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
Treat yourself to some of the best cuisine available from over 100 of the area’s finest restaurants and wineries, while contributing to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s conservation and education programs. Food aficionados are invited to unleash their taste buds and sample delicious dishes from the area’s finest restaurants and vintners. The event, hosted by Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), will take place on Thursday, May 14, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
In addition to extraordinary food and fine wines, ZooFari also offers a night of unforgettable entertainment. Throughout the evening guests will be surrounded by live music, exotic animal encounters, a silent auction, and new this year, Battle of the Bartenders where local bartenders will compete to create the best tasting original signature cocktail using a mystery ingredient from the Zoo’s Animal Kitchen. Celebrity chef’s Todd Gray (Equinox), Bart Vandaele (Belga Cafe), and Haidar Karoum (Proof) will be in attendance and joining in on the festivities throughout the evening.
Tickets for this annual fundraiser are available on the Zoo’s website at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/activitiesandevents/celebrations/zoofari/. Prices are $160 for FONZ members and $200 for nonmembers.
Exclusive VIP group packages also are available. These packages offer all-access tickets to the Premier Pavilion, valet parking passes, an exclusive VIP pre-party and the LivingSocial Lion Lounge, as well as behind-the-scenes animal tours.
The ZooFari online auction offers a lively way to support the Zoo’s programs. Bidding will be live on Sunday, April 26 through the online site Bidding For Good. Vacation getaways, private Zoo tours, cooking lessons with top area chefs, and animal art are just a few of the hundreds of items available in the auction. Proceeds benefit the National Zoo’s animal care, science, education, and conservation programs.
ZooFari is presented by GEICO® and sponsored by 94.7 Fresh FM, Big Bus Tours, Capital One Bank®, The Coca-Cola Company, Comcast, Manhattan Auto of Bethesda, MD, Rosenthal Jaguar/Land Rover, LivingSocial, NBC4, Washingtonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Widmer Brothers, WTOP and WTOP.com.
The Cathedral Choral Society will present the final concert of its 2014/15 season, Great Opera Choruses, on Sunday, May 17 at 4:00 p.m. The program of well-loved opera arias and choruses includes works by Wagner, Bellini, Gounod, Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, and Boito. The Cathedral Choral Society, conducted by Music Director J. Reilly Lewis, will be joined by Jessica Julin, soprano; Ben Wager, bass; and the Washington National Opera Children’s Chorus.
“This concert will feature magnificent opera music, sacred and profane, perfect for the Cathedral,” said J. Reilly Lewis. “This is my first time programming opera for this chorus, and these gorgeous works capture all the emotions of great opera.”
Selections will be performed from Wagner, Die Meistersinger; Bellini, Norma; Gounod, Faust; Verdi, Nabucco; Puccini, Tosca; Mascagni, Cavalleria Rusticana; Puccini, Manon Lescaut; and Boito, Mefistofele.
“We are thrilled to be performing opera in the Cathedral for the first time,” said Genevieve Twomey, Executive Director of the Cathedral Choral Society. “This music is rich, exciting, dramatic, and engaging – and to experience this in such a grand space will be a unique and memorable experience.”
The Cathedral Choral Society is pleased to feature soloists Jessica Julin, soprano and Ben Wager, bass, and to welcome the Washington National Opera Children’s Chorus as guest choir on Boito’s Mefistofele. Jessica Julin, soprano has been praised for her “commanding voice,” and is a 2009 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Auditions. She received her masters from Indiana University, studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, and currently resides in Maryland. She won first prize awards in the J.P. Parkinson Competition, Lois Alba Aria Competition, and the Giagiari Bel Canto Competition.
Ben Wager, bass is a 2009 graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. This season, he debuted in Oslo with Den Norske Opera as Escamillo in Carmen and performed two roles with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Previous engagements include with the Nashville Opera, Deutsche Opera Berlin, Minnesota Opera, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 2012, The Washington Times praised him for his “perfect balance of graciousness [and] forthrightness” in a concert opera performance.
