Where: LavaBarre located at 1528 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209

On Sunday, January 17, seven top DC chefs will gather at downtown restaurant incubator Prequel for the return of Chefs Behind Bars, a cocktail event to benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America. From 2:00 – 4:30 p.m., over Martin Luther King weekend, Washingtonians can enjoy signature drinks concocted by the city’s most renowned culinary talent to support No Kid Hungry, a national movement to ensure all kids have the healthy food they need, every day.

Location: Prequel,  918 F ST NW, Washington, DC 20004

Admission: Early bird special of $35 through Dec. 12; $40 through Jan. 17

Ticket Sales: Tickets to Chefs Behind Bars can be purchased at universe.com/cbb

Throughout the afternoon, chefs Matt Baker (Gravitas), Jen Carroll (Requin by Mike Isabella Group), Andy Clark (Eat the Rich), John Critchley (Brine), Hamilton Johnson (Honeysuckle), Liam LaCivita (Bar Civita), and Yuki Nakandakari (Ocopa) will mix their favorite libations in support of No Kid Hungry. In addition to one-of-a-kind cocktails, guests will enjoy small bites from Hamilton Johnson’s southern inspired restaurant, Honeysuckle, currently popping up at Prequel.

The Chefs Behind Bars happy hour will be hosted by DC’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry volunteer committee, in anticipation of the 2016 event, which will feature food and drink from the District’s finest chefs, sommeliers and mixologists. The March 2015 tasting benefit raised more than $230,000 to help feed children in need.

All Chefs Behind Bars guests will receive 10 percent off tickets to DC’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, taking place on Monday, April 4, 2016, with a special discount code. One hundred percent of ticket proceeds from Taste of the Nation events support No Kid Hungry thanks to generous support from national presenting sponsors Citi and Sysco®, national media sponsor Food Network and national sponsor OpenTable.

One in five children in this country struggles with hunger, and in DC the insecurity rate is even higher at 1 in 4. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger in this nation by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and have healthy meals in the summer. Since the campaign’s launch, No Kid Hungry and its partners have connected kids struggling with hunger with more than 460 million healthy meals.

Washington DC-based philanthropic partners DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table are thrilled to announce the official dates for the 8^th annual Sips & Suppers event for 2016, with Sips taking place at the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania NW, Washington, DC) on Saturday, January 23^rd, 2016 at 7:30pm, and Suppers taking place on Sunday, January 24^th at 6:00pm in the homes of more than 35 generous hosts throughout the DC area. Sips & Suppers has quickly become one of DC’s biggest culinary weekends, bringing more than 60 of the country’s top chefs together to help combat hunger and poverty in the community.

SIPS

Saturday, January 23, 2016

7:30pm

Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania NW

Washington, DC

Tickets: $95

After January 11: $125

VIP: $200

SUPPERS

Sunday, January 24, 2016

6:00pm

Tickets: $600

In 2009, culinary greats José Andrés, Joan Nathan, and Alice Waters launched Sips & Suppers as notable industry veterans looking to raise awareness of hunger and poverty in the local DC community. Now in its 8th year, the enduring concept of Sips & Suppers remains a gathering of the country’s culinary leaders and impassioned residents working together to address the challenges of these urgent issues in the nation’s capital. Sips & Suppers has truly set itself apart from other fundraising events in Washington, by coming together in an intimate setting in a home, around a table, to share ideas and to hear from the distinguished chefs who create each meal.

Sips & Suppers benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table. Together, these organizations assist and empower our neighbors in need with the services and support necessary to build a better future, including providing healthy, balanced meals, culinary job training, and emergency assistance, as well as quality education and out-of-school time support.

Since its inception, Sips & Suppers has raised over $2 million for the two local nonprofits. The funding allows Martha’s Table to continue serving over 800,000 healthy meals to those in need every year and providing early childhood education to nearly 200 children at their facility every day. The celebrated weekend of Sips & Suppers also supports DC Central Kitchen’s efforts to prepare and deliver more than 2,500,000 healthy meals to 90 DC homeless shelters, schools, and partner charities annually, all while training 100 at-risk, unemployed adults each year for culinary careers with a 90% job placement rate.

