party planner

PARTYPLANNERPARTYPLANNERDECEMBER 2012DECEMBER 2012

B2 Party PlannerDecember 6, 2012 • Washington Jewish Week

B3Party Planner Washington Jewish Week • December 6, 2012

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Planning a book club meeting ...........................................................B6

A football party with help from the cooking coach ......................B7

The next great party favor ...............................................................B10

Kids’ parties ..........................................................................................B11

From one bride to another ................................................................B12

Phoning in the party photos .............................................................B14

Pick the right music to set the tone................................................B15

Party for a cause.................................................................................B16

Life of the party ..................................................................................B17

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Events are the milestones against which we measure our lives.Whether you’re hosting a wedding or a corporate cocktail hour, theseare the occasions everyone remembers. Which is why we treat everyevent that we host as if it were our own.

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Bar & Bat Mitzvahs

By Meredith JacobsManaging Editor

Iremember my first book club. I was ayoung mom in my 20s when I was in-

vited to the neighborhood book clubmeeting. Having been an English majorin college, I enthusiatically dove into thebook, highlighting key text and jottingdown notes. Needless to say, my attemptsat literary analysis were met with silence.It was then I realized that “book” was justthe excuse for “club.”

I was particularly struck by the ab-sence of book when walking my dog withfriends the other morning. ey weretalking about the fun they had at bookclub. When I asked what book they hadread, neither knew the answer.

For Rachel Wolf, 24, a political com-munications consultant in D.C., hermonthly book club meetings are a chanceto get together with friends. e tenwomen, all busy, working women, keeptheir monthly meetings “low-key and lowpressure.” If someone doesn’t read thebook, she’s still welcome to come. And ifsomeone can’t make it, she won’t getkicked out. e women bring wine, horsd'oeuvres and desserts. Although, Wolfsaid that reading e Paris Wife by PaulaMcLain, inspired some to get into thekitchen and attempts were made at mak-ing crepes and serving themed drinks.

e group selects their next book atthe end of each meeting. “It’s an organicprocess. We all just name books we areinterested in reading.”

Usually a novel, the group has alsoread the memoir Wild: From Lost toFound on the Pacific Crest Trail by CherylStrayed and the historic nonfiction book,Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff. And, when thegroup read A Good Year by Peter Mayle,

a novel about wine tast-ing in France, thewomen decided to re-place their monthlymeeting with a groupwine tasting in Virginia.

Wine definitely playsa big role in book club.

“I don’t want anyoneto think we’re justdrinking wine and notreading the books,”Wolf said. “I’ve readmost of the books, butfor the most part, it’s anopportunity to catch upwith friends.” Fromtime to time, she notes,a book will catch theirattention and they willdiscuss it.

is month, thegroup eliminated abook selection and is in-stead having a holidaybook club party with a cookie and“White Elephant” (re-giing of a terriblegi) exchange.

“One of our book club members is leav-ing this month to travel in Southeast Asia.We’ve asked her to pick the book thatwe’ll read next and she’ll read as she trav-els,” she said. It’s the club members’ wayof staying connected with their friend.

Wolf suggests to those interested instarting a book club that you know whatsort of book club you want. If you aremore about wine, a literature major maynot get what she wants out of the meet-ings. Conversely, if you aren’t committedto reading the books each month and arein a group that will kick out memberswho aren’t prepared to discuss, that alsowill not be a good fit.

In the end, find a group of women whoget along. Said Wolf, “it’s ‘book club’ inname only. It’s really about bringing peo-ple together.”

Lori Steinman, a Rockville-area deco-rator, has been a member of two bookclubs. Both clubs themed the food of themeeting with the book. For example, thehost would serve Indian food when thegroup read Life of Pi. Some groups caneven get a little competitive with hoststrying to out-do each other with theirfood offerings.

But be warned, this can get tricky. Asone book club member asked, “What doyou serve when reading 50 Shades ofGrey?”

Here’s a suggestion for your next bookclub meeting.

Published last month, e Lawgiver: ANovel is a modern epistolary work toldthrough emails, Skype transcripts, jour-nals, letters and text messages. Written byHerman Wouk, author of e CaineMutiny and Marjorie Morningstar, it isthe story of two writers attempting theirown versions of the story of Moses.

Margo Solovei, the brilliant, young filmmaker, who has rejected her rabbinical fa-ther’s strict Jewish upbringing in order topursue a career in film, reconnects withher family and the young lawyer who isher first love while writing the screenplay.Wouk drags himself into his own book bycreating a scenario whereby the wealthy

Australian businessman who is financingthe film, insists on the author’s approvalof Solovei’s script.

rough the book, we learn aboutWouk’s wife of more than 60 years, Betty,who serves as his agent and the one towhom he turns for advice and approval.In the end, e Lawgiver is not so muchabout Moses as it is about Wouk’s wife—the love of his life, who passed away be-fore the novel was published. It is a cleverlook at the film industry and an endear-ing tribute to a marriage.

Suggested meal to serve when dis-cussing e Lawgiver:

Select a lovely Australian chardonnayin honor of the Australian multi-billion-aire and the handsome youngshepherd/actor who eventually lands thepart of Moses for Solovei’s movie.

Cut boneless, skinless chicken breastsinto strips. Place in bowl and toss witholive oil and McCormick’s MontrealChicken seasoning. Cook in a saute orgrill pan until chicken is cooked through.Squeeze lemon over the chicken andserve with arugula, grape tomatoes andbalsamic vinaigrette.

In a nod to the Exodus, create a sidedish of Israeli couscous. Add fresh pome-granate seeds and orange zest.

en, for dessert, a taste of Egypt. Re-move the pits from fresh dates and re-place with pistachio nuts. Close the datesand roll in sugar.

Enjoy!


Planning a book club meeting

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by Meredith JacobsManaging Editor

Kosher by Design series author SusieFishbein is back with one of her best

cookbooks to date. is time, she’scoaching us through the cooking processwith recipes, tips and techniques inKosher by Design: Cooking Coach. Fish-bein gives us the “gear” (equipment),“playbook” (menus for the day or theweek) and “game plan” for everythingfrom how to assemble a cheese plate tohow to carve a chicken. is is just thecoach we’ve been looking for to yell at usfrom the kitchen sidelines. (Wow, I thinkI’ve exhausted my sports knowledge inthat one sentence.)

