DC Magazine Goes WACA WACA @ Tony & Joe's; Raises Money For Community Health Centers

GEORGETOWN -- I'm going to tell you a secret. A table at the hottest restaurants in town or seats at a sold-out Kennedy Center performance are but a phone call away for a handful of D.C. residents.

While I'm sure that the Obamas could get those things too, I'm referring of course to the well-connected men and women who staff the concierge desks inside the city's best hotels. To them, obtaining the impossible is just another day at the office.

But when a concierge has a question, who helps the helpful? For those situations, there is the Washington Area Concierge Association -- a local organization that fosters educational and professional growth opportunities for area concierges.

And on Sunday night, WACA celebrated its 26th year with an annual gala on the Georgetown waterfront. With DC Magazine serving as the night's co-host (and sponsor), close to a hundred members, affiliates, and guests turned-out for an evening of networking, dining, and dancing.

Georgetown's popular Tony and Joe's Seafood Place served as the party's backdrop and the gala's menu was a collaborative affair, made-up of both dishes from the host venue as well as from other area restaurants.

While there were several open bars at the gala, local mixologist Rico Wisner had the honor of preparing a signature cocktail for the event: A "Blue Sage Cooler" made-up of Plymouth Gin infused with organic Earl Grey tea, blueberry and sage gum syrup, St. Germain liqueur, lemon juice, and soda water.

Always looking for a way to help other people, WACA also used the gala as a fundraiser for both the Whitman-Walker Clinic and the John C. Campbell Scholarship Fund. A portion of the evening's proceeds will also be donated to the Les Clefs d'Or Foundation -- a charitable organization founded in 1990 by the international professional organization of concierges of the same name.

Despite such generosity, guests at last night's gala certainly didn't walk away empty-handed. Indeed, more than 20 prizes had been donated by hotels and restaurants from around the country as part of the night's competitive raffle, including dinners at Buddha Bar, the Fairmont's Juniper restaurant, and Mie n Yu; a custom-built Trek FX bike; and even a weekend at The Pierre in New York City!

This is what hospitality is all about...