Birthday 09′

 

Art Soiree

Art Soiree presents a perfect way to end the FotoWeek DC in an elegant and memorable fashion.

Join us Sunday, November 15th at 7pm for the most unique event in the city

“THROUGH THE EYES OF MEN”

You are invited to an exclusive photo-exhibition featuring five most esteemed local male photographers at a brand new, upscale and sophisticated venue – The Reserve – latest addition to the DC Restaurant and Lounge Scene. The Reserve is the perfect place for a casual yet elegant evening of dining, wining and lounging in an industrial, modern two level loft-like space. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to see Women’s Beauty through the lens of these prestigious photographers, savor great wines from around the world and delight in complimentary food samples from Chef De Pue.

We are proud to present:
5 photographers 5 personalities 5 passions 5 imaginations 5 techniques

HISHAM IBRAHIM
TONY POWELL
SERGIU ODAINIC
JERRY R. HARKE
ANTHONY BRICE

Our Art Soiree is all about exhibiting exceptional art in a unique setting for ONE NIGHT AND ONE NIGHT ONLY. This time you’ll be able to meet and interact with the photographers and appreciate their work. Come early to groove to new beats from DJ MOVA and continue into the night with DJ ODAINIQ.

Evenings in VOGUE

Model Collage © Tony Powell

I jokingly told a friend – a few weeks ago – at the premiere of the Anna Wintour documentary  “The September Issue,” that one day my pictures would be in VOGUE magazine. Little did I know it would become a reality much sooner than I anticipated. I owe it to Barbara Martin who recommended me to VOGUE after seeing my “The September Issue” after party photos taken at the W Hotel, an event she coordinated. None of this would have been possible without the support of Nancy Bagley and Soroush Shehabi, Owner/Publisher and CEO respectively, of Washington Life Magazine, who keep me in the public’s eye – photographing the best events in DC on a regular basis!

Mayor Adrian and Michelle Fenty © Tony Powell

So it came as a great surprise to be given the opportunity to photograph Evenings in VOGUE, hosted by the wife of Washington’s mayor, Michelle Fenty, and Nancy Koide. The fashionable crowd that descended upon Oya restaurant on 9th Street, in the District, was a who’s who of the DC social and nightlife scenes. The partial list: Mayor Adrian Fenty, Rima Al-Sabah, BET chief Debra Lee, Buffy Cafritz, Nini Ferguson, Debbie Dingell, Heather Podesta, Meryl Chertoff, Cindy Jones, Mai Abdo, Ann Walker Marchant, Nicki Kalokerinos, Andrea Rodgers, newly married Jayne Sandman, Becky Lee, Ellen Chube, TV anchors Lindsay Czarniak and Angie Goff, Kiki Ryan, Julian Epstein, Ernie and Debbi Jarvis, GEICO VP Rynthia Rost, Holidae Hayes, Jacqui Watson, and Rebecca Fishman Harris. DC Chief of Police, Cathy Lanier was there, sidearm on the ready, as well as the mayor’s mother, Jan Fenty.

photo © Tony Powell

My good friend and DJ Seyhan Duru worked his usual magic at the mixing table while 3 top models took turns strutting their stuff up on a platform in the latest fashions from New York. There was even a 3-chair makeup station sponsored by cosmetics giant Shiseido, where ladies could have their makeup touched up throughout the evening. The best finger foods I’ve seen in a while (crab cakes, mounds of sushi, and mini chocolate cakes) were being passed around all night and adding to the frenetic atmosphere? News crews, and the clamoring of people trying to get their picture taken with Michelle and the Mayor.

photo © Tony Powell

High Kicking at the Dance Awards II

Sona Kharatian and Jonathan Jordan © Tony Powell

Click here to see and purchase the photos!

Sona Kharatian and Jonathan Jordan © Tony Powell

One of my favorite times of the year is when the entire DC dance community comes together to recognize and support each other’s efforts at the Metro DC Dance Awards. This year’s ceremony, held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts’ Terrace Theater, was one of the most entertaining yet. We were all treated to a rare visit by “Martha Graham,” actually the NY-based female impersonator Richard Move, who, as the evening’s emcee, was able to channel Graham in a way that was both realistic and endearing.

Therrell Smith and Virginia Johnson © Tony Powell

Richard Move as Martha Graham © Tony Powell

Joy of Motion’s Youth Dance Ensemble © Tony Powell

Peter DiMuro © Tony Powell

Move’s devotion to Graham is apparent and his life’s work of imitation and total immersion has become an art form in and of itself. There were dance performances galore – scattered throughout the evening – beginning on the Millennium Stage at 6pm where the youth awards were given out, to the main event in the Terrace: Furia Flamenca, Joy of Motion Youth Dance Ensemble, ARKA Ballet, and Maryland Youth Ballet, were just a handful of the city’s brightest lights, from the local dance scene, to perform.

