from Virginia’s West Springfield High School present their disco-style take on the wrestling scene from As You Like It, which was performed earlier this spring for the Duchess of Cornwall during her visit to the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
About Midsummer Madness: Summer in Washington finds two lobbyists, one male, one female, vying for a job at the prestigious lobbying firm Stratford, Avon and Bard. Each thinks the other has the advantage due to their gender, so their interviewer puts them to the task of solving some of their clients’—and Washington’s—biggest conflicts. Things do not go as planned, however, as Shakespeare’s heroes and heroines emerge to join the fray. The battle of the sexes is far from over…
Many members of Congress will join Edward Gero and Samira Wiley on the STC stage, including Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Representatives Joyce Beatty (D-OH),Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Susan Davis(D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Jim Himes(D-CT), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jim Moran (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jared Polis (D-CO), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Mike Turner (R-OH), and Ryan Zinke (R-MT).
Other illustrious cast members include The Honourable Ian Liddell-Grainger (MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset), Christina Sevilla (DA U.S. Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President); and members of the media, including Jonathan Allen(Vox), Ron Christie (CEO Christie Strategies), Steve Clemons (Washington Editor-at-Large, The Atlantic, National Journal, Quartz), Bob Cusack (Editor in Chief, The Hill), Rich Edson (Fox News), Amy Holmes (The Blaze TV), Rick Klein (ABC News’ Political Director), Latoya Peterson (Fusion), Thomas Rogan (Tom Rogan Thinks), Robert Siegel(NPR’s All Things Considered), Pamela Lynne Sorensen (Pamela’s Punch), and Kelly Jane Torrance (The Weekly Standard).
The Honorary Co-Chairs for the event are Speaker John A. Boehner (R-OH), The Honorable James E. Clyburn (D-SC), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) andU.S. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
* Cast members subject to change.
A select number of performance-only tickets to this popular event are available online atwww.shakespearetheatre.org/
industree’s popular event, Hail to the V, returns on June 16th from 5:00pm – 8:30PM at The Wonder Bread Factory, located below street level at 641 S Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001. Hail to the V will celebrate a handful of D.C.’s most fearless, accomplished and unstoppable females in the food & beverage industry. The evening will feature networking with snacks provided by Caviar DC, followed by candid panel discussions focused on what it takes to be a successful woman in a male-dominated industry. The winner of industree’s annual V Award will also be announced live at the event, honoring the one woman who has stood out this past year by thinking outside the box and innovating/inspired her peers, both male and female!
This evening will be hosted by “Femme-cee” Eun Yang of NBC4, and panelists include:
Hilda Staples, Bryan Voltaggio Restaurants
Aggie Chin, Capella Washington, DC Georgetown
Allison Cooke, CORE DC
Meshelle Armstrong, EatGoodFood Group
Caroline Blundell, Ripple
Christine Kim, TICO
Joey Hernandez, Tim Ma Restaurant Group
Sarah Tune, Davis Wright Trimane
Ris Lacoste, RIS
The evening will also showcase additional bites provided by female food-entrepreneurs such as Whisked!, Soupergirl, Ice Cream Jubilee and a brand new Pinot Grigio created by Drew Barrymore for the Jackson Family Fine Wines.
Tickets are available at http://theindustreegroup.
industree is an event-based brand and the candid voice of the food & beverage industry. They cultivate a community of seasoned industry innovators, future trailblazers and everyone in between to provide the connections, tools and real-life advice that make opportunities possible. Their unfiltered events and content provide a platform to share, learn and grow both personally and professionally. @DCindustree @PHLindustree @MIAindustree @ATLindustree
The 2nd annual Launch Pad, a culinary business competition created by Union Market, Mess Hall and RIS
Guests at the finale will be treated to cocktails and small bites as finalists Arepa Zone, Bao Bros Bar, Half Smoke, Whisked, and Bene pitch their original concepts. The winner will be announced by a panel of judges, including restaurant mavens Patrick O’Connell, Aaron Silverman, Drew Nieporent, Dav
An after-party will feature chefs’ tables with previous Launch Pad contestants, judges, and advisors. Guests will mingle with food and drink mavens such as DC Brau‘s Jeff Hancock, Mari Rodela, and Brendan Skall, Cake Love owner Warren Brown, and Capital Kombucha owner John Lee, among others. Locally produced snacks and beverages will be provided, and hometown bartenders will mix specialty cocktails featuring Jefferson’s Ridiculously Small Batch Bourbon, Gosling’s Rums, and Pallini Limoncello.
Who: Union Market, Mess Hall, RIS owner Ris Lacoste
What: Launch Pad Grand Finale
Where: Dock 5, Union Market (1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002)
When: Sunday, July 12, 1pm-5pm
Tickets: $25 | Tickets can be purchased here.
