Leukemia & Lymphoma Society M/W of the Year 2008

It was a truly distinct honor to run for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Woman of the Year 2007 and come in 1st Runner Up with $126,000, thanks to the hard work of my team.  This year, the Campaign, which has already kicked off, has a superb group of men and women competing.  I am not supporting one particular candidate this year for various reasons, however I do strongly support the cause. 

Please check out http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=70795 to find out who is working hard to raise awareness and funds for blood cancer research.  Each of the 17 are hoping together to raise $1 million for the DC Chapter.  Many are hosting events around town, so hopefully you will get to check them out, meet those running and their teammates.  Great luck to each of you and see you at the Finale in June!

May Day! May Day! I need some art!

And art you shall have, in fact, all the art you need.  Just breeze through the doors of Broadway Gallery’s Fairfax location this May.  The featured artist this month is Henry Domke and his exhibit (which is just spectacular) is “May Flowers”.  As the Broadway Gallery web site states: “Based on photographs, these large dimension florals are breathtaking with their clarity and delicate presence.” 

The exhibit runs through May 31st. Broadway Gallery Fairfax is located at 12331 Fair Lakes Promenade Drive, Fairfax, VA.  Please visit www.broadwaygalleries.net for more information, or call 703.273.3267.  Tell them the Punch sent you!

Coming soon, a very special partnership between Broadway Gallery and Pamela’s Punch, where YOU can bid on art, and it’s all for a very good local cause.

(**Broadway Galleries is a Special Highlighted Partner of Pamela’s Punch**)

For Immediate Release: Fashion Fight Poverty’s 4TH Annual Fashion Event Partners with the Historic St. Regis Benefiting NEST

Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP) announced today their 2008 beneficiary is NEST, a non-profit organization that supports women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses. Scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2008, this year’s event takes place at the historic and newly renovated St. Regis Hotel, Washington, D.C., FFP’s 2008 presenting sponsor. “Fashion Fights Poverty has been fortunate from the very beginning to have increasing numbers of individuals, organizations and businesses involved in our annual benefit. The addition of the St. Regis, Washington, D.C. as our presenting sponsor and NEST as the 2008 beneficiary truly enhances our ability to bring more of these groups together,” said Christopher Belisle, President of Fashion Fights Poverty.

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Voto Latino’s Pre-White House Correspondents Association Dinner Event

The weather could not have cooperated any better EARLY Saturday night (yes, later in the night the torrential downpour was no welcome friend for those moving from the Dinner or other events to the After Parties).  Way atop the building of 701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, an intimate private reception was held to raise awareness and funds for Voto Latino.  Quite candidly, I had never heard of Voto Latino until I had received the invite (it doesn’t matter that I am not Latino).  Luckily, not only was Marie Teresa Petersen (Founding Executive Director) there to talk with folks, but actor and activist Rosario Dawson (co-Founder) came as well (after getting her perfect hair and makeup finished at the Erwin Gomez Salon!).  Both spoke to individuals as well as addressed the group on the importance of getting young American Latinos to vote. 

(Pictured above left: The hosts thank everyone and pose for a few pictures while fighting a bit of a breeze; below right: Rosario Dawson and Jimmy Lynn of AOL; below left: Marie Teresa Petersen and David Park) 

Voto Latino can be equated to “Rock the Vote”.  Both are organizations that use cool, contemporary methods to reach young people, especially those just turned 18, to educate them on how hip it is to vote as well as how lucky they are to have the ability to vote.  Voting is a right. Voting is a privilege. Voting … is everyone’s duty. 

Voto Latino is young itself, only three years old, but they are gaining strong momentum.  With an Advisory Board that includes Craig Newmark, the Founder of Craig’s List, Antonio Tijerino, the CEO of the Hispanic Heritage  Foundation, Juan Marcos Vilar, the Special Assistant Secretary, SEIU, and many more, they have the potential for much success.  Of course, star power like Marie Teresa Petersen and Rosario Dawson, doesn’t hurt either. 

To find out more about Voto Latino, please go to www.votolatino.org.  I am sure you will be hearing much more about and from this action oriented cause.

Thank you to all the hosts, including Xavier Fco. Equihua, of Fed Strategies, who opened his lovely home and my friend David Sutphen of Viacom.

“We are united by the common belief that the power to change our community comes from within it.” … taken from the Voto Latino web site.

Try this slipper on for size

Don’t forget to purchase your tickets for the Washington Ballet’s production of Cinderella, which will be held at the historic Washington classic, The Warner Theatre, May 7-11.  Click on the “Cinderella” link above to buy now!

