Bethesda, MD (May 22, 2013) – The Front Row at Bethesda Row made its triumphant return this past weekend hosting over 35 fashion events with a very special appearance by actress Jessica Alba.

Over 30 retailers and restaurants throughout the Row hosted this signature three-day event to debut Summer and Fall 2013 fashions including the ever-popular Chic Child on the Row.

Jessica Alba and Alli Webb of Drybar. Photo courtesy of Daniel Swartz.

For its kick off, “The Tents” (Trailer Link) premiered at Bethesda Row’s Landmark Theatre. This intriguing documentary gives a first ever look behind-the-scenes of NY Fashion Week, with the history of how it all began in the early 1990′s, all being told by elite fashion insiders and top fashion designers.

This year’s VIP Jessica Alba held court as she signed her book “The Honest Life,” (Amazon Link) a personal journey of discovery offering tips for making healthy living fun, real, and stylish, all while offering a candid look inside her home and daily life.

Katherine and Sophie of Georgetown Cupcake emceed the much-anticipated annual Runway Event of The Front Row. Jessica Alba and other VIPs sat front row to see designer runway looks from participating Bethesda Row retailers like Amethyst, Courage b, Francesca’s Collections, Ginger, J. MacLaughlin, Lou Lou, Lucy, Lululemon, MyEyeDr, Pink Palm, Sassanova and Wear It Well. The runways beats were provided by none other than DJ Neekola.

This year’s Front Row never looked better.

Bensimon photo exhibit featured icons like Jennifer Lopez will be displayed at the ICI Urban Bistro.

Washington, DC (May 21, 2013) – A new photo series has arrived at the Hotel Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square. “Elles” by world-renown photographer Gilles Bensimon, features fashion icons like Catherine Deneuve, to Audrey Hepburn, Charlize Theron, Cindy Crawford, Beyoncé and many others.

The exhibition highlights Gilles Bensimon’s most influential works never before displayed in the United States.

Gilles Bensimon has dedicated most of his career photographing exceptional women to reveal their natural grace, poetry and inner beauty. “Everything good in my life comes from women because I love them. I am a feminist!”

Gilles Bensimon is one of the most accomplished and well-known fashion photographers in the world. Born in Paris, France, he joined French ELLE in 1967 before participating in the launch of the US version.

His images have appeared on countless covers of the magazine, ostensibly establishing the visual language still in use by the brand today. This nearly 30-year collaboration has allowed Mr. Bensimon’s work to be seen by over 20 million readers across six continents.

Elles By Gilles Bensimon will be touring four Sofitel properties in 2013:
- Sofitel New York – March/April 2013
- Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette – May/June 2013
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower – July/September 2013
- Sofitel Los Angeles – October/December 2013

The photo exhibition is currently on display in the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square, ICI Urban Bistro.

Sip, Click, Upload, and you could be on your way to the RAMMYs.

Washington, DC (May 21, 2013) – One of DC’s hottest events of the year, The RAMMY Awards, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington‘s annual restaurant industry awards gala, is here in less than five weeks and DC metro-area residents once again have a chance to score a pair of coveted tickets to the highly-anticipated gala by simply sipping a cocktail.

From May 20 to June 20, “Beverage/Mixology Program of the Year” RAMMY nominees will host a month-long cocktail promotion called “Sip Your Way to the RAMMYS” where consumers can come into nominated restaurants and order their signature RAMMY drink for a chance to win two tickets to the annual gala on June 23.

WHERE AND WHAT TO DRINK:
Birch & Barley/ChurchKey will serve The Giallo; Plymouth Gin, Strega, house made shrub, Meyer lemon juice and Campari.
Bourbon Steak will serve The Yard Style; Makers 46 Bourbon, fresh lemon, ginger, pineapple and mint
TNT Bar of the EatGoodFood Group will serve The Sweetest Thing; Russian Standard Vodka, mint syrup and ginger beer.
Rasika Penn Quarter will serve The Monsoon; Bacardi OakHeart, Green Chartreuse, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, fresh lime and ginger syrup.
Room 11 will offer They’re Nihilists; Ciroc Vodka, Bittermen’s New Orleans Coffee Liqueur, chocolate milk, house made coffee bitters and sea salt.

HOW IT WORKS:
Until June 20, diners who purchase a RAMMY cocktail at any of the five restaurants will be eligible to win two tickets to the RAMMY gala on June 23. Consumers will be given a card for each RAMMY drink purchase and must upload a photo of their cocktail onto The RAMMYS Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TheRAMMYS). A winner will be chosen at random on June 20 at the end of the promotion.

