1. Twenty-five miles from Washington in the historic town of Clifton, the trilevel Trummer’s on Main opened in July, offering a menu of creative American cuisine served in four distinct areas. On the ground floor, the 16-seat wine tasting room offers a view of an 8,000-bottle wine cellar. One level up, the 50-seat main dining room has two fireplaces, and the glass-enclosed 90-seat Winter Garden room has a flagstone waterfall. On the third floor, the 50-seat Gallery Room, often used for private dining, is decorated with local artwork. For guests on any level, co-owner and well-known mixologist Stefan Trummer creates seasonal cocktails. The venue is available for full buyout.

The 3,000-square-foot venue has an industrial look, with exposed brick walls, a soaring ceiling lined with exposed pipes, and a raw concrete floor. Just inside the front door, the 74-seat Tequila Lounge offers a menu of more than 100 tequilas, 14 beers on tap, and specialty cocktails made with fresh fruit and agave nectar. The long, narrow space has bar stools and hightop tables, both covered in rust-colored vinyl.

1. Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Silver Spring offers hands-on art classes for groups. Ranging from collaborative bookmaking to papermaking and screenprinting, sessions for as many as 15 people may be held in the facility's art gallery or on in a classroom. Pricing is based on the number of participants and the activity chosen, but half-day classes for 15 students typically range from $300 to $500. Catering is not provided but participants can bring in their own food and beverages.

1. An Historical Experience: In a city full of history-based tours, Ford's Theatre puts Civil War-era costumed actors on the streets, leading groups on a walk that centers around a particular theme and story. There are two History on Foot tours, including "Detective James McDevitt," which explores the facts and fiction surrounding the Lincoln assasination and last two hours of his life. Offered since this spring is "A Free Black Woman: Elizabeth Keckly," which tells the tale of an African-American woman who was close to the Lincoln family and aided former slaves in a newly free Washington. The tour lasts roughly 90 minutes and covers about 1.5 miles. Regularly scheduled public walks are held on Saturdays well into October; private tours are also possible for a flat fee of $500 (for two to 40 people).

What's planned to make this year better for families?
One of our lessons learned from last year, our debut year, was that some attendees want to bring their children to the festival. People voiced their complaints as it is, after all, an outdoor weekend event. I had to listen to our audience. To that end, we have added hands-on cooking classes for children, face painters, a balloon-animal maker, and the Maryland-Delaware Watermelon Association’s Watermelon Queen will host a watermelon seed spitting contest. The National Peanut Board with mascot Buddy McNutty will teach kids fun tasty ways to incorporate more healthy produce options into their diet and creatively explore, through drawing, their favorite ways to put that energy to work. Pirate cruises on the Potomac River are available at an extra charge.

Before taking the Gold Cup reins in summer 2007, Snyder was the associate director of corporate development for the Sundance Institute in Los Angeles and also practiced law. Her efforts at Gold Cup have added new corporate-sponsorship opportunities, such as a Chairman's Box and JumboTrons, to an already action-packed day at the races. In addition to the ever-popular Jack Russell terrier races (sponsored by the Virginia Lottery) and tailgate competition (sponsored by Goodstone Inn and Estate), there are now nearly 25 sponsored programs and activities. We spoke to Snyder as she nailed down details for the upcoming Virginia Gold Cup race May 2.  

When do you start planning for Gold Cup?
We start about 18 months out. This year will be the 84th running for the spring races, and our major vendors for tents, equipment, and catering have multiyear contracts to receive the best pricing. But so far this year we are seeing an 8 to 10 percent decline in ticket sales from 2008. Still, our attendance is very diverse, from young socialites to college alumni to business groups, as well as neighborhood families and friends. These groups annually book tailgate spots or buy the higher-end tickets on Members Hill for the spring tradition of seeing and being seen.

As a veteran attendee, promoter, and producer of fashion shows and events, I thought I had seen and done it all. But I was wrong.

If you like greeters, and I do, the Black Tie and Boots Ball was your party. First, a dozen or so wannabe Dallas Cowgirls obeyed their matron, took the gum out of their mouths, passed it forward, then marched, two by two to the escalator, to get in position at one of the many entrances. Every third gal greeted me and every fifth winked.

"We're looking forward to an extraordinary fall. Highlights for us include the Pittsburgh G20 Summit, scheduled at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in late September. World leaders from more than 30 countries will convene to discuss global challenges with more than 3,000 journalists scheduled to cover the event. We and our partner Showcall will provide extensive general contracting, audiovisual, decor, and production services. A variety of events focused on the environment also figure prominently in our schedule this fall, including the Solar Decathlon, to take place in mid-October on the National Mall. The event joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house. Our calendar includes a diverse customer base, ranging from the 13th annual Human Rights Campaign National Dinner to the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference. Finally, with several exhibit pavilions at the Association of the U.S. Army show held annually at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, expos for the Marine Corps Marathon and Army Ten-Miler, and general contracting services for Modern Day Marine, we are geared up and ready for an exciting fall."
—Lana Ostrander, director of marketing and public relations, Hargrove Inc.

Hargrove, a trade show, exhibit, and event production company, and Showcall, a full-service event production firm, are no strangers to working together. Previously the two companies have joined forces on major events such as Pope Benedict XVI's mass at Nationals Stadium, the G20 Summit in Washington, the G8 Summit in Savannah, Georgia, and the 2009 Presidential Inauguration.

The company's services include planning product launches, corporate communications with internal sales teams, and branding initiatives. InVNT also handles all event production, including video demonstrations, staging, and marketing.

Chin is overseeing a team of four managing chefs and 31 other kitchen members and creating all menus offered at the convention center’s events, including last Friday's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner, where President Obama spoke. (Our coverage of MSNBC's after-party is here.) Chin is replacing chef Greg Sharpe, who moved to the Baltimore Convention Center.