Speaking of Cinderella, the Cinderella Ball benefiting the Ballet last Friday night was just an exquisite moment in time for all guests.  Held at one my favorite gala locations, the Mellon Auditorium, the evening was like a fairytale in and of itself.  Not one detail was left out, including from the moment we stepped upon the pink carpet outside and were greeted with rose petals and trumpeters in full powdered wigs and costume, to the extensive floral arrangements, to the tutus attached to the gilded chairs, to even the tiny chocolate pumpkin carriage we had for dessert.  Raul and Jean-Marie Fernandez chaired the successful event this year.  It was just a gorgeous over the top affair and once the band  started up - there was not an inch of space available on that dance floor, so apparently there was a lot to celebrate.  Or, everyone just wanted to work off a bit of their delicious dinner and all that chocolate. 

(Pictured above left: Guests were greeted like royalty as they ascended the entrance stairs; above right: Mini stages were set up for guests to see parts of the ballet as they walked to the reception; below left: Our table, thanks to Jete’ Society Dance Party co-Chair Ashley Taylor; below right: The chocolate carriage … almost too pretty to eat! … well almost.)

Cinco de Mayo? Que Pasa?

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner (next Monday to be exact), so make your plans with your amigos ahora!  Suggestion: Head to Skye Lounge … Monday is supposed to bring fair weather so the outdoor patio with margaritas sounds perfect right about now. 

The drink specials go from 3pm - 11pm:  $8 Partida Margarita, $6 Rail Margarita, $3 Miller Lite and Bud Light, $14 buckets of corona and Yuengling, $6 Partida shots.  The Happy Hour specials from 4pm to 9pm are: $8 Blue Skye Martinis, $8 Classic Mojito, $5 champagne, $6 rails, $7 house red and white wine glasses.

Aye Carumba!  I foresee a few late birds coming to work Tuesday morning …

To make a reservation for Monday please contact Lydia at lydia@skyedc.com or call 202.331.5800. Skye is located on the corner of 19th & Eye Streets, NW.

(**Skye Lounge is a Special Highlighted Partner of Pamela’s Punch**)

Skye Lounge’s Grand Opening pictures are up

Check out the pix from Skye Lounge’s opening on Friday the 18th.  If you were there, thanks for coming out and if you weren’t, you can see the fun you missed.  Skye Lounge is really hitting the happy hour and later evening crowd hard, so enjoy the outdoor seating, great mix of downtown professionals, delicious tapas and fresh fruit mojitos that are out of this world. 

http://www.skyedc.com/gallery.html

(**Skye Lounge is a Special Highlighted Partner of Pamela’s Punch**)

Washington.org offers you MY DC

So you think you know Washington, DC?  Do you?  Ok, so you do!  Then share your knowledge with others.  Plug into http://www.washington.org/visiting/my-dc, sign up and offer your tips on the best places to get a martini, some sliders, walk your dog, see a movie, avoid traffic and so much more.  This is your opportunity to show those outside of the Nation’s Capital what you really think about where you live. 

While you are there, browse around the newly branded and updated web site.  You will be thoroughly impressed. 

The Third Annual Capitol Movement Project Sweeps Audience off Its Feet

I have never been so blown away by a dance performance in my life (as a professionally trained ballet, modern and jazz dancer, I have been a part of and seen many) as I was by the Capitol Movement Project’s two hour production on Saturday night by Capitol Movement, Inc (CMI).  I actually had a visceral reaction which included the chills and tears in my eyes.  By the way, I was not the only one - many around me shared in that emotion.

There were two Acts with a short intermission in between, the first act with nine very different and individualized performances, the second act with seven.  With choreographers coming in from LA and NYC (halfway through, I thought Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul and Madonna were being channeled through each dancer), music from India Arie, Naughty by Nature, Michael Jackson, Jill Scott, Aretha Franklin, Kelly Clarkson and every artist in between and beyond, the formula for a grand production was spot on.  As a newbie to  witnessing anything CMI had done in the past, I had only heard of its greatness.  I was in for a complete treat.

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Happy Birthday to another …

lovely DC social miss, who loves fashion in a “mayjah” (pronounced like Posh Spice would say it) way, Makeda Saggau-Sackey.  Makeda has a great blog with a focus on the world of fashion and what’s just so pretty for we girls, http://theglamazondiaries.blogspot.com/.  By the way, Tara de Nicolas, whose birthday we celebrated this weekend, has her blog found on http://washhumane.typepad.com/.  Check both of these talented writers out and find out what is new in fashion, felines, and more.