David Sedaris has leveraged his sardonic wit and incisive social critiques to become one of America’s preeminent humor writers. Beginning with his wildly popular “Santaland Diaries,” the great skill with which Sedaris slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that he is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition. He visits his D.C. “home away from home,” the Music Center at Strathmore, on Friday, October 17, 2014 at 8 p.m. Says the San Francisco Chronicle: “Sedaris belongs on any list of people writing in English at the moment who are revising our ideas about what’s funny.” For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
In addition to “Barrel Fever,” Sedaris is the author of “Holidays on Ice,” as well as collections of personal essays, “Naked,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” “When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” and his most recent book, “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls,” each of which became an immediate bestseller. The audio version of “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls” was a 56th Annual Grammy nominee for Best Spoken Word Album. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling collection of fables entitled “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary.”
Sedaris’s pieces appear regularly in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” There are a total of seven million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 25 languages.
He and his sister Amy Sedaris have collaborated under the name “The Talent Family” and have written half-a-dozen plays which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center, and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include “Stump the Host,” “Stitches,” “One Woman Shoe,” which received an Obie Award, “Incident at Cobbler’s Knob,” and “The Book of Liz,” which was published in book form by Dramatists Play Service.
David Sedaris’s original radio pieces can often be heard on This American Life. David Sedaris has been nominated for three Grammy awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. His most recent audio recording of new stories (recorded live) is “David Sedaris: Live for Your Listening Pleasure.”
A feature film adaptation of his story “C.O.G.” was released after a premier at the Sundance Film Festival (2013).
Life has been an endless series of adventures for Neil Patrick Harris. He has enthralled fans for nearly three decades in more than 100 wildly varied roles, ranging from the iconic Doogie Howser, M.D., and Barney Stinson to Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible and his recent, Tony Award-winning turn as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.Never one to limit himself, Harris is also a two-time Emmy host, four-time Tony host, an accomplished amateur magician, and a licensed taxidermist (one of those is not true). Exhausted yet? Neil’s not!
In addition to his busy work life, Neil is also raising very energetic twin three-year-olds with his husband, David Burtka. But how did an aspiring child actor from a tiny mountain town in New Mexico turn into an award-winning, jet-setting, A-list performer who is also the most prominent example of gay family life in America? By chance or by choice? Not only will NEIL PATRICK HARRIS: CHOOSE YOUR OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY (Crown Archetype; On Sale October 14, 2014) tell readers the whole story, Neil invites them to step into his shoes and roll the dice for him at decisive turning points throughout his life. In this affectionate homage to the Choose Your Own Adventure books he loved as a kid, he offers dozens of paths to choose from, some of which lead to the NPH we know and love, and others that end in the type of tragic demise that will be very familiar to fans of the original series. Neil Patrick Harris reinvents the celebrity memoir with an autobiography that puts YOU in charge of his life.
WHO: Neil Patrick Harris
WHAT: Book signing
WHEN: 7:30 PM
WHERE: Sixth & I
600 I Street Northwest
On Thursday, October 30, amid a media storm and public outcry critical of bad behavior by NFL players, Washington-area professional athletes will step out as fashion models and step up as role models at the 6th Annual Walk This Way Charity Fashion Event. DC-based nonprofit organization Becky’s Fund, returns to the Italian Embassy (3000 Whitehaven St. NW) to host its highly anticipated annual fashion show, featuring global luxury clothing brand, GANT. Washington Redskins’ wide receiver Pierre Garçon and Washington Nationals’ pitcher Gio Gonzalez are just a few of the stars confirmed to hit the catwalk in support of this year’s event. Ticket sale proceeds will benefit Becky’s Fund’s “Men of Code” program — training high school athletes to become leaders in the movement to end violence against women. The show will also showcase cocktail and black-tie attire from notable designer, Karen Millen.
Moët Nectar Impérial Rosé and Belvedere will serve as the official spirits for the VIP and Players’ Lounge, adding an air of elegance to the always beautiful main atrium at the embassy.
Attendees will have the chance to rub elbows with the DMV’s favorite professional athletes, Grammy award winning performers, politicians and elected officials, business leaders and fashion influencers. Tickets for the high profile event start at $150 for general admission and $300 for VIPs, and will include specialty drinks, gourmet food and tasty desserts, as well access to the night’s buzz-worthy feature show.
For more information about Becky’s Fund and the Men of Character and Ownership, Dedicated to leading by Example, please visit www.beckysfund.org.
EVENT DETAILS:
Thursday, October 30, 2014
6:30 p.m.
Embassy of Italy
3000 Whitehaven St. NW
Washington, DC 20008
General Admission Tickets – $150
VIP Tickets – $300
Tables – $1,200 to $5,000
Sponsor Packages – $5,000 to $25,000
Event Chair – Michelle Schoenfeld of Renu Medical Spa
WHAT: City Tap House, the craft beer-focused restaurant located at 901 9th Street, NW, 20001, is partnering with The Washington Capitals to host a fundraiser benefiting Foundation 4 Heroes. Hockey fans are encouraged to stop by Sunday, November 9th from 5 PM to 7 PM, to meet John Carlson, Karl Alzner and Troy Brouwer of The Washington Capitals who will be guest bartending throughout the two-hour event. There is a $20 entrance fee with entitles guests to a complimentary beverage, and a $10 fee for all autographs with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Foundation 4 Heroes, a non-profit organization which inspires and supports children battling diseases to discover the Superhero inside of them and overcome challenges they face.
