2019 White House Correspondents' Events

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2019 PHILANTHROPIC 50

A VIEW OF GIVING FROM JANE LIPTON CAFRITZ, DAVID RUBENSTEIN AND ADRIENNE ARSHT WEALTH EXPLOSION: WASHINGTON’S 34 BILLIONAIRES & WHO’S MADE THE GIVING PLEDGE SUPER DADS: REP. JOE KENNEDY, BEN HARPER, NATE BERKUS AND BLAKE BURMAN FIT FOR PHILANTHROPIC FETES: INSIDE GEORGE AND KRISTEN LUND’S GRAND KALORAMA HOME FASHION: STEP AFRIKA! CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY


POLLYWOOD

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ WEEKEND

EYES ON THE PRIZE

The 2019 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner and events surrounding it celebrated journalists without some of the usual pomp and circumstance. BY C AT H E R I N E T R I F I L E T T I

For those wondering if the President’s absence (he attended a rally in Wisconsin instead) was an elephant in the room at this White House Correspondents’ dinner ... White House Correspondents’ Association president Olivier Knox had this to say: “I don’t want to dwell on the president. This is not his dinner it is ours and it should stay ours.” Knox set the tone early in the weekend when we caught up with him at the Bytes & Bylines party on Thursday night. Having taken over the WHCA leading role last year, the SiriusXM chief Washington correspondent emphasized his goal of putting the spotlight back on hard-working journos, whose jobs seem to be more thankless than ever. On past dinners, he lamented, “You were more likely to run into a sitcom star than a sound engineer.” With a focus on the news makers instead of the glitzy celebs, this year’s weekend was low wattage, but not low energy. The biggest difference? More engaged conversations, less people gazing over your shoulder looking for someone more important to chat with. Taking the safe route where journalists could gain back the attention meant no controversial comedians at dinner. Instead, historian Ron Chernow offered a self-titled “20 minute sedative for the evening,” putting the festivities in historical context: “People are taking their comedians seriously and their politicians as a joke and that certainly describes our topsy-turvy moment.”

T H U R S DAY A P R I L

WASHINGTON WOMEN IN JOURNALISM [ANDERSON HOUSE] P H O T O S B Y J OY A S I C O

Breezy spring weather allowed guests to fan out onto the patio and lawn of historic Anderson House to sip old fashioneds and mingle at the kickoff event of the weekend. The female journalists honored were Huff Po’s Amanda Terkel, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, CNN’s Abby Phillip and WaPo’s Ashley Parker. Cohost Gloria Dittus made sure to point to their A-List abilities, quipping that their names all begin with an A.

Abby Phillip and Marcus Richardson

Abby Phillip and Marcus Richardson

British Amb. Sir Kim Darroch and Lady Vanessa Darroch

Audrey Henson and Jennifer DeCasper (photobomb courtesy of Rebecca and Sean Spicer)

Josh Dawsey, Jonathan Lemire and Meridith McGraw

Ned Price, Kevin Cirilli and Olivier Knox

Kasey Crowley and Rep. Joe Crowley

BYTES & BYLINES [IRISH AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE] P H O T O S B Y J OY A S I C O

Any party that ends with a few dozen lingering guests belting out “Sweet Caroline” can automatically be classified as a success. Among the revelers: hosts Allen Gannett, John McCarthy, Eric Kuhn and Jennifer DeCasper. The light-hearted event is in its fourth year (its second in partnership with the Irish Ambassador Daniel Mulhall). Generous pours of peated whisky from Kilbeggan Irish, live jazz and great conversation made the evening, which benefited the next generation of young reporters through the White House Correspondents’ Association Scholarship Fund, a great night.

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WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

| J U N E | washingtonlife.com


ATLANTIC MEDIA’S KICKOFF DINNER [THE BRADLEY RESIDENCE] P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

The annual dinner hosted by Atlantic Media Chairman David Bradley and his wife Katherine is an intimate tented backyard gathering studded with Washington luminaries.

