Boys Club

For the last four years, the Sons of Italy Foundation, which gives scholarships and awards to noteworthy Italian Americans, hosted its gala at the Grand Hyatt Washington. This year, however, to mark the organization's 20th anniversary, organizers opted to celebrate in the grandiose National Building Museum instead. "We hope that our guests will remember that this is our 20th year," said director of communications Kylie Cafiero, who put the evening together with executive assistant Sylvia Cacciato.

The gala, which hosted some 1,000 guests, including Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and actor Joe Pantoliano, appropriately went for all things Italian. Silent-auction items included tickets to Italy from airline Alitalia and an autographed photograph of John Travolta. For the predinner reception, guests lounged on several piazza-style wood-and-iron benches, while eight local chefs set up at tables around the space. Il Mulino seemed to attract the most attention with its porcini ravioli cooked in champagne cream sauce and black truffles. Chef and host Mary Ann Esposito of PBS's Ciao Italia was also on hand to sign books.Actor Joe Mantegna hosted the program and handed out awards (including one to casino mogul Steve Wynn) as guests dined on pistachio-crusted sea bass and espresso-glazed beef tenderloin with Parmesan polenta from Monumental Affairs. The real attraction, however, was the evening's headliner: Tony Bennett. The 81-year-old singer performed a lively 45-minute set, paid tribute to Frank Sinatra, and scored a laugh by dedicating "The Good Life" to former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.