BRABO Tasting Room is flexing its happy hour ‘mussels’ with a spring patio party on Sunday, May 7 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Newly-appointed Executive Chef Sebastien Rondier invites all Old Town Alexandrians to the restaurant’s picturesque courtyard for an al fresco happy hour featuring a one-day-only menu created for the special afternoon! While listening to lively music, ticket holders will have the opportunity to meet new friends and neighbors, and enjoy as many oysters, mussels, frites, and refreshments as they desire.
Patio sips will include microbrews from Port City Brewing and 21st Amendment Brewery as well as a variety of international and domestic rosé wines from BRABO Tasting Room’s new “Around the World in Eight Rosés” menu. For those looking for a more low-key Sunday, house-made ginger beer and nitro draft coffee will be available on tap.
French-born Chef Sebastien, turned Alexandrian resident, will greet guests throughout the party and share stories from his globetrotting career. Each guest will receive a special invitation card to try the new happy hour ceviche. Chef Sebastien’s patio-party menu reflects BRABO Tasting Room’s casual and neighborly atmosphere. It includes the following:
Hors d’oeuvres
- Virginia oysters in a mint and cucumber gin gelee
- Mini veal burgers
- Cerdonia Farms crispy pork belly with local ramps and a blackberry & pepper reduction
- Freshly-shucked oysters on the half shell
Mussels
- Port Town – mussels with Port City beer, whole grain mustard butter, and herbs
- Harissa – mussels with harissa broth, grilled scallions, sautéed red onions, and red bell peppers
- Salumi – mussels with salumi broth, herb butter, roasted tomatoes, and serrano chips
Frites
- Espelette pepper frites
- Parmesan and truffle frites
- Garlic and parsley frites
Tickets for the BRABO Tasting Room patio party are $50 each, all inclusive of food and beverage, and available at https://brabopatioparty.eventbrite.com.
The Trust for the National Mall will celebrate its tenth anniversary as an official partner of the National Park Service with a benefit gala, the BALL for THE MALL.
WHAT: CNN’s Wolf Blitzer will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the program, which will include a celebration of accomplishments to date and a look ahead to continued progress. The event will honor businessman and philanthropist, David M. Rubenstein, with the “History, Heroes, & Hope Award” for his dedication and continued support in restoring and improving the National Mall and visitor experience. Award-winning author and historian Douglas Brinkley will present Rubenstein with the honor. The benefit gala will also include a VIP reception, seated dinner with guest speakers and live music and entertainment. Ticket information at nationalmall.org/ballforthemall.
WHO: Honoree: David M. Rubenstein, Co-CEO & Co-Founder of the Carlyle Group
Emcee: Wolf Blitzer, CNN’s lead political anchor
Speakers: Douglas Brinkley, Author & Historian
Catherine Townsend, President & CEO of the Trust for the National Mall
Chip Akridge, Chairman, Trust for the National Mall
WHEN: May 11, 2017
6:30 P.M.
WHERE: On the grounds of the National Mall
Madison Drive at Twelfth Street
Celebrating ten years of partnership with the National Park Service, the Trust for the National Mall is dedicated to sustainably restoring, improving and preserving the National Mall for present and future generations. Stretching from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, the beloved but well-worn National Mall hosts 36 million visits each year but requires more than $840 million in deferred maintenance and needed upgrades. This public-private partnership is a model for bringing critical resources to the National Mall, home to the enduring symbols of our democracy.
Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder take audiences behind the mic of their record-smashing, award-winning podcast, Serial, on Thursday, May 11, 2017at 8 p.m. in the Music Center at Strathmore. Launched in 2014 from the talents behind This American Life, Serial is credited with bringing mainstream attention to the podcast format and has been downloaded more than 175 million times, making it the most listened-to podcast in the history of the form. Among other honors, Serial won the 2014 Peabody Award, the first time it has been given to a podcast. The success of Serial helped Koenig and Snyder launch Serial Productions, which released its latest project, the buzzed about S-Town, in March 2017. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
Serial tells one story—a true story—over the course of a season. Thus far, the podcast has resurrected a real crime drama in Baltimore and revisited the experience of a U.S. Army soldier held captive by the Taliban. Each season, the creators follow a plot and characters on a winding journey, leading to unexpected revelations and unsuspected endings.