DC Cowboys © Tony Powell

Maryland Youth Ballet © Tony Powell

Juliana Calderon and Co. © Tony Powell

Septime Webre and Liz Lerman © Tony Powell

There was something for everyone – ballet, modern dance, flamenco, and even the dancing DC Cowboys!! I was overjoyed to see so many of my friends in one place and many of them winning awards: Septime Webre and the Washington Ballet for last season’s beautifully conceived, Celtic-inspired evening of ballet in the Eisenhower – Highland Fling (I went twice), Gesel Mason receiving the Pola Nirenska Award, my new friends Delphina Parenti and Jason Ignacio both receiving the award for Outstanding Individual Performance, Helen Hayes winning for Outstanding Achievement in Dance Education, and Brooke Kidd receiving the Kriegsman Award!

Alan Kriegsman, Andrea Snyder, Naima Prevots, Sali Ann Kriegsman

The climax of the evening’s honors was the  acceptance speech given by the internationally-renowned, Washington-trained prima ballerina and magazine editor Virginia Johnson, for her lifetime achievement in dance.  In accepting the Pola Nirenska Award, she stressed the importance of talking about dance to people who are not involved in the field, about engaging those that may otherwise not have access to the arts. A high point for me was having an opportunity to photograph Virginia with her first ballet teacher, 91 year-old Therrell Smith, who attended last night’s ceremony.

Helanius Wilkins, Helen Hayes, Gesel Mason © Tony Powell

After the tightly produced show we all went over to the Watergate’s 600 Restaurant to mingle the night away! Over 700 photos will soon be available for purchase and download.

Click here to see and purchase photos!

The Last Kiss of Summer – Adult Swim and “Club Ritz”

Check out all the Labor Day Adult Swim photos at www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

© Tony Powell

I photographed the Courage Cup fashion show at the Liaison Hotel a few weeks ago so in picking a pool to go to for the last time this summer I opted to head back there for the Labor Day Adult Swim – hosted by Ashley from VH-1’s House of Love.

Ashley from VH-1's House of Love © Tony Powell

The popular weekly get together – organized by promoter Eric Lund – has been able to attract a wildly diverse cross section of party goers ranging from teen-age to middle-age. Although the rain did finally shut it down late in the day, most of the afternoon (1-6) was filled with good times and sunny skies.

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

I headed over to Starbucks in Dupont Circle to wait out the rain before changing clothes and going over to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Georgetown for a party hosted by Seyhan Duru, Freddie Wyatt, Omar Rahman,  & Dawoud Al-khabbaz. For the second time, this quartet have taken over Degrees Lounge and the upstairs area of the Ritz’s fairly conservative dining spot, Fahrenheit, and created a mise en scène worthy of the clubs in South Beach. All remnants of dining were taken away leaving behind a vault of a space, like a painter’s new canvas, primed for the extent of the imagination. The party was so hot, the hotel’s fuses blew three times!

Click here to see all the “Club Ritz” photos!

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

The head count exceeded 900, the DJ was imported from London, and the lighting that accompanied the music was, perhaps, the most impressive I’ve seen in Washington. The state-of-the-art laser show seemed to occupy every cubic foot of the room, leaving no person or corner untouched. The effect created by the randomly shifting colors and shapes lent an edgy quality to some of the images from that night.

© Tony Powell

I was reminded of one of my favorite Surrealist painters, André Masson, who pioneered the technique of “automatic drawing,” a method wherein the artist’s rational mind is subjected in favor of the unconscious mind by allowing the hand to move randomly around the page. Since I was unable to see what was occurring through the lens in the interval it took the shutter to allow light into the camera – 1 to 2 seconds - I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Click here to see all the “Club Ritz” photos!

Team Brunette @ Midtown Loft

Click here to see all the photos!

© Tony Powell

I went over to the new Midtown Loft for a fundraiser hosted by Taryn Fielder and Makeda Saggau-Sackey, members of Team Brunette – one half of the Blondes vs. Brunettes organization that has, since 2005, raised nearly $150,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter.

© Tony Powell

This unique charity has brought some of Washington, D.C.’s most prominent young women leaders together to raise awareness about the disease – sometimes occurring in individuals as young as 30 – and funds for the Chapter so that it may continue to provide services and programs – at no or low cost – to area residents.

© Tony Powell

Other notable Team Brunette members: Kate Michael and Angie Goff. Located on the south side of Dupont Circle, the Midtown Loft is a bright new addition to the local lounge landscape.

© Tony Powell

Nowhere near as trendy as Fly or Spot lounges directly across the street, Midtown seems to relish in it’s homier, more user-friendly environment.

© Tony Powell

With pool tables in the back and plasma screens on the walls tuned to sports – I felt more at home than as though I was out.

© Tony Powell

The 3-story walk up reminded me of tenement houses in New York City, but once upstairs, the open layout and comfortable environment made me soon forget the generous climb. I’m always amazed at how many paths are crossing at all times.

