For the last three years, the Washington Area Concierge Association held its summer gala on a cruise ship, with a "Bubbles on the Potomac" theme. This year, the association instead opted to go with a summer whites theme for its 24th annual event. Held at the Aria Trattoria, the evening benefitted the nonprofit Metro TeenAIDS with a silent auction that featured items such as guided tours of D.C. and a fashion show where W.A.C.A. members were dressed by five Washington area designers (including Ebong Eka, who debuted his line last week).
“This party is all about [staying] local,” said Anthony Hesselius, senior publicist at Linda Roth Associates, who coordinated the event. “Everything from the entertainment to the flowers to the fashion was donated by local people. We reached out all across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia and got a great response.”
Floral companies Greenworks, Ultra Violet, Les Printemps, and Washington Harbour Florist provided the all-white zinnia and calla lily centerpieces for the appropriately white linen-dressed tables. Some 450 guests, most of whom adhered to the request for white attire, nibbled on Aria Trattoria's mint and split-pea soup shooters and wild-mushroom risotto fritters, and watched the 20-minute fashion show out on the restaurant's patio.
