Josephine & Belvedere Red Make a Grand Splash

On Tuesday October 18 from 7-11pm the gorgeous Josephine nightclub and lounge "painted the town red" with Belvedere Vodka for the launch of Belvedere Red. The RED partnership supports the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This night was also a preview event for Josephine's reopening with chic new decor and an extra lounge room.

Guests enjoyed a complimentary four-hour open bar with a selection of Belvedere Red cocktails and Moet & Chandon champagne. Guests were also treated to passed hors d'oeuvres from sister restaurant/lounge Current Sushi. It was a refeshing evening of celebration which I believe made all of us to "think red."

http://www.josephinedc.com/

Victoria - Timeless in Rosslyn

October 17, 2011 - Model Victoria and I had wanted to have a photo shoot for awhile, and we finally got a chance to do one, yet daylight was fleeting fast so we didn't have very much time to shoot. I wanted to use the beautiful light of sunset and the surroundings to create a fresh yet urban cityscape backdrop for the photos. I wanted to try a different location other than Georgetown, so I went across the bridge. Here are a couple photos that I think worked out well.

Anna Maria - Fashion In Studio

October 15, 2011 - It was a beautiful and sunny Saturday outside, but I was in RC's studio in Baltimore for photographing fashion model Anna Maria from New York. Thanks to RC for coordinating having Anna Maria be available and for use of his studio. The diffused light coming into the studio made for great pictures and working with Anna Maria was a treat as she is experienced and very good at posing. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the shoot.

Passport to Style

October 13, 2011 - The Shops at Wisconsin Place in Chevy Chase MD hosted the Passport to Style fashion event in their courtyard area. Just like last year, it was under a big white tent at the corner of Wisconsin Ave and Willard Ave. It makes for a nice open location and outdoor event, yet the weather this day was sketchy. By the time the event started the rain stopped but later on it rained hard. Yet the rain didn't stop the event from happening with everything being under the spacious tent.

Passport to Style gives a fresh perspective on fall fashion and trends, giving inspiration on what to wear, what to add, and how to pull looks together. The event brings together fashion, beauty, food and wine, and it benefits two amazing charities: Hope for Henry and Fashion for Paws. It was wonderful to see everybody come together: adults, children and pets enjoying the evening.

Part of the enjoyment stems from all the wonderful retail stores, products and services represented: Adolfo Dominguez, Anthropologie Accessories, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bloomingdale's, Cabot Creamery, Circe Salon and Spa, Cole Haan, Eileen Fisher, Georgetown Cupcake, Hope for Henry, ILORI, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Renu Med Spa, Rosa Mexicano, Rue Washington DC, Sephora, Talbots, Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop, The Capital Grille, Tynan Coffee & Tea, Washington Humane Society's Fashion for Paws, White House | Black Market, Whole Foods Market.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of fall fashion spotlighting looks from a variety of fine retailers: Adolfo Dominguez, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bloomingdale's, Eileen Fisher, ILORI, Talbots, White House | Black Market. The show was produced by TESstylist. Fall Fashion trends are with: Color Block, Leather, Shine, The Lady (60's classics revisited). Fall Hair Trends are: Long and Straight with Center Part, Slicked Back Front, Bob Style with Strong Front Fringe, Low Slung Ponytails.

Thanks to the Passport to Style stylish sponsors: Circe Salon and Spa, Capital Party Rentals, Fashion for Paws, Georgetown Cupcake, Hope for Henry, Rue La La/Rue Washington DC, Sephora, The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop, Washington Life magazine, White Elephant Hotel Residences.

Come and visit The Shops at Wisconsin Place.

Bisnow Growth Expo 2011 and Dining Schmoozarama

October 11, 2011, Noon to 7pm, Washington DC

Hundreds of business-minded people converged upon The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on October 11th 2011 for what Bisnow touted as the business event of the year and the dining event of the year: The Bisnow Growth Expo 2011 and Dining Schmoozarama (at the Mellon Auditorium). It was about top speakers, top exhibitors and top networking.