© Tony Powell

I found out, only tonight, that my friend Wendy Gordon, who was there with Charles Adler, is the President of Hisaoka Communications, an organization that was once headed by Joan Hisaoka, the recently deceased sister of Robert Hisaoka, whose October 24th “Make a Difference” Gala, I get to cover for Washington Life Magazine.

© Tony Powell

According to the Blondes vs Brunettes website, “Sports is not exactly their thing. Sure, their hand-eye coordination is superb – when it comes to painting their toenails. But when it comes to fundraising, these women never fumble.”

© Tony Powell

To donate on Makeda’s page, visit: http://alz.kintera.org/bvbdc/makeda

To donate on Taryn’s page, visit: http://alz.kintera.org/bvbdc/taryn_it_up

To make a general donation to Team Brunette click here!

 

All of the money raised will support Team Brunette’s fundraising efforts before going head-to-head against Team Blonde on Saturday, November 14!

Rooftop Wednesdays @ Donovan House

Check out all the photos from Donovan House at www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

© Tony Powell

One of the most relaxing ways to end a Wednesday evening this summer has been to make my way up to the roof of the Donovan House Hotel on Thomas Circle. This past Wednesday was the most enjoyable yet, of the half dozen or so times I’ve been there, due to the cooler temperature and more laid back than normal crowd.

Lorie Peters and friends © Tony Powell

Ever present DJ Seyhan Duru always does a great job keeping the right atmosphere going with his extensive catalogue of lounge-like beats. Stay in one place too long up there though, and you might miss seeing someone you heard was there…like my boss, Washington Life Executive Editor Michael Clements! I try to work my way around the entire pool area and end up over at the bar deck where there’s a never-ending stream of mingling. You never know who you’ll see. Two of my favorite people in DC were there – the inimitable Tom Quinn – whom I hadn’t seen all summer and Lorie Peters – surrounded by Peter Pappas and his pals. Donovan regulars Tina Jeon and Becky’s Fund board member Chris Thompson are always up for a few shots and it seemed as though I had an all out photo shoot with new friend and graphic designer Nickolena Sidler – right there on deck – who had a different pose for every day of the week! I think she was a model in a past life.

Nickolena Sidler © Tony Powell

John Burns and friends © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Chris Thompson and Tina Jeon © Tony Powell

PDS Roof Top Luau at the University Club

Check out all the photos at: www.tonypowell.smugmug.com!

PDS President Marc Radasky, Anna Kimsey, and PDS Vice Chair PJ Hart © Tony Powell

The rooftop of the University Club on 16th street in the District was transformed into an island getaway last night, replete with leis, liquor, and live steel drums. The luau was hosted by the Proctor L. Dougherty Society, a group within the University Club, comprised of members below the age of 35. I caught up with immediate past president of the PDS Society, Timothy Curry, to learn about the history of the society. Good weather prevailed, and the combination of Hawaiian-esque fare, live music, and lively conversation, proved a much needed contrast to the eardrum shattering music, the crammed together like sardines, fast paced, scenes of earlier this week – which I also love!

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

The Scene © Tony Powell

The University Club © Tony Powell

Tie One On for MenzFit!

Check out all the photos at: www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

Ebong Eka and Rhonda Willingham © Tony Powell

Whenever Erika Gutierrez and Paul Wharton get behind a cause the crowds will appear. Such was the case last night at Donovan House, where a melange of DC life came together to raise money for one of my favorite non-profits, MenzFit. Founded by Rhonda Willingham in 2001, the organization was started with a relatively simple idea: Give a suit and a start to low income men. Over 3,000 clients – laid off workers, ex offenders, homeless, recovering substance abusers, the disabled, public assistance recipients and veterans – have benefited from Willingham’s efforts in Washington, DC and now a second office in Philadelphia. The concept has expanded from simply providing professional interview clothing to offering career development and financial literacy services. The eclectic crowd around the rooftop pool last night included Host Committee members LaVar and Trish Arrington, Ebong Eka, Carlos Gutierrez Jr., Nicole Siobal, Fletcher Gill, Wright Sigmund, and Anna VanMeter. Also spotted in the crowd: Mary Barth, Anna Kimsey, Omar Popal, Will Thomas, Andrew Noyes, Seyhan Duru, Lily Mazahery, Matt Landsberg, Christina Martin, Erwin Gomez, and Mary Amons.

Mary Amons, Paul Wharton, Will Thomas © Tony Powell

Erika Gutierrez and Fletcher Gill © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Nicole Siobal and Christina Chan © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Nicole Siobal and friend © tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Ebong Eka and Rhonda Willingham © Tony Powell

Mary Amons, Paul Wharton, Will Thomas © Tony Powell

Erika Gutierrez and Fletcher Gill © Tony Powell

Wintour’s World!

Photos from the after-party are available at www.washingtonlife.com.

Click here to see the movie trailer!