In keeping with Fishbein’s sportstheme, we’re offering up a plan for yournext football party with these recipesfrom the coach. (We’ve given you threerecipes. Buy the book, so you can alsomake Fishbein’s Kansas City Ribs—yum!)

Beef TostadasMeat Yields 5 tostadasYou can use ground turkey in place of

the beef—just add the beans earlier sothey have time to cook.

Corn tortillas are a must, as the flourones won’t become crispy. If making inadvance, keep all the elements separateand assemble just before serving.

Ingredients:3 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice1 small red onion, peeled, cut into 1/4-

inch dice1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves,

chopped2 scallions, root ends trimmed, very

finely chopped1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded, very finely

chopped1/2 limefine sea salt1 pound ground beef, can use ground

turkey

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon ground cumin1/4 teaspoon onion powder10 small corn tortillas1 tablespoon canola oil3/4 cup black beans (from a 15-ounce

can), rinsed and drained

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, mashed1/4 cup nondairy sour creamhot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot or

sriracha


A football party with helpfrom the cooking coach

See FOOTBALL, next page

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Directions:1. Prepare the salsa: in a medium bowl,

combine the tomatoes, red onion,cilantro, scallions, jalapeño, and juicefrom lime half. Season with 1⁄8 teaspoonsalt. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine groundbeef, garlic powder, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt,cumin, and onion powder. Mix well.

3. Heat an empty, large (12-14-inch)frying pan over medium heat. Add thetortillas and toast, flipping as each sidebecomes toasted. Remove from pan. Keepwarm.

4. Add the oil to the pan and heat overmedium-high. Add the ground beef mix-ture, using a wooden spoon to break upthe chunks. Cook until the beef isbrowned and no longer pink. Add theblack beans and cook for 5 minuteslonger. Stir well.

5. Smear a little of the mashed avocadoon 5 of the tostadas. Top with some of themeat mixture. Top each with second tor-tilla. Add a spoonful of the tomato salsa ontop of each tostada. Add a small dollop ofnondairy sour cream. Sprinkle each witha few shakes of hot sauce over the top.

Faux Crab CakesParve Yields 10-12 crab cakes or 18-24 mini

crab cakesOld Bay is a spice blend that is the quin-

tessential seafood spice, although I haveused it in hamburgers, on grilled corn,and in cole slaw as well. It originated inMaryland over 70 years ago and is thespice of choice for authentic-tasting “crab”cakes. e little yellow spice box is easy tospot in any supermarket. Feel free to ex-periment with other spice blends. You cantry blackening spice for blackened fauxcrab cakes, which are yummy too.

Ingredients:1 package (300 grams) surimi imitation

crab seafood flakes or sticks, defrosted3 large eggs1 cup panko breadcrumbs2 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

Spice blend3/4 cup mayonnaise, divided1 lemon, divided1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce or

other hot sauce1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely

chopped

canola oil1/8 teaspoon cayenne1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Directions:1. Place the imitation crab into a food

processor fitted with a metal “S” blade.Using a few on-off pulses, pulse untilevenly chopped but not ground. If usingthe sticks, cut each in half before process-ing. You will need a few extra pulses to getthese to the right consistency so that thefish is almost ground, not shredded in ap-

pearance. Transfer to medium bowl.2. Mix in the eggs, breadcrumbs, Old

Bay spice blend, 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise,juice of 1⁄2 lemon, hot sauce, and parsley.With wet hands, form into 12 small cakes.If you prefer, you can use a ring mold or2-3-inch biscuit cutter to shape them sothey are all the same size.

3. Heat a thin layer of canola oil in askillet over medium heat. Add the cakes,

FOOTBALL

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a few at a time; do not crowd the pan.Cook for 1-2 minutes per side untilgolden brown. Remove to a plate or plat-ter. Repeat with remaining cakes.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining1⁄2 cup mayonnaise, cayenne, dill, andjuice from remaining lemon half. Servewith the “crab” cakes.

Green-Bean and AsparagusFries with Dipping Sauce

Parve Yields 8-10 servingsSpeed green-bean-eating contests, cre-

ated by my ingenious sister-in-law Sarah,were a clever way to get my kids and theircousins to competitively eat their veggieswhile at the same time satisfying theirmothers' desire for veggie consumption.ere will be no need for contests withthese fun “fries.” Just make sure to haveplenty of the dipping sauce on hand.

Ingredients:4 large eggs, whisked well1 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs1 pound green beans, stem ends sliced

off1 bunch (20-28 spears) medium-thick

asparagus, bottom 2 inches cut offnonstick cooking spray1/2 cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon yellow mustard1 tablespoon finely chopped dill or Is-

raeli pickles2 teaspoons pickle juice from jar or can

of pickles

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 425°F.2. Set up a 2-part breading station.

Place the whisked eggs in one part andthe panko in the second part.

3. Working with a small handful ofgreen beans at a time, dip into the eggsand then into the panko, patting to ad-here the panko to the vegetables. Place ina single layer, with space between thecoated “fries,” on 1-2 jellyroll pans. Re-peat with remaining green beans and theasparagus. Using a sweeping motion,spray nonstick cooking spray over thegreen beans and asparagus. Bake, uncov-ered, for 12 minutes, until crisp and lightgolden brown.

4. In the meantime, prepare the dippingsauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the may-onnaise, mustard, chopped pickle, andpickle juice.

5. Serve the “fries” with the dippingsauce.


FOOTBALL

from previous page

Green-Bean andAsparagus Frieswith DippingSauce

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By Emily JacobsStaff Writer

Party planners today will tell you thatall great parties should be focused

around a logo or theme.Ranging from a simple monogram or

color scheme to a full out theme party(think wild west or country chic), havinga central idea or brand will help tie all theaspects of your party together.

Enter Seth Koretzky, a 25-year-old en-trepreneur who can literally put yourbrand in your guests’ hands with his per-sonalized water bottles at H2O Custom,the company he founded this past April.