Sarah Koenig began her career as a newspaper reporter—her first reporting job was at her weekly hometown paper. She lived in Moscow, Russia for several years, where she worked for The New York Times, and once she returned, went to work for the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire covering crime and politics, the same beats she’d go on to cover at The Baltimore Sun. In 2004 she became a producer at This American Life, which she has guest-hosted several times. She has also produced and reported some of the show’s most popular episodes, including “Switched at Birth,” “Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde” and “Habeas Schmabeas,” a Peabody Award-winning show about Guantanamo Bay. Koenig is co-creator and executive producer of S-Town, a 7-part non-fiction podcast from Serial Productions hosted by Brian Reed.
Julie Snyder has been the guiding force behind two of the most successful ventures in audio broadcasting—she is the co-creator of the podcast Serial and, for many years, was the senior producer of the public radio show This American Life, where she is now a contributing editor. Snyder began working at This American Life in 1997, almost from its inception. Along with host Ira Glass, she has set the editorial agenda for the program, winning four Peabody Awards along the way. She has produced many of This American Life’s most entertaining and memorable episodes, including “24 Hours at the Golden Apple,” and “Notes on Camp.” In addition, Synder has also headed the show’s most ambitious and topical programs, notably episodes covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care reform, and urban violence in Chicago. In 2013, Snyder approached Koenig about trying something new—a different kind of storytelling—which led the narrative journalism of their podcast, Serial.
About Strathmore
Strathmore presents and produces exemplary visual and performing arts programs for diverse audiences; creates dynamic arts education experiences; and nurtures creative ideas and conversations that advance the future of the arts. The organization’s hallmark is the Music Center at Strathmore, with a 1,976-seat concert hall and education complex. Its core campus also includes the historic Mansion at Strathmore, which features an intimate Music Room and art galleries. Most recently, Strathmore opened AMP, a 250-seat cabaret-style venue located just up Rockville Pike from the core campus in the burgeoning Pike District of Montgomery County. Strathmore’s signature education, mission-driven programs include the Strathmore Student Concerts and the Artist in Residence program.
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Strathmore is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities.
Strathmore is also supported in part by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
Strathmore Presents
Backstage with the Creators of Serial
Binge-Worthy Journalism with Sarah Koenig & Julie Snyder
Thursday, May 11, 2017
8 p.m.
Tickets $25-$75
Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20852
For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit www.strathmore.org or call (301) 581-5100.
Pop Up Flower Bar …
Got ice? On Friday, May 19, VIDA Fitness’ Penthouse Pool Club on U Street will host its Third Annual ALS Silent Auction fundraising fete. Morning talk show hosts Tommy McFly, and Kelly Collis from 94.7 Fresh FM’s The Tommy Show will emcee the event and auction themselves off to the highest bidder in a chilly Ice Bucket Challenge. In the past two years, the VIDA Fitness ALS Silent Auction Event has raised a combined total of more than $50,000.
The poolside, rooftop cocktail party will include a silent auction to benefit Augie’s Quest, a nonprofit research initiative dedicated to finding a cure for Amyotrophic Laterals Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
The ALS event will run from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and feature complimentary food from the Penthouse Pool Club’s new menu designed by Sean McIntosh. DJ Danny House will spin house tracks while guests bid on silent auction items donated by DC area retailers and businesses including an autographed soccer ball from DC United, a round of golf at Congressional’s Blue Course, tickets to the annual Bacon & Bourbon festival and a Kirk Cousins autographed football. Cocktail attire is required for this public event.
Tickets are $30 and can be purchased here. Guests may also sponsor the event for $1000. The sponsorship includes 10 event tickets and access to a cabana suite with a complimentary bottle and bottle service all night long.
For more information on this event, please visit: 3rd Annual ALS Fundraiser & Silent Auction
WHO: Penthouse Pool & Lounge at The Yards
ALS Silent Auction Fundraiser
WHAT: Proceeds to Benefit ALS Foundation Augie’s Quest
Live Entertainment by DJ Danny House
Cocktail Attire Required
Public Event / Cash Bar
Tickets $30 / Available at: http://tinyurl.com/ALSevent2017
WHEN: Friday, May 19
6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
WHERE: Penthouse Pool Club at U Street
Rooftop Pool & Lounge
1612 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
WHAT: Embassy chefs from around the world will gather for the 2017 Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge presented by TCMA (A Drew Company), to showcase the unique flavors of their countries in a friendly, delicious culinary competition. With more than 30 embassies participating, this year’s event offers attendees a global culinary experience unmatched in Washington DC.
Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a sip and bite from all participating embassy chefs, and cast their votes for the People’s Choice award. The winner will be announced alongside the Judges’ Choice – selected by a group of elite members of the worlds of diplomacy, culture and the culinary arts, who will critique each dish and beverage before placing their votes.
The Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge not only encourages culinary diplomacy, but also celebrates the arts of many cultures and highlights some of the area’s amazing musicians, dancers and singers. In years’ past, performances have included Bolivian folk dancers, Russian violinists, Chinese dancers and Brazilian samba artists. This year’s event will feature a non-stop range of performances to accompany the delicious food and drink that will be served.
Embassy of Barbados, swept the competition in 2015 winning over the people and the judges, and was the Judges’ Choice winner last year, alongside Peoples’ Choice winner Embassy of the Philippines. Both countries will return to the competition this year to defend their titles and win another coveted golden pineapple.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 24, 2017, 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20460
WHO: Chefs from every corner of the globe will be competing, including:
| ASIA | AFRICA | EUROPE | THE AMERICAS |
| Afghanistan Azerbaijan Bangladesh Indonesia Iraq Kazakhstan Japan Korea Nepal Pakistan Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka |
Ghana Kenya Mauritius Morocco Tunisia |
Belgium Germany Moldova Ukraine |
Bahamas Barbados Bolivia Chile Dominican Republic Ecuador Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Paraguay Peru Uruguay |
PRICE: General Admission – $65.00
Includes all the global sips and bites and live entertainment
VIP – $95.00
Includes one-hour early entry to meet chefs, taste their offerings, and network with embassy community elite
For tickets and more information, please visit http://www.eventsdcembassychefchallenge.com/home_2017#tickets
Never afraid to speak her mind, pop culture icon Whoopi Goldberg shares her musings on life and unique observations on current events, coupled with an unscripted audience Q&A, in the Music Center at Strathmore on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 8 p.m. The woman who blessed the internet with the “you in danger, girl” meme is one of an elite group of artists who have won a Golden Globe plus an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). She is also a prolific producer and well known for her humanitarian endeavors on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse, and the battle against AIDS. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 10 a.m.
Born and raised in New York City, Goldberg worked in theatre and improvisation in San Diego and the Bay Area, where she created the characters which became “The Spook Show” and evolved into her hit Broadway show, Grammy-winning album, and the HBO special that helped launch her career.
Goldberg made her motion picture debut in Steven Spielberg’s film version of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award, while her performance in Ghost earned her Oscar and Golden Globe awards for Best Supporting Actress. Goldberg has starred in such films as Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Clara’s Heart, The Long Walk Home, Soapdish, Sister Act, Made in America, Boys on the Side, Ghosts of Mississippi, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Girl, Interrupted, and The Lion King, among others. She appeared in the 2015 feature film adaption of Adriana Trigiani’s beloved novel, Big Stone Gap, opposite Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, and Jenna Elfman.
Goldberg’s many television credits range from series, mini-series, and talk shows to movies and specials. She currently moderates ABC’s The View, for which she has won a Daytime Emmy.
Goldberg has also produced numerous series, specials, and movies for television, as well as theatrical productions on Broadway and around the world, including the Tony Award-winning Thoroughly Modern Millie and the Tony-nominated Sister Act: The Musical. She produced and made her directorial debut with the Emmy-nominated documentary Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley, which premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival before its critically-acclaimed run on HBO. Goldberg and business partner Tom Leonardis produced the docu-series According to Alex for BET and Strut, an original series which follows transgender models breaking down barriers in the world of fashion, for Oxygen.
Whoopi’s Broadway credits include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Xanadu. She made her West End stage debut in a special limited run as Mother Superior in Sister Act: The Musical in 2011.
In 1992, Whoopi made her debut as an author with her first children’s book, Alice. She also wrote Whoopi’s Big Book of Manners and the Sugar Plum Ballerinas book series for young readers. Her books for adults include Book, Is It Just Me?, and If Someone Says “You Complete Me”…Run!.