Last night’s E Street Cinema screening of the new behind-the-scenes documentary about Vogue magazine, “The September Issue,” and the after-party at the W Hotel were the places to be for anyone in DC with an interest in fashion. I’m grateful to my friend Jayne Sandman for squeezing me in at the last minute (I’d only heard about the screening and after party a few days before). There was just enough time to catch up with Gwen Holliday, Johnny Wright, Ashley Taylor, Lindsay Craig, Carol Joynt, and Hilary Rosen before the movie started and I was lucky enough to snag an open seat next to Tracy Bernstein. Centering around Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and the production of the highly anticipated and coveted September issue of American Vogue, the film offers a – fly on the wall – glimpse into the world of high fashion: its editors, photographers, models, and designers. While Wintour comes across as an icy perfectionist, an unlikely heroine emerges from the film in the form of Creative Director Grace Coddington, below left, who started working at Vogue the same day as Wintour 20 years ago.

Hailed as the greatest fashion stylist alive, Coddington’s prodigious gifts are apparent up on the screen. “September Issue” director Cutler has said, “Every billboard, fashion magazine spread, every advertisement we see today has been influenced by Grace Coddington.” Her 1st book - Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue – should be on every model/designer/photographer’s short list – even though Amazon is selling the hardcover for $400. The dramatic action of the film comes from the tension between the two powerhouses. Throughout the film, Wintour and Coddington are at odds over editorial content and we watch as the two women tacitly battle for control over what stays and what goes in the magazine.

As the September issue gets closer to being finalized, more of Coddington’s editorials get axed. The climax of the film, so to speak, is watching the fallout from a near disastrous cover photo spread of the actress Sienna Miller by Mario Testino, which then gets trumped by the reinstatement of Coddington’s once canned photo spreads. The film is worth seeing just to watch the photographers – Patrick Demarchelier, David Sims, and Testino – work their magic. After the screening most of the audience made their way over to the W Hotel to join a hundred, or so, others for a party hosted by GILT Groupe founders Alexandra Wilkis Wilson and Alexis Maybank.

The fashion conscious crowd included Sharon Dougherty, Anais deViel Castel, Carolina Furukrona, Amy Baier, Jamie Dorros, Darcy Jones, Nat Fogg, Susanna Quinn, Sassy “Sassanova” Jacobs, Katie Rost, Ellen Chube, Pamela Sorensen, Ebs Burnough, Elizabeth Thorp, Mona Sutphen, Tina D’Souza and David Sutphen, Will Thomas and Andrew Noyes, Mary Barth, Joelle Myers, Dondi Dahlgard, Alicia deForest, Holidae Hayes, Omar Popal, Paul Wharton, Lindsay Czarniak, Matt Landsberg, Shelly Galli, Amanda Polk, and Nicki Kalokerinos. Author on the verge of stardom, Walker Lamond, was there promoting his October release: “Rules for My Unborn Son.” A nice departing gift was created by an on-site photographer – a photo keepsake superimposed with the Vogue logo so that each person went home with his or her face on the “cover” of Vogue magazine. A really nice touch!

White Nights @ Donovan House and Josephine Lounge

Click here to see all the photos!

Nupur Gupta, Christina Martin, and Casey Olson © Tony Powell

Dancer Mallory Terry © Tony Powell

The last time I was at Josephine I had the privilege of covering the pre-Inaugural “Black Door” party for Washington Life Magazine, the event’s exclusive media partner. It was a celebrity-laden evening that I’ll never forget. Last night’s 8th Annual White Nights party, was also, in its own unique way, a night to remember.

Two locations were chosen: first stop-the rooftop of Donovan House and then on to Josephine Lounge until the wee hours. The heavy downpour of rain all afternoon didn’t stop the brave from venturing out for the first leg of the activities. Very rarely do I lend my name to an event, but the cause was a very good one – raising awareness and money to support the efforts of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Having smoked heavily at one point in my life I feel blessed today that it’s no longer the huge burden it once was.

Seyhan Duru and Casey Olson © Tony Powell

White Nights originator Seyhan Duru, one of DC’s most visible DJ’s, told me how he attended the very first “White” party thrown by, then, Puff Daddy, in the Hamptons. Arriving back in DC he appropriated the theme and began a tradition that’s now in its 8th year. Every square inch of real estate was taken up last night by white-clad revelers dancing and drinking the night away. I was introduced to sugar-free Red Bull last night by Seyhan. Where have you been all my life? As a host committee we were able to get 700 to RSVP with, at least, 500 in and out of Josephine alone. I’d only planned to take a few shots but the atmosphere was so charged with energy I couldn’t put down my camera. Click here to see all the photos!

Casey Pauo, Maria Smith, John Dunsford, Tanya Sabel, Austen Shearer © Tony Powell

Dancer Mallory Terry © Tony Powell

Tina Cruikshank and Tina Krivorotova © Tony Powell

Casey Pauo, Maria Smith, John Dunsford, Tanya Sabel, Austen Shearer © Tony Powell

Nupur Gupta, Christina Martin, and Casey Olson © Tony Powell

Seyhan Duru and Casey Olson © Tony Powell

FFP celebrates 501(c)(3)!

