DC FOODIE EVENT: 18TH ANNUAL TASTE OF GEORGETOWN

18^th Annual Taste of Georgetown on October 15^th Offers 60+ Delicious Dishes, Playful Pumpkin Food Fight, 25+ Craft Brews, Live Jazz and More

Taste of Georgetown Expands Down to K Street for Large Annual Neighborhood

Tasting Festival

The 18^th annual Taste of Georgetown is coming up on Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be even bigger, literally, than in years past. Showcasing the spectacular cuisine of over 30 of Georgetown's finest restaurants, the "must eat" event is expanding down to K Street this year and will also feature an exciting new chef "Pumpkin Food Fight" competition, a huge Washington City Paper Wine, Ale & Spirits Pavilion with 25+ craft beers, creative cocktails and refreshing wines, the jazz talents of world-renowned Blues Alley and more.

Throughout the day, guests will taste delicious dishes, pair tasteful cuisine with wines, sip premium beer, and enjoy live music while uncovering the rare dining treasures the city has to offer. Tickets are $5 for one tasting and $20 for five tastings, with proceeds benefitting the Georgetown Ministry Center's services supporting the homeless. TOG is presented and sponsored by the Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID) who has helped raise more than $100,000 for GMC since 2004.

Taste of Georgetown's 1^st Annual "Pumpkin Food Fight" is giving chefs a chance to play with their food - pumpkin style. The fun new restaurant competition will feature six of Georgetown's best chefs preparing different dishes featuring the favorite fall ingredient, pumpkin, in a full out food competition. Participating restaurants include Mie N Yu, Filomena Ristorante, Rugby Café, Thunder Burger, Dean & DeLuca and Chadwicks. A panel of esteemed food journalists will judge the dishes, and attendees will be able to taste them as well. Judges include:

• Bonnie Benwick, Washington Post
• Amanda McClements, Metrocurean
• Shaun Courtney, Georgetown Patch

Restaurants participating in the Taste of Georgetown will be offering delicious dishes from their restaurants and the opportunity to dine through Georgetown in one day. Guests can enjoy much talked-about dishes like the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate® from Serendipity 3 and live-demonstratedPaella from Bodega Spanish Tapas & Lounge, some savory new fall plates likethe Budapest Crepe with ground beef, onions, tomatoes, green pepper and sour cream cilantro sauce from Café Bonaparte and the Spicy Pumpkin-Coconut Soup with 48 Hour Duck Confit and Pepitas from Mie N Yu, and some tried-and-true favorites like the Mini Chicken Pot Pies from The Daily Grill and Pad Thai from Bangkok Joe's. And the afternoon wouldn't be complete without a tasting of the best baked sweets from DC's cupcake capitolliketheSalted Caramel & Lava Fudge Cupcake from Georgetown Cupcake, Honey Badger Brownie, a fudgy chocolate pecan brownie with brown butter frosting from Baked & Wired, and Freshly Baked Red Velvet Cupcake fromnewcomer, Sprinkles Cupcakes.

Participating restaurants include: 1789, Baked & Wired, Bangkok Joe's, Bodega Spanish Tapas & Lounge, Café Bonaparte, Chadwicks, Chipotle, Clyde's, Crepe Amour, Daily Grill, Dean & DeLuca, Degrees Bistro at the Ritz Carlton, Filomena Ristorante, Georgetown Catering, Georgetown Cupcake, Georgetown Wing Co., La Madeleine, Mie N Yu, Morton's the Steakhouse, Muncheez, Neyla, Pinkberry, Ristorante Piccolo, Rugby Café, Sea Catch Restaurant & Raw Bar, Sequoia, Serendipity 3, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Thunder Burger. A full list of participants and menu items can be found online at www.tasteofgeorgetown.com.

Guests can quench their thirst at the huge new Washington City Paper Wine, Ale & Spirits Pavilion. Bigger than in years past, the Pavilion will offer everything to keep attendees hydrated: 25+ craft beers, including three brews from recent DC newcomer New Belgium Brewing Company and several festive pumpkin and Oktoberfest-themed beers for the season; 6+ wines from wineries like singer Dave Matthews' brand new Dreaming Tree vineyard, and three craft cocktails using flavorful spirits like Absolut Mango and St. Germain. Beverages tickets are $10 for 4, and $3 for 1 tasting.