Additional information regarding ticket sales will be announced in the coming weeks including VIP ticket details and other promotional offers leading up to the event in January.

A full list of our participating chefs, including several new faces from around the country and many committed and generous veterans, can be found atsipsandsuppers.org. Information on ticket sales and volunteering for this year’s event can also be found on the website.

For the latest updates on Sips & Suppers, follow @SipsSuppers on Twitter or like Sips & Suppers on Facebook.

Washington DC-based philanthropic partners DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table are thrilled to announce the official dates for the 8^th annual Sips & Suppers event for 2016, with Sips taking place at the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania NW, Washington, DC) on Saturday, January 23^rd, 2016 at 7:30pm, and Suppers taking place on Sunday, January 24^th at 6:00pm in the homes of more than 35 generous hosts throughout the DC area. Sips & Suppers has quickly become one of DC’s biggest culinary weekends, bringing more than 60 of the country’s top chefs together to help combat hunger and poverty in the community.

SIPS

Saturday, January 23, 2016

7:30pm

Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania NW

Washington, DC

Tickets: $95

After January 11: $125

VIP: $200

SUPPERS

Sunday, January 24, 2016

6:00pm

Tickets: $600

In 2009, culinary greats José Andrés, Joan Nathan, and Alice Waters launched Sips & Suppers as notable industry veterans looking to raise awareness of hunger and poverty in the local DC community. Now in its 8th year, the enduring concept of Sips & Suppers remains a gathering of the country’s culinary leaders and impassioned residents working together to address the challenges of these urgent issues in the nation’s capital. Sips & Suppers has truly set itself apart from other fundraising events in Washington, by coming together in an intimate setting in a home, around a table, to share ideas and to hear from the distinguished chefs who create each meal.

Sips & Suppers benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table. Together, these organizations assist and empower our neighbors in need with the services and support necessary to build a better future, including providing healthy, balanced meals, culinary job training, and emergency assistance, as well as quality education and out-of-school time support.

Since its inception, Sips & Suppers has raised over $2 million for the two local nonprofits. The funding allows Martha’s Table to continue serving over 800,000 healthy meals to those in need every year and providing early childhood education to nearly 200 children at their facility every day. The celebrated weekend of Sips & Suppers also supports DC Central Kitchen’s efforts to prepare and deliver more than 2,500,000 healthy meals to 90 DC homeless shelters, schools, and partner charities annually, all while training 100 at-risk, unemployed adults each year for culinary careers with a 90% job placement rate.

Additional information regarding ticket sales will be announced in the coming weeks including VIP ticket details and other promotional offers leading up to the event in January.

A full list of our participating chefs, including several new faces from around the country and many committed and generous veterans, can be found atsipsandsuppers.org. Information on ticket sales and volunteering for this year’s event can also be found on the website.

For the latest updates on Sips & Suppers, follow @SipsSuppers on Twitter or like Sips & Suppers on Facebook.

 WHERE:  Nage Bistro DC is located at 1600 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036.   It is six blocks from the Farragut North Metro and the Dupont Circle Metro stops, accessible on the Red Line, as well as the Farragut West Metro and McPherson Square Metro accessible on the Blue and Orange lines.  For additional information please call (202) 448-8005 or visit http://www.nagedc.com.

The British Embassy and the U.S. Department of State are celebrating the launch of “Try Rugby USA,” a campaign to grow international community outreach and youth development around Rugby in the U.S., with a friendly rugby match.

WHAT:          U.S. v UK Friendly Touch Rugby Game

WHEN:          12:30-2:00pm Wednesday 24 February 2016

WHERE:        Cooper Field at Georgetown University

3700 O St NW Washington DC 20007

Playing on the UK team is Ken Harvey, a former Washington Redskins player, to help highlight the affinity for sports on both sides of the Atlantic and the NFL international series in London. Other members of the UK team consist of British Embassy staff and British Defence staff. Tosh Askew, who has coached England U19s for 5 years and won Grand Slam in 2004, Nic Rouse, rugby union player for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership, and Caryl Thomas, head coach of the University of Bath Women’s rugby team and has played for Wales Women in the Six Nations Championship and in two World Cups (2010, 2014), will coach the UK team.

