Andy Cohen brings the mazel to Bethesda's Front Row

Bravo's Andy Cohen's new book,
Most Talkative

The 411 on Bethesda’s Front Row fashion show:
Bravo’s Andy Cohen will be the three-day event’s VIP guest
It’s official: The date’s been set for Bethesda’s fourth annual Front Row fashion event—Thursday through Friday, May 19-21. And this year, Fashion show Friday's VIP guest is reality show master Andy Cohen, an executive producer at Bravo TV in charge of all of those Real Housewives as well as host of the network’s offbeat talk show, Watch What Happens Live. Front Row VIPs in previous years include publicist and author Kelly Cutrone and fashion designer Christian Siriano.

The Front Row kicks off Thursday, May 19, with the Washington premiere of God Save My Shoes, an appropriately fashionable documentary exploring the enigmatic relationship between women and their footwear. The eclectic cast includes celebrities as well as design luminaries Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. Friday night is a live runway fashion show including Bethesda Row boutiques Ginger, Luna, Wear It Well, Sassanova and Urban Chic.

Saturday, May 21 brings style to the kiddies with their own special fashion event. All three days will be filled with sales, trunk shows and special events. Though this is what’s on tap so far, there may be more in the works. Please check the website www.bethesdarow.com for updates.  All events are free and open to the public, though some may require RSVPs.

Best-Dressed Windows in Town and a glimpse behind DRESSED, the film

Don't walk by Ginger in Bethesda Lane without stopping to check out their windows. Always innovative and very clever, they are clearly the best-dressed windows around. I snapped these on designer Thursday during Bethesda Row's Boutique Week. That night we met furniture designer Barclay Butera at Urban Country and then wandered over to Landmark Bethesda Row for a screening of DRESSED.

Afterwards, we met the designer and subject of the documentary film, Nary Manivong and the director, David Swajeski. What I especially liked is that the story shows the power of perseverance and the results of stubbornly following your dreams. Swajeski told me that they are taking it to different schools--most recently in New Mexico--showing it to students to convey the message that no matter how bad it seems, there really is a way out. Manivong was an abused child whose parents finally abandoned him and his siblings when he was 14. He went from living on the streets to designing a collection for New York's Fashion Week--and after a series of mishaps, finally showing that collection. The documentary shows the gritty side of the fashion world and the hard work it takes to succeed. Manivong told me he was inspired by the pictures in magazines and thought, "I can make people look like that." Fashion was also his disguise--his escape--from the brutal reality of his life. As Tim Gunn would say, he certainly "made it work"--in a big way. He has partnered with Ally Hilfiger to form the NAHM line, which launched this fall. The name is comprised of Hilfiger's and Manivong's first and last initials. It means water in Manivong's native Laotian. Here are some snaps from the after-party at Jaleo.

Nary Manivong posing with a guest

...and chatting with another

The  most fabulous shoes (Nine West! she said)

Mingling, chatting

I loved this ensemble--coat, hair, the whole thing.

David Swajeski chats with a guest

Of GiltCityDC and what I love about Bethesda

 GiltCityDC launches on Monday, which is inspiring me to wax poetic about my own dear city. The site offers fabulous specials on events and happenings around town. Specials go up on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11 (they sell out FAST so don't dilly-dally) and I've got the inside scoop: Monday's deals will include The Palm restaurant and Toka salon..... Yes.

Ok, so back to Bethesda. There are two things  I especially love (well, three. I love Twitter, so please spread the word and tweet this post with a link and tags #cityscoop and @GiltCityDC)

I love to
1. Grab a meal or a happy hour at Mon Ami Gabi;
2. Watch a movie at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema 

Yes, I write about shopping and the stores are fantastic, but honestly, so is the food, and who doesn’t like to eat?

I also love movies, and the theater is right next door to the restaurant, which makes for a perfect place to digest in peace. Plus the films are always fantastic (the arty, indie type Bethesdans love to love).

But first the meal.