In addition to the opportunity to taste over 60 delectable dishes from Georgetown restaurants and a large selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails, the family-friendly event will also offer children's activities including balloon sculptures and face painting.

Attendees of the Taste of Georgetown can avoid parking and traffic by taking either the Circulator line from Union Station/Georgetown or the Circulator line from Rosslyn/Dupont, which runs along M Street. The event will be located on Wisconsin Avenue between M & K Streets. For more information and advanced ticket purchases, visit www.TasteOfGeorgetown.com.

About the Georgetown Business Improvement District

The Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the accessibility, attractiveness and overall appeal of Georgetown. Established in 1999 by its property owners and merchants, the Georgetown BID has more than 1,000 members. The organization is located in the heart of Georgetown in Washington, D.C and sets a standard of excellence in preserving historic charm while meeting contemporary needs. From marketing and special events, to transportation and streetscape, the Georgetown BID contributes to the vitality and quality of life in Georgetown. For more information please visit georgetowndc.com. Also connect with Georgetown on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeorgetownDC, Facebook: www.facebook.com/OfficialGeorgetownDC and YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/GeorgetownDCTV.

DC FASHION EVENT RECAP: Sweet Charity 2011

Anytime you mix fashion with chocolate, I will be there! I attended Sweet Charity 2011 last week (it was the only event I attended unfortunately since I was sick as a dog the rest of the week!) There were goodies everywhere. Sweet Charity is held every year to raise awareness and funds for the Heart of America Foundation which seeks to promote volunteer service and literacy. Proceeds from the event will benefit their "Books from the Heart" and "READesign" programs which work to revitalize school libraries and reading spaces in the DC schools. To date, Heart of America Foundation has provided more than two million library and take-home books to DC children.

So I did my due diligence and walked around to snap a few shots before getting my palette wet. I wanted to scope out where I wanted to go and what I absolutely had to try. There was a mix of savory and sweet. Which made me very happy. I had the most delish kabob of kobe beef with foam ever at the Alber Uster Imports table. The macaroons from Adour at the St. Regis were divine. I drooled over the delights at the Coco Sala table. If you have not been to Coco Sala, you are truly missing something! But I digress. There was deliciousness everywhere you turned. The Ritz-Carlton DC and Tysons had tasty treats on their tables including the super fabulous Root Beer Float. So good.

In addition to the gourmet delicacies, the Heart of American Foundation and AUI presented a few much deserved awards during the night. The Principal of the Year award was given to Dr. Grace A. Reid. She is the principal at Barnard Elementary School in NW Washington. She started out as the School Psychologist and then the Special Education Coordinator. She was appointed Principal in 2009. She conducts parent workshops on the weekend and also works as an adjunct professor at my Alma Mater, Howard University.









The Alber Uster Chef of the Year was presented to Chef Dan Wecker of the Elkridge Furnace Inn. Chef Wecker has made community service and charity work a big priority in his life. He coached high school culinary teams, donates his time and money to local charities, and hires mentally challenged employees through the Arc of Howard County program. He also started "Bastille Day," an annual fundraiser to raise money for John Hopkins Pediatric Trauma Center. Wecker's sons have a rare genetic disorder and receive top notch care at Hopkins.









It was so great to see WJLA-7 anchor Leon Harris receive the National Heroes of the Heart award. The best part was that he was totally surprised. Harris had no idea that he was going to receive this award. He spends his free time working with various non-profit organizations because he believe so passionately in giving back to the community. He serves on numerous charitable boards including those of Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area and For Love of Children.

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Various Yummy Food Stations







I love seeing folks that I haven't seen in awhile. I was so happy to run into one of my favorite people in the world, Christine Cropper-Brooks, President of the GWFCC and a member of the Sweet Charity Host Committee.



I also love seeing folks that I would like to know. So I was tickled when I had asked Chef Spike Mendelsohn to take a picture with me and instead he said to me, "only if you take it with me." I was more than happy to take a picture with the sexy Top Chef alum. In case you don't know, Chef Spike owns Good Stuff Eatery and We, The Pizza on Capitol Hill.



But of course, there was a fashion show. But a fashion show made of candy. I really can't accurately describe these outfits. You really had to be there to get the gist. The theme was "Heroes in Literature." But the winner was Shaun McCarty, Pastry Sous at the Ronald Reagan Building, with his sweet Gretel character.




Other Sweet Charity Fashion Show Contestants