Social Scene

The Lion Rocks Tonight

The Georgetowner

September 2008

Photo: Maurica Roland with young fellow cast members

Cast members of the Lion King donated their night off on Aug. 11 to appear at American University’s Greenberg Theatre in “A Totally Rad 80’s Concert to Benefit Food & Friends and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS”—The Lion Rocks Tonight.  The theatre was indeed rocking as Mark Shunock, aka Timon, and Ben Lipitz aka Pumbaa, staged the benefit performance, which sold out in four days.  Mark quipped that the timeframe was appropriate “as there are a lot of people in DC who still dress like they’re in the 80’s.”  Many cast and crew members were in the audience cheering on their colleagues and special guest star Joshua Payne.  Food & Friends provides specialized meals and groceries as well as nutrition counseling to members of our community living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. - Mary Bird

The White Garden Gala 2008

The Georgetowner

September 2008

Photo: Pam Galloway of the Newseum with Anthony Hesselius

After celebrating in recent years with a Potomac cruise, on Aug. 10 the Washington Area Concierge Association (WACA) opted to remain on dry land at Aria Trattoria, featuring downtown DC’s largest outdoor patio, at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.  Gala Committee Co-Chairs Megan Fricker of The Melting Pot and Anthony Hesselius of Linda Roth Associates arranged for a fashion show of five local designers with models from within the WACA family.  Guests enjoyed special cocktails with SurReal Vodka or Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum and numerous wines that accompanied an incredible array of Tuscan-inspired dishes that ranged from passed hors d’oeuvres to antipasto, soup, salad, carving and risotto stations, not to mention every imaginable dessert.  The evening, which benefited the John B. Campbell Hospitality Scholarship, Les Clefs d’Or Foundation and Metro Teen AIDS, concluded with dancing to music selected by DJ Oliver Whitney. - Mary Bird

Summer in the City at L2 Lounge

The Georgetowner

September 2008

Photo (L-R): Michael Simpson, Tom McMillan, Frank Randolph

The Washington Ballet (TWB), Capitol File Magazine and Bacardi joined forces on Aug. 7 to host a private summer party featuring the original Bacardi mojito at the ever so “in” L2 Lounge in Cady’s Alley.  It may be vacation time but there were plenty of DC party scene regulars on hand--Tom McMillan, Michael Simpson, CNN’s Edie Emery, Chris Barry of News Talk 630 WMAL, Fox5 news anchor Will Thomas, Tara de Nicholas of the Humane Society, Christian Zapatka, Frank Randolph and Nicole d’Amecourt to name a few.  The Ballet presence included Artistic Director Septime Webre, Artistic Associate David Palmer and his wife, TWB alumna Stephanie Walz; dancer Aaron Jackson and many TWB Women’s Committee members. - Mary Bird