Click HERE to watch a video of FFP president Chris Belisle!

FFP president Chris Belisle and FFP co-founder Kadreika Maiden © Tony Powell

How often do you think about where you’re clothing is made, or by whom? Was someone paid a fair wage? These questions often go unasked in relation to what we place on our bodies each day. Fashion Fights Poverty (FFP), one of the largest fashion fundraisers in DC, which celebrated it’s 501(c)(3) status last night at Scion in Dupont Circle, IS asking those questions…and many more.

Yvette Castro, Cindy Booth, Kevin Gouveia, and Irvin Marrero © Tony Powell

In addition to hosting Industry Workshops and Socially Responsible Consumer Workshops, FFP hosts a local fashion competition and an Annual Benefit. The mood was lively and the air filled with talk of their 5th Anniversary Gala – September 25th at The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel. FFP co-founders Sylvie Luanghy and Kadrieka Maiden, along with president Chris Belisle took over Scion’s outdoor patio and indoor bar with several dozen friends to celebrate the milestone for the organization. With the new status comes the ability to seek out greater funding from a wider variety of sources to fund its myriad programs designed to foster sustainable community empowerment. No doubt this is just a beginning for FFP!

Judith Dror and FFP co-founder Sylvie Luanghy © Tony Powell

FFP co-founder Kadreika Maiden, Jodi King, and Adra Williams © Tony Powell

Shannon Cline and Rebecca Ballard © Tony Powell

FFP co-founder Sylvie Luanghy © Tony Powell

Model Mayhem-Walish Gooshe Fashion Show at K St. Lounge

Check out all the photos at www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

© Tony Powell

I can’t thank model and friend Andrew Paterini enough for inviting me to last night’s Walish Gooshe fashion show at K Street Lounge. Not only did it provide an opportunity for me to practice my craft but it was also a chance to meet a host of new models to work with, from Model Mayhem, a “Facebook-type” website for the fashion industry. Two photo shoots are already lined up. Runway shooting is both challenging and rewarding…it’s a living form of photography, one with many elements that need attention at any given time: lighting, model’s expression, when to trip the shutter, exposure, movement of the clothing, etc. The task at hand last night was made all the more difficult with the discovery that there would be no additional “hot” lighting for the runway show. With no extra lighting, I would have to use flash – once again the 580 EX II flash and Quantum Slim Compact battery pack saved the day. Not ideal, however…using a flash at a fashion show is like playing Stravinsky on a toy piano. It works but there is a loss of integrity and also the odds of getting many usable images decrease. Why? I was surrounded by other photographers also using flash and whenever any two go off at exactly the same time, both flashes cancel each other out. You have to shoot more to get more usable photos. When a show is brightly lit and I can stop motion with a high shutter speed instead of a flash, the number of photos from which to choose greatly increases.

Models with Walish Gooshe © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Models © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Glamazon Diaries Two Year Anniversary Party

Check out all the photos at www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

Kamari Wheeler, Makeda Saggau-Sackey, Rhiannon Day

I met up with my model muse Rhiannon Day at Spot Lounge in Dupont Circle on Friday night to help Makeda Saggau-Sackey celebrate the second anniversary of her fashion blog The Glamazon Diaries. I’d not been to Spot yet but heard a lot about it since it opened last month so I was looking forward to seeing if it lived up to the hype. Not as large as I thought it would be, Spot did provide, however, a feast for the eyes, with its well thought out details and figurative “blue” decor. The over-sized female torso in the men’s room was an interesting touch. Nightclub denizens Courtney Caldwell and Jaclyn Gower held court at the bar surrounded by a hive of guys all vying for their attention. Paul Wharton was there and then suddenly he wasn’t and finally got a few minutes face time in with Kamari Wheeler. I now realize that I was talking with Stephanie Green, of Green and Glover, without knowing it, and Becky Lee was like a one-woman tornado, dancing her way through the crowded throng. DJ Seyhan Duru kept the pace upbeat with a masterly mix of current and older tunes that provided a drop-cloth for some dirty dancing. The pictures took themselves.

Happy Hour Honors Zina Pierre for Mayor

Check out all the photos at www.tonypowell.smugmug.com Click the Parties folder

Blacklisted Invitation

Blacklisted Host Committee © Tony Powell

Mayoral Candidate Zina Pierre and recording artist Marcus Johnson © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

The Hakkai's © Tony Powell

BLT Steak GM Adam Williamowsky and employee © Tony Powell

Blacklisted Invitation

BLT Steak GM Adam Williamowsky and employee

Blacklisted Host Committee © Tony Powell

Two Blondes. Two Brunettes. One Birthday Extravaganza!

See all the photos at: www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

Jaclyn Gower, Jess Baca, Stefanie Ball, and Courtney Caldwell © Tony Powell

Stefanie Ball, Jaclyn Gower, Jess Baca, and Courtney Caldwell © Tony Powell

The Donovan House played host last night for the celebration of a quartet of birthdays. The rooftop pool, with its stunning view of Thomas Circle, is becoming a very popular place to be these days and it provided a perfect backdrop for Jaclyn Gower, Courtney Caldwell, Jess Baca, and Stefanie Ball to be feted by a few hundred friends throughout the night. Of the four, I only knew Jaclyn, so it was good to make some new friends. It was refreshing to see such a wildly diverse crowd of people at a party in Washington, DC. The thing I love most about going out every night is not knowing who I’ll run in to. Since there are so many gatherings and not enough hours in the day to get to them all, its very special to see certain people, if only for a few moments. One of those people last night was Lynly Boor, who I met very early on when I started covering events for Washington Life Magazine. So many nights I photographed her with Tom Quinn. Allison Katz was there sans Wright Sigmund (he was attending a wedding,) man about town Roby Penn, and Bob Ghafouri with Julia Ehrgood. DJ Seyhan Duru seemed particularly inspired last night…mixing up musical concoctions that were alternately explicit in nature as well as sublime.

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Beach Bash @ L2

Check out all the photos @ www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

Kelly Homan, Aouatif Hamadi, Luiza Rodrigues

L2 Owner Rodrigo Garcia and Fletcher Gill

The dozen or so times I’ve been to L2, Georgetown’s most private of hotspots, it’s been suit and tie, or at least a jacket. When I heard that the dress code for last night’s Endless Summer Beach Bash fundraiser included swimsuits, bikinis, towels, and sandals, I couldn’t resist. It was also my first opportunity to try out my brand new Canon EOS 5d Mark II digital camera at an event. I’ve known that Fletcher Gill has been doing good work with his non-profit, Luke’s Wings, for some time, but now I know just how good. His organization provides travel planning services and airplane tickets for the families of our wounded soldiers currently hospitalized at medical and rehabilitation centers all over the country. His efforts last night raised enough money to reunite the children of a military family with their parents, whom they haven’t seen in over 4 months. Their father is recovering at Walter Reed from injuries sustained in the war and his wife has been by his side since his arrival at the hospital. An arcade-style surf simulator, a beachwear/bikini competition, L2 beach balls, and beach-themed drink specials and games, all contributed to the oasis-like atmosphere inside L2 that was musically managed by the ubiquitous DJ Neekola. The prize for the winner of the best beachwear/bikini competition was a $500 shopping spree at Bloomingdale’s compliments of David Lazarus and the Lazarus Foundation. I had only planned to stay for an hour or so but ended up being there for 3, the time flew by so quickly. I kept bumping into people I hadn’t seen in a while. I caught up with stylist Lana Orloff and almost didn’t recognize Carolina Furukrona, who was showing off a sporty new haircut.

For more information about Luke’s Wings visit: www.lukeswings.org/

L2 Tattoo

Kate Michael

Lana Orloff and Carolina Furukrona

In the Flesh, Darlington House, and Smith Point

© Tony Powell

Last night’s triple header started out with a visit to the Phillips Collection, probably the best chamber-sized museum in the country. I’d heard so much talk about the new artwork on view there now, that when I was invited by my friend Kelly Mayfield to see her new choreography being performed there, it seemed like a no-brainer. It was also an opportunity to try out my brand new Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM prime lens in very low light. As part of the Capital Fringe Festival, her fledgling company, Contradiction Dance, comprised of six diverse dancers, staged an hour-long dance piece inspired by the “Paint Made Flesh” exhibit currently running on the top floor of the museum. As I was photographing the performance, I felt a hand tap me on the shoulder. It was my friend and local dance impresario Meera Wolfe, who had just come down from the exhibit. From her whispered description, I knew I needed to see the paintings that inspired the dance that we were watching.

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Smith Point July 23, 2009

Nude by John Currin

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Q & A © Tony Powell

Like the excellent but smallish exhibit upstairs, her work explores a wide range of themes associated with flesh – physical attractiveness, disfigurement, aging, and sensuality, among others. Comprised of duets, solos, spoken words, and group interactions, “In the Flesh,” challenges us to examine our own conception of beauty and to ultimately question the origin of those beliefs. Mayfield and company continued this exchange of ideas in the post-performance Q & A with the audience.

