Eat, Drink & Be Cherry! Were We

March 27th-April 11th marks the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, but over 500 people came out before the rise of the blooms on Thursday evening decked out in pink ties (the men looked so handsome, yes, even in soft shades), pink attire, and Japanese inspired garb to Eat, Drink & Be Cherry! It was the 2nd annual Pink Tie Party where the city celebrates some if its top chefs from various chosen and vetted restaurants.  The chefs and mixologists were challenged to create cherry inspired dishes and cocktails for the very thirsty and very hungry guests who paid $150 per ticket or $250 for a VIP ticket (which got you into a special reception with celebrity chef Charlie Palmer-the beloved and now much thinner Art Smith returned to help his buddy out).  The event was held in the large downstairs ballroom at the W Hotel Washington, a space I had yet to experience post the re-design.

Pictured from top down clockwise: cherry macaroons (of which I had 4) from Adour; Chair Susan Norton & hubby; cherry mousse; plates from Charlie Palmer – who by the way, is pictured below sampling his chef’s creation; Shiseido lip service

The room was set up so that there was no piece of real estate left behind.  From sponsor Shiseido, ladies could get free samples and a lipstick refresher or if having hot lips wasn’t of interest, you could spend the better part your time browsing the massive Silent Auction.  Even the room outside the Grand Ballroom was used for auction items, a bar area, a coffee station and bites.  No one left the event hungry, albeit most were a bit tipsy and perhaps a bit aghast at the rather, hmmm, shall I say, “interesting” one man/woman dance and illusion performance by Ebina Performing Arts at the end of the night.

It was 100% better than last year’s Pink Tie Party, which was a pleasure to be a part of, but as with all emerging event producers and host committees, the group listened to feedback and turned it up a notch to meet and exceed the interests of their guests by offering more savory food and much more diverse cocktails, as well as a larger Silent Auction.

Pictured above: Lizette Corro, Soroush Shehabi, & Rebecca Linder; Courtney Rodgers, Marybeth Coleman & Coventry Burke; Ebina Performing Arts; Silvestro Conte & Linda Roth Conte

Thanks to the Host Committee, the Sponsors, Susan Norton who chaired this year’s night, and to the nice lady at Shiseido who made my lips look dark, glossy and pretty even when the rest of me was on the exhaustion train.

Be a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s activities: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390

See the rest of the photos here:

Pink Tie Party 2010