Model, Entrepreneur, Designer (Be Jealous)

Lauren Bush -- G.W.’s niece, G.H.W.’s granddaughter and Marvin’s daughter -- was in town to celebrate her appearance on the dramatic cover of Capitol File's spring issue.

The anthrolopogy major from Princeton didn't exactly seem destined to wind up in the fashion business. Bush had modeled while in high school and college, but quit after graduation (or so she'd thought).

"It was something I sort of fell into, but enjoyed because it gave me a unique and fun introduction to the fashion industry," Bush said. "I was attracted to studying anthropology in college because I have always loved traveling and have always been fascinated with other cultures and traditions.”  

So how did she go from being a model to an advocate of world hunger?

Link here:  http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Lauren-Bush-Model-Entrepreneur-Designer-Be-Jealous.html

Presidential Leadership

15 Decisions That Changed the Nation

Author Nick Ragone explains why the "Evil Empire" speech by President Reagan and the Whiskey decision of George Washington shaped the future.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Presidential_Leadership_Washington_DC-118475844.html

'Monogamy': Scarier Than You'd Think

Courtesy of Oscilloscope Films

 

Anxiety and boredom, not to mention clandestine attractions, beg to tear a couple apart prior to their impending marriage in "Monogamy."

In the film, Academy Award-nominated Dana Adam Shipiro (for his documentary "Muderball") chronicles a couple on the brink of disaster. Wedding photographer Theo (Chris Messina), makes it perfectly clear to the audience that he is bored to death with his situation -- so much so that it if "Subgirl" (Meietal Dohan) hadn't come along, Theo's boredom might have had the same effect on the audience.

Subgirl is a tantalizing exhibitionist who hires Theo to capture her voyeuristic antics on camera. While she's good for the viewers, she's not so good for Theo's fiancée Nat (Rashida Jones). The movie is a portrayal of everyday life in slow motion with a twist at the end.

Niteside caught up with co-director/producer Shapiro -- also a former Spin Magazine editor -- who explained the flick this way:  http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Monogamy-Scarier-Than-Youd-Think.html

Inside the Irish Ambassador’s St. Pat's Bash

And if anyone knows how to celebrate St. Pat's, it's gotta be Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
Watch the video here:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/St__Patrick_s_Day_Washington_DC-118230849.html

The Prime Minister of Ireland Celebrates in DC

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Prime-Minister-of-Ireland-Celebrates-in-DC.html

Harry Shearer's 'The Big Uneasy'

Director Harry Shearer

Natural disasters have a way of repeating themselves. Such is the case with the tsunami in Japan, which occurred while director Harry Shearer was in D.C. promoting his documentary "The Big Uneasy," which details the reasons why New Orleans flooded and why it could happen again.

He wants you to know, though, that Hurricane Katrina didn’t cause the real disaster; people did. The culprit? Faulty engineering, lack of accountability, flawed science and ignorance, not to mention the coverup.  Link to story here: http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/The-Big-Uneasy-118100299.html

'If You Love Me, You'll Buy This Book'

Hunter Biden with the author

The crowd at the packed Lincoln Restaurant last night probably didn’t realize how popular syndicated cartoonist Nick Galifianakis is... because they nearly ran out of the potato croquettes laced with caviar and that would have been a shame.

 

The cartoonist, whose illustrations appear alongside his ex-wife Carolyn Hax's column in the Washington Post, must be doing something right because he’s always smiling... and he's most certainly doing something right if he can still work with his ex-wife. Some friendships have no expiration date.  Link to the story here: http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/If-You-Love-Me-Youll-Buy-This-Book-.html

The Music Never Stopped, but the Lights Went Out

Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead

  The lights went out unexpectedly at the E Street Cinema screening of "The Music Never Stopped" -- which gave Niteside a chance to catch up with Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead.
Watch the video here:  http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/When_the_Music_Stopped_Washington_DC-118007634.html

Q&A With Director Jim Kohlberg

Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead and Nancy Pelosi

 Director Jim Kohlberg gives us a look at the making of Grateful Dead pic "The Music Never Stopped." Nancy Pelosi and Tipper Gore stopped by the exclusive after-party.
Link to video here: http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Director_Jim_Kohlberg_Washington_DC-118013349.html

White Ties, But Off-the-Cuff

Photo by Neshan Naltchayan

This year marks the first time that President Obama has participated in the best dinner party in town, having missed it for the first two years of his presidency. That means that now Grover Cleveland has recovered his title -- he's once again the only president since 1885 not to speak at the annual Gridiron Club’s Annual White Tie Dinner at the Renaissance Hotel.

Kudos to Obama, because it never hurts to play well with the press.

This does not mean that everything went smoothly.  A major kerfuffle between excluded media and the organization brewed behind the scenes, C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb had requested to cover the event live and was denied. Link to full story: http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/White-Ties-But-Off-the-Cuff.html

Diana Ross wows the crowd at the Leukemia Ball

  
“We are here tonight to celebrate; to celebrate the dedicated commitment of organizations and individuals who have made the 2011 Leukemia Ball an incredible success,” said Donna McKelvey.

“We have one very special award to present this evening,” she continued.  “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Chairman’s Citation recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of an individual who has demonstrated significant dedication and commitment to our organization.”

“Tonight’s recipient of this prestigious award has been a member of the Leukemia Ball’s Co-Chair leadership team for more than 10 years.  In the past 5 years alone, he has raised over one-half million dollars!  His outstanding efforts are truly making a difference in the lives of our patients and their families.”