The RAMMY Restaurant Awards Gala and fundraiser honor the exceptional ability and accomplishments of the Washington, DC area restaurant industry. The awards presentation precedes a grand dinner reception and dancing. The event not only honors nominees and winners, but also brings the entire restaurant industry together for a festive night of celebration. BIZBASH Magazine named the RAMMY Awards Gala #1 Food & Restaurant event in DC on the Top 100 events list in 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Tickets to the RAMMYS are available for $225 for RAMW members, $300 for non-members, and may be purchased online at www.therammys.org, by calling 202.331.5990 or by email at therammys@ramw.org.

The 2013 participating celebrity chefs. Photo courtesy of Food and Friends.

Washington, DC (May 21, 2013) – On Monday, May 13^th at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Food and Friends Annual Chef’s Best Dinner & Auction hosted a record breaking event, raising $960,000 for their cause.

Celebrity Chef Chair Jeff Black of Black Restaurant Group whose 6 restaurants (Addie’s, Black Market Bistro, BlackSalt, Black’s Bar & Kitchen, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, Republic) presented guests with dishes like: Tilapia & Sea Urchin Ceviche with Plantain Chips, Virginia Beef Tartare with Caper Pickled Ramps, Pork Belly Pastrami Reubens & Mini Moon Pies.

Hotel restaurant favorites like Wes Morton of Art and Soul, Paul Gauthier of Café Du Parc, Todd Wiss of Firefly, Brian McPherson of Jackson 20  and The Grille at Morrison House, Philippe Reininger of J&G Steakhouse, Miles Vaden of Nage Restaurant, Andre Cote of the Washington Hilton, and Jennifer Nguyen of Zentan Restaurant were well represented.

Top tier sponsors from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation, AT&T and Walmart were also represented at the event.

A few highlights from the Live Auction Items was a package offering 10 hours on a private jet, donated by Matt Vorhees and Chris Dorobek, which raised $28,000, and a cooking class for 6 with Chef Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington, which raised $15,000.

The funds raised will help Food & Friends deliver 1 million meals this year to more than 2,900 children and adults facing life’s most challenging illnesses.

To learn more about this event, please go to Food and Friends Chef’s Best.

New York, NY (May 16, 2013) – In 2011, envoking Japanese sensibility, the Yotel hotel relaunched the New York neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen by establishing what could be mistaken as an international space station.

David Levinthal, a central figure in the history of American postmodern photography, has staged uncanny tableaux using toys and miniature dioramas for nearly 40 years.

Washington, DC (May 15, 2013) – This Saturday, in observance of International Museum Day 2013, admission to the Corcoran Gallery of Art will be free.

What an exciting time as the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design is currently hosting David Levinthal’s War Games. This very brand new exhibition is the first to feature all of the artist’s work on the subject of war. It is organized by students of the Curatorial Seminar at the Corcoran College of Art + Design, an innovative course led by curators of the Corcoran’s department of Photography and Media Arts.

Also, “How is the World” is an exhibition featuring works as varied as Paul Graham’s dramatic redefinition of street photography, Kate O’Donovan Cook’s unconventional self-portraiture, Edward Burtynsky’s striking depiction of the oil industry’s impact on the land, and Hank Willis Thomas’s exploration of the connections between spectacle and African American identity. Seen together, the works on view invite us to consider the wide-ranging issues addressed by photographers working today.

Finally, not to be missed is NEXT at the Corcoran, as this will close May 19th! This annual festival celebrates work by the graduating students of the Corcoran College of Art + Design. NEXT includes both an exhibition of the thesis work of the Bachelor of Fine Arts class of 2013 and a showcase of the Bachelors and Masters of Arts degree programs at the Corcoran. Visitors to NEXT are welcome to observe thesis critiques—discussions between the artists and their peers and instructors—and gain insights into the artistic process.

While you are there, explore the Corcoran’s collection galleries, featuring work by Mary Cassatt, Edward Hopper, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, John Singer Sargent, and more.

For more information, please go to Corcoran.org, and while you are there, Use and follow @CorcoranDC and use the hashtag #ArtMuseumDay

Also participating this Saturday, are:

Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens

National Museum of African Art

National Museum of Women in the Arts

The Phillips Collection

An all-day pass this weekend for $50 gets you breakfast at Art and Soul, yoga, and access to the scenic rooftop.

Washington, DC (May 15, 2013) – As the weather warms up, the Liaison Capitol Hill, an Affinia Hotel is offering a pair of ways for locals to enjoy the hotel’s beautiful rooftop pool space.

Non-guests can purchase a $40 Day Pass that grants them all-day access to the pool. Access to the pool starts at 10 a.m. A limited number of passes are available for purchase daily on a first-come first-served basis at the front desk.