Nude by John Currin

It’s such a small World! Meera was taking in the evening with the internet-based dance critic Carmel Morgan and yoga instructor Amy Dara Stoltz. Carmel says she knows of me via one of my Juilliard classmates Elizabeth McPherson, an esteemed author and dance educator. The four of us take in the artwork together. The 40 paintings that comprise the show are wildly different from one another, yet they all contain the common thread of humanness. The savagery of war, the beauty of the human form, the fleeting nature of love, the inevitability of death, all play out through pigments on canvas, paper, and board. Hyphen, by Jenny Saville has to be seen in person to feel the full effect of the work’s wall-sized brilliance. Hyphen begs one to find beauty in the seemingly grotesque depiction of the artist and her sister. I wanted to touch the canvas – the paint being so thickly applied in some areas. The strongest works for me, by far, were the pieces by Francis Bacon, Eric Fischl, Willem deKooning, and Lucian Freud. California artist Richard Diebenkorn was represented by a minor work of figuration which served to solidify my belief that his “Ocean Park” series is one of the most important collections of abstract paintings of the 20th century. I went to Juilliard with Diebenkorn’s granddaughter Phyllis and she had a miniature painted by him, for her, on the wall of her apartment at the Hotel Narragansett @ 93rd and Broadway. None of our friends realized just how valuable a piece of art it was at the time. But I knew.

All of the photos from the Contradiction Dance after party can be seen at: www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

After viewing the art we met up with the dancers at Darlington House for a cast party/cocktail party before I needed to leave to go over to Smith Point, for Washington Life Magazine, to cover Ashley Taylor’s fundraiser. The bad weather didn’t dampen the spirits of those who braved the rain to show there support for Once Upon a Prom, a non-profit dedicated to providing prom dresses and scholarships to under served young women in the Nation’s Capitol. Ashley’s new boyfriend Jared Cohen was there, as well as Coventry Burke, Heather Guay, Lindsay Craig, Hadley Gamble, Tate Yost Lett, Gabrielle Malman, Becca Glover, Marybeth Coleman, Sara Lang, and Anna VanMeter. Just before leaving, my friend, the writer Carol Joynt, popped in from the rain with two of her pals and unwound in a back room. I’m very comfortable behind the camera so I got a little nervous when Ashley asked me to be IN a shot with everyone. We all had a great time inside while it poured down heavily outside.

“Once Upon a Prom” photos can be found on the Washington Life Magazine website: www.washingtonlife.smugmug.com

Smith Point July 23, 2009

Are you “In the Loop?”

Check out all the photos at www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

I’ve never been to a party that my friend Kimball Stroud has organized that I didn’t like. The Impact Film Festival founder, event planner, and non-profit and film fundraiser, co-hosted this invite-only advance screening and after party with Sundance and SILVERDOCS PR chief Jody Arlington.

The back room of CoCo Sala was jam-packed with cinephiles last Wednesday night after having just seen “In the Loop,” a new political satire that’s been described as ‘The Office  Meets the West Wing.”

In his Sundance Festival review of “In the Loop,” film critic James Rocchi found it to be, “achingly, wrenchingly, dizzyingly funny, with a bleak, bitter sense of humor that makes each laugh feel like the people behind In the Loop are not so much tickling your funny bone as they are going at it with an ice pick.

Director Armando Iannucci was on hand, and so were the writers, the same team that brought the political comedy series “The Thick of It,” to the BBC. David Rasche, the much sought-after character actor was also there with his wife, son, and daughter-in law.

The best part of the night?

The opportunity to put my camera away and catch up with Kimball and Melissa Torres over tapas. The film opens at the E Street Cinema on the 24th of this month.

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Click the link below to view a clip from the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQrqMkCuHqA

K Street Kate Celebrate’s 3 Years at Muleh

To see all the photos check out my new photo site! www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

Kate Michael © Tony Powell

On the first real summer day we’ve had in DC this year, Kate Michael joined 450 of her friends @ luxury furniture and clothing boutique Muleh to celebrate 3 years of her online magazine, KStreetKate.net. The heat didn’t seem to stop some of the men from wearing jackets and ties however. There must be a gene that that allows some men to stay cool in 96 degree weather without breaking a sweat. I certainly don’t have that gene. It was nice to see a female DJ for a change. djNeekola kept the mood just right and held court at the front of Muleh inside of a futuristic sculpture-like enclosure. Muleh owner Christopher Reiter and L2 owner Rodrigo co-hosted with Kate and the RSVP-only crowd included designer Ebong Eka, models Rhiannon Day and Jacqueline Akoko, Lee Barona, dancer Aaron Jackson, Amanda and Curtis Polk, Kevin Roots, John Cecchi, Chris Thompson, Erin Murtha, Eric Brewer, Angie and Ali Diba, and DJ extraordinaire Adrian Loving.

