| TOP 100 EVENTS 06.22.09 11:30 AM |
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Washington's Top Literary & Publishing Events 2009
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 | Neil Gaiman at the National Book Festival
Photo: Susie Neel |
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1. National Book Festival
More than 70 authors, including Salman Rushdie, James McBride, and Jenna Bush, read from their works at the Library of Congress’s eighth annual literary festival in 2008. About 120,000 book lovers are expected at the National Mall for this year’s event on September 26.
2. Scripps National Spelling Bee
The nation’s brainiest middle schoolers wowed crowds at the Grand Hyatt Hotel from May 26 to 28 by acing words like laodicean (this year's winning word). The championship round was broadcast live on ABC.
3. Washington Life’s “The Young and the Guest List” Party
Members of the D.C. social set wait anxiously to see if their names appear on this magazine’s annual list, and then the anointed 250 are whisked away to an ultra-hip party at an undisclosed location. Invitees to this year’s April 16 event included CNN correspondent Jessica Yellin, Washington Wizards forward Caron Butler, and Obama aide Reggie Love.
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RELATED TOPICS
Washington's Top 100 Events, Library of Congress, Scripps National Spelling Bee, Washington Life, The Week, The PEN/Faulkner Awards for Fiction |
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| EVENT REPORT 04.22.09 2:27 PM |
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Washington Life Moves "Young and Guest List" Party to Empty Office Tower
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On April 16, starting at 7 p.m., more than 500 guests found their way to a new and unoccupied 12-story office building in NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue), a former industrial area of the city near Union Station that for the past two years, has undergone massive redevelopment. The raw space was the unexpected venue for the fourth annual Washington Life party dubbed the “Young and the Guest List,” an event that celebrates 250 of the area’s 40-and-under movers and shakers.
“With the new administration, we felt that Washington has changed and there has been a rebirth of the social scene, and we wanted to reflect that in the party by moving to an up and coming area,” said Michael M. Clements, the magazine's executive editor. “The list is different this year, as well. It recognizes the influences of younger power players, not just in the Georgetown social scene and the Hill, but a cross section of the city, people in the arts, technology, media, diplomacy, legal—and we reached for African-American power players.” The magazine previously hosted the fete at more historical venues, such as Dumbarton House (in 2006), Meridian House (2007), and Halcyon House (2008).
RELATED TOPICS
Washington Life, Style & Image Network, Cusp |
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| BEST OF 2008 11.24.08 8:00 AM |
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Change in Washington
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 | André Wells
Photo: Ron Aria |
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André Wells is the go-to planner for companies in the capital looking to break from the standard. He started his company, Events by André Wells, in 2003, after 13 years on the D.C. circuit at PBS, RSVP Catering, and Capitol Companies. Now his clients include Microsoft and Dell, and for BET Network he produced two nights of star-studded soirees for its first BET Honors award show in January. The after-party alone transformed the otherwise bare Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center into a purple-draped affair with regal aspirations. But his most involved 2008 event was Washington Life’s “The Young and the Guest List” party in February, where he dressed three different venues—the St. Regis, Halcyon House, and Josephine Lounge—for three consecutive events in one evening. Most impressive: keeping everything a secret from the 350 guests.
How do you prepare for these complex, multivenue events?
You have to be very focused, and you have to anticipate problems. I always imagine myself as a guest. If you have A, B, and C locations, you have to wonder, “Am I going to ride a shuttle bus? Is parking near?” You have to ask those questions. You want the guests to have an experience and to not have to think about anything.
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RELATED TOPICS
BET Honors, Washington Life |
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| EVENT REPORT 10.28.08 4:06 PM |
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Richard Avedon Portraits Inspire Theme at Corcoran Gallery Benefit
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 | Richard Avedon's "Portraits of Power" exhibition
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
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A sold-out crowd of some 900 guests mingled, danced, and sipped specialty cocktails at Saturday evening's Fall Fete, a black-tie gala at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Sponsored by the gallery's young benefactors organization, the 1869 Society, the fund-raiser benefited the Corcoran's adjoining College of Art and Design. Dubbed "Party With the Power Players," the event's theme coordinated with the current exhibition on display, Richard Avedon's "Portraits of Power."
