Lotsa, Lotsa Everything!

Meredith Fineman and Matt Friedson

by contributor Donna Shor

Photos by Neshan H. Naltchayan
Video by Janet Donovan

Abbondanza was the word for the over the top party Carmine's hosted for The Trust for the National Mall.  Free-flowing bars that included specialty beers on tap, tons of food and happy eaters made the scene feel like an evening in old Napoli.

The Penn Quarter restaurant celebrated its first year anniversary in Washington by hosting a party for the charity by holding a fundraiser there.  It was a generous gift with almost 300 in attendance, opening the fundraising season for the L’Enfant society whose financial support aids the Trust’s project of repair and restoring the Mall to match Pierre L’Enfant’s vision for the layout of the new city.

Proprietor and movie-star handsome―Jeffrey Bank welcomed the crowd, including Chip and Sally Akridge, Debbie Sigmund, Natalie Gregorian and Wright Sigmund, Fletcher Gill, David Harrison, L’Enfant Society Co-Chairs Christian Gullot and Marissa Mitrovich and a trio of writers, Pamela Sorensen, Kate Michael and Stephanie Green. 

“Washington Carmine’s is the DC branch of New York City’s legendary family restaurant,” said manager Kristopher Diemar, “There are two in New York, with one in Atlantic City and one in the Bahamas.”

“Carmine’s is famous for the big platters of food” he continued, “No one leaves Carmine’s hungry.” No one did.
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