Embassy Row’s Middle East A-List comes out to support screening of “Journey to Mecca” and a night of much-welcomed positive imagery.

By Michael M. Clements
Photos by Tony Powell

Kuwait Amb. Salem Al-Sabah, Rima Al-Sabah, and Prince Turki Al-Faisal. "Journey to Mecca" IMAX Gala Screening. Museum of Natural History. (photo by Tony Powell)

It’s fair to say that, even in the most fair and balanced way, the majority of news and imaging the “West” receives about Islam and the greater Muslim world these days is skewed towards the negative or confrontational – particularly when the dialogue includes religion. It’s unfortunate. All the reason why it was so refreshing to be at The National Museum of Natural History recently for the screening of “Journey to Mecca,” a film that celebrates Islam and the Hajj, the large annual pilgrimage considered to be the fifth pillar of Islam and a religious duty to be carried out at least once in a lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.

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The 14th annual record of notably social individuals from politics, diplomacy, business, philanthropy, and the arts.

Enrico and Andrea Cecchi (Photo by Joseph Allen)

A
Mr. and Mrs. JAMES ABDO (Mai)
Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAM ABEL-SMITH (Mimi)
The Honorable and Mrs. TYLER ABELL (Bess)
The Honorable DAVID C. ACHESON
Mr. GLEN ACKERMAN and Mr. ERNESTO SANTALLA
Mr. THEO ADAMSTEIN and Ms. OLVIA DEMETRIOU

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Pomp and Circumstance at the Obamas’ first State Dinner for the Indian Prime Minister Singh

Brian and Meredith Williams Photo by Kyle Samperton

By John Arundel

There was an element of suspense and breathless anticipation to the Obamas first State Dinner Tuesday. Staff and Secret Service shuttled around in tuxedos and floor-length ball gowns, as a fireplace crackled in the Green Room and the Marine Corps Orchestra filled the Grand Foyer with New Orleans jazz tunes.

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Top Row: President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Bob Woodward, Teresa Heinz Kerry, John Kerry, Don Graham, Adrian and Michelle Fenty, Vice President Joseph Biden and Jill Biden. Second row: Rep. Barney Frank, Desirée Rogers, Victoria and Sen. Ted Kennedy, Valerie Jarrett, Timothy Geithner, Eric Holder and Sharon Malone, Peter Orzsag, Jane Stanton Hitchcock. Third row: Sen. Mark Warner, Alexandra Wentworth and George Stephanopolous, Justice Antonin Scalia, Elizabeth and George Stevens, Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Queen Noor, Robert Duvall, Roger Sant. Fourth row: Katharine Weymouth, Justice Stephen Breyer, Sheila Johnson, Plácido Domingo, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Amb. Pierre Vimont, Ted and Annette Lerner, Sen. Harry Reid.

Big changes are always in store when a new president takes office. The “out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new” transition of power is even more historic when a change of party occurs (check) and especially when a two-term presidency ends (double check). Barack and Michelle Obama are also younger than their predecessors (they were born at the end of the Baby Boom era; the Bushes at its very beginning), and, most relevant of all, are the first African-Americans to occupy the White House.

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The 13th annual record of notably social personalities from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, business, philanthropy, and the arts.

By Kevin Chaffee

John Pyles and Barbara Harrison

This roster is neither the first, nor will it (inevitably) be the last to single out certain individuals, who, by virtue of birth, rank, wealth or accomplishment, take part in the social life of the nation’s capital. Estimable precursors – drumroll here – include The Green Book,” so-called for its faux green suede cover, which has appeared continuously since 1930; and the Blue Book of Washington, D.C., which ceased publication around 1990 after a century in print. The Social Register, sometimes called the “Black Book,” also contains the names of numerous prominent local figures, many hailing from so-called “blue blood” families, although it merged its thin Washington volume into a much larger 12-city national version back in the 1980s.

A major difference separating Washington Life’s list from the others – apart from having no discernible color – is that we do not publish a “phone book” containing addresses and contact information, much less schools attended, club memberships and yacht listings. Ours is merely an alphabetical nomenclature of people who make a difference by adding immeasurably to their city, and by extension, their country and the world. Another point of contrast is size. Compared to the many thousands of entries contained in other directories past and present, WL’s Social List, currently about 700 names and counting, is relatively small. We do not see the need to include every member of the Congress, Cabinet or Court (i.e., Supreme), much less all those with top jobs listed in the “Plum Book” of political appointments.

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Barbara McDuffie shows off one of the era-perfect poodle skirts seen in the audience at the Lombardi Cancer Center’s Doo Wop Concert at the Warner Theatre.