A $200 "Power Player" ticket admitted guests to a private champagne reception on the gallery's second floor, where they had exclusive access to the exhibit for the first 30 minutes of the gala. "Blocking off the exhibition … helps create a more vibrant atmosphere downstairs while the attendance rises," said Guiter. Another advantage of the top-tier ticket: All-evening access to a private bar on the second floor, which overlooked the main atrium.
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RELATED TOPICS
Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1869 Society, Richard Avedon, Zip Car, Washington Life, Destination D.C. |
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| TOP 100 EVENTS 09.26.08 1:23 PM |
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Washington's Top Literary & Publishing Events 2008
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 | The PEN/Faulkner Awards for Fiction Gala
Photo: Kristin Von Kundra |
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1. National Book Festival
The nation’s eighth annual literary festival, coordinated by the Library of Congress and Event Strategies Inc., will be held on the National Mall on September 27. Hosted by First Lady Laura Bush, the 2007 event brought in more than 120,000 literature fans for readings by best-selling authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, David Baldacci, and Jodi Picoult.
2. Scripps National Spelling Bee
This once-obscure event now draws a dedicated national following and live coverage on ABC. The five-day contest takes place at the Grand Hyatt Hote in the last week of May. Paige B. Kimble serves at the contest’s director—she also happens to be the 1981 champion—and organizes the event with project manager Carrie Loeffler.
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RELATED TOPICS
Washington's Top 100 Events, National Book Festival, Library of Congress, Laura Bush, Joyce Carol Oates, David Baldacci, Jodi Picoult, Scripps National Spelling Bee, ABC, Washington Life |
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| EVENT REPORT 02.05.08 12:04 PM |
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Washington Life Pulls Together a Three-Part Evening
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 | Halcyon House was Washington Life's secret party destination.
Photo: Jonah Koch/Courtesy of Washington Life |
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The only information invitees received prior to Thursday's event for Washington Life’s current “The Young and the Guest List” issue—profiling notables such as gymnast Dominique Dawes, Fox 5 anchor Will Thomas, and Mayor Adrian Fenty and his wife, Michelle—was to arrive at the St. Regis hotel at 8 p.m. sharp. The rest was a mystery. To keep party crashers out, and to create a bit of drama, the magazine’s planners kept the location a secret, transporting guests by bus to the real party spot (the Halcyon House), and then to a late-night after-party at the new Josephine Lounge on Vermont Avenue.
Keeping the event details under wraps was no problem, according to Washington Life editorial director Katie Tarbox. With all the hype from last year’s party, she wanted to make sure the evening lived up to expectations for the guest list of “350 future leaders in Washington under 40." She added, "This crowd travels to New York, L.A., and they see hot things. They want to be at a hot party. To think of a concept that’s new and fresh, it’s a lot of pressure."
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Washington Life |
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| NEWS 01.30.08 1:22 PM |
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(Shh!) Washington Life Keeps Venue a Secret
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Washington Life is banking on buzz for tomorrow night's annual event celebrating its latest “Young & the Guest List” issue. According to Yeas & Nays, the magazine is starting the night with cocktails at the St. Regis, after which guests will be whisked by bus to an undisclosed location—a shrewd tactic to avoid party-crashers that have been a problem in the past.
Yeas & Nays also leaked names of some of the 160 honorees, including Olympic medalist Dominique Dawes, philanthropist Joanna Block, and entertainment lobbyist Erik Huey, who should be in attendance. But they’ll have to wait and see how the evening pans out, just like everyone else. One thing to look forward to: the promise of V.I.P.-worthy swag bags. —Danielle O'Steen
RELATED TOPICS
Washington Life |
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