known as Wonkette, hosted last Saturday at the home of Jeffrey and Juleanna Glover-Weiss. Wonkette’s new book, Dog Days, debuted last week.
Still, there was Bing, all schlepped out in sneakers, while much of the crowd dressed for the occasion, with Wonkette in a low-cut, bright-red, knee-length Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress with fashion-conscious yellow and black and orange lines. (Was it an homage to the notoriously wrap-dress-loving Jessica Cutler, i.e. the Washingtonienne?) She also wore “not very special” (her words) Banana Republic slingbacks and carried a Kate Spade purse from 1999.
Asked if Cutler would show, Wonkette pointed out that the playboy.com-posing ex-intern falsely suggested in her Capitol File column that, despite her marriage, Cox has other romantic interests. Enough said. Cutler never appeared, which is not surprising. The Washingtonienne and the Wonkette are no longer on speaking terms.
Cox was pleased that her party was a bipartisan affair.
“I was proud to witness the happy commingling of Juleanna’s and Jeffrey’s colleagues from the GOP’s next generation and my own commie pinko pals,” Cox remarked. “You want to change the tone in Washington? Make sure you have enough liquor and lots of friends in common.”
Washington celebrities were everywhere at the get-together, including Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform; Susan McCue, chief of staff to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.); Dana Milbank of The Washington Post; Tom Toles, the Post’s editorial cartoonist; Philippe Reines, press secretary to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.); and Jessica Yellin of ABC News.
Other attendees included former adviser to President Bush David Frum, Time magazine’s Matt Cooper and wife Mandy Grunwald, John Dickerson of Slate and Sarah Fineberg of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and her fiancé, Dan Pfeiffer, an aide to Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.).
What’s a party without an afterparty? After the packed house began to dwindle, a smaller, bipartisan group fled to Smith Point, a Georgetown venue most known as the Bush twins’ hangout, where the group danced until the wee hours.
Rep. Gary Condit as a work of ‘Aphrodisiac’ art
Since November, former Rep. Gary Condit (D-Calif.) and his romantic exploits with the late D.C. intern Chandra Levy have been the subject matter of a play in New Haven, Conn. Never once does it mention the ex-congressman’s name in the play, but the plot clearly highlights a relationship between an intern and a congressman. What’s more, the congressman in the play, “Aphrodisiac,” represents Merced County and the 18th Congressional District, just as Condit did. And just in case you’re still unsure whether it is referring to Condit, the lobby of the theater bears a floor-to-ceiling photograph of Levy.
For those who may not remember, it was the summer of 2001 when Levy went missing and Condit, who admitted to D.C. Police that he had a romantic relationship with her, was in the spotlight of a police investigation. He was never accused of any wrongdoing, other than having an extramarital affair. The crime remains unsolved.
The play has been received well by critics at the end of a five-week run at New Haven’s Long Wharf Theater, reports an article in California’s Tri-Valley Herald. The one-act play delves into what might have transpired in the relationship between the congressman and the intern.
Another famous intern, Monica Lewinsky, makes an appearance and is played by actress Yetta Gottesman. “Aphrodisiac” also depicts the former congressman’s son and daughter trying to understand their father’s relationship with an intern, let alone her disappearance.
Aphrodisiac’s last performance was Jan. 1.
Sen. Kennedy writes book through eyes of his dog
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is coming out with a new book, My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View of Washington D.C. Due out in May, and published by Scholastic Inc., the book takes the reader on a journey through the eyes of his beloved Portuguese waterdog, Splash. The reader gets to see how Splash reacts to press conferences, meetings with school groups, committee discussions and floor votes. The result, says the publisher, is a “behind-the-scenes look at the life of one of the most energetic figures in American politics — and of course, his equally famous owner.”
Kennedy’s not the first political type to think of writing a dog book. In 1990, then-first lady Barbara Bush wrote the best-selling Millie’s Book, after her beloved springer spaniel, Millie, who once went along with her on an interview with Paula Zahn.
Next up: A look at Congress through the eyes of Kennedy’s pet hamster. OK, not really.
A lawmaker’s holiday card can speak volumes
Sometimes it’s fun to see family resemblances between members of Congress and their offspring in their annual holiday cards, and other times it’s disconcerting. For instance, there’s Rep. Jack Kingston’s (R-Ga.) biblical card in which he poses with his entire family — two sons who can pass for twins of the congressman with the same squinty eyes and big tooth smiles. Then there’s the Abercrombie & Fitch catalog portrait of Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and his wife, son and daughter posing on rocks in a Colorado creek.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) aide Doug Heye also sent out a unique holiday card this season, of himself standing a full head under Miami Heat basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.
The card says, “Have a Shaq-tacular Christmas!”
Announcements Elevated meals for the cost-conscious
D.C. Restaurant Week is this week and runs through Sunday.
Participating Capitol Hill restaurants include B. Smith’s and Charlie Palmer Steak as well as Belga Café, the Capital Grille and Bistro Bis. Lunch is three-course fixed-priced special for $20.06; dinner is a three-course fixed-price special for $30.06.
For more information, visit washington.org.
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