Upcoming Events: Inauguration and More!

Photo by Emily Clack

Celebrate the Inauguration Aboard the Spirit of Washington and Odyssey:  Gather your own First Family and friends to catch all of the excitement of Inaugural Weekend while taking in the picturesque sites of the Potomac.  Starting on Friday, January 18 through Sunday, January 20, guests can enjoy a brunch, lunch or dinner cruise with live music aboard the Odyssey or Spirit of Washington.  Tickets range from $46.90 to $102.90 (reduced ticket price for children under 12).  For the big day, dress in your finest apparel and dine elegantly under the stars at the Odyssey’s Inauguration Day Dinner Cruise on Monday, January 21. Step aboard and see the monuments shine bright in the crisp, cool air while delighting in an evening of lively entertainment, dancing, and creative culinary options. The formal affair, priced at just $97.90* per person, begins boarding at 6pm and sails from 7:00pm to 10pm.  All cruise reservations can be made by calling 866.404.8439 or online.

In a city known for its political marches and the Marine Marathon, a little crawling is in order. Dishcrawl is pleased to announce its Columbia Heights Food Tour!  Join them on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 for this foodie adventure as they taste their way through four eateries in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Tickets are $45.00 each and the Dishcrawl begins at 7:00 pm. The meeting location will be disclosed to ticket holders via email 48 hours prior to the event. The restaurants' names are being kept secret, but if you follow Twitter @DishcrawlDC you might glean a hint or two.  Vegetarian options are available, but they may not be able to accommodate other dietary restrictions. Cancellations are taken only if given 48 hours advance notice. All Dishcrawl events are held rain or shine. For any questions, you may contact Kerri, your D.C. Dishcrawl Ambassador at KerriP@dishcrawl.com or visit Dishcrawl DC. 

Don't miss the Fourth Annual Capital Wine Festival starting January 25. The 10-week dinner event kicks off with a grand opening reception on January 25 at 6:30 p.m. which will highlight the 10 wineries sponsoring the event. 

Gear Up for the Big Game at Union Market:  Start your preparations for the SuperBowl at Union Market on Sunday, January 27 from 11-3pm.  All day long Union Market will be hosting a variety of events for guests to learn easy, Do-It-Yourself recipes for Game Day.   Nycci Nellis, from Foodie & the Beast will kick off the event by broadcasting her radio show live from Union Market and interviewing vendors about the best items to cook, drink, prepare and style for a Super Bowl party.  After the broadcast, shoppers can enjoy a lesson from Salt & Sundry’s Amanda McClements on how to style your Super Bowl Sunday buffet table, How-To’s for burgers and hot dogs from Harvey’s Market, “Take and Bake” appetizers and cooking demonstrations from Rappahannock Oyster Bar, Mixology tips from Buffalo and Bergen’s Gina Chersevani on Game Day beer cocktails and a showcase of beer & cheese pairings and a cheese dip from Righteous Cheese.  In addition to the above events, Union Market shoppers can look for flash giveaways and sweepstakes surrounding the DIY Game Day event by following us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UnionMarketDC, Twitter: www.twitter.com/UnionMarketDC  #DIYUM and online at www.UnionMarketDC.com.   Join us at Union Market to get your Game Day ready!

Do you wax poetic over a good cut of steak? Are your BBQ's fretted with discussion about dry rub vs. vinegar based or marinade? No need to sojourn south, DC's 4th Annual Meat Week is January 27-February 3 and will be held at eight select establishments throughout the DC area.  For the event schedule and more information, please visit www.meatweek.com/chapters/washingtondc.  Meat Week is a loosely organized event, participants can attend as many or as few as they prefer. All are welcome and attendees generally order and pay for their food individually.   

Sugar and Champagne:  Come celebrate all things sugary and sweet on January 31^st at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. For the 12^thconsecutive year, Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray of Equinox Restaurant and Muse at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Salamander Resort are our gracious hosts, and will be honoring our local crusaders against animal cruelty. All proceeds will directly benefit the animals and programs of the Washington Humane Society.

Have a great pie recipe you want to share with the DC area? Check out the 3rd Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Baking Challenge™  which is baking and making memories while building community around food. The 2013 Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Pie Baking Challenge is open to passionate amateur bakers ages 18 years and up residing in the Washington DC metropolitan area.  First prize is $500, the winning pie on the Eatonville Restaurant (www.eatonvillerestaurant.com) dessert menu, a $250 Gift Card for purchases on the King Arthur Flour online catalogue, and 3 hours of business strategy consulting services from Operation: Eatery to get a baking business started on the right foot. The entry form is available online at www.shoutbakingchallenge.com and must be received by February 4, 2013.  For a paper form, mail a self-addressed stamped envelope to Pie Baking Challenge, c/o Michon Boston Group, P.O. Box 21204, Washington, DC 20009 (Mailed entries must be postmarked February 4, 2013 and received by February 6, 2013) Up to 12 entries will be selected for the semi-finals tasting and judging March 23, 2013 at Martha’s Table.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Martha’s Table (www.marthastable.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping at-risk children, youth, families and individuals in the DC community improve their lives by providing educational programs, food, clothing and enrichment opportunities.

 CHEF TAKEOVERS AND NEW TASTING MENUS AT GRAFFIATO: Chef Mike Isabella is opening his kitchens at Graffiato for both his team and guest chefs to showcase their menus. Graffiato will offer a series of new menus and events on Sundays and Mondays, including a unique 12-course tasting menu from sous chef, Adam Brick; seasonal wine dinners with chef de cuisine, Marjorie Meek-Bradley; and monthly Industry Takeover nights with guest chefs and mixologists. Brick’s Gem Tasting Menu will be offered for $85 at the six-seat ham bar on Graffiato’s second floor at 8 p.m. every Sunday and Monday. The menu includes food “gems” made of often scare ingredients like lamb neck, pig snout and tuna marrow. Reservations are taken one month in advance by e-mailing requests to events@graffiatodc.com. The five-course Seasonal Wine Dinners will take place one Monday per season. The next wine dinner is set for Monday, March 11, 2013, and will be co-hosted by Italian winemaker, Cesare Benvenuto, from Pio Cesare. Industry Takeover Nights will occur on the first Monday of every month from 10 p.m. - 1 p.m.