Mon Ami Gabi has great steak frites—the best around. The frites are a perfect mix of crispy and tender and come lavishly piled up on the plate next to the steak. They provide the perfect foil to my steak au poivre's subtle spice. The beef is perked up by savory peppercorns with just a hint of sweetness from the brandy in the sauce. The tender butter lettuce salad makes a perfect starter with its dollop of goat cheese. If you’re really feeling decadent, order up a side of creamy cauliflower au gratin—you won’t be sorry. Dessert? This course is why we always came here to celebrate birthdays--the hot, gooey chocolate cake is to die for and profiteroles are too special to pass up. But hey, if you’re an early bird, don’t overlook happy hour. You can get a half-price bottle of wine and appetizers. On Thursday nights there’s live music.

What makes Mon Ami so wonderful is its “adult” atmosphere. The black and white tile and outdoor tables remind me of all the little bistros restaurants lining the upper West Side of Manhattan (thought I was going to say Paris?), which makes me feel like a grown-up and sets the mood for that arty film next door.

Ok, beloved readers I hope to see you at Mon Ami and I hope to see you Twitter, too. Please post a link to this post on Twitter and tweet, tweet, tweet it with tags #cityscoop and @GiltCityDC! Thank you so much.

Hot style in the city

And the Fourth comes marching in--and it promises to be a scorcher. I remember our neighborhood block parties with red-faced kids cooling down with giant water guns and adults running in an out of their houses for a sneaky respite from the heat. I'd be wearing some sort of quasi patriotic garb, and praying for snow--and cringing at invitations with the words "picnic" "pool" or "yard" involved. But this year we found these pretty ways to stay cool--and never let 'em see us sweat. Here are our faves from Ginger on Bethesda Row:

This Envi dress is a simple, uncomplicated way to  stay cool. Just add a pair of sandals and you're dressed.

The Joie dress takes it up a notch for a night out on the front porch or at a table alfresco downtown. 

Yoana Baraschi, my favorite. I want to put this on and never take it off. 

Lululemon Athletica reopens with love

Almost as touching than the crowds thronging Bethesda Lane Saturday morning in a yogic salute to departed colleague and friend Jayna Murray, was the newly renovated store's permanent tribute to her, a stained glass mosaic with the word "love" stretching over the entryway. We liked that the renovation wove her persona and memory so intrinsically into the store's new design. On Saturday morning Adam Pearlstein of Bethesda's Bikram Yoga led a one-hour yoga class and minute of silence to remember Murray, who was slain in the store, in one of most grisly murders Bethesda has seen. Murray's parents were present as the store reopened and though it was hard, they said they were glad they went to see the tribute to their daughter, Jayna. "Today is a day she's doing cartwheels in Heaven," her mother said. Though we were happy to be back shopping at the store on Sunday, we weren't ready to do cartwheels just yet. But we'll get there.

Lululemon Athletica reopens in Bethesda with love and yoga

The white shroud with the single word "love" in honor of former employee Jayna Marray will be lifted from Lululemon Athletica Friday, June 24.  The store is celebrating its Bethesda reopening with a community yoga class at 8:30 a.m. outside the store on Bethesda Avenue. We wish all at Lululemon the best--new store, new beginning. Though the community will not forget the tragic events that forced the store to close, we are happy to welcome Lululemon back to Bethesda. Here's the info from the invitation:
yoga. love. fun. peace.
Please join us for a heart-opening vinyasa yoga class as we re-open our doors to the Bethesda community.
Soula Power with vocals by our very own Leah Gibian will be providing the live music for our practice. 

The Front Row takes center stage starting May 19

Photo by Abby Greenawalt

Bethesda's biggest and best fashion event returns for three days starting May 19. The Front Row is a spectacular series of trunk shows, book readings, tasty bites from local restaurants, celebrity appearances (PR guru and reality TV personality, Kelly Cutrone, who will be signing her book Normal Gets You Nowhere) and a runway fashion show Friday night featuring  Bethesda boutiques. It's all free. So, even if fashion isn't your thing (???) I'm sure your community matters to you. Many of the participating boutiques are mom and pops--the  little shops your neighbors and friends own. Our support keeps them here and wards off the big chains for a while longer. Here's an abbreviated lineup. Oh yeah, there is a full roster of kiddie events too!  I'll be posting more as we get closer, but for more information right now, please visit http://bethesdarow.com/events/listing/the-front-row/ 

Thursday ushers in the event with an exclusive free screening of Bill Cunningham New York, at Bethesda Row’s Landmark Theatre. I saw this film. Yes, it gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the NY Times "On the Street" spread, high fashion and NYC society, but what makes this 84-minute movie unique is the touching portrait of the eccentric and humble soul behind the lens. It's brilliant. RSVP for the (free) screening at bcny@brandlinkdcrsvp.com