We caught up with Koretzky, a 2010graduate of Towson University, to learnmore about H2O Custom and how hiscompany is making a splash on the partyfavor scene.

Why and how did you come up withthe idea behind H2O Custom?

I’ve always been entrepreneurial andhave run a couple businesses in the pastand a buddy of mine and I came up withthe idea for custom water bottles. eplan was put on hold when I began trav-eling in Asia earlier this year, but while Iwas over there and checking in and out ofhotels, I saw custom water bottles inevery room, and the idea started to seemreally good again. I got back to the Statesand decided I didn’t want to work for acorporation but wanted to start my owncompany. I started the company in Apriland already have more than 40 clients inthe D.C., Md., and Va. area.

What do you attribute the success ofyour company to?

Water is a very friendly thing to marketbecause people drink water every singleday. It’s a product that people have to have

in their lives on a daily basis, and it’s agreat way for our clients to put theirnames directly into a customers hand,they literally hold on to your brand. Wealso work with great graphic designersand can create custom logos from scratchfor clients.

What type of water and what size bot-tles do you use?

We use purified water that is free of anyadditives and goes through a 10-step pu-rification process to ensure the highestquality. We offer a variety of sizes includ-ing 8 oz., 12 oz., 16.9 oz., 20 oz., 1 L, and1.5 L bottles with regular or sport caps.

Why are personalized water bottlessuch a great party favor?

Whether it’s a bar mitzvah or wedding,having a personalized water bottle reallystrengthens the brand of the event be-cause the more things you can brand atan event the more people feel connectedand a part of the party. It’s the perfect ad-dition, and a great way for guests to bringsomething home with them.

What are your goals for H2O Cus-tom?

My goals are to get a lot bigger and haveclients nationwide. I’d also eventually liketo expand to other custom products thatgo hand in hand with water bottles suchas coasters, cups, plates and napkins.

What is the best business adviceyou’ve ever received?

e best business advice I’ve ever re-ceived is to not remain stationary and tokeep moving forward with the companyand not be afraid to take risks.

To learn more about H2O Custom, visitwww.H2Ocustom.com, or send Seth an e-mail at [email protected]


e next great party favor

Personalized water bottle labels created by Seth Koretzky at H2O Custom are the perfectparty favor for your next event.

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by William TregerStaff Writer

From cake-baking to goodie bag-mak-ing, arts and cras to Ninjago, organiz-

ing your child’s birthday celebration canmake your head spin. Here are some tips toturn party planning into kids’ play.

In-Home PartiesWhen it comes to party-time for

Allyson Glassband’s kids, the sky is thelimit. Glassband steers away from pre-packaged parties, and opts for in-homecelebrations where she can make her kidsfeel extra special.

Glassband starts with what the kids areinto to decide on a theme. is year shethrew a Ninjago party for her son Spencer,who loves both the cable cartoon andkarate. ey played “Pin the Weapon onthe Ninja,” a “rowing Stars” game, andhired Brian Kushner, a local martial arts ex-pert, to dress up as Ninjago’s Sensei Wu andteach the kids martial arts.

Glassband has had Cinderella over herhouse for her daughter Carly’s party, andan Elmo party, in which she decorated herhouse in red, “with a little bit of orange, forElmo’s nose,” she said. “My greatest sourceof inspiration” for party planning is the In-ternet. “Whether it’s Toy Story or omas[the train], just click ‘omas party ideas’and there’s a world of resources.”

“I like stuff to be decked out to the nines,”Glassband said. “I really get into it. I take alot of pride in it. I love it.”

And the sky is also the limit when itcomes to guests. “I’m not really good atlimiting the guest list. I like all my kids’friends to come, and all my friends’ kids tocome. I like to plan a party with as manypeople as possible.”

An intervention teacher for HowardCounty Public Schools, Glassband toyswith the idea of becoming a party planner.“I love thinking of ideas. If my friend ishaving a Wizard of Oz party, I want to help.”

Glassband’s aunt is also a “cake-makersupreme,” who can turn any party themeinto a three dimensional confection. But,Glassband contends, “I’m not a cake snob,I’m a theme snob.”

Likewise, for goody-bags, she alwaystries to “find something that won’t get loston the car ride home—card games, a bigthemed-plastic cup or a cool pencil sharp-ener for later use.”

Out-of-home partiesGlassband’s time-intensive and detailed

approach to party-planning is great, butmany parents, crunched for time, go a dif-

ferent route and pay to host their kids’ par-ties at an outside venue where they canbring in food or order cakes, snacks, andpizzas through pre-arranged menus.

According to Beth Dorman of Potomac,“First I’ll ask my son what he is into or whathe wants to do, and then we’ll try and bookit. If he says ‘let’s have a soccer party,’ thenwe’ll try to explore that option and find agood place for him and his friends to do aclinic or kick the ball around. If he wantsto bounce, we’ll try and set a date for that.”

“I want my sons to feel like they’re at thetop of the world on their birthdays, but Idon’t have enough time to plan large in-home gatherings. e pre-arranged birth-day venues make our lives simpler. And thekids have a great time!”

Bowling parties, bounce parties, soccerparties, nature parties—there are venues tofit every interest.

At Mark Sickel’s Fitness for Health, kidsplay oversized video games that actually getthem moving “within” the technology. It’scalled exergaming—exercising while you’replaying games, and it represents the latestin planned party options. According toSickel, a large party can break into groupsof children and go through different sta-tions controlled and managed by his staff.

Experiential, family-orientedParties

Like Glassband, Jodi Grossblatt Saundersof Columbia, enjoys planning in-homeparties, and tries hard to time her partiesso that as many family members as possiblecan be included, including out-of-towners.

Which means the parties for Saunders’three daughters might not hit the same dateas their actual birthdays.

Sophie, 6, who has a birthday in March,has already drawn up her invite list. Saun-ders likes the sense of excitement the kidsexperience throughout the year as theirbirthdays approach, and knows how to playinto the anticipation. She learned how tocreate home-spun parties from hermother-in-law, who counseled her to nevermind the mess.

On the night before the party, Saundersand her mother-in-law will make thecake— whether it be Elmo or CuriousGeorge. It always looks a little lopsided butthe girls are always thrilled when they seetheir cakes.