Additionally, a silent auction with prizes such as hockey paraphernalia and Fender® Guitars signed by Alice Cooper, Dierks Bentley, and Steve Lukather will be available to the highest bidder. Sponsors for this two-hour event include: Red Bull, Ketel One Vodka, and Bulleit Frontier Whiskey. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://tap-house-dc.
WHEN: Sunday, November 9th from 5 PM to 7 PM.
WHERE: City Tap House is located at 901 9th Street, NW, 20001. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For reservations or additional information, please call (202) 733-5333 or visit www.citytaphousedc.com.
WHY: The mission of the Foundation 4 Heroes is to reinforce a path for a positive future by promoting the superhero inside every child. We recognize and embrace our responsibilities as role models and will inspire and teach children to: (1) always do the right thing, (2) to never give up, (3) listen to your parents and (4) never be a bully (by being kind and respectful to others). We encourage the children to believe in themselves, fulfill their dreams, and overcome obstacles while lifting their spirits and being supportive of their unique needs. More information can be found online at:http://f4heroes.com.
Join CQ Roll Call and Hooks Book Events as they host John Bicknell for a book-signing event Wednesday, November 12th.
6 p.m. EST
LOCATION: Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital
Food & beverages will be served.
Complimentary copies of the book will be distributed on a first come first served basis.
America 1844: Religious Fervor, Westward Expansion, and the Presidential Election That Transformed the Nation
About the book:
The presidential election of 1844 was one of the two or three most momentous elections in American history. Had Henry Clay won instead of James K. Polk, we’d be living in a very different country today. Polk’s victory cemented the westward expansion that brought Texas, California, and Oregon into the union. It also took place amid religious turmoil that included anti-Mormon and anti-Catholic violence, and the “Great Disappointment,” in which thousands of followers of an obscure preacher named William Miller believed Christ would return to earth in October 1844.
Author and journalist John Bicknell details even more compelling, interwoven events that occurred during this momentous year: the murder of Joseph Smith, the religious fermentation of the Second Great Awakening, John C. Frémont’s exploration of the West, Charles Goodyear’s patenting of vulcanized rubber, the near-death of President John Tyler in a freak naval explosion, and much more. All of these elements illustrate the competing visions of the American future—Democrats versus Whigs, Mormons versus Millerites, nativists versus Catholics, those who risked the venture westward versus those who stayed safely behind—and how Polk’s election cemented the vision of a continental nation.
About the author:
John Bicknell is the Executive Editor of @FCWnow in lives in Haymarket, VA. Follow on Twitter: @JohnBick1960
On Tuesday, November 18, José Andrés and ThinkFoodGroup will host Sean Brock—the James Beard Award-winning Chef of McCrady’s and Husk Restaurants—at America Eats Tavern to celebrate his new cookbook: Heritage. For $60, tickets include a taste from the cookbook courtesy of America Eats Tavern Head Chef Nate Waugaman, local wines from Virginia’s own Trump Winery, and a signed copy of the book.
The reception will take place in the front bar and private dining room in a passed bite/drink format. The restaurant will remain open for business should guests decide to stay for dinner (price not included in ticket).
What: Sean Brock cookbook party at America Eats Tavern
When: Tuesday, Nov 18 from 6:30—8:30pm
Where: America Eats Tavern (1700 Tysons Blvd inside the Ritz Carlton at Tysons Corner; McLean, VA) *By Metro – Silver Line to Tysons Corner
How: To purchase tickets, visit https://nvite.com/BrockatAmericaEats/brockatamericaeats
On Thursday November 20, at 7:30 at Gala Theater (3333 14th St NW), join local filmmakers, boxing stars and musicians for a benefit film screening and after party featuring stories from the world of Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness, a Columbia Heights based non-profit gym and youth program that trains champions and mentors young people.
Into the Lime Lite follows two-time USA Boxing National Champion Malik Jackson as he prepares for a tough match in the Belfast Beltway Classic. Out of the Basement follows Greg Newby as he embarks on a pro-boxing career after a fall from grace. Jackson and Newby train at Lime Lite Boxing and Fitness, a small gym in the heart of Columbia Heights DC that is 100% fueled by local volunteers, grassroots fundraisers and community support. Both films (documentary shorts) feature music from local musicians including Brendan Canty (Fugazi, DeathFix) The Evens and Buildings. The films were made by possible by the Documentary Center at GW and The DC Arts and Humanities Commission.
The after party features food generously donated by The Coupe (Lime Lite Boxing’s neighbor) and music from local DJs. Doors at 7:30. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds will benefit Lime Lite’s boxing and mentoring program.
Ford Evening Book Talk
January 8, 7 p.m.
Mount Vernon welcomes author Turk McCleskey to the Rubenstein Leadership Hall at the Fred W. Smith National Library to discuss his book, “The Road to Black Ned’s Forge: A Story of Race, Sex, and Trade on the Colonial American Frontier,” on January 8. This event is free, however registration is required. Please visit mountvernon.org for more details.
Simon Doonan
Monday, February 9 at 7:00 pm
In The Asylum: True Tales of Madness From a Life in Fashion—an unabashedly hilarious collection of autobiographical essays now out in paperback—Simon Doonan, creative ambassador for Barneys New York, gives us the inside scoop on the kooky, cut-throat—but always fabulous—fashion world.