“He sets the standard for the committee - he is the man to beat – he is our raffle king - and our dear friend.  It is my distinct honor to present the Chairman’s Citation to the one and only, Mr. Dan Johnson.

'Housewife' Cat Ommanney Celebrates Book Launch

Photo by Dave Phillipich

From suicidal nights in the ER to being hounded by the press -- "Inbox Full" is a true story of where life (and a reality show) can lead you. Go to Video Page

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Inbox_Full_Washington_DC-117851228.html 

Badges of Courage for 9/11 Coverage

It was an emotional night for nine journalists from radio and television who distinguished themselves for their coverage of 9/11.

The Radio-Television Digital News Foundation held their annual First Amendment Awards Dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, and some attendees had harrowing stories to share.

ABC News Radio’s Ann Compton was aboard Air Force One, complete with multiple TV sets recessed in the bulkhead. “As [we] flew that day in circles around the United States, we were able to watch very hazy pictures showing the destruction and the towers tumbling,” she said.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Badges-of-Courage-for-911-Coverage.html

The Wedding of the Century: Yours?

Kate Michael

Niteside's Kate Michael channels Great Britain's Kate Middleton for the ultimate Royal Wedding Experience at the Ritz. Go to Video Page
http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/The_Wedding_of_the_Century_-_yours__Washington_DC-117731983.html

Bourbon Street on Penn

Wendy Gordon

Pennsylvania Avenue turned into Bourbon Street at Central Restaurant to celebrate Mardi Gras. The place was bristling with music, masks and fried oysters. View Slideshow

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Bourbon-Street-on-Penn.html

Shirts Off to Chris Lee

David Hawkings of CQ-Roll Call and David Rapp of Bloomberg at the Washington Press Club Foundation Dinner. 

Tweet decks were buzzing at the Washington Press Club Foundation’s 67th Annual Congressional Dinner over what was being called the “speed scandal.”

By the time it took to get from Capitol Hill to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, New York Rep. Christopher Lee (R-N.Y.) had abruptly resigned from Congress after Gawker.com revealed he’d sent a shirtless photo to a woman in response to a Craigslist ad. What was so amazing about his abrupt departure is that we can’t think of anyone else in Congress who would leave Congress over a shirtless photo.

Envisioning potential site click-throughs, staffers from The Hill newspaper expressed remorse that Lee had not been included in their 2010 “50 Most Beautiful People on the Hill” issue.


http://www.washingtonlife.com/2011/03/07/hollywood-on-the-potomac-shirts-off-to-chris-lee/

Lincoln Conspiracy Comes to Light

The National Museum of Crime and Punishment teamed up with Maryland's Surratt House Museum for a private screening of Robert Redford’s “The Conspirator,” due out in April.

The movie begins with President Lincoln's assassination, but deals mainly with the aftermath and the trial of the conspirators, focusing on Mary Surratt. "So it's not just an untold story... it's an unknown story to most Americans," said Executive Producer Webster Stone, (The American Film Company) who attended the screening at E Street Cinema.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Lincoln-Conspiracy-Comes-to-Light.html 

YOUR HIGHNESS -- Chance for USC to Host the Premiere!

The upcoming Universal Pictures comedy, Your Highness, starring Academy Award nominated James Franco and Academy Award winner Natalie Portman, is holding a competition to determine the location of its world premiere, complete with cast appearances and after-party. This is an online-voting system, where the University with the most votes will get the premiere, and the next five runners-up will get to have advanced screenings of the movie.

Click here to DEMAND that USC host the Premiere:
http://movies.eventful.com/campaigns/yourhighness2011

WSJ Reporters Crack Up the Crowd

Brody Mullins and T.W. Farnam

If you're going to a big event, you've gotta arrive in style, right?

“We would like to thank the mayor [Vincent Gray] who is here tonight,” quipped the Wall Street Journal's Brody Mullins last night, “for providing us transportation in a beautiful black Navigator. It’s really surprising how on such short notice he was able to comply with our requirement for a gray interior."

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/WSJ-Reporters-Crack-Up-the-Crowd.html 

N.J.'s 'Force of Nature' at the Willard

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Niteside cornered Herb Jackson, Washington correspondent for The Bergen Record, at a reception for Governors and Ambassadors at the Willard Hotel on Friday night. The occasion kicked off the annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association in D.C.

We asked Jackson to give us the inside scoop on N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, whose meteoric rise in the Republican party has become something of a national phenomenon.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/A-Force-of-Nature-at-the-Willard.html

Sometimes She Feels Like a Nut

 

"The funny thing is, I don't even like coconut!" author Jill Kargman laughed when Niteside asked her whether she preferred Mounds or Almond Joy.

Launching her latest, "Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut" -- her first foray into non-fiction -- Kargman continues her crazy comedic writing career with a collection of playful essays and observations.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Sometimes-She-Feels-Like-a-Nut.html 

Run for Your Money: Oscar Pop Quiz

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Sarah Bonjean

Nobody went into a diabetic coma at The Week’s Oscar party at the Kalorama home of Juleanna Glover -- but they could have. Between bites of the truffle-and-carmel popcorn, guests devoured mounds of chocolate raisins and strawberry licorice.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Run-for-Your-Money-Oscar-Pop-Quiz.html 

Oscar-Nominated Director Dishes on New Financial Crisis Doc "Inside Job

Oscar-nominated Charles Ferguson, attending a private screening of his latest work "Inside Job" in Washington, D.C. detailed what we can expect from the documentary, which dissects the financial crisis. The Washington Note scribe Steve Clemons hosted the event. 

 http://www.nbcwashington.com/blogs/niteside/Inside_Job_All__National_.html