Saunders gets her kids involved in theparty planning by having them create theirown goody-bags—decorating them, writ-ing their guests names on them, stuffingthem. For the Curious George party, theyput a banana in a bag. “ese are the thingsthat money can’t buy,” says Saunders. “eemphasis is on creativity and friendship,and … it’s cheap.”

To plan a party, Saunders begins with anInternet search for sites with party ideas.She and the kids select games based ontheir interests. Art and drama parties arevery popular right now.

A favorite game for drama parties beginswith kids sitting in small groups. Eachgroup is given a paper bag containing fivesmall items. e object of the game is tomake a play that utilizes all of the items.en the groups will perform.

For paper plates and party-ware, Saun-ders is a big fan of the Dollar Store. And shenever serves pizza. Instead, it’s kugel, pizzabagels, tuna, egg salad, PB&J, chips, pret-zels, and carrots.


Kids’ parties

Spencer Glassband stands tall beforehis Ninjago birthday cake.

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By Emily JacobsStaff Writer

It’s hard to believe that I became en-gaged and planned our engagement

party a little over a year ago.

With five months to go until my fi-ance, Garen, and I tie the knot, I decidedto look back at the party-planningprocess for the engagement party, to giverecently engaged couples some real lifeadvice.

Setting the engagement partydate

Your engagement party should takeplace within 1-2 months from whenyour fiance popped the question. Ifyou’re planning on having a longer en-gagement, it’s okay to wait severalmonths to have the party, just be surethat the party takes place closer to whenyou became engaged than your actualwedding date. If you’re anything likeme, I wanted to celebrate with myfriends and family as soon as possible,and, despite having a 16-month-engage-ment, scheduled our party for threeweeks after I said ‘yes’.

We have the date, now who dowe invite?

The guest list for the engagementparty can be dependent on a few factors.First, if you’re planning on bringing ina caterer for the party, then your listmay be a little tighter if you’re keepingthe budget and the price of per person,per plate in mind. However, if you wantto throw a more casual affair, feel free toinvite as many people as you want,keeping in mind that those invited tothe engagement party may be expectingan invite to the wedding, as well. An-other important factor to consider is thelocation of the party and if your venuecan fit your entire high school basket-ball team or your freshman year floormates. Discretion may be necessary. Wehad a more casual affair at the club-house in my parents’ neighborhood, so,

yes, I did invite my entire synchronizedskating team from college and allowedmy fiance to invite his elementaryschool friends, the more the merrier!

The guest list is complete, howdo we invite guests?

e invites can be as simple or formalas your budget allows. If you’re throwinga sit-down dinner, then a paper invita-tion may be more appropriate. On theflip side, if you’re planning a party that’smore casual, word of mouth or electronicinvitations work great. No matter whatform of invite you decide to use, be sureto send them out as soon as the date hasbeen decided to give guests as much timeas possible to put the date on their calen-dars, especially if you’re inviting a largenumber of out-of-towners. My parentsused word of mouth to tell their friendsabout the party, and we used an elec-tronic invitation to tell our friends.

Menu ideas and cocktailsDecide on the theme of your party

and then create the menu based on that.If you’re going for a formal celebration,then hors d’oeuvres or canapes would beappropriate. Family style buffets of fin-ger foods (that are easy to eat standingup) are great for laid back parties. Youmay also want to consider doing adessert reception if you want to have alate-evening party. We chose to do a


See bride, next page

From one bride to another

Photos by Justin Tsucalas


dairy dessert party with a full range ofdesserts including muffins and deliciouscake pops. Thankfully, my mom, sister,and grandma are amazing bakers andliterally made every single dessert (ahuge deal considering there were morethan 30 options). Another option maybe to include a themed menu that re-lates to you and your fiance. For in-stance, if you had your first date at amovie theater, then gourmet style pop-corn in a variety of flavors (think rose-mary, garlic or even chocolate andpeanut butter) would give your menu afun and personalized twist.

How do we decorate the venue?The decorations are really up to you

and how much you are looking tospend. While hiring a florist and deco-rator is an option, for those on a budgetconsider using colored tablecloths, con-fetti and candles. Another great way toadd light and warmth to the party (if it’san evening affair) is to string lightsacross the room and use them as the

main source of light for a cozier atmos-phere. Placing framed pictures of youand your fiance around the room is alsoa great addition.

Engagement party entertainmentDepending on the size of the venue, a

DJ or band may be appropriate to keepthe party going. If the room is small,you can just hook up your iPod and playyour favorite tunes as background noisefor the party. Once you feel that the ma-jority of guests have arrived, turn downthe tunes and invite your parents andyour fiance’s parents to make speeches,followed by those most important toyou. At our engagement party, my fatherspoke, followed by my parents’ rabbi,and the rabbi who will be marrying uscome April. Be sure to have some tissueshandy as these speeches can get emo-tional and may cause some happy tears.

Be sure to say thank you!Many of your party guests will bring

you engagement gifts, even before youhave officially registered. Be sure tosend out thank-you notes as soon aspossible after the party.

BRIDE

from previous page

Cake pops, like the ones shown here made by my sister, are the perfect dessert bite, andlook great, too!

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By Meredith JacobsManaging Editor

These days you don’t need to wait formore than a minute to share your

party pictures. Now, all you need is aniPhone and an app.

Pro PicksBegin by downloading Instagram to

your phone. Now, when you take aphoto with your phone, you can open itin Instagram and use various filters toadd shadow and contrast to the photos,giving them different looks.

The photos on this page, taken byprofessional photographer, KendalStopak, illustrate the different effects.

The “earlybird” filter adds browntones, giving the image a vintage look.

“Amaro” washes the photo out and re-moves harsh shadows.

“Lo-fi” is more saturated. It makes thecolors “pop” and adds more contrast.

And “inkwell” converts the photo toblack and white.

“Everyone looks better with a filter.Your teeth look whiter,” she said. Stopak

likes using the Instagram filters for de-tails, your friend’s really cute pair ofshoes or the amazing piece of chocolatecake. “Instagram makes everything looka little more professional because of thefilters.”

She cautioned that Instagram createssquare photos, so it you take a long, hor-izontal photo of a group of friends,some may be cut off.

