Post by PlanetM on May 14, 2009 17:33:00 GMT
More Correspondents' Weekend Coverage: Bloomberg and Vanity Fair's Exclusive Party, Atlantic Media's Dinner, McLaughlin's Brunch, and More
FROM WASHINGTONAs in years past, parties of every kind and color—from movie screenings to exhibit openings to hangover brunches—surrounded this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Here’s a wrap-up of the weekend's attractions:
Bloomberg and Vanity Fair's After-Party
Capitol File may have hosted the weekend's biggest party, but the most exclusive honors went to Bloomberg LP and Vanity Fair, who hosted an impossible-to-get-into shindig for 250 on Saturday night. Taking over French ambassador Pierre Vimont's turn-of-the-century home in Kalorama, the party drew big names from politics and Hollywood, among them Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Glenn Close, Eva Longoria, David Axelrod, Desiree Rogers, and the ubiquitous Captains Chesley Sullenberger and Richard Phillips. The party took over the mansion's interior rooms with bars and buffets, and spilled out into the backyard, where the many trees were uplit in blue, pink, and green.
David Bradley's Private Dinner
On Friday night, Atlantic Media owner David Bradley and his wife, Katherine Brittain Bradley, hosted an indoor thingytail reception followed by an outdoor seated dinner at their Embassy Row home. Sponsored by Toyota and Robert Mondavi Winery, the annual event was twice as large as last year, thus requiring for the first time a 40- by 40-foot HDO Productions tent, which Frost Lighting technicians draped with white rope lights.
CONTINUED >
PHOTO GALLERY
At the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair party in the French ambassador's house, a simple buffet matched the room's stately decor.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
More buffets and outdoor heaters were on offer at the Bloomber/Vanity Fair party, which spilled into the backyard of French ambassador Pierre Vimont's home.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
The 40- by 40-foot tent for Atlantic Media's dinner was draped with rope lights.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
At the Atlantic Media dinner, Susan Gage chefs prepared an amuse bouche of cucumber gelee with fresh almonds, topped with sea salt and cayenne pepper.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
For the Time Inc. party, St. Regis chefs prepared bar snacks of sun- and air-dried exotic fruits.
Photo: Jason Kempin
Kevin Bacon, his daughter Sosie Ruth Bacon, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges attended the People/Time party.
Photo: Michael Tran
DC Magazine staged its party at the Embassy of Finland around the embassy's current "MyHelsinki" exhibit.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
RSVP Catering served brownie lollipops at the DC Magazine party.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Haddad Media's Saturday brunch for 500 guests included a central table for fruit and cheese.
Photo: BizBash
Guests sipped virgin and full-strength bloody Marys at the McLaughlin Group brunch at Teatro Goldoni.
Photo: BizBash
For the most part, the 135 guests were Atlantic Media’s key clients and advertisers, with the notable exception of actor Rick Schroder, who found a quiet spot in the garden during most of the thingytail hour. The “Mexican and Modern” dinner, narrated by The Atlantic food writer Corby Kummer and prepared by Susan Gage Caterers, brought together alternating courses of traditional (toasted tortilla soup) and progressive (liquefied popcorn with caramel foam) Mexican dishes inspired by Chicago chefs Rick Bayless and Grant Achatz (who are reportedly favorites of President Barack Obama). The Bradleys scheduled the event to end at 10, still guests lingered until 11 p.m.
DC Mag's Issue Release/Exhibit Opening Party
A quick walk from Atlantic’s dinner, the Embassy of Finland was home to DC Magazine and international PR firm the Brunswick Group's thingytail party, which celebrated the release of the magazine’s May/June travel issue and the opening of "MyHelsinki," the current embassy exhibition. The inter-active show, which opened May 2, follows the travels of 12 noted Washingtonians (among them organic food pioneer Nora Pouillon and architect Travis Price) who visited Finland for a cross-cultural exchange. Some 200 guests, including White House staffers and area artists, mingled alongside a series of tree-shaped Plexiglas and wood installations covered with travel memorabilia, digital frames, and video projections. RSVP Catering provided six passed hors d’oeuvres, including lamb and hazelnut baklava, desserts of assorted macaroons and brownie lollipops, and to wash all that down, sweet peach and berry martinis.
Capitol File's Documentary Screening
Over at the Naval Heritage Center on Pennsylvania Avenue, also on Friday night, Capitol File magazine and the Creative Coalition hosted the D.C. premiere of Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson's film PoliWood, a documentary about the intersection of celebrity, politics, and media. The evening kicked off with a reception and red carpet photo ops for celebrities such as Matthew Settle from Gossip Girl and Kerry Washington. About 240 guests munched on fresh popcorn while screening the movie in the Center’s heavily air-conditioned Burke Theater. Actors featured in the film, including Dana Delany, Matthew Modine, and Rachael Leigh Cook, tackled questions during the post-film Q&A session. Embassy Row Catering by Café Milano provided desserts such as chocolate-covered strawberries and puff pastries at the mini after-party, which wrapped up at 10:30 p.m.