The speaking schedule for the day brought an impressive list of business leaders and topics:

• How to Use Data to Grow Your Business: Capital One co-founder Nigel Morris
• How to Leapfrog the Big Boys to Grow Your Business: UnderArmour founder Kevin Plank
• How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business: MicoStrategy founder Michael Saylor
• How to Use Investment to Grow Your Business: Honest Tea founder Seth Goldman
• How to Use Venture Capital to Grow Your Business: Top vc's Mark Ein, Jack Biddle, Rick Rickertsen, and Hooks Johnston
• How to Use Government to Grow Your Business: Top economic development officials Jim Dinegar, Jerry Gordon, and Steve Silverman
• How to Grow in Real Estate: Potomac Real Estate Investment Trust founder Doug Donatelli
• A 2012 Regional Economic Forecast: Top forecaster Steve Fuller

It was the first Bisnow Growth Expo and it was a well-run event. The growth of ourselves personally and in business was augmented by the informative and visionary material seen and heard here today, and there is a plethora of resources all around us. With all this in and around us, and with events such as this, we have the momentum to take things to the next level and even go beyond what we've even imagined.

Blue Ridge Invitational - Invited by a Friend

October 10, 2011 - I'm not necessarily a golf kind of guy, but growing up I enjoyed playing golf arcade/video games and I also enjoy the occasional miniature golf game. I spent some time with a fellow photographer and old friend the day before and that evening he called to tell me about this event he was covering. It was the Blue Ridge Invitational at the luxurious Creighton Farms in Aldie, VA.

My friend Guy was to photograph the Blue Ridge Invitational which was a local charity golf event in support of Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing. Guy was able to cover the event on his own but thought it would be a good idea to have me out to experience the venue and event while taking pictures. Another photographer that Guy knows named Joey was also there to take pictures. After a nice lunch at the clubhouse I got to drive my own golf cart and rode around like a kid in an amusement park. It was a fun ride and I was able to take a lot of scenic pictures of the golf course and of people playing golf.

Toward the end of the playing time, we parked our golf carts high up on a hill and enjoyed some tomato basil soup prepared for us as we took more pictures. It was late in the afternoon and time to go back to the clubhouse. The photographers had time to chat about the event and of course talk a bit about photography. It was a good afternoon with great weather, and it was nice to get some golf course pictures. After this experience I understood a little more about how relaxing golf is as not only a game, but an appreciation of the beautiful nature around us. How simple, but amazing it is just be able to see, hear and speak. It seems like golf can allow you to drive your thoughts to a different place and even clear your mind, so that you may be ready to go from the green to the concrete jungles of our everyday world. For more information about Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing, visit their website.

Maryland Renaissance Festival - Huzzah!

October 9, 2011 - The Maryland Renaissance Festival (coined Rennfest as an abbreviation to many) is a recreation of a 16th century English village, like a medieval amusement park. The village is named Revel Grove and is on a beautiful 25-acre wooded site with 85 acres of free parking. The festival is located in Anne Arundel County in Crownsville, just outside of Annapolis, MD, and is about 33 miles from DC.

The village consists of more than 130 craft shops, numerous food booths, five pubs, ten major stages, a Jousting Arena and lots of games. There's something there for everyone, kids and adults alike. This event is the regions premier outdoor event and is the second largest Renaissance Festival in the country. The festival started in 1977 as a ramshackle village and has become a large community of more than 1,300 participants and 280,000 guests annually that come out on Saturdays and Sundays from the end of August through just after mid-October.

I have gone to this festival for many years and even though many of the things in the festival are the same or similar annually, I have enjoyed each visit. It's a great place to spend several hours with friends. You can dress up in renaissance era clothing, rent clothing or just come as you are. I always bring a camera to capture the experience and fun.

Some may wonder if they would enjoy such a festival, as it seems so far and away from modern-day life. The renaissance era may not interest some, but it is a part of history and history affects the future. I view this festival as a way to take a break from the cares of the "real world" and have a uniquely enjoyable time. It's fascinating to see how things were like and to appreciate the many things that the renaissance brought to improve life such as with the arts, literature, crafts, inventions and also with the way we communicate and interact with one another. There is so much to do at the festival and just going once may not seem like enough.

Here are a few pictures taken from my recent visit and be sure to thoroughly check out their website for a plethora of information about this entertaining and enchanting festival. So I welcome you to visit Rennfest and you may indeed find yourself saying huzzah (hurrah or hooray) with your time there.