Megan Murphy, Hilary Rosen and Fred Humphries

Adrienne Arsht and Kellyanne Conway

David and Katherine Bradley with Sen. Mark Warner

Rep. John Delaney, Sally Quinn, Bill Weld and Leslie Marshall

Jill Udall and Sen. Tom Udall

David Rubenstein and Stephanie Ruhle F R I DAY A P R I L

POLITICO PLAYBOOK RECEPTION

NOT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER

[WEWORK, METROPOLITAN

[D.A.R. CONSTITUTION HALL]

SQUARE]

P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F G E T T Y/ T B S

After a year’s hiatus, sharp-witted comedian Samantha Bee welcomed Washingtonians back for a live taping of her TBS show “Full Frontal.” Guests got in her contagious jovial spirit by posing on lifesize typewriters and playing political Mad Lib(erals). For a second year, the NWHCD raised money for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

P H O T O S B Y V I T H AYA P H O N G S AVA N

Playbook authors Anna Palmer, Jake Sherman and Daniel Lippman played host at the kickoff event. Palmer and Sherman are fresh off their book tour for “The Hill to Die On,” which has been making waves on the New York Times bestseller list. HIGHLIGHT AN ARTIST SKETCHING

Tara Palmeri, Neil Grace and Nikki Schwab

SPOTTED APPEARANCES BY ROBERT DE NIRO AND A ROBOT

Mad Lib(eral)s wall

“TRUMP-O-MATIC” CARICATURES

Robyn Bash, Anastasia Dellaccio, Jay Newton Small and Daniel Lippman

WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

Allana Harkin and Bradley Whitford

| J U N E | washingtonlife.com

Samantha Bee

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POLLYWOOD

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ WEEKEND

THE HILL’S ‘TOAST TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT’ [KOGOD COURTYARD, THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY] P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

Sheila Casey and Michael Kelly

A live performance by Questlove was the story of this party, and really of the weekend if you ask any of the people on the dancefloor who jammed hard to the Roots alum’s DJ set. Unfortunately, it took the third hour of his performance for tightly-wound guests to loosen up. For that we can thank the bartenders, who mixed up stiff signature cocktails including “Free Press” made with rum, cider and pear liqueur. Kudos to Brian Donahue and Craft Media for not skimping on anything. Ah, if only every party had a bottomless budget.

Questlove

HIGHLIGHT AN IMPRESSIVE RAW BAR A LA WINDOWS CATERING SPOTTED VIPS WANDERING IN AND OUT OF A CLOSED OFF SPACE4 INCLUDING RUDY GIULIANI4 WHICH SEEMED SIGNIFICANT AT THE TIME4 UNTIL HE SHOWED UP EVERYWHERE THEREAFTER OH4 AND FOR WHAT

Hill Owner Jimmy Finkelstein and John Solomon

IT’S WORTH – THE GUY FROM “PAWN STARS ”

Adi Spiegelman and Trey Yingst

Rick Harrison and Rudy Giuliani

Britt McHenry Augustine Gradoux-Matt, Vinoda Basnayake and Sarah Mueller

QATAR EMBASSY RECEPTION [UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE] P H O T O S B Y T O N Y P O W E L L

When one of the richest countries in the world throws a party, you don’t want to miss it. It wasn’t long in the planning process Qatar and its media partner The Washington Diplomat enlisted a local public relations agency to bulk up their guest list – prime time Friday billing required the boost. All things considered, they did a very nice job with the help of sponsors Long & Foster | Christie’s International Real Estate and D.C. United. Middle Eastern-bites from Occasions included phyllo-wrapped everything.

Julia Richardson and Rep. Andre Carson

HIGHLIGHT ENTERING A TRANCE COURTESY OF ARTIST PATRICIA BENNET’S LIVE PAINTING OF QATARI CAPITAL DOHA’S SKYLINE

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Damir and Amra Fazlic, Jackie Rooney and Jayne Visser

Rep. Jim Moran, Qatar Amb. Meshal Bin Hamad Al Thani and Scott Thuman

WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

| J U N E | washingtonlife.com


UNITED TALENT AGENCY’S ‘CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S JOURNALISTS’ [FIOLA MARE] P H O T O S B Y DA N I E L S WA R T Z

With only one notable slip down the concrete stairs at the end of the night, guests appeared a bit more well-behaved at an event that typically involves some of the best people watching of the weekend. Owners of the Georgetown favorite, Fabio and Maria Trabocchi, may have put out more carbs (yum, focaccia) to help the partiers keep pace.