Those with an iPhone 4s or 5 can takepanoramic shots. “I’d use this to take aroom shot if there was a lot of fun decorat the party,” she suggested.

Those without an iPhone or Insta-gram can upload photos to sites like Be-Funky.com and get similar effects.There’s even a “cartoonize” option. Justclick a button to turn your photo into acaricature.

Upload and shareOnce you’ve applied the filter, upload

the photo to Instagram (the app has asocial network allowing friends to “fol-low” your stream of photos), Facebookor Twitter. By tagging your friends (list-ing their Facebook, Twitter or Insta-

gram names), you can alert them to newphotos. Friends can even pull the phototo share on their pages. Using “hash-tags” categorizes the image, allowingothers to search for photos by theme.

Photo etiquetteDon’t upload embarrassing or inap-

propriate photos of your friends withouttheir knowledge and explicit approval(photos of friends drinking is a no-no.There is a difference however, betweena photo of an obviously inebriated20something and a group of 40some-thing women holding glasses of wine.)

Be considerate. Don’t post a photo ifyou look great but your friends look ter-

rible. Crop the image, so you just have aphoto of you (looking gorgeous).

ink before you write your hashtag orcaption. What you think is funny maynot be. A photo of you and a group offriends with #mybffs could hurt the feel-ings of the one friend not included in thepicture.

And don’t post any photos or use anyhashtags or captions that have to do withyour workplace. Be professional. Youdon’t want to inadvertently reflect poorlyon yourself or your company.Kendal Stopak, is a professional photog-

rapher in Bethesda. Check out her work atwww.mymbkphoto.com/gallery/KendalsMitzvahs. To contact her, [email protected].


Phoning in the party photos

— The best photos are taken in open shade. Open shade is outdoor/availablelight (without a flash) in the shade. For example: under a tree, on the shadyside of a house, or just a cloudy/overcast day.

— When taking a photo, you want to make sure your background isn'tbrighter than your subject. This will make your subject into a silhouette. (Un-less thats what you're looking to do which can cause a fun effect).

Photography tips

Using Instagram to apply filters can turn images taken with your phone into professionallooking photos. Clockwise from top le: inkwell, lo-fi, earlybird, and amaro filters.

Photos by Kendal Stopak

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by David HolzelSenior Writer

You can’t have a party without music. Itsets the tone, energizes the room and

can even serve as an ice breaker. Naturally,each age group – teens, twentysomethingsand over 30s – go for sounds that reflecttheir world and mindset. Some even turnout to be the same songs.

For young teens, the number one partysong today is “Gangnam Style,” says DJDoug Sandler. e runaway internationalhit by South Korean pop artist Psy has aline dance that’s a must at the bar and batmitzvah parties Sandler works.

Another song, “I Got a Feeling,” by BlackEyed Peas, “has become a party standardby the new terms of party standard,” hesays.

at standard is set by Top 40 stationssuch as Hot 99.5 (WIHT-FM). Hot artistsinclude LMFAO, Ke$ha, Justin Bieber anda new boy band, One Direction. “Whateveris the latest song for these artists is hot,”Sandler says.

Teens get a heads up on what their peersare listening to from YouTube videos, saysDJ Jared Rosen. Bieber, Psy, Rihanna, FloRida, Chris Brown, Katy Perry – they’re allon high rotation. “e key here is to have abeat and to have a hook. And it has to havesomething crazy.” “Gangnam Style” is thecurrent Exhibit A.

While teens follow the herd musically,people in their 20s want music “with a so-cial message and are off the beaten path,”Sandler says. He names Regina Spektor, In-grid Michaelson, Indigo Girls, Amy Wine-house and Adele as popular artists whosework oen emphasizes message over mu-sicality.

“It’s ‘never mind that it’s not melodic.is is what I feel and I’m an artist,’ ” he

says.Rosen says that at weddings, people in

their 20s go for three types of music: Top40 hits, “old school stuff” -- which meansmusic from the ‘90s -- and ‘80s rock.

Old school is Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby GotBack,” Backstreet Boys and Beastie Boys –“back to the time when they were younger.”Rosen calls the ‘80s music of artists likeBon Jovi, AC/DC, Madonna and MichaelJackson, “frat house songs” – “songs thatcame on at the end of the night at a party.”

Aer that, there’s an even larger songlist to draw from to get that nostalgicfeeling. Sandler’s party song picks forthose 40 and up: Queen, Aerosmith,Foreigner, Rolling Stones, DoobieBrothers, AC/DC, Hall and Oates.“And the Beatles have stood thetest of time,” Rosen says.

Hit music shows like “AmericanIdol” and “e Voice” have mixedthe musical knowledge of the gen-erations, bringing classic rockersSteven Tyler and Aerosmith toteens and pop singer ChristinaAguilera to the attention of boomers.

“Music in the last 4-5 years is reallybringing people together,” Rosen says.

What’s likely to stop a party dead? Rosensays despite the perennial popularity ofstyles like funk and Motown, “nobody’s re-questing disco.”

Disco had its detractors even in its hey-day. Other songs burn so brightly that aerthe first few hundred listens, no one canstand them anymore. Such is the sad caseof Carly Rae Jepsen’s quirky mega hit of lastsummer, “Call Me Maybe.”

“It’s been overplayed,” Rosen says. “It’seven showing up on some do-not-playlists.”

With that warning, go ahead and getready to party. Music may be the universal

language, but it definitely hasmore than one dialect.

[email protected] Twit-ter: @davidholzel


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by William TregerStaff Writer

Does your mitzvah have a mitzvah?Does your party have a cause?

Ariana Heideman, founder of Star-burst Communications, is no strangerto planning parties with a cause.

In May 2012 she helped plan an IsraeliWine Tasting for The Lone Soldier Proj-ect of The Israel Forever Foundation, incooperation with the Embassy of Israel.The organization brought in a formerLone Soldier to speak about his timeserving in the IDF, and the meaningfulcontribution of the Lone Soldier Centerwhich provided a home to sleep forShabbat, a meal for days off the base anda sense of family and belonging.

According to Heideman, “Cause-based events have a life of their own asthere is already an invested theme. Thekey is to ascertain how to best frame thecause in order to draw attention andleave a positive lasting impression.”