Playing on the US team includes Whitney Stowell, President of Washington Irish RFC, and Chris Howard, a Tiger Rugby coach. Other players will include U.S. Department of State staff. James Walker, founder of Tiger Rugby, will coach and play on the US team.

The event is open to the public and media and free to attend. Parking is extremely limited, public transportation is recommended.

Rugby Facts:

• Rugby is the fastest growing sport in the US.
• The UK hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
• Rugby will be part of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, having last been an Olympic sport in 1924. The US won gold that year, so have been the gold medal holders for more than 90 years.
• Famous rugby players include Sean Connery, Daniel Craig, John F Kennedy, JRR Tolkien, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Russell Crowe, Chris Farley, Meat Loaf and Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

History of Rugby:

Rugby lore has the game originating in 1823, when a pupil at Rugby School, William Webb Ellis, picked up the ball during a football match and ran with it. This new game slowly spread around public schools and universities, with the first formal rules inked in 1845. A Rugby Football Union (RFU) followed in 1871, with an inaugural international – England versus Scotland – played that same year. 1883 then witnessed Britain’s Home Nations Championship, the first international rugby competition. By 1908, with the sport having long spread into many former British colonies, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa had all sent touring teams to compete.

Despite continued growth, rugby union didn’t turn professional until the International Rugby Board (later the IRFB, now World Rugby) removed player-payment restrictions in 1995. Continental club competitions soon followed, including Europe’s much-vaunted Heineken Cup and Super Rugby in the southern hemisphere. Today, World Rugby boasts 117 member countries.

For the first time, Premiership Rugby will host a game in the US. The London Irish v Saracens game will be played at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on 12 March 2016.

Try Rugby USA

Hosted by British Council USA, Friends of the British Council USA, and USA Rugby geographical unions and state based rugby organizations, the coaches from the Aviva Premiership Rugby Clubs will be joined on the road by coaches from US based Tiger Rugby. Together they will deliver a range of coach education sessions, coaching clinics for schools, universities, clubs, youth programs as well as linking with existing rugby based social projects like Play Rugby USA. They hope to build a sustainable network of coaches, clubs and players designed to bring together, develop the skills of and inspire the US rugby community to build pathways to introduce the sports and its values to youth.

Activities will take place in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, DC, and Texas in the coming months.

For more details: http://www.britishcouncil.us/programmes/society/try-rugby-usa

What if you could do a “prom-over” and recreate all of the energy and excitement of prom night while supporting hardworking DC students on their journey to and through college?  On Friday, March 11, KIPP DC will be hosting KIPProm, a grown-ups only dance party raising funds for the nationally noted college access and support program KIPP Through College.  Tickets include premium open bar, gourmet snacks, a dessert lounge, and more for a guaranteed great time.  You’re invited!  More info atwww.kippdc.org/kipprom

Event– KIPProm: A School Dance For Grown-Ups

Description – Relive the energy and excitement of prom at this grownups-only night out.  Throw down on the dance floor while enjoying premium open bar, gourmet food, a dessert lounge, and more.

Location – Dock 5 at Union Market 

What if you could do a “prom-over” and recreate all of the energy and excitement of prom night while supporting hardworking DC students on their journey to and through college?  On Friday, March 11, KIPP DC will be hosting KIPProm, a grown-ups only dance party raising funds for the nationally noted college access and support program KIPP Through College.  Tickets include premium open bar, gourmet snacks, a dessert lounge, and more for a guaranteed great time.  You’re invited!  More info atwww.kippdc.org/kipprom

Event– KIPProm: A School Dance For Grown-Ups

Description – Relive the energy and excitement of prom at this grownups-only night out.  Throw down on the dance floor while enjoying premium open bar, gourmet food, a dessert lounge, and more.