Carol Melton and Sam Feist

Charles Rivkin, Susan Tolson and Minnie Driver

HIGHLIGHT THE SMALL CIGARETTE SMOKING CROWD SERVING AS THE PEANUT GALLERY ON THE BACK DECK SPOTTED MINNIE DRIVER – WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL OUR LIVES? ALSO4 THE FIJI WATER GIRL ;GOOGLE IT<

Jake Tapper, Al Franken and Don Epstein

Jay Sures and Dana Bash

Kelleth Cuthbert S AT U R DAY A P R I L

Jay Leno and Don Lemon

Rep . Lauren Underwood

Kate Bolduan

Jonathan Taylor, Trish Yan and Doug Kammerer

Sally and Mark Ein with Chloe and Charlie

Alex Thomas and Nicole Lopez-Alvar

GARDEN BRUNCH [BEALL-WASHINGTON HOUSE] P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

The usual parade of big black cars descending on Georgetown caused plenty of head turns from dog walking neighbors. During the award celebration, which recognized military veterans for their service, Jean Case handed out a “be fearless” award (she released her book “Be Fearless” last year) and Jay Leno gave away a car, after joking that organizers must have been scraping at the bottom of the barrel to have invited him to present. HIGHLIGHT TIE BETWEEN COMPASS COFFEE’S CUSTOM ESPRESSO BAR AND THE TRICOLORED BLOODY MARY BAR BY DESIGN CUISINE BECAUSE4 BALANCE

Laura and Valerie Jarrett

DAILY BEAST COCKTAILPARTY [THE HEPBURN] P H O T O S B Y N A K U M AYO

Tammy Haddad, Lisa Barsoomian and Rod Rosenstein

WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

| J U N E | washingtonlife.com

Noah Shachtman and Jackie Kucinich

A young and fresh crowd ascended to the roof of the chic Hepburn apartment building next door to the Washington Hilton for a pre-dinner, pre-game.

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POLLYWOOD

Jack DeGioia

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ WEEKEND

Yumi Kim and Gov. Larry Hogan

Gary Knell, Genny Ryan and Kim Larson

Meredith McPhillips and Kayla Tausche

PRE-RECEPTIONS [WASHINGTON HILTON]

Cloe Luv, Jordan Emanuel and Geena Rocero

P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

April Ryan

Michael Beschloss with Jean and Steve Case

Bassima Al Ghussein and Jeh Johnson

Marillyn Hewson

Geoff Bennett, Kristen Welker, Peter Alexander and Hallie Jackson

Xxxx Xxxx Maria Espinoza Cristina Antelo and Gino Duda

Susan Rice, Ian Cameron, Suzanne Malveaux and Karine Jean-Pierre

David Cohen and MSNBC President Phil Griffin

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MSNBC AFTER PARTY [ITALIAN EMBASSY] P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

Battling Uber and Lyft surcharges and windy, rainy weather, guests lifted up their dresses and pant legs and trudged on to the spirited late night bash.

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Francesca Chambers

Tom Perez and Cornell Belcher

WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

Ryan Lizza and Olivia Nuzzi

| J U N E | washingtonlife.com


S U N DAY A P R I L

Andrea Mitchell, Robin Davisson and Ginny Grenham

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Sen. Roy Blunt and Abigail Blunt with Mariella and Michael Trager

POLITICO BRUNCH [THE ALLBRITTON RESIDENCE] P H OTO S BY TO N Y P OW E L L

Politico’s stronghold on the weekend continued with the exclusive Allbritton Brunch, to which even the most exhausted don’t give up an invitation. Politico CEO Robert Allbritton and his wife Elena have mastered the hosting role, each year choosing a different theme to elate their guests – this year was all about California cool.

Robert and Dr. Elena Allbritton with Barbie Allbritton

Shawna Thomas and Niki Christoff

Cristina Antelo and Gino Duda

Art Smith

Matt Dornic and John Legittino Diane Zeleny and Paul Johnson

Matthew Lauer and Samantha Sault

CNN’S ‘POLITICAL HANGOVER’ BRUNCH

Lance Morgan and Gloria Borger with Lynn and Wolf Blitzer Spike Mendelsohn and Paul Strauss

[1626 NORTH CAPITOL ST., NW] P H O T O S B Y B E N D R OZ

A fire house in Eckington got a head to toe New Orleans-style makeover courtesy of Advoc8 for the media behemoth’s hangover brunch. Guests washed down muffalettas and shrimp po’ boys with spiked “swampy” green juice and slushies. Upstairs, a secret Prohibition- style speakeasy channeled voodoo vibes accompanied by milk and brandy cocktails. Harmonica player Fred Yonnet and his band perfomed in the makeshift jazz room while CNN President Jeff Zucker hung by the string band outside.

WA S H I N G T O N L I F E

| J U N E | washingtonlife.com

THOMSON REUTERS’ CORRESPONDENTS’ BRUNCH [HAY ADAMS HOTEL ROOF] P H O T O S B Y B E N D R OZ

Gloria Dittus and Rep. Debbie Dingell

”Top Chef” alum Spike Mendelsohn helped revive burned out guests with a bountiful brunch spread.

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