The three-day event kicks off with brunch and shopping at J. McLaughlin. Aveda and bluemercury will offer complimentary makeovers from 12-6pm. Enjoy mini spa treatments, brow waxes and chair massages at the Equinox spa from 4-6pm.  Trunk shows include a Joie summer collection at Ginger, Diane von Furstenberg ]show at Urban Chic, and  MZ Wallace at Sassanova.  And that's just the first day. Check out the link for more events, times and freebies: http://bethesdarow.com/events/listing/the-front-row/

Hump Day spring specials at Ginger

There are so many new spring styles at Ginger boutique in Bethesda that the store's offering 20% off starting today and continuing through the weekend. Don't miss fab new looks from Yoana Baraschi (my fave), House of Harlow, Tracy Reese, Calypso, White + Warren--and more. Don't forget that Ginger also carries handbags and fabulous shoes. The store is a pretty place to shop with clever, eye-catching windows and lovely, feminine paintings by local artist Maggie O'Neill.

The crowd loves Jill at Ginger

The Crowd (all photos by Mark Silva)

Writer Jill Kargman and Michelle Jaconi

Writer Jill Kargman filled the house last Tuesday at Bethesda's Ginger boutique, as friends and fans gathered to help launch her latest book, Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut, a compilation of nonfiction essays and musings. I went home and read most of the book on the spot--mouth ajar--and feeling like I'd found a soulmate. What? Sometimes you heavily relate to flamboyant gay guys?? ME TOO! (Someone who finally gets Johnny Weir's Balenciaga tree!) You obsess about nail polish colors?? ME TOO! In fact, when I asked her to sign my book, my de facto soulmate pointed to my newly shellacked nails and exclaimed, "Wow! What color is that??!! I'm getting it tomorrow." Plus, and this is big, she had the names "Edward Gorey" and "Tim Burton" on the same page--under "Obsessed." When I was finished studying her impeccably cool outfit (trim lace dress under gray leather jacket, hair in edgy NYC-style bun), I shopped, drank Prosecco and nibbled on goodies from the amazing spread. Well done. Another glamorous event on Bethesda Row. (Photos by Mark Silva)

Poshbrood.com's Elizabeth Thorp and NBC4's Eun Yang

Hostess Stacy Kerr, shopping with her sister, Elizabeth Kerr

swag!

Get your elbows ready--It's back! DSS set for March 29

Tickets go on sale this Tuesday, Feb. 22, for the biggest, best--and most charitable--sale of the season.  Don't miss out. The District Sample Sale, set for March 29, offers deeply discounted merchandise from over 20 of the region’s best designer boutiques, including Urban Chic, Ginger, Julia Farr, The Shoe Hive, Wink, Caramel, Sherman Pickey and Hysteria, and Baltimore’s Babe, Cupcake and Poppy & Stella. It's a stellar way to knock off a few items off the wish list, have a night out, and give to a local cause. A limited number of VIP tickets ($100) are available that get you through the doors at 5:30 for a loaded goodie bag and a private hour of shopping before the crowds hit. General admission tickets are $40--and for that you also get the ultimate shopping experience with  music, hors d'oeuvres, cupcakes, cocktails and even hair styling and blowouts, courtesy of sponsor One80 Salon. Other sponsors include Bethesda Row, and Vornado/Charles E. Smith. This spring's event moves from Georgetown to 2101 L Street, NW.

The District Sample Sale has raised over $200,000 for its past local women’s (fall) and children’s (spring) chosen charities. This spring's event will benefit the  E.L. Haynes Public Charter School. Founded in 2004, the school’s mission is to ensure high levels of academic achievement for students of every race and socioeconomic status. In 2009, 80% of students scored proficient or advanced in math on the DC-CAS and 66% scored proficient or advanced in reading.

For tickets, a complete list of retailers and more information, please visit www.districtsamplesale.com.

Founders Jayne Sandman, Mary Amons, Barbara Martin, Shannon Haley and Liberty Jones

When you really need a wingman....