People & Time's thingytail Party
Blocks away, also on Friday night, Time Inc. publications Time and People jointly hosted a thingytail reception for 300 on the Astor Terrace of the St. Regis. Guests Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Kevin Bacon dined on bar snacks of sun- and air-dried exotic fruits and cupcakes.
Tammy Haddad's Saturday Brunch
At Haddad Media president Tammy Haddad's Saturday afternoon brunch, a step-and-repeat for the new White House Correspondents' Insider Web site greeted the day's 500 guests—as did a dozen 9- to 12-year-old girls who volunteered to line the home's driveway, representing the nonprofit Mothers Day Every Day Campaign. Threatening skies cleared early on for the 12th annual event, which filled three connecting tents with media A-listers standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Heads turned for actor Christian Slater and equally so for Todd Palin, who never strayed far from Fox’s Greta Van Susteren. NBC Today show anchor Ann Curry gave brief remarks in support of the Mothers Day Campaign for healthy childbirth. Haddad cohosted the event this year with Ted Greenberg, Hilary Rosen, Alex Castellanos, Michael Feldman, Ann Walker Merchant, Steve McMahon, Ellen Ratner, Chip Smith, David Sutphen, and BizBash C.E.O. David Adler. Classic Affairs Catering prepared the brunch menu that included Caesar salad, smoked salmon, and shrimp thingytail.
McLaughlin's Morning-After Brunch
For those who still needed another round of schmooze after Saturday night’s W.H.C.A. dinner and round of parties, John McLaughlin hosted his fifth annual morning-after brunch for 190 guests at Teatro Goldoni restaurant, a change of venue from the Hay-Adams Hotel rooftop, where the event has been held for the past three years. “Last year the weather was cold and people weren’t staying long,” said The McLaughlin Group assistant producer Briana Pashcow. “We brought it inside so everyone is a lot more comfortable.” Between conversations that inevitably mentioned the crush of the crowd at the W.H.C.A. dinner, guests dined off a buffet of 25 Italian dishes, including spinach cannelloni and octopus salad, and sipped virgin and full-strength bloody Marys.
—Adele Chapin & Walter Nicholls
RELATED TOPICS White House Correspondents Association Dinner, Capitol File, Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, Atlantic Media, Toyota, Robert Mondavi Winery, Barack Obama, Haddad Media, White House Correspondents Association Dinner, Creative Coalition, DC Magazine, The McLaughlin Group, Time Inc., People, Time
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FROM WASHINGTONAs in years past, parties of every kind and color—from movie screenings to exhibit openings to hangover brunches—surrounded this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Here’s a wrap-up of the weekend's attractions:
Bloomberg and Vanity Fair's After-Party
Capitol File may have hosted the weekend's biggest party, but the most exclusive honors went to Bloomberg LP and Vanity Fair, who hosted an impossible-to-get-into shindig for 250 on Saturday night. Taking over French ambassador Pierre Vimont's turn-of-the-century home in Kalorama, the party drew big names from politics and Hollywood, among them Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Glenn Close, Eva Longoria, David Axelrod, Desiree Rogers, and the ubiquitous Captains Chesley Sullenberger and Richard Phillips. The party took over the mansion's interior rooms with bars and buffets, and spilled out into the backyard, where the many trees were uplit in blue, pink, and green.
David Bradley's Private Dinner
On Friday night, Atlantic Media owner David Bradley and his wife, Katherine Brittain Bradley, hosted an indoor thingytail reception followed by an outdoor seated dinner at their Embassy Row home. Sponsored by Toyota and Robert Mondavi Winery, the annual event was twice as large as last year, thus requiring for the first time a 40- by 40-foot HDO Productions tent, which Frost Lighting technicians draped with white rope lights.
CONTINUED >
PHOTO GALLERY
At the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair party in the French ambassador's house, a simple buffet matched the room's stately decor.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
More buffets and outdoor heaters were on offer at the Bloomber/Vanity Fair party, which spilled into the backyard of French ambassador Pierre Vimont's home.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
The 40- by 40-foot tent for Atlantic Media's dinner was draped with rope lights.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
At the Atlantic Media dinner, Susan Gage chefs prepared an amuse bouche of cucumber gelee with fresh almonds, topped with sea salt and cayenne pepper.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
For the Time Inc. party, St. Regis chefs prepared bar snacks of sun- and air-dried exotic fruits.
Photo: Jason Kempin
Kevin Bacon, his daughter Sosie Ruth Bacon, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges attended the People/Time party.
Photo: Michael Tran
DC Magazine staged its party at the Embassy of Finland around the embassy's current "MyHelsinki" exhibit.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
RSVP Catering served brownie lollipops at the DC Magazine party.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Haddad Media's Saturday brunch for 500 guests included a central table for fruit and cheese.
Photo: BizBash
Guests sipped virgin and full-strength bloody Marys at the McLaughlin Group brunch at Teatro Goldoni.
Photo: BizBash
For the most part, the 135 guests were Atlantic Media’s key clients and advertisers, with the notable exception of actor Rick Schroder, who found a quiet spot in the garden during most of the thingytail hour. The “Mexican and Modern” dinner, narrated by The Atlantic food writer Corby Kummer and prepared by Susan Gage Caterers, brought together alternating courses of traditional (toasted tortilla soup) and progressive (liquefied popcorn with caramel foam) Mexican dishes inspired by Chicago chefs Rick Bayless and Grant Achatz (who are reportedly favorites of President Barack Obama). The Bradleys scheduled the event to end at 10, still guests lingered until 11 p.m.