Strange encounters, Doo Wop daddies, and tea dancing Russian style.

By Donna Shor

BEAR-ING UP WELL
Lynda Webster and her long-time fishing buddy, retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, were startled at a placid trout stream this summer when a bear burst out of the woods and headed right for them. “After the first shock, we realized he wasn’t after us,” Lynda said. “He was after the trout on her line.” After a tense moment, the pair headed him off, and kept both their fish and their cool.

Lynda kicked off the fall season once again with her morning get-together at the Chevy Chase Club. Spotted: Alma Powell, Barbie Allbritton, Esther Coopersmith, ever-soignée Alexine Jackson (who had just celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary, and found that hard to believe. So do we.) Others included Kathy Bushkin, the UN Foundation’s chief operating officer; Pam Kessler, who told us her author husband Ron is hard at work on a book about the FBI; Gail West; Shaista Mahmood; arts patron Judith Terra; designer Ann Kenkel; Judy Esfandiary; and Ruth Frenzel. Wives of four ambassadors were there: Laurel Colles Lintu (Finland); Shamin Jawad (Afghanistan), Fabiola Gallegos (Ecuador), Margarete Alvarez (Venezuela), and from the embassy of Japan, aide Kiyomi Buker.

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Jane Sloat Ritchie, Christine Reed, and Victoria Lombardo, winner of the “Show Stopper” category of the Hat Contest at the 20th “Perennial” Garden Party at Woodrow Wilson House.

Buskers hold sway, we remember Gogo, and the Atlantic Council makes news.

By Donna Shor

Power people galore at the Atlantic Council of the United States Award Dinner. Honorees were Britain’s Tony Blair, media baron Rupert Murdoch, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael G.Mullen, and world-renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin. Presenters were Poland’s former president Aleksander Kwasniewski, Spain’s former president Jose Maria Aznar, Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger, Atlantic Council’s chairman Gen. James L. Jones, and its president and CEO, Frederick Kempe. Alexis Glick of Fox News emceed. Seen amidst 800 guests (including 35 ambassadors): Paula Dobriansky, Alexandra and Arnaud de Borchgrave, Jon Ledecky, Vibeke Lofft, JoAnn and John Mason, Philip and Nina Pillsbury; Isabel and Ricardo Ernst, Ann and Lloyd Hand, Kathy Kemper, Jim Valentine, and indomitable newswoman Helen Thomas.

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WL’s list of head-turners.

Top from left to right: Steven and Jean Case, Vernon and Ann Jordan, James Kimsey, Jacqueline Mars. Bottom from left to right: Paul and Nancy Pelosi, Roger and Victoria Sant, and Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn.

It’s hard to elicit a physical response from a Washington crowd; that is, to “turn” a head. Although we’ve produced this list for several years, 2008’s A-list has seemingly evolved into a roster of national names rather than one merely dedicated to the stars in our local firmament; after all, 2008’s elections have brought some bonafide rock stars to town. All eyes have been on Ben Bernanke to solve our financial woes, and we’ve all been waiting with baited breath to find out whether Christopher Hitchens will finally quit smoking (maybe it would help if he had God on his side). We said goodbye to longtime favorites Joe Gibbs, as well as beloved British Ambassador Sir Manning and his wife, Lady Catherine. While farewells are always sad, they make way for new faces such as financial heavyweight David Rubenstein and Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson. Over the years, we’ve found that A-list status is less about the job and rank than one might think; it’s about having a personality that electrifies the room. We’re happy they’re here.

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Heads turn when they enter the room.

By Ann Geracimos

Photograph by Fred J. Maroon. M. Maroon's son, Marc, has recently launched an initiative to offer digital prints from his father's Washington, D.C. Collection, entitled "Poetic Washington" to local charity events. For more informatino, go to fredmaroon.com.

Power is as power does. It’s a flexible force in this town. No wonder we denizens often take refuge in lists, a comfort zone of sorts in a world where the reality is constantly shifting.

Lists turn up everywhere. The form suits a place that thrives on hierarchy – on knowing just who owns a predetermined political status. The government’s plum list of political jobs is the apotheosis of this. Keeping everyone happy: giving them a title, an objective count of who’s in and who’s out. And why not? That is small comfort in the face of the conditions of daily life that threaten to overwhelm one’s sense of identity.

There is comfort in knowing about rank because it makes it easier to navigate the terrain. After all, who is responsible for the saying that rules (rank and reputation) are made to be broken? It gives a lift to the spirit to know the Calvinist ideal of predestination is not entirely dominant.

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