The Washington National Opera Children’s Chorus is comprised of many of the finest young singers, ages 8-14, from Washington, DC; Virginia; and Maryland. They appear frequently in WNO productions at the Kennedy Center. Recent performances include the world premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me (2013) and the WNO premier of Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince (2014). They are directed by Will Breytspraak, Children’s Chorus Master, who is the Chair of Performing Arts at Maret School in Washington, DC.
A pre-concert talk by Peter Russell will be presented at 3:00 p.m. in Perry Auditorium (in the Cathedral tower). Peter Russell is a leading figure in the DC opera scene, having served as General Director of the Wolf Trap Opera Company and founding Washington Concert Opera before later taking on his current role as General Director of Vocal Arts DC.
About the Cathedral Choral Society: The Cathedral Choral Society is the resident symphonic chorus of Washington National Cathedral. Now in its 73rd season, the 140-voice chorus presents an inspiring concert season at the Cathedral and shares the joy of choral singing throughout the Greater Washington, DC Area through its community engagement programs. Its 2015/16 season will be announced the week of May 17.
For Tickets: Regularly priced tickets begin at $25. Tickets for children and students with valid ID under the age of 25 are $15. Seniors, veteran, and military may receive 10% off (excludes Premium Nave). Complimentary parking is included with ticket purchase in the Cathedral’s underground parking garage courtesy of the Cathedral Choral Society. To purchase tickets, or for additional information, please call (202) 537-2228 | (877) 537-2228 or visit the website, www.cathedralchoralsociety.org
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.
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.
WHAT: A special dinner with wine and a discussion of her new book, In a French Kitchen with author Susan Herrmann Loomis, hosted by Chefs Christophe & Michelle Poteaux. The book is a collection of tales from the kitchens of home cooks throughout France capturing the delightful celebration of French life and the cooks who turn even the simplest meals into an occasion. On the eve of Bastille Day, the Chefs Poteaux will serve:
Amuse et Kir
Melon et jambon sale – Virginia made prosciutto, compressed cantaloupe, micro basil, Banyuls vinegar reduction
Poulet roti au romarin et aux citrons confits – Roasted Amish chicken infused with preserved lemon and rosemary, fingerling potatoes, haricots verts, cipoline, piquillo peppers
Salade verte, chèvre chaud – Fresh goat cheese tartine with organic green salad, Dijon and shallot vinaigrette
Tarte aux citrons, fruits rouges, crème Chantilly – Lemon tart, fresh local berries, Chantilly cream
WHEN: Monday, July 13
6:30pm Reception, Meet & Greet
7pm Dinner
WHERE: Bastille
606 N Fayette St
Alexandria, VA 22314
RSVP: Tickets are $69.00 per person, inclusive of dinner and wine, exclusive of tax or gratuity. Books will be available for purchase for $26.95. Please call (703) 519-3776 or email reservations@bastillerestaurant.com to reserve seats for this special event.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Herrmann Loomis is a France-based, award-winning journalist, author and cooking school proprietor with nine books to her credit, and a professionally trained chef. Among her books are On Rue Tatin, a narrative about her life in France, with recipes which won the IACP best literary food book for 2002, Loomis contributes to many publications including Cooking Light,Metropolitan Home, France Today, and Gastronomica. She has lived in France for nearly twenty years, operates On Rue Tatin, a cultural and culinary cooking program, from her 15th century home in Louviers, France, where she lives with her two children.
WHAT:
To commemorate France’s National Holiday, PAUL invites the public to come have some fun and participate in our 5th Annual “Baguette Relay Race” which will take place in front of PAUL Penn Quarter.
Gather Your Friends to create relay teams! Cheering Spectators are welcome!
WHERE:
PAUL Bakery and Café in Penn Qtr. (at the US Navy Memorial)
801 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Tel: 202-524-4500/01
WHEN: Tuesday, July 14, 2014 at 11am (Kids Race), and 11:30am (Adult Race)
HOW:
We’ll divide up racers into four teams of five people. Each team will be led by a PAUL employee. Each racer will “quick-walk” one lap around the circle of the US Navy Memorial, and then hand off his/her baguette (baton) to the next teammate. All members of the winning team will get a FREE LUNCH (sandwich + viennoiserie pastry) at PAUL!
Additional Info:
About Bastille Day
Bastille Day, the French national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis the 16th’s Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king’s power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.