“All elements from the location, guestlist, refreshments, and entertainmentmust be meticulously determined be-fore any promotion is underway orevent announcements issued.”

“Further, what interests one age groupmay be of no interest to another, so it isvital to know your target audience, aswell as the focused goals and mission ofthe event. A simple event for Lone Sol-diers will always bring in numbers, buta special twist such as a Wine Tastingtribute featuring only Israeli wines fromcities where soldiers serve, personalizesthe experience for both the soldiers andthe attendees.”

Heideman says many groups havetheir own in-house event planners fortheir cause-oriented functions. Her spe-cialty at Starburst is to provide servicesto organizations without an internalevent team who might be looking toplan a charity, cause or corporate event.

With a background in communica-tions and passion for doing good, Hei-deman believes the combination createsa great niche.

“All organizations,” she says “like anybusiness, require financial stability tosurvive.”

“In the last year I have planned sev-eral philanthropy-based events includ-ing happy hours that mesh cause withfun with networking; but for it to be

successful, thebills have to bepaid and there-fore it is oftennecessary tocharge an entryfee in order toraise the fundsrequired to sup-port the organi-zation and itswork.”

Heideman saysanyone can hosta party and raiseawareness. But,she says, “Inorder to raisefunds at the sametime, in supportof quality pro-gramming, it issometimes neces-sary to enforce a call to action ratherthan to sit back and hope attendees willbe in the mood to contribute withoutbeing solicited. And, when people payeven a small amount they feel vestedand invested; it raises their own aware-ness and commitment; if they receivevalue, they will come back and they willconsider giving their time and someavailable funding in the future.”

Just recently, Heideman co-chairedand assisted in the planning of the Jew-ish Federation of Greater Washington’sImpact DC gala at the Howard Theatreand according to Heideman, it was an“epic event.”

“Our goal was to attract young profes-sionals to get involved in the work ofFederation as part of their commitmentto the community and to supporting or-ganizations and causes. The funds thatwere raised from last year’s Impact DCevent were able to help bring Israelis toD.C. for a Reverse Mifgash program andthen this year to support JFGW's hugedonation to support Israel during therecent Gaza events.” Heideman takespride in the fact that contribution andtime were used in such impactful ways.

Cara Weiss of Save the Date is a well-known event planner and B’nai Mitzvahplanner. She likes to emphasize theword, “mitzvah,” and discuss “partieswith a cause.”

According to Weiss, “The idea behindany Bar/Bat Mitzvah is to discover your-

self and what we are as a community.Because of this, it is very easy to discussfinding a cause related to your party.”

“Parents tend to love when I bring upthe subject of partying with a cause. It'sall about finding something that youcare enough about and want to put yourefforts towards. For example, creating adonation concept as one aspect of aparty. This involves being creative andthinking out of the box.”

Weiss sees parties with a cause as aniche area in planning that is bound toexpand. “This might go beyond the He-brew school mitzvah project,” Weisssaid. “It would be wonderful if templesmade it a requirement; it is actuallywhat becoming a b'nai mitzvah is reallyabout.”

With Heideman focusing on youngprofessionals and Weiss covering the

b’nai mitzvah set and their parents,Toronto-based EchoAge.com is helpingparents create cause-related birthdayparties for their young children.

According to EchoAge co-founderDebbie Zinman, parents and their childfirst select an invite. Then, the child se-lects a charity for their friends to donateto and a gift, for themselves. Parentsmake donations to the cause on behalfof the invited children. Half of the do-nations are given to the selected charity.The remainder goes to the birthday boyor girl to buy a gift of their choosing.

The premise is simple—any child whouses his birthday to help fight a diseaseor help animals or help the homeless—is a child one step closer to knowing andunderstanding the world around himand getting his heart and mind preparedfor mitzvah study.


Party for a cause

Young Jewish professionals party for a cause at this year’s Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Impact DC galaat the Howard eatre in the District.

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by Phil JacobsExecutive Editor

1-year-old babyWhy are my parents wearing those

strange pointy hats? Better still, why am Iwearing a strange pointy hat? Okay Dad,enough with the VHS video camera. isred rose thing on the cake tastes prettygreat. Why don’t I smear it all over myface? Grandma, stop kissing me everytwo seconds, or I’ll cry again. (Don’tmake me go there.)

Kindergarten birthdayDid I have to invite the entire class? I

just want to throw my face into that icecream cake. Me, me, me, me. If I don’tget the biggest piece, I’m going to spill myapple juice on purpose. Come on,Mommy! You know ripping wrappingpaper is pretty cool. Wait, isn’t that gi thesame one I gave to that kid? Daddy,enough with the mini-video camera. isisn’t a press conference. Wow, we’re giv-ing out kickin’ goodie bags. I’m not sure Iwant to give them out. I am a big boynow, I deserve to keep them. Grandma,eeewwwww, stop kissing me!

Bar mitzvah partyMom, Dad, please don’t embarrass me.

Why are my friends texting during myspeech? I didn’t want the red silkyarmulkes, it makes me look like a dork.Uh, oh, she’s staring at me. I wish I couldget the DJ to stop playing Coke and Pepsiand let me dance alone with her…insteadof my bubbe. Bubbe stop kissing me!

Teen New Year’s eve partyDad, can I have the keys? We’re all going

over to my friend’s house. Yes, his parentswill be there. Yes, I’ll text you when I getthere. Yes, I’ll come straight home aermidnight. I’m too afraid to call her to askher to be my girlfriend. But she did stareat me at the bar mitzvah party.

Parent of a teen-age daughteron New Year’s eve

You’re not leaving this house wearingthat young lady. “Mom, everyone else iswearing this, why can’t I?” “Dad, can Iwear this dress to the party?” Dad: “Suresweetie.” Mom to Dad: “Did you just giveher permission to wear that dress to theparty?” Dad: “Um, I don’t know.”

Early 20sFirst party at my apartment. Invite 10

people on Facebook. Sixty show up. Runout of drinks and food. Wake up the nextearly aernoon. Find roommate asleep inthe hallway outside of our front door.Piece of pizza in the bathroom sink. Yuck!Turn on phone. Twenty five texts fromMom. First wishing me “Happy NewYear!” Later, “Why aren’t you answering?”Finally, “Are you avoiding us youngman?”

