In uncharacteristically sweltering temperatures, celebrities, members of Congress, donors and media executives converged on the red carpet at Flavio’s Italian Restaurant in Georgetown last evening for the Creative Coalition’s annual “The Night Before” dinner party and their landmark campaign for arts education, #righttobeararts #rtba. With numerous pre-WHCD events truncated or cancelled, The Creative Coalition stood alone in standing up for arts education funding in the firmament of Washington weekend social events.
http://thecreativecoalition.org/2016/11/22/right-to-bear-arts/
Attending the event following a day of lobbying on the Hill were The Creative Coalition’s President and actor Tim Daly (“Madam Secretary”), The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk, as well as Sarah Wayne Callies (“Prison Break”), Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), Chad Lowe (“Pretty Little Liars”), Alyssa Milano (“Mistresses”), Denis O’Hare (“American Horror Story”), Nick Sandow(“Orange Is the New Black”), Aaron Staton (“Mad Men”), Matt Walsh (“Veep”), and Kathrine Herzer (“Madam Secretary”). Also attending were MSNBC’s Greta Van Susteren, Huffington Post Editorial Director Howard Fineman, DC’s Shadow Senators Paul Strauss and Mike Brown, representatives Deborah Ann “Debbie” Dingell (D-MI), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Susan Bonamici (D-OR). “Fame’s” Lori Singer opened the evening with a Bach cello solo.
Guests enjoyed libations from partners Maestro Dobel Tequila, Line 39 Wines and Blue Moon Brewing. Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila featured their signature Black Diamond Margarita served with black Hawaiian salt. Wine pairings for the dinners included Line 39’s Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and newly released Day Owl Rose. Additionally, Miller-Coors offered its Blue Moon Belgian White, which is a Belgian-style witbier that paired well from the appetizer through main course service. The three course dinner included house salad, chicken Parmesan, Alaskan salmon and wild mushroom ravioli. Celebrity guests signed a copy of the evening’s menu with the Blackwing 602 pencil, a favorite of writers, creatives and artists everywhere.
