D.C. Scene: Matt Dillon, Waterston, Queen Noor, Podestas
Actor Matt Dillon, the emcee of last night’s Refugees International 33rd Anniversary Dinner, credits the late diplomat Richard Holbrooke for getting him involved with the plight of refugees 15 years ago.
Holbrooke’s widow, the journalist Kati Marton, explained that Holbrooke’s favorite movie was the zany film “There’s Something About Mary,” starring Dillon.
Dillon, actor Sam Waterston, Marton and her daughter Elizabeth Jennings, joined Queen Noor of Jordan and her daughter Princess Iman in the Mellon Auditorium where more than 500 guests helped Refugees International raise $650,000.
Refugees International provides assistance and protection for refugees and promotes solutions to the worldwide crisis, independent of government and United Nations funding.
Queen Noor presented Lauren Bush Lauren, the co-founder and chief executive of Feed Projects LLC, with the McCall-Pierpaoli Humanitarian Award.
Calling her “a role model,” Queen Noor added, “we have great expectations of her.”
Lauren was with her husband of less than a year, David Lauren, senior vice president of Ralph Lauren Corp. (RL) She explained the FEED Projects, a program that sells tote bags with the FEED logo. It has provided more than 60 million meals to children in poverty-stricken areas.
She wore a sleek Ralph Lauren dress, but pointed out her FEED bag.
The dinner’s honorary chairman was Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki. Guests included Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut Independent, Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott of Washington and Congressman Chris Smith, the New Jersey Republican, who received the Congressional Leadership Award. The same award was given posthumously to Democratic Congressman Donald Payne of New Jersey, who died in March.
Podestas’ Art Party
Lobbyists Tony and Heather Podesta held an “art party” Wednesday to showcase work they recently installed in their home.
Guests sampled from a sushi bar in the living room. Congressman John Larson, a Connecticut Democrat, and Democratic Congressman Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania stood in the kitchen holding plates of pizza cooked in the Podestas’ outdoor pizza oven by James Alefantis of Comet Ping Pong.
Journalist Steve Clemons and Andrew Oros, a professor of international politics at Washington College, celebrated President Barack Obama’s support of gay marriage by wearing matching T-shirts with the date of their wedding emblazoned on the front.
Artist Doug Aitken and architect David Adjaye, commissioned to design the National Museum of African American History and Culture, marveled at the Podestas’ contemporary-art collection with works by Marina Abramovic and Josephine Meckseper.
Heather Podesta wore a black-and-red-print Alexander McQueen dress, explaining she’d recently met with McQueen creative director Sarah Burton.
“Duty Free,” said Tony Podesta about where he gets his collection of quirky ties.
Women to Watch
Also Wednesday night, the Women to Watch Awards brought out former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall, chief of protocol of the U.S.
Running Start, an organization that encourages young women to enter politics, honored both women with awards at the National Press Club, as well as Republican Congresswoman Martha Roby of Alabama, actress Jacqueline Emerson of “The Hunger Games” and others.
Gifford, a victim of an almost fatal shooting last year, was mobbed like a movie star when she entered the VIP reception.
Penavic Marshall wore Oscar de la Renta and pearls.
The event also honored Taryn Davis, founder of American Widow Project, Natalie Randolph, the varsity football coach at Coolidge High School in Washington, and Rocio Ortega, a student activist.
(Stephanie Green is a writer and photographer for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions expressed are her own.)
Muse highlights include a preview of the best weekend events in NYC and a theater review.
To contact the writer on this story: Stephanie Green in Washington at sgreen57@bloomberg.net or on Twitter @stephlgreen.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.
Refugees International Dinner
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Lauren Bush Lauren, the co-founder of Feed Projects, and David Lauren, senior vice president at Ralph Lauren Corporation.
Lauren Bush Lauren, the co-founder of Feed Projects, and David Lauren, senior vice president at Ralph Lauren Corporation. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Refugees International Dinner
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Dinner co-chairwoman Samia Farouki, Queen Noor of Jordan and her daughter, Iman.
Dinner co-chairwoman Samia Farouki, Queen Noor of Jordan and her daughter, Iman. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Refugees International Dinner
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Actor Matt Dillon and Shamim Jawad, the wife of former Afghan ambassador Said Jawad.
Actor Matt Dillon and Shamim Jawad, the wife of former Afghan ambassador Said Jawad. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Refugees International Dinner
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Actor Sam Waterston and Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut Independent.
Actor Sam Waterston and Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut Independent. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Refugees International Gala
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Public health worker Elizabeth Jennings and her mother, the journalist and author Kati Marton.
Public health worker Elizabeth Jennings and her mother, the journalist and author Kati Marton. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Refugees International Dinner
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Mary-Anne Huntsman, daughter of former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman.
Mary-Anne Huntsman, daughter of former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Lobbyist Heather Podesta and her husband The Podesta Group founder Tony Podesta hosted a pizza and sushi party.
Lobbyist Heather Podesta and her husband The Podesta Group founder Tony Podesta hosted a pizza and sushi party. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Heather Podesta and her photograph by Marina Abramovic.
Heather Podesta and her photograph by Marina Abramovic. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Congressman Mike Doyle, Pennsylvania Democrat, Congressman John Larson, Connecticut Democrat, and former Congressman Bart Gordon.
Congressman Mike Doyle, Pennsylvania Democrat, Congressman John Larson, Connecticut Democrat, and former Congressman Bart Gordon. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Sushi Bar.
Sushi Bar. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Architect David Adjaye.
Architect David Adjaye. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Journalist Steve Clemons, and international politics professor Andrew Oros.
Journalist Steve Clemons, and international politics professor Andrew Oros. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Lobbyist Heather Podesta showed the artwork in her bedroom.
Lobbyist Heather Podesta showed the artwork in her bedroom. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Podesta Party
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Cooks bring out pizza from outdoor oven.
Cooks bring out pizza from outdoor oven. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Women to Watch Awards
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, one of the honorees at Women to Watch Awards.
Former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, one of the honorees at Women to Watch Awards. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Women to Watch Awards
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Ambassador Capricia Marshall, the chief of protocol of the U.S., and salon owner Erwin Gomez.
Ambassador Capricia Marshall, the chief of protocol of the U.S., and salon owner Erwin Gomez. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
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