DC Mag's Issue Release/Exhibit Opening Party
A quick walk from Atlantic’s dinner, the Embassy of Finland was home to DC Magazine and international PR firm the Brunswick Group's thingytail party, which celebrated the release of the magazine’s May/June travel issue and the opening of "MyHelsinki," the current embassy exhibition. The inter-active show, which opened May 2, follows the travels of 12 noted Washingtonians (among them organic food pioneer Nora Pouillon and architect Travis Price) who visited Finland for a cross-cultural exchange. Some 200 guests, including White House staffers and area artists, mingled alongside a series of tree-shaped Plexiglas and wood installations covered with travel memorabilia, digital frames, and video projections. RSVP Catering provided six passed hors d’oeuvres, including lamb and hazelnut baklava, desserts of assorted macaroons and brownie lollipops, and to wash all that down, sweet peach and berry martinis.
Capitol File's Documentary Screening
Over at the Naval Heritage Center on Pennsylvania Avenue, also on Friday night, Capitol File magazine and the Creative Coalition hosted the D.C. premiere of Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson's film PoliWood, a documentary about the intersection of celebrity, politics, and media. The evening kicked off with a reception and red carpet photo ops for celebrities such as Matthew Settle from Gossip Girl and Kerry Washington. About 240 guests munched on fresh popcorn while screening the movie in the Center’s heavily air-conditioned Burke Theater. Actors featured in the film, including Dana Delany, Matthew Modine, and Rachael Leigh Cook, tackled questions during the post-film Q&A session. Embassy Row Catering by Café Milano provided desserts such as chocolate-covered strawberries and puff pastries at the mini after-party, which wrapped up at 10:30 p.m.
People & Time's thingytail Party
Blocks away, also on Friday night, Time Inc. publications Time and People jointly hosted a thingytail reception for 300 on the Astor Terrace of the St. Regis. Guests Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Kevin Bacon dined on bar snacks of sun- and air-dried exotic fruits and cupcakes.
Tammy Haddad's Saturday Brunch
At Haddad Media president Tammy Haddad's Saturday afternoon brunch, a step-and-repeat for the new White House Correspondents' Insider Web site greeted the day's 500 guests—as did a dozen 9- to 12-year-old girls who volunteered to line the home's driveway, representing the nonprofit Mothers Day Every Day Campaign. Threatening skies cleared early on for the 12th annual event, which filled three connecting tents with media A-listers standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Heads turned for actor Christian Slater and equally so for Todd Palin, who never strayed far from Fox’s Greta Van Susteren. NBC Today show anchor Ann Curry gave brief remarks in support of the Mothers Day Campaign for healthy childbirth. Haddad cohosted the event this year with Ted Greenberg, Hilary Rosen, Alex Castellanos, Michael Feldman, Ann Walker Merchant, Steve McMahon, Ellen Ratner, Chip Smith, David Sutphen, and BizBash C.E.O. David Adler. Classic Affairs Catering prepared the brunch menu that included Caesar salad, smoked salmon, and shrimp thingytail.
McLaughlin's Morning-After Brunch
For those who still needed another round of schmooze after Saturday night’s W.H.C.A. dinner and round of parties, John McLaughlin hosted his fifth annual morning-after brunch for 190 guests at Teatro Goldoni restaurant, a change of venue from the Hay-Adams Hotel rooftop, where the event has been held for the past three years. “Last year the weather was cold and people weren’t staying long,” said The McLaughlin Group assistant producer Briana Pashcow. “We brought it inside so everyone is a lot more comfortable.” Between conversations that inevitably mentioned the crush of the crowd at the W.H.C.A. dinner, guests dined off a buffet of 25 Italian dishes, including spinach cannelloni and octopus salad, and sipped virgin and full-strength bloody Marys.
—Adele Chapin & Walter Nicholls
RELATED TOPICS White House Correspondents Association Dinner, Capitol File, Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, Atlantic Media, Toyota, Robert Mondavi Winery, Barack Obama, Haddad Media, White House Correspondents Association Dinner, Creative Coalition, DC Magazine, The McLaughlin Group, Time Inc., People, Time
MORE EVENT REPORT STORIES
Stripped-Down Robin Hood Benefit Raises a Record $72 Million
Miami Graffiti Photographers Celebrate Book Launch With Street Festival
Guests Prepare Their Own Meals at Baptist Health Foundation Gala
Diesel Launches New Fragrance With Bravery-Themed Art Display
Capitol File Throws Biggest Correspondents' Dinner After-Party
MORE STORIES ABOUT WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION DINNER
Warhol-Style Portraits, Serpentine Modern Lounge Highlight Jam-Packed Correspondents' Dinner Pre-Parties
Hosts Gear Up for White House Correspondents Weekend Parties
New Ideas for Food and Decor
MORE STORIES ABOUT CAPITOL FILE