Married with first child on NewYear’s

Haven’t slept through the night in sixmonths. Go to Redbox and rent twomovies for babysitter. Grab pizza andsnacks for her. Give her my cell number,my wife’s cell number, my parents’ cellnumber, every cell number I’ve evercalled. Go to dinner with friends, end upat their house to watch Dick Clark andthe ball drop in Times Square. I’ve calledthe babysitter. My wife has called thebabysitter. Bubbe has called the babysitter.Get home aer midnight, drive babysitterhome, come home, collapse in bed, 45minutes into sleep, baby starts to cry.Happy New Year.

My teenagerGoes out with boy who drives a van.

Oy. We start texting at 10. She answers ata rate of one text to every 97 we send her.We go to dinner and movies and gethome to watch ball drop. 12:01, no callfrom daughter. 12:02 still no call. Wait upfor her. She’s home before negotiated cur-few, which was a harder to achieve agree-ment than a United Nations’ resolution.

College student birthday partyWhy are there so many red plastic cups

and ping pong balls? Do your friends playtable tennis? at’s a great party activity.Beer pong? How could you possibly hit abeer over a net? By the way, where is theping pong table?

Married daughterOh, you have plans with your husband

and friends? Don’t worry about us, momand I also have plans for New Year’s eve.Off to Redbox. Stop and buy a bottle ofcheap champagne. Pop some popcorn.Watch movie. Now what do we do, it’s8:30?

Our grandson and his parentsSure, sure you guys go out and enjoy

the evening. Wish your friends HappyNew Year. We watch Dinosaur Train andthe Muppets. We toast the New Year withthe finest brand of apple juice box. Weput our grandson in his crib. We tell himwe love him and Happy New Year. It’sabout 7:30. He looks at me with his eyesthat say, “Poppy, enough with the kiss-ing.” My eyes say back to him, “Kid, it’snever enough.”

I hug my wife and partner of 36 years.We watch a movie on TV. We get a

phone call from our two children. e older daughter calls and asks, “Did

he go to sleep okay?” She texts us about10 times during the course of the evening.We text back, “Everything is great, we’rehaving the best New Year’s we’ve everhad.”

e younger daughter calls, “Whydidn’t you answer my text? I was worry-ing about you guys.”

e party’s not over. It’s just better.


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18115 Georgia Ave.Olney, MD 20832301-570-4720designsbynicoleonline.orgEstablished in 1988, New York trained Nicoleand staff can fit any size or shape with cus-tomed designed garments. Tailoring on off therack clothing will fit like a dream, from bridal tomen's suits. Fabulous fashion jewelry andevening purses will finish your look. Call formore details.

salon Fusion

1401 Rockville PikeRockville, MD 20852240-430-0415 salonfusionrockville.comAt Salon Fusion, we are delighted to have theopportunity to lift your spirits while attendingto your personal care needs. We pride ourselvesin taking the time to listen to our clients whiletaking into account personality, life style andmaintenance. Our goal is to create a salonwhere not only do you leave looking and feelinggreat, but where great things happen because ofit! Through integrity, commitment to educa-tion, and dedication to our team, we at SalonFusion are determined to give you the serviceyou deserve and look forward to meeting you!Come visit us before your next simcha!

FLORISTS

behnke’s

Beltsville Store:11300 Baltimore Ave.Beltsville, MD 20705301-937-1100Potomac Store:9545 River Rd.Potomac, MD 20854301-983-9200Behnke’s Florist9545 River Rd.Potomac, MD 20854301-983-4400Planting Service - Beltsville:301-937-1100

Potomac: 301-983-9200www.behnkes.com

GIFTS

israeli accents

4838 Boiling Brook PkwyRockville, MD 20852301-231-7999www.israeliaccents.comImporter of Israeli giftware and Judaica.All itemsdiscounted 20 percent daily, including invitationsand personalized yarmulkes for weddings andbar mitzvahs.The area’s most outstanding selec-tion of Judaica, jewelry and gifts.

silver spring Jewelry

9421 Georgia Ave and11205 New Hampshire Ave240-432-4946silverspringjewelers.comAre you in the market for Jewelry? Choose Sil-ver Spring Jewelry, the only complete jewelrymanufacturer in the DC area. Silver SpringJewelry has been family owned and operatedsince 1971. Silver Spring Jewelry is direct im-porter of EGI and GIA certified diamonds.Save $$$ buying diamonds direct! SilverSpring Jewelry will trade your unwanted goldjewelry for a new piece of jewelry or we canbuy your gold for cash. Jewelry repairs and re-placements of watch batteries can be donewhile you wait. Design Your Own Jewelry- letus help you design the perfect pair of earrings,pendant, or ring using our exceptional certi-fied diamonds. Authorized Watch Dealer forMovado, Accutron, Wittnauer, Bulova, Seiko,Citizen, Caravelle, Pulsar, Kenneth Cole. Nowopen in downtown Silver Spring as well asWhite Oak. Stop in today!

HOTELS

the FairFax at embassy row

2100 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington DC, 20008202-293-2100theluxurycollection.com/fairfaxCecilia [email protected] elegant Fairfax at Embassy Row is a beau-tiful hotel which is nestled among the statelymansions of Massachusetts Avenue. Located inDupont Circle, one of Washington, D.C.’smost vibrant neighborhoods, the luxury hotel,which offers both ceremony and receptionspaces, embodies the grace and elegance of abygone era.

hilton washington dc/

north gaithersburg

620 Perry ParkwayGaithersburg, MD 20877301-977-8900www.gaithersburg.hilton.comFrom elegant to casual, our event venues canbe transformed into a vision that fits yourneeds. Our 4,800 square-foot Grand Ballroomis ideal for your Wedding celebration and caneasily accommodate up to 450 guests, whilethe 2,900 square-foot Montgomery Ballroomprovides an exceptional backdrop for smallergatherings.

INVITATIONS

lettering by lynne

3315 Carolina Pl.Alexandria VA703-548-5427Lynne [email protected] invitations: elegant papers, thermog-raphy, engraving letterpress printing. Hebrewtoo. Beautiful addressing envelopes and placecards, picture frames, kippot, benchers, ke-tubot. Customized ceremony programs. Beau-tiful framed seating chart and gold or silvertable number stands to rent. Colorful person-alized 3-D sign-in books. One-on-one cus-tomer interface.

JEWELRY

leila Jewels ®

Cabin John Shopping Center7737 Tuckerman Lane, Potomac, MD301-299-5675Leila is more than just fabulous jewelry.We can help you choose the perfect gift for anyoccasion: Housewarmings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs,Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Gradua-tions, and Holidays.

PARTY�PLANNING�

events dc

202-249-3311eventsdc.comConventions and meetings. Sports and enter-tainment. Special Events. If it's an event youdon't want to forget, remember Events DC. It'sgot to be perfect. It's got to be memorable. Ifyou want it to exceed your expectations, makeEvents DC your planning partner. We've gotthe venues to guarantee that your next eventswill be unforgettable. To book an event or formore information, contact us today.

save the date

[email protected] your event is next week or next year,our awardwinning event planning companycan work out the right plan for you. From in-vitations, favors, theme design, to vendor re-ferral we have all the resources you need tosuccessfully plan your next event.

PHOTOGRAPHY

simchatography by ben droZ

412-805-0087bendroz.comMake Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah a Special Simchawith Simchatography™ by Ben Droz, one ofthe area's most noted event photographers(Washington Life, Washingtonian and privateevents), and offering Special Simcha rates, freephoto albums, candids, portraits and more.Call 412-805-0087 today to see how Sim-chatography can Make Your Simcha Special.

WJW Group, LLCAn independent newspaper founded in 1965,

successor to the National Jewish Ledger (1930-1965)

Publisher & Chief Operating Officer

Craig Burke

Executive EditorPhil Jacobs

— EDITORIAL —

Managing EditorMeredith Jacobs

Senior WriterDavid Holzel

Copy ChiefAaron Leibel

Staff WritersEmily Jacobs Suzanne PollakWilliam Treger

— BUSINESS —

Director of FinanceLequita Preston

Office ManagerJoan Romano

— ADVERTISING —

Advertising Sales ManagerGail Ruppe

Senior Account ExecutivesMichele Mizrahi

Eric Sodee

Account ExecutivesStacie ShaperoMichael Tobin

Classified ExecutiveHarley Liebenson

— CREATIVE —

Production ManagerLauren Yoffe

DesignersJenna FanningAndrea Roth

Main Office: 301-230-222211426 Rockville Pike • Suite 236, Rockville, MD 20852Fax: (Edit.) 301-881-6362/(Adv.) 301-881-1994Classified: 301-230-047211426 Rockville Pike • Suite 236, Rockville, MD 20852Circulation: 301-230-2222 ext. 22211426 Rockville Pike • Suite 236, Rockville, MD 20852To advertise in Washington Jewish Week call us at 301-230-1211


Adventure Theater ..............................B23Carbone Entertainment .......................B16Catering by Alan Weiss .......................B21City of Fairfax ....................................B23Clyde’s Restaurant Group ....................B22Designs by Nicole...............................B15Earth Treks Climbing Center ................B20Events DC ...........................................B2Fairfax Embassy Row .........................B22Fitness for Health.................................B4Fotographix Productions.......................B3Hilton Gaithersburg ..............................B4Hoffman & Co. Caterers ........................B7Il Porto Restaurant .............................B20Israeli Accents ...................................B14Kabob Bazaar ....................................B15Leila Fine Gifts ...................................B12Lettering by Lynne..............................B10Marriott International .........................B24Mr. Omelette Caterers .........................B17Mykonos ...........................................B17Normandie Farm ................................B11Nostos ..............................................B17Potomac 18 Caterers ............................B3Salon Fusion......................................B10Save the Date ....................................B13Silver Spring Jewelry ...........................B6Simchatography by Ben Droz ................B9Sweet Frog White Oak...........................B8The Continental Event Center ................B5Windows Catering................................B8Yarden Catering ...................................B2

Full BarOpen 7 Days A WeekMon-Fri 11:30-10pm

Sat 12-10pmSun 12-9pm

Pastas, Fresh Seafood, Veal, Poultry, Pizza, Homemade Italian Bread & Homemade Desserts Made Fresh Daily

“ample portions of good food at reasonable prices...”-Gazette Papers

Carry Out Available

Take Diamondback Dr. to Muddy Branch Rd. Make Right turn into Shopping Center. Just 5 minutes away!

www.ilportogaithersburg.com

Family Owned Since 1996

245 Muddy Branch Rd., GaithersburgFestival Shopping Center

301-590-0735200 South Market St. Frederick301-620-7480

Private PartyRoom Available


Creating Magical Events For Your Once In A Lifetime Celebration!443.394.8338 | 443.394.6646 | 800.459.0009www.cateringbyalanweiss.com


Events that dazzle.But no one shines brighter than you.

When you plan an event at The Fairfax at Embassy Row, a Starwood LuxuryCollection Hotel, you and your guests become the center of our world. FromBar/Bat Mitzvahs to weddings, our professional staff handles your every whim.Make your day an affair to remember – and one your guests will never forget.

WWW.FAIRFAXHOTELDC.COM

Call our sales team today at 202.293.2100 to learn about our 2012/2013 Special Event Packages.

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The Fairfax At Embassy Row


Book a Party at Adventure Theatre MTC! CHOOSE FROM OUR PARTY OPTIONS:

Professional Performance Parties, Dance Workshops, Pretty Princess Workshops & Light Saber Workshops

Musical Theater Center

for more information, visit adventuretheatre-mtc.org or call 301-634-2270.

Want to host a holiday party… don’t have the space and time to accommodate one?Call us today at 703-385-1703 and enjoy your festivities in the City of Fairfax’s beautiful historic Old Town Hall in Old Town Fairfax, this graceful venue will provide a warm, yet elegant setting for your party.

Mention where you saw this ad, and receive $100 off your rental and use of the Catering Corner FREE—a combined value of $150 for bookings in December, 2012 or January, 2013. 703-385-1703

[email protected]

www.fairfaxva.gov/parksrec

party planner

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