Inaugural 'Washingtonian MOM' Issue Finds Launch Party Home On The Range

FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS -- Mother's Day came early to the District's maternally-minded, with the month's inaugural launch of Washingtonian MOM magazine.

New for Fall 2013, the quarterly glossy extends the venerable Washingtonian brand to yet another vertical content category similar to sister publication Washingtonian Bride & Groom. It's no surprise then that, as with Bride & Groom, Kate Bennett was tapped to serve as Editor-in-Chief.

MOM is decidedly more about the "whole [being] greater than the sum of its parts", with "parenting" and "motherhood" representing just part of the lifestyle magazine's balanced editorial focus.

Rather, as Cathy Merrill Williams writes in her inaugural publisher's letter, the publication is intended as a resource that can be called upon "to improve your family's life without losing yourself in the process." Adds Bennett: "It should reflect women who happen to be moms, rather than moms who happen to be women."

Helping guide such a nuanced approach is a bevy of prominent D.C. contributors and advisory board members, including area philanthropists, media personalities, writers, lobbyists, business leaders, and public figures.

And many of those supporters were in attendance on Tuesday evening at Range in Friendship Heights, to celebrate the nascent magazine's premiere issue during a private party hosted by Williams.

Range owner Bryan Voltaggio, Chef de Cuisine Matt Hill, and Beverage Director Owen Thompson personally presided over the night's buffet menu, which included everything from a fresh raw bar to gourmet pizzas to specialty cocktails.

Mindful that Issue One, Volume 1 was but the first of many, event organizers encouraged guests throughout to suggest ways in which the magazine could be further improved (e.g., Voltaggio was nominated as a future recipient of MOM's so-called "Hot Dad" award).

And isn't that just like a mom, always striving to do better...