Location – Dock 5 at Union Market 1309 5^th St. NE Washington, DC

Date & Time – Friday, March 11, 2016 – 8:00–11:00 p.m.

Tickets and additional information –www.kippdc.org/kipprom 

What if you could do a “prom-over” and recreate all of the energy and excitement of prom night while supporting hardworking DC students on their journey to and through college?  On Friday, March 11, KIPP DC will be hosting KIPProm, a grown-ups only dance party raising funds for the nationally noted college access and support program KIPP Through College.  Tickets include premium open bar, gourmet snacks, a dessert lounge, and more for a guaranteed great time.  You’re invited!  More info atwww.kippdc.org/kipprom

Event– KIPProm: A School Dance For Grown-Ups

Description – Relive the energy and excitement of prom at this grownups-only night out.  Throw down on the dance floor while enjoying premium open bar, gourmet food, a dessert lounge, and more.

Location – Dock 5 at Union Market 1309 5^th St. NE Washington, DC

Date & Time – Friday, March 11, 2016 – 8:00–11:00 p.m.

Tickets and additional information –www.kippdc.org/kipprom 

Date & Time – Friday, March 11, 2016 – 8:00–11:00 p.m.

Tickets and additional information –www.kippdc.org/kipprom 

13^th Annual Blue Jeans Ball Raises Funds to Support the Capital Area Food Bank’s

Delivery of 37 Million Healthy Meals in 2016

Just Announced:

• Auction items from noted American food writer Mark Bittman, and award winning pastry chef Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar, plus trips to Brazil, the French Riviera and more!
• The Allen Chapel AME Church Gospel Choir will kick off the program with a live performance
• 40+ savory and sweet tasting stations to include:

o   Cabot Creamery Cooperative

o   Café du Parc

o   Café DuPont

o   City Perch Kitchen + Bar

o   Congressional Seafood

o   Del Campo

o   Fig and Olive DC

o   Ghibellina

o   Lavagna

o   Meat Crafters

o   Oyamel Cocina Mexicana

o   Penn Commons

o   Pinch

o   Pizzeria Paradiso

o   Restaurant Eve

o   Ristorante Tosca

o   Sodexo

o   Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar

o   Sotto

o   Stanton & Greene

o   Stonyman Gourmet Farmer

o   Sweet Pearlz Cheesecakes

o   The Fourth Estate at the National Press Club

o   The Melting Pot

o   The Palm Restaurant

o   Thrive DC

o   Two Acre Farm

o   Union Kitchen

o   Vidalia/Bistro Bis/Woodward Table

o   Zeke’s Coffee of DC

Who:

• Restaurant co-chairs: Chef Ruth Gresser of Pizzeria Paradiso, Chef Sherry Yard of City Perch Kitchen + Bar, and Chef Jeff Buben of Vidalia, Bistro Bis, and Woodward Table.
• Emcee, Scott Thuman, ABC7/WJLA-TV and News Channel 8
• Live entertainment by DJ John Jazz and Miss H.E.R.

When:  Sunday, March 13, 2016

                                        5 pm: VIP reception

6 pm: tastings, cocktails and silent auction

8 pm: program & live auction.

Where: Marriott Marquis Hotel

                                        901 Massachusetts Avenue, NW

Washington, DC  20001

Hotel valet parking available for a fee

How:     $200; the amount the CAFB uses to feed a family of four for almost two weeks 

• Sponsorships are available to individuals or organizations at various levels
• Ticket and sponsorship details available at capitalareafoodbank.org/blue-jeans-ball/

Why:          The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest organization in the Washington metro area working to solve hunger and its companion problems: chronic undernutrition, heart disease and obesity. By partnering with nearly 450 community organizations in DC, Maryland and Virginia, as well as delivering food directly in hard to reach areas, the CAFB is helping 540,000 people each year get access to good, healthy food.  That’s 12 percent of our region’s mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and grandparents. Visit: capitalareafoodbank.org, or find the CAFB at facebook.com/CapitalAreaFoodBank, and Twitter at @foodbankmetrodc.