So you've blown it. You waited. You're now faced with a choice of grocery-store dyed carnations, a plethora of goofy cards that don't quite express what's in your heart at this stage of the relationship, and your idea of a great meal is a burger at the bar in front of a 50-inch flatscreen. Ouch. Well, Redwood may have you covered with a special prix-fixe three course menu for $59 per person featuring couple-pleasing, seasonal choices like sunchoke soup, small lobster sandwiches (those are just the apps, btw), followed by spice-roasted rack of lamb, crispy phyllo cannelloni, wood-grilled filet of beef, miso glazed black cod, etc., etc., plus dessert. Oh, and that also includes a champagne toast, chocolate treats, roses, AND dancing. Oh, and $8 specialty cocktails with names like "Lovers Delight." You're looking really good right now. Click here for menu and more info.

And don't miss these: American Tap Room's special three-course Valentine's Day dinner for $80 per couple and Lebanese Taverna's $49 per couple mezza V-day special. 

This Equinox is hot!

Confidence! Balance! So are the terms redefined by fashion photographer Terry Richardson in Equinox gym's new ad campaign. When new Chief Marketing Officer Cie Nicholson came on, Terry Richardson's "gritty" fashion shots entered the scene. The press release says "...the goal of the new 'By Equinox' campaign was to blur the lines between fashion, fitness and lifestyle by capturing intimate moments that reveal the benefits of fitness without overtly focusing on the act itself." Um, yeah, those benefits ultimately do accrue. Really, folks! Hot doesn't happen in a flash (excuse the pun). But strong does have its rewards. Richardson has shot for icons like Gucci, Lagerfeld, Miu Miu and Chloe and his fashion savvy makes it clear that sweating it out in the gym can have a more glam counterpart.

Happy New Year at Ginger!

Ahh, we're back! After a long holiday hiatus we're hitting January hard. First up: a spectacular winter sale at Ginger. Now is the time to get that fab outfit you've been coveting--at 35% off. Yes, you've bought for the kids, friends, parents; now it's time for a little self-care for the new year.

Urban Chic Coat Drive Starts Dec. 1

Bring a new or used coat to any of Urban Chic's four locations (Bethesda Row, Annapolis, Georgetown, Harbor East) to help The Women's Housing Coalition. The fourth annual coat drive starts tomorrow (Dec. 1) and runs through Dec. 8. Shoppers will receive a discount off Urban Chic merchandise for each coat they donate. Men's, women's and children's coats are all needed. This event is a great way to help others stay warm, declutter a closet and snag a discount on a holiday gift (or a little something for yourself).

Baby Love and shoes at Sassanova

Norah O'Donnell, Elizabeth Thorp and Isabelle

Baby shoes, grown-up shoes and Norah O'Donnell signing her bestsellling cookbook, Baby Love , is what was in store last night at Sassanova in Bethesda. O'Donnell of MSNBC co-wrote the book with her husband, local chef Geoff Tracy (Chef Geoff).  The book presents healthy, organic alternatives to processed baby foods that the authors say are simple and easy to whip up (they have three children and work all the time so should know). We also loved looking at all the shoes, including the cutest little ones for kids, and meeting Elizabeth Thorp of poshbrood.com and her daughter Isabelle.

Shoshanna, with a side of window and Chic P salad

Last spring my daughter Maddie and I jaunted to Georgetown to meet designer Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss at Urban Chic's trunk show. Last night we set out for the Bethesda location to see the latest from the designer and visit with fashion blogger Betsy Lowther as part of Bethesda Row's Boutique Week. The dresses were a classic mix of fem with a subtle touch of sexy. Shoshanna doesn't do plunging necklines or slit up-to-there skirts. Her bright florals have more subtle details--off the shoulder, ruching, and gathered skirts. Betsy looked great dressed in a flowered ruched number we all love.

But stay with me...there are two more parts to the story. The Before:

... the fantastic window display we passed at Ginger. We love this dress made of book pages--perfect statement of book + fashion (see my prior Devil Wears Prada post)

and After:

...amazing salad at Sweetgreen. I've already had the "bondi" and "guacamole greens" with shrimp and I love them both. Because I'm a falafel lover I tried out the Chic P... The best. I loved the crunch of the spinach and pita chips combined with soft, warm, spicy falafel. The salad also has roasted yellow peppers, mesclun and chickpeas all dressed with a light tahini/hummus lemon dressing. It was a bowl full of my favorite tastes. The textures worked splendidly as well--not too salty, mushy, hard or crunchy. A home run--especially paired with their deliciously chewy brown bread.