For those who want a bit more relaxation while soaking in the sun, the hotel is offering a Weekend Refresher. For $50, this Saturday/Sunday program includes:
- An all-day pass to the scenic rooftop, including access to the pool starting at 10 a.m.
- An hour long Vinyasa yoga class from 7:30 a.m.– 8:30 a.m.; suitable for all fitness and experience levels.
- Breakfast at Art and Soul, celebrity chef Art Smith’s restaurant located in the hotel, from 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Reservations are required for the Weekend Refresher, and may be made by emailing Tricia Barba at Tbarba@affinia.com or 202-434-0126. The roof space is also available for events up to 400 people, and is a perfect venue for cocktail receptions, corporate events, baby and bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions. Private event inquiries can be made with Ray Benoit at RBenoit@affinia.com or 202-434-0120.

Dallas, TX (May 15, 2013) – Vacationing Americans 25 and older expect to spend $84 billion on hotels this summer, with the average traveler booking slightly more than seven nights over the season, according to a new hospitality survey released by Room Key, the only hotel meta search engine built by hoteliers.

For this research, 1,001 interviews were fielded among nationally representative American travelers ages 25 years and older who had traveled two (2) or more nights in the past six months and are planning to travel this summer to get responses based on their leisure travel experiences and travel preferences.

Not surprisingly, nearly three-quarters (72%) said the price will drive their hotel decision, but location (66%) and hotel amenities (58%) will also play a big role. The hotel brand (43%) and the ability to earn and use loyalty points and rewards (31%) are two more important factors that will influence hotel choice, according to the survey.

Among those Americans planning to stay in a hotel for leisure between May and August, their expected average spend on hotels is $1,134, which translates to an estimated national spend of $84 billion on hotel rooms for the busy summer travel season.

But there are certain types of hotel rooms that no amount of amenities would enhance: 45% of respondents said they would pass on a room by the elevator; 43% give the cold shoulder to rooms near the ice machine; 28% avoid spots near the restaurant or bar; and, 26% rate the first floor low in location preferences.

But when it comes to traveling during the summer’s national holidays, the majority are set to skip the sights and stick to home: more than half (55%) said they’ll stay put during summer holiday weekends; 32% plan to travel for the Fourth of July, 22% for Memorial Day and 22% for Labor Day weekend.

For more information on Room Key, visit www.Roomkey.com.

New York, NY (May 11, 2013) – Soon after the conclusion of the 2013 James Beard Awards hosted at Avery Fisher Hall of the Lincoln Center, there was a buzz about a certain after-party hosted by Celebrity Chef Art Smith.

Art Smith organized a sweet little get together to honor all LGBT James Beard Award honorees and nominees, past and present, called…wait for it…Queer For Beard! This fun event was hosted at KTCHN, on 508 W 42nd St in Hell’s Kitchen.

Aside from main dishes served by KTCHN’s Dale Schnell, the menu included lamb offal from Border Springs Farm Chef Aaron Gottesman and The Landing Chef Bruno Silva, a raw bar from Rappahannock River Oysters and Chef Dylan Fultineer, and, to make sure the post-awards revelry continues long into the night, DC mixologist Derek Brown kept the party flowing with his punch using DC’s New Columbia Distillers Green Hat Gin.

JBA attendees, like Bill Yosses, Author and Pastry Chef, Washington, D.C, RuPaul’s Drag Race alumnus Jiggly Caliente let their hair down (and wigs) over artisan hot dogs, fries, oysters, craft beer and a few well-oiled men dancing on tables.

James Beard American Classic Award Winner Peggy Fredricksen and Art Carlson of CF Folks. Photo by Michael Woestehoff.

New York, NY (May 9, 2013) – The James Beard Foundation hosted its 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious recognition program honoring professionals in the culinary world at Lincoln Center in the Avery Fisher Hall. The cinema-themed night (complete with 3-D glasses) was hosted by actor Oliver Platt.

Winners in over 59 categories of the Foundation’s various awards were presented, including Restaurant and Chef, Restaurant Design, and Book, Broadcast and Journalism. In addition, previously announced special achievement award honorees were highlighted, including Lifetime Achievement, Humanitarian of the Year, Who’s Who, and the America’s Classics.

Below are a few of the James Beard 2013 Highlights:

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic
Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.

America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation (1/5 awards presented)
C.F. Folks (pictured above)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Cecilia Chiang (Chef and Restaurateur, San Francisco)

Humanitarian of the Year
Emeril Lagasse (Chef and Restaurateur, New Orleans)

Best New Restaurant
State Bird Provisions, San Francisco, CA.

Outstanding Service
Del Posto, NYC

Outstanding Restaurant
Blue Hill, NYC

Winner of Outstanding Chef (tie)
David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC
Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago

+++

DC Area Nominees:

75 Seats and Under (Restaurant Design and Graphics):
minibar, Capella Garcia Arquitectura (Juli Capella and Miquel Garcia), Washington, D.C.,

Outstanding Wine Program
CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.

Best Chef Mid-Atlantic
· Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
· Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore
· Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.
· Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.

The Washington, DC hospitality industry was well represented at the awards and a spectacular reception followed.