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

WEDNESDAYS AT DONOVAN- ROOF TOP POOL COCKTAIL PARTY July 8, 2009

© Tony Powell

I took advantage of my first free Wednesday night this summer to hear my friend and DJ, Seyhan Duru, work his magic on the roof of Donovan House, one of the chicest boutique hotels in DC. From way up there, the view of Thomas Circle is stunning and the breeze was cool and steady! Survivor Cook Islands contestant and Becky’s Fund founder, Becky Lee, stopped by, as well as Chris Thompson, and former Congressman and Washington Bullet, Thomas McMillen. Check out all the photos at: www.tonypowell.smugmug.com

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Thomas Circle © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

“OBJECTIFIED”

Anyone interested in any type of design should see this documentary. Gary Hustwit, below, was there last night at the Corcoran Gallery of Art to introduce his film, as well as answer questions afterward. From toothbrushes to iPhones, “Objectified” http://www.objectifiedfilm.com/ made me more aware of the myriad objects we utilize in the course of a day, some of which we use without any thought whatsoever. From the time we wake up until we retire at night, we come into contact with dozens of carefully manufactured objects that either aid us or hinder us by way of their design. The idea of designing for permanence vs. designing for the moment was also central theme. Nevertheless, each of the designers featured were extremely amusing and offered a glimpse into the minds that create some of the most mundane to the must-have objects of our time.

© Tony Powell

 

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Gary Hustwit © Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

© Tony Powell

Art Salon at White-Meyer House

Art Salon Invitation

GO TO MERIDIAN TO SEE THIS ARTWORK!!

I bumped into my good friend Rebecca Fishman the other day at my daily haunt – the Parkway Deli. As a commissioner with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, she’s an insider in all things DC. I thank her for inviting me to this event. The magazine I have the pleasure to shoot for, Washington Life Magazine, quiets down a bit in the summer months so I get to check out some events I might not normally have the opportunity to get to during busier times. Tonight’s Art Salon was one of those really nice events. The White-Meyer House at Meridian International Center has been taken over by contemporary Chinese art that is, at times, provocative, as well as seductive. It’s a show called Metropolis Now, and provided the backdrop for the DC Commission’s Art Salon which, according to the invitation is, “a monthly convergence of artists, techies, green-collars, art enthusiasts and educators that are creating the momentum for the new era of art.”

The Art Salon is, “modeled after the salons of the late 19th century to inspire and provoke the minds of the creative community.” Meridian President Stuart Holliday was there, along with Meredith Cymermam, Rebecca Fishman, Henry Harris, Pilar O’Leary, Lori Soto, Darren Thomas, Jessica Lange, and arts advocate Philippa Hughes. My favorite couple – Eric Brewer and Kristin Guiter - were also there, going strong, and DJ Brian Liu kept the mood upbeat with his fervent soundscapes. The artwork is on view Wednesday – Sunday, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. through July 26, 2009. Closed on Federal Holidays. The White-Meyer House  is located at the Meridian International Center, 1624 Crescent Place, NW, Washington, DC 20009

Screening “TAKEN” in Georgetown with Innocents at Risk

Andrea Rogers, Tony Powell, Debbie Sigmund

Great time tonight at the cocktail reception in front of the Letelier Theater in Georgetown before the screening of “Taken,” one of the best action films I’ve seen in a long time. In it, Liam Neeson plays a dad bent on revenge as the result of the abduction and trafficking of his vacationing 17 year-old daughter. Debbie Sigmund, founder and head of Innocents at Risk, hosted the event with Andrea Rogers, and they were joined by Donald and Wright Sigmund, Matthew Christian Davis, former Washington Ballet dancer Aaron Jackson, and various Immigration officials among others.

Feldman’s 40th and Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi and Tony Powell

“Every woman wants Mike Feldman and every man wants to be Mike Feldman.” So went the monologue that accompanied a very funny video ribbing of birthday boy Mike Feldman, former right hand man to Vice President Al Gore and founding member of Glover Park Group.

Current and former Democratic A-listers rubbed shoulders with, bankers, analysts and models at the beautifully-renovated Dupont Circle home of former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart. Halfway through the party, Jon Bon Jovi, along with wife Dorothea, surprised all with a special trip down from New York City.

Future VP and ME!

 

© Tony Powell - Tony with Joe Biden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The opportunity to shoot for the Obama campaign (9-4-08) came out of nowhere. Thanks ANNE!! After photographing DEM VP candidate Joe Biden’s “meet and greet “with what seemed like 100 people (they each paid $12,000+) he was kind enough to take a shot with me. Definitely presidential material!!!

Bo Derek, The Kuwaiti Embassy and Me!

© Tony Powell - Bo Derek and Tony Powell March 2008

 

Growing up I had the biggest crush on Bo Derek in the movie “10.” Dudley Moore had nothing on me, in my mind. One of the best parts of being a photographer at Washington Life Magazine is not knowing who, what, or where, I will be asked to photograph.

I received a call, in March of this year, to shoot a possible cover for the magazine that involved Charlie Rose and Bo Derek. Couldn’t believe it! The shoot took place on the second floor of the Embassy Residence of Kuwait during the cocktail hour before the Kuwait-America Foundation 2008 Gala Dinner. President and Mrs. Bush, Condoleeza Rice, Marvin Hamlisch, as well DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, were in attendance. While photos from the shoot didn’t make the cover, it did give me an idea of where this road could take me. Bo (who looks great by the way) was nice enough to take a few pictures with me after we finished the photo shoot. A real PRO!