Bethesda Row premieres 'Boutique Week'

All next week, starting tomorrow to be exact, Bethesda Row is celebrating Boutique Week, eight days of in-store events, celebrity appearances, trunk shows, specials book signings and guest bloggers (including moi) hosting daily events. The week kicks off tomorrow with free Equinox yoga classes in Bethesda Lane (weather permitting, of course) and 20% off outerwear at Wear It Well. Don't miss Monday night at Ginger for a chance to meet DailyCandy D.C. editor Annie Lou Bayly, and The Devil Wears Prada author Lauren Weisberger, as she signs copies of her new book, Last Night at Chateau Marmont. Tuesday brings AskMissA's Andrea Rodgers to J. McLaughlin, a Kenneth Jay Lane trunk show and beauty samplings from Aveda; Wednesday is Shoshanna Day all day at Urban Chic along with Betsey Lowther of Fashion is Spinach; Thursday Norah O'Donnell and local chef Geoff Tracy will be signing copies of their new book, Baby Love at Sassanova. Friday is a full day of fun at lululemon athletica with a Function as Fashion show at 7:30 p.m., healthy tips, fitness gifts and ... MoCo Scene! I look forward to seeing you all there! Saturday (Oct. 9) visit Luna for a Soft Joie trunk show.  Click here for more details on all events.

Happy Birthday, Redwood!

Party, Party! Tonight Redwood restaurant in Bethesda extends its dinner service to 11 p.m. in honor of its second anniversary. The party starts at 7 p.m. and includes live music, happy hour specials, appetizers and a special screening of TV show "Top Chef D.C." Redwood is known for primarily using local, organic ingredients and has a fantastic location with large windows opening out onto Bethesda Lane and outdoor seating. 7121 Bethesda Lane, 301.656.5515

Justin Trawick plays on Bethesda Lane

Last night I met a friend at Le Pain Quotidien in Bethesda. I had an ulterior motive in choosing that spot-- I wanted to catch folksy musician Justin Trawick playing just outside the door. It was a horrendously hot and humid night, but that didn't stop a good crowd from forming in front of the talented Trawick and his band. Of course, Bethesda being the small town that it is, despite its highrises towering over fancy cobblestone "lanes" of upscale boutiques, I ran into a friend whose son was playing drums with the group.  Like a person in New York who's never been to the Statue of Liberty, I often feel that I don't take advantage of all the free events going on just minutes from me. Justin Trawick is a talented act and I was happy I finally got to hear him--for free! He's playing Saturday at the 9:30 Club and at Rockville Town Square on August 5. To find out more about Bethesda Row's free Wednesday night concerts, check www.bethesdarow.com.

Friday Night Lights at the Front Row

We had a great time Friday night at the Front Row fashion show on Bethesda Lane and the cocktail reception at Redwood for special guests designer and author Laura Bennett of Project Runway and Tinsley Mortimer of High Society. I watched Project Runway when Laura was on and couldn't believe she actually had time to raise six kids AND design some of the most elegant clothes on the program. She blew us away Friday night not only with her elegance but her graciousness as well at the cocktail party. Plus she looked amazing in a silver beaded dress and satin pumps. Though we saw lots of great shoes, Tinsley M's Fendi pumps with see-through platform were a highlight. We loved the prom-goers in their gowns and tuxedos milling through the crowd to the restaurants. As the sun went down, the lights on the runway came on, the music thumped and the crowd, which filled Bethesda Lane, had a great time watching the models strut their stuff, modeling summer garb and a fall fashion preview from Bethesda Row boutiques, including City Sports, Wear It Well, Pink Palm, Ginger, Urban Chic, Luna, LouLou, J. McLaughlin, Waygoose, and Lucy.

Laura Bennett, Lindsay Buscher of Urban Chic, designer Lauren Leonard of Leona

Shannon Siriano

Paige Ralston Fromer and Rachel Cothran of Project Beltway

Tinsley Mortimer and Amanda Taylor

Jill Chamberlin Powell of Federal Realty

Jared Rager of Redwood and Gretchen Hitchner of Ginger

The paparazzi

Great view from Upstairs at Bethesda Row

The Runway: